Nominating and Governance Committee held in conjunction with a Board meeting), plus reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred in attending or otherwise participating in such meetings. Non-employee directors may elect to have part or all of their director fees paid in the form of our common stock. An election to be paid in common stock must be made prior to the payment date of the quarterly installment effected. The number of shares to be issued as payment is determined based on the amount of the quarterly installment to be paid in the form of common stock divided by the per share closing price of our common stock on the last trading day of the quarter preceding payment.
RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS
Policy on Related Person Transactions
Our Board of Directors has adopted a written Policy on Related Person Transactions that sets forth our policies and procedures for the reporting, review, and approval or ratification of each related person transaction. Our Audit Committee is responsible for implementing this policy and determining that any related person transaction is in our best interests. The policy applies to transactions and other relationships that would need to be disclosed in this proxy statement as related person transactions pursuant to SEC rules. In general, these transactions and relationships are defined as those involving a direct or indirect interest of any of our executive officers, directors, nominees for director and 5% stockholders, as well as specified members of the family or household of any of these individuals or stockholders, where we or any of our affiliates have participated in the transaction as a direct party or by arranging the transaction and the transaction involves more than $120,000. In adopting this policy, our Board expressly excluded from its coverage any transactions, among others, involving compensation of our executive officers or directors that it or our Compensation Committee has expressly approved. The material terms of our initial agreements and arrangements with LFB Biotechnologies, S.A.S.U., or LFB, which beneficially owns more than 5% of our common stock, were approved by our Board before this policy was implemented. Any material modification to the material terms of these agreements and arrangements are subject to review by our Audit Committee under this policy.
LFB Biotechnologies, S.A.S.U.
In September 2006, we entered into a joint development and commercialization agreement with LFB to develop selected recombinant plasma proteins and monoclonal antibodies using our transgenic production platform. In connection with entering into the joint development and commercialization agreement, we sold to LFB an aggregate of $25 million of our securities, consisting of common stock, Series D preferred stock and a convertible note. In addition, Christian Béchon, one of our directors and board representative for LFB, serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LFB and Laboratoire français du Fractionnement et des Biotechnologies S.A., LFB’s parent company.
Equity Position. LFB is our largest stockholder. As of March 30, 2008, LFB owned 20,148,404 shares of our common stock, 115 shares, or 100%, of our Series D preferred stock, each share of which is convertible into 1,000 shares of our common stock, and beneficially owned, on an as-converted basis, 20,263,404 shares, or approximately 19.8%, of our then outstanding common stock. As sole shareholder of our Series D preferred stock, LFB is entitled to nominate and elect one director to our Board. LFB also has a five-year right to participate in our future offerings of common stock, if any, to the extent that its participation will not result in LFB owning, on an as-converted basis, more than 19.9% of our shares of common stock outstanding upon completion of the offerings. In addition, LFB has registration rights with respect to up to 10,000,000 shares of common stock it beneficially owns.
Convertible Note. In December 2006, we entered into a five-year convertible note with LFB in the principal amount of $2.6 million. The convertible note accrues interest at a rate of 2% per annum and will automatically convert into shares of our common stock in conjunction with any future common stock offerings at the per share offering price of the respective offering, but only to the extent that any conversion does not result in LFB owning, on an as-converted basis, more than 19.9% of our common stock. In connection with the closing of our February 2008 registered direct offering, approximately $1.7 million of the principal amount of this note and approximately $40,000 of accrued interest on that principal amount were converted into 2,018,404 shares of our common stock at a rate of $0.87 per share. LFB’s ownership remained at 19.9% after the conversion.
Joint Development and Commercialization Agreement. Under our joint development and commercialization agreement, we and LFB are sharing equally in the cost of the development and commercialization of each product and are entitled to 50% of any profits derived from products developed through the collaboration, provided we each contribute equally to their development. In the event that contributions to development are not equal, the profit allocation will be adjusted based on development costs incurred. Under the agreement, a joint steering committee of our and LFB’s representatives determines product development and commercialization plans. We are responsible for development of the production system for the products and retain exclusive commercial rights to the products in North America. LFB is responsible for clinical development and regulatory review of the first program in this collaboration, and has exclusive commercial rights in Europe. We hold co-exclusive rights with LFB in the rest of the world to any products developed through the collaboration. The initial term of the agreement is fifteen years, subject to extension or termination by mutual consent, and the terms for any product developed through the collaboration will continue until the later of the initial term or ten years beyond regulatory approval of that product.
