Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration Statement No. 333-220052
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To Prospectus dated February 23, 2018)
2,368,392
American Depositary Shares
Representing 236,839,200
Ordinary Shares
We are offering 2,368,392
American Depositary Shares, or ADSs. Each ADS will represent 100 ordinary shares, par value £0.01 per ordinary share. In
a concurrent private placement, we are selling to each purchaser, for each ADS purchased in this offering, one warrant to purchase
one-half ADS. The warrants have an exercise price of $3.00 per ADS, are exercisable upon issuance, and terminate five years following
issuance. The warrants and the ADSs issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not being registered under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, are not being offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus
and are being sold pursuant to the exemption provided in Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act and Rule 506(b) promulgated thereunder.
The ADSs, representing
our ordinary shares, are listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “AKTX”. On June 28, 2019, the last reported
sale price of our ADSs on The NASDAQ Capital Market was $2.02 per ADS.
As of the date of
this prospectus supplement, the aggregate market value of our voting and non-voting securities held by non-affiliates pursuant
to General Instruction I.B.5. of Form F-3 was $32,823,547 which was calculated based on 868,347,793 outstanding voting and non-voting
securities held by non-affiliates and at a price of $3.78 per ADS, the closing sale price of our ADS reported on The NASDAQ Capital
Market on May 3, 2019. As a result, we are eligible to offer and sell up to an aggregate of $10,941,182 of our ADSs pursuant to
General Instruction I.B5. of Form F-3. Prior to this offering, we have not sold any securities pursuant to General Instruction
I.B.5. of Form F-3 during the prior 12 calendar month period that ends on, and includes, the date of this prospectus supplement.
Investing in our
ADSs involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, please read the information under the heading
“Risk Factors” beginning on page S-11 of this prospectus supplement, page 3 of the
accompanying prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.
Neither the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission, nor any state or other foreign securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or
determined if this prospectus supplement is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
|
|
Per ADS
|
|
|
Total
|
|
Public Offering Price
|
|
$
|
1.90
|
|
|
$
|
4,499,944.80
|
|
Placement Agent Fees
(1)
|
|
$
|
0.1425
|
|
|
$
|
337,495.86
|
|
Proceeds to Akari Therapeutics, PLC (before expenses)
|
|
$
|
1.7575
|
|
|
$
|
4,162,448.94
|
|
|
(1)
|
We have also agreed to
issue to the placement agent warrants to purchase a number of ADSs equal to 7.5% of the aggregate number of ADSs issued in this
offering and to reimburse certain expenses of the placement agent in connection with this offering. See “Plan
of Distribution” for additional disclosure regarding placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses.
|
We have retained Paulson
Investment Company, LLC to act as our exclusive placement agent in connection with this offering. The placement agent is not purchasing
the securities offered by us in this offering and is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of securities, but
will assist us in this offering on a reasonable best efforts basis. There is no required minimum offering amount required as a
condition to completion of this offering. We have agreed to pay the placement agent the placement agent fees set forth in the table
above, which assumes that we sell all of the ADSs we are offering.
Delivery of the ADSs being
offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement is expected to be made on or about July 3, 2019.
Paulson Investment Company, LLC
The date of this prospectus supplement is
June 28, 2019.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prospectus Supplement
Prospectus
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
This document is in two
parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this ADS offering and also adds to and
updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein. The second part,
the accompanying prospectus, provides more general information. Generally, when we refer to this prospectus, we are referring to
both parts of this document combined. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement
and the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein filed prior to the
date of this prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement; provided that if any statement
in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a document
incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus—the statement in the document having the later date modifies or
supersedes the earlier statement.
We further note that the
representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to any document that is incorporated
by reference herein were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose
of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant
to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties or covenants were accurate only as of the date when made. Accordingly, such
representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.
We have not, and the placement
agent has not, authorized anyone to provide any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus
supplement, the accompanying prospectus or in any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this
offering. We and the placement agent take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other
information that others may give you. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute an offer to
sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, the securities offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus
in any jurisdiction to or from any person to whom or from whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation of an offer in
such jurisdiction. The information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any free writing prospectus
that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, including the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein
is accurate only as of the respective dates thereof, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus or of any sale of the ADSs. It is important for you to read and consider all information contained in this prospectus
supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this
offering, including the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, in making your investment decision. You should
also read and consider the information in the documents to which we have referred you in the sections entitled “Where You
Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” in this prospectus supplement.
We and the placement agent
are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, ADSs only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The distribution
of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the offering of the ADSs in certain jurisdictions may be restricted
by law. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus
must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the ADSs and the distribution of this prospectus
supplement and the accompanying prospectus outside the United States. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus
do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities
offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful
for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.
Except as otherwise indicated
herein or as the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus supplement to “Akari,” “we,”
“us,” “our,” the “Company” and similar designations refer to Akari Therapeutics, PLC and its
subsidiaries. When we refer to “you,” we mean prospective investors in the Company.
This prospectus supplement,
the accompanying prospectus and the information incorporated herein and therein by reference may include trademarks, service marks
and trade names owned by us or other companies. All trademarks, service marks and trade names included or incorporated by reference
into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus are the property of their respective owners.
MARKET, INDUSTRY AND OTHER DATA
This prospectus supplement,
including the information incorporated by reference, contains estimates, projections and other information concerning our industry,
our business and the markets for certain drugs, including data regarding the estimated size of those markets, their projected growth
rates and the incidence of certain medical conditions. Information that is based on estimates, forecasts, projections or similar
methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties and actual events or circumstances may differ materially from events and circumstances
reflected in this information. Unless otherwise expressly stated, we obtained this industry, business, market and other data from
reports, research surveys, studies and similar data prepared by third parties, industry, medical and general publications, government
data and similar sources. In some cases, we do not expressly refer to the sources from which these data are derived. When we refer
to one or more sources of this type of data in any paragraph, you should assume that other data of this type appearing in the same
paragraph are derived from the same sources, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires.
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY
This summary highlights
certain information about us, this offering and selected information contained elsewhere in or incorporated by reference into this
prospectus supplement. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before
deciding whether to invest in the ADSs. For a more complete understanding of our company and this offering, you should read and
consider carefully the more detailed information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying
prospectus and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, including the factors
described under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-11 of this prospectus supplement.
Overview
We are a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on developing inhibitors of acute and chronic inflammation, specifically the complement system,
the eicosanoid or leukotriene system and the bioamine system for the treatment of rare and orphan diseases. Each of these systems
has scientifically well-supported causative roles in the diseases being targeted by us. We believe that blocking early mediators
of inflammation will prevent initiation and continual amplification of the processes that cause certain diseases.
Ticks have undergone 300
million years of natural selection to produce inhibitors that bind tightly to key highly-conserved inflammatory mediators, are
generally well tolerated in humans, and remain fully functional when a host is repeatedly exposed to the molecule. Our molecules
are derived from these inhibitors.
Our lead product candidate,
nomacopan (Coversin) inhibits both terminal complement activation and leukotriene B4, or LTB4. It inhibits terminal complement
activation by tightly binding to C5 and preventing its cleavage and activation by complement. It inhibits LTB4 by capturing the
fatty acid within the body of the nomacopan (Coversin) protein. By preventing C5 activation of complement nomacopan (Coversin)
can stop formation of the anaphylatoxin C5a which activates cells, including granulocytes and T and B cells, via two G protein
coupled receptors, or GPCRs, and also prevents formation of the membrane attack complex, or MAC which activates cells including
endothelial cells. C5a and the MAC cause and maintain a proinflammatory and prothrombotic state. LTB4 also activates cells via
two separate GPCRs and can independently cause and maintain a proinflammatory state. The importance of nomacopan (Coversin’s)
dual inhibitory action is therefore twofold. First, it can prevent inflammatory and prothrombotic activities of two key pathways,
and second, the pathways can be independently activated, for example terminal complement activation can be induced by IgG, IgM,
carbohydrates and damage associated molecular patterns and LTB4 synthesis can be induced by engagement of Fc gamma receptors, cytokines,
toll-like receptors, C5a and MAC.
Nomacopan (Coversin) is
a recombinant small protein (16,740 Da) derived from a protein originally discovered in the saliva of the Ornithodoros moubata
tick, where it modulates the host immune system to allow the parasite to feed without alerting the host to its presence or provoking
an immune response.
Nomacopan (Coversin) has
received orphan drug status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, and the European Medicines Agency, or the EMA,
for paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria, or PNH, and Guillain Barré Syndrome, or GBS. Orphan drug designation provides
us with certain benefits and incentives, including a period of marketing exclusivity if regulatory approval of the drug is ultimately
received for the designated indication. The receipt of orphan drug designation status does not change the regulatory requirements
or process for obtaining marketing approval and the designation does not mean that marketing approval will be received. We intend
to apply in the future for orphan drug designation in additional indications we deem appropriate.
On March 29, 2017, we received
notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of fast track designation for the investigation of nomacopan (Coversin)
for the treatment of PNH in patients who have polymorphisms conferring Soliris® (eculizumab) resistance. The fast track program
was created by the FDA to facilitate the development and expedite the review of new drugs which show promise in treating a serious
or life-threatening disease and address an unmet medical need. Drugs that receive this designation benefit from more frequent communications
and meetings with the FDA to review the drug’s development plan including the design of the proposed clinical trials, use
of biomarkers and the extent of data needed for approval. Drugs with fast track designation may also qualify for priority review
to expedite the FDA review process, if relevant criteria are met.
Our clinical targets for
nomacopan (Coversin) are diseases where complement dysregulation is the key driver such as: paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
or PNH and thrombotic microangiopathy post bone marrow transplant or TMA-HSCT, as well as a range of inflammatory diseases where
the inhibition of both C5 and LTB4 are implicated, including bullous pemphigoid, or BP, and atopic keratoconjunctivitis, or AKC.
Other compounds in our
pipeline include engineered versions of nomacopan (Coversin) that potentially decrease the frequency of administration, improve
potency, or allow for specific tissue targeting, as well as new proteins targeting LBT4 alone, as well as bioamine inhibitors (for
example, anti-histamines). In general, these inhibitors act as ligand binding compounds, which may provide additional benefit versus
other modes of inhibition.
By tightly capturing LTB4
within the body of the drug nomacopan (Coversin) exhibits a mode of action that has not previously been tested as a therapeutic
modality. Historically three main therapeutic approaches, all using small molecules, have been worked on as therapeutics to inhibit
LTB4. All three approaches have limitations. The first approach inhibited enzymes involved in the synthesis of all leukotrienes
(5-LOX and FLAP), the limitation of this approach is that it inhibits formation of all leukotrienes some of which (e.g. lipoxins
and resolvins) are anti-inflammatory. The second approach inhibits the enzyme (LTA4-H) that is the final step in the synthesis
of LTB4. The limitation of this approach is that LTA4H has two activities, one synthesis of LTB4, and the other an aminopeptidase
activity that cleaves the proinflammatory peptide PGP - this non-specific inhibition of LTA4H has both pro- and antiinfammatory
effects. The final approach used is selective inhibition of either BLT-1 or BLT-2, the two G-protein coupled receptors known to
bind LTB4. The limitation of this approach is that it is now recognized that by binding to ligands other than LTB4 these two GPCRs
can have anti-inflammatory effects. By contrast, to the three approaches described above, ligand capture by Coverrsin should only
inhibit pro-inflammatory activities.
PASylated nomacopan (Coversin),
which is a longer half-life version of the parent molecule, and which similarly is able to inhibit both C5 and LTB4, was found
in a rheumatoid arthritis pre-clinical mouse model to be more effective than inhibition of LTB4 alone (either by Zileuton or a
long acting form of Coversin that only inhibits LTB4 and not C5), completely eliminating rheumatic symptoms within six days of
initiating treatment. In addition, nomacopan (Coversin) was found in an LPS induced lung inflammation pre-clinical mouse model
to be more effective than C5 only nomacopan (saturated with LTB4 and therefore unable to bind LTB4) or the LTB4 inhibitor Zileuton
alone.
Nomacopan (Coversin) is
much smaller than typical antibodies currently used in therapeutic treatment. Nomacopan (Coversin) can be self-administered by
subcutaneous injection, much like an insulin injection, which we believe will provide considerable benefits in terms of patient
convenience. We believe that the subcutaneous formulation of nomacopan (Coversin) as an alternative to intravenous infusion may
accelerate patient uptake if nomacopan (Coversin) is approved by regulatory authorities for commercial sale. Patient surveys contracted
by us suggest that many patients would prefer to self-inject daily than undergo intravenous infusions. Additionally, nomacopan’s
(Coversin) bio-physical properties allow it to be potentially used in a variety of formulations, some of which may enable therapeutic
use via topical or inhaled routes of administration.
Patients being treated
with nomacopan (Coversin) across four primary/lead indications are as follows:
AKC (Clinical Program)
AKC is a severe allergic
conjunctivitis which usually persists all year and for which the allergen(s) are usually unidentified. AKC, which is an orphan
surface of the eye disease, mainly affects adults and is triggered by mast cell activation secondary to inflammatory stimuli including
eosinophils, neutrophils and Th2-generated cytokines. Treatment is initially with topical lubricants, antihistamines, immunomodulators
(e.g. ciclosporin A) and intermittent steroids but systemic immunotherapy may become necessary in patients unresponsive to topical
therapy. AKC sufferers usually exhibit symptoms such as itching, burning, tearing, erythematosus and swollen eye lids. The disease
may lead to corneal scarring and may also lead to vascularisation of the cornea. Both eyes are usually affected equally. There
is substantial unmet need for topical agents that will prevent the progression of corneal involvement and the requirement for systemic
immunomodulators and treatment of AKC presents expansion potential into other poorly treated surface of the eye diseases such as
vernal keratoconjunctivitis, phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis, seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and
mucous membrane pemphigoid.
Results in a rodent model
of experimental immune conjunctivitis, undertaken at the world leading Moorfields Hospital Institute of Ophthalmology, showed that
nomacopan (Coversin) demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity. In this preclinical model of severe eye surface inflammation,
nomacopan (Coversin), applied topically, resulted in a statistically significant reduction (64%, p<0.001) in late phase inflammation
versus placebo.
During the third quarter
of 2018, we commenced a Phase I/II randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled trial with an initial three patients (Part A)
prior to the blinding (Part B) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nomacopan (Coversin) in patients with moderate to severe
AKC. The ongoing trial is enrolling patients at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. All patients must have received cyclosporin
A (standard of care) at maximal dose for at least three months prior to entering, and continue to receive this dose for the duration
of the trial along with topical nomacopan (Coversin) twice daily for up to 56 days. The trial is divided into Part A and Part B.
In Part A, as this is the first time that nomacopan (Coversin) has been administered to the eye, three patients received the drug
in open label fashion to assess safety and tolerability. After an independent data review, an additional 16 patients will enter
Part B, which is randomized, placebo controlled and double-masked. Recruitment will be enhanced by two additional sites: Bristol
Eye Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, both in the UK.
In June 2019, we announced
positive results for Part A of the Phase I/II. In Part A, three patients were treated with twice daily nomacopan eye drops in addition
to standard of care for up to 56 days in order to establish the safety and tolerability of the drops in preparation for Part B,
a randomized, double-masked placebo-controlled comparison in 16 patients. Of the three patients enrolled in the study, two completed
56 days of treatment and one completed 14 days and then withdrew for reasons unrelated to the study treatment. All patients, who
were on the moderate/severe end of the AKC spectrum, had been on maximal topical cyclosporin, the standard of care, for at least
three months prior to entry and continued on it during the trial. In the event of further disease progression, the next incremental
step would normally have been systemic immunosuppression. The drops were found to be comfortable and well-tolerated throughout
the trial for all three patients. There were no serious adverse events reported. On that basis, the independent safety committee
has given permission for the trial to proceed to Part B and recruitment has commenced. The secondary objective of the study was
to determine efficacy, assessed by a standard composite scoring system consisting of five symptoms which were patient reported,
and six signs of ocular damage which were graded by the clinician on a direct slit-lamp examination of the eye. Each sign or symptom
was graded 0 to 3, where 0 = normal or absent and 3 is the most severe, such that with 11 measures the overall maximum severity
score was 33. There was an overall improvement in clinical score of 55% composed of an improvement in symptoms of 62% and signs
of 52% by Day 56. Symptoms consisted of subjective occurrences such as discomfort and itching. Signs are objective manifestations
of disease, such as conjunctival redness, growth of new blood vessels into the cornea and microscopic damage to the corneal surface
(punctate keratitis). In addition, post-instillation comfort was reported by patients as excellent with high levels of acceptance
of eye drops, which were described as comfortable and refreshing.
Uveitis (Preclinical)
Uveitis is an inflammation
of the uvea, the pigmented part of the eye, which is caused by infection, autoimmunity, trauma, and certain drugs or is secondary
to other diseases. It is considered to be the major cause of preventable blindness in the world.
In a poster presented at
the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) annual meeting in Vancouver on April 28, 2019,
Dr Virginia Calder of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, we announced the results of nomacopan and
nomacopan (Coversin) variants in a preclinical model of experimental autoimmune uveitis, or EAU. In this EAU model, long-acting
variants of nomacopan (Coversin) administered intravitreally demonstrated significant improvement in clinical scoring versus control.
This improvement persisted until the end of the experiment (four days after the last intravitreal injection) and was approximately
equivalent to that of intravitreally injected dexamethasone, a potent corticosteroid. The long acting variants of nomacopan (Coversin)
are PASylated (using a technology licensed from XL-protein) and have the potential to have longer residence time in the back of
the eye to provide the extended treatment time required for intravitreal injection. Using confocal microscopy, C5a as well as LTB4
(BLT1) receptors were reported in mouse retinal inflammatory cells for the first time. In some cases these were co-located
on the same cell types. Long-acting intravitreal nomacopan (Coversin), which inhibits both LTB4 and C5, demonstrated significant
downregulation of T-helper 17 cells and IL-17A. T-helper 17 is an important inflammatory cell associated with the release of inflammatory
cytokines, in particular IL-17, and is related to the progression of uveitis and other back of the eye diseases. Importantly, topical
administration of nomacopan (Coversin) also demonstrated mitigation of retinal disease as determined by clinical scoring, and this
initial signal will be investigated further given the potential patient benefits.
These preclinical results
highlight an opportunity to develop nomacopan (Coversin) variants for intravitreal and topical use in uveitis and other posterior
inflammatory eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and proliferative retinopathies. The novel dual inhibitory mechanism
of action may provide an alternative to corticosteroids, the current standard of care for uveitis and avoid the adverse side effects
that limit their usefulness. We are now planning to evaluate the role of topical and injected nomacopan (Coversin) in proliferative
retinal diseases.
PNH (Clinical Program)
PNH is an ultra-rare, life-threatening
and debilitating disease of the blood with an estimated 8,000 – 10,000 patients globally. Due to an acquired genetic deficiency,
uncontrolled complement activation in PNH patients allows their own complement system to attack and destroy blood cells, leading
to life-threatening complications. Patients with PNH suffer from chronic complement activation and destruction of some of their
blood cells, known as hemolysis, caused by the C5 cleavage product C5b-9 (the membrane attack complex). This hemolysis is associated
with further clinical symptoms and negative outcomes, including kidney disease, thrombosis (blood clots), liver dysfunction, fatigue,
impaired quality of life, recurring pain, shortness of breath, pulmonary hypertension, intermittent episodes of dark-colored urine
(hemoglobinuria), and anemia. When the destruction of red blood cells is sufficiently large, recurrent blood transfusions may be
necessary.
Soliris®, (eculizumab)
is the only FDA approved drug for the treatment of PNH. Before the introduction of eculizumab, PNH patients, many of whom were
in young adulthood, faced a life of repeated blood transfusions, thromboembolic complications and typical life expectancies of
only 8 – 10 years from diagnosis.
It has recently been discovered
that a small but identifiable subgroup of eculizumab-treated patients have a C5 polymorphism affecting the eculizumab binding site
which prevents high affinity binding and makes these patients resistant to treatment — but does not appear to affect binding
by nomacopan (Coversin) in those patients tested to date.
