Exhibit 3.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
GARDINER HEALTHCARE ACQUISITIONS CORP.
December 21, 2021
Gardiner Healthcare Acquisitions Corp., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), DOES HEREBY CERTIFY AS FOLLOWS:
1. The name of the Corporation is “Gardiner Healthcare Acquisitions Corp.”. The original certificate of incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on March 25, 2021 (the “Original Certificate”).
2. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate”), which both restates and amends the provisions of the Original Certificate, was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time (the “DGCL”), and by written consent of the Corporation’s stockholders in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.
3. This Amended and Restated Certificate shall become effective on the date of filing with the Secretary of State of Delaware.
4. The text of the Original Certificate is hereby restated and amended in its entirety to read as follows:
ARTICLE 1
NAME
The name of the corporation is Gardiner Healthcare Acquisitions Corp. (the “Corporation”).
ARTICLE 2
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL. In addition to the powers and privileges conferred upon the Corporation by law and those incidental thereto, the Corporation shall possess and may exercise all the powers and privileges that are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business or purposes of the Corporation, including, but not limited to, effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination, involving the Corporation and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”).
ARTICLE 3
REGISTERED AGENT
The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1013 Centre Road, Suite 430-B, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware, 19805. The name of its registered agent at such address is Vcorp Services, LLC.
ARTICLE 4
CAPITALIZATION
Section 4.1 Authorized Capital Stock. The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock, which the Corporation is authorized to issue is 51,000,000 shares, consisting of 50,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”). The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of the respective classes of the Corporation’s capital stock or the holders thereof and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof are as follows:
Section 4.2 Preferred Stock. Subject to Article 9 of this Amended and Restated Certificate, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) is hereby expressly authorized to provide out of the unissued shares of the Preferred Stock for one or more series of Preferred Stock and to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series and to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional, special and other rights, if any, of each such series and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, as shall be stated in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board providing for the issuance of such series and included in a certificate of designation (a “Preferred Stock Designation”) filed pursuant to the DGCL, and the Board is hereby expressly vested with the authority to the full extent provided by law, now or hereafter, to adopt any such resolution or resolutions.
Section 4.3 Common Stock.
(a) Voting.
(i) Except as otherwise required by law or this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of the shares of Common Stock shall exclusively possess all voting power with respect to the Corporation.
(ii) Except as otherwise required by law or this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders on which the holders of the Common Stock are entitled to vote.
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(iii) Except as otherwise required by law or this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, holders of the shares of Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and on all other matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise required by law or this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), holders of shares of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any amendment to any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series of Preferred Stock are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the DGCL.
(b) Dividends. Subject to applicable law, the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock and the provisions of Article 9 hereof, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions (payable in cash, property or capital stock of the Corporation) when, as and if declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.
(c) Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up of the Corporation. Subject to applicable law, the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock and the provisions of Article 9 hereof, in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock held by them.
Section 4.4 Rights and Options. The Corporation has the authority to create and issue rights, warrants and options entitling the holders thereof to acquire from the Corporation any shares of its capital stock of any class or classes, with such rights, warrants and options to be evidenced by or in instrument(s) approved by the Board. The Board is empowered to set the exercise price, duration, times for exercise and other terms and conditions of such rights, warrants or options; provided, however, that the consideration to be received for any shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise thereof may not be less than the par value thereof.
ARTICLE 5
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 5.1 Board Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by, or under the direction of, the Board. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon the Board by statute, this Amended and Restated Certificate or the Bylaws of the Corporation then in effect (the “Bylaws”), the Board is hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the DGCL, this Amended and Restated Certificate, and any Bylaws adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation; provided, however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.
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Section 5.2 Number, Election and Term.
(a) The number of directors of the Corporation, other than those who may be elected by the holders of one or more series of the Preferred Stock voting separately by class or series, shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board.