43
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Report of the Audit Committee
The following is the report of the Audit Committee with respect to the company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 30, 2007.
The purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee the company’s accounting and financial reporting, internal control and audit functions. The Audit Committee is comprised entirely of independent directors as defined by applicable NASDAQ Stock Market standards.
Management is responsible for our internal controls and the financial reporting process. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for performing independent audits of our consolidated financial statements and issuing a report thereon. The Committee’s responsibility is to monitor these processes. The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the consolidated financial statements with management and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm.
In the course of its oversight of the company’s financial reporting process, the Audit Committee has:
- reviewed and discussed with management and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, GTC’s audited financialstatements for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2007;
- discussed with the independent registered public accountant the matters required to be discussed byStatement on Auditing Standards No. 61,Communication with Audit Committees;
- received the written disclosures and the letter from the independent registered public accountantrequired by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1,Independence Discussions with AuditCommittees;
- reviewed with management and the independent registered public accountant the company’s criticalaccounting policies;
- discussed with management the quality and adequacy of the company’s internal controls overfinancial reporting;
- discussed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP any relationships that may impact their objectivity andindependence; and
- considered whether the provision of non-audit services by the independent registered public accountantis compatible with maintaining the independent registered public accountant’s independence.
Based on the foregoing review and discussions, the Committee recommended to the Board that the audited financial statements be included in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2007 for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
By the Audit Committee, |
|
Alan W. Tuck, Chair |
Robert W. Baldridge |
Michael J. Landine |
Pamela W. McNamara |
44
Independent Registered Public Accountants’ Fees and Other Matters
The firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 30, 2007. Our Audit Committee appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to serve as our independent registered public accountants for the 2007 year-end audit and to review our quarterly financial reports for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission during fiscal year 2008. Representatives of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP are expected to attend the annual meeting and will be available to respond to appropriate questions. They will also have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire.
The following table shows the fees paid or accrued by us for professional services performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for auditing our financial statements for fiscal years 2007 and 2006:
| | 2007 | | 2006 |
Audit Fees(1) | | $ | 400,067 | | | $ | 465,175 | |
Audit-Related Fees(2) | | | — | | | | 4,000 | |
Tax Fees(3) | | | 62,868 | | | | 38,353 | |
All Other Fees | | | 4,140 | (5) | | | 31,675 | (4) |
Total | | $ | 467,075 | | | $ | 539,203 | |
____________________
(1) | | Represents fees for professional services provided in connection with the audits of our year-end annual consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting and review of our quarterly financial statements and audit services provided in connection with other statutory or regulatory filings. |
|
(2) | | Represents fees for assurance and related services and consisted of the audit of executive compensation disclosure in connection with preparation of our 2006 proxy statement. All audit-related services were pre-approved by the Audit Committee. |
|
(3) | | Represents fees for tax return review, preparation and compliance services. |
|
(4) | | Represents fees for services in support of litigation activities and compensation consulting, primarily supporting the implementation of SFAS 123(R). |
|
(5) | | Represents fees for compensation consulting. |
Pre-Approval Policy
In accordance with its written charter, our Audit Committee pre-approves the proposed services, including the scope of services contemplated and the related fees, associated with the current year audit. Our Audit Committee has adopted policies and procedures for the pre-approval of non-audit services for the purpose of maintaining the independence of our independent registered public accountant. Management must obtain the specific prior approval of the Audit Committee for each engagement of the independent registered public accountant to perform any non-audit services that exceed the pre-approved amounts. For fiscal year 2007, our Audit Committee pre-approved specific non-audit services subject to cost limits to be performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in order to assure that these services do not impair the independent registered public accountant’s independence. All of the non-audit services rendered by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in fiscal year 2007 were pre-approved by our Audit Committee in accordance with these limits.
45
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Deadline for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations
If the 2009 Annual Meeting is not held before May 25, 2009 or after July 24, 2009, and if you wish to bring business before or propose director nominations at the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, you must notify us in writing by April 10, 2009 (the date 75 days before the anniversary of the 2008 Annual Meeting).
