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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as of July ___,
1997, by and among Abaxis, Inc., a California corporation, with headquarters
located at 1320 Chesapeake Terrace, Sunnyvale, California 94089 (the "Company"),
and each of the undersigned (together with their respective affiliates and any
assignee or transferee of all of their respective rights hereunder, the "Initial
Investors").
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 contained
therein, to issue and sell to the Initial Investors shares of its Series B
Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") that are convertible into
shares (the "Conversion Shares") of the Company's common stock (the "Common
Stock"), upon the terms and subject to the limitations and conditions set forth
in the Certificate of Determination of Rights, Preferences, Privileges and
Restrictions with respect to such Preferred Stock (the "Certificate of
Determination"); and
B. To induce the Initial Investors 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 Initial Investors hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
a. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(i) "Investors" means the Initial Investors and any transferee or
assignee who agrees to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in
accordance with Section 9 hereof.
(ii) "register," "registered," and "registration" refer to a
registration effected by preparing and filing a Registration Statement or
Statements 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
basis ("Rule 415"), and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such
Registration Statement by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "SEC").
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(iii) "Registrable Securities" means the Conversion Shares issued
or issuable and any shares of capital stock issued or issuable as a dividend on
or in exchange for or otherwise with respect to any of the foregoing.
(iv) "Registration Statement" means a registration statement of
the Company under the 1933 Act.
(b) 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, on or
prior to the date which is seventy-five (75) days after the date of the Closing
under the Securities Purchase Agreement (the "Closing Date"), file with the SEC
a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (or, if Form S-3 is not then available, on
such form of Registration Statement as is then available to effect a
registration of the Registrable Securities, subject to the consent of the
Investors, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld) covering the resale
of the Registrable Securities underlying the Preferred Stock issued pursuant to
the Securities Purchase Agreement, which Registration Statement, to the extent
allowable under the 1933 Act and the Rules promulgated thereunder (including
Rule 416), shall state that such Registration Statement also covers such
indeterminate number of additional shares of Common Stock as may become issuable
upon conversion of the Preferred Stock (i) to prevent dilution resulting from
stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions or (ii) by reason of
changes in the Conversion Price of the Preferred Stock in accordance with the
terms of the Certificate of Determination. The number of shares of Common Stock
initially included in such Registration Statement shall be no less than 19.9% of
the outstanding stock on the Closing Date.
b. Underwritten Offering. If any offering pursuant to a Registration
Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof involves an underwritten offering, the
Investors who hold a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities subject
to such underwritten offering, with the consent of a majority-in-interest of the
Initial Investors, shall have the right to select one legal counsel and an
investment banker or bankers and manager or managers to administer the offering,
which investment banker or bankers or manager or managers shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Company.
c. Payments by the Company. The Company shall use its best efforts
to obtain effectiveness of the Registration Statement as soon as practicable. If
(i) the Registration Statement(s) covering the Registrable Securities required
to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof is not declared
effective by the SEC within one hundred five (105) days after the Closing Date
or if, after the Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC,
sales cannot be made pursuant to the Registration Statement due to the failure
of the Company to take action that would have allowed such sales, or (ii) the
Common Stock is not listed or included for quotation on the Nasdaq National
Market ("Nasdaq"), the Nasdaq SmallCap Market (the "Nasdaq SmallCap"), the New
York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") or the American Stock Exchange (the "AMEX"), or
any other equivalent national securities exchange that may be
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established in the future, after being so listed or included for quotation, then
the Company will make payments to the Investors in such amounts and at such
times as shall be determined pursuant to this Section 2(c) as partial relief for
the damages to the Investors by reason of any such delay in or reduction of
their ability to sell the Registrable Securities (which remedy shall not be
exclusive of any other remedies available at law or in equity). The Company
shall pay to each holder of the Preferred Stock or registrable Securities an
amount equal to the aggregate "Purchase Price" (as defined below) of the
Preferred Stock ("Aggregate Share Price") multiplied by three hundredths (.030)
times the sum of: (i) the number of months (prorated for partial months) after
the end of such 105-day period and prior to the date the Registration Statement
is declared effective by the SEC, provided, however, that there shall be
excluded from such period any delays which are solely attributable to changes
required by the Investors in the Registration Statement with respect to
information relating to the Investors, including, without limitation, changes to
the plan of distribution, or to the failure of the Investors to conduct their
review of the Registration Statement pursuant to Section 3(h) below in a
reasonably prompt manner; (ii) the number of months (prorated for partial
