S-3ASR
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 20, 2022

Registration No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   88-2996852

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

 

662 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 250

Encinitas, California 92024

(760) 593-4832

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Raju Mohan, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

662 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 250

Encinitas, California 92024

(760) 593-4832

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

Martin J. Waters

Robert L. Wernli, Jr.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati,

Professional Corporation

12235 El Camino Real

San Diego, CA 92130-3002

(858) 350-2300

 

Christopher Kreuger

Chief Business Officer

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.

662 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 250

Encinitas, California 92024

(760) 593-4832

 

 

From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.

(Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public)

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box:  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

 


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EXPLANATORY NOTE

This registration statement contains two prospectuses:

 

   

a base prospectus that covers the offering, issuance and sale by us of our debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, units and/or warrants from time to time in one or more offerings; and

 

   

a sales agreement prospectus that covers the offer and sale by us of shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000 from time to time under an Open Market Sale AgreementSM (“sales agreement”) dated December 20, 2022 with Jefferies LLC.

The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory note. The specific terms of any securities to be offered pursuant to the base prospectus other than the shares under the sales agreement will be specified in a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus. The specific terms of the securities to be issued and sold under the sales agreement are specified in the sales agreement prospectus that immediately follows the base prospectus.


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PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

 

 

The securities covered by this prospectus may be sold by Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. from time to time. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities.

We may issue securities from time to time in one or more offerings, in amounts, at prices and on terms determined at the time of offering. This prospectus describes the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which these securities will be offered. We will provide the specific terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus, which will also describe the specific manner in which these securities will be offered and may also supplement, update or amend information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement before you invest.

The securities may be sold directly to you, through agents or through underwriters and dealers. If agents, underwriters or dealers are used to sell the securities, we will name them and describe their compensation in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of those securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from that sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “VTYX.” Each prospectus supplement will indicate whether the securities offered thereby will be listed on any securities exchange.

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under the federal securities laws, and, as such, may elect to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for this and future filings. We will provide information in any applicable prospectus supplement regarding any listing of securities other than shares of our common stock on any securities exchange.

Investing in these securities involves risks. Please carefully read the information under the headings “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 of this prospectus, any similar section contained in the applicable prospectus supplement, and “Item 1A – Risk Factors” of our most recent report on Form 10-K or 10-Q or in any other document that is incorporated by reference in this prospectus before you invest in our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is December 20, 2022.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     ii  

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     1  

RISK FACTORS

     5  

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     6  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     8  

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     9  

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     12  

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     20  

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

     21  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     22  

LEGAL MATTERS

     23  

EXPERTS

     23  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     23  

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

     24  

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using a “shelf” registration process, as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, offer or sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. The prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus may also add to, update or change information contained in this prospectus and, accordingly, to the extent inconsistent, information in this prospectus is superseded by the information in the prospectus supplement. Each prospectus supplement will provide the amount, price, terms and plan of distribution relating to the securities to be sold pursuant to such prospectus supplement. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus.

No person has been authorized to give any information or make any representations in connection with this offering other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any related issuer free writing prospectus in connection with the offering described herein and therein. We and any agent, underwriter or dealer take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information others may give you. Neither this prospectus nor any prospectus supplement nor any related issuer free writing prospectus shall constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy offered securities in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offering or solicitation. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For a more complete understanding of the offering of the securities, you should refer to the registration statement, including its exhibits. Statements contained in this prospectus about the provisions or contents of any agreement or other document are not necessarily complete. If the SEC’s rules and regulations require that an agreement or document be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, please see that agreement or document for a complete description of these matters.

You should read the entire prospectus and any prospectus supplement and any related issuer free writing prospectus, as well as the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or any related issuer free writing prospectus, before making an investment decision. You should also read and carefully consider the information in the documents we have referred you to in “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference”. Neither the delivery of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or any issuer free writing prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall under any circumstances imply that the information contained or incorporated by reference herein or in any prospectus supplement or issuer free writing prospectus is correct as of any date subsequent to the date hereof or of such prospectus supplement or issuer free writing prospectus, as applicable. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the applicable documents, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of securities. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information that is presented in greater detail elsewhere, or incorporated by reference, in this prospectus. It does not contain all of the information that may be important to you and your investment decision. You should carefully read this entire prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, including the information contained under the heading “Risk Factors,” and all information included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement in their entirety before investing in these securities. In this prospectus, unless the context requires otherwise, references to “we,” “us,” “our,” “Ventyx” or “the Company” refer to Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

Overview1

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of novel small molecule product candidates to address a range of inflammatory diseases with significant unmet need. We leverage the substantial experience of our team in immunology to identify important new targets and to develop differentiated therapeutics against these targets. Our clinical product candidates address therapeutic indications with substantial commercial opportunity for novel small molecules. Our lead clinical product candidate, VTX958, is a selective allosteric tyrosine kinase type 2 (TYK2) inhibitor. In August 2022, we announced positive topline data from a Phase 1 single and multiple ascending dose trial of VTX958 in healthy volunteers. We dosed the first patient in a Phase 2 trial with VTX958 for psoriasis in the fourth quarter of 2022. We plan to initiate Phase 2 trials with VTX958 for psoriatic arthritis and Crohn’s disease in the fourth quarter of 2022 and continue to evaluate additional indications for clinical development. In addition, we are developing VTX002, a sphingosine 1 phosphate receptor (S1P1R) modulator in Phase 2 development for ulcerative colitis. We initiated a Phase 2 trial with VTX002 in the fourth quarter of 2021 in patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. Our third product candidate, VTX2735, is a peripheral-targeted NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome inhibitor. In June 2022, we announced positive topline data from a Phase 1 single and multiple ascending dose trial of VTX2735 in healthy volunteers. We plan to initiate a Phase 2 trial for VTX2735 in cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) patients in the first quarter of 2023 and continue to evaluate additional indications for clinical development. In addition to VTX2735, we nominated VTX3232, our lead CNS-penetrant NLRP3 inhibitor, as a clinical development candidate in the fourth quarter of 2021. We plan to initiate a Phase 1 trial of VTX3232 in healthy volunteers in the first quarter of 2023.

We were incorporated in November 2018. To date, we have focused primarily on organizing and staffing our company, business planning, raising capital and identifying our product candidates and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials. We have funded our operations primarily through debt and equity financings. We do not have any products approved for sale and have not generated any revenue from product sales.

We do not expect to generate any revenue from product sales unless and until we successfully complete clinical development and obtain regulatory approval for one or more of our product candidates, which we expect will take a number of years. If we obtain regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution. Accordingly, until such time as we can generate substantial product revenues to support our cost structure, if ever, we expect to finance our cash needs through equity offerings, debt financings or other capital sources, including potentially collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements. However, we may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into such other arrangements when needed on favorable terms or at all. Our failure to raise capital or enter into such other arrangements when needed could have a negative impact on our financial condition and on our ability to pursue our business plans and strategies. If we are unable to raise additional capital when needed, we could be forced to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product candidate development

 

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WSGR Note: Company to update, particularly with respect to initiation of Phase 2 trials in Q4.

 

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or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market our product candidates even if we would otherwise prefer to develop and market such product candidates ourselves.

Corporate Information

We were incorporated in Delaware on November 21, 2018. Until February 2021, we have focused primarily on developing our lead clinical product candidate, VTX958, which we acquired from Vimalan Biosciences. In February 2021, we acquired all of the issued and outstanding equity of each of Oppilan Pharma Ltd. (“Oppilan”), including its lead candidate VTX002, and Zomagen Biosciences Ltd. (“Zomagen”), including its lead candidate VTX2735, and following such acquisitions, each of Oppilan and Zomagen became our wholly owned subsidiaries. Although we acquired these product candidates, each candidate was developed by one or more members of our management team. Our principal executive offices are located at 662 Encinitas Blvd, Suite 250, Encinitas, CA 92024. Our telephone number is (760) 593-4832. Our website address is http://www.ventyxbio.com. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, the website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only.

We use Ventyx, the Ventyx logo and other marks as trademarks in the United States and other countries. This prospectus contains references to our trademarks and service marks and to those belonging to other entities. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus, including logos, artwork and other visual displays, may appear without the ® or symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate in any way that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensor to these trademarks and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other entities’ trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other entity.

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company

We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of relief from certain reporting requirements and other burdens that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:

 

   

an exception from compliance with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;

 

   

reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements in our periodic reports, proxy statements and registration statements, including an exemption from complying with new pay versus performance disclosure requirements; and

 

   

exemptions from the requirements of holding non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements.

In addition, an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. Any decision to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards is irrevocable. We have elected to use this extended transition period.

We will cease to be an emerging growth company upon the earliest of (1) the end of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of our initial public offering (i.e. December 31, 2026); (2) the last day of the fiscal year during which our annual gross revenues are $1.235 billion or more; (3) the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; and (4) the end of any fiscal

 

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year in which the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeded $700.0 million as of the end of the second quarter of that fiscal year. We may choose to take advantage of some or all of these reduced reporting burdens.

In addition, we are also a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company in any given year if either (i) the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million as of June 30 in the most recently completed fiscal year or (ii) our annual revenue is less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million as of June 30 in the most recently completed fiscal year. If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an emerging growth company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies. Specifically, as a smaller reporting company we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, similar to emerging growth companies, smaller reporting companies have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation.

The Securities That May Be Offered

We may offer or sell common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants and units in one or more offerings and in any combination. Each time securities are offered with this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities being offered and the net proceeds we expect to receive from that sale.

The securities may be sold to or through underwriters, dealers or agents or directly to purchasers or as otherwise set forth in the section of this prospectus captioned “Plan of Distribution.” Each prospectus supplement will set forth the names of any underwriters, dealers, agents or other entities involved in the sale of securities described in that prospectus supplement and any applicable fee, commission or discount arrangements with them.

Common Stock

We may offer shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, either alone or underlying other registered securities convertible into our common stock. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, subject to rights, if any, of preferred stockholders. We have not paid dividends in the past and have no current plans to pay dividends. Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote per share. The holders of common stock have no preemptive rights.

Preferred Stock

Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to designate and issue up to 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series. Our board of directors may also designate the rights, preferences and privileges of each such series of preferred stock, any or all of which may be greater than or senior to those of the common stock. Subject to the determination of our board of directors, any shares of our preferred stock that may be issued in the future would generally have preferences over our common stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

Debt Securities

We may offer secured or unsecured obligations in the form of one or more series of senior or subordinated debt. The senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities are together referred to in this prospectus as the “debt securities.” The subordinated debt securities generally will be entitled to payment only after payment of

 

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our senior debt. Senior debt generally includes all debt for money borrowed by us, except debt that is stated in the instrument governing the terms of that debt to be not senior to, or to have the same rank in right of payment as, or to be expressly junior to, the subordinated debt securities. We may issue debt securities that are convertible into shares of our common stock.

The debt securities will be issued under an indenture between us and a trustee. We have summarized the general features of the debt securities to be governed by the indenture in this prospectus and the form of indenture has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. We encourage you to read the indenture.

Warrants

We may offer warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock or debt securities. We may offer warrants independently or together with other securities.

Units

We may offer units comprised of one or more of the other classes of securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit.

 

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. The prospectus supplement applicable to each offering of our securities will contain a discussion of the risks applicable to an investment in our securities. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should carefully consider the specific factors discussed under the section in the applicable prospectus supplement captioned “Risk Factors,” together with all of the other information contained or incorporated by reference in the prospectus supplement or appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You should also consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions discussed under “Part I—Item 1A—Risk Factors” of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in “Part II—Item 1A—Risk Factors” in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which are incorporated herein by reference, as may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file with the SEC in the future. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our operations.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus and our SEC filings that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus contain or incorporate by reference forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act Section 21E of the Exchange Act and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and such statements are subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections. In some cases, you can identify forward- looking statements by the following words: “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words.

These forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement contained in this prospectus, we caution you that these statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our projections of the future, about which we cannot be certain. Forward- looking statements in this prospectus include, but are not limited to, statements about:

 

   

our expectations regarding our product candidates and their related benefits;

 

   

our beliefs regarding the perceived benefits and limitations of competing products, and the future of competing products and our industry;

 

   

details regarding our strategic vision and product candidate pipeline;

 

   

our beliefs regarding the success, cost and timing of our development activities and current and future clinical trials, including study design;

 

   

the anticipated timing of releasing data for any current or future clinical trials;

 

   

the anticipated timing of commencement, enrollment, and completion of any current or future clinical trials for our product candidates;

 

   

the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings or other actions and related regulatory authority responses;

 

   

any impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, or responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, on our business, clinical trials or personnel, including, without limitation, disruptions in the supply chain, including raw materials needed for manufacturing, animals used in research, delays in site activations and enrollment of clinical trials;

 

   

any impact of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions against Russia and Belarus;

 

   

the ability and willingness of third parties to engage in research and development activities on our behalf involving our product candidates, and our ability to leverage those activities;

 

   

our expectations regarding the ease of administration associated with our product candidates;

 

   

our expectations regarding the patient compatibility associated with our product candidates;

 

   

our beliefs regarding the potential markets for our product candidates and our ability to serve those markets;

 

   

the ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of any of our product candidates, and any related restrictions, limitations and/or warnings in the label of any approved product candidate;

 

   

our ability to commercialize any approved products;

 

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the rate and degree of market acceptance of approved products, if any;

 

   

our ability to attract and retain key personnel;

 

   

the accuracy of our estimates regarding our future revenue, operating expenses, capital requirements and needs for additional financing;

 

   

our ability to obtain funding for our operations, including funding necessary to complete further development and any commercialization of our product candidates;

 

   

our ability to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce intellectual property protection for our product candidates and not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate the intellectual property of others; and

 

   

regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries.

The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that affect our business described in the “Risk Factors” section, our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other documents filed by us from time to time with the SEC. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information” beginning on page 23 of this prospectus.

In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus, and although we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted a thorough inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.

Furthermore, if our forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement our intended use for the net proceeds received from the sale of any securities. We will retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds to us from the sale of our securities under this prospectus. Pending our use of the net proceeds from the sale of our securities, we intend to invest the net proceeds in a variety of interest-bearing instruments, including short-term interest-bearing investment-grade securities, certificates of deposit or government securities.

The specific allocations of the proceeds we receive from the sale of our securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

Description of Common Stock

The following description of our common stock is a summary and is qualified by reference to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, copies of which are filed with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, as well as by the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”).

Authorized Capital Shares

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes two classes of stock, common stock and preferred stock. Our authorized capital stock consists of 900,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share.

Voting Rights

Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws do not provide for cumulative voting rights. Because of this, the holders of a plurality of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they should so choose. With respect to matters other than the election of directors, at any meeting of the stockholders at which a quorum is present or represented, the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at such meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders, except as otherwise required by law. The holders of a majority of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders.