If you intend to bring such a proposal or nomination at the 2009 Annual Meeting, and you would like us to consider the inclusion of your proposal or nomination in our proxy statement for the meeting, you must notify us in writing of your proposal or nomination prior to January 21, 2009.
Any stockholder wishing to recommend a director candidate for consideration by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee should provide the following information to Vice President, Corporate Communications, c/o GTC Biotherapeutics, Inc., 175 Crossing Boulevard, Framingham, Massachusetts 01702:
- a brief statement outlining the reasons the nominee would be an effective director;
- the name, age and business and residence addresses of the candidate;
- the principal occupation or employment of the candidate for the past five years, as well as informationabout any other board of directors and board committee on which the candidate has served duringthat period;
- the number of shares of our common stock, if any, beneficially owned by the candidate;
- details of any business or other significant relationship the candidate has ever had with us or ouraffiliates;
- the stockholder’s name and record address and the name and address of the beneficial owner of sharesof our common stock, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and
- the number of shares of our common stock that the stockholder and any such beneficial ownerbeneficially own.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may seek further information from or about the stockholder making the recommendation, the candidate, or any such beneficial owner, including information about all business and other relationships between the candidate and the stockholder and between the candidate and any such beneficial owner.
Householding of Annual Meeting Materials
Some banks, brokers and other nominee record holders may be participating in the practice of “householding” proxy statements and annual reports. This means that only one copy of our proxy statement or annual report may have been sent to multiple stockholders in your household. We will promptly deliver a separate copy of either document to you if you write or call us at the following address or phone number: GTC Biotherapeutics, Inc., 175 Crossing Boulevard, Framingham, Massachusetts 01702, Attention: Vice President, Corporate Communications (508-620-9700 x5374). If you wish to receive separate copies of our annual report and proxy statement in the future, or if you are receiving multiple copies and would like to receive only one copy for your household, you should contact your bank, broker, or other nominee record holder, or you may contact us at the above address and phone number.
Annual Report and Other SEC Filings
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K are available on our website atwww.gtc-bio.com. These and other SEC filings, including our proxy statement, are also available on the SEC’s website atwww.sec.gov.
46
A copy of these filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2007 (excluding exhibits) may be obtained, at no cost, by writing to the Vice President, Corporate Communications, GTC Biotherapeutics, Inc., 175 Crossing Boulevard, Framingham, Massachusetts 01702.
Our Annual Report for the year ended December 30, 2007, which is being mailed to stockholders with this proxy statement, is not incorporated into this proxy statement and is not deemed to be part of the proxy soliciting material.
* * *
47
ANNEX A
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
TO GTC BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION
Form of Amendment to Amended and Restated Articles of Organization
to Effect the Reverse Stock Split
Article IV of the Corporation’s Restated Articles of Organization, as amended, shall be further amended to include the following language as an introductory paragraph to Section 4.2 of Continuation Sheet 4A:
“Effective as of [DATE], at [TIME] (the “Effective Time”), every [# (NUMBER)] shares of authorized Common Stock of the Corporation, $.01 par value per share (“Common Stock”), issued and outstanding shall be automatically combined into [# (NUMBER)] issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock without any change in the par value of such shares. There shall be no fractional shares issued. In lieu of any fractional shares to which a stockholder of record would be entitled as a result of the combination, such stockholder shall be entitled to receive a cash amount determined as follows. The Corporation’s transfer agent or a designated broker shall aggregate all fractional shares and sell them as soon as practicable after the Effective Time at the then prevailing prices on the open market, on behalf of those stockholders of record who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fractional share. After such sales are completed, each such stockholder entitled thereto shall receive a cash payment in an amount equal to such stockholder’s pro rata share of the total net proceeds of the sales. The combination shall not change the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance by the Corporation.”
A-1
Proposed GTC Biotherapeutics, Inc. | ANNEX B |
2003 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, | |
marked to show changes | |
GTC BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.
2003 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
1.Purpose.
The purpose of this 2003 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) is to provide employees of GTC Biotherapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”), and its subsidiaries, who wish to become stockholders of the Company an opportunity to purchase Common Stock of the Company, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), directly from the Company. The Plan is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
2.Eligible Employees.