months) that sales cannot be made pursuant to the Registration Statement after
the Registration Statement has been declared effective due to the failure of the
Company to take action that would have allowed such sales (including, without
limitation, when sales cannot be made by reason of the Company's failure to
properly supplement or amend the prospectus included therein in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement); and (iii) the number of months (prorated for
partial months) that the Common Stock is not listed or included for quotation on
Nasdaq, the Nasdaq SmallCap, the NYSE or the AMEX or that trading thereon is
halted after the Registration Statement has been declared effective. (For
example, if the Registration Statement becomes effective one (1) month after the
end of such 105-day period, the Company would pay $30,000 for each $1,000,000 of
Outstanding Principal Amount. If thereafter, sales could not be made pursuant to
the Registration Statement for an additional period of one (1) month, the
Company would pay an additional $30,000 for each $1,000,000 of Outstanding
Principal Amount.) Such amounts shall be paid in cash or, so long as the
Registration Statement has been declared effective, at the Company's option, may
be convertible into Common Stock at the "Conversion Price" (as defined in the
Certificate of Determination). Any shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion
of such amounts shall be Registrable Securities. If the Company desires to
convert the amounts due hereunder into Registrable Securities, it shall so
notify the Investors in writing within two (2) business days of the date on
which such amounts are first payable in cash and such amounts shall be so
convertible (pursuant to the mechanics set forth under Article VI of the
Certificate of Determination), beginning on the last day upon which the cash
amount would otherwise be due in accordance with the following sentence.
Payments of cash pursuant hereto shall be made within five (5) days after the
end of each period that gives rise to such obligation, provided that, if any
such period extends for more than thirty (30) days, interim payments shall be
made for each such thirty (30) day period. The term "Purchase Price" means the
purchase price paid by the Investors for the Preferred Stock.
d. Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time prior to the expiration
of the Registration Period (as hereinafter defined) the Company shall file with
the SEC a Registration Statement relating to an offering for its own account or
the account of others under the 1933 Act of any of its equity securities (other
than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or their then equivalents relating to equity
securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity
or
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business or equity securities issuable in connection with stock option or other
employee benefit plans), the Company shall send to each Investor who is entitled
to registration rights under this Section 2(d) written notice of such
determination and, if within fifteen (15) days after the effective date of such
notice, such Investor shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in
such Registration Statement all or any part of the Registrable Securities such
Investor requests to be registered, except that if, in connection with any
underwritten public offering for the account of the Company the managing
underwriter(s) thereof shall impose a limitation on the number of shares of
Common Stock which may be included in the Registration Statement because, in
such underwriter(s)' judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such
limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the Company
shall be obligated to include in such Registration Statement only such limited
portion of the Registrable Securities with respect to which such Investor has
requested inclusion hereunder as the underwriter shall permit. Any exclusion of
Registrable Securities shall be made pro rata among the Investors seeking to
include Registrable Securities in proportion to the number of Registrable
Securities sought to be included by such Investors; provided, however, that the
Company shall not exclude any Registrable Securities unless the Company has
first excluded all outstanding securities, the holders of which are not entitled
to inclusion of such securities in such Registration Statement or are not
entitled to pro rata inclusion with the Registrable Securities; and provided,
further, however, that, after giving effect to the immediately preceding
proviso, any exclusion of Registrable Securities shall be made pro rata with
holders of other securities having the right to include such securities in the
Registration Statement other than holders of securities entitled to inclusion of
their securities in such Registration Statement by reason of demand registration
rights. No right to registration of Registrable Securities under this Section
2(d) shall be construed to limit any registration required under Section 2(a)
hereof. If an offering in connection with which an Investor is entitled to
registration under this Section 2(d) is an underwritten offering, then each
Investor whose Registrable Securities are included in such Registration
Statement shall, unless otherwise agreed by the Company, offer and sell such
Registrable Securities in an underwritten offering using the same underwriter or
underwriters and, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, on the same terms
and conditions as other shares of Common Stock included in such underwritten
offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, the
registration rights of the Investors pursuant to this Section 2(d) shall only be
available in the event that the Company fails to timely file, obtain
effectiveness or maintain effectiveness of the Registration Statement to be
filed pursuant to Section 2(a) in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
e. Eligibility for Form S-3. The Company represents and warrants
that it currently meets the registrant eligibility and transaction requirements
for the use of Form S-3 for registration of the sale by the Initial Investors
and any other Investors of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall use
reasonable efforts to file all reports required to be filed by the Company with
the SEC in a timely manner so as to maintain such eligibility for the use of
Form S-3.
3. OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY.
In connection with the registration of the Registrable Securities, the
Company shall have the following obligations:
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a. The Company shall prepare promptly, and file with the SEC not
later than seventy-five (75) days after the Closing Date, a Registration
Statement with respect to the number of Registrable Securities provided in
Section 2(a), and thereafter use its best efforts to cause such Registration
Statement relating to Registrable Securities to become effective as soon as
possible after such filing, and keep the Registration Statement effective
pursuant to Rule 415 at all times until such date as is the earlier of (i) the
date on which all of the Registrable Securities have been sold and (ii) the date
on which the Registrable Securities (in the opinion of counsel to the Initial
Investors) may be immediately sold (without limitation as to volume) by each
holder thereof without registration under the 1933 Act (the "Registration
Period"), which 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 not misleading.
b. The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such amendments
(including post-effective amendments) and supplements to the Registration
Statement and the prospectus used in connection with the Registration Statement
as may be necessary to keep the 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 the Registration Statement until such time
as all of such Registrable Securities have been disposed of in accordance with
the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof as set
forth in the Registration Statement. In the event the number of shares available
under a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement is insufficient
to cover all of the Registrable Securities issued or issuable upon conversion of
the Preferred Stock, the Company shall amend the Registration Statement, or file
a new Registration Statement (on the short form available therefore, if
applicable), or both, so as to cover all of the Registrable Securities, in each
case, as soon as practicable, but in any event within twenty (20) business days
after the necessity therefor arises (based on the market price of the Common
Stock and other relevant factors on which the Company reasonably elects to
rely). The Company shall use its best efforts to cause such amendment and/or new
Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable following the
filing thereof. The provisions of Section 2(c) above shall be applicable with
respect to such obligation, with the ninety (90) days running from the day after
the date on which the Company reasonably first determines (or reasonably should
have determined) the need therefor.
c. The Company shall furnish to each Investor whose Registrable
Securities are included in the Registration Statement and its legal counsel (i)
promptly after the same is prepared and publicly distributed, filed with the
SEC, or received by the Company, one copy of the Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto, each preliminary prospectus and prospectus and each amendment
or supplement thereto, and, in the case of the Registration Statement referred
to in Section 2(a), each letter written by or on behalf of the Company to the
SEC or the staff of the SEC, and each item of correspondence from the SEC or the
staff of the SEC, in each case relating to such Registration Statement (other
than any portion of any thereof which contains information for which the Company
has sought confidential treatment), and (ii) such number of copies of a
prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus, and all amendments and
supplements thereto and such other documents as such Investor may reasonably
request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities
owned by such Investor.
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The Company will immediately notify each Investor by facsimile of the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment.
d. The Company shall use reasonable efforts to (i) register and
qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under
such other securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions in the United
States as the Investors who hold a majority in interest of the Registrable
Securities being offered 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 (a) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not
otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), (b) subject itself
to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, (c) file a general consent to
service of process in any such jurisdiction, (d) provide any undertakings that
cause the Company undue expense or burden, or (e) make any change in its charter
or bylaws, which in each case the Board of Directors of the Company determines
to be contrary to the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.
e. In the event Investors who hold a majority-in-interest of the
Registrable Securities being offered in the offering (with the approval of a
majority-in-interest of the Initial Investors) select underwriters for the
offering, the Company shall enter into and perform its obligations under an
underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, including, without
limitation, customary indemnification and contribution obligations, with the
underwriters of such offering.
