determined by means of a written opinion of a competent medical doctor chosen by mutual agreement of AMI and you or your personal representative(s)) from substantially performing your duties and responsibilities hereunder for one or more periods totaling one hundred and twenty (120) days in any twelve (12) month period.
release (in a form acceptable to AMI) releasing and waiving any and all claims that you have or may have against AMI and its directors, officers, employees, agents, successors and assigns with respect to your employment (other than any obligation of AMI set forth herein which specifically survives the termination of your employment), then AMI will provide you with the following severance benefits:
x) AMI will pay you one (1) month of severance pay (calculated at your last Base Salary rate) for each full month of employment hereunder, up to a maximum of twelve (12) months. Beginning on the second anniversary of your employment, the severance period calculated pursuant to the previous sentence shall decrease by one (1) month for each full month of employment during such year, so that as of the third anniversary of your employment all rights to severance shall terminate. The severance shall be paid in equal installments over the severance period (calculated in accordance with the two previous sentences) in accordance with AMI’s usual payroll schedule; and
y) All stock options described in Section 3(c) that are not vested as of the date of termination shall vest immediately. For the purposes of this Section 5(b)(y), “termination” shall mean the termination of your employment within the meaning of Prop. Treasury Reg. § 1.409A-1(h)(ii) or any successor regulation.
6. Nonsolicitation Covenant. In exchange for the consideration provided by this Agreement, you shall not, for a period of one year following the termination of your employment with AMI for any reason, directly or indirectly, whether through your own efforts, or in any way assisting or employing the assistance of any other person or entity (including, without limitation, any consultant or any person employed by or associated with any entity with which you are employed or associated), recruit, solicit or induce (or in any way assist another in recruiting, soliciting or inducing) any employee or consultant of AMI to terminate his or her employment or other relationship with AMI.
7. Assignment. This Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall bind and inure to the benefit of any successor of AMI by reorganization, merger or consolidation and any assignee of all or substantially all of its business and properties. Neither this Agreement nor any rights or benefits hereunder may be assigned by you, except that, upon your death, your earned and unpaid economic benefits will be paid to your heirs or beneficiaries.
8. Interpretation and Severability. It is the express intent of the parties that (a) in case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall for any reason be held to be excessively broad as to duration, geographical scope, activity or subject, such provision shall be construed by limiting and reducing it as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, so as to be enforceable to the fullest extent compatible with applicable law; and (b) in case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement cannot be so limited and reduced and for any reason is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect the other provisions of this Agreement, and this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.
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9. Notices. Any notice that you or AMI are required to give the other under this Agreement shall be given by personal delivery, recognized overnight courier service, or registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed in your case to you at your last address of record with AMI, or at such other place as you may from time to time designate in writing, and, in the case of AMI, to AMI at its principal office, or at such other office as AMI may from time to time designate in writing. The date of actual delivery of any notice under this Section 9 shall be deemed to be the date of receipt thereof.
10. Waiver. No consent to or waiver of any breach or default in the performance of any obligation hereunder shall be deemed or construed to be a consent to or waiver of any other breach or default in the performance of any of the same or any other obligations hereunder. No waiver hereunder shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by the waiving party.
11. Complete Agreement; Modification. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes any previous oral or written communications, negotiations, representations, understandings, or agreements between them. Any modification of this Agreement shall be effective only if set forth in a written document signed by you and a duly authorized officer of AMI.
12. Headings. The headings of the Sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part, or affect the meaning, of this Agreement.
13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two (2) counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and both of which shall together constitute one agreement.
14. Choice of Law; Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be deemed to have been made in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of Massachusetts, without regard to conflict of law principles. You hereby consent and submit without limitation to the jurisdiction of courts in Massachusetts in connection with any action arising out of this Agreement, and waive any right to object to any such forum as inconvenient or to object to venue in Massachusetts. You agree that, in any action arising out of this Agreement, you will accept service of process by registered mail or the equivalent directed to your last known address or by such other means permitted by such court.
15. Advice of Counsel; No Representations. You acknowledge that you have been advised to review this Agreement with your own legal counsel, that prior to entering into this Agreement, you have had the opportunity to review this Agreement with your attorney, and that AMI has not made any representations, warranties, promises or inducements to you concerning the terms, enforceability or implications of this Agreement other than as are contained in this Agreement.
16. I.R.C. § 409A. All other provisions of this Agreement notwithstanding, this Agreement shall be construed to avoid any adverse tax consequences to you under Internal Revenue Code Section 409A, and the parties agree to amend this Agreement from time to time as
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may be necessary to that end, in a manner that best preserves the economic benefits to you. Further, for so long AMI has a class of stock that is publicly traded on an established securities market or otherwise, then AMI shall from time to time compile a list of “Specified Employees” as defined in, and pursuant to, Prop. Treasury Reg. § 1.409A-1(i) or any successor regulation. If you are a Specified Employee on the date of the termination of your employment with AMI, then, notwithstanding any other provision herein, no payment shall be made to you pursuant to Section 5(b)(x) above during the period lasting six (6) months from the date of such termination of employment unless AMI determines that there is no reasonable basis for believing that making such payment would cause you to suffer any adverse tax consequences pursuant to Section 409A. If any payment to you is delayed pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, such delayed payment shall instead be made on the first business day following the expiration of the six (6) month period referred to herein.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, AMI and you have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first set forth above.
Advanced Magnetics, Inc.
By: /s/ Jerome Goldstein
Name: Jerome Goldstein
Title: Chief Executive Officer
/s/ Brian J.G. Pereira
Brian J.G. Pereira
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