Subject to the provisions of Sections 7, 8 and 9 and 10 below, any individual who is a full-time employee of the Company, or any of its subsidiaries (as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code) the employees of which are designated by the Board of Directors of the Company, or such committee to whom it delegates its authority hereunder (herein referred to in either case as the “Board of Directors”) as eligible to participate in the Plan, is eligible to participate in any Offering (as defined in Section 3 below) of Shares (as defined in Section 7 below) made by the Company hereunder so long as such individual is not participating in any continuing Offering under the Company’s 2002 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. For this purpose, “full-time employees” shall include all employees whose customary employment is:
(a) 20 hours or more per week and
(b) more than five months in the calendar year during which said Offering Date (as defined in Section 3 below) occurs (or in the calendar year immediately preceding such calendar year if there has been no change in the terms of employment that would make the employee ineligible to participate in the current calendar year).
3.Offering Dates.
From time to time, the Company, by action of the Board of Directors, will grant rights to purchase Shares to employees eligible to participate in the Plan pursuant to one or more offerings (each of which is an “Offering” on a date or series of dates (each of which is an “Offering Date”) designated for this purpose by the Board of Directors.
4.Prices.
The price per share for each grant of rights hereunder shall be the lesser of:
(a) eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of a Share on the Offering Date on which such right was granted; or
(b) eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of a Share on the date such right is exercised.
At its discretion, the Board of Directors may determine a higher price for a grant of rights.
5.Exercise of Rights and Method of Payment.
(a) Rights granted under the Plan will be exercisable periodically on specified dates as determined by the Board of Directors. Unless a participating employee withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 11, and subject to the other terms of the Plan, the employee’s right for the purchase of Shares will be exercised automatically on each Purchase Date of an Offering Period, and the maximum number of shares subject to the right will be purchased at the applicable purchase price with the accumulated contributions in the employee’s account.
B-1
(b) The method of payment for Shares purchased upon exercise of rights granted hereunder shall be through regular payroll deductions, by lump sum cash payment, by delivery of shares of Common Stock valued at fair market value (as determined by the Board of Directors) on the date of delivery, or by some combination thereof, as determined by the Board of Directors. No interest shall be paid upon payroll deductions unless specifically provided for by the Board of Directors.
(c) Any payments received by the Company from a participating employee and not utilized for the purchase of Shares upon exercise of a right granted hereunder shall be promptly returned to such employee by the Company after termination of the right to which the payment relates.
6.Term of Rights.
The total period from an Offering Date to the last date on which rights granted on that Offering Date are exercisable (the “Offering Period”) shall in no event be longer than twenty-seven (27) months or such longer period as may then be consistent with Section 423 of the Code. The Board of Directors when it authorizes an Offering may designate one or more exercise periods during the Offering Period when shares will be purchased upon exercise of employees’ rights (each, an “Exercise Period”). Rights granted on an Offering Date shall be exercisable in full in such proportion on the last day of each exercise period as the Board of Directors determines.
7.Shares Subject to the Plan.
