qualification of such Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purposes;
(g) As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event, notify each Stockholder of the occurrence of any event of which the Company has knowledge, as a result of which the prospectus included in the registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and to use its best efforts to promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to the registration statement or other appropriate filing with the Commission to correct such untrue statement of omission, and to deliver a number of copies of such supplement or amendment to each Stockholder as such Stockholder may reasonably request; and
(h) If the offering is underwritten, at the request of a Stockholder, to furnish on the date that Registrable Securities are delivered to the underwriters for sale pursuant to such registration: (i) an opinion dated such date of counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such registration, addressed to the underwriters and to any Stockholder selling Registrable Securities in connection with such underwriting, stating that such registration statement has become effective under the Securities Act and that (A) to the best knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness thereof has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or contemplated under the Securities Act and (B) the registration statement, the related prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereof comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act (except that such counsel need not express any opinion as to financial statements or other financial data contained therein) and (ii) a letter dated such date from the Company’s independent public accountants addressed to the underwriters and to such Stockholders, stating that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and that, in the opinion of such accountants, the financial statements of the Company included in the registration statement or the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereof, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act, and such letter shall additionally cover such other financial matters (including information as to the period ending no more than five (5) Business Days prior to the date of such letter) with respect to such registration as such underwriters may reasonably request.
(a) It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to complete the registration pursuant to this Agreement of the Registrable Securities of each Stockholder that such Stockholder shall furnish to the Company in writing such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it, and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it, as shall be reasonably required to effect the registration of such Registrable Securities, and such Stockholder shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request. At least five (5) days prior to the first anticipated filing date of the registration statement, the Company shall notify such Stockholder of the information the Company requires from such Stockholder (the “Requested Information”) if such Stockholder elects to have any of its Registrable Securities included in the registration statement. If, at least two (2) business days prior to the filing date, the Company has not received the Requested Information from a Stockholder, then the Company may file the registration statement without including the Registrable Securities of such Stockholder.
(b) The Stockholder, by such Stockholder’s acceptance of the Registrable Securities, agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of any registration statement hereunder, unless such Stockholder has notified the Company in writing of such Stockholder’s election to exclude all of such Stockholder’s Registrable Securities from such registration statement.
(c) Each Stockholder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Sections 2(a)(ii), 3(f) or 3(g) above, such Stockholder will immediately discontinue disposition of its Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement covering such Registrable Securities until such copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Sections 2(a)(ii), 3(f) or 3(g) shall be furnished to such Stockholder.
(d) If the offering is underwritten, at the request of the managing underwriters, each Stockholder or his permitted assignee holding more than one percent (1%) of the Company’s voting securities shall agree not to sell or otherwise transfer or dispose of any Registrable Securities of the Company held by such Stockholder (other than those included in the registration) for a period specified by the underwriters not to exceed ninety (90) days following the effective date of the registration statement, provided that all officers and directors of the Company and holders of at least one percent (1%) of the Company’s voting securities enter into similar agreements. The obligations described in this Section 4(d) shall not apply to a registration relating solely to employee share option plans or an acquisition transaction registered on Form S-4.
(e) Each Stockholder shall take all other reasonable actions necessary to expedite and facilitate the disposition by the Stockholder of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement.
5. Expenses. All expenses incurred by the Company in complying with its obligations under this Agreement shall be paid by the Company, except that the Company shall not be liable for any fees, discounts or commissions to any underwriter or any fees or disbursements of counsel for any Stockholder, in either case in respect of the Registrable Securities sold by any Stockholders.
| 6. | Indemnification and Contribution. |
(a) Indemnification by the Company. If any Registrable Securities are registered for resale under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Stockholder of such Registrable Securities and such Stockholder’s directors, officers, employees and agents, against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, joint or several, to which such Stockholder or any such director, officer, employee or agent may become subject under the Securities Act or any other statute or at common law, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement of any material fact contained, on the effective date thereof, in any registration statement under which such Registrable Securities were registered under the Securities Act or any final prospectus contained therein (in each case as amended or supplemented, including without limitation, any update pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act), provided that such final prospectus was used to effect a sale by such Stockholder. (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or, with respect to any prospectus, necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or (iii) any violation by the Company of the Securities Act or state
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securities or blue sky laws applicable to the Company and relating to any action or inaction required of the Company in connection with such registration or qualification under such state securities or blue sky laws; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or any omission or alleged omission made in such registration statement, final prospectus, or amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Stockholder specifically for use in such registration statement, prospectus, or amendment or supplement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Stockholder or such director, officer, employee or agent.