Phase II PNH Eculizumab-Resistant
Trials
In February 2016, we initiated
an open-label Phase II single arm trial for PNH patients with eculizumab resistance due to C5 polymorphisms, pursuant to a clinical
trial protocol approved by the European Union national regulatory authority The primary objective of the eculizumab-resistance
program was to provide patients who have clinically demonstrated resistance to eculizumab with early access to nomacopan (Coversin)
as a potentially lifesaving alternative. The patient, who is being treated in the Netherlands, was entered into an open label protocol
where safety and efficacy parameters are evaluated on an ongoing basis including measures of complement activity such as CH50 and
biomarkers of hemolysis activity such as lactate dehydrogenase, or LDH. Results from the patient with PNH who was resistant to
eculizimab due to a C5 polymorphism has demonstrated complete complement inhibition (Elisa CH50 < 8 Eq/ml, lower limit of quantification)
and marked LDH reduction to around 1.5 times the upper limit of normal, or ULN. This patient has been transferred to the long-term
safety and efficacy CONSERVE study and in aggregate has been treated for more than three years of therapy as of March 31, 2019
and has been self-administering nomacopan (Coversin).
In May 2018, we enrolled
a second PNH patient with eculizumab resistance due to C5 polymorphisms in an open-label six-month Phase II single arm trial. The
trial was conducted at a study site in New York and the patient has entered into our long-term safety and efficacy CONSERVE study.
Phase II COBALT PNH
Trial
In the fourth quarter of
2016, we commenced enrollment for a 90-day open-label Phase II, single-arm clinical trial in patients with PNH in five centers
in the European Union, known as the COBALT trial. The trial was concluded in December 2017. We enrolled and treated eight patients
with nomacopan (Coversin) self-administered subcutaneous injections twice a day for approximately the first month and then switched
to once daily injections. Of those eight patients, seven completed the 90-day trial while one patient with a suspected co-morbidity
unrelated to treatment was withdrawn on day 43 of the trial. Following the ablating dose, the first five patients were dosed twice
daily with either 15mg or 22.5mg of nomacopan (Coversin) for approximately the first month and then once daily 30mg or 45 mg until
end of the trial. Two of those patients were updosed from 30mg to 45mg once daily at Days 40 and 54, respectively and a third patient
was updosed to 22.5mg twice daily at Day 24 and moved to 45mg once daily at Day 67. The final three patients recruited were dosed
under a revised dosing regime in which following the ablating dose, were dosed twice daily with 22.5mg of nomacopan (Coversin)
for approximately the first month and then once daily 45mg until the end of the trial. The primary endpoint of the trial was defined
as a reduction in LDH to ≤1.8 times the ULN, at day 28.
Results from the COBALT
trial showed that patients were comfortable with self-administration of nomacopan (Coversin). Those results showed that there were
four serious adverse events, SAEs, but no SAEs related to nomacopan (Coversin). The most commonly reported adverse events were
mild self-limiting injection site reactions. All patients that completed the trial saw declines in lactate dehydrogenase, LDH,
levels (although in some cases there were intermittent rises). The trial met its primary endpoint defined as an LDH of ≤1.8
X ULN at Day 28. LDH as a multiple of ULN (xULN) was 1.4, 2.2, 2.3, 1.3, 1.4, 2.7, 1.6, 1.3 at day 28 (n=8); 1.5, 2.1, 1.8, 2.2,
1.5, 1.4, 1.3 at day 60 (n=7); and 1.6, 2.4, 2.0, 2.5, 1.9, 1.5, 1.2 at day 90 (n=7). Of the seven patients who completed the study,
six were transfusion-dependent prior to the trial. Of those six patients, three have not required transfusions while on nomacopan
(Coversin) during the trial and a fourth patient became transfusion-dependent while on CONSERVE.
Long-Term Safety and
Efficacy CONSERVE Study
CONSERVE is a long-term
safety and efficacy study for those patients who wish to continue on nomacopan (Coversin) treatment following completion of a trial.
All seven patients that
completed the COBALT trial opted to be enrolled into the CONSERVE study. As of March 31, 2019, all these patients have been receiving
nomacopan (Coversin) subcutaneously for over a year and a half in the aggregate (factoring in time spent on COBALT and CONSERVE).
To date, there have been no drug-related serious adverse events reported and patients are self-administering. Two Polish patients
have withdrawn from CONSERVE following the approval of eculizumab for reimbursement in Poland.
Phase III CAPSTONE PNH
Trial and Planned ASSET PNH Trial
In March 2018, we opened
our first site for CAPSTONE, a three-part, two-arm, randomized, open label, Phase III clinical trial of nomacopan (Coversin) in
transfusion dependent PNH patients in specific countries in Europe and other countries, where Soliris® is not the standard
of care. The standard of care in these territories is blood transfusion with or without anticoagulation and/or any other concomitant
medications for PNH that the patient may be taking. The trial is being run in three parts as follows: (i) in part one, eligible
patients (who must be transfusion dependent) enter an up to 3-month observation period, (ii) in part two, a minimum of 30 patients
that meet certain criteria in part one are randomized 1:1 to receive for 6 months either Coversin or the standard of care, and
(iii) in part three, patients receiving Coversin will continue to receive Coversin plus standard of care for 3 months while patients
receiving standard of care will receive Coversin for 3 months. Upon completion of the trial, patients will have the option of remaining
on Coversin and being entered into our long-term safety and efficacy CONSERVE study. Following the ablating dose, patients receiving
Coversin will be dosed twice daily with 22.5mg of Coversin for approximately the first month and then once daily 45mg until the
end of the trial. The objective of the trial is to demonstrate efficacy of nomacopan (Coversin) plus standard of care to standard
of care in patients with uncontrolled haemolysis due to PNH and to assess safety and tolerability. The primary endpoint of the
study is haemoglobin, or Hb, stabilization rate (defined as Hb greater than the set point for each patient defined during the pre-study
randomization period) and the avoidance of PRBC transfusions during the treatment period, each as assessed at the end of part two.
Secondary and other endpoints include LDH, CH50, quality of life and safety. The Phase III clinical trial is currently recruiting.
In addition to CAPSTONE
we are considering to conduct ASSET, a Phase III clinical trial in PNH patients who have been treated with Soliris in the United
States, Europe and other countries where Soliris is the current standard of care. Based on the FDA’s advice, we may decide
to engage in additional discussions with the FDA.
TMA (Clinical Program)
TMAs are a group of diseases
in which thrombosis occurs in small blood vessels as a result of damage to the endothelium (lining) of the vessels. This leads
to haemolytic anaemia, low platelet count (thrombocytopaenia), end organ damage which may result in complications including renal
failure, stroke and pulmonary hypertension. The major varieties of TMA are haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), atypical haemolytic
uraemic syndrome (aHUS), thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura (TTP), antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), disseminated intravascular
coagulation (DIC), malignant hypertension, scleroderma renal failure and TMA associated with haemapoietc stem cell transplant (HSCT).
The latter is often linked to toxicity of calcineurin inhibitors which are used to protect against graft versus host disease (GvHD).
There are no currently
approved drugs for the treatment of HSCT-TMA and, untreated, the condition in its more severe forms has a high risk of death. It
is estimated to effect up to 30% of patients following bone marrow transplantation. In severe cases, pediatric TMA carries a mortality
rate of more than 80%.
A framework for a pivotal
trial design for pediatric patients was agreed with the FDA in which the response to nomacopan (Coversin) of selected, clinically
meaningful treatment variables would be the primary endpoint. In September 2018, we announced that in the first two patients treated
with nomacopan (Coversin) as part of a UK named patient program it had observed a rapid reduction of the markers of complement
activation as well as normalization of markers that are elevated in TMA (platelet count, red blood cell fragments, thrombocytopenia,
elevated LDH and hypertension).
We aim to commence a European
and US trial in pediatric TMA-HSCT patients in the fourth quarter of 2019. TMA-HSCT is now planned as our gateway indication into
the broad TMA space which includes a large number of related and poorly treated orphan diseases including aHUS. In order to accommodate
the new focus on the broader TMA space, our current aHUS Phase II program is being put on hold and will be reviewed in order to
align with the wider TMA program.
BP (Clinical Program)
BP is an autoimmune blistering
skin orphan disease. BP is a serious condition with significant associated morbidity and mortality. Widespread tense and haemorrhagic
blisters, skin erosions and severe itching cause patients a great deal of distress and pain. Untreated, BP may be a self-limiting
disease in a proportion of patients with periods of spontaneous remissions and exacerbations. In most patients who are treated,
BP remits within 1.5-5 years but may recur once medication is stopped. Patients are often admitted to hospital for initial treatment.
The estimates of admission rates for patients with BP vary, but they are generally high, thus representing a significant burden
and cost to the healthcare systems, as well to the patients’ and their families /carers. The severity of symptoms and lesions
in BP make treatment mandatory. Corticosteroids are often administered and frequent hospital visits are needed for dose adjustments.
Treatment of BP presents expansion potential into related conditions such as pemphigus vulgaris, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita,
and Stevens–Johnson syndrome.
In patients with BP there
is evidence that both C5 and LTB4 have a central role in driving the disease. Further, preclinical studies showed a dose response
and combined C5 & LTB4 more effective than LTB4 alone. Ex vivo data, from a recent study at Lubeck University, in BP patients
showed a pronounced accumulation of LTB4 and C5 and its activation products in the inflamed skin of bullous pemphigoid disease
patients.
In 2018, we opened our
first site for a six-week Phase IIa open label, single-arm trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nomacopan (Coversin) in
patients with mild to moderate BP. The primary endpoints of the trial were proportion of patients reporting grade 3, 4 and 5 adverse
events which are related/possibly related to nomacopan (Coversin) during the treatment period and secondary and other endpoints
include, among others, Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Area Index (BPDAI) score. The Phase IIa clinical trial is currently recruiting
at six sites across Europe.
Initial results from the
first three patients showed that nomacopan (Coversin), dosed daily subcutaneously, was well tolerated in three elderly patients
(>65 years), and that there were no drug-related adverse events. Prior to treatment with nomacopan (Coversin), two out of the
three patients were already on topical corticosteroids (mometasone) while a third was naïve to steroid treatment. Steroids
were reduced at weekly intervals so that by day 21 both patients were only treated with nomacopan (Coversin). In the 7-11-day period
prior to initiation on nomacopan (Coversin), the two patients on steroids showed either no or minor improvement in their BPDAI
global score (between 0% and 5%) and no improvement in blisters. By Day 7, 21 and 42 of treatment with nomacopan (Coversin), the
BPDAI global score fell by a mean of 31%, 45% and 52%, respectively. By Day 7, 21 and day 42 of treatment with nomacopan (Coversin),
blisters/erosions dropped by a mean of 45%, 75% and 87%, respectively.
As a result of this positive
data, we intend to expand the trial to include the treatment of severe patients.
Nomacopan (Coversin)
LA: Once Weekly Formulation
Using PASylation®,
a proprietary process of XL-protein GmbH, XL-protein has modified nomacopan (Coversin) by adding a 600 amino acid proline/alanine/
serine (PAS) N-terminal fusion tag to generate PAS-nomacopan (Coversin) (68kDa). The unstructured and uncharged PAS polypeptide
increases the apparent molecular size to approximately 700kDa, slowing kidney clearance and extending the half-life.
Data from mouse, rat and
dog studies of PAS-nomacopan (Coversin) demonstrated that the expected terminal half-life in humans should be approximately 4 days.
Based on these data, PK modeling supports that a once weekly dosing regimen is feasible. We intend to conduct a Phase I clinical
study of PAS nomacopan (Coversin) in the future based on our availability of resources.
In addition, new data in
a pig model has shown a similar PK profile for the higher concentrated formulation to be used across our subcutaneous programs.
This new highly concentrated formulation with small (0.3mL) volume and water-like viscosity is intended to allow ease of administration
and increased patient comfort for use alongside a new auto-injector pen holding a week’s dosing stable at room temperature.
We plan to initiate a Phase I clinical trial with a new auto-injector pen formulation in the second half of 2019.
Other Indications
We are also conducting
discovery and pre-clinical research into the use of a subcutaneous version of nomacopan (Coversin) for the treatment of antiphospholipid
syndrome, a nebulized form of nomacopan (Coversin) for the treatment of lung disease and an engineered, targeted version of nomacopan
(Coversin) for the treatment of other diseases such as Myasthenia Gravis.
To date, patients have
been treated with nomacopan (Coversin) for a cumulative total of more than 16 years of treatment with one patient having been treated
for more than three years.
Corporate Information
Our legal and commercial
name is Akari Therapeutics, PLC. We were originally established as a private limited company under the laws of England and Wales
on October 7, 2004 under the name Freshname No. 333 Limited. On January 19, 2005, we changed our name to Morria Biopharmaceuticals
Limited and on February 3, 2005, we completed a reverse merger with Morria Biopharmaceuticals Inc., or Morria, a Delaware corporation,
in which Morria became our wholly-owned subsidiary and we re-registered as a non-traded public limited company under the laws of
England and Wales. Morria was dedicated to the discovery and development of novel, first-in-class, non-steroidal, synthetic anti-inflammatory
drugs. On March 22, 2011, we incorporated an Israeli subsidiary, Morria Biopharma Ltd. On June 25, 2013, we changed our name to
Celsus Therapeutics PLC and on October 13, 2013 Morria was renamed Celsus Therapeutics Inc. As of the date of this prospectus supplement,
Celsus Therapeutics Inc. and Morria Biopharma Ltd. do not conduct any operations.
On September 18, 2015,
we completed an acquisition of all of the capital stock of Volution Immuno Pharmaceuticals SA, or Volution, a private Swiss company,
from RPC Pharma Limited, or RPC, Volution’s sole shareholder, in exchange for our ordinary shares, in accordance with the
terms of a Share Exchange Agreement, dated as of July 10, 2015. In connection with the acquisition, our name was changed
to Akari Therapeutics, PLC and the combined company focused on the development and commercialization of life-transforming treatments
for a range of rare and orphan autoimmune and inflammatory diseases caused by dysregulation of complement C5.
Our ADSs have been listed
on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “AKTX” since September 21, 2015 and under the symbol “CLTX”
from January 31, 2014 until September 18, 2015. Prior to that, our ADSs were quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol “CLSXD”
from January 3, 2014 to January 30, 2014 and were quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol “CLSXY” from September 16, 2013
until January 2, 2014 and under the symbol “MRRBY” from February 19, 2013 to September 15, 2013. Effective January
3, 2014, our ratio of ADSs to ordinary shares changed from one ADS per each two ordinary shares to one ADS per each ten ordinary
shares and, effective as of September 17, 2015, our ratio of ADSs to ordinary shares changed from one ADS per each ten ordinary
shares to one ADS per each one hundred ordinary shares. Currently, each ADS represents by one hundred ordinary shares.
Our principal office is
located at 75/76 Wimpole Street, London W1G 9RT, United Kingdom, and our telephone number is +44 20 8004 0270. Our website address
is www.akaritx.com. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is neither a part of nor incorporated
into this prospectus supplement. We have included our website address in this prospectus supplement solely as an inactive textual
reference. Puglisi & Associates, or Puglisi, serves as our agent for service of process in the United States. Puglisi’s
address is 850 Library Avenue, Suite 204, Newark, Delaware 19711.
We use our website (
www.akaritx.com
)
as a channel of distribution of Company information. The information we post through this channel may be deemed material. Accordingly,
investors should monitor our website, in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and
webcasts. The contents of our website are not, however, a part of this prospectus supplement.
Implications of being a Foreign Private
Issuer
On July 1, 2016, we became
a foreign private issuer having previously lost this status at the end of 2014. As a foreign private issuer, we are not subject
to the same requirements that are imposed upon U.S. domestic issuers by the SEC. Under the Exchange Act, we are subject to reporting
obligations that, in certain respects, are less detailed and less frequent than those of U.S. domestic reporting companies. For
example, we will not be required to issue proxy statements that comply with the requirements applicable to U.S. domestic reporting
companies. We will also have four months after the end of each fiscal year to file our annual reports with the SEC and will not
be required to file current reports as frequently or promptly as U.S. domestic reporting companies. Furthermore, our officers,
directors, and principal shareholders will be exempt from the requirements to report transactions in our equity securities and
from the short-swing profit liability provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. These exemptions and leniencies,
along with other corporate governance exemptions resulting from our ability to rely on home country rules, will reduce the frequency
and scope of information and protections to which you may otherwise have been eligible in relation to a U.S. domestic reporting
companies. If we were to lose our foreign private issuer status, the regulatory and compliance costs to us under U.S. securities
laws as a U.S. domestic issuer will be significantly more than costs we incur as a foreign private issuer.
THE OFFERING
Issuer
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Akari Therapeutics, PLC
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ADSs offered by us
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2,368,392 ADSs, representing 236,839,200 ordinary shares.
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Ordinary shares to be outstanding after this offering
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1,887,532,613 ordinary shares.
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American Depositary Shares
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Each ADS represents 100 ordinary shares.
The depositary (through its custodian) will
hold the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. You will have rights as provided in the deposit agreement among us, Deutsche Bank
Trust Company Americas, as depositary, and all owners and holders from time to time of ADSs issued thereunder. You may, among other
things, cancel your ADSs and withdraw the underlying ordinary shares against a fee paid to the depositary. In certain limited instances
described in the deposit agreement, we may amend or terminate the deposit agreement without your consent. If you continue to hold
your ADSs, you agree to be bound by the terms of the deposit agreement then in effect.
To better understand the terms of the ADSs
and the deposit agreement, including applicable fees and charges, you should carefully read “Description of American Depositary
Shares” in this prospectus supplement. You should also read the deposit agreement, which is an exhibit to the registration
statement that includes this prospectus supplement.
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Depositary
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Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas
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Use of Proceeds
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We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund our ongoing research and clinical development efforts and for working capital and general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds” on page S-15 of this prospectus supplement.
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Risk Factors
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Investing in our securities involves a
high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-11 of this prospectus supplement and on page 3 of
the accompanying prospectus, for a discussion of certain factors you should consider before investing in the
ADSs.
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Concurrent Private Placement
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In a concurrent private placement, we
are selling to each purchaser, for each ADS purchased in this offering, one warrant to purchase one-half ADS. The warrants
have an exercise price of $3.00 per whole ADS, are exercisable upon issuance, and terminate five years following issuance.
The warrants and the ADSs issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not being registered under the Securities Act, are not
being offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and are being offered pursuant to the
exemption provided in Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act and Rule 506(b) promulgated thereunder. See “Private
Placement Transaction.”
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NASDAQ Capital Market symbol
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“AKTX.”
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Unless otherwise indicated,
the number of ordinary shares outstanding prior to and after this offering is based on 1,650,693,413 ordinary shares outstanding
as of June 28, 2019, and excludes:
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100,421,998 ordinary shares (equivalent to 1,004,220 ADSs) issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding as of June 28, 2019 at a weighted-average exercise price of $0.11 per ordinary share (equivalent to $11.00 per ADS);
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82,661,209 additional ordinary shares (equivalent to 826,612
ADSs) available for future issuance as of June 28, 2019 under our 2014 Equity Incentive Compensation Plan;
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118,421,300 ordinary shares (equivalent to 1,184,213 ADSs) issuable upon exercise of unregistered warrants to be issued to investors in the concurrent private placement with this offering, having an exercise price of $3.00 per ADS; and
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17,762,940 ordinary shares (equivalent to 177,629 ADSs) issuable upon exercise of unregistered warrants to be issued to the placement agent in connection with this offering, having an exercise price of $2.85 per ADS.
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Except as otherwise
indicated, all information in this prospectus supplement assumes no exercise of the outstanding options or warrants described above.
RISK FACTORS
You should consider
carefully the risks described below together with other information in this prospectus supplement, and the information and documents
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, including from our most recent Annual Report
on Form 20-F, before you make a decision to invest in our ADSs. If any of the following events actually occur, our business, operations
results of operations, financial condition and prospects could be harmed. This could cause the trading price of the ADSs to decline
and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risks below and incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement are
not the only ones we face. Additional risks not currently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our
business operations.
Risks Relating to this Offering
Management will have broad discretion
as to the use of the net proceeds from this offering, and we may not use the proceeds effectively.
Our management will
have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering. We expect to use our existing cash and cash equivalents
and the net proceeds from this offering to fund our ongoing research and clinical development efforts and for working capital and
general corporate purposes. However, our management will have considerable discretion in the application of the net proceeds, and
you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately.