(b) Subject to the rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, voting separately by class or series, to elect directors pursuant to the terms of one or more series of Preferred Stock, the election of directors shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon.
(c) Subject to Section 5.5 hereof, a director shall hold office until the annual meeting for the year in which his or her term expires and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.
(d) Unless and except to the extent that the Bylaws shall so require, the election of directors need not be by written ballot. The holders of shares of Common Stock shall not have cumulative voting rights.
Section 5.3 Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies. Subject to Section 5.5 hereof newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancies on the Board resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal or other cause may be filled solely and exclusively by a majority vote of the remaining directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by stockholders), and any director so chosen shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors to which the new directorship was added or in which the vacancy occurred and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.
Section 5.4 Removal. Subject to Section 5.5 hereof, any or all of the directors may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
Section 5.5 Preferred Stock - Directors. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article 5, and except as otherwise required by law, whenever the holders of one or more series of the Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect one or more directors, the term of office, the filling of vacancies, the removal from office and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of such series of the Preferred Stock as set forth in this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) and such directors shall not be included in any of the classes created pursuant to this Article 5 unless expressly provided by such terms.
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ARTICLE 6
BYLAWS
In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by law, the Board shall have the power and is expressly authorized to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors present at a regular or special meeting of the Board at which there is a quorum or by unanimous written consent. The Bylaws also may be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the stockholders; provided, however, that in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws; and provided further, however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.
ARTICLE 7
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS; ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT
Section 7.1 Special Meetings. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock, and to the requirements of applicable law, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, or the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board, and the ability of the stockholders of the Corporation to call a special meeting is hereby specifically denied. Except as provided in the foregoing sentence, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may not be called by another person or persons.
Section 7.2 Advance Notice. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws.
Section 7.3 Action by Written Consent. Except as may be otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) relating to the rights of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, subsequent to the consummation of the Corporation’s initial public offering of securities (the “Offering”), any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected by a duly called annual or special meeting of such stockholders and may not be effected by written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation.
ARTICLE 8
LIMITED LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION
Section 8.1 Limitation of Director Liability. A director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended unless a director violated his or her duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized unlawful payments of dividends, unlawful stock purchases or unlawful redemptions, or derived improper personal benefit from his or her actions as a director. Any amendment, modification or repeal of the foregoing sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation hereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such amendment, modification or repeal.
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Section 8.2 Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless each person who is or was made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with such proceeding. The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an indemnitee in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, to the extent required by applicable law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of the indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section 8.2 or otherwise. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred by this Section 8.2 shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.2(a), except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses, the Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to an indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no indemnification or advancement of expenses will extend to any claims made by the Corporation’s officers and directors to cover any loss that such individuals may sustain as a result of such individuals’ agreement to pay debts and obligations to target businesses or vendors or other entities that are owed money by the Corporation for services rendered or contracted for or products sold to the Corporation, as described in the Registration Statement.
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(b) The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred on any indemnitee by this Section 8.2 shall not be exclusive of any other rights that any indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under law, this Amended and Restated Certificate, the Bylaws, an agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.
(c) Any repeal or amendment of this Section 8.2 by the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate inconsistent with this Section 8.2, shall, unless otherwise required by law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and shall not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision in respect of any proceeding (regardless of when such proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) arising out of, or related to, any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.
(d) This Section 8.2 shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than indemnitees.
ARTICLE 9
BUSINESS COMBINATION REQUIREMENTS; EXISTENCE
Section 9.1 General.
(a) The provisions of this Article 9 shall apply during the period commencing upon the effectiveness of this Amended and Restated Certificate and terminating upon the consummation of the Corporation’s initial Business Combination and no amendment to this Article 9 shall be effective prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination unless approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-five percent (65%) of all then outstanding shares of the Common Stock.