Dividends

Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the board of directors out of legally available funds.

Liquidation

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities and the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any then outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Rights and preferences

Holders of common stock have no preemptive, conversion, subscription or other rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate in the future.

Preferred stock

Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to designate and issue up to 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series. Our board of directors may also designate the rights, preferences and privileges of each such series of preferred stock, any or all of which may be greater than or

 

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senior to those of the common stock. Subject to the determination of our board of directors, any shares of our preferred stock that may be issued in the future would generally have preferences over our common stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

Our amended and restate certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws include provisions that:

 

   

authorize our board of directors to issue, without further action by the stockholders, up to 100,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock;

 

   

require that any action to be taken by our stockholders be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting and not by written consent;

 

   

specify that special meetings of our stockholders can be called only by our Board of Directors, the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President;

 

   

establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder approvals to be brought before an annual meeting of our stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our Board of Directors;

 

   

provide that directors may be removed only for cause;

 

   

provide that vacancies on our Board of Directors may be filled only by a majority of directors then in office, even though less than a quorum;

 

   

establish that our Board of Directors is divided into three classes, Class I, Class II, and Class III, with each class serving staggered terms;

 

   

specify that no stockholder is permitted to cumulate votes at any election of the Board of Directors; and

 

   

require a supermajority of the stockholders and a majority of the board to amend certain of the above-mentioned provisions, including certain amendments related to our blank check preferred stock, removal of directors solely for cause, the classification of our board of directors, and the prohibition on cumulative voting.

Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL regulating corporate takeovers (“Section 203”). In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly-held Delaware corporation from engaging, under certain circumstances, in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date the person became an interested stockholder unless:

 

   

prior to the date of the transaction, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

   

upon completion of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, but not for determining the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder, (i) shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers, and (ii) shares owned by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

   

at or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by the board of directors of the corporation and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

 

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Generally, a business combination includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An interested stockholder is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns or, within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, did own 15% or more of a corporation’s outstanding voting stock. We expect the existence of this provision to have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions our board of directors does not approve in advance. We also anticipate that Section 203 may discourage business combinations or other attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by our stockholders.

The provisions of the DGCL and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws could have the effect of discouraging others from attempting hostile takeovers and, as a consequence, they may also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

Exclusive Jurisdiction

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty, any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to the DGCL, any action regarding our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws, or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. This provision would not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the U.S. federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation further provides that U.S. federal district courts will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act.

Listing

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the trading symbol “VTYX”.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11219, (718) 921-8300.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of the series in a supplement to this prospectus. We will also indicate in the supplement to what extent the general terms and provisions described in this prospectus apply to a particular series of debt securities.

We may issue debt securities either separately, or together with, or upon the conversion or exercise of or in exchange for, other securities described in this prospectus. Debt securities may be our senior, senior subordinated or subordinated obligations and, unless otherwise specified in a supplement to this prospectus, the debt securities will be our direct, unsecured obligations and may be issued in one or more series.

The debt securities will be issued under an indenture between us and a trustee to be named in a prospectus supplement. We have summarized select portions of the indenture below. The summary is not complete. The form of the indenture has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and you should read the indenture for provisions that may be important to you. In the summary below, we have included references to the section numbers of the indenture so that you can easily locate these provisions. Capitalized terms used in the summary and not defined herein have the meanings specified in the indenture.

General

The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a resolution of our board of directors, in an officer’s certificate or by a supplemental indenture. The particular terms of each series of debt securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such series (including any pricing supplement or term sheet).

We can issue an unlimited amount of debt securities under the indenture that may be in one or more series with the same or various maturities, at par, at a premium, or at a discount. We will set forth in a prospectus supplement (including any pricing supplement or term sheet) relating to any series of debt securities being offered the aggregate principal amount and the following terms of the debt securities, if applicable:

 

   

the title and ranking of the debt securities (including the terms of any subordination provisions);

 

   

the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount) at which we will sell the debt securities;

 

   

any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;

 

   

the date or dates on which the principal of the securities of the series is payable;

 

   

the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or the method used to determine the rate or rates (including any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the debt securities will bear interest, the date or dates from which interest will accrue, the date or dates on which interest will commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;

 

   

the place or places where principal of, and interest, if any, on the debt securities will be payable (and the method of such payment), where the securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, and where notices and demands to us in respect of the debt securities may be delivered;

 

   

the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which we may redeem the debt securities;

 

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any obligation we have to redeem or purchase the debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder of debt securities and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which securities of the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

   

the dates on which and the price or prices at which we will repurchase debt securities at the option of the holders of debt securities and other detailed terms and provisions of these repurchase obligations;

 

   

the denominations in which the debt securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

 

   

whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of certificated debt securities or global debt securities;

 

   

the portion of principal amount of the debt securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date, if other than the principal amount;

 

   

the currency of denomination of the debt securities, which may be United States dollars or any foreign currency, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;

 

   

the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of principal of, premium and interest on the debt securities will be made;

 

   

if payments of principal of, premium or interest on the debt securities will be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which the debt securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to these payments will be determined;

 

   

the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities will be determined, if these amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;

 

   

any provisions relating to any security provided for the debt securities;

 

   

any addition to, deletion of or change in the events of default described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities and any change in the acceleration provisions described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;

 

   

any addition to, deletion of or change in the covenants described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;

 

   

any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to the debt securities;

 

   

any other terms of the debt securities, which may supplement, modify or delete any provision of the indenture as it applies to that series, including any terms that may be required under applicable law or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of the securities; and

 

   

whether any of our direct or indirect subsidiaries will guarantee the debt securities of that series, including the terms of subordination, if any, of such guarantees.

We may issue debt securities that provide for an amount less than their stated principal amount to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity pursuant to the terms of the indenture. We will provide you with information on the federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to any of these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

If we denominate the purchase price of any of the debt securities in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, or if the principal of and any premium and interest on any series of debt securities is

 

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payable in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, we will provide you with information on the restrictions, elections, general tax considerations, specific terms and other information with respect to that issue of debt securities and such foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Transfer and Exchange

Each debt security will be represented by either one or more global securities registered in the name of a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, which we refer to as the depositary, or a nominee of the depositary (we will refer to any debt security represented by a global debt security as a “book-entry debt security”), or a certificate issued in definitive registered form (we will refer to any debt security represented by a certificated security as a “certificated debt security”) as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Except as set forth under the heading “Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System” below, book-entry debt securities will not be issuable in certificated form.

Certificated Debt Securities

You may transfer or exchange certificated debt securities at any office we maintain for this purpose in accordance with the terms of the indenture. No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of certificated debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with a transfer or exchange.

You may effect the transfer of certificated debt securities and the right to receive the principal of, premium and interest on certificated debt securities only by surrendering the certificate representing those certificated debt securities and either reissuance by us or the trustee of the certificate to the new holder or the issuance by us or the trustee of a new certificate to the new holder.

Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System

Each global debt security representing book-entry debt securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, the depositary, and registered in the name of the depositary or a nominee of the depositary.

Covenants

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement any restrictive covenants applicable to any issue of debt securities.

No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions which may afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event we have a change in control or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction (whether or not such transaction results in a change in control) which could adversely affect holders of debt securities.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

We may not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of our properties and assets to any person, which we refer to as a successor person, unless:

 

   

we are the surviving corporation or the successor person (if other than us) is a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes our obligations on the debt securities and under the indenture; and

 

   

immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

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Notwithstanding the above, any of our subsidiaries may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties to us.

Events of Default

“Event of Default” means with respect to any series of debt securities, any of the following:

 

   

default in the payment of any interest upon any debt security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of the payment is deposited by us with the trustee or with a paying agent prior to the expiration of the 30-day period);

 

   

default in the payment of principal of any security of that series at its maturity;

 

   

default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty by us in the indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in the indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than that series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after we receive written notice from the trustee, or we and the trustee receive written notice from the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series as provided in the indenture;

 

   

certain voluntary or involuntary events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of us; and

 

   

any other Event of Default provided with respect to debt securities of that series that is described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

No Event of Default with respect to a particular series of debt securities (except as to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) necessarily constitutes an Event of Default with respect to any other series of debt securities. The occurrence of certain Events of Default or an acceleration under the indenture may constitute an event of default under certain indebtedness of ours or our subsidiaries outstanding from time to time.

We will provide the trustee written notice of any Default or Event of Default within 30 days of becoming aware of the occurrence of such Default or Event of Default, which notice will describe in reasonable detail the status of such Default or Event of Default and what action we are taking or propose to take in respect thereof.

If an Event of Default with respect to debt securities of any series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, by a notice in writing to us (and to the trustee if given by the holders), declare to be due and payable immediately the principal of (or, if the debt securities of that series are discount securities, that portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all debt securities of that series. In the case of an Event of Default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal (or such specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding debt securities will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder of outstanding debt securities. At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to debt securities of any series has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may rescind and annul the acceleration if all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal and interest, if any, with respect to debt securities of that series, have been cured or waived as provided in the indenture. We refer you to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that are discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of a portion of the principal amount of such discount securities upon the occurrence of an Event of Default.

 

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The indenture provides that the trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture unless the trustee receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any cost, liability or expense which might be incurred by it in performing such duty or exercising such right or power. Subject to certain rights of the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series.

No holder of any debt security of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any remedy under the indenture, unless:

 

   

that holder has previously given to the trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to debt securities of that series; and

 

   

the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and offered indemnity or security satisfactory to the trustee, to the trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee, and the trustee has not received from the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series a direction inconsistent with that request and has failed to institute the proceeding within 60 days.

Notwithstanding any other provision in the indenture, the holder of any debt security will have an absolute and unconditional right to receive payment of the principal of, premium and any interest on that debt security on or after the due dates expressed in that debt security and to institute suit for the enforcement of payment.

The indenture requires us, within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year, to furnish to the trustee a statement as to compliance with the indenture. If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the securities of any series and if it is known to a responsible officer of the trustee, the trustee shall send to each securityholder of the securities of that series notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a responsible officer of the trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. The indenture provides that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any series of any Default or Event of Default (except in payment on any debt securities of that series) with respect to debt securities of that series if the trustee determines in good faith that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of those debt securities.

Modification and Waiver

We and the trustee may modify, amend or supplement the indenture or the debt securities of any series without the consent of any holder of any debt security:

 

   

to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

 

   

to comply with covenants in the indenture described above under the heading “Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets”;

 

   

to provide for uncertificated securities in addition to or in place of certificated securities;

 

   

to add guarantees with respect to debt securities of any series or secure debt securities of any series;

 

   

to surrender any of our rights or powers under the indenture;

 

   

to add covenants or events of default for the benefit of the holders of debt securities of any series;

 

   

to comply with the applicable procedures of the applicable depositary;

 

   

to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder of debt securities;

 

   

to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of debt securities of any series as permitted by the indenture;

 

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to effect the appointment of a successor trustee with respect to the debt securities of any series and to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture to provide for or facilitate administration by more than one trustee; or

 

   

to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.

We may also modify and amend the indenture with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modifications or amendments. We may not make any modification or amendment without the consent of the holders of each affected debt security then outstanding if that amendment will:

 

   

reduce the amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

 

   

reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any debt security;

 

   

reduce the principal of or premium on or change the fixed maturity of any debt security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation with respect to any series of debt securities;

 

   

reduce the principal amount of discount securities payable upon acceleration of maturity;

 

   

waive a default in the payment of the principal of, premium or interest on any debt security (except a rescission of acceleration of the debt securities of any series by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of that series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

 

   

make the principal of or premium or interest on any debt security payable in currency other than that stated in the debt security;

 

   

make any change to certain provisions of the indenture relating to, among other things, the right of holders of debt securities to receive payment of the principal of, premium and interest on those debt securities and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and to waivers or amendments; or

 

   

waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt security.

Except for certain specified provisions, the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series waive our compliance with provisions of the indenture. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all the debt securities of such series waive any past default under the indenture with respect to that series and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal of, premium or any interest on any debt security of that series; provided, however, that the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from the acceleration.

Defeasance of Debt Securities and Certain Covenants in Certain Circumstances

Legal Defeasance

The indenture provides that, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the applicable series of debt securities, we may be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the debt securities of any series (subject to certain exceptions). We will be so discharged upon the irrevocable deposit with the trustee, in trust, of money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. dollars, government obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency, that, through

 

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the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money or U.S. government obligations in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank to pay and discharge each installment of principal, premium and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of those payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities.

This discharge may occur only if, among other things, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling or, since the date of execution of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred.

Defeasance of Certain Covenants

The indenture provides that, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the applicable series of debt securities, upon compliance with certain conditions:

 

   

we may omit to comply with the covenant described under the heading “Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets” and certain other covenants set forth in the indenture, as well as any additional covenants which may be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement; and

 

   

any omission to comply with those covenants will not constitute a Default or an Event of Default with respect to the debt securities of that series.

We refer to this as covenant defeasance. The conditions include:

 

   

depositing with the trustee money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. dollars, government obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency, that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank to pay and discharge each installment of principal of, premium and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of those payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities;

 

   

such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under the indenture or any other agreement to which we are a party;

 

   

no Default or Event of Default with respect to the applicable series of debt securities shall have occurred or is continuing on the date of such deposit; and

 

   

delivering to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling or, since the date of execution of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and related covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit and related covenant defeasance had not occurred.

 

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No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees or Stockholders

None of our past, present or future directors, officers, employees or stockholders, as such, will have any liability for any of our obligations under the debt securities or the indenture or for any claim based on, or in respect or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. By accepting a debt security, each holder waives and releases all such liability. This waiver and release is part of the consideration for the issue of the debt securities. However, this waiver and release may not be effective to waive liabilities under U.S. federal securities laws, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.

Governing Law

The indenture and the debt securities, including any claim or controversy arising out of or relating to the indenture or the securities, will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

The indenture will provide that we, the trustee and the holders of the debt securities (by their acceptance of the debt securities) irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to the indenture, the debt securities or the transactions contemplated thereby.