Our failure to apply these funds effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, delay the development of our
product candidates, and cause the value of our ordinary shares or ADSs to decline.
Purchasers in this offering will experience
immediate and substantial dilution in the tangible net book value of their investment.
Since the price per
ADS being offered is substantially higher than the net tangible book value per ADS outstanding prior to this offering, if you purchase
ADSs in this offering, you will incur an immediate dilution of $1.56 in net tangible book value per ADS from the price you paid.
For a further description of the dilution that you will experience immediately after this offering, see the section titled “Dilution.”
In addition, we have
a significant number of options outstanding. To the extent that outstanding options have been or may be exercised or other shares
issued, investors purchasing our ADSs in this offering may experience further dilution. In addition, we may choose to raise additional
capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future
operating plans. To the extent that we raise additional funds by issuing equity securities (including up to $17.6 million of ADSs
to Aspire Capital Fund, LLC, or Aspire Capital, pursuant to our financing arrangement with Aspire Capital), our shareholders may
experience significant dilution. The sale of a substantial number of ADSs by Aspire Capital, or anticipation of such sales, could
cause the trading price of our ADSs to decline or make it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity-related securities in
the future at a time and at a price that we might otherwise desire. However, we have the right to control the timing and amount
of sales of ADSs to Aspire Capital, and we may terminate the financing arrangement at any time, at our discretion, without any
penalty or cost to us.
A substantial number of ADSs may be sold
in this offering, which could cause the price of our ADSs to decline.
In this offering we
will sell 2,368,392 ADSs representing 236,839,200 ordinary shares which represent approximately 12.5% of our outstanding ordinary
shares as of June 28, 2019, after giving effect to the sale of ADSs in this offering. This sale and any future sales of a substantial
number of ADSs in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the price of the ADSs
on The NASDAQ Capital Market. We cannot predict the effect, if any, that market sales of those ADSs or the availability of those
ADSs for sale will have on the market price of the ADSs.
Sales of a substantial number of shares
of the ADSs by our existing shareholders in the public market could cause our share price to fall.
If our existing shareholders
sell, or indicate an intention to sell, substantial amounts of the ADSs in the public market, the trading price of the ADSs could
decline. In addition a substantial number of ordinary shares are subject to options that are or will become eligible for sale in
the public market to the extent permitted by the provisions of various vesting schedules. If these additional ordinary shares (as
represented by ADSs), or if it is perceived that they will be sold, in the public market, the trading price of our ADSs could decline.
Insiders have control over us which could
delay or prevent a change in corporate control or result in the entrenchment of management and/or the board of directors
.
As of June 28, 2019,
our directors and executive officers, together with their affiliates and related persons, beneficially own, in the aggregate,
approximately 50.4% of our outstanding ordinary shares. RPC Pharma Limited, or RPC, which is controlled by our chairman Dr. Ray
Prudo, beneficially owns approximately 47.4% of our outstanding ordinary shares. In addition, RPC intends to purchase 184,210
ADSs (equivalent to 18,421,000 ordinary shares) in this offering. Accordingly, these shareholders, if acting together, or
Dr. Prudo, individually, may have the ability to impact the outcome of matters submitted to our shareholders for approval, including
the election and removal of directors and any merger, consolidation, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets. In addition,
these persons may have the ability to influence the management and affairs of our company. Accordingly, this concentration of
ownership may harm the market price of our ADSs by:
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delaying, deferring, or preventing a change in control;
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entrenching our management and/or the board of directors;
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impeding a merger, consolidation, takeover, or other business combination involving us; or
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discouraging a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.
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If we are deemed or become a passive
foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes in 2019 or in any prior or subsequent years, there
may be negative tax consequences for U.S. taxpayers that are holders of our ADSs.
We will be treated as a
passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes in any taxable year in which either (i)
at least 75% of our gross income is “passive income” or (ii) on average at least 50% of our assets by value produce
passive income or are held for the production of passive income. Passive income for this purpose generally includes, among other
things, certain dividends, interest, royalties, rents and gains from commodities and securities transactions and from the sale
or exchange of property that gives rise to passive income. Passive income also includes amounts derived by reason of the temporary
investment of funds, including those raised in a public offering. In determining whether a non-U.S. corporation is a PFIC,
a proportionate share of the income and assets of each corporation in which it owns, directly or indirectly, at least a 25% interest
(by value) is taken into account.
We believe we were not
a PFIC for 2018. Because the PFIC determination is highly fact sensitive, there can be no assurance that we will not be a PFIC
for 2019 or for any other taxable year. If we were to be characterized as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes in any taxable
year during which a U.S. shareholder owns our ADSs, and such U.S. shareholder does not make an election to treat us as a “qualified
electing fund,” or QEF, or make a “mark-to-market” election, then “excess distributions” to such
U.S. shareholder, and any gain realized on the sale or other disposition of our ADSs will be subject to special rules. Under these
rules: (i) the excess distribution or gain would be allocated ratably over the U.S. shareholder’s holding period for ADSs;
(ii) the amount allocated to the current taxable year and any period prior to the first day of the first taxable year in which
we were a PFIC would be taxed as ordinary income; and (iii) the amount allocated to each of the other taxable years would be subject
to tax at the highest rate of tax in effect for the applicable class of taxpayer for that year, and an interest charge for the
deemed deferral benefit would be imposed with respect to the resulting tax attributable to each such other taxable year. In addition,
if the U.S. Internal Revenue Service determines that we are a PFIC for a year with respect to which we have determined that we
were not a PFIC, it may be too late for a U.S. shareholder to make a timely QEF or mark-to-market election. U.S. shareholders who
hold our ADSs during a period when we are a PFIC will be generally subject to the foregoing rules, even if we cease to be a PFIC
in subsequent years, subject to certain exceptions, including for U.S. shareholders who made a timely QEF or mark-to-market election.
A U.S. shareholder can make a QEF election by completing the relevant portions of and filing IRS Form 8621 in accordance with the
instructions thereto. A QEF election generally may not be revoked without the consent of the IRS. If an investor provides reasonable
notice to us that it has determined to make a QEF election, we intend to provide annual financial information to such investor
as may be reasonably required for purposes of filing United States federal income tax returns in connection with such QEF election.
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains
or incorporates by reference forward-looking statements and readers are cautioned that our actual results may differ materially
from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this
prospectus supplement, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenue,
projected costs, prospects, plans, objectives of management and expected market growth are forward-looking statements. These statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements
to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
Words such as “may,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expects,” “projects,”
“intends,” “plans,” “believes” and words and terms of similar substance used in connection
with any discussion of future operating or financial performance, identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements
represent management’s present judgment regarding future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.
Such risks and uncertainties
include, but are not limited to:
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our needs for additional capital to fund our operations and our inability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms,
or at all;
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our ability to continue as a going concern;
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uncertainties of cash flows and inability to meet working capital needs;
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an inability or delay in obtaining required regulatory approvals for nomacopan (Coversin) and any other product candidates, which may result in unexpected cost expenditures;
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our ability to obtain orphan drug designation in additional indications;
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risks inherent in drug development in general;
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uncertainties in obtaining successful clinical results for nomacopan (Coversin) and any other product candidates and unexpected costs that may result therefrom;
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difficulties enrolling patients in our clinical trials;
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failure to realize any value of nomacopan (Coversin) and any other product candidates developed and being developed in light of inherent risks and difficulties involved in successfully bringing product candidates to market;
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inability to develop new product candidates and support existing product candidates;
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the approval by the FDA and EMA and any other similar foreign regulatory authorities of other competing or superior products brought to market;
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risks resulting from unforeseen side effects;
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risk that the market for nomacopan (Coversin) may not be as large as expected;
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risks associated with the departure of our former Chief Executive Officers and other executive officers;
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risks associated with the SEC investigation;
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inability to obtain, maintain and enforce patents and other intellectual property rights or the unexpected costs associated with such enforcement or litigation;
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inability to obtain and maintain commercial manufacturing arrangements with third party manufacturers or establish commercial scale manufacturing capabilities;
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the inability to timely source adequate supply of our active pharmaceutical ingredients from third party manufacturers on whom the Company depends; and
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unexpected cost increases and pricing pressures.
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In light of these
assumptions, risks and uncertainties, the results and events discussed in the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus
supplement might not occur. We are not under any obligation, and we expressly disclaim any obligation, to update or alter any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All subsequent forward-looking statements attributable
to us or to any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or
referred to in this section.
We have obtained the statistical
data, market data and other industry data and forecasts used throughout this prospectus supplement from publicly available information.
We have not sought the consent of the sources to refer to the publicly available reports in this prospectus supplement.
You should read this prospectus
supplement and the documents that we have filed as exhibits to the prospectus supplement with the understanding that our actual
future results may be materially different from what we expect. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that the net
proceeds from the sale of ADSs in this offering will be approximately $3.8 million, after deducting the estimated placement
agent fees and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
We currently intend to
use the net proceeds from this offering to fund our ongoing research and clinical development efforts and for working capital and
general corporate purposes.
The amounts and timing
of our actual expenditures may vary significantly depending on numerous factors, including the timing of our planned clinical trials
and the amount of cash used in our operations. We therefore cannot estimate with certainty the amount of net proceeds to be used
for the purposes described above. We may find it necessary or advisable to use the net proceeds from this offering for other purposes,
and we will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds.
Pending the use of the
net proceeds from this offering as described above, we intend to invest the net proceeds in a variety of capital preservation investments,
including short- and intermediate-term, interest-bearing obligations, investment-grade instruments or U.S. government securities.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets
forth our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of March 31, 2019:
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on a pro forma basis giving effect
to the sale by us of 65,000,000 ordinary shares subsequent to March 31, 2019 at a weighted-average price of $0.0211 per share
(equivalent to $2.11 per ADS) for gross proceeds of $1,369,500; and
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|
·
|
on a pro forma as adjusted basis, giving further effect to the
issuance and sale by us of 2,368,392 ADSs, representing ordinary shares, in this offering at the public offering price of
$1.90 per ADS, after deducting the placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
|
The following information
should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes incorporated by reference in this prospectus
supplement and the accompanying prospectus. For more details on how you can obtain the documents incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, see “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation
of Certain Information by Reference.”
|
|
As of March 31, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actual
|
|
|
Pro Forma
|
|
|
Pro Forma
As
Adjusted
|
|
|
|
(in thousands, except
share and per share data)
|
|
Cash
|
|
$
|
6,146
|
|
|
|
7,515
|
|
|
|
11,348
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders' equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share capital
|
|
|
23,717
|
|
|
|
24,538
|
|
|
|
27,544
|
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
107,097
|
|
|
|
107,646
|
|
|
|
108,473
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive income
|
|
|
(245
|
)
|
|
|
(245
|
)
|
|
|
(245
|
)
|
Accumulated deficit
|
|
|
(129,349
|
)
|
|
|
(129,349
|
)
|
|
|
(129,349
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total stockholders' equity
|
|
|
1,220
|
|
|
|
2,590
|
|
|
|
6,422
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total capitalization (long-term liabilities and equity)
|
|
|
1,200
|
|
|
|
2,590
|
|
|
|
6,422
|
|
The
number of ordinary shares indicated as issued and outstanding above is based on 1,585,693,413 ordinary shares outstanding as of
March 31, 2019
, and excludes:
|
·
|
93,096,998 ordinary shares (equivalent to 930,969 ADSs) issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding as of March 31, 2019 at a weighted-average exercise price of $0.12 per ordinary share (equivalent to $12.00 per ADS);
|
|
·
|
89,986,209 additional ordinary shares (equivalent to 899,862 ADSs) available for future issuance as of
March 31, 2019
under our 2014 Equity Incentive Compensation Plan;
|
|
|
|
|
·
|
118,421,300 ordinary shares (equivalent to 1,184,213 ADSs) issuable upon exercise of unregistered warrants to be issued to investors in the concurrent private placement with this offering, having an exercise price of $3.00 per ADS; and
|
|
|
|
|
·
|
17,762,940 ordinary shares (equivalent to 177,629 ADSs) issuable upon exercise of unregistered warrants to be issued to the placement agent in connection with this offering, having an exercise price of $2.85 per ADS.
|
DILUTION
If you invest in our ADSs,
your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per ADS and our pro forma net tangible
book value per ADS after this offering. We calculate the net tangible book value per share by dividing the net tangible book value,
which is tangible assets less total liabilities, by the number of outstanding ordinary shares as represented by ADSs. Dilution
results from the fact that the public offering price per ordinary share is substantially in excess of the net tangible book value
per ordinary share attributable to the existing shareholders for our presently outstanding ordinary shares.
Our net tangible book value
as of March 31, 2019 was $2,556,797 or $0.15 per ADS (after giving effect to the sale by us of 65,000,000 ordinary shares subsequent
to March 31, 2019).
After giving
effect to the sale of ADSs in this offering at the public offering price of $1.90 per ADS, and after deducting placement
agent fees and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma net tangible book value as of March 31, 2019 would
have been $6,419,246 or $0.34 per ADS. This represents an immediate increase in the net tangible book value of $0.19 per ADS
to our existing shareholders and an immediate and substantial dilution in net tangible book value of $1.56 per ADS to
new investors in this offering. The following table illustrates this per share dilution:
Public offering price per ADS
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
1.90
|
|
Pro forma net tangible book value per ADS as of March 31, 2019
|
|
$
|
0.15
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increase in pro forma net tangible book value per ADS after this offering
|
|
|
0.19
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As-adjusted pro forma net tangible book value per ADS as of March 31, 2019, after giving effect to this offering
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.34
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dilution per ADS to new investors in this offering
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
1.56
|
|
The above discussion and
table is based on 1,585,693,413 ordinary shares outstanding as of March 31, 2019, and excludes:
|
·
|
93,096,998 ordinary shares (equivalent to 930,969 ADSs) issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding as of March 31, 2019 at a weighted-average exercise price of $0.12 per ordinary share (equivalent to $12.00 per ADS);
|
|
·
|
89,986,209 additional ordinary shares (equivalent to 899,862 ADSs) available for future issuance as of March 31, 2019 under our 2014 Equity Incentive Compensation Plan; and
|
|
·
|
118,421,300 ordinary shares (equivalent to 1,184,213 ADSs) issuable upon exercise of unregistered warrants to be issued to investors in the concurrent private placement with this offering, having an exercise price of $3.00 per ADS; and
|
|
|
|
|
·
|
17,762,940 ordinary shares (equivalent to 177,629 ADSs) issuable upon exercise of unregistered warrants to be issued to the placement agent in connection with this offering, having an exercise price of $2.85 per ADS.
|
The above illustration
of dilution per share to investors participating in this offering assumes no exercise of outstanding options or warrants to purchase
our ordinary shares. The exercise of outstanding options or warrants having an exercise price less than the offering price will
increase dilution to new investors.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Subject to the terms
and conditions of a placement agency agreement, Paulson Investment Company, LLC, which we refer to as the placement agent, has
agreed to act as our exclusive placement agent in connection with this offering of our ADSs pursuant to this prospectus supplement
and the accompanying prospectus. The placement agent is not purchasing or selling any ADSs offered by this prospectus supplement
and the accompanying prospectus, nor is it required to arrange the purchase or sale of any specific number or dollar amount of
the ADSs, but has agreed to use its commercially reasonable “best efforts” to arrange for the sale of all of the ADSs
offered hereby. We will enter into purchase agreements directly with investors in connection with this offering and we will only
sell ADSs offered hereby to investors which have entered into purchase agreements. Because there is no minimum offering amount
required as a condition to closing in this offering, we may not sell the entire amount of ADSs offered pursuant to this prospectus
supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The public offering price of the ADSs has been determined based upon arm’s-length negotiations
between the purchasers and us. The placement agent may engage sub-agents or selected dealers to assist with this offering.
Commissions and Expenses
We have agreed to pay the
placement agent an aggregate cash placement fee equal to seven and one-half percent (7.5%) of the gross proceeds in this offering.
The following table provides
information regarding the amount of the placement agent fees to be paid to the placement agent by us, before expenses assuming
the purchase of all of the ADSs offered hereby:
|
|
Per ADS
|
|
|
Total
|
|
Public offering price
|
|
$
|
1.90
|
|
|
$
|
4,499,944.80
|
|
Placement agent fees
|
|
$
|
0.1425
|
|
|
$
|
337,495.86
|
|
Because there is no minimum
offering amount required as a condition to closing in this offering, the actual total offering commissions, if any, are not presently
determinable and may be substantially less than the maximum amount set forth above. We have also agreed to reimburse the placement
agent for its out-of-pocket expenses in an aggregate amount of up to $50,000 and the non-accountable sum of $10,000 in
connection with this offering.
Our obligation to issue
and sell ADSs to the purchasers is subject to the conditions set forth in the purchase agreements, which may be waived by us at
our discretion. A purchaser’s obligation to purchase ADSs is subject to the conditions set forth in such purchaser’s
purchase agreement, which may also be waived at such purchaser’s discretion.
We currently anticipate
that the sale of the ADSs will be completed on or about July 3, 2019. We estimate the total offering expenses of this offering
that will be payable by us, excluding the placement agent’s fees, will be approximately $330,000, which includes legal and
printing costs, various other fees and reimbursement of the placements agent’s expenses.
Placement Agent Warrants
In addition, we have
agreed to issue to the placement agent warrants to purchase 7.5% of the aggregate number of ADSs sold in this offering, or warrants
to purchase 177,629 ADSs. Such warrants will have an exercise price of $2.85 per ADS, and will be exercisable for a term of five
years from the effective date of this offering and will otherwise have substantially the same terms as the warrants being sold
and issued in the private placement. Neither the placement agent warrants nor the ADSs issuable upon exercise thereof are being
registered on this prospectus supplement or the registration statement of which it is a part. Pursuant to Rule 5110(g) of the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, the placement agent warrants and any ADSs issued upon exercise thereof will not be sold,
transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction
that would result in the effective economic disposition of the securities by any person, for a period of 180 days immediately following
the date of effectiveness or commencement of sales in this offering, except: (i) the transfer of any security by operation of law
or by reason of our reorganization; (ii) the transfer of any security to any FINRA member firm participating in the offering and
the officers or partners thereof, if all securities so transferred remain subject to the lock-up restriction set forth above for
the remainder of the time period; (iii) the transfer of any security if the aggregate amount of our securities held by the placement
agent or related persons do not exceed 1% of the securities being offered; (iv) the transfer of any security that is beneficially
owned on a pro-rata basis by all equity owners of an investment fund, provided that no participating member manages or otherwise
directs investments by the fund and the participating members in the aggregate do not own more than 10% of the equity in the fund;
or (v) the exercise or conversion of any security, if all securities remain subject to the lock-up restriction set forth above
for the remainder of the time period.
The placement agent shall
also be entitled to the foregoing cash commission and warrant compensation with respect to certain investors introduced to us by
the placement agent during the term of our engagement of the placement agent that purchase debt or equity securities during the
three or twelve month periods, as applicable to certain investors, following the termination of our engagement of the placement
agent.
Indemnification
We have agreed to indemnify
the placement agent against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act. We have also
agreed to contribute to payments the placement agent may be required to make in respect of such liabilities.
The placement agent may
be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act, and any commissions received by it
and any profit realized on the sale of our ADSs offered hereby by it while acting as principal might be deemed to be underwriting
discounts or commissions under the Securities Act. As an underwriter, the placement agent would be required to comply with the
requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including, without limitation, Rule 10b-5 and Regulation M under the Exchange
Act. These rules and regulations may limit the timing of purchases and sales of our securities by the placement agent acting as
principal. Under these rules and regulations, the placement agent may not (i) engage in any stabilization activity in connection
with our securities or (ii) bid for or purchase any of our securities or attempt to induce any person to purchase any of our securities,
other than as permitted under the Exchange Act, until it has completed its participation in the distribution.
The foregoing does not
purport to be a complete statement of the terms and conditions of the placement agent agreement and purchase agreements. A copy
of the placement agent agreement and the form of purchase agreement with the investors will be included as exhibits to our Report
on Form 6-K that will be filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement of which this
prospectus supplement forms a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Other
From time to time, the
placement agent and its affiliates have provided, or may in the future provide, various investment banking, financial advisory
and other services to us and our affiliates for which services they have received, or may in the future receive, customary fees.