(b) Immediately after the Offering, 101% of the net offering proceeds received by the Corporation in the Offering (including the proceeds of any exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) and certain other amounts specified in the Corporation’s registration statement on Form S-1, as initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on October 22, 2021, as amended (the “Registration Statement”), shall be deposited in a trust account (the “Trust Account”), established for the benefit of the Public Stockholders (as defined below) pursuant to a trust agreement described in the Registration Statement. Except for the withdrawal of interest income (if any) to pay the Corporation’s taxes, if any, none of the funds held in the Trust Account (including the interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account) will be released from the Trust Account until the earliest to occur of (i) the completion of the initial Business Combination, (ii) the redemption of 100% of the Offering Shares (as defined below) if the Corporation does not complete its initial Business Combination within 12 months, or 15 or 18 months from the closing of the Offering if the Corporation elects to extend the amount of time to complete the initial Business Combination to the 15-month or 18-month anniversary from the closing of the Offering by depositing $750,000 (or $862,500 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option was exercised in full) into the Trust Account for each 3-month extension and in accordance with the terms of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between the Corporation and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, subject to applicable law, and (iii) the redemption of Offering Shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Corporation’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Corporation has not completed an initial Business Combination within 12 months (or 15 or 18 months, as applicable) of the closing of the Offering or (B) with respect to any other provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity (as described in Section 9.7). Holders of shares of the Common Stock included as part of the units sold in the Offering (the “Offering Shares”) (whether such Offering Shares were purchased in the Offering or in the secondary market following the Offering and whether or not such holders are Gardiner Healthcare Holdings, LLC, Chardan Gardiner LLC, CCMAUS Pty Ltd (collectively the “Co-Sponsors”) or the officers or directors of the Corporation, or any affiliates of any of the foregoing) are referred to herein as “Public Stockholders.”
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Section 9.2 Redemption Rights.
(a) Prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, the Corporation shall provide all holders of Offering Shares with the opportunity to have their Offering Shares redeemed upon the consummation of the initial Business Combination pursuant to, and subject to the limitations of, Sections 9.2(b) and 9.2(c) (such rights of such holders to have their Offering Shares redeemed pursuant to such Sections, the “Redemption Rights”) hereof for cash equal to the applicable redemption price per share determined in accordance with Section 9.2(b) hereof (the “Redemption Price”); provided, however, that the Corporation shall not redeem Offering Shares to the extent that such redemption would result in the Corporation’s failure to have net tangible assets (as determined in accordance with Rule 3a51-1(g)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (or any successor rule)) of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of the initial Business Combination or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to such initial Business Combination (such limitation hereinafter called the “Redemption Limitation”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate, there shall be no Redemption Rights or liquidating distributions with respect to any warrant issued pursuant to the Offering.
(b) If the Corporation offers to redeem the Offering Shares other than in conjunction with a stockholder vote on an initial Business Combination with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act (or any successor rules or regulations) and filing proxy materials with the SEC, the Corporation shall offer to redeem the Offering Shares upon the consummation of the initial Business Combination, subject to lawfully available funds therefor, in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.2(a) hereof, pursuant to a tender offer in accordance with Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule or regulation) (such rules and regulations hereinafter called the “Tender Offer Rules”) which it shall commence prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination and shall file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination that contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial Business Combination and the Redemption Rights as is required under Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule or regulation) (such rules and regulations hereinafter called the “Proxy Solicitation Rules”), even if such information is not required under the Tender Offer Rules; provided, however, that if a stockholder vote is required by law to approve the proposed initial Business Combination, or the Corporation decides to submit the proposed initial Business Combination to the stockholders for their approval for business or other legal reasons, the Corporation shall offer to redeem the Offering Shares, subject to lawfully available funds therefor, in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.2(a) hereof, in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the Proxy Solicitation Rules (and not the Tender Offer Rules) at a price per share equal to the Redemption Price calculated in accordance with the following provisions of this Section 9.2(b). In the event that the Corporation offers to redeem the Offering Shares pursuant to a tender offer in accordance with the Tender Offer Rules, the Redemption Price per share of the Common Stock payable to holders of the Offering Shares tendering their Offering Shares pursuant to such tender offer shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing: (i) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the completion of the initial Business Combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Corporation to pay its taxes by (ii) the number of the then outstanding Offering Shares. If the Corporation offers to redeem the Offering Shares in conjunction with a stockholder vote on the proposed initial Business Combination pursuant to a proxy solicitation, the Redemption Price per share of the Common Stock payable to holders of the Offering Shares exercising their Redemption Rights shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the completion of the initial Business Combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Corporation to pay its taxes by (b) the number of the then outstanding Offering Shares.