f. As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event,
the Company shall notify each Investor of the happening of any event, of which
the Company has knowledge, as a result of which the prospectus included in the
Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and use its best
efforts promptly to prepare a supplement or amendment to the Registration
Statement to correct such untrue statement or omission, and deliver such number
of copies of such supplement or amendment to each Investor as such Investor may
reasonably request.
g. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of
any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of a Registration Statement,
and, if such an order is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of such order at the
earliest possible moment and to notify each Investor who holds Registrable
Securities being sold (or, in the event of an underwritten offering, the
managing underwriters) of the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof.
h. The Company shall permit a single firm of counsel designated by
the Initial Investors to review the Registration Statement and all amendments
and supplements thereto (as well as all requests for acceleration or
effectiveness thereof) a reasonable period of time prior to their filing with
the SEC and will not request acceleration of the Registration Statement without
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prior notice to such counsel. The sections of the Registration statement
covering information with respect to the Investors, the Investor's beneficial
ownership of securities of the Company and the Investors intended method of
disposition of Registrable Securities shall conform to the information provided
to the Company by each of the Investors.
i. 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 the provisions of Rule 158 under the 1933 Act) covering a twelve-month
period beginning after the effective date of the Registration Statement.
j. For all underwritten offerings pursuant to this Section 2, at the
request of any Investor, the Company shall furnish, on the date that Registrable
Securities are delivered to an underwriter, if any, for sale in connection with
the Registration Statement or, if such securities are not being sold by an
underwriter, on the date of effectiveness thereof (i) an opinion, dated as of
such date, from 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 underwriters, if any, and the
Investors and (ii) 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 underwriters, if any.
k. The Company shall make available for inspection by (i) any
Investor, (ii) any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to the
Registration Statement, (iii) one firm of attorneys and one firm of accountants
or other agents retained by the Investors, and (iv) one firm of attorneys
retained by all such underwriters (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 to enable each Inspector to exercise its due
diligence responsibility, and cause the Company's officers, directors and
employees to supply all information which any Inspector may reasonably request
for purposes of such due diligence; provided, however, that each Inspector shall
hold in confidence and shall not make any disclosure (except to an Investor) 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 release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other order
from a court or government body of competent jurisdiction or (b) 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. The Company shall not be
required to disclose any confidential information in such Records to any
Inspector until and unless such Inspector shall have entered into
confidentiality agreements (in form and substance satisfactory to the Company)
with the Company with respect thereto, substantially in the form of this Section
3(k). 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 Investor's ability to
sell Registrable Securities in a manner which is otherwise consistent with
applicable laws and regulations.
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l. 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, (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 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 or any other agreement. 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 notice to such Investor prior
to making such disclosure, and allow the Investor, at its expense, to undertake
appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order
for, such information.
m. The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) cause all the
Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be listed on
each national 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 the designation and quotation, of all the Registrable Securities
covered by the Registration Statement on Nasdaq or, if not eligible for Nasdaq
or the Nasdaq SmallCap and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
will use its 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.
n. The Company shall provide a transfer agent and registrar, which
may be a single entity, for the Registrable Securities not later than the
effective date of the Registration Statement.
o. The Company shall cooperate with the Investors who hold
Registrable Securities being offered and the managing underwriter or
underwriters, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates (not bearing any restrictive legends) representing Registrable
Securities to be offered pursuant to the Registration Statement and enable such
certificates to be in such denominations or amounts, as the case may be, as the
managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, or the Investors may reasonably
request and registered in such names as the managing underwriter or
underwriters, if any, or the Investors may request, and, within three (3)
business days after a Registration Statement which includes Registrable
Securities is ordered effective by the SEC, the Company shall deliver, and shall
cause legal counsel selected by the Company to deliver, to the transfer agent
for the Registrable Securities (with copies to the Investors whose Registrable
Securities are included in such Registration Statement) an instruction in the
form attached hereto as Exhibit 1 and an opinion of such counsel in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit 2.
4. OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTORS.
In connection with the registration of the Registrable Securities, the
Investors shall have the following obligations:
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a. 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 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 registration
of such Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection
with such registration as the Company may reasonably request. At least five (5)
business days prior to the filing date of the Registration Statement, the
Company shall notify each Investor of the information the Company requires from
each such Investor. Each such Investor shall provide such information to the
Company as promptly as practicable following receipt of such notification, but
in any event at least two (2) days prior to the filing date.