There are no present arrangements for such future services. In the course of their businesses, the placement agent and its affiliates
may actively trade our securities or loans for their own account or for the accounts of customers, and, accordingly, the placement
agent and its affiliates may at any time hold long or short positions in such securities or loans.
The ADSs, representing
our ordinary shares, are listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “AKTX”.
The depositary for the
ADSs to be issued in this offering is Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas.
PRIVATE PLACEMENT TRANSACTION
In a
concurrent private placement (the “private placement transaction”), we are selling to each purchaser in this
offering, for each ADS purchased in this offering, one warrant to purchase one-half ADS. The warrants have an exercise price
of $3.00 per ADS (subject to the ‘cashless exercise’ arrangements described below), are exercisable upon
issuance, and terminate five years following issuance. The warrants and ADSs issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not
being registered under the Securities Act, are not being offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus and are being offered pursuant to the exemption provided in Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act and Rule
506(b) promulgated thereunder.
The following is a brief
summary of the warrants and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the terms set forth in the forms of the warrant to
be filed as an exhibit to our Report on Form 6-K, which we expect to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection
with this offering and the private placement transaction.
Exercisability.
Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants immediately following issuance, subject to the beneficial ownership limitation
described below. The holder shall deliver the aggregate exercise price for the ADSs specified in the exercise notice within two
trading days following the date of exercise (subject to the ‘cashless exercise’ arrangements described below).
Cashless Exercise.
If, more than six months after the date of issuance of the warrants, there is no effective registration statement registering,
or no current prospectus available for, the resale of the warrant ADSs, the holder may exercise the warrant, in whole or in part,
on a cashless basis. When exercised on a ‘cashless’ basis, the holder will receive a lower number of ADSs than would
ordinarily be issuable upon such exercise and will in return pay a reduced exercise price, equal to the nominal value of an ADS
(i.e., £1) per ADS actually issued.
Exercise Price.
The exercise price of each warrant is $3.00 per ADS (subject to the ‘cashless exercise’ arrangements described above)
and is subject to adjustment as described below.
Call Option
. The
warrants are callable by us in certain circumstances. Subject to certain exceptions, in the event that the warrants are outstanding,
if, after the closing date, (i) the volume weighted average price of our common stock for each of 10 consecutive trading days,
or the Measurement Period, which Measurement Period commences on the closing date, exceeds $4.50 (subject to adjustment for forward
and reverse stock splits, recapitalizations, stock dividends and similar transactions after the initial exercise date), (ii) the
average daily trading volume for such Measurement Period exceeds $100,000 per trading day and (iii) certain other equity conditions
are met, and subject to the beneficial ownership limitation, then we may, within one trading day of the end of such Measurement
Period, upon notice, or a Call Notice, call for cancellation of all or any portion of the warrants for which a notice of exercise
has not yet been delivered, or a Call, for consideration equal to $0.001 per warrant share. Any portion of a warrant subject to
such Call Notice for which a notice of exercise shall not have been received by the Call Date (as hereinafter defined) will be
canceled at 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the tenth trading day after the date the Call Notice is sent by the Company (such
date and time, the Call Date). Our right to call the warrants shall be exercised ratably among the holders based on the then outstanding
warrants.
Beneficial Ownership
Limitation.
A holder shall have
no right to exercise any portion of a warrant, to the extent that, after giving effect to such exercise, such holder, together
with such holder’s affiliates, and any persons acting as a group together with such holder or any such affiliate, would
beneficially own in excess of, at the initial option of the holder thereof, 9.99% of the number of ordinary shares outstanding
immediately after giving effect to the issuance of the ordinary shares underlying the ADSs upon such exercise. The holder of the
warrant, upon notice to us, may increase or decrease the beneficial ownership limitation to a percentage not to exceed 9.99%,
provided that any increase in the beneficial ownership limitation shall not be effective until 61 days following notice to us.
Beneficial ownership of the holder and its affiliates will be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Stock dividends and
stock splits.
If we pay a stock dividend or otherwise make a distribution payable in ADSs or ordinary shares on ADSs, ordinary
shares or any other equity or equivalent securities, subdivide or combine outstanding ADSs or ordinary shares, or redesignate other
securities as ADSs or ordinary shares, or issue ADSs or ordinary shares by way of capitalization of profits or reserves, the exercise
price of each warrant (except for ‘cashless exercise’) will be adjusted by multiplying the then exercise price by a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of ADSs or ordinary shares (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding
immediately before such event, and the denominator of which shall be the number of ADSs outstanding immediately after such event.
We have undertaken not to do anything which would require an adjustment of the exercise price to less than the nominal value of
an ADS.
Rights Offerings; pro
rata distributions
. If we issue ADS or ordinary share equivalents or rights to purchase ADSs, ordinary shares, warrants, securities
or other property pro rata to holders of ADSs or ordinary shares, a holder of a warrant will be entitled to acquire, subject to
the beneficial ownership limitation described above, such securities or property that such holder could have acquired if such holder
had held the number of ADSs or ordinary shares issuable upon complete exercise of the warrant immediately prior to the date a record
is taken for such issuance. If we declare or make any dividend or other distribution of assets or rights to acquire assets to holders
of ADSs or ordinary shares, a holder of a warrant will be entitled to participate, subject to the beneficial ownership limitation,
in such distribution to the same extent that the holder would have participated therein if the holder had held the number of warrant
shares issuable upon full exercise of the warrant.
Fundamental Transaction
.
If we effect a fundament transaction, including, among other things, a merger, sale of substantially of our assets, tender offer,
exchange offer and other business combination transactions, then upon any subsequent exercise of a warrant, the holder thereof
shall have the right to receive, for each ADS or ordinary share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior
to the occurrence of such fundamental transaction, the number of shares of the successor’s or acquiring corporation’s
securities, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration receivable as a result of such fundamental transaction
by a holder of the number of ADSs or ordinary shares for which the warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such fundamental
transaction.
Transferability.
Each warrant and all rights thereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of the warrant, together with a written
assignment of the warrant subject to applicable securities laws. We do not intend to apply for listing of the warrants on any securities exchange or other trading system.
No Rights as Stockholder
Until Exercise.
Except as set forth in the warrants, the holders of the warrants do not have any voting rights, dividends or
other rights as a holder of our capital stock until they exercise the warrants.
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL AND ARTICLES
OF ASSOCIATION
The following summarizes
the material rights of holders of ordinary shares, as set out in our Articles of Association. The following summary is qualified
in its entirety by reference to the Companies Act and to our Articles of Association, which is filed as an exhibit to our Form
6-K filed with the SEC on July 18, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.
We were originally established
as a private limited company under the laws of England and Wales on October 7, 2004 under the name Freshname No. 333 Limited. On
January 19, 2005, we changed our name to Morria Biopharmaceuticals Limited and on February 3, 2005, we completed a reverse merger
with Morria Biopharmaceuticals Inc., or Morria, a Delaware corporation, in which Morria became our wholly-owned subsidiary and
we re-registered as a non-traded public limited company under the laws of England and Wales. Morria was dedicated to the discovery
and development of novel, first-in-class, non-steroidal, synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs. On March 22, 2011, we incorporated
an Israeli subsidiary, Morria Biopharma Ltd. On June 25, 2013, we changed our name to Celsus Therapeutics PLC and on October 13,
2013 Morria was renamed Celsus Therapeutics Inc. On September 25, 2015, we further changed our name to “Akari Therapeutics,
PLC”. As such our affairs are governed by our Articles of Association and the English law.
In the following summary,
a “shareholder” is the person registered in our register of members as the holder of the relevant securities. For those
ordinary shares that have been deposited in our ADS facility pursuant to our deposit agreement with Deutsche Bank Trust Company
Americas, as depositary, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as depositary, or its nominee is deemed the shareholder.
Share Capital
Our board of directors
is generally authorized to issue up to 10,000,000,000 ordinary shares of £0.01 each until June 28, 2022, without seeking
shareholder approval, subject to certain limitations. As of March 31, 2019, there were 1,585,693,413 ordinary shares outstanding,
outstanding options to purchase 93,096,998 ordinary shares and 89,986,209 ordinary shares available for future issuance under our
2014 Equity Incentive Compensation Plan. All of our existing issued ordinary shares are fully paid. Accordingly, no further capital
may be required by us from the holders of such shares.
The rights and restrictions
to which the ordinary shares will be subject are prescribed in our Articles of Association. Our Articles of Association permit
our board of directors, with shareholder approval, to determine the terms of any preferred shares that we may issue. Our board
of directors is authorized, having obtained the consent of the shareholders, to provide from time to time the issuance of other
classes or series of shares and to establish the characteristics of each class or series, including the number of shares, designations,
relative voting rights, dividend rights, liquidation and other rights, redemption, repurchase or exchange rights and any other
preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights and limitations not inconsistent with applicable law.
English law does not recognize
fractional shares held of record. Accordingly, our Articles of Association do not provide for the issuance of fractional ordinary
shares, and our official English share register will not reflect any fractional shares.
We are not permitted under
English law to hold our own ordinary shares unless they are repurchased by us and held in treasury.
During the last three years,
excluding this offering, we have issued an aggregate of 473,000,030 ordinary shares and options to purchase an aggregate of 101,800,000
ordinary shares.
Issuance of Options and Warrants
Our Articles of Association
provide that, subject to any shareholder approval requirement under any laws, regulations or the rules of any stock exchange to
which we are subject, our board of directors is authorized, from time to time, in its discretion, to grant such persons, for such
periods and upon such terms as it deems advisable, options to purchase such number of shares of any class or classes or of any
series of any class as our board of directors may deem advisable, and to cause warrants or other appropriate instruments evidencing
such options to be issued. The Companies Act provides that directors may issue options or warrants without shareholder approval
once authorized to do so by the Articles of Association or an ordinary resolution of shareholders. Our board of directors may issue
shares upon exercise of options or warrants without shareholder approval or authorization, up to the relevant authorized share
capital limit.
Dividends
Our Articles of Association
provide that our board of directors may, subject to the applicable provisions of the Companies Act, from time to time, declare
such dividend as may appear to the board of directors to be justified by the distributable profits of the Company. Subject to the
rights of the holders of shares with preferential or other special rights that may be authorized in the future, holders of ordinary
shares are entitled to receive dividends according to their rights and interest in our distributable profits. Dividends, to the
extent declared, are distributed according to the proportion of the nominal value paid up on account of the shares held at the
date so appointed by the Company, without regard to the premium paid in excess of the nominal value, if any. A company may only
distribute a dividend out of the company’s distributable profits, as defined under the Companies Act.
Any dividend unclaimed
after a period of twelve years from the date of declaration of such dividend shall be forfeited and shall revert to us. In addition,
the payment by the board of directors of any unclaimed dividend, interest or other sum payable on or in respect of an ordinary
share into a separate account shall not constitute us as a trustee in respect thereof.
Rights in a Liquidation
In the event of our liquidation,
subject to applicable law, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors, our assets will be distributed to the holders of ordinary
shares in proportion to their respective holdings. This liquidation right may be affected by the grant of preferential dividends
or distribution rights to the holders of a class of shares with preferential rights that may be authorized in the future.
Voting Rights
Holders of ordinary shares
have one vote for each ordinary share held on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders. These voting rights may be affected
by the grant of any special voting rights to the holders of a class of shares with preferential rights that may be authorized in
the future.
The ordinary shares do
not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. As a result, holders of ordinary shares that represent more than
50% of the voting power at the general meeting of shareholders, in person or by proxy, have the power to elect all the directors
whose positions are being filled at that meeting to the exclusion of the remaining shareholders. At every annual general meeting,
one third of the directors who are subject to retirement by rotation, or as near to it as may be, will retire from office. In any
two year period, a majority of the directors must stand for re-election or replacement. In the event that this majority has not
been met and the number of directors eligible for retirement by rotation under the provision of our Articles of Association are
not met, any further directors to retire are those who have been in office the longest since their last appointment or re-appointment,
but as between persons who became or were last re-appointed directors on the same day, those to retire are determined by the Board
of Directors at the recommendation of the Chairman. A retiring director is eligible for re-appointment, subject to the terms of
our Articles of Association.
The actions necessary to
change the rights of holders of the ordinary shares are as follows: the rights of the shareholders would need to be altered by
way of a special resolution requiring 75% vote of the shareholders who are present and voting in person or by proxy. In order to
change the rights of a separate class of shares, it will require such a vote by shareholders of that class of shares.
Preemptive Rights
There are no rights of
pre-emption under our Articles of Association in respect of transfers of issued ordinary shares. In certain circumstances, our
shareholders have preemptive rights with respect to new issuances of equity securities. However our board of directors is
generally authorized to allot equity securities for cash without triggering shareholder preemptive rights, provided that this power
shall (i) be limited to the allotment of equity securities up to an aggregate nominal amount of £100,000,000; and (ii) expire
(unless previously revoked or varied by us), on June 28, 2022.
Transfer of Shares
Fully paid ordinary shares
are issued in registered form and may be transferred pursuant to our Articles of Association, unless such transfer is restricted
or prohibited by another instrument and subject to applicable securities laws. The Articles of Association state that the directors
of the Company may refuse to authorize a transfer of shares if the shares in question have not been paid in full and are therefore
only partly paid.
Limitation on Owning Securities
Our Articles of Association
do not restrict in any way the ownership or voting of ordinary shares by non-residents. If the Company serves a demand on a person
under section 793 to the Companies Act 2006, that person will be required to disclose any interest he has in the shares of the
Company.
Fiduciary Duties of Office Holders
Directors owe fiduciary
duties to their companies. Chapter 2 of Part 10 of the Companies Act 2006 (2006 Act) codifies certain of those duties. The relevant
statutory duties imposed on directors under the 2006 Act are:
|
·
|
to promote the success of the company;
|
|
·
|
to exercise independent judgment;
|
|
·
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to avoid conflicts of interest;
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not to accept benefits from third parties; and
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to declare an interest in a proposed transaction or arrangement.
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In addition, the general
principles of fiduciary duties as set out in common law continue in place in respect of Directors. The general four principles
of fiduciary duties are:
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No conflict
: A must not place himself in a position where his own interests conflict with those of B or where there is a real possibility that this will happen. This is also known as conflict of duty or conflict of interest.
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No-profit
: A must not profit from his position at the expense of B. This is also known as misuse of property held in a fiduciary capacity.
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Undivided loyalty
: A fiduciary owes undivided loyalty to his beneficiary. Rather confusingly, this is sometimes called conflict of duty. A must not place himself in a position where his duty to another customer conflicts with his duty to B.
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Confidentiality
: A must use or disclose information obtained in confidence from B for the benefit only of B.
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In the corporate realm,
these have been refined as follows:
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Duty to act in good faith in the best interests of the company:
A director had to act at all times in good faith in what he considered was the best interests of the company.
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Duty to act within the powers conferred by the company’s memorandum and articles of association and to exercise powers for proper purposes:
A director could not cause the company to undertake activities outside that permitted by the company’s constitutional documents, or exercise his powers for any “improper purpose”.
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Duty to avoid conflicting interests and duties:
A director was obliged to avoid placing himself in a position where there was a conflict, or possible conflict, between the duties which he owed to the company and either his personal interests or other duties which he owed to a third party.
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Duty not to make unauthorized profits:
A director was under a duty to account for any personal profit made by virtue of his directorship unless the prof it was authorized by shareholder resolution or was in accordance with the company’s articles. The duty to account was strict, and did not depend on fraud or lack of good faith, or on the company suffering any loss.
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Standard of Care
A director had to take
such actions as would be taken by “a reasonably diligent person,” having both:
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the general knowledge, skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company; and
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the general knowledge, skill and experience that that director has.
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Disclosure of Personal Interests of an Officer
Holder
The Companies Act requires
that an office holder disclose to the Company any direct or indirect personal interest that he or she may have, and all related
material information and documents known to him or her, in connection with any existing or proposed transaction by the company.
The disclosure is required to be made promptly and in any event, no later than the board of directors meeting in which the transaction
is first discussed.
Section 177 of the Companies
Act requires any transaction in which a director has an interest to be declared, and not only those that are extraordinary transactions.
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interests
Except as provided in our
Articles of Association, a director may not vote at a meeting of the board or of a committee of the board on any resolution concerning
a matter:
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in which he has (either alone or together with any person connected with him, as provided in the Companies Act) a material interest, other than an interest in shares or debentures or other securities of or in the company; and
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subject to the Companies Act, which conflicts or may conflict with the interests of the Company.
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A director is not counted
in the quorum at a meeting in relation to any resolution on which he is debarred from voting.
Notwithstanding the foregoing,
a director is entitled to vote and be counted in the quorum in respect of any resolution concerning any of the following matters:
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the giving of any security, guarantee or indemnity to a third party in respect of a debt or obligation of the Company or any of our subsidiaries for which he himself has assumed responsibility in whole or in part under a guarantee or indemnity or by the giving of security;
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any proposal concerning an offer of shares or debentures or other securities of or by the Company or any of our subsidiaries for subscription or purchase in which offer he is or is to be interested as a participant as the holder of such shares, debentures or other securities or in its underwriting or sub-underwriting;
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any contract, arrangement, transaction or other proposal concerning any other company in which he holds an interest not representing one per cent. or more of any class of the equity share capital (calculated exclusive of any shares of that class held as treasury shares) of such company, or of any third company through which his interest is derived, or of the voting rights available to members of the relevant company, any such interest being deemed for the purpose of this regulation to be a material interest in all circumstances;
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any contract, arrangement, transaction or other proposal concerning the adoption, modification or operation of a superannuation fund or retirement, death or disability benefits scheme under which he may benefit and which has been approved by or is subject to and conditional upon approval by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs;
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any contract, arrangement, transaction or proposal concerning the adoption, modification or operation of any scheme for enabling employees, including full time executive directors of the Company or any of our subsidiaries to acquire shares of the Company or any arrangement for the benefit of employees of the Company or any of our subsidiaries, which does not award him any privilege or benefit not awarded to the employees to whom such scheme relates; or
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any contract, arrangement, transaction or proposal concerning insurance which the Company proposes to maintain or purchase for the benefit of directors or for the benefit of persons including directors.
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Article 27 of the Articles
of Association states, that the board may authorize any matter which may otherwise involve a director breaching his duties under
certain sections of the Companies Act 2006 to avoid conflicts of interest.
Any director (including
the director which has the conflict) may propose that such conflicted director be authorized in relation to any matter which is
the subject of such a conflict. The director with the conflict will not count towards the quorum at the meeting at which the conflict
is considered and may not vote on any resolution authorizing the conflict. Where the board gives authority in relation to such
a conflict, the board may impose such terms on the relevant director as it deems appropriate.
Directors’ and Officers’ Compensation
The Companies Act requires
that a resolution approving provisions to appoint a director for a fixed period of more than two years must not be passed unless
a memorandum setting out the proposed contract incorporating the provision is made available to members: in the case of a resolution
at a meeting, by being made available for inspection by members of the company both (i) at the company’s registered office
for not less than 15 days ending with the date of the meeting, and (ii) at the meeting itself.
Directors’ Borrowing Powers
Our board of directors
may, from time to time, in its discretion, cause us to borrow or secure the payment of any sum or sums of money for the purposes
of our company.
Retirement of Directors
We do not have any age
limitations for our directors, nor do we have mandatory retirement as a result of reaching a certain age.
Share Qualification of Directors
No shareholding qualification
is required by a director.
Redemption Provisions.
We may, subject to applicable
law and to our Articles of Association, issue redeemable preference shares and redeem the same.
Capital Calls.
Under our Articles of Association
and the Companies Act, the liability of our shareholders is limited to the nominal value (i.e. par). The board of directors has
the authority to make calls upon the shareholders in respect of any money unpaid on their shares and each shareholder shall pay
to us as required by such notice the amount called on his shares. If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable,
and the fourteen days’ notice provided by the board of directors has not been complied with, any share in respect of which
such notice was given may be forfeited by a resolution of the board.
No Sinking Fund
Our ordinary shares do
not have sinking fund provisions.