(b) Stockholders’ Indemnification. In connection with any registration statement in which a Stockholder is participating, each such Stockholder will furnish to the Company such information as shall reasonably be requested by the Company for use in any such registration statement or prospectus and shall severally, and not jointly, indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, the Company, its directors, officers, employees and agents against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (under the Securities Act, at common law or otherwise), insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained on the effective date thereof in any registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act, or any final prospectus included therein (in each case as amended or supplemented, including without limitation, any update pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act), but only to the extent that such untrue statement of a material fact is contained in, or such material fact is omitted from, written information furnished by such Stockholder, specifically for use in such registration statement or prospectus; provided, however, that the obligations of such Stockholders hereunder shall be limited to an amount equal to the proceeds to each Stockholder of Registrable Securities sold in connection with such registration.
(c) Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party hereunder of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party hereunder, notify the indemnifying party in writing thereof (an “Indemnification Notice”), but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party unless the indemnifying party is materially and adversely affected thereby. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in and, to the extent it shall wish, to assume and undertake the defense thereof and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume and undertake the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6(c) for any legal expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ its own counsel at its expense unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party or (ii) the attorneys for the indemnifying party shall have concluded that there are defenses available to the indemnified party that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party and such counsel reasonably concludes that it is therefore unable to represent the interests of both the indemnified and indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party may employ separate counsel). In no event shall the indemnifying party be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel separate from its own counsel.
(d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution to joint liability under the Securities Act in any case in which either (i) any holder of Registrable Securities exercising
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rights under this Agreement, or any controlling person of any such holder, makes a claim for indemnification pursuant to this Section 6 but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that this Section 6 provides for indemnification in such case, or (ii) contribution under the Securities Act may be required on the part of any such selling holder or any such controlling person in circumstances for which indemnification is provided under this Section 6; then, and in each such case, the Company and such holder will contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which they may be subject (after contribution from others) in such proportion so that such holder is responsible for the portion represented by the percentage that the public offering price of its Registrable Securities offered by the registration statement bears to the public offering price of all securities offered by such registration statement, and the Company is responsible for the remaining portion; provided, however, that, in any such case, (A) no such holder will be required to contribute any amount in excess of the net proceeds received by such holder from the sale of such Registrable Securities offered by it pursuant to such registration statement; and (B) no person or entity guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person or entity who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
| 7. | Restrictions on Dispositions of Parent Stock. |
(a) For a period of six months commencing on the Effective Date (the “Initial Lock-up”) no Stockholder may (i) offer, issue, sell, contract to sell, transfer, pledge, assign, hypothecate or otherwise encumber or dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition as effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by any Stockholder or any affiliate of any Stockholder or any person in privity with any Stockholder or any affiliate of any Stockholder) directly or indirectly any shares of Parent Stock or any options, warrants or other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for such Parent Stock or (ii) engage in any transaction, whether or not with respect to any shares of Parent Stock or any interest therein, the intent or effect of which is to reduce the risk of owning such shares (including, by way of example and not limitation, engaging in put, call, short-sale, straddle or similar market transactions).
(b) Subject to applicable securities laws, commencing at the expiration of the Initial Lock-up, each Stockholder may sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of up to one-third of such Stockholder’s Parent Stock without violating the provisions of Section 7(a) hereof.
(c) Subject to applicable securities laws, commencing six months after the expiration of the Initial Lock-up, each Stockholder may sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of up to two-thirds of such Stockholder’s Parent Stock without violating the provisions of Section 7(a) hereof.
(d) Subject to applicable securities laws, commencing twelve months after the expiration of the Initial Lock-up, each Stockholder may sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any of such Stockholder’s Parent Stock without violating the provisions of Section 7(a) hereof.