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 the 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 the Registration Statement.
c. In the event Investors holding a majority-in-interest of the
Registrable Securities being registered (with the approval of the Initial
Investors) determine to engage the services of an underwriter, such underwriter
to be reasonably acceptable to the Company, and each Investor agrees to enter
into and perform such Investor's obligations under an underwriting agreement, in
usual and customary form, including, without limitation, customary
indemnification and contribution obligations, with the managing underwriter of
such offering and take such other actions as are reasonably required in order to
expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities, unless
such Investor has notified the Company in writing of such Investor's election to
exclude all of such Investor's Registrable Securities from the Registration
Statement.
d. 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(f) or
3(g), such Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable
Securities until such Investor's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or
amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(f) or 3(g) and, if so directed by
the Company, such Investor shall deliver to the Company (at the expense of the
Company) or destroy (and deliver to the Company a certificate of destruction)
all copies in such Investor's possession, of the prospectus covering such
Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.
e. No Investor may participate in any underwritten registration
hereunder unless such Investor (i) agrees to sell such Investor's Registrable
Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements in usual and
customary form entered into by the Company, (ii) completes and executes all
questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and
other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting
arrangements, and (iii) agrees to pay its pro rata share of all underwriting
discounts and commissions and any expenses in excess of those payable by the
Company pursuant to Section 5 below.
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5. EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION.
All reasonable expenses, other than underwriting discounts and
commissions, incurred in connection with registrations, filings or
qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all
registration, listing and qualification fees, printers and accounting fees, the
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, and the reasonable fees and
disbursements of one counsel selected by the Initial Investors pursuant to
Sections 2(b) and 3(h) hereof shall be borne by the Company; provided, however,
that the total amount of all fees payable pursuant to this Section 5 and Section
4(f) of the Securities Purchase Agreement shall not exceed $7,500.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
In the event any Registrable Securities are included in a Registration
Statement under this Agreement:
a. To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify, hold
harmless and defend (i) each Investor who holds such Registrable Securities,
(ii) the directors, officers, partners, employees, agents and each person who
controls any Investor within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the " 1934 Act"), if any, (iii) any
underwriter (as defined in the 1933 Act) for the Investors, and (iv) the
directors, officers, partners, employees and each person who controls any such
underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, if any (each, an
"Indemnified Person"), against any joint or several losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses (collectively, together with actions, proceedings or
inquiries by any regulatory or self-regulatory organization, whether commenced
or threatened, in respect thereof, "Claims") to which any of them may become
subject insofar as such Claims arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in a Registration
Statement or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated 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 light of the
circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading; or
(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 (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii)
being, collectively, "Violations"). Subject to the restrictions set forth in
Section 6(c) with respect to the number of legal counsel, the Company shall
reimburse the Indemnified Person, promptly as such expenses are incurred and are
due and payable but not less than monthly, for any reasonable 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 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 any Indemnified Person or underwriter for such Indemnified Person
expressly for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration
Statement or any such
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amendment thereof or supplement thereto, if such prospectus was timely made
available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) hereof; (ii) 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; and (iii) with respect to any preliminary prospectus,
shall not inure to the benefit of any Indemnified Person 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,
such corrected prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to
Section 3(c) hereof, 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. 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 severally and not jointly
to indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the same extent and in the same
manner set forth in Section 6(a), the Company, each of its directors, each of
its officers who signs the Registration Statement, each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, any
underwriter and any other shareholder selling securities pursuant to the
Registration Statement or any of its directors or officers or any person who
controls such shareholder or underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act or
the 1934 Act (collectively and together with an Indemnified Person, an
"Indemnified Party"), against any Claim to which any of them may become subject,
under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claim arises out
of or is based upon any Violation by such Investor, 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 such
Violation is a failure of such Investor to comply with applicable prospectus
delivery requirement under the 1933 Act (and such failure was not caused, in
whole or in part, by any action or failure to act by the Company or any third
party, so long as such Investor used reasonable efforts to comply with such
requirements); and subject to Section 6(c) such Investor will reimburse any
legal or other expenses (promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and
payable) reasonably incurred by the Indemnified Parties in connection with
investigating or defending any such Claim; provided, however, that the indemnity
agreement contained in this Section 6(b) 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;
provided, further, however, that the Investor shall be liable under this
Agreement (including this Section 6(b) and Section 7) for only that amount 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
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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
(including any governmental action), 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 chosen by the indemnifying party and
reasonably satisfactory to 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 reasonable fees
and expenses to be paid by the indemnifying party, if, in the reasonable opinion
of counsel retained by the indemnifying party, the representation by such
counsel of the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and the indemnifying
party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential conflicts between such
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any other party represented by such
counsel in such proceeding. The indemnifying party shall pay for only one
separate legal counsel for the Indemnified Persons or the Indemnified Parties,
as applicable, and such legal counsel shall be selected by Investors holding a
majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration
Statement to which the Claim relates (with the approval of a
majority-in-interest of the Initial Investors), if the Investors are entitled to
indemnification hereunder, or the Company, if the Company is entitled to
indemnification hereunder, as applicable. 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 actually prejudiced in its ability to
defend such action. 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 such expense, loss, damage or liability is incurred
and is due and payable.