Modification of Rights
Subject to the provisions
of the Companies Act, if at any time our capital is divided into different classes of shares, the rights attached to any class
may be varied or abrogated with the consent in writing of the holders of at least three-fourths in nominal value of that class
or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of that class, but not otherwise. The
quorum at any such meeting is two or more persons holding, or representing by proxy, at least one-third in nominal value of the
issued shares in question.
Shareholders’ Meetings and Resolutions
Pursuant to our Articles
of Association, the quorum required for an ordinary meeting of shareholders consists of at least two shareholders present in person
or by proxy, who hold shares conferring in the aggregate more than 15% of our issued share capital. If at any time the Company
has only one shareholder, such shareholder, in person, by proxy or, if a corporation, by its representative, shall constitute a
quorum. A meeting adjourned for lack of a quorum generally is adjourned to the same day in the following week at the same time
and place or any time and place as the chairman of the board may designate. Furthermore, the board of the company may call a general
meeting whenever they think fit. If the Board, in its absolute discretion, considers that it is impractical or unreasonable for
any reason to hold a general meeting on the date or at the time or place specified in the notice calling the general meeting, it
may postpone the general meeting to another date, time and/or place.
Under the Companies Act,
each shareholder of record must be provided at least 14 calendar days prior to the notice of any general shareholders’ meeting
and 21 days prior to the notice of an annual general meeting. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, our annual general
meeting will be held at such time and place or places as our board may determine. Our board may call a general meeting whenever
it thinks fit, and must do so when required under the Companies Act. General meetings must be convened on such requisition, or
in default may be convened by such requisitionists or by court order, as provided by the Companies Act.
Voting at any general meeting
of shareholders is by a show of hands, unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by:
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the chairman of the meeting;
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at least five shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting;
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any shareholder or shareholders representing in the aggregate not less than one-tenth of the total voting rights of all shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting; or
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any shareholder or shareholders holding shares conferring a right to vote at the meeting on which there have been paid up sums in the aggregate equal to not less than one-tenth of the total sum paid up on all the shares conferring that right.
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In a vote by a show of
hands, every shareholder who is present in person or by proxy at a general meeting has one vote. In a vote on a poll, every shareholder
who is present in person or by proxy shall have one vote for every share of which they are registered as the holder (provided that
no shareholder shall have more than one vote on a show of hands notwithstanding that he may have appointed more than one proxy
to vote on his behalf). The quorum for a shareholders’ meeting is a minimum of two persons holding at least 15% of the share
capital, present in person or by proxy.
Holders of ADSs are also
entitled to vote by supplying their voting instructions to Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as depositary, who, subject to
the terms of the deposit agreement, will vote the ordinary shares represented by their ADSs in accordance with their instructions.
The ability of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as depositary, to carry out voting instructions may be limited by practical
and legal limitations, the terms of the deposit agreement, the terms of our Articles of Association, and the terms of the ordinary
shares on deposit. We cannot assure the holders of our ADSs that they will receive voting materials in time to enable them to return
voting instructions to Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as depositary, in a timely manner.
Unless otherwise required
by law or the Articles of Association, voting in a general meeting is by ordinary resolution. An ordinary resolution is approved
by a majority vote of the shareholders present at a meeting at which there is a quorum. Examples of matters that can be approved
by an ordinary resolution include:
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the election of directors;
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the approval of financial statements;
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the declaration of final dividends;
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the appointment of auditors;
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the increase of authorized share capital; or
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the grant of authority to issue shares.
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A special resolution or
an extraordinary resolution requires the affirmative vote of not less than three-fourths of the eligible votes. Examples of matters
that must be approved by a special resolution include modifications to the rights of any class of shares, certain changes to the
Articles of Association, or our winding-up.
Limitation on Owning Securities
Our Articles of Association
do not restrict in any way the ownership or voting of ordinary shares by non-residents. Furthermore, there is no obligation for
a shareholder of a UK company which is not listed in the UK or EU to voluntarily disclose his shareholding unless required to do
so by the company. If the company serves a demand on a person under section 793 to the Companies Act 2006, that person will be
required to disclose any interest he has in the shares of the company.
Change in Control
We can issue additional
shares with any rights or restrictions attached to them as long as the Company is not restricted by any rights attached to existing
shares. These rights or restrictions can be decided by the directors so long as there is no conflict with any resolution passed
by the shareholders. The ability of the directors to issue shares with rights or restrictions that are different than those attached
to the currently outstanding ordinary shares could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing change of control of our
company.
In addition, our board
of directors is divided into three classes for purposes of election. One class is elected at each annual general meeting to serve
for a three-year term. Because this would prevent shareholders from replacing the entire board at a single meeting, this provision
could also have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company.
Differences in Corporate Law Between England
and the State Of Delaware
As a public limited company
incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, the rights of our shareholders are governed by applicable English law, including
the Companies Act, and not by the law of any U.S. state. As a result, our directors and shareholders are subject to different responsibilities,
rights and privileges than are applicable to directors and shareholders of U.S. corporations. We have set below a summary of the
differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the Delaware General Corporation Law relating to shareholders’
rights and protections. This summary is not intended to be a complete discussion of the respective rights and it is qualified in
its entirety by reference to English law, Delaware law and our Articles of Association. Before investing, you should consult your
legal advisor regarding the impact of English corporate law on your specific circumstances and reasons for investing. The summary
below does not include a description of rights or obligations under the U.S. federal securities laws or Nasdaq listing requirements.
You are also urged to carefully read the relevant provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Companies Act for
a more complete understanding of the differences between Delaware and English law.
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Delaware
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England
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Number of Directors
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Under Delaware law, a corporation must have at least one director and the number of directors shall be fixed by or in the manner provided in the bylaws, unless specified in the certificate of incorporation.
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Under the Companies Act, a public limited company must have at least two directors and the number of directors may be fixed by or in the manner provided in a company’s articles of association.
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Removal of Directors
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Under Delaware law, directors may be removed from office, with or without cause, by a majority shareholder vote, except (a) in the case of a corporation whose board is classified, shareholders may effect such removal only for cause, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, and (b) in the case of a corporation having cumulative voting, if less than the entire board is to be removed, no director may be removed without cause if the votes cast against his or her removal would be sufficient to elect him or her if then cumulatively voted at an election of the entire board of directors, or, if there are classes of directors, at an election of the class of directors of which he or she is a part.
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Under the Companies Act, shareholders may remove a director without cause by an ordinary resolution (which is passed by a simple majority of those voting in person or by proxy at a general meeting) irrespective of any provisions of any service contract the director has with the company, provided that 28 clear days’ notice of the resolution is given to the company and certain other procedural requirements under the Companies Act are followed (such as allowing the director to make representations against his or her removal at the meeting and/or in writing).
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Vacancies on the Board of Directors
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Under Delaware law, vacancies and newly created directorships may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office (even though less than a quorum) or by a sole remaining director unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation.
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Under English law, the procedure by which directors (other than a company’s initial directors) are appointed is generally set out in a company’s articles of association, provided that where two or more persons are appointed as directors of a public limited company by resolution of the shareholders, resolutions appointing each director must be voted on individually unless a resolution of the shareholders that such resolutions do not have to be voted on individually is first agreed to by the meeting without any vote being given against it.
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Delaware
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England
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Annual General Meeting
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Under Delaware law, the annual meeting of shareholders shall be held at such place, on such date and at such time as may be designated from time to time by the board of directors or as provided in the certificate of incorporation or by the bylaws.
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Under the Companies Act, a public limited company must hold an annual general meeting each year. This meeting must be held within six months beginning with the day following the company’s accounting reference date.
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General Meeting
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Under Delaware law, special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the board of directors or by such person or persons as may be authorized by the certificate of incorporation or by the bylaws.
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Under the Companies Act, a general meeting of the shareholders of a public limited company may be called by the directors. Shareholders holding at least 5% of the paid-up capital (excluding any paid-up capital held as treasury shares) of the company carrying voting rights at general meetings can also require the directors to call a general meeting.
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Notice of General Meetings
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Under Delaware law, written notice of any meeting of the shareholders must be given to each shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting not less than ten nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting and shall specify the place, date, hour and purpose or purposes of the meeting.
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The Companies Act provides that a general meeting
(other than an adjourned meeting) must be called by notice of:
• in
the case of an annual general meeting, at least 21 days; and
• in
any other case, at least 14 days.
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The company’s articles of association may provide for a longer period of notice and, in addition, certain matters (such as the removal of directors or auditors) require special notice, which is 28 clear days’ notice. The shareholders of a company may in all cases consent to a shorter notice period, the proportion of shareholders’ consent required being 100% of those entitled to attend and vote in the case of an annual general meeting and, in the case of any other general meeting, a majority in number of the members having a right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority who together hold not less than 95% in nominal value of the shares giving a right to attend and vote at the meeting.
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Delaware
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England
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Quorum
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The certificate of incorporation or bylaws may specify the number of shares, the holders of which shall be present or represented by proxy at any meeting in order to constitute a quorum, but in no event shall a quorum consist of less than
1
/3 of the shares entitled to vote at the meeting. In the absence of such specification in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws, a majority of the shares entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of shareholders.
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Subject to the provisions of a company’s articles of association, the Companies Act provides that two shareholders present at a meeting (in person or by proxy) shall constitute a quorum.
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Proxy
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Under Delaware law, at any meeting of shareholders, a shareholder may designate another person to act for such shareholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period.
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Under the Companies Act, at any meeting of shareholders, a shareholder may designate another person to attend, speak and vote at the meeting on their behalf by proxy (or, in the case of a shareholder which is a corporate body, by way of a corporate representative).
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Issue of New Shares
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Under Delaware law, if the company’s certificate of incorporation so provides, the directors have the power to authorize additional stock. The directors may authorize capital stock to be issued for consideration consisting of cash, any tangible or intangible property or any benefit to the company or any combination thereof.
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Under the Companies Act, the directors of a
company must not exercise any power to allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert any security into, shares unless
they are authorized to do so by the company’s articles of association or by an ordinary resolution of the shareholders.
Any authorization given must state the maximum
amount of shares that may be allotted under it and specify the date on which it will expire, which must be not more than five years
from the date the authorization was given. The authority can be renewed by a further resolution of the shareholders.
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Delaware
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England
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Pre-emptive Rights
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Under Delaware law, unless otherwise provided in a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, a stockholder does not, by operation of law, possess pre-emptive rights to subscribe to additional issuances of the corporation’s stock.
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Under the Companies Act, “equity securities” (being (i) shares in the company other than shares that, with respect to dividends and capital, carry a right to participate only up to a specified amount in a distribution (“ordinary shares”) or (ii) rights to subscribe for, or to convert securities into, ordinary shares) proposed to be allotted for cash must be offered first to the existing equity shareholders in the company in proportion to the respective nominal value of their holdings, unless an exception applies or a special resolution to the contrary has been passed by shareholders in a general meeting or the articles of association provide otherwise in each case in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act.
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Liability of Directors and Officers
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Under Delaware law, a corporation’s certificate
of incorporation may include a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director to the corporation and its
shareholders for monetary damages arising from a breach of fiduciary duty as a director. However, no provision can limit the liability
of a director for:
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any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders;
• acts
or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
• willful
or negligent payment of unlawful dividends or stock purchases or redemptions; or
• any
transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit.
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Under the Companies Act, any provision (whether
contained in a company’s articles of association or any contract or otherwise) that purports to exempt a director of a company
(to any extent) from any liability that would otherwise attach to him in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty
or breach of trust in relation to the company is void.
Any provision by which a company directly or
indirectly provides an indemnity (to any extent) for a director of the company or of an associated company against any liability
attaching to him in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company of which
he or she is a director is also void except as permitted by the Companies Act, which provides exceptions for the company to: (i) purchase
and maintain insurance against such liability; (ii) provide a “qualifying third party indemnity” (being an indemnity
against liability incurred by the director to a person other than the company or an associated company. Such indemnity must not
cover fines imposed in criminal proceedings, penalties imposed by regulatory bodies arising out of non-compliance with regulatory
requirements, the defense costs of criminal proceedings where the director is found guilty, the defense costs of civil proceedings
successfully brought against the director by the company or an associated company, and the costs of unsuccessful applications by
the director for relief); and (iii) provide a “qualifying pension scheme indemnity” (being an indemnity against
liability incurred in connection with the company’s activities as trustee of an occupational pension plan).
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Delaware
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England
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Voting Rights
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Delaware law provides that, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, each shareholder of record is entitled to one vote for each share of capital stock held by such shareholder.
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Under English law, unless a poll is demanded by the shareholders of a company or is required by the Chairman of the meeting or the company’s articles of association, shareholders shall vote on all resolutions on a show of hands.
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Under the Companies Act, a poll may be demanded by: (i) not fewer than five shareholders having the right to vote on the resolution; (ii) any shareholder(s) representing at least 10% of the total voting rights of all the shareholders having the right to vote on the resolution (excluding any voting rights attached to treasury shares); or (iii) any shareholder (s) holding shares in the company conferring a right to vote on the resolution being shares on which an aggregate sum has been paid up equal to not less than 10% of the total sum paid up on all the shares conferring that right. A company’s articles of association may provide more extensive rights for shareholders to call a poll.
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Under English law, an ordinary resolution is passed on a show of hands if it is approved by a simple majority (more than 50%) of the votes cast by shareholders present (in person or by proxy) and entitled to vote. If a poll is demanded, an ordinary resolution is passed if it is approved by holders representing a simple majority of the total voting rights of shareholders present (in person or by proxy) who (being entitled to vote) vote on the resolution. Special resolutions require the affirmative vote of not less than 75% of the votes cast by shareholders present (in person or by proxy) at the meeting.
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Delaware
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England
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Variation of Class Rights
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Under Delaware law, the holders of the outstanding shares of a class shall be entitled to vote as a class upon a proposed amendment, whether or not entitled to vote thereon by the certificate of incorporation, if the amendment would increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares of such class, increase or decrease the par value of the shares of such class, or alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the shares of such class so as to affect them adversely.
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The Companies Act provides that rights attached
to a class of shares may only be varied or abrogated in accordance with provision in the company’s articles for the variation
or abrogation of those rights or, where the company’s articles contain no such provision, if the holders of shares of that
class consent to the variation or abrogation. Consent for these purposes means:
• consent
in writing from the holders of at least 75% in nominal value of the issued shares of that class (excluding any shares held as treasury
shares); or
• a
special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of that class sanctioning the variation.
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The Companies Act provides that the quorum for a class meeting is not less than two persons holding or representing by proxy at least one-third of the nominal value of the issued shares of that class. Following a variation of class rights, shareholders who amount to not less than 15% of the shareholders of the class in question who did not approve the variation may apply to court to have the variation cancelled. Any application must be made within 21 days of the variation. The court may cancel the variation if it is satisfied having regard to all the circumstances of the case that the variation would unfairly prejudice the shareholders of the class represented by the applicant.
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Delaware
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England
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Shareholder Vote on Certain Transactions
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Generally, under Delaware law, unless the certificate
of incorporation provides for the vote of a larger portion of the stock, completion of a merger, consolidation, sale, lease or
exchange of all or substantially all of a corporation’s assets or dissolution requires:
• the
approval of the board of directors; and
• approval
by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding stock or, if the certificate of incorporation provides for more or
less than one vote per share, a majority of the votes of the outstanding stock of a corporation entitled to vote on the matter.
Under Delaware law, a contract or transaction
between the company and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the company and any other organization in which one
or more of its directors or officers, are directors or officers, or have a financial interest, shall not be void solely for this
reason, or solely because the director or officer participates in the meeting of the board which authorizes the contract or transaction,
or solely because any such director’s or officer’s votes are counted for such purpose, if:
• the
material facts as to the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are
disclosed or are known to the board, and the board in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes
of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum;
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The Companies Act provides for schemes of arrangement,
which are arrangements or compromises between a company and any class of shareholders or creditors and used in certain types of
reconstructions, amalgamations, capital reorganizations or takeovers. These arrangements require:
• the
approval at a shareholders’ or creditors’ meeting convened by order of the court, of a majority in number of shareholders
or creditors representing 75% in value of the capital held by, or debt owed to, the class of shareholders or creditors, or class
thereof present and voting, either in person or by proxy; and
• the
approval of the court.
Once approved, sanctioned and effective, all
shareholders or creditors of the relevant class and the company are bound by the terms of the scheme. The Companies Act also contains
certain provisions relating to transactions between a director and the company, including transactions involving the acquisition
of substantial non-cash assets from a director or the sale of substantial noncash assets to a director, and loans between a company
and a director or certain connected persons of directors. If such transactions meet certain thresholds set out within the Companies
Act the approval of shareholders by ordinary resolution will be required.
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• the
material facts as to the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are
disclosed or are known to the shareholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in
good faith by vote of the shareholders; or
• the
contract or transaction is fair as to the corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified, by the board of directors,
a committee or the shareholders.
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Delaware
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England
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Standard of Conduct for Directors
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Delaware law does not contain specific provisions setting forth the standard of conduct of a director. The scope of the fiduciary duties of directors is generally determined by the courts of the State of Delaware. In general, directors have a duty to act without self-interest, on a well-informed basis and in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interest of the shareholders. Directors of a Delaware corporation owe fiduciary duties of care and loyalty to the corporation and to its shareholders. The duty of care generally requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself or herself of all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director act in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. The director must not use his or her corporate position for personal gain or advantage. In addition, under Delaware law, when the board of directors of a Delaware corporation approves the sale or break-up of a corporation, the board of directors may, in certain circumstances, have a duty to obtain the highest value reasonably available to the shareholders.
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Under English law, a director owes various
statutory and fiduciary duties to the company, including:
• to
act in the way he or she considers, in good faith, would be most likely to promote the success of the company for the benefit of
its shareholders as a whole;
• to
avoid a situation in which he or she has, or can have, a direct or indirect interest that conflicts, or possibly conflicts, with
the interests of the company;
• to
act in accordance with the company’s constitution and only exercise his or her powers for the purposes for which they are
conferred;
• to
exercise independent judgment;
• to
exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence;
• not
to accept benefits from a third party conferred by reason of his or her being a director or doing (or not doing) anything as a
director; and
• a
duty to declare any interest that he or she has, whether directly or indirectly, in a proposed or existing transaction or arrangement
with the company.
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Delaware
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England
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Shareholder Suits
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Under Delaware law, a shareholder may initiate
a derivative action to enforce a right of a corporation if the corporation fails to enforce the right itself. The complaint must:
• state
that the plaintiff was a shareholder at the time of the transaction of which the plaintiff complains or that the plaintiff’s
shares thereafter devolved on the plaintiff by operation of law; and
• allege
with particularity the efforts made by the plaintiff to obtain the action the plaintiff desires from the directors and the reasons
for the plaintiff’s failure to obtain the action; or
• state
the reasons for not making the effort. Additionally, the plaintiff must remain a shareholder through the duration of the derivative
suit.
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Under English law, generally, the company, rather than its shareholders, is the proper claimant in an action in respect of a wrong done to the company or where there is an irregularity in the company’s internal management. Notwithstanding this general position, the Companies Act provides that (i) a court may allow a shareholder to bring a derivative claim (that is, an action in respect of and on behalf of the company) in respect of a cause of action arising from a director’s negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust, subject to complying with the procedural requirements under the Companies Act and (ii) a shareholder may bring a claim for a court order where the company’s affairs have been or are being conducted in a manner that is unfairly prejudicial to some or all of its shareholders.
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Other U.K. Law Considerations
Squeeze-Out
Under the Companies Act,
if a takeover offer (as defined in Section 974 of the Companies Act) is made for the shares of a company and the offeror were
to acquire, or unconditionally contract to acquire: (i) not less than 90% in value of the shares to which the takeover offer
relates (the “Takeover Offer Shares”); and (ii) where those shares are voting shares, not less than 90% of the
voting rights attached to the Takeover Offer Shares, the offeror could acquire compulsorily the remaining 10% within three months
of the day after the last day on which its offer can be accepted. It would do so by sending a notice to outstanding shareholders
telling them that it will acquire compulsorily their Takeover Offer Shares and then, six weeks later, it would execute a transfer
of the outstanding Takeover Offer Shares in its favor and pay the consideration to the company, which would hold the consideration
on trust for outstanding shareholders. The consideration offered to the shareholders whose Takeover Offer Shares are acquired compulsorily
under the Companies Act must, in general, be the same as the consideration that was available under the takeover offer.