(e) In addition to applicable securities law requirements, all shares of Parent Stock subject to the provisions of this Section shall, until the expiration of the stated time periods, bear a legend substantially as follows:
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“THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS SPECIFIED IN THAT CERTAIN REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, DATED [________ ___,] 2006, BY AND AMONG THE HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE, PHARMOS CORPORATION AND CERTAIN OTHER STOCKHOLDERS OF PHARMOS CORPORATION, A COPY OF WHICH MAY BE INSPECTED BY THE HOLDER OF THE CERTIFICATE AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICES OF PHARMOS CORPORATION OR FURNISHED BY PHARMOS CORPORATION TO THE HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE UPON WRITTEN REQUEST AND WITHOUT CHARGE.”
(a) Notices. All notices and other communications pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing, either hand delivered or sent by certified or registered mail with charges prepaid or by commercial courier guaranteeing next business day delivery, or sent by telecopier, and shall be addressed:
(i) in the case of the Company, to the Company at its principal office set forth in the Merger Agreement; and
(ii) in the case of a Stockholder, to the address provided by such Stockholder to the Company.
Any notice or other communication pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to have been duly given or made and to have become effective (i) when delivered in hand to the party to which it was directed, (ii) if sent by telecopier and properly addressed in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section 8(a), when received by the addressee, (iii) if sent by commercial courier guaranteeing next business day delivery, on the business day following the date of delivery to such courier, or (iv) if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, and properly addressed in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section 8(a), (A) when received by the addressee, or (B) on the third business day following the day of dispatch thereof, whichever of (A) or (B) shall be the earlier.
(b) Assignment. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon each Stockholder and its, his or her heirs and successors. The Stockholders’ rights and obligations and each Stockholder’s rights and obligations under this Agreement may only be assigned or delegated if each Stockholder’s Registrable Securities are assigned to the same party to which the rights hereunder are assigned or delegated, and such assignment of Registrable Securities is not in violation of the Securities Act or any state securities laws as set forth in the written opinion of counsel to such Stockholder, reasonably satisfactory to the Company. The Company’s rights and obligations under this Agreement shall not be assigned or delegated.
(c) Amendment and Waiver. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by the Company and by the Required Stockholders. Any Stockholder may waive any of its, his or her rights under this Agreement (including, without limitation, such Stockholder’s right to cause any other Person to comply with such other Person’s obligations under this Agreement) only by an instrument in writing signed by such Stockholder; provided, however, that (i) any rights under this Agreement which inure to the benefit of any and all Stockholders (including, without limitation, the right of any and all Stockholders to cause any other Person to comply with such other Person’s obligations under this Agreement) may be waived on behalf of any and all Stockholders by an instrument in writing signed by the Required Stockholders. Any waiver,
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pursuant to this Subsection 9(c), of a breach of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach.
(d) Governing Law; Headings. This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflict of law provisions of such state. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
(e) Severability. In the event that any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
(f) Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein and therein. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to the subject matter contained herein and therein.
(g) Gender and Number. Whenever the context may require, any pronouns used herein shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the plural form of names, defined terms, nouns and pronouns shall include the singular and vice-versa.
(h) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and it shall not be necessary in making proof of this Agreement to produce or account for more than one such counterpart.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
SIGNATURE PAGE – PHARMOS
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Representatives have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.
PHARMOS CORPORATION
By:_______________________________
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
SIGNATURE PAGE – REPRESENTATIVES
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Representatives have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
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Exhibit D to Merger Agreement
Pharmos Corporation
99 Wood Avenue South, Suite 311
Iselin, New Jersey 08830
Gentlemen:
In accordance with an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of March 14, 2006, by and among Pharmos Corporation (the “Company”), Vela Acquisition Corporation, Vela Pharmaceuticals Inc., the undersigned Stockholder (the “Stockholder”) has acquired certain shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.03 per share (“Common Stock”).