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(c) If the Corporation offers to redeem the Offering Shares in conjunction with a stockholder vote on an initial Business Combination pursuant to a proxy solicitation, a Public Stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), shall be restricted from seeking Redemption Rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 20% of the Offering Shares without the prior consent of the Corporation.
(d) In the event that the Corporation has not completed an initial Business Combination within 18 months (or 24 months, as applicable) from the closing of the Offering, the Corporation shall (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem the Offering Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account not previously released to the Corporation to pay its taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the then outstanding Offering Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of the Public Stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) to the Corporation’s obligations under the DGCL to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
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(e) If the Corporation offers to redeem the Offering Shares in conjunction with a stockholder vote on an initial Business Combination, the Corporation shall consummate the proposed initial Business Combination only if (i) such initial Business Combination is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of the Common Stock that are voted at a stockholder meeting held to consider such initial Business Combination and (ii) the Redemption Limitation is not exceeded.
(f) If the Corporation conducts a tender offer pursuant to Section 9.2(b), the Corporation shall consummate the proposed initial Business Combination only if the Redemption Limitation is not exceeded.
Section 9.3 Distributions from the Trust Account.
(a) A Public Stockholder shall be entitled to receive funds from the Trust Account only as provided in Sections 9.2(a), 9.2(b), 9.2(d) or 9.7 hereof. In no other circumstances shall a Public Stockholder have any right or interest of any kind in or to distributions from the Trust Account, and no stockholder other than a Public Stockholder shall have any interest in or to the Trust Account.
(b) Each Public Stockholder that does not exercise its Redemption Rights shall retain its interest in the Corporation and shall be deemed to have given its consent to the release of the remaining funds in the Trust Account to the Corporation, and following payment to any Public Stockholders exercising their Redemption Rights, the remaining funds in the Trust Account shall be released to the Corporation.
(c) The exercise by a Public Stockholder of the Redemption Rights shall be conditioned on such Public Stockholder following the specific procedures for redemptions set forth by the Corporation in any applicable tender offer or proxy materials sent to the Public Stockholders relating to the proposed initial Business Combination, including the requirement that any Public Stockholder holder that holds Offering Shares beneficially through a nominee must identify itself to the Corporation in connection with any redemption election in order to validly redeem such Offering Shares. Holders of Offering Shares seeking to exercise their Redemption Rights may be required to either tender their certificates (if any) to the Corporation’s transfer agent or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, in each case up to two business days prior to the originally scheduled vote on the proposal to approve a Business Combination. Payment of the amounts necessary to satisfy the Redemption Rights properly exercised shall be made as promptly as practical after the consummation of the initial Business Combination.
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Section 9.4 Share Issuances. Prior to or in connection with the consummation of the Corporation’s initial Business Combination, the Corporation shall not issue any additional securities of the Corporation that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the Trust Account or (ii) vote on the Corporation’s initial Business Combination or any other proposal presented to the stockholders prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial Business Combination.
Section 9.5 Transactions with Affiliates. In the event the Corporation seeks to complete its initial Business Combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with the Sponsor, or the executive officers or directors of the Corporation, the Corporation, or a committee of independent directors of the Corporation, shall obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that such initial Business Combination is fair to the Corporation from a financial point of view.