Sell-Out
The Companies Act also
gives minority shareholders a right to be bought out in certain circumstances by an offeror who has made a takeover offer (as defined
in Section 974 of the Companies Act). If a takeover offer related to all the shares of a company and, at any time before the
end of the period within which the offer could be accepted, the offeror held or had agreed to acquire not less than 90% of the
shares to which the offer relates, any holder of the shares to which the offer related who had not accepted the offer could by
a written communication to the offeror require it to acquire those shares. The offeror is required to give any shareholder notice
of his or her right to be bought out within one month of that right arising. The offeror may impose a time limit on the rights
of the minority shareholders to be bought out, but that period cannot end less than three months after the end of the acceptance
period. If a shareholder exercises his or her rights, the offeror is bound to acquire those shares on the terms of the offer or
on such other terms as may be agreed.
Disclosure of Interest in Shares
Pursuant to Part 22
of the Companies Act, a company is empowered by notice in writing to require any person whom the company knows to be, or has reasonable
cause to believe to be, interested in the company’s shares or at any time during the three years immediately preceding the
date on which the notice is issued to have been so interested, within a reasonable time to disclose to the company details of that
person’s interest and (so far as is within such person’s knowledge) details of any other interest that subsists or
subsisted in those shares. If a shareholder defaults in supplying the company with the required details in relation to the shares
in question (the “Default Shares”), the shareholder shall not be entitled to vote or exercise any other right conferred
by membership in relation to general meetings. Where the Default Shares represent 0.25% or more of the issued shares of the class
in question, in certain circumstances the directors may direct that:
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(i)
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any dividend or other money payable in respect of the Default Shares shall be retained by the company without any liability to pay interest on it when such dividend or other money is finally paid to the shareholder; and/or
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(ii)
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no transfer by the relevant shareholder of shares (other than a transfer approved in accordance with the provisions of the company’s articles of association) may be registered (unless such shareholder is not in default and the transfer does not relate to Default Shares).
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Dividends
Under English law, before
a company can lawfully make a distribution, it must ensure that it has sufficient distributable reserves. A company’s distributable
reserves are its accumulated, realized profits, so far as not previously utilized by distribution or capitalization, less its accumulated,
realized losses, so far as not previously written off in a reduction or reorganization of capital duly made. In addition to having
sufficient distributable reserves, a public company will not be permitted to make a distribution if, at the time, the amount of
its net assets (that is, the aggregate of the company’s assets less the aggregate of its liabilities) is less than the aggregate
of its issued and paid-up share capital and undistributable reserves, or if the distribution would result in the amount of its
net assets being less than that aggregate.
Purchase of Own Shares
Under English law, a public
limited company may purchase its own shares only out of the distributable profits of the company or the proceeds of a new issue
of shares made for the purpose of financing the purchase, provided that it is not restricted from doing so by its articles. A public
limited company may not purchase its own shares if as a result of the purchase there would no longer be any issued shares of the
company other than redeemable shares or shares held as treasury shares. Shares must be fully paid in order to be repurchased.
Subject to the foregoing,
because Nasdaq is not a “recognized investment exchange” under the Companies Act, a company may purchase its own fully
paid shares only pursuant to a purchase contract authorized by ordinary resolution of the holders of its ordinary shares before
the purchase takes place. Any authority will not be effective if any shareholder from whom the company proposes to purchase shares
votes on the resolution and the resolution would not have been passed if such shareholder had not done so. The resolution authorizing
the purchase must specify a date, not being later than five years after the passing of the resolution, on which the authority to
purchase is to expire.
A share buy back by a company
of its ordinary shares will give rise to U.K. stamp duty at the rate of 0.5% of the amount or value of the consideration payable
by the company, and such stamp duty will be paid by the company. Our Articles of Association do not have conditions governing changes
in our capital which are more stringent than those required by law.
Statutory Pre-Emption Rights
Under English law, a company
must not allot equity securities to a person on any terms unless the following conditions are satisfied:
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(i)
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it has made an offer to each person who holds ordinary shares in the company to allot to them on the same or more favorable terms a proportion of those securities that is as nearly as practicable equal to the proportion in nominal value held by them of the ordinary share capital of the company; and
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(ii)
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the period during which any such offer may be accepted has expired or the company has received notice of the acceptance or refusal of every offer so made.
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For these purposes “equity
securities” means ordinary shares in the company or rights to subscribe for, or to convert securities into, ordinary shares
in the company. “Ordinary shares” means shares other than shares that, with respect to dividends and capital, carry
a right to participate only up to a specified amount in a distribution. The statutory pre-emption rights are subject to certain
exceptions, including the issue of ordinary shares for non-cash consideration, an allotment of bonus shares and the allotment of
equity securities pursuant to an employees’ share scheme. The statutory pre-emption rights may also be disapplied with the
approval of 75% of shareholders.
U.K. City Code On Takeovers And Mergers
The UK City Code on Takeovers
and Mergers, or the Takeover Code, applies, among other things, to an offer for a public company whose registered office is in
the United Kingdom and whose securities are not admitted to trading on a regulated market in the United Kingdom if the company
is considered by the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers, or the Takeover Panel, to have its place of central management and control
in the United Kingdom. This is known as the “residency test.” The test for central management and control under the
Takeover Code is different from that used by the UK tax authorities. Under the Takeover Code, the Takeover Panel will determine
whether we have our place of central management and control in the United Kingdom by looking at various factors, including the
structure of our board of directors, the functions of the directors and where they are resident.
If at the time of a takeover
offer the Takeover Panel determines that we have our place of central management and control in the United Kingdom, we would be
subject to a number of rules and restrictions, including but not limited to the following: (1) our ability to enter into deal protection
arrangements with a bidder would be extremely limited; (2) we may not, without the approval of our shareholders, be able to perform
certain actions that could have the effect of frustrating an offer, such as issuing shares or carrying out acquisitions or disposals;
and (3) we would be obliged to provide equality of information to all bona fide competing bidders.
Further, the Takeover Code
contains certain rules in respect of mandatory offers. Under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code, if a person: (a) acquires an interest
in our shares which, when taken together with shares in which he or persons acting in concert with him are interested, carries
30% or more of the voting rights of our shares; or (b) who, together with persons acting in concert with him, is interested in
shares that in the aggregate carry not less than 30% and not more than 50% of the voting rights in us, acquires additional interests
in shares that increase the percentage of shares carrying voting rights in which that person is interested, the acquirer and depending
on the circumstances, its concert parties, would be required (except with the consent of the Takeover Panel) to make a cash offer
for our outstanding shares at a price not less than the highest price paid for any interests in the shares by the acquirer or its
concert parties during the previous 12 months.
DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES
American Depositary Shares
Deutsche Bank Trust Company
Americas, as depositary, will register and deliver the ADSs. Each ADS will represent ownership of 100 ordinary shares deposited
with State Street Bank & Trust Company, having its principal office at 525 Ferry Road, Crewe Toll, Edinburgh, EH5 2AW Scotland,
as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS will also represent ownership of any other securities, cash or other property which may
be held by the depositary. The depositary’s corporate trust office at which the ADSs will be administered is located at 60
Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, USA. The principal executive office of the depositary is located at 60 Wall Street, New York,
NY 10005, USA.
The Direct Registration
System, or DRS, is a system administered by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, pursuant to which the depositary may register
the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the
ADS holders entitled thereto.
We will not treat ADS holders
as our shareholders and accordingly, you, as an ADS holder, will not have shareholder rights. English law governs shareholder rights.
The depositary or its custodian will be the holder of the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. As a holder of ADSs, you will have
ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary and you, as an ADS holder, and the beneficial owners of ADSs sets
out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. The laws of the State of New York govern the deposit
agreement and the ADSs.
The following is a summary
of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement
and the form of American Depositary Receipt.
Holding the ADSs
How will you hold your ADSs?
You may hold ADSs either
(1) directly (a) by having an American Depositary Receipt, or ADR, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs,
registered in your name, or (b) by holding ADSs in the DRS, or (2) indirectly through your broker or other financial institution.
If you hold ADSs directly, you are an ADS holder. This description assumes you hold your ADSs directly. If you hold the ADSs indirectly,
you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADS holders described in
this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.
Dividends and Other Distributions
How will you receive dividends and other
distributions on the shares?
The depositary has agreed
to pay to ADS holders the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on ordinary shares or other deposited
securities, after deducting its fees and expenses. The holder of ADSs will receive these distributions in proportion to the number
of ordinary shares their ADSs represent as of the record date (which will be as close as practicable to the record date for our
ordinary shares) set by the depositary with respect to the ADSs.
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Cash.
The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the ordinary shares or any net proceeds from the sale of any ordinary shares, rights, securities or other entitlements into U.S. dollars if it can do so on a reasonable basis, and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or lawful or if any government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADS holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any interest.
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Before making a distribution, any taxes or other governmental charges, together with fees and expenses of the depositary, that must be paid, will be deducted. See “Taxation.” It will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole cent.
If the exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.
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Shares.
The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any ordinary shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution to the extent reasonably practicable and permissible under law. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will try to sell ordinary shares which would require it to deliver a fractional ADS and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs will also represent the new ordinary shares. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed ordinary shares sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.
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Elective Distributions in Cash or Shares
. If we offer holders of our ordinary shares the option to receive dividends in either cash or shares, the depositary, after consultation with us and having received timely notice as described in the deposit agreement of such elective distribution by us, has discretion to determine to what extent such elective distribution will be made available to ADS holders. We must first instruct the depositary to make such elective distribution available to ADS holders and furnish it with satisfactory evidence that it is legal to do so. The depositary could decide it is not legal or reasonably practical to make such elective distribution available to ADS holders, or it could decide that it is only legal or reasonably practical to make such elective distribution available to some but not all holders of the ADSs. In such case, the depositary shall, on the basis of the same determination as is made in respect of the ordinary shares for which no election is made, distribute either cash in the same way as it does in a cash distribution, or additional ADSs representing ordinary shares in the same way as it does in a share distribution. The depositary is not obligated to make available to ADS holders a method to receive the elective dividend in shares rather than in ADSs. There can be no assurance that ADS holders will be given the opportunity to receive elective distributions on the same terms and conditions as the holders of ordinary shares.
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Rights to Purchase Additional Shares
. If we offer holders of our ordinary shares any rights to subscribe for additional shares or any other rights, the depositary may after consultation with us and having received timely notice as described in the deposit agreement of such distribution by us, make these rights available to ADS holders. We must first instruct the depositary to make such rights available to ADS holders and furnish the depositary with satisfactory evidence that it is legal to do so. If the depositary decides it is not legal and practical to make the rights available but that it is practical to sell the rights, the depositary will use reasonable efforts to sell the rights and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. The depositary will allow rights that are not distributed or sold to lapse. In that case, ADS holders will receive no value for them. If the depositary makes rights available to ADS holders, it will exercise the rights and purchase the shares on ADS holders’ behalf. The depositary will then deposit the shares and deliver ADSs to ADS holders. It will only exercise rights if ADS holders pay it the exercise price and any other charges the rights require that ADS holders to pay. U.S. securities laws may restrict transfers and cancellation of the ADSs represented by shares purchased upon exercise of rights. For example, ADS holders may not be able to trade these ADSs freely in the United States. In this case, the depositary may deliver restricted depositary shares that have the same terms as the ADSs described in this section except for changes needed to put the necessary restrictions in place.
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Other Distributions.
Subject to receipt of timely notice from us with the request to make any such distribution available to ADS holders, and provided the depositary has determined such distribution is lawful and reasonably practicable and feasible and in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement, the depositary will send to ADS holders anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary has a choice: it may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash; or, it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to ADS holders unless it receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed securities or property sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.
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The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that ADS holders may not receive the distributions we make on our ordinary shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to ADS holders.
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Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation
How are ADSs issued?
The depositary will deliver
ADSs if an ADS holders or its broker deposit ordinary shares or evidence of rights to receive ordinary shares with the custodian.
Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary
will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names the ADS holder requests and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order
of the person or persons entitled thereto.
How do ADS holders cancel an American
Depositary Share?
You may turn in your ADSs
at the depositary’s corporate trust office or by providing appropriate instructions to your broker. Upon payment of its fees
and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the
ordinary shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to you or a person you designate at the office of the custodian.
Or, at your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its corporate trust office, if feasible.
The depositary may refuse
to accept for surrender ADSs only in the case of (i) temporary delays caused by closing our transfer books or those of the depositary
or the deposit of our ordinary shares in connection with voting at a shareholders’ meeting or the payment of dividends, (ii)
the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges and (iii) compliance with any laws or governmental regulations relating to depositary
receipts or to the withdrawal of deposited securities. Subject thereto, in the case of surrender of a number of ADSs representing
other than a whole number of our ordinary shares, the depositary will cause ownership of the appropriate whole number of our ordinary
shares to be delivered in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement and will, at the discretion of the depositary, either
(i) issue and deliver to the person surrendering such ADSs a new ADS representing any remaining fractional Ordinary Share or (ii)
sell or cause to be sold the fractional ordinary shares represented by the ADSs surrendered and remit the proceeds of such sale
(net of applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the depositary and taxes and/or governmental charges) to the
person surrendering the ADS.
How do ADS holders interchange between
Certificated ADSs and Uncertificated ADSs?
You may surrender your
ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that ADR and will
send you a statement confirming that you are the owner of uncertificated ADSs. Alternatively, upon receipt by the depositary of
a proper instruction from a holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs,
the depositary will execute and deliver to you an ADR evidencing those ADSs.
Voting Rights
How do you vote?
As an ADS holder, you may
instruct the depositary to vote the deposited securities. Otherwise, you could exercise your right to vote directly if you withdraw
the ordinary shares your ADSs represent. However, you may not know about the meeting enough in advance to withdraw the ordinary
shares.
If we ask for your instructions
and upon timely notice from us as described in the deposit agreement, the depositary will notify you of the upcoming vote and arrange
to deliver our voting materials to you. The materials will (1) describe the matters to be voted on and (2) explain how you may
instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary shares or other deposited securities underlying your ADSs as you direct. Voting instructions
may be given only by mail and in respect of a number of ADSs representing an integral number of our ordinary shares or other deposited
securities. For instructions to be valid, the depositary must receive them on or before the date specified. The depositary will
try, as far as practical, subject to the laws of the United Kingdom and the provisions of our constitutive documents, to vote or
to have its agents vote the ordinary shares or other deposited securities as you instruct. The depositary will only vote or attempt
to vote as you instruct.
We cannot assure you that
you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary shares underlying
your ADSs. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the
manner of carrying out voting instructions
. This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and you may have
no recourse if the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs are not voted as you requested.
In order to give you a
reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities, if we request
the depositary to act, we are required to give the depositary 30 days’ advance notice of any such meeting and details concerning
the matters to be voted upon sufficiently in advance of the meeting date, and the depositary will mail you a notice.
Fees and Charges
As a holder of American
Depository Shares, or ADSs, you will be required to pay the following service fees to the depositary bank:
Service:
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Fee:
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Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property
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Up to $0.05 per ADS issued
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Cancellation of ADSs, including in the case of termination of the deposit agreement
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Up to $0.05 per ADS cancelled
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Distribution of cash dividends or other cash distributions
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Up to $0.02 per ADS held
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Distribution of ADSs pursuant to share dividends, free share distributions or exercise of rights
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Up to $0.05 per ADS held
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Operation and maintenance costs in administering the ADSs
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An annual fee of $0.02 per ADS held
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Inspections of the relevant share register maintained by the local registrar and/or performing due diligence on the central securities depository for England and Wales
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An annual fee of $0.01 per ADS held (such fee to be assessed against holders of record as at the date or dates set by the depositary as it sees fit and collected at the sole discretion of the depositary by billing such holders for such fee or by deducting such fee from one or more cash dividends or other cash distributions)
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As an ADS holder, you will
also be responsible to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the depositary bank and certain taxes and governmental charges
such as:
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Taxes (including applicable interest and penalties) and other governmental charges.
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Such registration fees as may from time to time be in effect for the registration of ordinary shares or other deposited securities with the foreign registrar and applicable to transfers of ordinary shares or other deposited securities to or from the name of the custodian, the depositary or any nominees upon the making of deposits and withdrawals, respectively.
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Expenses for cable, telex and fax transmissions and for delivery of securities.
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Expenses and charges incurred by the Depositary in the conversion of foreign currency.
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Fees and expenses incurred in connection with
the delivery or servicing of ordinary shares on deposit, including any fees of a central depository for securities in the local
market, where applicable.
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Fees and expenses incurred in connection with complying with exchange control regulations and any other regulatory requirements.
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Any applicable fees and penalties thereon.
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The depositary fees payable
upon the issuance and cancellation of ADSs are typically paid to the depositary bank by the brokers (on behalf of their clients)
receiving the newly issued ADSs from the depositary bank and by the brokers (on behalf of their clients) delivering the ADSs to
the depositary bank for cancellation. The brokers in turn charge these fees to their clients. Depositary fees payable in connection
with distributions of cash or securities to ADS holders and the depositary services fee are charged by the depositary bank to the
holders of record of ADSs as of the applicable ADS record date.
The depositary fees payable
for cash distributions are generally deducted from the cash being distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property
to pay the fees. In the case of distributions other than cash (i.e., share dividends, rights, etc.), the depositary bank charges
the applicable fee to the ADS record date holders concurrent with the distribution. In the case of ADSs registered in the name
of the investor (whether certificated or uncertificated in direct registration), the depositary bank sends invoices to the applicable
record date ADS holders. In the case of ADSs held in brokerage and custodian accounts (via DTC), the depositary bank generally
collects its fees through the systems provided by DTC (whose nominee is the registered holder of the ADSs held in DTC) from the
brokers and custodians holding ADSs in their DTC accounts. The brokers and custodians who hold their clients’ ADSs in DTC
accounts in turn charge their clients’ accounts the amount of the fees paid to the depositary banks.
In the event of refusal
to pay the depositary fees, the depositary bank may, under the terms of the deposit agreement, refuse the requested service until
payment is received or may set off the amount of the depositary fees from any distribution to be made to the ADS holder.
The depositary may make
payments to us or reimburse us for certain costs and expenses, by making available a portion of the ADS fees collected in respect
of the ADR program or otherwise, upon such terms and conditions as we and the depositary bank agree from time to time.
Payment of Taxes
As an ADS holder, you will
be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on your ADSs or on the deposited securities represented by any
of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities
represented by your ADSs until such taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities
represented by your ADSs to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited
securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to you any net proceeds, or send to
you any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes. You agree to indemnify us, the depositary, the custodian and each of our
and their respective agents, directors, employees and affiliates for, and hold each of them harmless from, any claims with respect
to taxes (including applicable interest and penalties thereon) arising from any tax benefit obtained for you.
Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and
Mergers
If we:
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Then:
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Change the nominal or par value of our ordinary shares
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The cash, shares or other securities received by the depositary will become deposited securities.
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Reclassify, split up or consolidate any of the deposited securities
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Each ADS will automatically represent its equal share of the new deposited securities.
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Distribute securities on the ordinary shares that are not distributed to you or recapitalize, reorganize, merge, liquidate, sell all or substantially all of our assets, or take any similar action
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The depositary may distribute some or all of the cash, shares or other securities it received. It may also deliver new ADSs or ask you to surrender your outstanding ADRs in exchange for new ADRs identifying the new deposited securities.
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Amendment and Termination
How may the deposit agreement be amended?
We may agree with the depositary
to amend the deposit agreement and the form of ADR without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees
or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs,
delivery charges or similar items, including expenses incurred in connection with foreign exchange control regulations and other
charges specifically payable by ADS holders under the deposit agreement, or materially prejudices a substantial existing right
of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the
amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADSs, to agree to the amendment
and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.
How may the deposit agreement be terminated?
The depositary will terminate
the deposit agreement if we ask it to do so, in which case the depositary will give notice to you at least 90 days prior to termination.
The depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement if the depositary has told us that it would like to resign and we have
not appointed a new depositary within 90 days. In such case, the depositary must notify you at least 30 days before termination.