In connection with the Stockholder’s acquisition of the Company’s Common Stock pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Stockholder hereby agrees that, for a period of two (2) years from the date hereof, it will not, directly or indirectly (whether through or with an Affiliate (as that term is defined in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or as part of a Group (as defined Section 13d-5(b)(1) of the Exchange Act)), acquire or offer, make a proposal or agree to acquire (whether publicly or otherwise), in any manner, any material assets of the Company or its subsidiaries, or any securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the Company, or any direct or indirect rights or options or warrants to acquire any such securities or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for such securities, whether or not such securities are so convertible, exercisable or exchangeable at the time of determination (“Voting Securities”) of the Company, except pursuant to the Merger Agreement or in connection with a stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reclassification or similar transaction. If the Stockholder or any of its Affiliates owns or acquires any Voting Securities in violation of this Letter Agreement, such Voting Securities shall immediately be disposed of to persons who are not Affiliates of the Stockholder; provided, however, that the Company may also pursue any other available remedy to which it may be entitled as a result of such violation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Stockholder may acquire additional equity securities of the Company including, without limitation, Voting Securities (i) upon the prior approval of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, or (ii) in connection with a direct issuance by the Company in an amount necessary to maintain its percentage equity interest in the Company or in such greater amount as may be agreed to by the Board .
The Stockholder hereby represents that, based on information contained in the Parent Reports and the 2005 Parent Report (as such terms are defined in the Merger Agreement) and
such other information provided by, and obtained through discussions with, the Company’s executive officers and directors, it has no present intention to:
| a) | make or in any way propose or participate in any “solicitation” of “proxies” to vote (as such terms are defined in Rule 14a-1 under the Exchange Act), solicit any consent or communicate with or seek to advise or influence any individual, partnership (general or limited), joint venture, corporation, trust, estate, limited liability company, association, joint-stock company, unincorporated organization or other entity and governmental body, government or other department or agency thereof (each a “Person”), other than the Company, with respect to the solicitation or voting of any Voting Stock of the Company in opposition to any matter that has been recommended by the Board or in favor of any matter that has been disapproved by the Board, or participate in any solicitation with respect to the election or removal of members of the Board except pursuant to this Agreement; |
| b) | form, or be a member of, any Group with respect to the voting or acquisition of any Voting Securities of the Company or the acquisition of any assets of the Company; |
| c) | grant any proxy or power of attorney with respect to any Voting Stock of the Company, deposit any Voting Stock of the Company into a voting trust, or subject any such Voting Stock to any arrangement or agreement with respect to the voting thereof; |
| d) | seek election to or seek to place a representative on the Board (except as provided by the Merger Agreement), seek the removal of any member of the Board, or vote against the slate of directors nominated by the Board for election at the Company’s 2006 annual meeting of stockholders; |
| e) | call or seek to have called any meeting of the stockholders of the Company other than in connection with the participation of the Stockholder’s representative as a as a director of the Company in calling, or seeking to have called, meetings of stockholders generally; |
| f) | without the prior consent of the Board, (i) solicit, seek to effect, negotiate with or provide any information to any other party, or otherwise make any public announcement or proposal whatsoever, with respect to: (v) a merger or acquisition of the Company, (w) the sale of all or a substantial portion of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, (x) the liquidation of the Company, (y) a recapitalization of the Company or (z) any similar business transaction with respect to the Company; or (ii) take any action that might require any Person to make a public announcement with respect to any such matters; or |
| g) | without the prior consent of the Board, instigate, encourage or assist, or enter into any discussions or arrangements with, any Person or Group to do any of the actions described in (a) through (f) above. |
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The preceding representations are an expression of the Stockholder’s present intent with respect to the subject matter thereof, and the Stockholder expressly reserves the right to act after the date hereof in any manner that is not inconsistent with reasonable business practices and its interests as a stockholder of the Company.
| Very truly yours, | |
| [Insert Name of Principal Stockholder] |
| By:___________________________ |
Acknowledged and Agreed to:
Pharmos Corporation
By:_____________________
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APPENDIX B
March 14, 2006
The Board of Directors
Pharmos Corporation
99 Wood Avenue South, Suite 311
Iselin, NJ 08830
Members of the Board of Directors:
You have requested our opinion as to the fairness, from a financial point of view, to Pharmos Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), of the consideration to be paid by the Company pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Agreement”), dated as of March 10, 2006, by and among the Company, Vela Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Sub”), and Vela Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Target”). Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings used in the Agreement unless otherwise defined herein.