Section 9.6 No Transactions with Other Blank Check Companies. The Corporation shall not enter into an initial Business Combination with another blank check company or other company.
Section 9.7 Additional Redemption Rights. If, in accordance with Section 9.1(a), any amendment is made to Section 9.2(d) that would affect the substance or timing of the Corporation’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the Corporation’s initial Business Combination or amendments to this Amended and Restated Certificate prior thereto or to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Corporation does not complete an initial Business Combination within 18 months (or 24 months, as applicable) from the closing of the Offering or with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, the Public Stockholders shall be provided with the opportunity to redeem their Offering Shares upon approval of any such amendment, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Corporation to pay its taxes, divided by the number of the then outstanding Offering Shares; provided, however, that any such amendment will be voided, and this Article 9 will remain unchanged, if any stockholders who wish to redeem are unable to redeem due to the Redemption Limitation.
Section 9.8 Minimum Value of Target. So long as the Corporation is listed on a national securities exchange, the Corporation’s initial Business Combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting discounts held in trust and taxes payable on the interest earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination.
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ARTICLE 10
CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY
To the extent allowed by law, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any other analogous doctrine, shall not apply with respect to the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, in circumstances where the application of any such doctrine would conflict with any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations they may have as of the date of this Amended and Restated Certificate or in the future, and the Corporation renounces any expectancy that any of the directors or officers of the Corporation will offer any such corporate opportunity of which he or she may become aware to the Corporation, except, the doctrine of corporate opportunity shall apply with respect to any of the directors or officers of the Corporation only with respect to a corporate opportunity that was offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation and (i) such opportunity is one the Corporation is legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for the Corporation to pursue and (ii) the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to the Corporation without violating any legal obligation.
ARTICLE 11
AMENDMENT OF AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
The Corporation reserves the right at any time and from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), and other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force that may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Amended and Restated Certificate and the DGCL; and, except as set forth in Article 8, all rights, preferences and privileges of whatever nature herein conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons by and pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article 11; provided, however, that Article 9 of this Amended and Restated Certificate may be amended only as provided therein.
ARTICLE 12
EXCLUSIVE FORUM FOR CERTAIN LAWSUITS
Section 12.1 Forum. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) to bring (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, or any claim for aiding and abetting any such alleged breach, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Amended and Restated Certificate or the Bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine, except for, as to each of (i) through (iv) above, any claim as to which the Court of Chancery determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, or for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction. This exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder and Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act, the Securities Act, or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
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Section 12.2 Consent to Jurisdiction. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of Section 12.1 is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce Section 12.1 (an “FSC Enforcement Action”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such FSC Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.
Section 12.3 Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Article 12 shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article 12 (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Article 12 containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article 12.
ARTICLE 13
APPLICATION OF DGCL SECTION 203
Section 13.1 Section 203 of the DGCL. The Corporation hereby expressly elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.
Section 13.2 Limitation on Business Combinations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall not engage in any business combination (as defined below), at any point in time at which the Corporation’s Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act with any interested stockholder (as defined below) for a period of three (3) years following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:
(a) prior to such time, the Board approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, or
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(b) upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned by (i) persons who are directors and also officers of the Corporation and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer, or
(c) at or subsequent to that time, the business combination is approved by the Board and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66-2/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.
Section 13.3 Certain Definitions. Solely for purposes of this Article 13, references to:
(a) “affiliate” means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, another person.
(b) “associate,” when used to indicate a relationship with any person, means: (i) any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity of which such person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of any class of voting stock; (ii) any trust or other estate in which such person has at least a twenty percent (20%) beneficial interest or as to which such person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (iii) any relative or spouse of such person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same residence as such person.
