EXHIBIT 10.17
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement ("AGREEMENT")is made as of , ,
by and between Amicus Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"COMPANY"), and ("INDEMNITEE").
R E C I T A L S
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increasing difficulty in
obtaining directors' and officers' liability insurance, the significant
increases in the cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the
coverage of such insurance;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial
increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting officers and directors
to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and coverage
of liability insurance has been severely limited; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly
qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve as officers and directors of
the Company and to indemnify its officers and directors so as to provide them
with the maximum protection permitted by law.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration for Indemnitee's services as an officer
or director of the Company, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
1. Indemnification.
(a) Third Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee if
Indemnitee is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit, proceeding or any alternative
dispute resolution mechanism, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Company) by reason
of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of
the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company, or by reason of the fact that
Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director,
officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees),
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is approved
in advance by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld)
actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such action,
suit or proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner which
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of
the Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee's conduct was unlawful. The termination
of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or
upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a
presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of
the Company, and, with respect to any
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criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee's
conduct was unlawful.
(b) Proceedings By or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee is or was a party or is threatened to be made
a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the
right of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company to procure a judgment in
its favor by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company, or by reason
of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees)
and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the defense or
settlement of such action or suit if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a
manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company, except that no indemnification shall be made in
respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been
adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and only to the extent that the
Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the court in which such action or
suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication
of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the Case, Indemnitee is
fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of
Chancery of the State of Delaware or such other court shall deem proper.
(c) Mandatory Payment of Expenses. To the extent that Indemnitee has
been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or
proceeding referred to in Subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 1, or in
defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, Indemnitee shall be indemnified
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by
Indemnitee in connection therewith.
2. Contribution in the Event of Joint Liability.
(a) Subject to the indemnification provided in Section 1 with
respect to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding in
which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in
such action, suit or proceeding), the Company shall pay, in the first instance,
the entire amount of any judgment or settlement of such action, suit or
proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment and the
Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have
against Indemnitee. The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any
action, suit or proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with
Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding) unless
such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted
against Indemnitee.
(b) Without diminishing or impairing the obligations of the Company
set forth in the preceding subparagraph, if, for any reason, Indemnitee shall
elect or be required to pay all or any portion of any judgment or settlement in
any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding in which the
Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action,
suit or proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of expenses
(including
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attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and
reasonably incurred and paid or payable by Indemnitee in proportion to the
relative benefits received by the Company and all officers, directors or
employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with
Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding), on the
one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the transaction from which
such action, suit or proceeding arose; provided, however, that the proportion
determined on the basis of relative benefit may, to the extent necessary to
conform to law, be further adjusted by reference to the relative fault of the
Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company other than
Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such
action, suit or proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand,
in connection with the events that resulted in such expenses, judgments, fines
or settlement amounts, as well as any other equitable considerations which the
law may require to be considered. The relative fault of the Company and all
officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who are
jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or
proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, the degree to which their
actions were motivated by intent to gain personal profit or advantage, the
degree to which their liability is primary or secondary, and the degree to which
their conduct is active or passive.
(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify and hold Indemnitee
harmless from any claims of contribution which may be brought by officers,
directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly
liable with Indemnitee.
3. Agreement to Serve. In consideration of the protection afforded by this
Agreement, if Indemnitee is a director of the Company he agrees to serve at
least for the 90 days after the effective date of this Agreement as a director
and not to resign voluntarily during such period without the written consent of
a majority of the Board of Directors. If Indemnitee is an officer of the company
not serving under an employment contract, he agrees to serve in such capacity at
least for 90 days and not to resign voluntarily during such period without the
written consent of a majority of the Board of Directors. Following the
applicable period set forth above, Indemnitee agrees to continue to serve in
such capacity at the will of the Company so long as he is duly appointed or
elected and qualified in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bylaws
of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or until such time as he tenders
his resignation in writing. Nothing contained in this Agreement is intended to
create in Indemnitee any right to continued employment.
4. Expenses; Indemnification Procedure.
(a) Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all expenses
incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement
or appeal of any civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding referenced in
Section 1(a) or (b) hereof (but not amounts actually paid in settlement of any
such action, suit or proceeding). Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such
amounts advanced only if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be
determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as
authorized hereby. The advances to
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be made hereunder shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee within ten (10)
business days following delivery of a written request therefor by Indemnitee to
the Company.