Pursuant to the Agreement and subject to the terms and conditions thereof, Target will, pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (as amended from time to time, the “the DGCL”), be merged with and into the Sub (the “Merger”), and the separate corporate existence of Target shall thereupon cease, in accordance with the provisions of the DGCL. Under the terms of the Agreement, at the Effective Time of the Merger, the Company will pay, or be contractually obligated to pay in the future, aggregate consideration of (i) 11,500,000 shares of common stock of the Company (the “Common Stock”) and US$5,000,000 in cash, (ii) an additional 4,000,000 shares of Common Stock upon successful completion of a Phase IIb clinical trial of the Target’s compound dextofisopam pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and (iii) an additional 4,000,000 shares of Common Stock upon filing of an NDA for dextofisopam pursuant to the terms of the Agreement (collectively, the “Merger Consideration”) in exchange for all outstanding securities of the Target and the conversion and cancellation of all outstanding debt of the Target. The terms and conditions of the Merger are set forth more fully in the Agreement.
The Agreement provides that the shareholders of the Target will be entitled to dissenters’ rights in accordance with the provisions of the DGCL. However, this opinion assumes that no shareholder of the Target will receive consideration in excess of his or her pro rata share of the Merger Consideration as contemplated under the Agreement.
RBC Capital Markets Corporation (“RBC”), as part of its investment banking services, is regularly engaged in the valuation of businesses and their securities in connection with mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, underwritings, secondary distributions of listed and unlisted securities, private placements, and valuations for corporate and other purposes.
Tamir Fishman & Co. LTD. (“TF”), RBC’s strategic partner in Israel, performs various investment banking services, including mergers and acquisitions, underwritings, secondary distributions of listed and unlisted securities, private placements and valuations for businesses, their securities and other purposes.
The Board of Directors Pharmos Corporation
March 14, 2006
Page 2 of 4
This fairness opinion was prepared by RBC and TF. The review and inquiry of such documents, materials and the performance of such acts as we deemed necessary or appropriate for providing this opinion, as described below, were made by RBC and/or TF. RBC and TF are acting as financial advisors to the Company in connection with the Merger. We will receive a fee for providing this opinion. The opinion fee is not contingent upon the consummation of the Merger. We are also entitled to an additional fee in the event of consummation of the Merger. In addition, the Company has agreed to indemnify us for certain liabilities arising out of our engagement. In the ordinary course of business, RBC may act as a market maker and broker in the publicly traded securities of the Company and receive customary compensation in connection therewith, and RBC and TF may also actively trade securities of the Company for its own account and the accounts of its customers, and, accordingly, may hold a long or short position in such securities. We are also currently in discussions with the Company concerning providing potential financing in the future.
In connection with our review of the Merger, and in connection with the preparation of our opinion, we have undertaken such review and inquiries as we deemed necessary or appropriate under the circumstances, including the following: (i) we reviewed the financial terms of the Agreement dated as of March 10, 2006 (the “Execution Copy”); (ii) we reviewed the audited financial statements of the Target as of and for the years ended December 31, 2002, 2003 and 2004, and the unaudited financial statements of the Target for the year ended December 31, 2005; (iii) we reviewed and analyzed certain publicly available data with respect to the Company and the Target and certain other historical operating data relating to the Target made available to us from the internal records of the Target; (iv) we received and reviewed a financial forecast of dextophisopam on a stand-alone basis prepared by an independent third party and provided by the Target’s management; (v) we conducted discussions with members of the senior management of the Company with respect to the business prospects and financial outlook of the Target, on a stand alone and pro forma basis; (vi) we conducted discussions with members of the senior management of the Target with respect to the business prospects and financial outlook of the Target, on a stand alone and pro forma basis; (vii) we conducted discussions with SG Cowen & Co., LLC with respect to the financial statements, business prospects and financial outlook of the Target and the Company; (viii) we reviewed the historical market prices and trading volume of the Company’s publicly traded securities; (ix) we reviewed analysts estimates and commentary on the valuation of the Company’s publicly traded securities; and (x) we performed other studies and analyses as we deemed appropriate. We have not been provided with historical financial statements or other historical financial information of the Target for any period ending after December 31, 2005, and our opinion does not take into account any such financial statements or other financial information.