(a) The number of shares of Common Stock that may be sold pursuant to rights granted under the Plan may not exceed750,0001,750,000 shares (the “Shares”); provided, however, that the maximum number of Shares which shall be available for sale under the Plan during any Exercise Period shall not exceed the number of Shares equal to 20,850 Shares multiplied by the number of full months included in such Exercise Period and, if necessary, the number of Shares sold during an Exercise Period shall be cut back in accordance with Section 7(b). For purposes of the Plan, a “full month” shall mean a period of at least twenty-seven (27) days in a calendar month. Appropriate adjustments in the above figures, in the number of Shares covered by outstanding rights granted hereunder, in the exercise price of the rights and in the maximum number of Shares which an employee may purchase (pursuant to this Section 7(b), and Sections 9 and 10 below) shall be made to give effect to any mergers, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, stock splits, stock dividends or other relevant changes in the capitalization of the Company occurring after the effective date of the Plan, provided that no fractional Shares shall be subject to a right and each right shall be adjusted downward to the nearest full Share. In the event of a proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any Exercise Period and Offering Period then in progress will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such action, unless otherwise provided by the Board. In the event of a Corporate Transaction (as defined below), each right outstanding under the Plan shall be assumed or an equivalent right shall be substituted by the successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation. In the event that the successor corporation refuses to assume or substitute for outstanding rights, each Exercise Period and Offering Period then in progress shall be shortened and a new Purchase Date shall be set (the “New Purchase Date”), as of which date any Exercise Period and Offering Period then in progress will terminate. The New Purchase Date shall be on or before the date of consummation of the transaction and the Board shall notify each participating employee in writing, prior to the New Purchase Date, that the Purchase Date for his or her right has been changed to the New Purchase Date and that his or her right will be exercised automatically on the New Purchase Date, unless prior to such date he or she has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 11. For purposes of this Section 7, “Corporate Transaction” means a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, or a merger, consolidation, or other capital reorganization of the Company with or into another corporation, or any other transaction or series of related transactions in which the Company’s stockholders immediately prior thereto own less than 50% of the voting stock of the Company (or its successor or parent) immediately thereafter. Either authorized and unissued Shares or issued Shares heretofore or hereafter reacquired by the Company may be made subject to rights under the Plan. If for any reason any right under the Plan terminates in whole or in part, Shares subject to such terminated right may again be subjected to a right under the Plan.
B-2
(b) Subject to the foregoing, if the Board of Directors determines that, on a given purchase date for an Offering (a “Purchase Date”), the number of Shares with respect to which rights are to be exercised may exceed (i) the number of Shares of Common Stock that were available for sale under the Plan on the Offering Date of the applicable Offering, or (ii) the number of Shares available for sale under the Plan on such Purchase Date, the Board of Directors may in its sole discretion provide that the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the Shares of Common Stock available for purchase on such Offering Date or Purchase Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all participant employees exercising rights to purchase Common Stock on such Purchase Date, and (x) continue all Offerings then in effect or (y) terminate any or all Offerings then in effect. The Company may make pro rata allocation of the Shares available on the Purchase Date of any applicable Offering, notwithstanding any authorization of additional Shares for issuance under the Plan by the Company’s stockholders subsequent to the Offering Date for such Offering. In the event of a pro-rata allocation, each participating employee’s right to purchase Shares shall be limited to such pro-rata amount of Shares and the remaining cash balance of the contributions shall be credited to his or her account, and the participating employees shall not have further rights against the Company or the Board of Directors.
8.Limitations on Grants.
(a) No employee shall be granted a right hereunder if such employee, immediately after the right is granted, would own stock or rights to purchase stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company, or of any subsidiary, computed in accordance with Section 423(b)(3) of the Code.
(b) No employee shall be granted a right which permits the employee’s right to purchase shares under all employee stock purchase plans of the Company and its subsidiaries to accrue at a rate which exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) (or such other maximum as may be prescribed from time to time by the Code) of the fair market value of such Shares (determined at the time such right is granted) for each calendar year in which such right is outstanding at any time in accordance with the provisions of Section 423(b)(8) of the Code.
(c) No right granted to any participating employee under an Offering, when aggregated with rights granted under any other Offering still exercisable by the participating employee, shall cover more shares than may be purchased at an exercise price not to exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the employee’s annual rate of compensation on the date the employee elects to participate in the Offering or such lesser percentage as the Board of Directors may determine.
9.Limitation on Number of Shares Purchased.
The maximum number of Shares that an eligible participating employee may purchase during any Exercise Period shall not exceed the number of Shares that is equal to 420 Shares multiplied by the number of full months included in such Exercise Period, provided that such purchase shall be further subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 2, 7, and 8.
10.Limit on Participation.
Participation in an Offering shall be limited to eligible employees who elect to participate in such Offering in the manner, and within the time limitations, established by the Board of Directors when it authorizes the Offering. No employee shall be eligible to participate in more than one Offering Period at a time.
11.Withdrawal.
(a) An employee who has elected to participate in an Offering may cancel such election as to all (but not part) of the unexercised rights granted under such Offering by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company before the date established by the Company for such purpose. Upon such withdrawal, any amounts paid by the employee or withheld from the employee’s compensation through payroll deductions for the purpose of purchasing Shares shall be paid to the employee, without interest, unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors.
