EXHIBIT 99.2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "AGREEMENT"), dated as of
May __, 2003, by and among StemCells, Inc., a Delaware corporation, with
headquarters located at 3155 Porter Drive, Palo Alto, California 94304 (the
"COMPANY"), and the investors listed on the Schedule of Buyers attached hereto
(each, a "BUYER" and collectively, the "BUYERS").
WHEREAS:
A. In connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement
by and among the parties hereto of even date herewith (the "SECURITIES PURCHASE
AGREEMENT"), the Company has agreed, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions of the Securities Purchase Agreement, to issue and sell on the date
hereof to each Buyer (i) Four (4) million shares (the "COMMON SHARES") of the
Company's common stock, par value $.01 per share (the "COMMON STOCK"), and (ii)
warrants (the "WARRANTS") which will be exercisable to purchase shares of Common
Stock (as exercised collectively, the "WARRANT SHARES");
B. To induce the Buyers to execute and deliver the
Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain
registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules
and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the
"1933 ACT"), and applicable state securities laws.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each
of the Buyers hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
a. "BUSINESS DAY" means any day other than
Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in The City of New
York are authorized or required by law to remain closed.
b. "INVESTOR" means a Buyer, any transferee or
assignee thereof to whom a Buyer assigns its rights under this Agreement and who
agrees to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with
Section 9 and any transferee or assignee thereof to whom a transferee or
assignee assigns its rights under this Agreement and who agrees to become bound
by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with Section 9.
c. "PERSON" means an individual, a limited
liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an
unincorporated organization and governmental or any department or agency
thereof.
d. "REGISTER," "REGISTERED," and "REGISTRATION"
refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing one or more
Registration Statements (as defined below) in compliance with the 1933 Act and
pursuant to Rule 415 under the 1933 Act or any successor rule providing for
offering securities on a continuous or delayed basis ("RULE 415"), and the
declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such Registration Statement(s) by
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
e. "REGISTRABLE SECURITIES" means (i) the
Common Shares, (ii) the Warrant Shares issued or issuable upon exercise of the
Warrants and (iii) any shares of capital stock issued or issuable with respect
to the Common Shares, the Warrant Shares or the Warrants as a result of any
stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar event or
otherwise, without regard to any limitations on exercise of the Warrants.
f. "REGISTRATION STATEMENT" means a
registration statement or registration statements of the Company filed under the
1933 Act covering the Registrable Securities.
Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein
shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Securities Purchase
Agreement.
2. Registration.
a. Mandatory Registration. The Company shall
prepare, and, as soon as practicable but in no event later than 30 days after
the date hereof (the "FILING DEADLINE"), file with the SEC a Registration
Statement on Form S-3 covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities.
In the event that Form S-3 is unavailable for such a registration, the Company
shall use such other form as is available for such a registration, subject to
the provisions of Section 2(d). The Registration Statement prepared pursuant
hereto shall register for resale Six (6) million shares of Common Stock (subject
to adjustment). The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to have the
Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC as soon as practicable, but
in no event later than the date which is (i) in the event that the Registration
Statement is not subject to a full review by the SEC, 60 days after the date
hereof or (ii) in the event that the Registration Statement is subject to a full
review by the SEC, 120 days after the date hereof (the "EFFECTIVENESS
DEADLINE").
b. Allocation of Registrable Securities. The
initial number of Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement
and each increase in the number of Registrable Securities included therein shall
be allocated pro rata among the Investors based on the number of Registrable
Securities held by each Investor at the time the Registration Statement covering
such initial number of Registrable Securities or increase thereof is declared
effective by the SEC. In the event that an Investor sells or otherwise transfers
any of such Investor's Registrable Securities, each transferee shall be
allocated a pro rata portion of the then remaining number of Registrable
Securities included in such Registration Statement for such transferor. Any
shares of Common Stock included in a Registration Statement and which remain
allocated to any Person which ceases to hold any Registrable Securities covered
by such Registration Statement shall be allocated to the remaining Investors,
pro rata based on the number of
Registrable Securities then held by such Investors which are covered by such
Registration Statement. In no event shall the Company include any securities
other than Registrable Securities on any Registration Statement without the
prior written consent of Buyers holding at least a majority of the Registrable
Securities.
c. Legal Counsel. Subject to Section 5 hereof,
the Buyers holding at least a majority of the Registrable Securities shall have
the right to select one legal counsel to review and oversee any registration
pursuant to this Section 2 ("LEGAL COUNSEL"), which shall be Schulte Roth &
Zabel LLP or such other counsel as thereafter designated by the holders of at
least a majority of the Registrable Securities. The Company and Legal Counsel
shall reasonably cooperate with each other in performing the Company's
obligations under this Agreement.