The indenture will provide that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon the indenture or the transactions contemplated thereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the City of New York, and we, the trustee and the holder of the debt securities (by their acceptance of the debt securities) irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. The indenture will further provide that service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail (to the extent allowed under any applicable statute or rule of court) to such party’s address set forth in the indenture will be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The indenture will further provide that we, the trustee and the holders of the debt securities (by their acceptance of the debt securities) irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the courts specified above and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim any such suit, action or other proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants to purchase debt securities, preferred stock or common stock. We may offer warrants separately or together with one or more additional warrants, debt securities, preferred stock or common stock, or any combination of those securities in the form of units, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we issue warrants as part of a unit, the applicable prospectus supplement will specify whether those warrants may be separated from the other securities in the unit prior to the expiration date of the warrants. The applicable prospectus supplement will also describe the following terms of any warrants:

 

   

the specific designation and aggregate number of, and the offering price at which we will issue, the warrants;

 

   

the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

 

   

the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will begin and the date on which that right will expire or, if you may not continuously exercise the warrants throughout that period, the specific date or dates on which you may exercise the warrants;

 

   

whether the warrants are to be sold separately or with other securities as parts of units;

 

   

whether the warrants will be issued in definitive or global form or in any combination of these forms, although, in any case, the form of a warrant included in a unit will correspond to the form of the unit and of any security included in that unit;

 

   

any applicable material U.S. federal income tax consequences;

 

   

the identity of the warrant agent for the warrants and of any other depositaries, execution or paying agents, transfer agents, registrars or other agents;

 

   

the proposed listing, if any, of the warrants or any securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants on any securities exchange;

 

   

the designation and terms of any equity securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants;

 

   

the designation, aggregate principal amount, currency and terms of any debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants;

 

   

if applicable, the designation and terms of the debt securities, preferred stock or common stock with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each security;

 

   

if applicable, the date from and after which any warrants issued as part of a unit and the related debt securities, preferred stock or common stock will be separately transferable;

 

   

the number of shares of preferred stock or the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which those shares may be purchased;

 

   

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 

   

information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;

 

   

the antidilution provisions, and other provisions for changes to or adjustment in the exercise price, of the warrants, if any;

 

   

any redemption or call provisions; and

 

   

any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange or exercise of the warrants.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

We may issue units comprising two or more securities described in this prospectus in any combination. For example, we might issue units consisting of a combination of debt securities and warrants to purchase common stock. The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the units that we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. The particular terms of the units and the extent, if any, to which the general terms and provisions may apply to the units so offered will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit also is the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. Units will be issued pursuant to the terms of a unit agreement, which may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately at any time or at any time before a specified date. A copy of the forms of the unit agreement and the unit certificate relating to any particular issue of units will be filed with the SEC each time we issue units, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the forms of the unit agreement and the related unit certificate, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

The prospectus supplement relating to any particular issuance of units will describe the terms of those units, including, to the extent applicable, the following:

 

   

the designation and terms of the units and the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

 

   

any provision for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and

 

   

whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities from time to time pursuant to underwritten public offerings, direct sales to the public, “at the market offerings,” negotiated transactions, block trades or a combination of these methods. We may sell the offered securities from time to time:

 

   

through underwriters or dealers;

 

   

through agents;

 

   

directly to one or more purchasers; or

 

   

through a combination of any of these methods of sale.

We will identify the specific plan of distribution, including any underwriters, dealers, agents or direct purchasers and their compensation in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of the common stock offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, San Diego, California. Certain members of, and investment partnerships comprised of members of, and person associated with, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, directly or indirectly own less than 0.1% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Additional legal matters may be passed on for us, or any underwriters, dealers or agents, by counsel that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. appearing in Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The consolidated financial statements of Oppilan Pharma Ltd. at May 31, 2019 and 2020 and for years then ended, included in Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.’s registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-259891) have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The consolidated financial statements of Zomagen Biosciences Ltd. at December 31, 2019 and 2020 and for years then ended, included in Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.’s registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-259891) been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

We make available, free of charge, through our investor relations website, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, statements of changes in beneficial ownership of securities and amendments to those reports and statements as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with the SEC. The address for our website is www.ventyxbio.com. The contents on our website are not part of this prospectus, and the reference to our website does not constitute incorporation by reference into this prospectus of the information contained at that site.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the SEC. This prospectus omits some information contained in the registration statement in accordance with SEC rules and regulations. You should review the information and exhibits in the registration statement for further information about us and our consolidated subsidiaries and our securities. Statements in this prospectus concerning any document we filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or that we otherwise filed with the SEC are not intended to be comprehensive and are qualified by reference to these filings. You should review the complete document to evaluate these statements. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement from the SEC’s website.

 

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we file with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein, or in any subsequently filed document, which also is incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such earlier statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

We hereby incorporate by reference into this prospectus the following documents that we have filed with the SEC under the Securities Act and under the Exchange Act (other than current reports on Form 8-K, or portions thereof, furnished under Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K):

 

   

our prospectus dated October 20, 2021, filed with the SEC on October 21, 2021 pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, relating to the registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-259891), which contains the audited consolidated financial statements of Oppilan Pharma Ltd. at May 31, 2019 and 2020, and for the years then ended, and the audited consolidated financial statements of Zomagen Biosciences Ltd. at December 31, 2019 and 2020, and for the years then ended;

 

   

our prospectus dated October 4, 2022, filed with the SEC on October 5, 2022 pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, relating to the registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-267626), which contains the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 combining the historical audited consolidated operations of Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2021, with the historical consolidated statement of operations of Zomagen and Oppilan for the period from January 1, 2021 to February 25, 2021;

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on March 24, 2022;

 

   

our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on April 27, 2022;

 

   

our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on March 23, 2022, May  9, 2022, June  9, 2022, June  29, 2022, September  19, 2022 and December 12, 2022;

 

   

our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on May 12, 2022, August  15, 2022 and November 4, 2022; and

 

   

the description of our common stock contained in Exhibit 4.3 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 24, 2022, including any amendment or report updating such description.

All documents that we file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (other than current reports on Form 8-K, or portions thereof, furnished under Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K) after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the date of filing of the documents, unless we specifically provide otherwise. Information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and may replace information previously filed with the SEC. To the extent that any information contained in any current report on Form 8-K or any exhibit thereto, was or is furnished to, rather than filed with the SEC, such information or exhibit is specifically not incorporated by reference.

Upon written or oral request made to us at the address or telephone number below, we will, at no cost to the requester, provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus (other than an exhibit to a filing, unless that exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference into that filing), but not delivered with this

 

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prospectus. You may also access this information on our website at https://www.ventyxbio.com by viewing the “SEC Filings” subsection of the “Investors & News” menu. No additional information on our website is deemed to be part of or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.

662 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 250

Encinitas, California 92024

(760) 593-4832

 

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LOGO

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

December 20, 2022

 

 

 


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PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

Up to $150,000,000

Common Stock

 

 

We have entered into an Open Market Sale AgreementSM (the “Sales Agreement”) with Jefferies LLC (“Jefferies”), relating to the sale of our common stock offered by this prospectus. In accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement, under this prospectus, we may offer and sell our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000 from time to time through Jefferies, acting as our agent.

Our common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “VTYX.” On December 13, 2022, the last reported sale price of our common stock was $34.28 per share.

Sales of shares of our common stock under this prospectus, if any, may be made by any method deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Jefferies is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of shares of our common stock, but will act as our sales agent using commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices, on mutually agreed terms between Jefferies and us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

Jefferies will be entitled to compensation at a commission rate equal to 3.0% of the gross sales price per share sold under the Sales Agreement. In connection with the sale of common stock on our behalf, Jefferies will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation of Jefferies will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to Jefferies with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). See “Plan of Distribution” for additional information regarding compensation to be paid to Jefferies.

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully review the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 of this prospectus and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

 

 

Jefferies

The date of this prospectus is December 20, 2022.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     S-ii  

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     S-1  

OFFERING

     S-4  

RISK FACTORS

     S-5  

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     S-7  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     S-9  

DILUTION

     S-10  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     S-11  

LEGAL MATTERS

     S-13  

EXPERTS

     S-13  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     S-13  

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

     S-14  

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed on Form S-3 with the SEC, as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act using a “shelf” registration process. By using a shelf registration statement, we may sell an unspecified amount of securities from time to time. Under this prospectus, we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000 from time to time through Jefferies acting as our agent at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of the offering.

This prospectus relates to the offering of our common stock. Before buying any of the common stock that we are offering, we urge you to carefully read this prospectus, together with the information incorporated by reference as described under the headings “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Incorporation by Reference” in this prospectus. These documents contain important information that you should consider when making your investment decision. We provide information to you about this offering of shares of our common stock in two separate documents that are bound together: (1) this prospectus, which describes the specific details regarding this offering; and (2) the accompanying base prospectus, which provides general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. Generally, when we refer to the “prospectus,” we are referring to both documents combined. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus, on the one hand, and the information contained in the base prospectus or any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus that was filed with the SEC before the date of this prospectus, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date (for example, a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus) the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different from that contained, or incorporated by reference, in the prospectus or in any related free writing prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We are not, and Jefferies is not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in the prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus, and in any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, is accurate only as of the date of those respective documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. You should read the prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, in their entirety before making an investment decision.

The prospectus and the information incorporated herein by reference contain summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed or will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described below under the heading “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

All other trademarks, trade names and service marks referred to in the prospectus are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in the prospectus are referred to without the symbols ® and TM, but such references should not be construed as any indication that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information that is presented in greater detail elsewhere, or incorporated by reference, in this prospectus. It does not contain all of the information that may be important to you and your investment decision. You should carefully read this entire prospectus, including the information contained under the heading “Risk Factors,” and all information included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus in their entirety before investing in these securities. In this prospectus, unless the context requires otherwise, references to “we,” “us,” “our,” “Ventyx” or “the Company” refer to Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

Overview

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of novel small molecule product candidates to address a range of inflammatory diseases with significant unmet need. We leverage the substantial experience of our team in immunology to identify important new targets and to develop differentiated therapeutics against these targets. Our clinical product candidates address therapeutic indications with substantial commercial opportunity for novel small molecules. Our lead clinical product candidate, VTX958, is a selective allosteric tyrosine kinase type 2 (TYK2) inhibitor. In August 2022, we announced positive topline data from a Phase 1 single and multiple ascending dose trial of VTX958 in healthy volunteers. We dosed the first patient in a Phase 2 trial with VTX958 for psoriasis in the fourth quarter of 2022. We plan to initiate Phase 2 trials with VTX958 for psoriatic arthritis and Crohn’s disease in the fourth quarter of 2022 and continue to evaluate additional indications for clinical development. In addition, we are developing VTX002, a sphingosine 1 phosphate receptor (S1P1R) modulator in Phase 2 development for ulcerative colitis. We initiated a Phase 2 trial with VTX002 in the fourth quarter of 2021 in patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. Our third product candidate, VTX2735, is a peripheral-targeted NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome inhibitor. In June 2022, we announced positive topline data from a Phase 1 single and multiple ascending dose trial of VTX2735 in healthy volunteers. We plan to initiate a Phase 2 trial for VTX2735 in cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) patients in the first quarter of 2023 and continue to evaluate additional indications for clinical development. In addition to VTX2735, we nominated VTX3232, our lead CNS-penetrant NLRP3 inhibitor, as a clinical development candidate in the fourth quarter of 2021. We plan to initiate a Phase 1 trial of VTX3232 in healthy volunteers in the first quarter of 2023.

We were incorporated in November 2018. To date, we have focused primarily on organizing and staffing our company, business planning, raising capital and identifying our product candidates and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials. We have funded our operations primarily through debt and equity financings. We do not have any products approved for sale and have not generated any revenue from product sales.

We do not expect to generate any revenue from product sales unless and until we successfully complete clinical development and obtain regulatory approval for one or more of our product candidates, which we expect will take a number of years. If we obtain regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution. Accordingly, until such time as we can generate substantial product revenues to support our cost structure, if ever, we expect to finance our cash needs through equity offerings, debt financings or other capital sources, including potentially collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements. However, we may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into such other arrangements when needed on favorable terms or at all. Our failure to raise capital or enter into such other arrangements when needed could have a negative impact on our financial condition and on our ability to pursue our business plans and strategies. If we are unable to raise additional capital when needed, we could be forced to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product candidate development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market our product candidates even if we would otherwise prefer to develop and market such product candidates ourselves.

 

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Corporate Information

We were incorporated in Delaware on November 21, 2018. Until February 2021, we have focused primarily on developing our lead clinical product candidate, VTX958, which we acquired from Vimalan Biosciences. In February 2021, we acquired all of the issued and outstanding equity of each of Oppilan Pharma Ltd. (“Oppilan”), including its lead candidate VTX002, and Zomagen Biosciences Ltd. (“Zomagen”), including its lead candidate VTX2735, and following such acquisitions, each of Oppilan and Zomagen became our wholly owned subsidiaries. Although we acquired these product candidates, each candidate was developed by one or more members of our management team. Our principal executive offices are located at 662 Encinitas Blvd, Suite 250, Encinitas, CA 92024. Our telephone number is (760) 593-4832. Our website address is http://www.ventyxbio.com. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, the website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only.

We use Ventyx, the Ventyx logo and other marks as trademarks in the United States and other countries. This prospectus contains references to our trademarks and service marks and to those belonging to other entities. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus, including logos, artwork and other visual displays, may appear without the ® or symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate in any way that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensor to these trademarks and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other entities’ trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other entity.

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company

We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of relief from certain reporting requirements and other burdens that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:

 

   

an exception from compliance with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;

 

   

reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements in our periodic reports, proxy statements and registration statements, including an exemption from complying with new pay versus performance disclosure requirements; and

 

   

exemptions from the requirements of holding non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements.

In addition, an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. Any decision to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards is irrevocable. We have elected to use this extended transition period.

We will cease to be an emerging growth company upon the earliest of (1) the end of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of our initial public offering (i.e. December 31, 2026); (2) the last day of the fiscal year during which our annual gross revenues are $1.235 billion or more; (3) the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; and (4) the end of any fiscal year in which the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeded $700.0 million as of the end of the second quarter of that fiscal year. We may choose to take advantage of some or all of these reduced reporting burdens.

 

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In addition, we are also a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company in any given year if either (i) the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million as of June 30 in the most recently completed fiscal year or (ii) our annual revenue is less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million as of June 30 in the most recently completed fiscal year. If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an emerging growth company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies. Specifically, as a smaller reporting company we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, similar to emerging growth companies, smaller reporting companies have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation.

 

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THE OFFERING

 

Common stock offered by us

Shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000.

 

Common stock to be outstanding after this offering

Up to 4,375,729 shares, assuming sales of 4,375,729 shares of our common stock in this offering at an offering price of $34.28 per share, which is the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on December 13, 2022. The actual number of shares issued will vary depending on the sales price under this offering.

 

Plan of Distribution

“At the market offering” that may be made from time to time through Jefferies. See “Plan of Distribution” on page 11.

 

Use of Proceeds

We currently intend to use the net proceeds, if any, from this offering primarily for working capital and other general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to fund clinical and preclinical development of our product candidates and other research activities. We cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received in this offering. Pending these uses, we plan to invest the net proceeds of this offering in a variety of interest-bearing instruments, including short-term interest-bearing investment-grade securities, certificates of deposit or government securities. See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

Risk Factors

You should read the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference herein for a discussion of factors to consider carefully before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock.