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 where the maker would not
have been liable for indemnification under the fault standards set forth in
Section 6, (ii) no seller of Registrable Securities guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any seller of Registrable Securities who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation, and (iii) contribution (together
with any indemnification or other obligations under this Agreement) 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.
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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 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 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) 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, (v) such transfer shall have been made in
accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Purchase
Agreement, (vi) such transferee shall be an "accredited investor" as that term
defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D promulgated under the 1933 Act and (vii)
such transfer involves Registrable Securities having a value of at least
$1,000,000 (based on the closing sale price of the Common Stock on Nasdaq or on
the principal securities exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock
is traded on the date of transfer).
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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 written consent of the Company and
Investors who hold a majority interest of the Registrable Securities. Any
amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 10 shall be binding
upon each Investor and the Company.
11. MISCELLANEOUS.
a. A person or entity is deemed to be a holder of Registrable
Securities whenever such person or entity owns of record such Registrable
Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or
elections from two or more persons or entities with respect to the same
Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions,
notice or election received from the registered owner of such Registrable
Securities.
b. Any notices required or permitted to be given under the terms
hereof shall be sent by certified or registered mail (return receipt requested)
or delivered personally or by courier (including a recognized overnight delivery
service) or by facsimile and shall be effective five days after being placed in
the mail, if mailed by regular U. S. mail, or upon receipt, if delivered
personally or by courier (including a recognized overnight delivery service) or
by facsimile, in each case addressed to a party. The addresses for such
communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Abaxis, Inc.
1320 Chesapeake Terrace
Sunnyvale, California 94099
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile: (408) 734-3120
With copy to:
Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich,
A Professional Corporation
400 Hamilton Avenue
Palo Alto, California 94301
Attention: Thomas W. Furlong, Esq.
Facsimile: (415) 327-3699
If to an Investor: to the address set forth immediately below such Investor's
name on the signature pages to the Securities Purchase Agreement.
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.
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d. This Agreement shall be enforced, governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the California applicable to agreements made and to
be performed entirely within such State. In the event that any provision of this
Agreement is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of
law, then such provision shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that it may
conflict therewith and shall be deemed modified to conform with such statute or
rule of law. Any provision hereof which may prove invalid or unenforceable under
any law shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision
hereof. The parties hereto hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the
United States Federal Courts located in the Northern District of California with
respect to any dispute arising under this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby.
e. This Agreement and the Securities Purchase Agreement (including
all schedules and exhibits thereto) 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 and the Securities
Purchase Agreement 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 hereof, this Agreement
shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the 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 two or more 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 the 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. Except as otherwise provided herein, all consents and other
determinations to be made by the Investors pursuant to this Agreement shall be
made by Investors holding a majority of the Registrable Securities, determined
as if the all of the shares of Preferred Stock then outstanding have been
converted into or exercised for Registrable Securities.
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.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the undersigned Initial Investor have caused
this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
ABAXIS, INC.
By: ________________________________________
Name: ______________________________________
Its: _______________________________________
RGC INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS, LDC
By:Rose Glen Capital Management, L.P., Investment Manager
By: RGC General Partner Corp.