d. Ineligibility for Form S-3. In the event
that Form S-3 is not available for the registration of the resale of Registrable
Securities hereunder, the Company shall (i) register the resale of the
Registrable Securities on another appropriate form reasonably acceptable to the
holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities and (ii) undertake
to register the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 as soon as such form is
available, provided that the Company shall maintain the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement then in effect until such time as a Registration
Statement on Form S-3 covering the Registrable Securities has been declared
effective by the SEC.
e. Sufficient Number of Shares Registered. In
the event the number of shares available under a Registration Statement filed
pursuant to Section 2(a) is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable
Securities required to be covered by such Registration Statement or an
Investor's allocated portion of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section
2(b), the Company shall amend the applicable Registration Statement, or file a
new Registration Statement (on the short form available therefor, if
applicable), or both, so as to cover at least the number of such Registrable
Securities as of the trading day immediately preceding the date of the filing of
such amendment or new Registration Statement, in each case, as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than fifteen (15) days after the Company
becomes aware of the necessity therefor. The Company shall use its reasonable
best efforts to cause such amendment and/or new Registration Statement to become
effective as soon as practicable following the filing thereof. For purposes of
the foregoing provision, the number of shares available under a Registration
Statement shall be deemed "insufficient to cover all of the Registrable
Securities" if at any time the number of shares of Common Stock available for
resale under such Registration Statement is less than the number of Registrable
Securities issued or issuable upon exercise of the Warrants. The calculation set
forth in the foregoing sentence shall be made without regard to any limitations
on the exercise of the Warrants and such calculation shall assume that the
Warrants are then exercisable into shares of Common Stock at the then prevailing
Warrant Exercise Price (as defined in the Warrants).
f. Effect of Failure to File and Obtain and
Maintain Effectiveness of Registration Statement. If (i) a Registration
Statement covering all the Registrable Securities required to be covered thereby
and required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement is (A) not
filed with the SEC on or before the Filing Deadline (a "FILING FAILURE") or (B)
not declared effective by the SEC on or before the Effectiveness Deadline (an
"EFFECTIVENESS FAILURE") or (ii) on any day after such Registration Statement
has been declared effective by the SEC sales of all the Registrable Securities
required to be included on such Registration Statement cannot be made (other
than during an Allowable Grace Period (as defined in Section 3(r)) pursuant to
such Registration Statement (including, without limitation, because of a failure
to keep such Registration Statement effective, to disclose such information as
is necessary for sales to be made pursuant to such Registration Statement or to
register sufficient shares of Common Stock) (a "MAINTENANCE FAILURE"), then, as
partial relief for the damages to any holder by reason of any such delay in or
reduction of its ability to sell the underlying shares of Common Stock (which
remedy shall not be exclusive of any other remedies available at law or in
equity), the Company shall pay to each Investor relating to such Registration
Statement: on the earlier of the last day of each 30 day period after a Filing
Failure, an Effectiveness Failure and the initial day of a Maintenance Failure,
as the case may be until such event is cured, or on the third Business Day after
any such Filing Failure, Effectiveness Failure or Maintenance Failure is cured,
an amount in cash equal to the product of (i) the Aggregate Purchase Price
multiplied by (ii) 0.02, provided, however, that such payment shall apply on a
pro-rata basis for any portion of a 30 day period prior to the cure of a Filing
Failure, Effectiveness Failure or Maintenance Failure as applicable. In the
event the Company fails to make any payments pursuant to this Section 2(f) in a
timely manner, such payments shall bear interest at the rate of 1.0% per month,
or such lower maximum amount as is permitted by law, (prorated for partial
months) until paid in full.
3. Related Obligations.
At such time as the Company is obligated to file a
Registration Statement with the SEC pursuant to Section 2(a), 2(d) or 2(e), the
Company will use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration of the
Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition
thereof and, pursuant thereto, the Company shall have the following obligations:
a. The Company shall submit to the SEC, within
two (2) Business Days after the Company learns that no review of a particular
Registration Statement will be made by the staff of the SEC or that the staff of
the SEC has no further comments on a particular Registration Statement, as the
case may be, a request for acceleration of effectiveness of such Registration
Statement to a time and date not later than 48 hours after the submission of
such request. The Company shall keep each Registration Statement effective
pursuant to Rule 415 at all times until the earlier of (i) the date as of which
the Investors may sell all of the Registrable Securities covered by such
Registration Statement without restriction pursuant to Rule 144(k) (or successor
thereto) promulgated under the 1933 Act or (ii) the date on which the Investors
shall have sold all the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration
Statement (the "REGISTRATION PERIOD"). The Company shall ensure that each
Registration Statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto and
prospectuses contained therein) shall not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or
necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of prospectuses, in the
light of the circumstances in which they were made) not misleading.