 

Nasdaq Global Select Market symbol

“VTYX”

The number of shares of our common stock that will be outstanding after this offering is based on 56,680,288 shares of our common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2022, and excludes:

 

   

7,169,752 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of options to purchase shares of our common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2022, at a weighted-average exercise price of $10.36 per share;

 

   

678,837 shares of common stock subject to restricted stock units outstanding as of September 30, 2022;

 

   

1,842,638 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan as of September 30, 2022; and

 

   

500,926 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of September 30, 2022.

Unless otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus assumes no exercise of the outstanding options subsequent to September 30, 2022, and reflects an assumed public offering price of $34.28 per share, which is the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on December 13, 2022.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before you decide to invest in our common stock, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below together with all other information contained in this prospectus and in our filings with the SEC that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. See the sections of this prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Incorporation by Reference.” If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition could suffer materially. In such event, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you might lose all or part of your investment.

Additional Risks Related to This Offering

We have broad discretion over the use of our cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, including the net proceeds we receive in this offering, and may not use them effectively.

We currently intend to use the net proceeds, if any, from this offering primarily for working capital and other general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to fund clinical and preclinical development of our product candidates and other research activities. The expected use of net proceeds of this offering represents our current intentions based on our present plans and business conditions. We cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received in this offering. Pending these uses, we plan to invest the net proceeds of this offering in a variety of interest-bearing instruments, including short-term interest-bearing investment-grade securities, certificates of deposit or government securities. Our management has broad discretion to use our cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments including the net proceeds we receive in this offering, to fund our operations and could spend these funds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the value of our common stock. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could result in financial losses that could have an adverse effect on our business, cause the price of our common stock to decline. Pending their use to fund operations, we may invest our cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value. See “Use of Proceeds.”

If you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you may suffer immediate dilution of your investment.

The price per share of our common stock being offered may be higher than the net tangible book value per share of our common stock outstanding prior to this offering. Assuming that an aggregate of 4,375,729 shares are sold at a price of $34.28 per share, which is the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on December 13, 2022, for aggregate proceeds of $150 million in this offering, and after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us, you will suffer immediate and substantial dilution of $25.62 per share, representing the difference between the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock as of September 30, 2022 after giving effect to this offering and the assumed public offering price of $34.28 per share.

Because the sales of the shares offered hereby will be made directly into the market, the prices at which we sell these shares will vary and these variations may be significant. Purchasers of the shares we sell, as well as our existing stockholders, will experience significant dilution if we sell shares at prices significantly below the price at which they invested.

You may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings.

In order to raise additional capital, we may in the future offer additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, our common stock at prices that may not be the same as the price per share in this offering. We cannot assure you that we will be able to sell shares of our common stock or other related securities in any other offering at a price per share that is equal to or greater than the price per share paid by investors in this offering. If the price per share at which we sell additional shares of our common stock or

 

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related securities in future transactions is less than the price per share in this offering, investors who purchase our common stock in this offering will suffer dilution in their investment.

In addition, we have a significant number of stock options for shares of our common stock outstanding. To the extent that outstanding stock options have been or may be exercised, investors purchasing our common stock in this offering may experience further dilution in the future. Furthermore, a significant portion of our total outstanding shares are eligible to be sold into the market, which could cause the market price of our common stock to drop significantly, even if our business is doing well.

An active trading market for our common stock may not be sustained following this offering.

Although our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market, an active trading market for our shares may not be sustained. If an active market for our common stock does not continue, it may be difficult for you to sell your shares, including shares you may purchase in this offering, without depressing the market price for the shares or sell your shares at all. Any inactive trading market for our common stock may also impair our ability to raise capital to continue to fund our operations by selling shares and may impair our ability to acquire other companies or technologies by using our shares as consideration.

The actual number of shares of common stock we will issue under the sales agreement, at any one time or in total, is uncertain.

Subject to certain limitations in the sales agreement and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver a placement notice to the Sales Agent at any time throughout the term of the sales agreement. The per share price of the shares of common stock that are sold by the Sales Agent after delivering a placement notice will fluctuate based on the market price of our common stock during the sales period and limits we set with the Sales Agent. Because the price per share of each share of common stock sold will fluctuate based on the market price of our common stock during the sales period, it is not possible at this stage to predict the number of shares of common stock that will be ultimately issued.

The common stock offered hereby will be sold in “at the market offerings,” and investors who buy shares at different times will likely pay different prices.

Investors who purchase shares in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and so may experience different levels of dilution and different outcomes in their investment results. We will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices, and numbers of shares sold, and there is no minimum or maximum sales price. Investors may experience a decline in the value of their shares as a result of share sales made at prices lower than the prices they paid.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein contain forward-looking statements. These are based on our management’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions about future events, conditions and results and on information currently available to us. Discussions containing these forward-looking statements may be found, among other places, in the sections entitled “Business,” “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contained in the documents incorporated by reference herein.

Any statements in this prospectus, or incorporated herein, about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements. Within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, these forward-looking statements include statements regarding:

 

   

our expectations regarding our product candidates and their related benefits;

 

   

our beliefs regarding the perceived benefits and limitations of competing products, and the future of competing products and our industry;

 

   

details regarding our strategic vision and product candidate pipeline;

 

   

our beliefs regarding the success, cost and timing of our development activities and current and future clinical trials, including study design;

 

   

the anticipated timing of releasing data for any current or future clinical trials;

 

   

the anticipated timing of commencement, enrollment, and completion of any current or future clinical trials for our product candidates;

 

   

the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings or other actions and related regulatory authority responses;

 

   

any impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, or responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, on our business, clinical trials or personnel, including, without limitation, disruptions in the supply chain, including raw materials needed for manufacturing, animals used in research, delays in site activations and enrollment of clinical trials;

 

   

any impact of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions against Russia and Belarus;

 

   

the ability and willingness of third parties to engage in research and development activities on our behalf involving our product candidates, and our ability to leverage those activities;

 

   

our expectations regarding the ease of administration associated with our product candidates;

 

   

our expectations regarding the patient compatibility associated with our product candidates;

 

   

our beliefs regarding the potential markets for our product candidates and our ability to serve those markets;

 

   

the ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of any of our product candidates, and any related restrictions, limitations and/or warnings in the label of any approved product candidate;

 

   

our ability to commercialize any approved products;

 

   

the rate and degree of market acceptance of approved products, if any;

 

   

our ability to attract and retain key personnel;

 

   

the accuracy of our estimates regarding our future revenue, operating expenses, capital requirements and needs for additional financing;

 

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our ability to obtain funding for our operations, including funding necessary to complete further development and any commercialization of our product candidates;

 

   

our ability to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce intellectual property protection for our product candidates and not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate the intellectual property of others;

 

   

regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; and

 

   

our intended use of proceeds from this offering.

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the words “may,” “might,” “can,” “will,” “to be,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “objective,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “likely,” “continue” and “ongoing,” or the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology intended to identify statements about the future, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

You should refer to the “Risk Factors” section contained in this prospectus and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into the prospectus, for a discussion of important factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in the prospectus will prove to be accurate, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Furthermore, if our forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all.

Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or developments occurring after the date of this prospectus, even if new information becomes available in the future.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We may issue and sell shares of our common stock having aggregate sales proceeds of up to $150 million from time to time pursuant to the sales agreement. The amount of proceeds from this offering will depend upon the number of shares of our common stock sold and the market price at which they are sold. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. There can be no assurance that we will sell any shares under or fully utilize the Sales Agreement as a source of financing.

We currently expect to use the net proceeds that we receive from this offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to fund clinical and preclinical development of our product candidates and other research activities. The expected use of net proceeds of this offering represents our current intentions based on our present plans and business conditions. We cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received in this offering. Pending these uses, we plan to invest the net proceeds of this offering in a variety of interest-bearing instruments, including short-term interest-bearing investment-grade securities, certificates of deposit or government securities.

 

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DILUTION

Our net tangible book value as of September 30, 2022, was approximately $383.5 million, or $6.77 per share. Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our total tangible assets, less total liabilities, by the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2022. Dilution in net tangible book value per share represents the difference between the amount per share paid by purchasers of shares of common stock in this offering and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after giving effect to this offering.

After giving effect to the sale of our common stock in the aggregate amount of $150 million in this offering at an assumed offering price of $34.28, the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on December 13, 2022, and after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of September 30, 2022, would have been approximately $528.6 million, or $8.66 per share. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $1.89 per share to existing stockholders and immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $25.62 per share to new investors purchasing our common stock in this offering. The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis:

 

Assumed public offering price per share

     $ 34.28  

Historical net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2022

  $ 6.77     

Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering

  $ 1.89     
 

 

 

    

As adjusted net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2022, after giving effect to this offering

     $ 8.66  
    

 

 

 

Dilution per share to investors purchasing our common stock in this offering

     $ 25.62  
    

 

 

 

The shares sold in this offering, if any, will be sold from time to time at various prices. An increase of $1.00 per share in the price at which the shares are sold from the assumed offering price of $34.28 per share shown in the table above, assuming all of our common stock in the aggregate amount of $150 million is sold at that price, would cause our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after the offering to be $8.68 per share and would increase the dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors to $26.60 per share, after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us. A decrease of $1.00 per share in the price at which the shares are sold from the assumed offering price of $34.28 per share shown in the table above, assuming all of our common stock in the aggregate amount of $150 million is sold at that price, would cause our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after the offering to be $8.64 per share and would decrease the dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors to $24.64 per share, after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us.

To the extent that outstanding options are exercised, investors purchasing our common stock in this offering will experience further dilution. In addition, to the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.

The number of shares of our common stock that will be outstanding after this offering is based on 56,680,288 shares of our common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2022, and excludes:

 

   

7,169,752 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of options to purchase shares of our common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2022, at a weighted-average exercise price of $10.36 per share;

 

   

678,837 shares of common stock subject to restricted stock units outstanding as of September 30, 2022;

 

   

1,842,638 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan as of September 30, 2022; and

 

   

500,926 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of September 30, 2022.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We have entered into a sales agreement with Jefferies, under which we may offer and sell our shares of common stock from time to time through Jefferies acting as agent. Pursuant to this prospectus, we may offer and sell up to $150,000,000 of our shares of common stock. Sales of our shares of common stock, if any, under this prospectus will be made by any method that is deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act.

Each time we wish to issue and sell shares of common stock under the sales agreement, we will notify Jefferies of the number of shares to be issued, the dates on which such sales are anticipated to be made, any limitation on the number of shares to be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made. Once we have so instructed Jefferies, unless Jefferies declines to accept the terms of such notice, Jefferies has agreed to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such shares up to the amount specified on such terms. The obligations of Jefferies under the sales agreement to sell our shares of common stock are subject to a number of conditions that we must meet.

The settlement of sales of shares between us and Jefferies is generally anticipated to occur on the second trading day following the date on which the sale was made. Sales of our shares of common stock as contemplated in this prospectus will be settled through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company or by such other means as we and Jefferies may agree upon. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

We will pay Jefferies a commission equal to 3.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds we receive from each sale of our shares of common stock. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. In addition, we have agreed to reimburse Jefferies for the fees and disbursements of its counsel, payable upon execution of the sales agreement, in an amount not to exceed $75,000, in addition to certain ongoing disbursements of its legal counsel, unless we and Jefferies otherwise agree. We estimate that the total expenses for the offering, excluding any commissions or expense reimbursement payable to Jefferies under the terms of the sales agreement, will be approximately $242,030. The remaining sale proceeds, after deducting any other transaction fees, will equal our net proceeds from the sale of such shares.

Jefferies will provide written confirmation to us before the open on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on the day following each day on which shares of common stock are sold under the sales agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares sold on that day, the aggregate gross proceeds of such sales and the proceeds to us.

In connection with the sale of the shares of common stock on our behalf, Jefferies will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation of Jefferies will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to indemnify Jefferies against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We have also agreed to contribute to payments Jefferies may be required to make in respect of such liabilities.

The offering of our shares of common stock pursuant to the sales agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the sale of all shares of common stock subject to the sales agreement and (ii) the termination of the sales agreement as permitted therein.

This summary of the material provisions of the sales agreement does not purport to be a complete statement of its terms and conditions. A copy of the sales agreement is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Jefferies and its affiliates may in the future provide various investment banking, commercial banking, financial advisory and other financial services for us and our affiliates, for which services they may in the future receive

 

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customary fees. In the course of its business, Jefferies may actively trade our securities for its own account or for the accounts of customers, and, accordingly, Jefferies may at any time hold long or short positions in such securities.

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on a website maintained by Jefferies, and Jefferies may distribute the prospectus electronically.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of the common stock offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, San Diego, California. Certain members of, and investment partnerships comprised of members of, and person associated with, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, directly or indirectly own less than 0.1% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Jefferies LLC is being represented in connection with this offering by Cooley LLP, New York, New York.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. appearing in Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The consolidated financial statements of Oppilan Pharma Ltd. at May 31, 2019 and 2020 and for years then ended, included in Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.’s registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-259891) have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The consolidated financial statements of Zomagen Biosciences Ltd. at December 31, 2019 and 2020 and for years then ended, included in Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.’s registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-259891) been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

We make available, free of charge, through our investor relations website, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, statements of changes in beneficial ownership of securities and amendments to those reports and statements as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with the SEC. The address for our website is www.ventyxbio.com. The contents on our website are not part of this prospectus, and the reference to our website does not constitute incorporation by reference into this prospectus of the information contained at that site.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the SEC. This prospectus omits some information contained in the registration statement in accordance with SEC rules and regulations. You should review the information and exhibits in the registration statement for further information about us and our consolidated subsidiaries and our securities. Statements in this prospectus concerning any document we filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or that we otherwise filed with the SEC are not intended to be comprehensive and are qualified by reference to these filings. You should review the complete document to evaluate these statements. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement from the SEC’s website.

 

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we file with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein, or in any subsequently filed document, which also is incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such earlier statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

We hereby incorporate by reference into this prospectus the following documents that we have filed with the SEC under the Securities Act and under the Exchange Act (other than current reports on Form 8-K, or portions thereof, furnished under Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K):

 

   

our prospectus dated October 20, 2021, filed with the SEC on October 21, 2021 pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, relating to the registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-259891), which contains the audited consolidated financial statements of Oppilan Pharma Ltd. at May 31, 2019 and 2020, and for the years then ended, and the audited consolidated financial statements of Zomagen Biosciences Ltd. at December 31, 2019 and 2020, and for the years then ended;

 

   

our prospectus dated October 4, 2022, filed with the SEC on October 5, 2022 pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, relating to the registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-267626), which contains the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 combining the historical audited consolidated operations of Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2021, with the historical consolidated statement of operations of Zomagen and Oppilan for the period from January 1, 2021 to February 25, 2021;

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on March 24, 2022;

 

   

our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on April 27, 2022;

 

   

our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on March 23, 2022, May  9, 2022, June  9, 2022, June  29, 2022, September  19, 2022 and December 12, 2022;

 

   

our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on May 12, 2022, August  15, 2022 and November 4, 2022; and

 

   

the description of our common stock contained in Exhibit 4.3 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 24, 2022, including any amendment or report updating such description.

All documents that we file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (other than current reports on Form 8-K, or portions thereof, furnished under Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K) after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the date of filing of the documents, unless we specifically provide otherwise. Information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and may replace information previously filed with the SEC. To the extent that any information contained in any current report on Form 8-K or any exhibit thereto, was or is furnished to, rather than filed with the SEC, such information or exhibit is specifically not incorporated by reference.

Upon written or oral request made to us at the address or telephone number below, we will, at no cost to the requester, provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus (other than an exhibit to a filing, unless that exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference into that filing), but not delivered with this

 

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prospectus. You may also access this information on our website at https://www.ventyxbio.com by viewing the “SEC Filings” subsection of the “Investors & News” menu. No additional information on our website is deemed to be part of or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.

662 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 250

Encinitas, California 92024

(760) 593-4832

 

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LOGO

Up to $150,000,000

Common Stock

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

Jefferies

 

 

December 20, 2022

 

 

 


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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

 

Item 14.

Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth estimated expenses (other than with respect to the FINRA filing fee) in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered:

 

     AMOUNT
TO

BE PAID
 

SEC Registration Fee

   $ (1

FINRA Filing Fee

   $ 225,500  

Printing and engraving expenses

   $ (2

Legal fees and expenses

   $ (2

Accounting fees and expenses

   $ (2

Miscellaneous expenses

   $ (2
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ (2

 

(1)

In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Securities Act, we are deferring payment of the registration fee for the securities offered under this registration statement other than the $16,530 of fees due in connection with the $150,000,000 of our common stock that may be issued and sold from time to time under an open market sales agreement with Jefferies LLC.

(2)

These fees and expenses are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly are not estimated at this time and will be reflected in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Item 15.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law empowers a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers and to purchase insurance with respect to liability arising out of their capacity or status as directors and officers, provided that the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in the Company’s best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s actions were unlawful. The Delaware General Corporation Law further provides that the indemnification permitted thereunder shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the directors and officers may be entitled under the corporation’s bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or otherwise. The certificate of incorporation of the registrant provides for the indemnification of the registrant’s directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law. In addition, the bylaws of the registrant require the registrant to fully indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the registrant, or is or was a director or officer of the registrant serving at the registrant’s request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorney’s fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) for payments of unlawful dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. The registrant’s certificate of incorporation provides that the registrant’s directors shall not be personally

 

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liable to it or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director and that if the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of the registrant’s directors shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as so amended.

Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides, among other things, that a director who willfully or negligently approves of an unlawful payment of dividends or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption may be held liable for such actions. A director who was either absent when the unlawful actions were approved, or dissented at the time, may avoid liability by causing his or her dissent to such actions to be entered in the books containing minutes of the meetings of the board of directors at the time such action occurred or immediately after such absent director receives notice of the unlawful acts.

As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the registrant has entered into, and intends to continue to enter into, separate indemnification agreements with each of the registrant’s directors and certain of the registrant’s officers which would require the registrant, among other things, to indemnify them against certain liabilities which may arise by reason of their status as directors, officers or certain other employees.

The registrant expects to obtain and maintain insurance policies under which its directors and officers are insured, within the limits and subject to the limitations of those policies, against certain expenses in connection with the defense of, and certain liabilities which might be imposed as a result of, actions, suits or proceedings to which they are parties by reason of being or having been directors or officers. The coverage provided by these policies may apply whether or not the registrant would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

These indemnification provisions and the indemnification agreements intended to be entered into between the registrant and the registrant’s officers and directors may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of the registrant’s officers and directors for liabilities (including reimbursement of expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Item 16.

Exhibit and Financial Statement Schedules

The following exhibits are filed as part of this registration statement.

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

EXHIBIT

NUMBER

  

DESCRIPTION

    1.1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement
    1.2**    Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated as of December 20, 2022, by and between the registrant and Jefferies LLC.
    2.1    Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of February  26, 2021, by and among the Registrant, Zomagen Biosciences Ltd. and certain of its Securityholders (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1,  File No. 333-259891).
    2.2    Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of February  26, 2021, by and among the Registrant, Oppilan Pharma Ltd. and certain of its Securityholders (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.3 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, File  No. 333-259891).
    4.1    Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement, dated as of September  9, 2021, by and among the Registrant and certain of its Stockholders (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-259891).

 

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    4.2    Description of Common Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on March 24, 2022).
    4.3    Form of Registration Rights Agreement, dated September  17, 2022, by and among the Company and the Purchasers set forth therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 on the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on September  19, 2022).
    4.4    Specimen common stock certificate of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-259891).
    4.5*    Form of Specimen Preferred Stock Certificate.
    4.6*    Form of Certificate of Designation.
    4.7*    Form of Indenture.
    4.8*    Form of Debt Security (included in Exhibit 4.7).
    4.9*    Form of Warrant.
    4.10*    Form of Warrant Agreement.
    4.11*    Form of Unit Agreement.
    5.1**    Opinion of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C
  21.1    Subsidiaries of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 21.1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form  S-1, File No. 333-267626).
  23.1**    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
  23.2**    Consent of Independent Auditors of Oppilan Pharma Ltd.
  23.3**    Consent of Independent Auditors of Zomagen Biosciences Ltd.
  23.4    Consent of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C (included in Exhibit 5.1)
  24.1    Powers of Attorney (included on signature page).
  25.1#    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
107**    Filing Fee Table

 

*

To be filed, if necessary, with a Current Report on Form 8-K or a post-effective amendment to the registration statement.

#

To be filed, if necessary, pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

**

Filed Herewith

 

Item 17.

Undertakings

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered

 

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would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC, pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

(i) each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) that, for the purpose of determining liability of a registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of such undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

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(ii) any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(j) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Encinitas, California on December 20, 2022.

 

VENTYX BIOSCIENCES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Raju Mohan

  Raju Mohan, Ph.D.
  Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Raju Mohan, Ph.D. and Martin Auster, M.D., and each of them acting individually, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agent, with full power of each to act alone, with full powers of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement (including post-effective amendments and any related registration statements filed pursuant to Rule 462 and otherwise), and to file the same with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming that all said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them or their substitute or resubstitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

SIGNATURE

 

TITLE OF CAPACITIES

  

DATE

/s/ Raju Mohan

Raju Mohan, Ph.D.

 

Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

   December 20, 2022

/s/ Martin Auster

Martin Auster, M.D.

 

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

   December 20, 2022

/s/ Sheila Gujrathi, M.D.

Sheila Gujrathi, M.D.

  Executive Chairperson    December 20, 2022

/s/ Jigar Choksey

Jigar Choksey, M.B.A.

  Director    December 20, 2022

/s/ Richard Gaster

Richard Gaster, M.D., Ph.D.

  Director    December 20, 2022

/s/ Aaron Royston

Aaron Royston, M.D., M.B.A.

  Director    December 20, 2022


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SIGNATURE

 

TITLE OF CAPACITIES

  

DATE

/s/ Somasundaram Subramaniam

Somasundaram Subramaniam, M.B.A.

  Director    December 20, 2022

/s/ William White

William White J.D., M.P.P.

  Director    December 20, 2022
EX-1.2

Exhibit 1.2

OPEN MARKET SALE AGREEMENTSM

December 20, 2022

JEFFERIES LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell from time to time through Jefferies LLC, as sales agent and/or principal (the “Agent”), shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Shares”), on the terms set forth in this agreement (this “Agreement”).

Section 1. DEFINITIONS

(a) Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the following respective meanings:

Affiliate” of a Person means another Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first- mentioned Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Agency Period” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and expiring on the earliest to occur of (x) the date on which the Agent shall have placed the Maximum Program Amount pursuant to this Agreement and (y) the date this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.

Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Floor Price” means the minimum price set by the Company in the Issuance Notice below which the Agent shall not sell Shares during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice, which may be adjusted by the Company at any time during the period set forth in the Issuance Notice by delivering written notice of such change to the Agent and which in no event shall be less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion.

 

 

SM 

“Open Market Sale Agreement” is a service mark of Jefferies LLC


Issuance Amount” means the aggregate Sales Price of the Shares to be sold by the Agent pursuant to any Issuance Notice.

Issuance Notice” means a written notice delivered to the Agent by the Company in accordance with this Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A that is executed by its Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer.

Issuance Notice Date” means any Trading Day during the Agency Period that an Issuance Notice is delivered pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).

Issuance Price” means the Sales Price less the Selling Commission.

Maximum Program Amount” means Common Shares with an aggregate Sales Price of the lesser of (a) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares registered under the effective Registration Statement (defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made, (b) the number of authorized but unissued Common Shares (less Common Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company or otherwise reserved from the Company’s authorized capital stock), (c) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares permitted to be sold under Form S-3 (including General Instruction I.B.6 thereof, if applicable), or (d) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares for which the Company has filed a Prospectus (defined below).

Person” means an individual or a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, governmental authority or other entity of any kind.

Principal Market” means The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC or such other national securities exchange on which the Common Shares, including any Shares, are then listed.

Sales Price” means the actual sale execution price of each Share placed by the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Selling Commission” means three percent (3.0%) of the gross proceeds of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement, or as otherwise agreed between the Company and the Agent with respect to any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement.

Settlement Date” means the second business day following each Trading Day during the period set forth in the Issuance Notice on which Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement, when the Company shall deliver to the Agent the amount of Shares sold on such Trading Day and the Agent shall deliver to the Company the Issuance Price received on such sales.

Shares” shall mean the Company’s Common Shares issued or issuable pursuant to this Agreement.

Trading Day” means any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading.

 

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Section 2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Agent that as of (1) the date of this Agreement, (2) each Issuance Notice Date, (3) each Settlement Date, (4) each Triggering Event Date and (5) as of each Time of Sale (each of the times referenced above is referred to herein as a “Representation Date”), except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus, as defined below (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto), on or before a Representation Date (unless a representation or warranty is limited to a specific date or dates, in which case such representation or warranty will be deemed to speak solely of such date or dates):

(a) Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed, or will file, with the Commission a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 that contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”). Such registration statement registers the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares under the Securities Act. The Company may file one or more additional registration statements from time to time that will contain a base prospectus and related prospectus or prospectus supplement, if applicable, with respect to the Shares. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement(s), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, including all financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto and all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act as from time to time amended or supplemented, is herein referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the prospectus constituting a part of such registration statement(s), together with any prospectus supplement filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act relating to a particular issuance of the Shares, including all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, in each case, as from time to time amended or supplemented, is referred to herein as the “Prospectus,” except that if any revised prospectus is provided to the Agent by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Shares that is not required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, the term “Prospectus” shall refer to such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first provided to the Agent for such use. The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.” As used in this Agreement, the terms “amendment” or “supplement” when applied to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing by the Company with the Commission of any document under the Exchange Act after the date hereof that is or is deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include, without limitation, the filing of any document under the Exchange Act which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date.

 

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At the time the Original Registration Statement was or will be declared effective and, from and after the date hereof, at the time the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K was filed with the Commission, the Company met the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. During the Agency Period, each time the Company files an annual report on Form 10-K the Company will meet the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.

(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Original Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared effective by the Commission, or were automatically effective upon filing with the Commission, under the Securities Act. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information, if any. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.

The Prospectus when filed complied or will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed with the Commission through its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”) (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Agent for use in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became or becomes effective and at each Representation Date, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will 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. As of the date of this Agreement, the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) considered together (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”) did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at each Representation Date, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the three immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Agent furnished to the Company in writing by the Agent expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information described in Section 6 below. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said rule.

 

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(c) Ineligible Issuer Status. The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the issuance and sale of the Shares did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts with or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein. Except for the Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, and electronic road shows, if any, furnished to the Agent before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the Agent’s prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any Free Writing Prospectus.

(d) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at the time they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, as applicable, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, do not contain an 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(e) Exchange Act Compliance. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or in any Free Writing Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, in each case at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto become effective and at each Time of Sale (as defined below), as the case may be, will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(f) Corporate Authority. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(g) Authorization of the Shares. The Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance and sale of the Shares are not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase the Shares that have not been duly waived or satisfied.

 

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(h) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived or satisfied.

(i) No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could be expected to result in a material adverse change, in (A) the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, properties, operations, operating results, assets, liabilities or prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, or (B) the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or perform its obligations hereunder (any such change being referred to herein as a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, including without limitation any losses or interference with their business from fire, explosion, flood, earthquakes, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any strike, labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, that are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, and have not entered into any transactions not in the ordinary course of business that are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity; and (iii) there has not been any material decrease in the capital stock or any material increase in any short-term or long-term indebtedness of the Company or its subsidiaries and there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, by any of the Company’s subsidiaries on any class of capital stock, or any repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.

(j) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP or such other accountants (the “Accountants”), which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes and schedules, if any, thereto) or reviewed such financial statements in accordance with the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), as filed with the Commission and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is (i) an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the rules of the PCAOB, (ii) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and (iii) a registered public accounting firm as defined by the PCAOB whose registration has not been suspended or revoked and who has not requested such registration to be withdrawn.

(k) Financial Statements. The financial statements filed with the Commission as a part of or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared, in all material respects, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly

 

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stated in the related notes thereto, and except in the case of unaudited financial statements, which are subject to normal and recurring year-end adjustments and do not contain certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the Commission. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. The financial data set forth in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. All disclosures included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. To the Company’s knowledge, no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

(l) Company’s Accounting System. The Company and each of its subsidiaries make and keep books and records that are accurate in all material respects and maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(m) Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Deficiencies in or Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act), which (i) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities, particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports required under the Exchange Act are being prepared; (ii) are designed such that management of the Company will evaluate the effectiveness thereof as of the end of the Company’s most recent fiscal quarter, as required by the Exchange Act; and (iii) are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established, in each case for (i)-(iii) above at the reasonable assurance level. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has not been any significant deficiency or any material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financing reporting or any change in the

 

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Company’s internal control over financial reporting in each case that has materially adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is not aware of any change in its internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(n) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in the State of California and each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where a failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.

(o) Subsidiaries. Each of the Company’s “subsidiaries” (for purposes of this Agreement, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) has been duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, and is validly existing as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has the power and authority (corporate or other) to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. Each of the Company’s subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity or ownership interests of each of the Company’s subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or adverse claim. None of the outstanding capital stock or equity interest in any subsidiary was issued in violation of preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such subsidiary. The constitutive or organizational documents of each of the subsidiaries comply in all material respects with the requirements of applicable laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and are in full force and effect. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K.

(p) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as of the dates indicated (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans or upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants, in each case as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus). The rights, preferences, privileges

 

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and restrictions of the Common Shares (including the Shares) conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding Common Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding Common Shares were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company that have not been duly waived or satisfied. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The descriptions of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents in all material respects the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.

(q) Stock Exchange Listing. The Common Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and are listed on the Principal Market, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Shares from the Principal Market, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Principal Market is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. To the Company’s knowledge, it is in compliance with all applicable listing requirements of the Principal Market.

(r) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement or similar organizational documents, as applicable, or is in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) under any indenture, loan, credit agreement, note, lease, license agreement, contract, franchise or other instrument (including, without limitation, any pledge agreement, security agreement, mortgage or other instrument or agreement evidencing, guaranteeing, securing or relating to indebtedness) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of their respective properties or assets are subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”), except for such Defaults as could not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the issuance and sale of the Shares (including the use of proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement or similar organizational documents, as applicable, of the Company or any subsidiary (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument, except for such conflicts, breaches, Default or Debt Repayment Triggering Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change and (iii) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation or

 

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administrative or court decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except for such violations as could not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act and such as may be required under applicable state securities or blue sky laws or FINRA (as defined below). As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(s) Compliance with Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries have been and are in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, except where failure to be so in compliance could not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.

(t) No Material Actions or Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation brought by or before any legal or governmental entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or with the employees of any principal supplier, manufacturer, customer or contractor of the Company, exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened or imminent, which would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.

(u) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its subsidiaries own, or have rights to use, all material inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks, trade names, service names, service marks, copyrights, trade secrets, know how (including unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) and other intellectual property as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary for, or used in the conduct of their respective businesses (including as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus), except where any failure to own, possess or acquire such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect. The Intellectual Property of the Company and its subsidiaries has not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part. To the Company’s knowledge: (i) there are no third parties who have rights to any Intellectual Property, including no liens, security interests, or other encumbrances; and (ii) there is no infringement by third parties of any Intellectual Property. To the Company’s knowledge, no action, suit, or other proceeding is pending, or is threatened in writing: (A) challenging the Company’s or subsidiaries’ rights in or to any Intellectual Property; (B) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property; or (C) alleging that the Company or any of its subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates, or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, trade name, service name, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others. The Company and its subsidiaries have complied in all material respects with the terms of

 

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each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company or any of its subsidiaries in all material respects, and to the Company’s knowledge all such agreements are in full force and effect. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no material defects in any of the patents or patent applications included in the Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken all reasonable steps to protect, maintain and safeguard their Intellectual Property, including the execution of appropriate nondisclosure, confidentiality, and invention assignment agreements and invention assignments with their employees. To the Company’s knowledge, the duty of candor and good faith as required by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”) during the prosecution of the United States patents and patent applications included in the Intellectual Property have been complied with. To the Company’s knowledge, there is no prior art that may render any patent within the Intellectual Property invalid or that may render any patent application within the Intellectual Property unpatentable that has not been disclosed to the USPTO.

(v) All Necessary Permits, etc. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such valid and current licenses, certificates, authorizations, approvals, consents or permits required by state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted and as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (“Permits”), except where failure to so possess would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default under, any of the Permits or has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit, except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company and each of its subsidiaries has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Permits and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, submissions and supplements or amendments were timely, complete, correct and not misleading on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission), except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.

(w) Title to Properties. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all of the real and personal property and other assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 2(m) above (or elsewhere in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, adverse claims and other defects). The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any of its subsidiaries are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the Company or such subsidiary.

(x) Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns or have properly requested extensions thereof and have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them except as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings or where failure to do so could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

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The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 2(m) above in respect of all material federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has not been finally determined.

(y) Insurance. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries are insured by recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as the Company reasonably believes are generally adequate and customary for their businesses including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and its subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction and acts of vandalism. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its subsidiaries will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

(z) Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change: (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements; (iii) there are no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and (iv) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no events or circumstances that might reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

(aa) [Intentionally left blank]

(bb) ERISA Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, their “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, any member of any group

 

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of organizations described in Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, the “Code”) of which the Company or such subsidiary is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any material liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

(cc) Company Not an “Investment Company.” The Company is not, and will not be, either after receipt of payment for the Shares or after the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

(dd) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Shares or of any “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) with respect to the Common Shares, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M.

(ee) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which have not been described as required.

(ff) FINRA Matters. All of the information provided to the Agent or to counsel for the Agent by the Company, its counsel, its officers and directors and, to the Company’s knowledge, the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares is true, complete and correct in all material respects and compliant with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.’s (“FINRA”) rules and any letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rules or NASD Conduct Rules is true, complete and correct in all material respects.

(gg) Statistical and Market-Related Data. All statistical, demographic and market-related data included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate in all material respects. To the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

 

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(hh) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is, and has been, no failure on the part of the Company or any of its directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Section 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(ii) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary, has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

(jj) Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers or employees, or to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other representative acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its subsidiaries (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful expense relating to political activity, including any contribution, gift, entertainment or other expenses; (ii) made or taken any act in furtherance of an offer, promise, or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or public international organization, or any political party, party official, or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any applicable provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”), the UK Bribery Act 2010, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, authorized, requested, or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful payment, including any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s Affiliates have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(kk) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are, and have been conducted at all times, in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar applicable rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

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(ll) Sanctions. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers, or employees, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other representative acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”); nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, Iran, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, North Korea and Syria; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, or any joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of such financing, is the subject or the target of Sanctions prohibiting such activities or business or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of applicable Sanctions. For the past five years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any Sanctioned Country or person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions prohibiting such dealing or transaction.

(mm) Duties, Transfer Taxes, Etc. No stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties and no capital gains, income, withholding or other taxes are payable by the Agent in the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by the Company or the sale and delivery by the Company of the Shares.

(nn) Brokers. There is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company any brokerage or finder’s fee or other fee or commission as a result of any transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(oo) Forward-Looking Statements. Each financial or operational projection or other “forward-looking statement” (as defined by Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (i) was so included by the Company in good faith and with reasonable basis after due consideration by the Company of the underlying assumptions, estimates and other applicable facts and circumstances and (ii) is accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying those factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statement. No such statement was made with the knowledge of an executive officer or director of the Company that was false or misleading.

(pp) No Outstanding Loans or Other Extensions of Credit. The Company does not have any outstanding extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan, to or for any director or executive officer (or equivalent thereof) of the Company except for such extensions of credit as are expressly permitted by Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.

(qq) Cybersecurity. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, the Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently

 

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conducted, and are free and clear of all material Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other malicious code. The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable physical, technical and administrative controls designed to maintain and protect the confidentiality, integrity, availability, privacy and security of all sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Confidential Data”) used or maintained in connection with their businesses and Personal Data (defined below), and the integrity, availability continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems. “Personal Data” means the following data used in connection with the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses and in their possession or control: (i) a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, e-mail address, photograph, social security number or other tax identification number, driver’s license number, passport number, credit card number, bank information, or customer or account number; (ii) information that identifies, relates to, or may reasonably be used to identify an individual; (iii) any information regarding an individual’s medical history, mental or physical condition, or medical treatment or diagnosis by a health care professional; (iv) an individual’s health insurance policy number or subscriber identification number, any unique identifier used by a health insurer to identify the individual, or any information in an individual’s application and claims history; (v) any information which would qualify as “protected health information” under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (collectively, “HIPAA”); (vi) any information which would qualify as “personal data,” “personal information” (or similar term) under the Privacy Laws; and (vii) any other piece of information that alone, or combined with other information, allows the identification of such natural person, or his or her family, or permits the collection or analysis of any data related to an identified person’s health or sexual orientation. To the Company’s knowledge, there have been no material breaches, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to the Company’s IT Systems, Confidential Data, and Personal Data. The Company and its subsidiaries are presently, and at all prior times were, in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments and orders binding on the Company, applicable binding rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, and their internal policies and contractual obligations, each relating to the Processing (as defined below), privacy and security of Personal Data and Confidential Data, the privacy and security of IT Systems and the protection of such IT Systems, Confidential Data, and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.

(rr) Compliance with Data Privacy Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries are, and at all prior times were, in compliance in all material respects with all applicable state and federal data privacy and security laws and regulations regarding the collection, use, storage, retention, disclosure, transfer, disposal, or any other processing (collectively “Process” or “Processing”) of Personal Data, including without limitation, as applicable, HIPAA, the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), and the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (EU 2016/679) (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”). The Company and its subsidiaries have in place, comply with, and take all appropriate steps necessary to ensure compliance in all material respects with their policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security, and the Processing of Personal Data and Confidential Data (the “Privacy Statements”). The Company and its subsidiaries have, except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change, at all times since inception provided accurate notice of its Privacy Statements then in effect to its customers, employees, third party vendors and representatives. None of such disclosures made or contained in any Privacy Statements have been

 

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materially inaccurate, misleading, incomplete, or in material violation of any Privacy Laws. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries: (i) has received written notice of any actual or potential claim, complaint, proceeding, regulatory proceeding or liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of, any of the Privacy Laws, contractual obligations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries related to privacy or security with respect to the Processing of Personal Data or Confidential Data, or Privacy Statements, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) is currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Law or contractual obligations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries related to privacy or security with respect to the Processing of Personal Data or Confidential Data, other than in the ordinary course of business; or (iii) is a party to any order, decree, or agreement by or with any governmental or regulatory authority, or relating to the violation by the Company or its subsidiaries of any Privacy Law, that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law.

(ss) Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of initial confidential submission of a registration statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged in any Section 5(d) Written Communication or any Section 5(d) Oral Communication) in connection with the Company’s initial public offering through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

(tt) Other Underwriting Agreements. The Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction.

(uu) Clinical Data and Regulatory Compliance. The preclinical tests and clinical trials, and other studies used to support regulatory approval (collectively, “studies”) being conducted by the Company that are described in, or the results of which are referred to in, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus were and, if still pending, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with the approved protocols and applicable laws; each description of the results of such studies is accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly presents the data derived from such studies, and the Company and its subsidiaries have no knowledge of any other studies the results of which the Company would reasonably expect to contradict the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; the Company and its subsidiaries have made all such filings and obtained all such approvals as may be required by the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or from any other U.S. or foreign government or drug regulatory agency, or health care facility Institutional Review Board, each having jurisdiction over biopharmaceutical products (collectively, the “Regulatory Agencies”) for the conduct of its current business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of, or correspondence from, any Regulatory Agency requiring the termination or suspension of any clinical trials that are described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; and the Company and its subsidiaries have each operated and currently are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable rules, regulations and laws of the Regulatory Agencies, except where any noncompliance with such rules and regulations would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

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(vv) Compliance with Health Care Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries are, and at all times have been, in compliance with all Health Care Laws in all material respects and to the extent applicable to the Company’s current business and product candidates. For purposes of this Agreement, “Health Care Laws” means: (i) the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. Section 301 et seq.), the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq.), and the regulations promulgated thereunder; (ii) all applicable federal, state, local and foreign health care fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(b)); (iii) the health care fraud provisions under HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.); (iv) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010; (v) licensure, quality, safety and accreditation requirements under applicable federal, state, local or foreign laws or regulatory bodies; and (vi) all other local, state, federal, national, supranational and foreign laws, relating to the regulation of the Company or its subsidiaries, and (vii) the regulations promulgated pursuant to such statutes and any state or non-U.S. counterpart thereof (provided, however, that Health Care Laws shall not include Privacy Laws). Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Health Care Laws nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is any such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action threatened. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by applicable Health Care Laws, and all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and accurate on the date filed in all material respects (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission). Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority. Additionally, neither the Company, any of its subsidiaries nor any of their respective employees, officers, directors, or, to the knowledge of the Company, agents has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S. federal health care program or human clinical research or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.

(ww) Dividend Restrictions. No subsidiary of the Company is prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying dividends to the Company, or from making any other distribution with respect to such subsidiary’s equity securities or from repaying to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company any amounts that may from time to time become due under any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any property or assets to the Company or to any other subsidiary.

Any certificate signed by any officer or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and delivered to the Agent or counsel for the Agent in connection with an issuance of Shares shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Agent as to the matters covered thereby on the date of such certificate.

 

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The Company has a reasonable basis for making each of the representations set forth in this Section 2. The Company acknowledges that the Agent and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(o) hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Agent, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

Section 3. ISSUANCE AND SALE OF COMMON SHARES

(a) Sale of Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company may from time to time seek to sell Shares through the Agent, acting as sales agent, or directly to the Agent, acting as principal, as follows, with an aggregate Sales Price of up to the Maximum Program Amount, based on and in accordance with Issuance Notices as the Company may deliver, during the Agency Period.

(b) Mechanics of Issuances.

(i) Issuance Notice. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, on any Trading Day during the Agency Period on which the conditions set forth in Section 5(a) and Section 5(b) shall have been satisfied, the Company may exercise its right to request an issuance of Shares by delivering to the Agent an Issuance Notice; provided, however, that (A) in no event may the Company deliver an Issuance Notice to the extent that (I) the sum of (x) the aggregate Sales Price of the requested Issuance Amount, plus (y) the aggregate Sales Price of all Shares issued under all previous Issuance Notices effected pursuant to this Agreement, would exceed the Maximum Program Amount; and (B) prior to delivery of any Issuance Notice, the period set forth for any previous Issuance Notice shall have expired or been terminated. An Issuance Notice shall be considered delivered on the Trading Day that it is received by e-mail to the persons set forth in Schedule A hereto and confirmed by the Company by telephone (including a voicemail message to the persons so identified), with the understanding that, with adequate prior written notice, the Agent may modify the list of such persons from time to time.

(ii) Agent Efforts. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, upon the receipt of an Issuance Notice, the Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal sales and trading practices to place the Shares, subject to, and in accordance with the information specified in, the Issuance Notice, unless the sale of the Shares described therein has been suspended, cancelled or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the parties to this Agreement may modify an Issuance Notice at any time provided they both agree in writing to any such modification.

(iii) Method of Offer and Sale. The Shares may be offered and sold (A) in negotiated transactions with the consent of the Company or (B) by any other method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, including block transactions, sales made directly on the Principal Market or sales made into any other existing trading market of the Common Shares. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to require either party to agree to the method of offer and sale specified in the preceding sentence, and (except as specified in clause (A) above) the method of placement of any Shares by the Agent shall be at the Agent’s discretion.

 

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(iv) Confirmation to the Company. If acting as sales agent hereunder, the Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day next following the Trading Day on which it has placed Shares hereunder setting forth the number of shares sold on such Trading Day, the corresponding Sales Price and the Issuance Price payable to the Company in respect thereof.

(v) Settlement. Each issuance of Shares will be settled on the applicable Settlement Date for such issuance of Shares and, subject to the provisions of Section 5, on or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Shares being sold by crediting the Agent or its designee’s account at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC) System, or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto and, upon receipt of such Shares, which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form, the Agent will deliver, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, the related Issuance Price in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company prior to the Settlement Date. The Company may sell Shares to the Agent as principal at a price agreed upon at each relevant time Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement (each, a “Time of Sale”).

(vi) Suspension or Termination of Sales. Consistent with standard market settlement practices, the Company or the Agent may, upon notice to the other party hereto in writing or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable e-mail), suspend any sale of Shares, and the period set forth in an Issuance Notice shall immediately terminate; provided, however, that (A) such suspension and termination shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Shares placed or sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice; (B) if the Company suspends or terminates any sale of Shares after the Agent confirms such sale to the Company, the Company shall still be obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares; and (C) if the Company defaults in its obligation to deliver Shares on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that it will hold the Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage or expense (including, without limitation, penalties, interest and reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, in performing its obligations under this Agreement, the Agent may borrow Common Shares from stock lenders in the event that the Company has not delivered Shares to settle sales as required by subsection (v) above, and may use the Shares to settle or close out such borrowings. The Company agrees that no such notice shall be effective against the Agent unless it is made to the persons identified in writing by the Agent pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).

(vii) No Guarantee of Placement, Etc. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (A) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in placing Shares; (B) the Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other Person if it does not sell Shares; and (C) the Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically agreed by the Agent and the Company.

 

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(viii) Material Non-Public Information. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company shall not deliver any Issuance Notice to the Agent, and the Agent shall not be obligated to place any Shares, during any period in which the Company is in possession of material non-public information.

(c) Fees. As compensation for services rendered, the Company shall pay to the Agent, on the applicable Settlement Date, the Selling Commission for the applicable Issuance Amount (including with respect to any suspended or terminated sale pursuant to Section 3(b)(vi)) by the Agent deducting the Selling Commission from the applicable Issuance Amount.

(d) Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs); (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares; (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares; (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors; (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement; (vi) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Agent in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Agent, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum and a “Canadian wrapper”, and any supplements thereto, advising the Agent of such qualifications, registrations, determinations and exemptions; (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Agent’s counsel, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent in connection with, FINRA review, if any, and approval of the Agent’s participation in the offering and distribution of the Shares; (viii) the filing fees incident to FINRA review, if any; (ix) the fees and expenses associated with listing the Shares on the Principal Market. The fees and disbursements of Agent’s counsel pursuant to subsections (vi) and (vii) above shall not exceed (A) $75,000 in connection with execution of this Agreement; (B) $25,000 in connection with each Triggering Event Date (as defined below) involving the filing of a Form 10-K on which the Company is required to provide a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o); and (C) $15,000 in connection with each other Triggering Event Date (as defined below) on which the Company is required to provide a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o).

 

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Section 4. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent as follows, in addition to any other covenants and agreements made elsewhere in this Agreement:

(a) Exchange Act Compliance. During the Agency Period, the Company shall (i) file, on a timely basis, with the Commission all reports and documents required to be filed under Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within the time periods required by the Exchange Act; and (ii) either (A) include in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual reports on Form 10-K, a summary detailing, for the relevant reporting period, (1) the number of Shares sold through the Agent pursuant to this Agreement and (2) the net proceeds received by the Company from such sales or (B) prepare a prospectus supplement containing, or include in such other filing permitted by the Securities Act or Exchange Act (each an “Interim Prospectus Supplement”), such summary information and, at least once a quarter and subject to this Section 4, file such Interim Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (and within the time periods required by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430B under the Securities Act)).

(b) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Agent in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission; (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus; (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective; and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Shares from any securities exchange upon which they are listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order as soon as practicable. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rule 424(b) and Rule 433, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission.

(c) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus so that the Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Agent or counsel for the Agent it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company agrees (subject to Section 4(d) and Section 4(f)) to promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to the Agent, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law including the Securities Act. Neither the Agent’s consent to, or delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the Company’s obligations under Section 4(d) and Section 4(f).

 

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(d) Agents Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. Prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement (including any registration statement filed under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act) or the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement through incorporation of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Agent’s prior consent, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

(e) Use of Free Writing Prospectus. Neither the Company nor the Agent has prepared, used, referred to or distributed, or will prepare, use, refer to or distribute, without the other party’s prior written consent, any “written communication” that constitutes a “free writing prospectus” as such terms are defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act with respect to the offering contemplated by this Agreement (any such free writing prospectus being referred to herein as a “Free Writing Prospectus”).

(f) Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto without the Agent’s consent. The Company shall furnish to the Agent, without charge, as many copies of any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, or used by the Company, as the Agent may reasonably request. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares (but in any event if at any time through and including the date of this Agreement) there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly amend or supplement such free writing prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict or so that the statements in such free writing prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such subsequent time, not misleading, as the case may be; provided, however, that prior to amending or supplementing any such free writing prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented free writing prospectus and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented free writing prospectus without the Agent’s consent.

(g) Filing of Agent Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall not take any action that would result in the Agent or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Agent that the Agent otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

 

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(h) Copies of Registration Statement and Prospectus. After the date of this Agreement through the last time that a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, the Company agrees to furnish the Agent with copies (which may be electronic copies) of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, and with copies of the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto in the form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, both in such quantities as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required under the Securities Act or under the blue sky or securities laws of any jurisdiction at any time on or prior to the applicable Settlement Date for any period set forth in an Issuance Notice in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event has occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it is necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Agent and to request that the Agent suspend offers to sell Shares (and, if so notified, the Agent shall cease such offers as soon as practicable); and if the Company decides to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, to advise the Agent promptly by telephone (with confirmation in writing) and to prepare and cause to be filed promptly with the Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that if during such same period the Agent is required to deliver a prospectus in respect of transactions in the Shares, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission such an amendment or supplement.

(i) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Agent and counsel for the Agent to qualify or register the Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws or Canadian provincial securities laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Agent, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation. The Company will advise the Agent promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof as soon as practicable.

(j) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Agent an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.

 

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(k) Listing; Reservation of Shares. (a) The Company will maintain the listing of the Shares on the Principal Market; and (b) the Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, Shares for the purpose of enabling the Company to satisfy its obligations under this Agreement.

(l) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Shares.

(m) Due Diligence. During the term of this Agreement, the Company will reasonably cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agent in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during normal business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time.

(n) Representations and Warranties. The Company acknowledges that each delivery of an Issuance Notice and each delivery of Shares on a Settlement Date shall be deemed to be (i) an affirmation to the Agent that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement are true and correct as of the date of such Issuance Notice or of such Settlement Date, as the case may be, as though made at and as of each such date, except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto); and (ii) an undertaking that the Company will advise the Agent if any of such representations and warranties will not be true and correct as of the Settlement Date for the Shares relating to such Issuance Notice, as though made at and as of each such date (except that such representations and warranties shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented relating to such Shares).

(o) Deliverables at Triggering Event Dates; Certificates. The Company agrees that on or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and, during the term of this Agreement after the date of the first Issuance Notice, upon:

(A) the filing of the Prospectus or the amendment or supplement of any Registration Statement or Prospectus (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Shares or a prospectus filed pursuant to Section 4(a)(ii)(B)), by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker or supplement, but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus;

(B) the filing with the Commission of an annual report on Form 10-K or a quarterly report on Form 10-Q (including any Form 10-K/A or Form 10-Q/A containing amended financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q), in each case, of the Company; or

(C) the filing with the Commission of a current report on Form 8-K of the Company containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Item 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) that is material to the offering of securities of the Company in the Agent’s reasonable discretion;

 

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(any such event, a “Triggering Event Date”), the Company shall furnish the Agent (but in the case of clause (C) above only if the Agent reasonably determines that the information contained in such current report on Form 8-K of the Company is material) with a certificate as of the Triggering Event Date, in the form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, (A) confirming that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct, (B) confirming that the Company has performed all of its obligations hereunder to be performed on or prior to the date of such certificate and as to the matters set forth in Section 5(a)(iii) hereof, and (C) containing any other certification that the Agent shall reasonably request. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 4(o) shall be waived for any Triggering Event Date occurring at a time when no Issuance Notice is pending or a suspension is in effect, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers instructions for the sale of Shares hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Triggering Event Date) and the next occurring Triggering Event Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a Triggering Event Date when a suspension was in effect and did not provide the Agent with a certificate under this Section 4(o), then before the Company delivers the instructions for the sale of Shares or the Agent sells any Shares pursuant to such instructions, the Company shall provide the Agent with a certificate in conformity with this Section 4(o) dated as of the date that the instructions for the sale of Shares are issued.

(p) Legal Opinions. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, a negative assurances letter and the written legal opinion of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, counsel to the Company, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, intellectual property counsel to the Company, each dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented. In lieu of such opinions for subsequent periodic filings, in the discretion of the Agent, the Company may furnish a reliance letter from such counsel to the Agent, permitting the Agent to rely on a previously delivered opinion letter, modified as appropriate for any passage of time or Triggering Event Date (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of such Triggering Event Date).

(q) Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall cause the Accountants, the independent registered public accounting firm who has audited or reviewed the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, to furnish the Agent a comfort letter, dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel; provided, however, that any such comfort letter will only be required on the Triggering Event Date specified to the extent that

 

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it contains financial statements filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act and incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into a Prospectus. If requested by the Agent, the Company shall also cause a comfort letter to be furnished to the Agent on the date of occurrence of any material transaction or event requiring the filing of a current report on Form 8-K containing material amended financial information of the Company, including the restatement of the Company’s financial statements. The Company shall be required to furnish no more than one comfort letter hereunder per each filing of an annual report on Form 10-K or a quarterly report on Form 10-Q.

(r) Secretarys Certificate. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish the Agent a certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company, signing in such capacity, dated the date of delivery (i) certifying that attached thereto are true and complete copies of the resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement), which authorization shall be in full force and effect on and as of the date of such certificate, (ii) certifying and attesting to the office, incumbency, due authority and specimen signatures of each Person who executed this Agreement for or on behalf of the Company, and (iii) containing any other certification that the Agent shall reasonably request.

(s) Agent’s Own Account; Clients’ Account. The Company consents to the Agent trading, in compliance with applicable law, in the Common Shares for the Agent’s own account and for the account of its clients at the same time as sales of the Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement.

(t) Investment Limitation. The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

(u) Market Activities. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall cause each of its Affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M. If the limitations of Rule 102 of Regulation M (“Rule 102”) do not apply with respect to the Shares or any other reference security pursuant to any exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then promptly upon notice from the Agent (or, if later, at the time stated in the notice), the Company will, and shall cause each of its Affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though such exception were not available but the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by the Commission) did apply. The Company shall promptly notify the Agent if it no longer meets the requirements set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102.

 

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(v) Notice of Other Sale. Without the written consent of the Agent, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares (other than Shares hereunder), warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares, or effect a reverse stock split, recapitalization, share consolidation, reclassification or similar transaction affecting the outstanding Common Shares, during the period beginning on the third Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Issuance Notice is delivered to the Agent hereunder and ending on the third Trading Day immediately following the Settlement Date with respect to Shares sold pursuant to such Issuance Notice; and will not directly or indirectly enter into any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares (other than the Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Shares prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the Company’s (i) issuance or sale of Common Shares, options to purchase Common Shares or Common Shares issuable upon the exercise or vesting of options or other equity awards pursuant to any employee or director share option, incentive or benefit plan, share purchase or ownership plan, long-term incentive plan, dividend reinvestment plan, inducement award under Nasdaq rules or other compensation plan of the Company or its subsidiaries, as in effect on the date of this Agreement, (ii) issuance or sale of Common Shares issuable upon exchange, conversion or redemption of securities or the exercise or vesting of warrants, options or other equity awards outstanding at the date of this Agreement, and (iii) modification of any outstanding options, warrants of any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares

(w) Emerging Growth Company Status. During the Agency Period, the Company agrees to notify the Agent as soon as practicable upon the Company ceasing to be an Emerging Growth Company.

Section 5. CONDITIONS TO DELIVERY OF ISSUANCE NOTICES AND TO SETTLEMENT

(a) Conditions Precedent to the Right of the Company to Deliver an Issuance Notice and the Obligation of the Agent to Sell Shares. The right of the Company to deliver an Issuance Notice hereunder is subject to the satisfaction, on the date of delivery of such Issuance Notice, and the obligation of the Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice is subject to the satisfaction, on each Trading Day during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice, of each of the following conditions:

(i) Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties; Performance by the Company. The Company shall have delivered the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(o) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 4(o). The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to such date, including, but not limited to, the covenants contained in Section 4(p), Section 4(q) and Section 4(r).

 

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(ii) No Injunction. No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby that prohibits or directly and materially adversely affects any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and no proceeding shall have been commenced that may have the effect of prohibiting or materially adversely affecting any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(iii) Material Adverse Changes. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, (a) in the judgment of the Agent there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change; and (b) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.

(iv) No Suspension of Trading in or Delisting of Common Shares; Other Events. The trading of the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Principal Market or FINRA and the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall have been approved for listing or quotation on and shall not have been delisted from the Principal Market. There shall not have occurred (and be continuing in the case of occurrences under clauses (i) and (ii) below) any of the following: (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Principal Market or trading in securities generally on the Principal Market shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal or New York, authorities; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Agent is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities.

(b) Documents Required to be Delivered on each Issuance Notice Date. The Agent’s obligation to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares hereunder shall additionally be conditioned upon the delivery to the Agent on or before the Issuance Notice Date of a certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, executed by the Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that all conditions to the delivery of such Issuance Notice shall have been satisfied as at the date of such certificate (which certificate shall not be required if the foregoing representations shall be set forth in the Issuance Notice).

(c) No Misstatement or Material Omission. Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

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(d) Agent Counsel Legal Opinion. Agent shall have received from Cooley LLP, counsel for Agent, such opinion or opinions, on or before the date on which the delivery of the Company counsel legal opinion is required pursuant to Section 4(p), with respect to such matters as Agent may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for enabling them to pass upon such matters.

Section 6. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION

(a) Indemnification of the Agent. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and to reimburse the Agent and each such officer, employee and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agent) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any such Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information described in subsection (b) below. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. The Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as

 

30


incurred, to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; but, for each of (i) and (ii) above, only to the extent arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any such Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information set forth in the first sentence of the ninth paragraph under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus, and to reimburse the Company and each such director, officer and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of one counsel chosen by the Company) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Company or such officer, director or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Agent or the Company may otherwise have.

(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 6, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6 or to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded, based on the advice of counsel, that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties.

 

31


Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the indemnified party (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 6(a) and Section 6(b) above), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as they are incurred.

(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 6 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have provided notice to an indemnifying party, in accordance with the terms hereof, of a request to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 6(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request; and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding.

(e) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement; or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims,

 

32


damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total gross proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total commissions received by the Agent. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Agent, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6(c), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 6(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 6(e); provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 6(c) for purposes of indemnification.

The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6(e) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 6(e).