After termination, the
depositary and its agents will do the following under the deposit agreement but nothing else: collect distributions on the deposited
securities, sell rights and other property and deliver ordinary shares and other deposited securities upon cancellation of ADSs
after payment of any fees, charges, taxes or other governmental charges. Six months or more after termination, the depositary may
sell any remaining deposited securities by public or private sale. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on
the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement, for the pro rata benefit of the ADS holders that
have not surrendered their ADSs. It will not invest the money and has no liability for interest. The depositary’s only obligations
will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination, our only obligations will be to indemnify the depositary and
to pay fees and expenses of the depositary that we agreed to pay.
Books of Depositary
The depositary will maintain
ADS holder records at its depositary office. You may inspect such records at such office during regular business hours but solely
for the purpose of communicating with other holders in the interest of business matters relating to the ADSs and the deposit agreement.
The depositary will maintain
facilities in New York to record and process the issuance, cancellation, combination, split-up and transfer of ADRs.
These facilities may be
closed from time to time, to the extent not prohibited by law or if any such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the depositary
or us, in good faith, at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of law, any government or governmental body or
commission or any securities exchange on which the ADRs or ADSs are listed, or under any provision of the deposit agreement or
provisions of, or governing, the deposited securities, or any meeting of our shareholders or for any other reason.
Limitations on Obligations and Liability
Limits on our Obligations and the Obligations
of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs
The deposit agreement expressly
limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary.
We and the depositary:
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are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without gross negligence or willful misconduct;
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are not liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or circumstances beyond our control from performing our obligations under the deposit agreement, including, without limitation, requirements of any present or future law, regulation, governmental or regulatory authority or share exchange of any applicable jurisdiction, any present or future provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, on account of possible civil or criminal penalties or restraint, any provisions of or governing the deposited securities or any act of God, war or other circumstances beyond our control as set forth in the deposit agreement;
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are not liable if either of us exercises, or fails to exercise, discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;
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have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADSs or the deposit agreement on your behalf or on behalf of any other party;
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may rely upon any documents we believe in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party;
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disclaim any liability for any action/inaction in reliance on the advice or information of legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting ordinary shares for deposit, holders and beneficial owners (or authorized representatives) of ADSs, or any person believed in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information;
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disclaim any liability for inability of any holder to benefit from any distribution, offering, right or other benefit made available to holders of deposited securities but not made available to holders of ADSs; and
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disclaim any liability for any indirect, special, punitive or consequential damages.
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The depositary and any
of its agents also disclaim any liability for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote, the manner in which any vote is
cast or the effect of any vote or failure to determine that any distribution or action may be lawful or reasonably practicable
or for allowing any rights to lapse in accordance with the provisions of the deposit agreement, the failure or timeliness of any
notice from us, the content of any information submitted to it by us for distribution to you or for any inaccuracy of any translation
thereof, any investment risk associated with the acquisition of an interest in the deposited securities, the validity or worth
of the deposited securities, the credit-worthiness of any third party, or for any tax consequences that may result from ownership
of ADSs, ordinary shares or deposited securities.
In the deposit agreement,
we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.
Requirements for Depositary Actions
Before the depositary will
issue, deliver or register a transfer of an ADS, make a distribution on an ADS, or permit withdrawal of ordinary shares, the depositary
may require:
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payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the transfer of any ordinary shares or other deposited securities and payment of the applicable fees, expenses and charges of the depositary;
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satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and
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compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of transfer documents.
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The depositary may refuse
to issue and deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs generally when the register of the depositary or our transfer books are
closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it is necessary or advisable to do so.
Your Right to Receive the Shares Underlying
Your ADSs
You have the right to cancel
your ADSs and withdraw the underlying ordinary shares at any time except:
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when temporary delays arise because: (1) the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books; (2) the transfer of ordinary shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting; or (3) we are paying a dividend on our ordinary shares;
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when you owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges; or
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when it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the withdrawal of ordinary shares or other deposited securities.
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This right of withdrawal
may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.
Pre-release of ADSs
The deposit agreement permits
the depositary to deliver ADSs before deposit of the underlying ordinary shares. This is called a pre-release of the ADSs. The
depositary may also deliver ordinary shares upon cancellation of pre-released ADSs (even if the ADSs are cancelled before the pre-release
transaction has been closed out). A pre-release is closed out as soon as the underlying ordinary shares are delivered to the depositary.
The depositary may receive ADSs instead of ordinary shares to close out a pre-release. The depositary may pre-release ADSs only
under the following conditions: (1) before or at the time of the pre-release, the person to whom the pre-release is being made
represents to the depositary in writing that it or its customer (a) owns the ordinary shares or ADSs to be deposited, (b) assigns
all beneficial rights, title and interest in such ordinary shares or ADSs to the depositary for the benefit of the owners, (c)
will not take any action with respect to such ordinary shares or ADSs that is inconsistent with the transfer of beneficial ownership,
(d) indicates the depositary as owner of such ordinary shares or ADSs in its records, and (e) unconditionally guarantees to deliver
such ordinary shares or ADSs to the depositary or the custodian, as the case may be; (2) the pre-release is fully collateralized
with cash or other collateral that the depositary considers appropriate; and (3) the depositary must be able to close out the pre-release
on not more than five business days’ notice. Each pre-release is subject to further indemnities and credit regulations as
the depositary considers appropriate. In addition, the depositary will normally limit the number of ADSs that may be outstanding
at any time as a result of pre-release to 30% of the aggregate number of ADSs then outstanding, although the depositary, in its
sole discretion, may disregard the limit from time to time, if it thinks it is appropriate to do so, including (1) due to a decrease
in the aggregate number of ADSs outstanding that causes existing pre-release transactions to temporarily exceed the limit stated
above or (2) where otherwise required by market conditions. The depositary may also set limits with respect to the number of ADSs
and Shares involved in pre-release transactions with any one person on a case-by-case basis as it deems appropriate.
Direct Registration System
In the deposit agreement,
all parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the DRS and Profile Modification System, or Profile, will apply to uncertificated
ADSs upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC. DRS is the system administered by DTC pursuant to which the depositary may register
the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the
ADS holders entitled thereto. Profile is a required feature of DRS which allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of
an ADS holder, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to
the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register
such transfer.
In connection with and
in accordance with the arrangements and procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties to the deposit agreement understand that
the depositary will not verify, determine or otherwise ascertain that the DTC participant which is claiming to be acting on behalf
of an ADS holder in requesting registration of transfer and delivery described in the paragraph above has the actual authority
to act on behalf of the ADS holder (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). In the deposit agreement,
the parties agree that the depositary’s reliance on, and compliance with, instructions received by the depositary through
the DRS/Profile System and in accordance with the deposit agreement, shall not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of
the depositary.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal
matters of United States federal law will be passed upon for us by McDermott Will & Emery LLP, New York, New York. The
validity of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs and certain other matters as to English law will be passed upon for us by
McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP, London, England. Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, New York, New York is acting as counsel
for the placement agent in connection with this offering.
EXPERTS
The financial statements
as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018 incorporated by reference
in this prospectus supplement have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of BDO USA, LLP, an independent registered public
accounting firm, (the report on the financial statements contains an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company’s ability
to continue as a going concern) incorporated by reference herein and in the Registration Statement incorporated herein by reference,
given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the
SEC a registration statement on Form F-3, including amendments and relevant exhibits and schedules, under the Securities Act
covering the ordinary shares represented by ADSs to be sold in this offering. This prospectus supplement, which constitutes a part
of the registration statement, summarizes material provisions of contracts and other documents that we refer to in the prospectus
supplement. Since this prospectus supplement does not contain all of the information contained in the registration statement, you
should read the registration statement and its exhibits and schedules for further information with respect to us and our ordinary
shares and the ADSs. Our SEC filings, including the registration statement, are also available to you on the SEC's Web site at
http://www.sec.gov
.
We are subject to the information
reporting requirements of the Exchange Act that are applicable to foreign private issuers, and under those requirements we file
reports with the SEC. Those other reports or other information may be inspected without charge at the locations described above.
As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act related to the furnishing and content of proxy
statements, and our officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery
provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required under the Exchange Act to file annual,
quarterly and current reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as United States companies whose
securities are registered under the Exchange Act. However, we file with the SEC, within four months after the end of each fiscal
year, or such applicable time as required by the SEC, an annual report on Form 20-F containing financial statements audited
by an independent registered public accounting firm.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
We are allowed to incorporate
by reference the information we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring to
those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus supplement. We incorporate
by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d)
of the Exchange Act made subsequent to the date of this prospectus supplement until the termination of the offering of the securities
described in this prospectus supplement (other than information in such filings that was “furnished,” under applicable
SEC rules, rather than “filed”). The documents we incorporate by reference are:
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our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on April 23, 2019;
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our Reports on Form 6-K furnished with the SEC on
April
26, 2019
,
May 29, 2019
,
May 29, 2019
(two filings),
June
19, 2019
,
June 25, 2019
,
June
27, 2019
and
June 28,
2019
(in each case, to the extent expressly incorporated by reference into our effective registration statements filed by
us under the Securities Act); and
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the description of the ADSs and ordinary shares contained in our Form
8-A filed with the SEC on January 30, 2014
including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
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If you find inconsistencies
between the documents and this prospectus supplement, you should rely on the statements made in this prospectus supplement. All
information appearing in this prospectus is qualified in its entirety by the information and financial statements, including the
notes thereto, contained in the document incorporated by reference herein.
We will provide to each
person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus supplement is delivered, a copy of these filings, at no cost, upon
written or oral request to us at the following address:
Akari Therapeutics, Plc
75/76 Wimpole Street
London W1G 9RT
+44 20 8004 0270
Attention: Clive Richardson
E-mail: info@akaritx.com
Our SEC filings are also
available (free of charge) from our web site at
www.akaritx.com
. The information contained on, or that can be accessed
from, our website does not form part of this prospectus supplement.
ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN JUDGMENTS
We are incorporated under
the laws of England and Wales. Several of our directors and officers reside outside the United States, and a portion of our assets
and all or a substantial portion of the assets of such persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult
for you to serve legal process on us or certain of our directors and executive officers or have any of them appear in a U.S. court.
It may be difficult for
U.S. investors to bring and/or effectively enforce suits against our company in England. Although English courts do recognize U.S.
judgments unless there is an overriding jurisdictional or public policy reason not to do so, if a judgment is obtained in the U.S.
courts based on the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal securities laws against us, difficulties may arise in enforcing
the judgment against us in the English courts. The enforceability of any U.S. judgment in the United Kingdom will depend on the
particular facts of the case as well as the laws and treaties in effect at the time. The United States and the United Kingdom do
not currently have a treaty providing for reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments (other than arbitration awards) in
civil and commercial matters. It may similarly be difficult for U.S. investors to bring an original action in the English courts
to enforce liabilities based on U.S. federal securities laws.
Prospectus
AKARI THERAPEUTICS, PLC
$100,000,000
Ordinary Shares
American Depositary Shares representing
Ordinary Shares
Warrants
Subscription Rights
Debt Securities
Units
We
may offer, issue and sell from time to time up to US $100,000,000, or its equivalent in any other currency, currency units, or
composite currency or currencies, of our ordinary shares, including in the form of American Depositary Shares, or ADSs, warrants
to purchase ordinary shares, including in the form of ADSs, subscription rights, debt securities and a combination of such securities,
separately or as units, in one or more offerings. Each ADS represents 100 ordinary shares. This prospectus provides
a general description of offerings of these securities that we may undertake.
We
refer to our ADSs, ordinary shares, warrants, subscription rights, debt securities, and units collectively as “securities”
in this prospectus.
Each
time we sell our securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide the specific terms of such offering in a supplement to
this prospectus. The prospectus supplement may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. You should
read this prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement, together with the additional information described under the heading
“Where You Can More Find Information,” before you make your investment decision.
We may, from time
to time, offer to sell the securities, through public or private transactions, directly or through underwriters, agents or dealers,
on or off The NASDAQ Capital Market, at prevailing market prices or at privately negotiated prices. If any underwriters, agents
or dealers are involved in the sale of any of these securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the names
of the underwriter, agent or dealer and any applicable fees, commissions or discounts.
Our ADSs are listed
on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “AKTX”. On February 20, 2018, the closing price of our ADSs on The NASDAQ
Capital Market was $2.36 per ADS.
The aggregate market
value of our outstanding voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates on February 20, 2018, as calculated in accordance
with General Instruction I.B.5. of Form F-3, was approximately $34.5 million. Under the registration statement to which this prospectus
supplement forms a part, we may not sell our securities in a primary offering with a value exceeding one-third of our public float
in any 12-month period unless our public float rises to $75 million or more. We have not issued any securities pursuant to
Instruction I.B.5. of Form F-3 during the 12 calendar month period that ends on and includes the date hereof.
Investing in
these securities involves a high degree of risk. Please carefully consider the risks discussed in this prospectus under “Risk
Factors” beginning on page 3 and the “Risk Factors” in “Item 3: Key Information- Risk Factors” of
our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any applicable prospectus supplement
for a discussion of the factors you should consider carefully before deciding to purchase these securities.
Neither the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, nor any state or other foreign securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
The date of this prospectus is February
, 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus
is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, using a “shelf”
registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell our securities described in this prospectus in one or
more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $100,000,000. Each time we offer our securities, we will provide you with a supplement
to this prospectus that will describe the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities we offer. The prospectus supplement
may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus, together with applicable prospectus
supplements and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplements, includes all material
information relating to this offering. Please read carefully both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with
additional information described below under “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation By Reference.”
You should rely
only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.
We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or
inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date
of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of securities described in this prospectus.
This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction
where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus or any prospectus
supplement, as well as information we have previously filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference, is accurate as of the
date on the front of those documents only. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed
since those dates. This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of our securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus
supplement.
Throughout this
prospectus, unless otherwise designated, the terms “we”, “us”, “our”, “Akari”,
“the Company” and “our Company” refer to Akari Therapeutics, PLC and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. References
to “ordinary shares”, “ADSs”, “warrants” and “share capital” refer to the ordinary
shares, ADSs, warrants and share capital, respectively, of Akari.
Market data and
certain industry data and forecasts used throughout this prospectus were obtained from sources we believe to be reliable, including
market research databases, publicly available information, reports of governmental agencies and industry publications and surveys.
We have relied on certain data from third-party sources, including internal surveys, industry forecasts and market research, which
we believe to be reliable based on our management’s knowledge of the industry. Forecasts are particularly likely to be inaccurate,
especially over long periods of time. In addition, we do not necessarily know what assumptions regarding general economic growth
were used in preparing the third-party forecasts we cite. Statements as to our market position are based on the most currently
available data. While we are not aware of any misstatements regarding the industry data presented in this prospectus, our estimates
involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the heading
“Risk Factors” in this prospectus. Our historical results do not necessarily indicate our expected results for any
future periods.
Certain figures
included in this prospectus have been subject to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, figures shown as totals in certain tables
may not be an arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them.
We have obtained
the statistical data, market data and other industry data and forecasts used in this prospectus and in our SEC filings incorporated
herein by reference from publicly available information. We have not sought the consent of the sources to refer to the publicly
available reports in this prospectus.
OUR BUSINESS
This summary
highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus that we consider important. This summary does not contain
all of the information you should consider before investing in our securities. You should read this summary together with the
entire prospectus, any prospectus supplement, including the risks related to our business, our industry, investing in our ordinary
shares and our location in the United Kingdom, that we describe under “Risk Factors” and our consolidated financial
statements and the related notes included at the end of this prospectus before making an investment in our securities.
We are a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on developing inhibitors of acute and chronic inflammation, specifically the complement system,
the eicosanoid system and the bioamine system for the treatment of rare and orphan diseases. Each of these systems has scientifically
well-supported causative roles in the diseases being targeted by us. We believe that blocking early mediators of inflammation
will prevent initiation and continual amplification of the processes that cause certain diseases.
Ticks have undergone
300 million years of natural selection to produce inhibitors that bind tightly to key highly-conserved inflammatory mediators,
are generally well tolerated in humans, and remain fully functional when a host is repeatedly exposed to the molecule. Our molecules
are derived from these inhibitors.
Our lead product
candidate, Coversin™, which is a second-generation complement inhibitor, acts on complement component-C5, preventing release
of C5a and formation of C5b–9 (also known as the membrane attack complex, or MAC), and independently also inhibits leukotriene
B4, or LTB4, activity, both elements that are co-located as part of the immune/inflammatory response. Coversin is a recombinant
small protein (16,740 Da) derived from a protein originally discovered in the saliva of the Ornithodoros moubata tick, where it
modulates the host immune system to allow the parasite to feed without alerting the host to its presence or provoking an immune
response.
Coversin has received
orphan drug status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, and the European Medicines Agency, or the EMA, for
paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria, or PNH, and Guillain Barré Syndrome, or GBS. Orphan drug designation provides us
with certain benefits and incentives, including a period of marketing exclusivity if regulatory approval of the drug is ultimately
received for the designated indication. The receipt of orphan drug designation status does not change the regulatory requirements
or process for obtaining marketing approval and the designation does not mean that marketing approval will be received. We intend
to apply in the future for orphan drug designation in additional indications we deem appropriate. We have also received fast track
designation for the investigation of Coversin for treatment of PNH in patients who have polymorphisms conferring eculizumab resistance.
Our initial clinical
targets for Coversin are PNH and atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, or aHUS. We are also targeting patients with polymorphisms
of the C5 molecule which interfere with correct binding of Soliris® (eculizumab), a first-generation C5 inhibitor currently
approved for PNH and aHUS treatment, making these patients resistant to treatment with that drug. In addition to disease targets
where complement dysregulation is the key driver, we are also targeting a range of inflammatory diseases where the inhibition
of both C5 and LTB4 are implicated, including bullous pemphigoid (a blistering disease of the skin), and atopic keratoconjunctivitis.
Other compounds
in our pipeline include engineered versions of Coversin that potentially decrease the frequency of administration, improve potency,
or allow for specific tissue targeting, as well as new proteins targeting LBT4 alone, as well as bioamine inhibitors (for example,
anti-histamines). In general, these inhibitors act as ligand binding compounds, which may provide additional benefit versus other
modes of inhibition. For example, off target effects are less likely with ligand capture. One example of this benefit is seen
with LTB4 inhibition through ligand capture. LTB4 acts to amplify the inflammatory signal by bringing and activating white blood
cells to the area of inflammation. Compounds that have targeted the production of leukotrienes will inhibit both the production
of pro-inflammatory as well as anti-inflammatory leukotrienes—often diminishing the potential benefit of the drug on the
inflammatory system. Coversin has demonstrated that, by capturing LTB4, it is limited to disrupting the white blood cell activation
and attraction aspects, without interfering with the anti-inflammatory benefits of other leukotrienes.
Coversin is much
smaller than typical antibodies currently used in therapeutic treatment. Coversin can be self-administered by subcutaneous injection,
much like an insulin injection, which we believe will provide considerable benefits in terms of patient convenience. We believe
that the subcutaneous formulation of Coversin may accelerate recruitment for our clinical trials, and, as an alternative to intravenous
infusion, may accelerate patient uptake if Coversin is approved by regulatory authorities for commercial sale. Patient surveys
contracted by us suggest that a majority of patients would prefer to self-inject daily than undergo intravenous infusions.
Corporate Information
Our legal and commercial
name is Akari Therapeutics, PLC.
We were originally
established as a private limited company under the laws of England and Wales on October 7, 2004 under the name Freshname No. 333
Limited. On January 19, 2005, we changed our name to Morria Biopharmaceuticals Limited and on February 3, 2005, we completed a
reverse merger with Morria Biopharmaceuticals Inc., or Morria, a Delaware corporation, in which Morria became our wholly-owned
subsidiary and we re-registered as a non-traded public limited company under the laws of England and Wales. Morria was dedicated
to the discovery and development of novel, first-in-class, non-steroidal, synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs. On March 22, 2011,
we incorporated an Israeli subsidiary, Morria Biopharma Ltd. On June 25, 2013, we changed our name to Celsus Therapeutics PLC
and on October 13, 2013 Morria was renamed Celsus Therapeutics Inc. On September 25, 2015, we further changed our name to “Akari
Therapeutics, PLC”. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, Celsus Therapeutics Inc. and Morria Biopharma Ltd. do
not conduct any operations.