b. The Company shall prepare and file with the
SEC such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to a
Registration Statement
and the prospectus used in connection with such Registration Statement, which
prospectus is to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the 1933 Act,
as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective at all times
during the Registration Period, and, during such period, comply with the
provisions of the 1933 Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable
Securities of the Company covered by such Registration Statement until such time
as all of such Registrable Securities shall have been disposed of in accordance
with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof as set
forth in such Registration Statement. In the case of amendments and supplements
to a Registration Statement which are required to be filed pursuant to this
Agreement (including pursuant to this Section 3(b)) by reason of the Company
filing a report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K or any analogous report
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 ACT"), the
Company shall have incorporated such report by reference into such Registration
Statement, if applicable, or shall file such amendments or supplements with the
SEC on the same day on which the 1934 Act report is filed which created the
requirement for the Company to amend or supplement such Registration Statement.
c. The Company shall (A) permit Legal Counsel
to review and comment upon (i) a Registration Statement at least five (5)
Business Days prior to its filing with the SEC and (ii) all amendments and
supplements to all Registration Statements (except for Annual Reports on Form
10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K and any
similar or successor reports) within a reasonable number of days prior to their
filing with the SEC, and (B) not file any Registration Statement or amendment or
supplement thereto in a form to which Legal Counsel reasonably objects. The
Company shall not submit a request for acceleration of the effectiveness of a
Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto without the prior
approval of Legal Counsel, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed. The Company shall furnish to Legal Counsel, without charge, (i) copies
of any correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC to the Company or its
representatives relating to any Registration Statement, (ii) promptly after the
same is prepared and filed with the SEC, one copy of any Registration Statement
and any amendment(s) thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all
documents, including exhibits if reasonably requested by the Investor,
incorporated therein by reference, if requested by an Investor and not otherwise
available on the EDGAR system, and all other exhibits and (iii) upon the
effectiveness of any Registration Statement, one copy of the prospectus included
in such Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto. The
Company and Legal Counsel shall reasonably cooperate with each other in
performing the Company's obligations pursuant to this Section 3.
d. The Company shall furnish to each Investor
whose Registrable Securities are included in any Registration Statement, without
charge, (i) promptly after the same is prepared and filed with the SEC, at least
one copy of such Registration Statement and any amendment(s) thereto, including
financial statements and schedules, all documents, including exhibits,
incorporated therein by reference, if requested by an Investor and not otherwise
available on the EDGAR system, all other exhibits if reasonably requested by the
Investor and each preliminary prospectus, (ii) upon the effectiveness of any
Registration Statement, ten (10) copies of the prospectus included in such
Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto (or such other
number of copies as such Investor may
reasonably request) and (iii) such other documents, including copies of any
preliminary or final prospectus, as such Investor may reasonably request from
time to time in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable
Securities owned by such Investor.
e. The Company shall use its reasonable best
efforts to (i) register and qualify, unless an exemption from registration and
qualification applies, the resale by Investors of the Registrable Securities
covered by a Registration Statement under such other securities or "blue sky"
laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Investor may reasonably
request, (ii) prepare and file in those jurisdictions such amendments (including
post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registrations and
qualifications as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness thereof during
the Registration Period, (iii) take such other actions as may be necessary to
maintain such registrations and qualifications in effect at all times during the
Registration Period, and (iv) take all other actions reasonably necessary or
advisable to qualify the Registrable Securities for sale in such jurisdictions;
provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection
therewith or as a condition thereto to (x) qualify to do business in any
jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this
Section 3(e), (y) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (z)
file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction. The
Company shall promptly notify Legal Counsel and each Investor who holds
Registrable Securities of the receipt by the Company of any notification with
respect to the suspension of the registration or qualification of any of the
Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or "blue sky" laws of any
jurisdiction in the United States or its receipt of actual notice of the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.
f. The Company shall notify Legal Counsel and
each Investor in writing of the happening of any event, as promptly as
reasonably practicable after becoming aware of such event, as a result of which
the prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes
an untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (provided
that in no event shall such notice contain any material, nonpublic information),
and, subject to Section 3(r), promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to such
Registration Statement to correct such untrue statement or omission, and deliver
ten (10) copies of such supplement or amendment to Legal Counsel and each
Investor (or such other number of copies as Legal Counsel or such Investor may
reasonably request). The Company shall also promptly notify Legal Counsel and
each Investor in writing (i) when a prospectus or any prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment has been filed, and when a Registration Statement or
any post-effective amendment has become effective (notification of such
effectiveness shall be delivered to Legal Counsel and each Investor by facsimile
on the same day of such effectiveness and by overnight mail), (ii) of any
request by the SEC for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or
related prospectus or related information, and (iii) of the Company's reasonable
determination that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement would
be appropriate.
g. The Company shall use its reasonable best
efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or other suspension of
effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or the suspension of the
qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction
and, if such an order or suspension is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of such
order or suspension at the earliest reasonably possible moment and to notify
Legal Counsel and each Investor who holds Registrable Securities being sold of
the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof or its receipt of actual
notice of the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose.
h. If any Investor is required under applicable
securities law to be described in the Registration Statement as an underwriter,
at the reasonable request of such Investor, the Company shall furnish to such
Investor, on the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and
thereafter from time to time on such dates as an Investor may reasonably request
(i) a letter, dated such date, from the Company's independent certified public
accountants in form and substance as is customarily given by independent
certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten public offering,
addressed to the Investors, and (ii) an opinion, dated as of such date, of
counsel representing the Company for purposes of such Registration Statement, in
form, scope and substance as is customarily given in an underwritten public
offering, addressed to the Investors.
i. Upon the written request of one Investor (as
may be designated by the holders of at least a majority of the Registrable
Securities) in connection with any Investor's due diligence requirements, if
any, the Company shall make available for inspection by (i) any Investor, (ii)
Legal Counsel and (iii) one firm of accountants or other agents retained by the
Investors (collectively, the "INSPECTORS"), all pertinent financial and other
records, and pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company
(collectively, the "RECORDS"), as shall be reasonably deemed necessary by each
Inspector, and cause the Company's officers, directors and employees to supply
all information which any Inspector may reasonably request; provided, however,
that each Inspector shall agree in writing (in a form reasonably acceptable to
the Company) to hold in strict confidence and shall not make any disclosure
(except to an Investor) or use of any Record or other information which the
Company determines in good faith to be confidential, and of which determination
the Inspectors are so notified, unless (a) the disclosure of such Records is
necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration
Statement or is otherwise required under the 1933 Act, (b) the release of such
Records is ordered pursuant to a final, non-appealable subpoena or order from a
court or government body of competent jurisdiction, or (c) the information in
such Records has been made generally available to the public other than by
disclosure in violation of this or any other agreement of which the Inspector
has knowledge. Each Investor agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure
of such Records is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent
jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt notice to the Company and allow
the Company, at its expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent
disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order for, the Records deemed
confidential. Nothing herein (or in any other confidentiality agreement between
the Company and any Investor) shall be deemed to limit the Investors' ability to
sell Registrable Securities in a manner which is otherwise consistent with
applicable laws and regulations.
j. The Company shall hold in confidence and not
make any disclosure of information concerning an Investor provided to the
Company unless (i) disclosure of such information is necessary to comply with
federal or state securities laws or applicable rules and regulations of NASDAQ
or any other relevant market or exchange, (ii) the disclosure
of such information is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission
in any Registration Statement, (iii) the release of such information is ordered
pursuant to a subpoena or other final, non-appealable order from a court or
governmental body of competent jurisdiction, or (iv) such information has been
made generally available to the public other than by disclosure in violation of
this Agreement or any other agreement of which the Company has knowledge. The
Company agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such information
concerning an Investor is sought in or by a court or governmental body of
competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt written notice to
such Investor and allow such Investor, at the Investor's expense, to undertake
appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order
for, such information.
k. The Company shall use its reasonable best
efforts either to (i) cause all the Registrable Securities covered by a
Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange on which
securities of the same class or series issued by the Company are then listed, if
any, if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then permitted under the
rules of such exchange, or (ii) secure designation and quotation of all the
Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement on the NASDAQ
National Market, or (iii) if, despite the Company's reasonable best efforts to
satisfy the preceding clause (i) or (ii), the Company is unsuccessful in
satisfying the preceding clause (i) or (ii), to secure the inclusion for
quotation on The NASDAQ SmallCap Market for such Registrable Securities and,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to use its reasonable best
efforts to arrange for at least two market makers to register with the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") as such with respect to such
Registrable Securities. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in
connection with satisfying its obligation under this Section 3(k).
l. If requested by the Investors, the Company
shall cooperate with the Investors who hold Registrable Securities being offered
and, to the extent applicable, facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates (which, if a Registration Statement is then in effect covering the
resale of the shares represented by such certificates, shall not bear any
restrictive legend) representing the Registrable Securities to be offered
pursuant to a Registration Statement and enable such certificates to be in such
denominations or amounts, as the case may be, as the Investors may reasonably
request and registered in such names as the Investors may request.
m. If requested by an Investor, the Company
shall (i) as soon as practicable incorporate in a prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment such information as an Investor reasonably requests to
be included therein relating to the sale and distribution of Registrable
Securities, including, without limitation, information with respect to the
number of Registrable Securities being offered or sold, the purchase price being
paid therefor and any other terms of the offering of the Registrable Securities
to be sold in such offering; (ii) as soon as practicable make all required
filings of such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment after being
notified of the matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment; and (iii) as soon as practicable, supplement or make
amendments to any Registration Statement if reasonably requested by an Investor
holding any Registrable Securities.
n. The Company take all other reasonable
actions requested by Investors holding a majority of the Registrable Securities
necessary to expedite and facilitate disposition by the Investors of the
Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.
o. The Company shall make generally available
to its security holders as soon as practical, but not later than ninety (90)
days after the close of the period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in
form complying with, and in the manner provided by, the provisions of Rule 158
under the 1933 Act) covering a twelve-month period beginning not later than the
first day of the Company's fiscal quarter next following the effective date of a
Registration Statement.
p. The Company shall otherwise use its
reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of
the SEC in connection with any registration hereunder.
q. Within two (2) Business Days after a
Registration Statement which covers Registrable Securities is ordered effective
by the SEC, the Company shall deliver, and shall cause legal counsel for the
Company to deliver, to the transfer agent for such Registrable Securities (with
copies to the Investors whose Registrable Securities are included in such
Registration Statement) confirmation that such Registration Statement has been
declared effective by the SEC in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.
r. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
herein, at any time after the Registration Statement has been declared effective
by the SEC, the Company may delay the disclosure of material non-public
information concerning the Company the disclosure of which at the time is not,
in the good faith opinion of the Board of Directors of the Company and its
counsel, in the best interest of the Company and, based upon the advice of
counsel to the Company, otherwise required (a "GRACE PERIOD"); provided, that
the Company shall promptly (i) notify the Investors in writing of the existence
of a Grace Period in conformity with the provisions of this Section 3(r)
(provided that in each notice the Company will not disclose the content of such
material non-public information to the Investors) and the date on which the
Grace Period will begin, and (ii) notify the Investors in writing of the date on
which the Grace Period ends; and, provided further, that no Grace Period shall
exceed ten (10) consecutive days and during any three hundred sixty five (365)
day period such Grace Periods shall not exceed an aggregate of thirty (30) days
and the first day of any Grace Period must be at least two (2) trading days
after the last day of any prior Grace Period (each, an "ALLOWABLE GRACE
PERIOD"). For purposes of determining the length of a Grace Period above, the
Grace Period shall begin on and include the date the Investors receive the
notice referred to in clause (i) and shall end on and include the later of the
date the Investors receive the notice referred to in clause (ii) and the date
referred to in such notice. The provisions of Section 3(g) hereof shall not be
applicable during the period of any Allowable Grace Period. Upon expiration of
the Grace Period, the Company shall again be bound by the first sentence of
Section 3(f) with respect to the information giving rise thereto unless such
material non-public information is no longer applicable. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary, the Company shall cause its transfer agent to deliver
unlegended shares of Common Stock to a transferee of an Investor in accordance
with the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement in connection with any sale
of Registrable Securities with
respect to which an Investor has entered into a contract for sale, and delivered
a copy of the prospectus included as part of the applicable Registration
Statement, prior to the Investor's receipt of the notice of a Grace Period and
for which the Investor has not yet settled.
4. Obligations Of The Investors.
a. At least seven (7) Business Days prior to
the first anticipated filing date of a Registration Statement, the Company shall
notify each Investor in writing of the information the Company requires from
each such Investor if such Investor elects to have any of such Investor's
Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement. It shall be a
condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to complete the
registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Registrable
Securities of a particular Investor that such Investor shall furnish, in a
manner consistent with the last sentence of this Section 4(a), to the Company
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 effectiveness of the registration of such
Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such
registration as the Company may reasonably request. All such information
provided to the Company by an Investor pursuant to the prior sentence shall be
in writing, and such writing shall expressly acknowledge that the information is
being provided for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration
Statement or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto.
b. Each Investor, by such Investor'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 Investor has
notified the Company in writing of such Investor's election to exclude all of
such Investor's Registrable Securities from such Registration Statement.
c. Each Investor agrees that, upon receipt of
any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described
in Section 3(g) or the first sentence of 3(f), such Investor will immediately
discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration
Statement(s) covering such Registrable Securities until such Investor's receipt
of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section
3(g) or the first sentence of 3(f) or receipt of notice that no supplement or
amendment is required. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Company
shall cause its transfer agent to deliver unlegended shares of Common Stock to a
transferee of an Investor in accordance with the terms of the Securities
Purchase Agreement in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with
respect to which an Investor has entered into a contract for sale prior to the
Investor's receipt of a notice from the Company of the happening of any event of
the kind described in Section 3(g) or the first sentence of 3(f) and for which
the Investor has not yet settled.
d. Each Investor covenants and agrees that it
will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the 1933 Act as
applicable to it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to
a Registration Statement.
5. Expenses of Registration.
All reasonable expenses, other than underwriting discounts and
commissions (which shall be borne by the Investors), incurred in connection with
the performance of the Company's obligations hereunder and under the
transactions contemplated hereby, including registrations, filings or
qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all
registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers and accounting fees, and
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company shall be paid by the Company.
6. Indemnification.
In the event any Registrable Securities are included in a
Registration Statement under this Agreement:
a. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the
Company will, and hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend each
Investor, the directors, officers, partners, employees, agents, representatives
of, and each Person, if any, who controls any Investor within the meaning of the
1933 Act or the 1934 Act (each, an "INDEMNIFIED PERSON"), against any losses,
claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs,
reasonable attorneys' fees, amounts paid in settlement or expenses, joint or
several (collectively, "CLAIMS"), incurred in investigating, preparing or
defending any action, claim, suit, inquiry, proceeding, investigation or appeal
taken from the foregoing by or before any court or governmental, administrative
or other regulatory agency, body or the SEC, whether pending or threatened,
whether or not an indemnified party is or may be a party thereto ("INDEMNIFIED
DAMAGES"), to which any of them may become subject insofar as such Claims (or
actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact in a Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment thereto or in any filing made in connection with the qualification of
the offering under the securities or other "blue sky" laws of any jurisdiction
in which Registrable Securities are offered ("BLUE SKY FILING"), or the omission
or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
preliminary prospectus if used prior to the effective date of such Registration
Statement, or contained in the final prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if
the Company files any amendment thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or
the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary to
make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
the statements therein were made, not misleading, (iii) any violation or alleged
violation by the Company of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, any other law,
including, without limitation, any state securities law, or any rule or
regulation thereunder relating to the offer or sale of the Registrable
Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement or (iv) any material violation
of this Agreement (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv) being,
collectively, "VIOLATIONS"). Subject to Section 6(c), the Company shall
reimburse the Indemnified Persons, promptly as such expenses are incurred and
are due and payable, for any legal fees or other reasonable expenses incurred by
them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification
agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (i) shall not apply to a Claim by an
Indemnified Person arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Company by such Indemnified Person for such Indemnified Person expressly for use
in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such
amendment thereof or supplement thereto, if such prospectus was timely made
available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(d); (ii) with respect to any
preliminary prospectus, shall not inure to the benefit of any such Indemnified
Person from whom the Person asserting any such Claim purchased the Registrable
Securities that are the subject thereof (or to the benefit of any Person
controlling such Person) if the untrue statement or omission of material fact
contained in the preliminary prospectus was corrected in the prospectus, as then
amended or supplemented, and if such prospectus was timely made available by the
Company pursuant to Section 3(d), and the Indemnified Person was promptly
advised in writing not to use the incorrect prospectus prior to the use giving
rise to a violation and such Indemnified Person, notwithstanding such advice,
used it or failed to deliver the correct prospectus as required by the 1933 Act
and such correct prospectus was timely made available pursuant to Section 3(d);
(iii) shall not be available to the extent such Claim is based on a failure of
the Investor to deliver or to cause to be delivered the prospectus made
available by the Company, including a corrected prospectus, if such prospectus
or corrected prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to
Section 3(d); and (iv) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any
Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the
Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. Such
indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person and shall survive the transfer of
the Registrable Securities by the Investors pursuant to Section 9.
b. In connection with any Registration
Statement in which an Investor is participating, each such Investor agrees to
severally and not jointly indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the same
extent and in the same manner as is set forth in Section 6(a), the Company, each
of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement and
each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act
or the 1934 Act (each, an "INDEMNIFIED PARTY"), against any Claim or Indemnified
Damages to which any of them may become subject, under the 1933 Act, the 1934
Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claim or Indemnified Damages arise out of or
are based upon any Violation, in each case to the extent, and only to the
extent, that such Violation occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by such Investor expressly for use
in connection with such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment
thereof or any prospectus contained therein; and, subject to Section 6(c), such
Investor will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by an
Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim
as promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable; provided,
however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b) and the
agreement with respect to contribution contained in Section 7 shall not apply to
amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without
the prior written consent of such Investor, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided, further, however, that an Investor
shall be liable under this Section 6(b) for only that amount of a Claim or
Indemnified Damages as does not exceed the net proceeds to such Investor as a
result of the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration
Statement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of
any investigation made by or on behalf of such
Indemnified Party and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities
by the Investors pursuant to Section 9. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(b)
with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any
Indemnified Party if the untrue statement or omission of material fact contained
in the preliminary prospectus was corrected on a timely basis in the prospectus,
as then amended or supplemented.
c. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified
Person or Indemnified Party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement
of any action or proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding)
involving a Claim, such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall, if a
Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this
Section 6, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the
commencement thereof, and the indemnifying party shall have the right to
participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly
with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the
defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and
the Indemnified Person or the Indemnified Party, as the case may be; provided,
however, that an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall have the right to
retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses of not more than one counsel
for such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party to be paid by the indemnifying
party, if, in the reasonable opinion of the Indemnified Person or the
Indemnified Party, as the case may be, the representation by such counsel of the
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and the indemnifying party would be
inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any other party represented by such
counsel in such proceeding. In the case of an Indemnified Person, legal counsel
referred to in the immediately preceding sentence shall be selected by the
Investors holding at least a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities
included in the Registration Statement to which the Claim relates. The
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person shall cooperate fully with the
indemnifying party in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such
action or Claim by the indemnifying party and shall furnish to the indemnifying
party all information reasonably available to the Indemnified Party or
Indemnified Person which relates to such action or Claim. The indemnifying party
shall keep the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person reasonably apprised at
all times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with
respect thereto. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any
action, claim or proceeding effected without its prior written consent,
provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not unreasonably withhold,
delay or condition its consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior
written consent of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person, consent to entry
of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not
include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff
to such Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person of a release from all liability
in respect to such Claim or litigation. Following indemnification as provided
for hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be subrogated to all rights of the
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person with respect to all third parties, firms
or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made.
The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a
reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such
indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or Indemnified
Party under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is
prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
d. The indemnification required by this Section
6 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of
the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or Indemnified
Damages are incurred.
e. The indemnity agreements contained herein
shall be in addition to (i) any cause of action or similar right of the
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person against the indemnifying party or
others, and (ii) any liabilities the indemnifying party may be subject to
pursuant to the law.
7. Contribution.
To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is
prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum
contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable
under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that:
(i) no contribution shall be made under circumstances the maker would not have
been liable for indemnification under the fault standards set forth in Section
6, (ii) no Person involved in the sale of Registrable Securities which Person is
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the 1933 Act) in connection with such sale shall be entitled to contribution
from any Person involved in such sale of Registrable Securities who was not
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation; and (iii) contribution by any seller of
Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount to the net amount of proceeds
received by such seller from the sale of such Registrable Securities pursuant to
such Registration Statement.
8. Reports Under The 1934 Act.
With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits
of Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act or any other similar rule or
regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit the Investors to sell
securities of the Company to the public without registration ("RULE 144"), the
Company agrees to:
a. make and keep public information available,
as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144;
b. file with the SEC in a timely manner all
reports and other documents required of the Company under the 1933 Act and the
1934 Act so long as the Company remains subject to such requirements (it being
understood that nothing herein shall limit the Company's obligations under
Section 4(c) of the Securities Purchase Agreement) and the filing of such
reports and other documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule
144; and
c. furnish to each Investor so long as such
Investor owns Registrable Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written
statement by the Company, if true, that it has complied with the reporting
requirements of Rule 144, the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, (ii) a copy of the most
recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and such other reports and
documents so filed by the Company, and (iii) such other information as may be
reasonably requested to permit the Investors to sell such securities pursuant to
Rule 144 without registration.
9. Assignment of Registration Rights.
The rights under this Agreement shall be automatically
assignable by the Investors to any transferee of all or any portion of such
Investor's Registrable Securities if: (i) the Investor agrees in writing with
the transferee or assignee to assign such rights, and a copy of such agreement
is furnished to the Company within a reasonable time after such assignment; (ii)
the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer or assignment,
furnished with written notice of (a) the name and address of such transferee or
assignee, and (b) the securities with respect to which such registration rights
are being transferred or assigned; (iii) immediately following such transfer or
assignment the further disposition of such securities by the transferee or
assignee is restricted under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws;
(iv) at or before the time the Company receives the written notice contemplated
by clause (ii) of this sentence the transferee or assignee agrees in writing
with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions contained herein; and (v)
such transfer shall have been made in accordance with the applicable
requirements of the Securities Purchase Agreement.
10. Amendment of Registration Rights.
Provisions of this Agreement may be amended and the observance
thereof may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either
retroactively or prospectively), only with the written consent of the Company
and Investors who then hold at least a majority of the Registrable Securities.
Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 10 shall be
binding upon each Investor and the Company. No such amendment shall be effective
to the extent that it applies to less than all of the holders of the Registrable
Securities. No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or
consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of any of this Agreement
unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the parties to this
Agreement.
11. Miscellaneous.
a. A Person is deemed to be a holder of
Registrable Securities whenever such Person owns or is deemed to own of record
such Registrable Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions,
notices or elections from two or more Persons with respect to the same
Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions,
notice or election received from the such record owner of such Registrable
Securities.
b. Any notices, consents, waivers or other
communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this
Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon
receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile
(provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically
generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one Business Day
after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each
case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and
facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
StemCells, Inc.
3155 Porter Drive
Palo Alto, California 94304
Telephone: (650) 475-3100
Facsimile: (650) [_______]
Attention: Martin McGlynn
with a copy to:
Ropes & Gray LLP
One International Place
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Telephone: (617) 951-7000
Facsimile: (617) 951-7050
Attention: Geoffrey Davis
If to Legal Counsel:
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP
919 Third Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Telephone: (212) 756-2000
Facsimile: (212) 593-5955
Attention: Eleazer Klein, Esq.
If to a Buyer, to its address and facsimile number set forth on the Schedule of
Buyers attached hereto, with copies to such Buyer's representatives as set forth
on the Schedule of Buyers, or to such other address and/or facsimile number
and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has
specified by written notice given to each other party five (5) days prior to the
effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the
recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B)
mechanically or electronically generated by the sender's facsimile machine
containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and an image of the first
page of such transmission or (C) provided by a courier or overnight courier
service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile
or receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance
with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
c. Failure of any party to exercise any right
or remedy under this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising
such right or remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
d. All questions concerning the construction,
validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by
the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice
of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or
any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any
jurisdictions other than the State of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably
submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts
sitting The City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of any
dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated
hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to
assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally
subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or
proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit,
action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal
service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action
or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such
notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute
good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained
herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any
manner permitted by law. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or
unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not
affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that
jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this
Agreement in any other jurisdiction. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY
RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION
OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS
AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
e. This Agreement, the Securities Purchase
Agreement, the Warrants and the instruments referenced herein and therein
constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the
subject matter hereof and thereof. There are no restrictions, promises,
warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein and
therein. This Agreement, the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Warrants and the
instruments referenced herein and therein supersede all prior agreements and
understandings among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter
hereof and thereof.
f. Subject to the requirements of Section 9,
this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the permitted
successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto.
g. The headings in this Agreement are for
convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the
meaning hereof.
h. This Agreement may be executed in identical
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall
constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party,
may be delivered to the other party hereto by facsimile transmission of a copy
of this Agreement bearing the signature of the party so delivering this
Agreement.
i. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to
be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and
deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as
any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and
accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
j. All consents and other determinations
required to be made by the Investors pursuant to this Agreement shall be made,
unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, by Investors holding at least a
majority of the Registrable Securities, determined as if all the Warrants then
outstanding have been exercised for Registrable Securities without regard to any
limitations on exercises of the Warrants.
k. The language used in this Agreement will be
deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent
and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
l. This Agreement is intended for the benefit
of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and
is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any
other Person.
* * * * * *
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Registration Rights
Agreement to be duly executed as of day and year first above written.
COMPANY: BUYERS:
STEMCELLS, INC. THE RIVERVIEW GROUP, LLC
By: _______________________________
Name: Iris Brest
Title: General Counsel By: ____________________________
Name:
Title:
SCHEDULE OF BUYERS
INVESTOR'S REPRESENTATIVE'S
INVESTOR ADDRESS ADDRESS
ARTICLE I.Investor AND FACSIMILE NUMBER AND FACSIMILE NUMBER
-------------------------- ---------------------------
THE RIVERVIEW GROUP, LLC 666 Fifth Avenue, 8th floor Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP
New York, New York 10103 919 Third Avenue
Attention: Manager New York, NY 10022
Facsimile: (212) 841-4141 Attn: Eleazer Klein, Esq.
Telephone: (212) 841-4100 Facsimile: (212) 593-5955
Residence: New York Telephone: (212) 756-2000
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF NOTICE OF EFFECTIVENESS
OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT
EquiServe Trust Company, L.P.
150 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Attn: [____________]
Re: StemCells, Inc.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are counsel to StemCells, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and have represented the Company in connection with that certain
Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May __, 2003 (the "Purchase
Agreement"), entered into by and among the Company and the buyers named therein
(collectively, the "Holders") pursuant to which the Company issued to the
Holders its shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the
"Common Stock") and warrants exercisable for shares of Company Common Stock (the
"Warrants"). Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company also has
entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with the Holders (the "Registration
Rights Agreement") pursuant to which the Company agreed, among other things, to
register the resale of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the
Registration Rights Agreement), including the Common Shares and the shares of
Company Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). In connection with the Company's
obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, on ____________ ___, 2003,
the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No.
333-_____________) (the "Registration Statement") with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC") relating to the Registrable Securities which
names each of the Holders as a selling stockholder thereunder.
In connection with the foregoing, we advise you that a member
of the SEC's staff has advised us by telephone that the SEC has entered an order
declaring the Registration Statement effective under the 1933 Act at [ENTER TIME
OF EFFECTIVENESS] on [ENTER DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS] and we have no knowledge,
after telephonic inquiry of a member of the SEC's staff, that any stop order
suspending its effectiveness has been issued or that any proceedings for that
purpose are pending before, or threatened by, the SEC and the Registrable
Securities are available for resale under the 1933 Act pursuant to the
Registration Statement.
Very truly yours,
[ISSUER'S COUNSEL]
By:_____________________
CC: [LIST NAMES OF HOLDERS]