(b) Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall, as a
condition precedent to his right to be indemnified under this Agreement, give
the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable of any claim made against
Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought under this
Agreement. Notice to the Company shall be directed to the President of the
Company at the address shown on the signature page of this Agreement (or such
other address as the Company shall designate in writing to Indemnitee). Notice
shall be deemed received three business days after the date postmarked if sent
by domestic certified or registered mail, properly addressed, five business
days if sent by airmail to a country outside of North America; otherwise notice
shall be deemed received when such notice shall actually be received by the
Company. In addition, Indemnitee shall give the Company such information and
cooperation as it may reasonably require and as shall be within Indemnitee's
power.
(c) Procedure. Any indemnification and advances provided for in
Section 1 and this Section 4 shall be made no later than ten (10) business days
after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee. If a claim under this
Agreement, under any statute, or under any provision of the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws providing for indemnification, is not
paid in full by the Company within ten (10) business days after a written
request for payment thereof has first been received by the Company, Indemnitee
may, but need not, at any time thereafter bring an action against the Company to
recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, subject to Section 11(g) of this
Agreement, Indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid for the expenses
(including attorneys' fees) of bringing such action. It shall be a defense to
any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses
incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding in advance of its
final disposition) that Indemnitee has not met the standards of conduct which
make it permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify Indemnitee
for the amount claimed. However, Indemnitee shall be entitled to receive interim
payments of expenses pursuant to Subsection 4(a) unless and until such defense
may be finally adjudicated by court order or judgment from which no further
right of appeal exists. It is the parties' intention that if the Company
contests Indemnitee's right to indemnification, the question of Indemnitee's
right to indemnification shall be for the court to decide, and neither the
failure of the. Company (including its Board of Directors, any committee or
subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its
stockholders) to have made a determination that indemnification of Indemnitee is
proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard
of conduct required by applicable law, nor an actual determination by the
Company (including it Board of Directors, any committee or subgroup of the Board
of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that Indemnitee
has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that
Indemnitee has or has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(d) Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice
of a claim pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof, the Company has director and officer
liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the
commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter
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take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf
of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in
accordance with the terms of such policies.
(e) Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be
obligated under Section 4(a) hereof to pay the expenses of any proceeding
against Indemnitee, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume
the defense of such proceeding, with counsel reasonably approved by Indemnitee,
upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election to do so.
After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the
retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to
Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by
Indemnitee with respect to the same proceeding, provided that (i) Indemnitee
shall have the right to employ his counsel in any such proceeding at
Indemnitee's expense; and (ii) if (A) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee
has been previously authorized by the Company, (B) Indemnitee shall have
reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the
Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense, or (C) the Company
shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to assume the defense of such
proceeding, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee's counsel shall be at the
expense of the Company.
5. Additional Indemnification Rights; Nonexclusivity.
(a) Scope. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
the Company hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitee to the fullest extent
permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification is not specifically
authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company's Certificate
of Incorporation, the Company's Bylaws or by statute. In the event of any
change, after the date of this Agreement, in any applicable law, statute, or
rule which expands the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of
its board of directors or an officer, such changes shall be, ipso facto, within
the purview of Indemnitee's rights and Company's obligations, under this
Agreement. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or rule
which narrows the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its
board of directors or an officer, such changes, to the extent not otherwise
required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement shall have
no effect on this Agreement or the parties' rights and obligations hereunder.
(b) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement shall
not be deemed exclusive of any rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled under
the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, its Bylaws, any agreement, any vote
of stockholders or disinterested Directors, the Delaware General Corporation Law
(the "DGCL"),or otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitee's official capacity
and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. The
indemnification provided under this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee
for any action taken or not taken while serving in an indemnified capacity even
though he may have ceased to serve in such capacity at the time of any action,
suit or other covered proceeding.
6. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision
of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of the
expenses, judgments, fines or penalties actually or reasonably incurred by him
in the investigation, defense, appeal or
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settlement of any civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding, but not,
however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify
Indemnitee for the portion of such expenses, judgments, fines or penalties to
which Indemnitee is entitled.
7. Mutual Acknowledgement. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge
that in certain instances, Federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit
the Company from indemnifying its directors and officers under this Agreement or
otherwise. Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company has
undertaken or may be required in the future to undertake with the Securities and
Exchange Commission to submit the question of indemnification to a court in
certain circumstances for a determination of the Company's right under public
policy to indemnify Indemnitee.
8. Officer and Director Liability Insurance. The Company shall, from time
to time, make the good faith determination whether or not it is practicable for
the Company to obtain and maintain a policy or policies of insurance with
reputable insurance companies providing the officers and directors of the
Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts, or to ensure the Company's
performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Among other
considerations, the Company will weigh the costs of obtaining such insurance
coverage against the protection afforded by such coverage. In all policies of
director and officer liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be named as an
insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits
as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company's directors, if
Indemnitee is a director; or of the Company's officers, if Indemnitee is not a
director of the Company but is an officer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Company shall have no obligation to obtain or maintain such insurance if the
Company determines in good faith that such insurance is not reasonably
available, if the premium costs for such insurance are disproportionate to the
amount of coverage provided, if the coverage provided by such insurance is
limited by exclusions so as to provide an insufficient benefit, or if Indemnitee
is covered by similar insurance maintained by a subsidiary or parent of the
Company.
9. Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:
(a) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance expenses
to Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or brought
voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except with respect to
proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification under
this Agreement or any other statute or law or otherwise as required under
Section 145 of the DGCL, but such indemnification or advancement of expenses may
be provided by the Company in specific cases if the Board of Directors has
approved the initiation or bringing of such suit; or
(b) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify Indemnitee for any expenses
incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding instituted by
Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court of competent
jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by the
Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous; or
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(c) Insured Claims. To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses or
liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments,
fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) which
have been paid directly to Indemnitee by an insurance carrier under a policy of
officers' and directors' liability insurance maintained by the Company.
(d) Claims Under Section 16(b). To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses
and the payment of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of
securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, or any similar successor statute.
10. Construction of Certain Phrases.
(a} For purposes of this Agreement, references to the "COMPANY"
shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent
corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a
consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would
have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees
or agents, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or
agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of
such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this
Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee
would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate
existence had continued.
(b) For purposes OF this Agreement, references to "other
enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall
include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee
benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Company" shall
include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company
which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer,
employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or
beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee
reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries
of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a
manner "not opposed to the best interests of the Company" as referred to in this
Agreement.
11. Miscellaneous.
(a) Choice of Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and its
provisions construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, as
applied to contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed
entirely within Delaware without regard to the conflict of law principles
thereof.
(b) Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby
irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware
for all purposes in connection with ANY action or proceeding which arises out of
or relates to this Agreement and agree
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that any action instituted under this Agreement shall be brought only in the
state courts of the State of Delaware.
(c) Amendment and Termination. No amendment, modification,
termination or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in
writing signed by both the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of
this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other
provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a
continuing waiver.
(d) Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire
understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and merges all previous
written and oral negotiations, commitments, understandings and agreements
relating to the subject matter hereof between the parties hereto.
(e) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of
Indemnitee and Indemnitee's estate, heirs, legal representatives and assigns.
(f) Severability. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require
or shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in
violation of applicable law. The Company's inability, pursuant to court order,
to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach of
this Agreement. If this Agreement or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on
any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall
nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent permitted by any applicable
portion of this Agreement that shall not have been invalidated, and the balance
of this Agreement not so invalidated shall be enforceable in accordance with its
terms.
(g) Attorneys' Fees. In the event that any action is instituted by
Indemnitee under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof,
Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses, including
reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee with respect to such
action, unless as a part of such action, the court of competent jurisdiction
determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis
for such action were not made in good faith or were frivolous. In the event of
an action instituted by or in the name of the Company under this Agreement or to
enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be
entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses, including reasonable
attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee in defense of such action (including
with respect to Indemnitee's counterclaims and cross-claims made in such
action), unless as a part of such action the court determines that each of
Indemnitee's material defenses to such action were made in bad faith or were
frivolous.
(h) Notice. All notices, requests, demands and other communications
under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) if
delivered by hand and receipted for by the party addressee, on the date of such
receipt, or (ii) if mailed by domestic certified or registered mail with postage
prepaid, on the third business day after the date postmarked.
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Addresses for notice to either party are as shown on the signature page of this
Agreement, or as subsequently modified by written notice.
(i) Period of Limitations. No legal action shall be brought and no
cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against
Indemnitee, Indemnitee's estate, spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal
representatives after the expiration of two years from the date of accrual of
such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be
extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal
action within such two-year period; provided, however, that if any shorter
period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action, such
shorter period shall govern.
(j) Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the
Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights
of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all documents required and shall do
all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company
effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(k) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of
the date first above written.
AMICUS THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By:
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Address: 675 US Hwy One
North Brunswick, NJ 08902
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED:
"INDEMNITEE"
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ADDRESS:
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