In arriving at our opinion, we performed the following analyses in addition to the review and inquiries referred to in the preceding paragraph: (i) we compared market valuations of selected comparable publicly-traded companies of the Target with the valuation implied by the Merger Consideration; (ii) we compared venture financing valuations of selected comparable private companies of the Target with the valuation implied by the Merger Consideration; (iii) we compared the implied valuation of the Target following its most recent venture financing round with the valuation implied by the Merger Consideration; (iv) we compared the initial consideration paid and total valuation implied, to the extent publicly available, of selected comparable precedent transactions with the valuation implied by the Merger Consideration; and (v) we prepared a discounted cash flow analysis using the projections provided by members of the senior management of the Company.
In arriving at our opinion, we did not attribute any particular weight to any analysis or factor considered by us, but instead made qualitative judgments as to the significance and relevance of each
The Board of Directors Pharmos Corporation
March 14, 2006
Page 3 of 4
analysis and factor. Accordingly, we believe that our analyses must be considered as a whole and that selecting portions of our analyses, without considering all analyses, would create an incomplete view of the process underlying this opinion.
In rendering our opinion, we have assumed and relied upon the accuracy and completeness of the financial, legal, tax, operating, and other information provided to us by the Company and the Target (including, without limitation, the financial statements and related notes thereto of the Company and the Target), and have not assumed responsibility for independently verifying and have not independently verified such information. We have relied upon, without independent verification, the scientific due diligence evaluation of the Target by the Company. We have assumed that (a) the projections of the future financial performance of the Company and the Target have been reasonably prepared on bases reflecting the best currently available estimates and good faith judgments of the Company and the Target, respectively, (b) all adjustments made by members of the senior management of the Company to the projections of the future financial performance of the Target were reasonable and based on the good faith judgments of such members of management, and (c) the Company and the Target will perform substantially in accordance with their respective financial forecasts. We express no opinion as to any aspect of the projections of future financial performance provided by the Company or the Target.
In rendering our opinion, we have not assumed any responsibility to perform, and have not performed, an independent evaluation or appraisal of any of the respective assets or liabilities of the Company or the Target. In addition, we have not assumed any obligation to conduct, and have not conducted, any physical inspection of the property or facilities of the Company or the Target. Additionally, we have not been asked and did not consider the possible effects of any litigation or other legal claims related to the Company or the Target. Our opinion relates to the Company and the Target as going concerns and, accordingly, we express no opinion regarding the liquidation value of the Company or the Target.
We have assumed, in all respects material to our analysis, that the representations and warranties of each party contained in the Agreement are true and correct, that each party will perform all of the covenants and agreements required to be performed by it under the Agreement, and that all conditions to the consummation of the Merger will be satisfied without waiver thereof. We have assumed that (i) the executed version of the Agreement will not differ from and (ii) that nothing in the disclosure schedules or the exhibits will be inconsistent with, the Execution Copy, in each case, in any respect material to our opinion. In addition, we have relied upon the Company and the Target to advise us promptly if any information previously provided to us became inaccurate or was required to be updated during the period of our review.
Our opinion speaks only as of the date hereof, is based on the conditions as they exist and information which we have been supplied as of the date hereof, and is without regard to any market, economic, financial, legal, or other circumstances or event of any kind or nature which may exist or occur after such date. We have not undertaken to reaffirm or revise this opinion or otherwise comment upon any events occurring after the date hereof and do not have any obligation to update, revise or affirm this opinion.
Our advisory services and the opinion expressed herein are for the information and assistance of the Board of Directors of the Company in connection with its consideration of the Merger contemplated by the Agreement and such opinion does not constitute a recommendation as to how any holder of Common Stock should vote with respect to the Merger. Further, this letter should not be construed as creating any fiduciary duty on the part of RBC and TF to any shareholder of the Company. This opinion
The Board of Directors Pharmos Corporation
March 14, 2006
Page 4 of 4
shall not be otherwise relied upon, published or otherwise used (in whole or in part), nor shall any public references to RBC and TF be made, without our prior written consent. If required by applicable law, the opinion may be included in any disclosure document filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, provided that this opinion is reproduced in full and any description of or reference to RBC and TF or summary of this opinion and related analyses in such filing is acceptable to us and our counsel.