B-3
(b) A participating employee’s withdrawal from an Offering will not have any effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in a succeeding Offering which commences after the withdrawal or in any similar plan that may hereafter be adopted by the Company. If a participating employee withdraws from an Offering, however, payroll deductions shall not resume at the beginning of any succeeding Offering unless the employee makes a new election to participate in the Plan.
(c) If the fair market value of the Shares on any Purchase Date of an existing Offering from which the Purchase Date is the last trading date immediately preceding an Offering Date for a new Offering is less than the fair market value of the Shares on the Offering Date for such existing Offering, then every participating employee shall automatically (i) be withdrawn from such existing Offering at the close of such Purchase Date and after the acquisition of Shares for such Exercise Period, and (ii) be enrolled in the new Offering commencing on the first business day subsequent to such Purchase Date.
12.Tax Withholding.
Each participating employee shall pay to the Company or the applicable subsidiary, or make provision satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of, any taxes required by law to be withheld in respect of the purchase or disposition of Shares no later than the date of the event creating the tax liability. In the discretion of the Board of Directors and subject to applicable law, such tax obligations may be paid in whole or in part by delivery of Shares to the Company, including Shares purchased under the Plan, valued at fair market value (as determined by the Board of Directors) on the date of delivery. The Company or the applicable subsidiary may, to the extent permitted by law, deduct any such tax obligations from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the employee or withhold Shares purchased hereunder, which shall be valued at fair market value (as determined by the Board of Directors) on the date of withholding.
13.Termination of Employment.
Upon the termination of employment for any reason, including the death of the employee, before the date on which any rights granted under the Plan are exercisable, all such rights shall immediately terminate and amounts paid by the employee or withheld from the employee’s compensation through payroll deductions for the purpose of purchasing Shares shall be paid to the employee or to the employee’s estate, without interest unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors.
14.Participants’ Rights as Stockholders and Employees.
(a) No participating employee shall have any rights as a stockholder in the Shares covered by a right granted hereunder until such right has been exercised, full payment has been made for the corresponding Shares and the Share certificate is actually issued.
(b) Each participating employee is an employee-at-will (that is to say that either the employee or the Company or any subsidiary may terminate the employment relationship at any time for any reason or no reason at all) unless and only to the extent provided in a written employment agreement for a specified term executed by the chief executive officer of the Company or his duly authorized designee or the authorized signatory of any subsidiary. Neither the adoption, maintenance, nor operation of the Plan nor any grant of rights hereunder shall confer upon any employee any right with respect to the continuance of his/her employment with the Company or any subsidiary nor shall they interfere with the rights of the Company or subsidiary to terminate any employee at any time or otherwise change the terms of employment, including, without limitation, the right to promote, demote or otherwise re-assign any employee from one position to another within the Company or any subsidiary.
15.Rights Not Transferable.
Rights under the Plan are not assignable or transferable by a participating employee and are exercisable only by the employee.
B-4
16.Amendments to or Discontinuation of the Plan.
The Board of Directors shall have the right to amend, modify or terminate the Plan at any time without notice, provided, however, that the then existing rights of all participating employees shall not be adversely affected thereby, and provided further that, subject to the provisions of Section 7 above, no such amendment to the Plan shall, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, increase the total number of Shares which may be offered under the Plan.
17.Effective Date and Approvals.
This Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors on February 14, 2003. Subject to the approval of the stockholders of the Company, this Plan shall be effective on May 21, 2003.
The Company’s obligation to offer, sell and deliver the Shares under the Plan is subject to (i) the approval of any governmental authority required in connection with the authorization, issuance or sale of the Shares, (ii) satisfaction of the listing requirements of any national securities exchange on which the Shares are then listed and (iii) compliance, in the opinion of the Company’s counsel, with all applicable federal and state securities and other laws.
18.Term of Plan.
Unless terminated earlier by the Board, or extended by approval of the stockholders, noNo rights shall be granted under the Plan afterthe tenth anniversary of the effective date of the most recent stockholder approval for purposes of Section 423 of the Code and the regulations thereunderMay 21, 2003.
19.Administration of the Plan.