(c) “business combination,” when used in reference to the Corporation and any interested stockholder of the Corporation, means:
(i) any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation (a) with the interested stockholder, or (b) with any other corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the interested stockholder and as a result of such merger or consolidation Section 12.2 is not applicable to the surviving entity;
(ii) any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions), except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation, to or with the interested stockholder, whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which assets have an aggregate market value equal to ten percent (10%) or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding stock of the Corporation
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(iii) any transaction which results in the issuance or transfer by the Corporation or by any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation of any stock of the Corporation or of such subsidiary to the interested stockholder, except: (a) pursuant to the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which securities were outstanding prior to the time that the interested stockholder became such; (b) pursuant to a merger under Section 251(g) of the DGCL; (c) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made, or the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which security is distributed, pro rata to all stockholders of a class or series of stock of the Corporation subsequent to the time the interested stockholder became such; (d) pursuant to an exchange offer by the Corporation to purchase stock made on the same terms to all stockholders of said stock; or (e) any issuance or transfer of stock by the Corporation; provided, however, that in no case under items (c)-(e) of this subsection (iii) shall there be an increase in the interested stockholder’s proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the Corporation or of the voting stock of the Corporation (except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments); or
(iv) any transaction involving the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series, or securities convertible into the stock of any class or series, of the Corporation or of any such subsidiary which is owned by the interested stockholder, except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments or as a result of any purchase or redemption of any shares of stock not caused, directly or indirectly, by the interested stockholder.
(d) “control,” including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with,” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting stock, by contract, or otherwise. A person who is the owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity shall be presumed to have control of such entity, in the absence of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a presumption of control shall not apply where such person holds voting stock, in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this Article 13, as an agent, bank, broker, nominee, custodian or trustee for one or more owners who do not individually or as a group have control of such entity.
(e) “Exempted Person” means Gardiner Healthcare Holdings, LLC, Chardan Gardiner LLC, CCMAUS Pty Ltd and their respective affiliates, any of their respective direct or indirect transferees of at least 20% of the Corporation’s outstanding common stock and any “group” of which any such person is a part under Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act.
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(f) “interested stockholder” means any person (other than the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation) that (i) is the owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of the voting stock of the Corporation, or (ii) is an affiliate or associate of the Corporation and was the owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of the voting stock of the Corporation at any time within the three (3) year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such person is an interested stockholder; and the affiliates and associates of such person; but “interested stockholder” shall not include (a) any Exempted Person, or (b) any person whose ownership of shares in excess of the twenty percent (20%) limitation set forth herein is the result of any action taken solely by the Corporation; provided that with respect to clause (b) such person shall be an interested stockholder if thereafter such person acquires additional shares of voting stock of the Corporation, except as a result of further corporate action not caused, directly or indirectly, by such person. For the purpose of determining whether a person is an interested stockholder, the voting stock of the Corporation deemed to be outstanding shall include stock deemed to be owned by the person through application of the definition of “owner” below but shall not include any other unissued stock of the Corporation which may be issuable pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or otherwise.
(g) “owner,” including the terms “own” and “owned,” when used with respect to any stock, means a person that individually or with or through any of its affiliates or associates:
(i) beneficially owns such stock, directly or indirectly; or
(ii) has (a) the right to acquire such stock (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of stock tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such person or any of such person’s affiliates or associates until such tendered stock is accepted for purchase or exchange; or (b) the right to vote such stock pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of any stock because of such person’s right to vote such stock if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such stock arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to ten (10) or more persons; or
(iii) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in item (b) of subsection (ii) above), or disposing of such stock with any other person that beneficially owns, or whose affiliates or associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, such stock.
(h) “person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity.
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(i) “stock” means, with respect to any corporation, capital stock and, with respect to any other entity, any equity interest.
(j) “voting stock” means stock of any class or series entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Gardiner Healthcare Acquisitions Corp. has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate to be duly executed and acknowledged in its name and on its behalf by an authorized officer as of the date first set forth above.
GARDINER HEALTHCARE | ||
ACQUISITIONS CORP. | ||
By: | /s/ Marc F. Pelletier | |
Name: | Marc F. Pelletier | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation]