8-K
00-0000000 false 0001840904 0001840904 2022-11-10 2022-11-10

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): November 10, 2022

 

 

ATAI LIFE SCIENCES N.V.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

The Netherlands   001-40493   Not Applicable

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

Wallstraße 16

10179 Berlin, Germany

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

+49 89 2153 9035

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common shares, €0.10 par value per share   ATAI   The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (Nasdaq Global Market)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  

 

 

 


Item 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

On November 10, 2022, ATAI Life Sciences N.V. (the “Company”) entered into an Open Market Sale AgreementSM (the “Sales Agreement”) with Jefferies LLC (“Jefferies”), pursuant to which the Company may issue and sell its common shares, nominal value €0.10 per share (the “Common Shares”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000, from time to time through an “at the market” equity offering program (the “Offering Program”) under which Jefferies will act as sales agent. The Common Shares to be sold pursuant to the Sales Agreement, if any, will be issued pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-265970) and related prospectus supplement filed on November 10, 2022 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Under the Sales Agreement, the Company will set the parameters for the sale of Common Shares, the number of Common Shares to be issued, the dates on which such sales are anticipated to be made, any limitation on the number of Common Shares to be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, Jefferies will use commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Common Shares by methods 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”). The Company has no obligation to sell any of the Common Shares. The Company may instruct Jefferies not to sell the Common Shares if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by the Company from time to time and the Company may at any time suspend sales pursuant to the Sales Agreement. The Company will pay Jefferies a commission of up to 3.0% of the gross sales proceeds of any Common Shares sold through Jefferies under the Sales Agreement. The Company made certain customary representations, warranties and covenants concerning the Company and its Common Shares in the Sales Agreement and also provided Jefferies with customary indemnification and contribution rights. The offering of Common Shares pursuant to the Sales Agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the sale of all Common Shares subject to the Sales Agreement and (ii) the termination of the Sales Agreement as permitted therein.

The foregoing description of the material terms of the Sales Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Sales Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from any issuances through the Offering Program to advance the clinical development of its product candidates and programs and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Dentons Europe LLP, Dutch counsel to the Company, has issued a legal opinion regarding the validity of the Common Shares to be issued and sold pursuant to the Sales Agreement. A copy of the opinion, including the consent included therein, is filed as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy the securities discussed herein, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Exhibit Description

  1.1    Open Market Sale Agreement, dated as of November 10, 2022, between ATAI Life Sciences N.V. and Jefferies LLC.
  5.1    Opinion of Dentons Europe LLP.
23.1    Consent of Dentons Europe LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

    ATAI LIFE SCIENCES N.V.
Date: November 10, 2022     By:  

/s/ Florian Brand

    Name:   Florian Brand
    Title:   Chief Executive Officer
EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

Certain identified information, indicated by [***], has been excluded from the exhibit because it is both (i) not material and (ii) would likely cause competitive harm if publicly disclosed.

OPEN MARKET SALE AGREEMENTSM

November 10, 2022

JEFFERIES LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

ATAI Life Sciences N.V., a Dutch public company with limited liability (naamloze vennootschap) (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 shares, nominal value €0.10 per share (the “Common Shares”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000, 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.

 

SM 

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


FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

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; provided that the minimum price per Share shall in no event be less than the nominal value thereof.

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, Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel.

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 Common Shares that may be issued under the Company’s authorized share capital included in its articles of association from time to time (less Common Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company or otherwise reserved from the Company’s authorized share capital, including pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans), (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 Global Market or such other national securities exchange on which the Common Shares, including any Shares, are then listed.

Rules and Regulations” means the rules and regulations of the Commission.

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 thereunder.

 

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Selling Commission” means up to three percent (3%) 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.

Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act.

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

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 (as defined below) and (5) as of each Time of Sale (as defined below) (each of the times referenced above is referred to herein as a “Representation Date”), except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto) on or before a Representation Date:

(a) Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-265970) 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.

 

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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. The Company’s obligations under this Agreement to furnish, provide, deliver or make available (and all other similar references) copies of any report or statement shall be deemed satisfied if the same is filed with the Commission through its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”).

At the time the Original Registration Statement was declared effective and at the time the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K was filed with the Commission, if later, 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 has, and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have, been declared effective by 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. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Original 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 in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed with the Commission through its EDGAR system (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

 

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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.

(c) Ineligible Issuer Status. The Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, including (x) the Company or any other subsidiary in the preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 and (y) the Company in the preceding three years not having been the subject of a bankruptcy petition or insolvency or similar proceeding, not having had a registration statement be the subject of a proceeding under Section 8 of the Securities Act and not being the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Shares, all as described in Rule 405.

(d) Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

(e) 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.

(f) Exchange Act Compliance. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, and any Free Writing Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto 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 Original Registration Statement became effective and at the time any amendments to the Original Registration Statement or additional Registration Statements and any amendments thereto become effective and at each Time of Sale (as defined below), as the case may be, do not or 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.

 

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(g) 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. To the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent for the use of such data from such sources.

(h) Testing-the-Waters Communication. The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Agent to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications in connection with the sale of any Shares. The Company reconfirms that the Agent has been authorized to act on the Company’s behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications in connection with the sale of any Shares.

(i) Good standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated or otherwise organized and is validly existing as a company in good standing (where such concept exists) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and has 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; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in 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 the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below).

(j) Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, and is validly existing and in good standing (where “good standing” is a known concept) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below); and each subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable, and the capital stock of each subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, is owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects, except in each case as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(k) Authorization of Shares. The Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when the Shares have been delivered and paid for in accordance with this Agreement on each Settlement Date, such Shares will have been, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will conform in all material respects to the information in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and to the description of such Common Shares contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; the shareholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Shares; and none of the outstanding share capital of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security holder

 

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of the Company. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding (i) securities or obligations of the Company convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock of the Company, (ii) warrants, rights or options to subscribe for or purchase from the Company any such share capital or any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligations or (iii) obligations of the Company to issue or sell any shares of share capital, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligations or any such warrants, rights or options. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, offered or sold any of the Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations) or used any “prospectus” or made any offer (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, in each case other than the Prospectus.

(l) No Finder’s Fee. There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Agent for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this Agreement.

(m) Registration Rights. There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act (collectively, “registration rights”), and any person to whom the Company has granted registration rights has agreed not to exercise such rights.

(n) 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.

(o) Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company, except such as have been obtained, or made and such as may be required under state securities laws or by FINRA.

(p) Title to Property. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from all liens, charges, mortgages, pledges, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind and defects that would materially affect the value thereof or materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them and, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no terms or provisions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them.

 

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(q) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale of the Shares will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) any statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such defaults or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below); a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that 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.

(r) Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its respective charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such defaults or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Effect”).

(s) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(t) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess, and are in compliance in all material respects with the terms of, all adequate certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits issued by appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory bodies (collectively, “Licenses”) necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus to be conducted by them. The Company and each of its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Licenses and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses that, in each case, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(u) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company, or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of their principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors that in each case could, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(v) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms sufficient rights to use all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, domain names, licenses, approvals, trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, inventions, technology, know-how, all other intellectual property and similar rights, including all registrations and applications for registration of , and all goodwill associated with, the foregoing (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”), in each case, necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus to be conducted by them. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (i) there are no rights of any third parties to any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company or its subsidiaries; (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation, breach, default or other violation, or the occurrence of any event that with notice or the passage of time would constitute any of the foregoing, by any third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights of the Company or its subsidiaries; (iii) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, investigation, proceeding or claim by any third party challenging the Company’s or any of its subsidiary’s rights in or to, or the violation of any of the terms of, any of their respective Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (iv) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, investigation, proceeding or claim by any third party challenging the ownership, validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property Rights of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (v) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, investigation, proceeding or claim by any third party that the Company or any of its subsidiary infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates or conflicts with any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of any third party and the Company is unaware of any fact which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (vi) none of the Intellectual Property Rights used by the Company or any of its subsidiaries in their businesses has been obtained or is being used by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (A) in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (B) in violation of the any rights of any person or entity; (vii) all Intellectual Property Rights of the Company and its subsidiaries are subsisting and, to the knowledge of the Company, all registered or granted Intellectual Property Rights of the Company and its subsidiaries are valid and enforceable; (viii) the Company and its subsidiaries have at all times taken reasonable steps in accordance with normal industry practice to maintain the confidentiality of all trade secrets and other proprietary or confidential information, the value of which to the Company or its subsidiaries is contingent upon maintaining the confidentiality thereof, and (ix) the Company, its subsidiaries, and, to the knowledge of the Company, the respective counsel for the Company and its subsidiaries have complied with the duties of candor, good faith and disclosure, as required by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and all foreign offices having similar requirements, with respect to the prosecution of the patents and patent applications owned by or exclusively licensed to the Company or its subsidiaries and for which such duty is owed, except in each case covered by clauses (i) – (ix) such as would not, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

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(w) Cybersecurity and Data Protection. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or where it would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) there has been no security breach or incident, violation, outage, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of or relating to the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, applications, equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems”), or confidential data and databases (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data and information of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third-party confidential data collected, maintained, processed or stored by the Company and its subsidiaries, and any such data collected, maintained, processed or stored by third parties on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries) (together with IT Systems, “IT Systems and Data”), (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ IT Systems are adequate for, and operate and perform as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants, (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and technological safeguards designed to maintain and protect the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and Data reasonably consistent with applicable industry standards and practices, or as required by applicable regulatory standards, (iv) the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all applicable material judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court, arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of their IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification (collectively, the “Privacy Obligations”); and (x) neither the Company nor any subsidiary: (y) has received written notice during the past three years asserting a violation by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any of the Privacy Obligations; (z) is currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Obligation; or (aa) is a party to any order, decree, or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability by any governmental or regulatory authority under any Privacy Obligation.

(x) Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i)(A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been or is in violation of any federal, state, local or non-U.S. statute, law (including common law), rule, regulation, ordinance, code or other legally enforceable requirement, or decision or order of any governmental agency, governmental body or court, relating to pollution, Hazardous Substances, the protection or restoration of the environment or natural resources, and health and safety including with respect to exposure to Hazardous Substances (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries owns, occupies, leases, operates or uses any real property contaminated with Hazardous Substances, (C) the Company and its subsidiaries have received and are in compliance with all, and have no lability under any, permits, licenses, authorizations, identification numbers or other approvals required under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, (D) there are no costs, obligations or liabilities of or relating to the Company or any of its subsidiaries associated with Environmental Laws or Hazardous

 

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Substances, including with respect to any investigation, remediation, remedial action or monitoring, or off-site treatment, storage or disposal, of Hazardous Substances, (E) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no requirements proposed for adoption or implementation under any Environmental Law, and (F) neither the Company or any subsidiary has received notice of any actual or potential violation, liability or obligation, and there are no pending or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened complaint, action, suit, proceeding, investigation or claim, under or relating to Environmental Laws or Hazardous Substances, except in the case of each of (A)-(F), for any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) (x) there are no proceedings pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under Environmental Laws in which a government authority is a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions will be imposed, (y) the Company is not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with, or liabilities or obligations under, Environmental Laws that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (z) none of the Company and its subsidiaries anticipates any material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws. For purposes of this subsection “Hazardous Substances” means petroleum and petroleum products, by-products or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls and mold, and any other pollutant, chemical, contaminant, waste, or hazardous or toxic material or substance.

(y) Drug Regulatory Compliance. The Company and each of its subsidiaries: (A) have operated at all times and are currently in compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.) and the regulations promulgated thereunder (the “FDCA”) and the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 801 et seq.) (collectively “Drug Regulatory Laws”); (B) have not received any FDA Form 483, written notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice from the FDA, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the European Medicines Agency, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency or any other material applicable governmental entity (each a “Regulatory Authority”) alleging or asserting noncompliance with Drug Regulatory Laws or with any material licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, exemptions, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by the Regulatory Authorities to be obtained by the Company or the Company’s subsidiaries to conduct their business as currently conducted (“Authorizations”); (C) possess all Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) have not received written notice of any action from the Regulatory Authorities alleging that any product, operation or activity is in material violation of any Drug Regulatory Laws or the terms of any Authorization and have no knowledge that any Regulatory Authority is considering any such Action; (E) have not received written notice that a Regulatory Authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any material authorizations and, to the Company’s knowledge, no Regulatory Authority has threatened such action; and (F) have filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments thereto to the Regulatory Authorities as required under the Drug Regulatory Laws or pursuant to any authorization and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission where so required).

 

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(z) Tests and Preclinical and Clinical Trials. The studies, tests and preclinical and clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of or sponsored by the Company or the Company’s subsidiaries or in which the Company or the Company’s subsidiaries have participated were and, if still ongoing are, being conducted in all material respects in accordance with in accordance with applicable medical and scientific research standards and procedures and in compliance with applicable laws, including, without limitation, the Drug Regulatory Laws, Health Care Laws (as defined below), any applicable rules and regulations of the jurisdiction in which such trials and studies are being conducted and, to the extent applicable, Good Clinical Practices and Good Laboratory Practices. The Company and each of the Company’s subsidiaries are not aware of any studies, tests or trials, the results of which the Company or the Company’s subsidiaries believe are inconsistent with or call into question the study, test, or trial results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus when viewed in the context in which such results are described and the clinical state of development. The Company and the Company’s subsidiaries have not received any written notices or written correspondence from the Regulatory Authorities or any governmental entity requiring or threatening the termination, material modification or suspension of any studies, tests or preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company or the Company’s subsidiaries, other than ordinary course communications with respect to modifications in connection with the design and implementation of such trials. The descriptions of the results of such studies and trials contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are accurate in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such trials and studies.

(aa) Compliance with Health Care Laws. In the past three years, the Company and the Company’s subsidiaries have operated at all times and are currently in compliance with all Health Care Laws except where failure to be in compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement, “Health Care Laws” means: (i) all applicable federal, state, local and foreign health care fraud and abuse laws, such as, to the extent applicable, the U.S. Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(b)), the U.S. Civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. Section 3729 et seq.), the criminal False Statements Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(a)), 18 U.S.C. Sections 286, and 287, the health care fraud criminal provisions under HIPAA, the Civil Monetary Penalties Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7a), and the exclusion law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7); (ii) to the extent applicable, HIPAA, as amended by the HITECH Act; (iii) licensure, quality, safety and accreditation requirements under applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulatory bodies; and (iv) all other applicable local, state, federal, national, supranational and foreign laws, relating to the regulation of the Company, and the Company’s subsidiaries and the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product under development, manufactured or distributed by the Company or the Company’s subsidiaries. In the past three years, neither the Company nor the Company’s subsidiaries has received written notice of any action from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any product, operation or activity is in material violation of any Health Care Laws nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is any such Action threatened, except where such action would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. In the past three years, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and the Company’s subsidiaries have filed, maintained or submitted all reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any applicable Health Care Laws, and all such reports, documents,

 

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forms, notices, applications, records, claims, 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 the Company’s 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, in the past three years, none of the Company, the Company’s subsidiaries or any of their respective employees, officers, directors, or to the Company’s knowledge, their 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.

(bb) Criminal Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has engaged in or will engage in (i) any direct or indirect dealings or transactions in violation of applicable criminal laws, including, without limitation, the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the Fraud Act of 2006, the Theft Act of 1968 the Travel Act of 1961 or any anti-money laundering statute, or (ii) any “aiding and abetting” in any violation of applicable criminal laws. 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 the Company’s subsidiaries with respect to criminal laws is pending or threatened.

(cc) Manufacturing and Suppliers. To the Company’s knowledge, the manufacturing facilities and operations of its suppliers are operated in compliance with all applicable statutes, rules, regulations and policies of the applicable Regulatory Authorities, including, without limitation, the Drug Regulatory Laws and Health Care Laws, except for such non-compliance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(dd) Accurate Disclosure. The statements in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the headings “Description of Share Capital and Articles of Association,” “Description of Debt Securities,” “Description of Warrants,” “Description of Units” and “Global Securities,” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown in all material respects.

(ee) Absence of Manipulation. None of the Company or any of its affiliates has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed or would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Common Shares or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(ff) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company is in compliance, in all material respects, with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder that are in effect and with which the Company is required to comply as of the date of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

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(gg) Internal Controls and Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company maintains a system of internal controls, including, but not limited to, disclosure controls and procedures, internal controls over accounting matters and financial reporting, an internal audit function and legal and regulatory compliance controls (collectively, “Internal Controls”) that comply with applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and Securities Act and are sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Internal Controls are, overseen by the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Company’s Board of Supervisory Directors (the “Board of Supervisory Directors”) in accordance with Exchange Rules and applicable laws. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has not publicly disclosed or reported to the Audit Committee or the Board of Supervisory Directors, and within the next 135 days the Company does not reasonably expect to publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board of Supervisory Directors, a “significant deficiency” or “material weakness” (each as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act), a change in Internal Controls or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in Internal Controls (each, an “Internal Control Event”), any violation of, or failure to comply with, the U.S. federal securities laws and the Exchange Rules, or any matter which, if determined adversely, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(hh) Absence of Accounting Issues. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Audit Committee is not reviewing or investigating, and neither the Company’s independent auditors nor their internal auditors have recommended that the Audit Committee review or investigate, (i) adding to, deleting, changing the application of, or changing the Company’s disclosure with respect to, any of the Company’s material accounting policies; (ii) any matter which could result in a restatement of the Company’s financial statements for any annual or interim period during the current or prior three fiscal years; or (iii) any Internal Control Event.

(ii) Litigation. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Shares; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) are threatened or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated.

 

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(jj) Financial Statements. The financial statements included in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, as well as of COMPASS Pathways plc and its subsidiaries, as of the dates shown and their respective results of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis. 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 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 fairly present 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 contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that constitute non-GAAP financial measures (as defined by the rules and regulations under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) comply with Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable.

(kk) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus: (i) there has been no change, nor any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole that is material and adverse, (ii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its share capital, (iii) there has been no material adverse change in the capital stock, short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (iv) there has been no material transaction entered into and there is no material transaction that is probable of being entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than transactions in the ordinary course of business, (v) there has been no obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company or any of its subsidiaries taken as a whole, incurred by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business, (vi) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority and (vii) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in 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”).

(ll) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, immediately after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

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(mm) Ratings. No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act (i) has imposed (or has informed the Company that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the Company’s retaining any rating assigned to the Company or any securities of the Company or (ii) has indicated to the Company that it is considering downgrading in the rating of any debt securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act), or any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating).

(nn) PFIC Status. The Company believes it is a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) and it shall use reasonable efforts to provide to the U.S. Holders such information as the IRS may require, including a PFIC annual information statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holders to make and maintain an election to treat the Company as a “qualified electing fund” (as such term is defined in Section 1295 of the Internal Revenue Code).

(oo) Payments in Foreign Currency. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement the Prospectus, under current laws and regulations of the Netherlands and any political subdivision thereof, all dividends and other distributions declared and payable on the Common Shares may be paid by the Company to the holder thereof in United States dollars or euros that may be converted into foreign currency and freely transferred out of euros and all such payments made to holders thereof or therein who are non-residents of the Netherlands will not be subject to income, withholding or other taxes under laws and regulations of the Netherlands or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein and will otherwise be free and clear of any other tax, duty, withholding or deduction in the Netherlands or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein and without the necessity of obtaining any governmental authorization in the Netherlands or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein.

(pp) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; all material policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(qq) Taxes. The Company and each of its subsidiaries has filed all necessary federal, state, local and foreign material tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement and have paid all material taxes required to be paid thereon (except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no material tax deficiency has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

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(rr) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, nor any director or officer, nor, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, any agent, employee or other person acting on behalf of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) taken any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any government official, including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office (“Government Official”) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit, to any Government Official or other person or entity. The Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.

(ss) Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any applicable governmental or regulatory agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental or regulatory agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, threatened.

(tt) Economic Sanctions. Neither the Company nor any of the Company’s subsidiaries, nor any director or officer thereof, nor, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, any agent, employee, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is: the subject or target of any U.S. sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, the Swiss Secretariat of Economic Affairs, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, or other relevant sanctions authority

 

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(collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of the Company’s subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions including, without limitation, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic and the Crimea regions of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea or Syria (each a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not, directly or knowingly indirectly, use the proceeds of the sale of the Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person: (i) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of any Sanctions; (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise). For the past five years, the Company and the Company’s subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or target of Sanctions.

(uu) Other Offerings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any Common Shares during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or Regulation S of, the Securities Act, other than Common Shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

(vv) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no material contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described or filed as required.

(ww) Lending Relationship. The Company and its subsidiaries (i) do not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of the Agent and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of the Agent.

(xx) Margin Rules. The application of the proceeds received by the Company from the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will not violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

(yy) Absence of Unlawful Influence. The Company has not offered or sold, or caused the Agent to offer or sell, any Common Shares to any person pursuant to a directed share program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.

(zz) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the Company’s financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the Commission as a part of 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.

 

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(aaa) 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.

(bbb) Valid Choice of Laws. The choice of the laws of the State of New York as the governing law of this Agreement is a valid choice of law under the laws of the Netherlands and Germany and will be recognized by courts in the Netherlands and Germany. The Company has the corporate power to submit, and pursuant to Section 8(g) of this Agreement, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the personal jurisdiction of 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 has validly and irrevocably waived any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court; and the Company has the power to designate, appoint and empower an authorized agent for service of process in any action arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the offering of the Common Shares in any Specified Court and service of process effected on such authorized agent will be effective to notify the Company of any action under this Agreement.

(ccc) Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 8(g) of this Agreement, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the jurisdiction of the Specified Courts, and the Company has the power to designate, appoint and authorize, and pursuant to Section 8(g) of this Agreement, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably designated, appointed and authorized an agent for service of process in any action arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Shares in such court, and service of process effected on such authorized agent will be effective to confer valid jurisdiction over the Company as provided in Section 8(g) hereof.

(ddd) No Sovereign Immunity. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of its or their properties or assets has any immunity from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution or otherwise), including under the laws of the Netherlands, Germany and the European Union. The irrevocable and unconditional waiver and agreement of the Company contained in Section 8 of this Agreement not to plead or claim any such immunity in any legal action, suit or proceeding based on this Agreement is valid and binding under the laws of the Netherlands and Germany. To the extent that the Company or any of its respective properties, assets or revenues may have or may hereafter become entitled to any such right of immunity in any such court in which proceedings may at any time be commenced, the Company waives or will waive such right to the extent permitted by law and has consented to such relief and enforcement as provided in Section 8(g) of this Agreement.

 

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(eee) Enforceability of Judgment. Any final judgment for a fixed or readily calculable sum of money rendered by a Specified Court having jurisdiction under its own domestic laws and recognized by the Dutch and German courts as having jurisdiction (according to Dutch and German conflicts of laws principles and rules of Swedish private international law at the time when proceedings were initiated) to give such final judgment in respect of any suit, action or proceeding against the Company based upon this Agreement and any instruments or agreements entered into for the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein would be declared enforceable against the Company, without re-examination or review of the merits of the cause of action in respect of which the original judgment was given or re-litigation of the matters adjudicated upon, by the courts of Germany and would be in principle given binding effect by the courts of the Netherlands.

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.

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 one or more of 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.

 

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(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 with respect to which the Agent has agreed to act as sales agent, 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. The parties acknowledge that the placement of Shares may be facilitated through one or more affiliates of the Agent. 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 privately negotiated transactions with the consent of the Company; (B) as block transactions; or (C) 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 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 clauses (A) and (B) above) the method of placement of any Shares by the Agent shall be at the Agent’s discretion.

(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 email), 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

 

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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 (other than as a result of a failure by the Agent of its obligations under this Agreement), 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.

(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. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall not be required to pay to the Agent any Selling Commission with respect to any Issuance Notice, except to the extent Shares are placed pursuant thereto.

(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,

 

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registrations, determinations and exemptions; (vii) the reasonable and documented fees actually incurred for time billed 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 costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives, employees and officers of the Company and of the Agent and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; and (x) 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 the first Issuance Notice and (B) $15,000 in connection with each Triggering Event Date (as defined below) on which the Company is required to provide a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o).

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, or 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

 

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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 filed in a timely manner with 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 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, not 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 Sections 4(d) and 4(f).

(d) Agents Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. During any period during which an Issuance Notice is pending, 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

 

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Agent’s consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. 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, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

(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.

(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

 

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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.

(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 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 (A) 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

 

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as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto); and (B) 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;

(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.

 

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(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 assurance letter and the written legal opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel to the Company, Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel to the Agent, each of Cooley LLP and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, intellectual property counsel to the Company, and Dentons Europe LLP, Dutch 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 Deloitte & Touche LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm who has audited the Company’s 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 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 within ten (10) Trading Days of 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 calendar quarter. If requested by the Agent, the Company shall also cause a comfort letter to be furnished to the Agent upon the 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, which such event shall be considered a Triggering Event Date.

(r) Secretarys Certificate. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date, 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 members of each of the Board of Supervisory Directors and the Company’s Board of Managing Directors,

 

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each 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; provided, however, that if the Secretary of the Company is unavailable to execute such certificate, the General Counsel or another executive officer of the Company may deliver this certificate in such person’s capacity as an executive officer of the Company.

(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. Neither the Company, nor any of its subsidiaries has taken, and 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.

(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, 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 or other equity awards to purchase or acquire Common Shares or Common Shares

 

29


issuable upon the exercise 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, (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, and (iii) modification of any outstanding options, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares.

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) and Section 4(r).

 

  (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.

 

30


  (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 Nasdaq Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange or any of their constituent markets. 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 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, Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel 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 Times 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.

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

 

31


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 reasonable expenses (including the reasonable and documented 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 set forth in the first sentence of the tenth paragraph under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus. 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 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

 

32


(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 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 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. 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.

 

33


(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 requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 6(b) 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 30 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, 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(b), any documented 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(b) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 6(d); provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 6(b) for purposes of indemnification.

 

34


The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6(d) 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(d).

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6(d), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the 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(d), 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.

(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 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.

 

35


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 and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its shareholders, 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 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.

 

36


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

If to the Agent:

Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Facsimile: [***]

Attention: General Counsel

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

Goodwin Procter LLP

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Attention: [***]

Facsimile: [***]

Email: [***]

If to the Company:

ATAI Life Sciences N.V.

Wallstraße 1610179 Berlin, Germany

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

Email: [***]

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

Latham & Watkins LLP

1271 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

Attention: [***]

Email: [***]

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.

 

37


(g) Governing Law Provisions; Consent to Jurisdiction; Appointment of Agent for Service. 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 (“Related Proceedings”) may be instituted in 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 (a “Related Judgment”), 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. The Company and each other party not located in the United States has irrevocably appointed ATAI Life Sciences US Inc., which currently maintains an office at 524 Broadway, New York, New York 10012, United States of America, as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York, United States of America.

(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. Any signature to this Agreement may be delivered by facsimile transmission, electronic mail (including portable document format (PDF) file) or any electronic signature complying with 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]

 

38


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,
ATAI LIFE SCIENCES N.V.
By:  

/s/ Florian Brand

  Name: Florian Brand
  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/ Donald Lynaugh

  Name: Donald Lynaugh
  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 Agreement between ATAI Life Sciences N.V. (the “Company”) and Jefferies LLC (the “Agent”) dated as of November 10, 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, provided that the Floor Price per Share shall in no event be less than the nominal value thereof): $ ____ per share

Comments: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

______________________
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-1


Schedule A

Notice Parties

The Company

[***]

The Agent

[***]

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO  

Dentons Europe LLP, Amsterdam branch

Gustav Mahlerplein 2

1082 MA Amsterdam

P.O. Box 75510

1070 AM Amsterdam

The Netherlands

 

dentons.com

To: ATAI Life Sciences N.V., a public limited company (naamloze vennootschap) incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands, having its corporate seat (statutaire zetel) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, its registered office at Wallstraße 16 (10179) Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany, and registered with the trade register of the Chamber of Commerce (handelsregister van de Kamer van Koophandel) under number 80299776 (the Company).

 

Date   : 10 November 2022    Matter no.   : 0279771.0007
Subject   : Supplemental prospectus offering opinion (ATM November 2022)

Dear Sirs,

 

1.

We have been acting as legal advisors to the Company and have been requested to issue a legal opinion as to certain matters of Dutch law in connection with a certain number of common shares (aandelen op naam) in the capital of the Company with a nominal value of EUR0.10 each and having an aggregate offering price of up to USD150,000,000 (the Common Shares) which may be offered and sold as contemplated by the Propectus Supplement filed or to be filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) (an Offering) under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act).

 

2.

We have examined and relied upon:

 

  a.

a copy of the Form S-3 registration statement dated 1 July 2022, filed by the Company with the SEC (the Registration Statement);

 

  b.

a copy of the draft prospectus supplement in connection with the Registration Statement, filed or to be filed by the Company with the SEC (the Prospectus Supplement), in the form reviewed by us;

 

  c.

a copy of an extract of the registration of the Company in the trade register (handelsregister) held by the Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) under number 80299776, dated 10 November 2022 (the Extract);

 

  d.

a copy of the deed of incorporation (akte van oprichting) of the Company dated 10 September 2020 (the Deed of Incorporation); and

 

  e.

a copy of the articles of association of the Company dated 1 July 2022 (the Articles of Association), which, according to the Extract, are in force on the date hereof.

We have not examined and relied upon any other agreements, deeds or any other document entered into by or affecting the Company or any other corporate records of the Company and have not made any other enquiry concerning the Company.

 

3.

We have assumed:

 

  a.

the authenticity, genuineness, correctness and completeness of all documents that we have examined and relied upon, and we have relied upon the conformity of all documents under 2. with the originals thereof and we have relied upon the factual information contained therein (save for the Extract where we have relied on all factual information relevant for purposes of this opinion letter to be correct), as well as the genuineness of the signatures placed on the documents that we have examined and relied upon;

 

Dentons Europe LLP is a global legal practice providing client services worldwide through its member firms and affiliates.

Dentons Europe LLP is a limited liability partnership offering professional services as advocaten and civil law notaries (notarissen) seated in Amsterdam and registered with the Trade Registry of the Chamber of Commerce under number 34207824.


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  b.

that the documents referred to under 2. (other than the Prospectus Supplement) were at their date, and have through the date hereof remained, accurate and in full force and effect (save for the Extract where we assume that all factual information relevant for purposes of this opinion letter is accurate and in full force and effect) and that the Prospectus Supplement has been declared effective by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act in that form;

 

  c.

the authorised share capital (maatschappelijk kapitaal) of the Company allows for the issuance of the Common Shares;

 

  d.

any Common Shares shall be issued, and any pre-emption rights in connection with such shares shall have been excluded, pursuant to resolutions validly passed by the corporate body (orgaan) of the Company duly authorised to do so;

 

  e.

the issue price for any Common Shares shall at least equal the aggregate nominal value thereof, and any such issue price shall have been satisfied in cash and shall have been received and accepted by the Company ultimately upon the issuance of the relevant Common Shares and, where relevant, the Company shall have consented to payment in a currency other than Euro;

 

  f.

that each time when any Common Shares are issued by the Company, the assumptions made in this opinion letter will be correct;

 

  g.

that to the extent any of the documents under 2. were or will be executed by way of an electronic signature, the parties to the documents have agreed upon the method used for electronic signing and the method used for electronic signing is sufficiently reliable (voldoende betrouwbaar) for the purpose for which the signatures are used and the circumstances of the matter in accordance with section 3:15a of the Dutch Civil Code;

 

  h.

that each Offering, to the extent made in the Netherlands, will be made in conformity with Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017, the Dutch Act on Financial Supervision (Wet op het financieel toezicht) and the rules promulgated thereunder; and

 

  i.

that nothing in this opinion is affected by the provisions of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Netherlands.

 

4.

We do not express an opinion on matters of fact, the operational rules and procedures of any clearing or settlement system or agency, matters of law of any jurisdiction other than the laws currently in force in the European territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands nor on tax, anti-trust law, financial regulations, insider dealing, data protection, unfair trade practices, market abuse laws, sanctions or international law, including, without limitation, the laws of the European Union, except to the extent the laws of the European Union (other than anti-trust and tax law) have direct force and effect in the Netherlands. No opinion is given on commercial, accounting, tax or non-legal matters or on the ability of the parties to meet their financial or other obligations under the Registration Statement. We assume that there are no facts not disclosed to us which would affect the conclusions in this opinion. We have not investigated or verified any matters of fact other than expressly set out in this opinion.

 

5.

Based on the foregoing and subject to the qualifications set out below, we are of the opinion that:

 

  a.

Status - The Company is duly incorporated as a private company with limited liability (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) and validly exists as a public limited company (naamloze vennootschap) under Dutch law.

 

  b.

Common Shares – When issued by the Company and accepted by the acquiror(s) of the Common Shares, the Common Shares shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.


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6.

This opinion is subject to the following qualifications:

 

  a.

This opinion is limited by bankruptcy (faillissement), moratorium (surseance van betaling), fraudulent conveyance (Actio Pauliana), intervention, recovery and resolution measures by regulatory or other authorities or governmental bodies in relation to financial enterprises or their affiliated entities, other insolvency proceedings and other and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and any arrangement, reconstruction, compromise or private restructuring plan in connection with the Act on Court Confirmation of Extrajudicial Restructuring Plans (Wet Homologatie Onderhands Akkoord).

 

  b.

The validity, enforceability and effectiveness of the Registration Statement may be limited or affected by rules of force majeure (niet toerekenbare tekortkoming), reasonableness and fairness (redelijkheid en billijkheid), suspension (opschorting), dissolution (ontbinding), unforeseen circumstances (onvoorziene omstandigheden), prescription (verjaring), vitiated consent (i.e. duress (bedreiging), fraud (bedrog), abuse of circumstances (misbruik van omstandigheden), error (dwaling)), set-off (verrekening), claims based on tort (onrechtmatige daad) and other defences afforded by Dutch law to obligors generally.

 

  c.

The term “non-assessable” has no equivalent legal term under Dutch law (or the Dutch language). For purposes of this opinion letter such term should be interpreted to mean that the Company or its creditors do not have a right to require the holder of any Common Share to pay them any amount in addition to the amount required for the share to be fully paid (without prejudice to claims based on tort (onrechtmatige daad)).

 

  d.

Any merger (fusie) involving the Company as disappearing entity or the (voluntary) dissolution (ontbinding), de-merger (splitsing) or conversion (omzetting) of the Company must be notified to the trade register of the Chamber of Commerce. Furthermore, under Dutch law, a bankruptcy or a (provisional) suspension of payment is retroactive to 00.00 hours on the date of the bankruptcy or (provisional) suspension of payment judgment. The clerk of the bankruptcy court is under an obligation to keep a public register in which, among others, extracts from the court orders by which a bankruptcy order is declared are registered. Based on (i) our online enquiry today of the Dutch Central Insolvency Register (Centraal Insolventie Register) and EU insolvency registrations with the Dutch Central Insolvency Register on insolventies.rechtspraak.nl, that the Company is not subjected to any one or more of the insolvency proceedings listed in Annex A to Regulation (EU) 2015/848 on insolvency proceedings (recast) (as may be amended) and (ii) the confirmation obtained by telephone as of the date of this opinion letter from the Chamber of Commerce, we have been informed that no petition has been presented to or order has been made by a court for the bankruptcy or moratorium of payment and that no resolutions have been taken by the Company to merge, dissolve, demerge or convert the Company. However, this does not constitute conclusive evidence that the Company is not declared bankrupt or is not dissolved (ontbonden), merged (gefuseerd), demerged (gesplitst) or converted (omgezet) because the notification of such actions to the trade register of the Chamber of Commerce or the proper registration of a bankruptcy is not condition to effectiveness hereof.

 

  e.

Pursuant to section 2:98c of the Dutch Civil Code, a public limited company (naamloze vennootschap) (or its subsidiaries) may not create or grant any indebtedness, covenants, liabilities, undertakings, security interests or guarantees, whether alone or jointly with others as principal guarantor or otherwise in whatever name or style, with a view to the subscription, payment of or acquisition of any of the shares in such public limited liability company or in any direct or indirect parent company of the Company or to refinance any indebtedness incurred for such subscription or acquisition, other than in accordance with the section.

 

  f.

Section 2:7 of the Dutch Civil Code entitles companies to invoke the nullity of a legal act (ultra vires) if such legal act (rechtshandeling) cannot serve to realise the objects of such company and the other parties thereto knew, or should have known without an investigation of their own


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  (wist of zonder eigen onderzoek moest weten), that such objects have been exceeded. The nullity can only be invoked by the company itself (or the trustee (curator) in bankruptcy) and not by the other parties involved, if the aforementioned requirements are met. The Dutch Supreme Court (Hoge Raad der Nederlanden) has ruled that in determining whether the objects of a legal entity are transgressed, not only the description of the objects in that legal entity’s articles of association (statuten) is decisive, but all (relevant) circumstances must be taken into account, in particular whether the interests of the legal entity were served by the transaction. In practice, the concept of ultra vires has rarely been applied in decisions by Dutch courts. Only under exceptional circumstances have transactions been considered to be ultra vires and consequently have been annulled. Nullification of a transaction can result in (internal) liability of the managing directors towards the legal entity. Based on the objects clauses contained in the Articles of Association, we have no reason to believe that, by issuing the Common Shares, the Company transgressed or would transgress, as applicable, the description of the objects contained in the Articles of Association. However, because this is a matter of fact, we cannot assess whether there are other relevant circumstances that must be taken into account, in particular whether the interests of the Company are served by entering issuing the Common Shares.

 

7.

The foregoing opinions are limited in all respects to and are to be construed and interpreted in accordance with Dutch law as they stand at today’s date and as they are presently interpreted under published authoritative case law as at present in effect. No undertaking is assumed on our part to revise, update or amend this opinion in connection with or to notify or inform parties with a right to rely on this opinion of, any developments and/or changes of Dutch law subsequent to the date of this opinion.

 

8.

This opinion letter:

 

  a.

expresses and describes Dutch legal concepts in English and not in their original Dutch terms. These concepts may not be identical to the concepts described by the English translations; consequently this opinion is issued and may only be relied upon on the express condition that any issues of interpretation or liability issues arising under this opinion letter will be governed by Dutch law and be brought before the courts of Amsterdam, the Netherlands;

 

  b.

speaks as of the date stated above;

 

  c.

is strictly limited to the matters set forth herein and no opinion may be inferred or implied beyond that expressly stated herein; and

 

  d.

is an exhibit to the Registration Statement and may be relied upon for purpose of any Offering only. Its contents and existence may not be disclosed to any other person, company, enterprise or institution other than the Company, other than as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (in each case together with the Registration Statement).

 

9.

The professional indemnity insurance policy issued by Beazley Group and others, c/o Marsh Limited, Tower Place. Lower Thames Street London EC3R 5BU, applies to all professional work, advice and services provided by us to you. Our total liability for a particular claim is limited to the amount paid under our professional indemnity insurance for that claim, increased by the amount of the deductible under that insurance.

 

10.

We consent to filing this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the references to Dentons Europe LLP under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving the consent set out in the previous sentence, we do not thereby admit or imply that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or any rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

11.

This opinion is given by Dentons Europe LLP. In this opinion the expressions “we”, “us” and “our” and like expressions should be construed accordingly.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

/s/ Dentons Europe LLP

 

Dentons Europe LLP