By: _______________________________
Name: Wayne D. Bloch
Its: Managing Director
ADVANTAGE FUND LTD.
By: ________________________________________
Name: ______________________________________
Its: _______________________________________
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EXHIBIT 1
to
Registration Rights Agreement
[Company Letterhead]
[Date]
[Name and address of Transfer Agent]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter shall serve as our irrevocable authorization and direction
to you (1) to transfer or re-register (or at the holders request to reissue to
the holder thereof without any restrictive legend) the certificates for the
shares of Common Stock, no par value (the "Common Stock"), of Abaxis, Inc., a
California corporation (the "Company"), represented by certificate numbers for
an aggregate of shares (the "Outstanding Shares") of Common Stock presently
registered in the name of [Name of Investor] (which shares were previously
issued upon conversion of the Preferred Shares (as hereinafter defined) upon
surrender of such certificates to you, notwithstanding the legend appearing on
such certificates, and (2) to issue shares (the "Conversion Shares") of Common
Stock to or upon the order of the registered holder from time to time of shares
of Series Preferred Stock of the Company (the "Preferred Shares") upon surrender
to you of a properly completed and duly executed Conversion Notice and
certificates evidencing such Preferred Shares, notwithstanding the legend
appearing on such certificates. The transfer or re-registration of the
certificates for the Outstanding Shares by you should be made at such time as
you are requested to do so by the record holder of the Outstanding Shares. The
certificate issued upon such transfer or re-registration should be registered in
such name as requested by the holder of record of the certificate surrendered to
you and should not bear any legend which would restrict the transfer of the
shares represented thereby. In addition, you are hereby directed to remove any
stop-transfer instruction relating to the Outstanding Shares. Certificates for
the Conversion Shares should not bear any restrictive legend and should not be
subject to any stop-transfer restriction.
Contemporaneous with the delivery of this letter, the Company is
delivering to you an opinion of as to registration of the Outstanding Shares and
the Conversion Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Should you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact
me.
Very truly yours,
ABAXIS, INC.
By: _____________________________________
Name: ___________________________________
Title: __________________________________
Enclosures:
cc: [Name of Investor]
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EXHIBIT 2
to
Registration Rights Agreement
[Date]
[Name and address
of transfer agent]
Re: Abaxis, Inc.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are counsel to Abaxis, Inc., a California corporation (the
"Company") , and we understand that [Name of Investor] (the "Holder") has
purchased from the Company shares of the Company's Series - Convertible
Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") that is convertible into the Company's
Common Stock, no par value per share (the "Common Stock"). The Preferred Stock
was purchased by the Holder pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement, dated
as of July _, 1997, between the Holder and the Company (the "Agreement").
Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of July _, 1997, between
the Company and the Holder (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), the Company
agreed with the Holder, among other things, to register the Registrable
Securities (as that term is defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), upon the terms
provided in the Registration Rights Agreement. In connection with the Company's
obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, on , 1997, 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 the Holder as a selling stockholder
thereunder.
[Other introductory and scope of examination language to be inserted]
Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Registrable
Securities have been registered under the Securities Act.
[Other appropriate language to be included.]
Very truly yours,
cc: [Name of investor]
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EXHIBIT 2
to
Registration Rights Agreement
[Date]
[Name and address
of transfer agent]
Re: Abaxis, Inc.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are counsel to Abaxis, Inc., a California corporation (the
"Company") , and we understand that [Name of Investor] (the "Holder") has
purchased from the Company shares of the Company's Series - Convertible
Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") that is convertible into the Company's
Common Stock, no par value per share (the "Common Stock"). The Preferred Stock
was purchased by the Holder pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement, dated
as of July _, 1997, between the Holder and the Company (the "Agreement").
Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of July _, 1997, between
the Company and the Holder (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), the Company
agreed with the Holder, among other things, to register the Registrable
Securities (as that term is defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), upon the terms
provided in the Registration Rights Agreement. In connection with the Company's
obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, on , 1997, 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 the Holder as a selling stockholder
thereunder.
[Other introductory and scope of examination language to be inserted]
Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Registrable
Securities have been registered under the Securities Act.
[Other appropriate language to be included.]
Very truly yours,
cc: [Name of investor]
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