Our opinion does not address the merits of the underlying decision by the Company to engage in the Merger, the structure or tax consequences of the Merger, or the relative merits of the Merger compared to any alternative business strategy or transactions in which the Company might engage.
Our opinion addresses solely the fairness of the Merger Consideration payable pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, from a financial point of view, to the Company as of the date hereof. Our opinion does not in any way address other terms or arrangements relating to the Merger or the Agreement, including without limitation, the financial or other terms of any voting or employment agreements or any break-up or termination fee. We are not expressing any opinion herein as to the prices at which the Common Stock has traded or may trade following the announcement of the Merger or at any time that any contingent portion of the Merger Consideration may be paid.
Based on our experience as investment bankers and subject to the foregoing, including the various assumptions and limitations set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, the Merger Consideration proposed to be paid by the Company in the Merger pursuant to the terms of the Agreement is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Company.
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| Very truly yours, |
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| RBC CAPITAL MARKETS CORPORATION |
| TAMIR FISHMAN & CO. LTD. |
EXHIBIT 23
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the use of our report dated March 15, 2006, with respect to the financial statements of Vela Pharmaceuticals Inc. as of December 31, 2005 and 2004 and the years then ended and the period from February 4, 1998 (inception) to December 31, 2005 included in the Proxy Statement of Pharmos Corporation dated May 3, 2006.
MetroPark, New Jersey
April 28, 2006
PHARMOS CORPORATION
99 Wood Avenue South - Suite 311
Iselin, New Jersey 08830
(732) 452-9556
PROXY SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Annual Meeting of Shareholders – [_______________], 2006
The undersigned, as shareholder of Pharmos Corporation (the “Company”), hereby appoints Haim Aviv and Alan L. Rubino and each of them, with full power of substitution, the true and lawful proxies and attorneys in fact of the undersigned, to vote, as designated on the reverse side of this proxy card, the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company which the undersigned would be entitled to vote, as fully and with the same effect as the undersigned might do if personally present, at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company to be held at [______________] on [________________], 2006 at [__________________________], and any adjournments thereof on the following matters as set forth in the Proxy Statement and Notice dated [______________], 2006.
(To be Signed on Reverse Side)
xPlease mark your votes as in this example.
The board of directors recommends a vote “FOR” the following item:
| | | |
1. Issuance of up to 19,500,000 shares | FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN |
of the Company’s common stock in | [_] | [_] | [_] |
connection with the proposed acquisition | | | |
by the Company of Vela Pharmaceuticals Inc. | | | |
The board of directors recommends a vote “FOR” all three nominees listed in the following item:
2. Election of Directors of the Company
| | | |
| FOR all three nominees listed at right (except as marked to the contrary) | WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote for all three nominees listed at right | NOMINEES: |
| [__] | [__] | Haim Aviv |
| | | Mony Ben Dor |
| | | Abraham Sartani |
(INSTRUCTIONS: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, PRINT that nominee’s name on the line below)
The board of directors recommends a vote “FOR” the following item:
| | | | |
3. Ratification of selection of independent | FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | |
registered public accounting firm (Item No. 3 | [_] | [_] | [_] | |
in the Proxy Statement). | | | | |
4. In the discretion of such proxies upon all other matters which may properly come before the Annual Meeting.
This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein by the undersigned shareholder. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted for the election of the nominees to the board of directors identified above, for all other proposals listed above and, in the discretion of the proxies named, on such other matters as may properly come before the Annual Meeting.
This proxy is revocable at any time, and the undersigned reserves the right to attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person. The undersigned hereby revokes any proxy heretofore given in respect of the shares of the Company.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS URGES THAT YOU FILL IN, SIGN AND DATE THE PROXY AND RETURN IT PROMPTLY BY MAIL IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. NO POSTAGE IS NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES.
CORRECT ADDRESS IF NECESSARY
Signature(s)__________________________________
Date__________________
Note: Please sign exactly as name(s) appear on your Stock Certificate. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give full title as such. If more than one name is shown, as in the case of joint tenancy, each party must sign. If a corporation, please sign in full corporate name by the president or other authorized officer.