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6(e), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the aggregate Selling Commission received by the Agent in connection with the offering contemplated hereby. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 6(e), each officer and employee of the Agent and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Agent, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

Section 7. TERMINATION & SURVIVAL

(a) Term. Subject to the provisions of this Section 7, the term of this Agreement shall continue from the date of this Agreement until the end of the Agency Period, unless earlier terminated by the parties to this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.

 

33


(b) Termination; Survival Following Termination.

(i) Either party may terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the Agency Period, by giving written notice as required by this Agreement, upon ten (10) Trading Days’ notice to the other party; provided that, (A) if the Company terminates this Agreement after the Agent confirms to the Company any sale of Shares, the Company shall remain obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares and (B) Section 2, Section 3(d), Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 shall survive termination of this Agreement. If termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Shares, such sale shall nevertheless settle in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(ii) In addition to the survival provision of Section 7(b)(i), the respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the Agent set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agent or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

Section 8. MISCELLANEOUS

(a) Press Releases and Disclosure. The Company may issue a press release describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby as soon as practicable following the date of this Agreement, and may file with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K, with this Agreement attached as an exhibit thereto, describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Company shall consult with the Agent prior to making such disclosures, and the parties hereto shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosures that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto. No party hereto shall issue thereafter any press release or like public statement (including, without limitation, any disclosure required in reports filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act) related to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby without the prior written approval of the other party hereto, except as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the party seeking to make disclosure to comply with the requirements of applicable law or stock exchange rules. If any such press release or like public statement is so required, the party making such disclosure shall consult with the other party prior to making such disclosure, and the parties shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosure that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto.

(b) No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the determination of any fees, are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Company and the Agent, (ii) when acting as a principal under this Agreement, the Agent is and has been acting solely as a principal is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (iii) the Agent has not assumed nor will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Agent has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and the Agent does not have any obligation to the Company with respect to the

 

34


transactions contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Agent and its Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (v) the Agent has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

(c) Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Agent’s research analysts and research departments are required to and should be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and as such the Agent’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company understands that the Agent is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(d) Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered, sent via electronic mail (if applicable) or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:

If to the Agent:

Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Facsimile: (646) 786-5719

Attention: General Counsel

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Cooley LLP

55 Hudson Yards

New York, NY 10001

Attention: Daniel I. Goldberg, Esq.

Facsimile: (212) 479-6275

If to the Company:

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.

662 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 250

Encinitas, CA 92024

Attention: Christopher Krueger

 

35


with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation

12235 El Camino Real

San Diego, CA 92130

Attention: Martin J. Waters

Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others in accordance with this Section 8(d).

(e) Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 6, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Shares as such from the Agent merely by reason of such purchase.

(f) Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Article, Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

(g) Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

(h) General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument, and may be delivered by facsimile transmission or by electronic delivery of a portable document format (PDF) file (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com). This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Article and Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

[Signature Page Immediately Follows]

 

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms

 

Very truly yours,
VENTYX BIOSCIENCES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Raju Mohan

  Name: Raju Mohan
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Agent in New York, New York as of the date first above written.

JEFFERIES LLC

 

By:  

/s/ Michael Magarro

  Name: Michael Magarro
  Title: Managing Director


EXHIBIT A

ISSUANCE NOTICE

[Date]

Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Attn: [__________]

Reference is made to the Open Market Sale AgreementSM between Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) and Jefferies LLC (the “Agent”) dated as of December 20, 2022. The Company confirms that all conditions to the delivery of this Issuance Notice are satisfied as of the date hereof.

Date of Delivery of Issuance Notice (determined pursuant to Section 3(b)(i)):

 

                                                     

Issuance Amount (equal to the total Sales Price for such Shares):

 

   $                                                                                                                                                             
Number of days in selling period:   

 

First date of selling period:   

 

Last date of selling period:   

 

Settlement Date(s) if other than standard T+2 settlement:
  

 

Floor Price Limitation (in no event less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which consent may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion): $          per share

 

Comments:   

 

 

 

 

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


Schedule A

Notice Parties

The Company

Martin Auster

Christopher Kruger

Cody Franz

The Agent

Michael Magarro

Donald Lynaugh

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO   

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Professional Corporation

 

12235 El Camino Real

San Diego, CA 92130-3002

 

O: (858) 350-2300

F: (858) 350-2399

December 20, 2022

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.

662 Encinitas Boulevard, Suite 250

Encinitas, CA 92024

 

  Re:

Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

At your request, we have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”), filed by Ventyx Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) in connection with the registration pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), of the Securities (as defined below).

The Registration Statement relates to the proposed issuance and sale by the Company, from time to time, pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act, as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus (as defined below) and the supplements to the Base Prospectus referred to therein, including the ATM Prospectus (as defined below) (each a “Prospectus Supplement”), of (a) shares of Common Stock (as defined below) (the “Base Prospectus Shares”); (b) shares of the Company’s preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”); (c) the Company’s debt securities (the “Debt Securities”); (d) warrants to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”); (e) units consisting of two or more securities described above in any combination (the “Units”); and the Placement Shares (the Base Prospectus Shares, the Preferred Stock, the Debt Securities, the Warrants, the Units and the Placement Shares are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities”).

The Registration Statement includes: (i) a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”) and (ii) an additional prospectus (the “ATM Prospectus”), covering the offering of up to $150,000,000 of shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), that may be sold under the Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated December 20, 2022, by and between the Company and Jefferies, LLC. (such agreement, the “Sales Agreement,” and such shares, the “Placement Shares”).

The Securities are to be sold from time to time as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein, the ATM Prospectus, and the Prospectus Supplements. The Debt Securities are to be issued pursuant to a debt securities indenture (the “Indenture”), a form of which has been filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and is to be entered into between the Company and a trustee to be selected by the Company (the “Trustee”). The Securities are to be sold pursuant to a purchase, underwriting or similar agreement in substantially the form to be filed under a Current Report on Form 8-K (or with respect to the Placement Shares, the Sales Agreement). The Debt Securities are to be issued in the form set forth in the Indenture. The Indenture may be supplemented in connection with the issuance of each such series of Debt Securities, by a supplemental indenture or other appropriate action of the Company creating such series of Debt Securities.

 

AUSTIN        BEIJING        BOSTON         BRUSSELS        HONG KONG        LONDON        LOS ANGELES            NEW YORK        PALO ALTO

SAN DIEGO        SAN FRANCISCO        SEATTLE        SHANGHAI        WASHINGTON, DC        WILMINGTON, DE


LOGO

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.

December 20, 2022

Page 2

 

We have examined instruments, documents, certificates and records that we have deemed relevant and necessary for the basis of our opinions hereinafter expressed. In such examination, we have assumed: (a) the authenticity of original documents and the genuineness of all signatures; (b) the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies; (c) the truth, accuracy and completeness of the information, representations and warranties contained in the instruments, documents, certificates and records we have reviewed; (d) that the Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments), will have become effective under the Act; (e) that a Prospectus Supplement will have been filed with the Commission describing the Securities offered thereby; (f) that the Securities will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and the applicable Prospectus Supplement; (g) that a definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement with respect to any Securities offered will have been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; (h) that any Securities issuable upon conversion, exchange, redemption or exercise of any Securities being offered will be duly authorized, created and, if appropriate, reserved for issuance upon such conversion, exchange, redemption or exercise; (i) with respect to shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, that there will be sufficient shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock authorized under the Company’s organizational documents that are not otherwise reserved for issuance; (j) specific sales of Placement Shares pursuant to the Sales Agreement from time to time will be duly authorized by the Board; and (k) the legal capacity of all natural persons. As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein that were not independently established or verified, we have relied upon oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company. The term “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly constituted and acting committee thereof.

Based on such examination, we are of the opinion that:

1.    With respect to the Base Prospectus Shares, when: (a) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and the terms of the offering of the Base Prospectus Shares and related matters; and (b) the Base Prospectus Shares have been duly delivered either (i) in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, or upon the exercise of Warrants, upon payment of the consideration therefor (not less than the par value of the Common Stock) provided for therein or (ii) upon conversion or exercise of any other Security, in accordance with the terms of such Security or the instrument governing such Security providing for such conversion or exercise as approved by the Board, for the consideration approved by the Board, then the Base Prospectus Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

2.    With respect to any particular series of shares of Preferred Stock, when: (a) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the shares of Preferred Stock, the terms of the offering thereof, and related matters, including the adoption of a certificate of designation (a “Certificate”) relating to such Preferred Stock conforming to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) and the filing of the Certificate with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware; and (b) the shares of Preferred Stock have been duly delivered either (i) in accordance with the


LOGO

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.

December 20, 2022

Page 3

 

applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, or upon the exercise of Warrants to purchase Preferred Stock, upon payment of the consideration therefor (not less than the par value of the Preferred Stock) provided for therein or (ii) upon conversion or exercise of any other Security, in accordance with the terms of such Security or the instrument governing such Security providing for such conversion or exercise as approved by the Board, for the consideration approved by the Board, then the shares of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

3.    With respect to Debt Securities to be issued under the Indenture, when: (a) the Trustee is qualified to act as Trustee under the Indenture and the Company has filed a Form T-1 for the Trustee with the Commission; (b) the Trustee has duly executed and delivered the Indenture; (c) the Indenture has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company to the Trustee; (d) the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended; (e) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of such Debt Securities, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; and (f) such Debt Securities have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, or upon the exercise of Warrants to purchase Debt Securities, upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein, such Debt Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, and entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

4.    With respect to the Warrants, when: (a) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the Warrants and related matters; and (b) the Warrants have been duly executed and delivered against payment therefor, pursuant to the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting, warrant or similar agreement, as applicable, duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and a warrant agent and the certificates for the Warrants have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and such warrant agent, then the Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

5.    With respect to the Units, when: (a) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the Units (including any Securities underlying the Units) and related matters; and (b) the Units (including any Securities underlying the Units) have been duly executed and delivered against payment therefor, pursuant to the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting, or similar agreement duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and any applicable unit or other agents, and the certificates for the Units (including any Securities underlying the Units) have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and any applicable unit or other agents, then the Units will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

6.    The Placement Shares, when issued and paid for in connection with the Sales Agreement and as provided in the ATM Prospectus, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.


LOGO

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.

December 20, 2022

Page 4

 

Our opinion that any document is legal, valid and binding is qualified as to:

(a)    limitations imposed by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally;

(b)    rights to indemnification and contribution, which may be limited by applicable law or equitable principles; and

(c)    the effect of general principles of equity, including without limitation concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

We express no opinion as to the laws of any other jurisdiction, other than the federal laws of the United States of America, the laws of the State of New York (as to the enforceability of the Debt Securities, the Warrants and the Units) and the DGCL.

* * *


LOGO

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.

December 20, 2022

Page 5

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the above-referenced Registration Statement and to the use of our name wherever it appears in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the ATM Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement, and in any amendment or supplement thereto. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.

WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI

Professional Corporation

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in this Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. for the registration of shares of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, units and/or warrants and to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated March 24, 2022, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

San Diego, California

December 20, 2022

EX-23.2

Exhibit 23.2

Consent of Independent Auditors

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in this Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. for the registration of shares of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, units and/or warrants and to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated August 20, 2021 (except for the last paragraph of Note 11, as to which the date is October 14, 2021), with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Oppilan Pharma Ltd. included in the Registration Statement (Form S-1 No. 333-259891) of Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
San Diego, California
December 20, 2022
EX-23.3

Exhibit 23.3

Consent of Independent Auditors

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in this Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. for the registration of shares of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, units and/or warrants and to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated August 20, 2021 (except for the last paragraph of Note 11, as to which the date is October 14, 2021), with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Zomagen Biosciences Ltd. included in the Registration Statement (Form S-1 No. 333-259891) of Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

San Diego, California

December 20, 2022

EX-FILING FEES

Exhibit 107

Calculation of Filing Fee Tables

Form S-3

(Form Type)

Ventyx Biosciences, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities

 

    

Security

Type

 

Security

Class

Title

 

Fee

Calculation

or Carry

Forward Rule

 

Amount

Registered

   

Proposed

Maximum

Offering

Price Per

Unit

   

Maximum

Aggregate

Offering

Price

   

Fee

Rate (4)

   

Amount of

Registration

Fee (4)

   

Carry

Forward

Form

Type

   

Carry

Forward

File

Number

   

Carry

Forward

Initial

effective

date

   

Filing Fee

Previously

Paid In

Connection

with

Unsold

Securities

to be
Carried

Forward

 
                         
Fees to Be Paid   Equity  

Common

Stock, $0.0001

par value per

share

 

Rule 456(b) and

Rule 457(r)

    (1)(2)       (3)       (3)       (4)       (4)                                  
  Equity  

Preferred

Stock, $0.0001

par value per

share

 

Rule 456(b) and

Rule 457(r)

    (1)(2)       (3)       (3)       (4)       (4)                                  
  Debt  

Debt

Securities

 

Rule 456(b) and

Rule 457(r)

    (1)(2)       (3)       (3)       (4)       (4)                                  
  Other   Warrants  

Rule 456(b) and

Rule 457(r)

    (1)(2)       (3)       (3)       (4)       (4)                                  
  Other   Units  

Rule 456(b) and

Rule 457(r)

    (1)(2)       (3)       (3)       (4)       (4)                                  
  Equity  

Common

Stock, $0.0001

par value per

share

  Rule 457(o)                   $ 150,000,000     $ 110.20     $ 16,530                                  
                         
Fees Previously Paid   N/A   N/A   N/A     N/A       N/A       N/A               N/A                                  
 
Carry Forward Securities

 

                         
Carry Forward Securities   N/A   N/A   N/A     N/A               N/A                       N/A       N/A       N/A       N/A  
                   
    Total Offering Amounts 

 

            $150,000,000               $16,530                                  
                   
    Total Fees Previously Paid 

 

                            N/A                                  
                   
    Total Fee Offsets 

 

                            N/A                                  
                   
    Net Fee Due 

 

                            $16,530                                  

 

(1)

The securities registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of (a) shares of common stock, (b) shares of preferred stock, (c) debt securities, (d) warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock or other securities of the registrant, and (e) units consisting of some or all of these securities in any combination, as may be sold from time to time by the registrant. There are also being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of shares of common stock and preferred stock as shall be issuable upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any securities that provide for such issuance.


(2)

Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, this registration statement shall also cover any additional shares of the registrant’s securities that become issuable by reason of any stock splits, stock dividend or similar transaction.

(3)

The proposed maximum per security and aggregate offering prices per class of securities will be determined from time to time by the registrant in connection with the issuance by the registrant of the securities registered hereunder and is not specified as to each class of security. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable on exercise, conversion or exchange of other securities, or that are issued in units.

(4)

In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act, the registrant is deferring payment of the entire registration fee other than the registration fee due in connection with $150,000,000 of shares of common stock that may be issued and sold from time to time under the sales agreement prospectus included herein. Any subsequent registration fees will be paid on a pay-as-you-go basis.