The Board of Directors or any committee or person(s) to whom it delegates its authority (the “Administrator”) shall administer, interpret and apply all provisions of the Plan as it deems necessary to meet special circumstances not anticipated or covered expressly by the Plan. Nothing contained in this Section shall be deemed to authorize the Administrator to alter or administer the provisions of the Plan in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of Section 423 of the Code. Determinations made by the Board of Directors with respect to any provision of the Plan or matter arising in connection therewith shall be final, conclusive and binding upon the Company and upon all participants, their heirs or legal representatives.
20.Governing Law.
Subject to overriding federal law, the Plan shall be governed by and interpreted consistently with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
B-5
GTC BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PROXY FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS ON JUNE 24, 2008
The undersigned stockholder of GTC Biotherapeutics, Inc. (“GTC”) hereby appoints Geoffrey F. Cox, John B. Green and Nathaniel S. Gardiner, or any of them acting singly, the attorneys and proxies of the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to vote on behalf of the undersigned all of the shares of capital stock of GTC that the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of GTC to be held at 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 at the Forefront Center for Meetings & Conferences, 404 Wyman Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, and at all adjournments thereof, hereby revoking any proxy heretofore given with respect to such shares.
THIS PROXY WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER DIRECTED BY THE UNDERSIGNED STOCKHOLDER(S). IF NO SPECIFICATION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED “FOR” ALL PROPOSALS AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DETERMINATION OF A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS TO ANY OTHER MATTERS THAT MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING OR ANY ADJOURNMENTS THEREOF.
THE UNDERSIGNED STOCKHOLDER MAY REVOKE THIS PROXY AT ANY TIME BEFORE IT IS VOTED BY DELIVERING EITHER A WRITTEN NOTICE OF REVOCATION OF THE PROXY OR A DULY EXECUTED PROXY BEARING A LATER DATE TO THE SECRETARY, OR BY ATTENDING THE ANNUAL MEETING AND VOTING IN PERSON.
Address Changes: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(If you noted any Address Changes above, please mark the corresponding box on the reverse side.)
PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THIS PROXY CARD AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE USING THE ENCLOSED REPLY ENVELOPE
(CONTINUED AND TO BE SIGNED AND DATED ON REVERSE SIDE)
GTC BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.
175 CROSSING BOULEVARD
FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS 01702
VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com
Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.
ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS
If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by GTC in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically via e-mail or the Internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access shareholder communications electronically in the future.
VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903
Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.
VOTE BY MAIL
Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to GTC Biotherapeutics, Inc., c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.
| | | | |
TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: | | GTCBO1 | | KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS |
| | | | DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY |
THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED.
GTC BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
1. | | Vote on Proposal 1 – Election of Directors. | | 2. | | Vote on Proposal 2 – Grant to the Board the |
| | | | | | For | | Withhold | | For All | | | | discretionary authority to effect a reverse stock split. |
| | Nominees: | | All | | For All | | Except | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 01) | | Francis J. Bullock | | | | | | | | | | | | For | | Against | | Abstain |
| | 02) | | Geoffrey F. Cox | | ¨ | | ¨ | | ¨ | | | | | | ¨ | | ¨ | | ¨ |
| | 03) | | Mary Ann Gray | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 04) | | Alan W. Tuck | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominees(s), mark “FOR ALL EXCEPT” and write the nominee’s name on the line below. | | 3. | | Vote on Proposal 3– Amendment to the 2003 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. |
| | | | | For | | Against | | Abstain |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ¨ | | ¨ | | ¨ |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | 4. | | Vote on Proposal 4– Ratification of independent registered accounting firm. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | For | | Against | | Abstain |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ¨ | | ¨ | | ¨ |
PLEASE DATE, SIGN AND RETURN YOUR PROXY CARD IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
| | |
Note: | | Please sign exactly as your name or names appear on this proxy. When shares are held jointly, each joint holder should personally sign. When signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee or guardian, please give full title as such. If the signer is a corporation, please sign full corporate name by duly authorized officer, giving full title as such. If signer is a partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized person. |
For address changes, please check the box at the right and write the change on the back of this card, where indicated. Please note that changes to the registered name(s) on the account may not be submitted via this method. Address Change ¨
Please indicate if you plan to attend the meeting. Yes¨ No¨
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] | | Date | | | | Signature (Joint Owners) | | Date |