On September 18,
2015, we completed an acquisition of the entire capital stock of Volution Immuno Pharmaceuticals SA, or Volution, a private Swiss
company, from RPC Pharma Limited, or RPC, Volution’s sole shareholder, in exchange for our ordinary shares, in accordance
with the terms of a Share Exchange Agreement, dated as of July 10, 2015. In connection with the acquisition, our name was
changed to Akari Therapeutics, PLC.
Our ADSs have been
listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “AKTX” since September 21, 2015 and under the symbol “CLTX”
from January 31, 2014 until September 18, 2015. Prior to that, our ADSs were quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol “CLSXD”
from January 3, 2014 to January 30, 2014 and were quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol “CLSXY” from September 16,
2013 until January 2, 2014 and under the symbol “MRRBY” from February 19, 2013 to September 15, 2013. Effective January
3, 2014, our ratio of ADSs to ordinary shares changed from one ADS per each two ordinary shares to one ADS per each ten ordinary
shares and, effective as of September 17, 2015, our ratio of ADSs to ordinary shares changed from one ADS per each ten ordinary
shares to one ADS per each one hundred ordinary shares. Currently, each ADS represents by one hundred ordinary shares.
Our principal office
is located at 75/76 Wimpole Street, London W1G 9RT, United Kingdom, and our telephone number is +44 20 8004 0270.
Our website address
is www.akaritx.com. The information contained on, or that can be accessed from, our website does not form part of this prospectus.
Implications of Being an Emerging
Growth Company
We are an “emerging
growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, and therefore we may take advantage
of certain exemptions from various public company reporting requirements, including but not limited to, not being required
to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding
executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding
advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We
have chosen to irrevocably opt out of the extended transition periods available under the JOBS Act for complying with new or revised
accounting standards.
Implications of being a Foreign
Private Issuer
On July 1, 2016,
we became a foreign private issuer having previously lost this status at the end of 2014. As a foreign private issuer, we are
not subject to the same requirements that are imposed upon U.S. domestic issuers by the SEC. Under the Exchange Act, we are subject
to reporting obligations that, in certain respects, are less detailed and less frequent than those of U.S. domestic reporting
companies. For example, we will not be required to issue proxy statements that comply with the requirements applicable to U.S.
domestic reporting companies. We will also have four months after the end of each fiscal year to file our annual reports with
the SEC and will not be required to file current reports as frequently or promptly as U.S. domestic reporting companies. Furthermore,
our officers, directors, and principal shareholders will be exempt from the requirements to report transactions in our equity
securities and from the short-swing profit liability provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. These exemptions
and leniencies, along with other corporate governance exemptions resulting from our ability to rely on home country rules, will
reduce the frequency and scope of information and protections to which you may otherwise have been eligible in relation to a U.S.
domestic reporting companies. If we were to lose our foreign private issuer status, the regulatory and compliance costs to us
under U.S. securities laws as a U.S. domestic issuer will be significantly more than costs we incur as a foreign private issuer.
RISK FACTORS
Investing in our
securities involves significant risks. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described
under “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and under Item 3.D. – “Risk Factors”
in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F (the “Annual Report”), or any updates in our Reports on Form 6-K, together
with all of the other information appearing in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable
prospectus supplement, in light of your particular investment objectives and financial circumstances. The risks so described are
not the only risks facing us. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair
our business operations. Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected by
any of these risks. The trading price of our securities could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose all or part
of your investment. The discussion of risks includes or refers to forward-looking statements; you should read the explanation
of the qualifications and limitations on such forward-looking statements discussed elsewhere in this prospectus.
SPECIAL NOTE
REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus,
and the documents incorporated hereby reference, contain express or implied “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of U.S. Federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in our SEC filings
incorporated herein by reference, including under Item 3.D. – “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report
and any updates in our Reports on Form 6-K, which include statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial
position, future revenue, projected costs, prospects, plans, objectives of management and expected market growth are forward-looking
statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual
results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed
or implied by the forward-looking statements.
Words such as “may,”
“anticipate,” “estimate,” “expects,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,”
“believes” and words and terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of future operating or
financial performance, identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements represent management’s present judgment
regarding future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding
our pre-clinical and clinical studies, the results of such trials, as well as risks and uncertainties relating to litigation,
government regulation and third-party reimbursement, economic conditions, markets, products, competition, intellectual property,
services and prices, key employees, future capital needs, dependence on third parties and other factors. Please also see the discussion
of risks and uncertainties under “Risk Factors” contained in the Annual Report and in our other SEC filings incorporated
herein by reference.
In light of these
assumptions, risks and uncertainties, the results and events discussed in the forward-looking statements contained in the Annual
Report and in our other SEC filings incorporated herein by reference might not occur. We are not under any obligation, and we
expressly disclaim any obligation, to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. All subsequent forward-looking statements attributable to us or to any person acting on our behalf
are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section.
You should read
this prospectus and the documents incorporated herein by reference with the understanding that our actual future results may be
materially different from what we expect. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
OFFER STATISTICS
AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
We may sell from
time to time pursuant to this prospectus (as may be detailed in prospectus supplements) an indeterminate number of securities
as shall have a maximum aggregate offering price of $100,000,000. The actual per share price of the securities that
we will offer pursuant hereto will depend on a number of factors that may be relevant as of the time of offer (see “Plan
of Distribution” below).
PRICE RANGE OF
OUR ADSs
Our ADSs have been
listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “AKTX” since September 21, 2015 and under the symbol “CLTX”
from January 31, 2014 until September 18, 2015. Prior to that, the ADSs were quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol “CLSXD”
from January 3, 2014 to January 30, 2014 and were quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol “CLSXY” from September 16,
2013 until January 2, 2014 and under the symbol “MRRBY” from February 19, 2013 to September 15, 2013. Effective January
3, 2014, our ratio of ADSs to ordinary shares changed from one ADS per each two ordinary Shares to one ADS per each ten ordinary
shares and, effective as of September 17, 2015, our ratio of ADSs to ordinary shares changed from one ADS per each ten ordinary
shares to one ADS per each 100 ordinary shares. Currently, each ADS represents 100 ordinary shares.
The following table
sets forth the range of high and low sale prices for the ADSs for the periods indicated, as reported by The NASDAQ Capital Market
or the OTCQB, as applicable. These prices do not include retail mark-ups, markdowns, or commissions but give effect to the change
in the number of ordinary shares represented by each ADS to 100 ordinary shares per each ADS, implemented on September 17, 2015.
Historical data in the table has been restated to take into account this change.
|
|
U.S.
$ Price Per ADS
Share
|
|
|
|
High
|
|
|
Low
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2017
|
|
$
|
22.20
|
|
|
$
|
3.18
|
|
2016
|
|
$
|
19.75
|
|
|
$
|
6.71
|
|
2015
|
|
$
|
62.00
|
|
|
$
|
4.00
|
|
2014
|
|
$
|
119.00
|
|
|
$
|
45.80
|
|
2013 (from February 19, 2013)
|
|
$
|
25.00
|
|
|
$
|
7.10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quarterly:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First Quarter 2018 (through February 21, 2018)
|
|
$
|
4.50
|
|
|
$
|
2.06
|
|
Fourth Quarter 2017
|
|
$
|
8.65
|
|
|
$
|
3.90
|
|
Third Quarter 2017
|
|
$
|
11.95
|
|
|
$
|
3.18
|
|
Second Quarter 2017
|
|
$
|
22.20
|
|
|
$
|
4.11
|
|
First Quarter 2017
|
|
$
|
11.20
|
|
|
$
|
6.22
|
|
Fourth Quarter 2016
|
|
$
|
9.75
|
|
|
$
|
6.71
|
|
Third Quarter 2016
|
|
$
|
13.81
|
|
|
$
|
7.93
|
|
Second Quarter 2016
|
|
$
|
19.75
|
|
|
$
|
12.20
|
|
First Quarter 2016
|
|
$
|
19.28
|
|
|
$
|
7.63
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most Recent Six Months:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February 2018 (through February 20, 2018)
|
|
$
|
2.86
|
|
|
$
|
2.06
|
|
January 2018
|
|
$
|
4.50
|
|
|
$
|
2.80
|
|
December 2017
|
|
$
|
5.49
|
|
|
$
|
3.90
|
|
November 2017
|
|
$
|
5.08
|
|
|
$
|
4.01
|
|
October 2017
|
|
$
|
8.65
|
|
|
$
|
4.00
|
|
September 2017
|
|
$
|
11.95
|
|
|
$
|
3.40
|
|
August 2017
|
|
$
|
4.61
|
|
|
$
|
3.18
|
|
On February 20, 2018, the last reported
sales price of the ADSs on The NASDAQ Capital Market was $2.36 per ADS.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Except as otherwise
provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered by
this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include working capital, capital expenditures, research and development
expenditures, regulatory affairs expenditures, clinical trial expenditures, acquisitions of new technologies and investments,
and the repayment, refinancing, redemption or repurchase of future indebtedness or capital stock.
The intended application
of proceeds from the sale of any particular offering of securities using this prospectus will be described in the accompanying
prospectus supplement relating to such offering. The precise amount and timing of the application of these proceeds will depend
on our funding requirements and the availability and costs of other funds.
RATIO OF EARNINGS
TO FIXED CHARGES
If we offer debt
securities under this prospectus, then we will, if required at that time, provide a ratio of earnings to fixed charges and/or
ratio of combined fixed charges and preference dividends to earnings, respectively, in the applicable prospectus supplement for
such offering.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table
sets forth our consolidated capitalization as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP as of September 30, 2017.
The amounts shown
below are unaudited and represent management’s estimate. The information in this table should be read in conjunction with
and is qualified by reference to the financial statements and notes thereto and other financial information incorporated by reference
into this prospectus.
|
|
As of
September
30,
2017
(in thousands)
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
20,974
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term
liabilities:
|
|
|
53
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders’ equity:
|
|
|
|
|
Share capital
|
|
|
18,341
|
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
93,208
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income
|
|
|
(288
|
)
|
Accumulated deficit
|
|
|
(98,219
|
)
|
Total shareholders’ equity
|
|
|
13,042
|
|
Total capitalization
(long-term liabilities and equity)
|
|
|
13,095
|
|
The number of ordinary shares indicated
as issued and outstanding above is based on 1,177,693,393 ordinary shares outstanding as of September 30, 2017, and excludes:
|
·
|
95,961,998
ordinary shares (equivalent to 959,619 ADSs) issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding as of September 30, 2017 at
a weighted-average exercise price of $0.14 per ordinary share (equivalent to $14.00 per ADS);
|
|
·
|
865,090
ordinary shares (equivalent to 8,650 ADSs) issuable upon the exercise of warrants outstanding as of September 30, 2017 at
a weighted-average exercise price of $2.00 per ordinary share (equivalent to $200.00 per ADS); and
|
|
·
|
45,180,422
additional ordinary shares (equivalent to 451,804 ADSs) available for future issuance as of September 30, 2017 under
our 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.
|
DESCRIPTION OF
SHARE CAPITAL AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
The following
summarizes the material rights of holders of ordinary shares, as set out in our Articles of Association. The following summary
is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Companies Act and to our Articles of Association, which is filed as an exhibit
to our Form 6-K filed with the SEC on July 18, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.
We were originally
established as a private limited company under the laws of England and Wales on October 7, 2004 under the name Freshname No. 333
Limited. On January 19, 2005, we changed our name to Morria Biopharmaceuticals Limited and on February 3, 2005, we completed a
reverse merger with Morria Biopharmaceuticals Inc., or Morria, a Delaware corporation, in which Morria became our wholly-owned
subsidiary and we re-registered as a non-traded public limited company under the laws of England and Wales. Morria was dedicated
to the discovery and development of novel, first-in-class, non-steroidal, synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs. On March 22, 2011,
we incorporated an Israeli subsidiary, Morria Biopharma Ltd. On June 25, 2013, we changed our name to Celsus Therapeutics PLC
and on October 13, 2013 Morria was renamed Celsus Therapeutics Inc. On September 25, 2015, we further changed our name to “Akari
Therapeutics, PLC”. As such our affairs are governed by our Articles of Association and the English law.
In the following
summary, a “shareholder” is the person registered in our register of members as the holder of the relevant securities.
For those ordinary shares that have been deposited in our ADS facility pursuant to our deposit agreement with Deutsche Bank Trust
Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas or its nominee is deemed the shareholder.
Share Capital
Our board of directors
is generally authorized to issue up to 10,000,000,000 ordinary shares of £0.01 each until June 28, 2022, without seeking
shareholder approval, subject to certain limitations. As of September 30, 2017, there were 1,177,693,393 ordinary shares outstanding,
outstanding options and warrants to purchase 96,827,088 ordinary shares and 45,180,422 ordinary shares available for future issuance
under our 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. All of our existing issued ordinary shares are fully paid. Accordingly, no further capital
may be required by us from the holders of such shares.
The rights and
restrictions to which the ordinary shares will be subject are prescribed in our Articles of Association. Our Articles of Association
permit our board of directors, with shareholder approval, to determine the terms of any preferred shares that we may issue. Our
board of directors is authorized, having obtained the consent of the shareholders, to provide from time to time for the issuance
of other classes or series of shares and to establish the characteristics of each class or series, including the number of shares,
designations, relative voting rights, dividend rights, liquidation and other rights, redemption, repurchase or exchange rights
and any other preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights and limitations not inconsistent with applicable
law.
English law does
not recognize fractional shares held of record. Accordingly, our Articles of Association do not provide for the issuance of fractional
ordinary shares, and our official English share register will not reflect any fractional shares.
We are not permitted under English law
to hold our own ordinary shares unless they are repurchased by us and held in treasury.
During the last
three years, we have issued an aggregate of 1,470,057,110 ordinary shares and options to purchase an aggregate of 135,260,698
ordinary shares.
Issuance of Options and Warrants
Our Articles of
Association provide that, subject to any shareholder approval requirement under any laws, regulations or the rules of any stock
exchange to which we are subject, our board of directors is authorized, from time to time, in its discretion, to grant such persons,
for such periods and upon such terms as it deems advisable, options to purchase such number of shares of any class or classes
or of any series of any class as our board of directors may deem advisable, and to cause warrants or other appropriate instruments
evidencing such options to be issued. The Companies Act provides that directors may issue options or warrants without shareholder
approval once authorized to do so by the Articles of Association or an ordinary resolution of shareholders. Our board of directors
may issue shares upon exercise of options or warrants without shareholder approval or authorization, up to the relevant authorized
share capital limit.
Dividends
Our Articles of
Association provide that our board of directors may, subject to the applicable provisions of the Companies Act, from time to time,
declare such dividend as may appear to the board of directors to be justified by the distributable profits of the company. Subject
to the rights of the holders of shares with preferential or other special rights that may be authorized in the future, holders
of ordinary shares are entitled to receive dividends according to their rights and interest in our distributable profits. Dividends,
to the extent declared, are distributed according to the proportion of the nominal value paid up on account of the shares held
at the date so appointed by the Company, without regard to the premium paid in excess of the nominal value, if any. A company
may only distribute a dividend out of the company’s distributable profits, as defined under the Companies Act.
Any dividend unclaimed
after a period of twelve years from the date of declaration of such dividend shall be forfeited and shall revert to us. In addition,
the payment by the board of directors of any unclaimed dividend, interest or other sum payable on or in respect of an ordinary
share into a separate account shall not constitute us as a trustee in respect thereof.
Rights in a Liquidation
In the event of
our liquidation, subject to applicable law, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors, our assets will be distributed to
the holders of ordinary shares in proportion to their respective holdings. This liquidation right may be affected by the grant
of preferential dividends or distribution rights to the holders of a class of shares with preferential rights that may be authorized
in the future.
Voting Rights
Holders of ordinary
shares have one vote for each ordinary share held on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders. These voting rights may
be affected by the grant of any special voting rights to the holders of a class of shares with preferential rights that may be
authorized in the future.
The ordinary shares
do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. As a result, holders of ordinary shares that represent more
than 50% of the voting power at the general meeting of shareholders, in person or by proxy, have the power to elect all the directors
whose positions are being filled at that meeting to the exclusion of the remaining shareholders. At every annual general meeting,
one third of the directors who are subject to retirement by rotation, or as near to it as may be, will retire from office. In
any two year period, a majority of the directors must stand for re-election or replacement. In the event that this majority has
not been met and the number of directors eligible for retirement by rotation under the provision of our Articles of Association
are not met, any further directors to retire are those who have been in office the longest since their last appointment or re-appointment,
but as between persons who became or were last re-appointed directors on the same day, those to retire are determined by the Board
of Directors at the recommendation of the Chairman. A retiring director is eligible for re-appointment, subject to the terms of
our Articles of Association.
The actions necessary
to change the rights of holders of the ordinary shares are as follows: the rights of the shareholders would need to be altered
by way of a special resolution requiring 75% vote of the shareholders who are present and voting in person or by proxy. In order
to change the rights of a separate class of shares, it will require such a vote by shareholders of that class of shares.
Preemptive Rights
There are no rights
of pre-emption under our Articles of Association in respect of transfers of issued ordinary shares. In certain circumstances,
our shareholders have preemptive rights with respect to new issuances of equity securities. However our board of directors
is generally authorized to allot equity securities for cash without triggering shareholder preemptive rights, provided that this
power shall (i) be limited to the allotment of equity securities up to an aggregate nominal amount of £100,000,000; and
(ii) expire (unless previously revoked or varied by us), on June 28, 2022.
Transfer of Shares
Fully paid ordinary
shares are issued in registered form and may be transferred pursuant to our Articles of Association, unless such transfer is restricted
or prohibited by another instrument and subject to applicable securities laws. The Articles of Association state that the directors
of the Company may refuse to authorize a transfer of shares if the shares in question have not been paid in full and are therefore
only partly paid.
Limitation on Owning Securities
Our Articles of
Association do not restrict in any way the ownership or voting of ordinary shares by non-residents. If the company serves a demand
on a person under section 793 to the Companies Act 2006, that person will be required to disclose any interest he has in the shares
of the company.
Fiduciary Duties of Office Holders
The Companies Act
imposes a duty of care and a duty of loyalty on all office holders of a company. The duty of care requires an office holder to
act with the standard of skills with which a reasonable office holder in the same position would have acted under the same circumstances.
The duty of care includes a duty to use reasonable means to obtain:
|
·
|
information regarding
the business advisability of a given action brought for his or her approval or performed by him or her by virtue of his or
her position; and
|
|
·
|
all other information
of importance pertaining to the aforesaid actions.
|
The duty of loyalty
requires an office holder to act in good faith and for the benefit of the company and includes a duty to:
|
·
|
refrain from
any act involving a conflict of interest between the fulfillment of his or her role in the company and the fulfillment of
any other role or his or her personal affairs;
|
|
·
|
refrain from
any activity that is competitive with the business of the company;
|
|
·
|
refrain from
exploiting any business opportunity of the company with the aim of obtaining a personal gain for himself or herself or others;
and
|
|
·
|
disclose to the
company all information and provide it with all documents relating to the company’s affairs which the office holder
has obtained due to his position in the company.
|
Under equity, directors
have owed fiduciary duties to their companies. Chapter 2 of Part 10 of the Companies Act 2006 (2006 Act) codifies certain of those
duties. The relevant statutory duties under the 2006 Act are:
|
·
|
to promote the
success of the company;
|
|
·
|
to exercise independent
judgment;
|
|
·
|
to avoid conflicts
of interest;
|
|
·
|
not to accept
benefits from third parties; and
|
|
·
|
to declare an
interest in a proposed transaction or arrangement.
|
In addition, the
general principles of fiduciary duties as set out in common law continue in place in respect of Directors. The general four principles
of fiduciary duties are:
|
·
|
No conflict
:
A must not place himself in a position where his own interests conflict with those of B or where there is a real possibility
that this will happen. This is also known as conflict of duty or conflict of interest.
|
|
·
|
No-profit
:
A must not profit from his position at the expense of B. This is also known as misuse of property held in a fiduciary capacity.
|
|
·
|
Undivided
loyalty
: A fiduciary owes undivided loyalty to his beneficiary. Rather confusingly, this is sometimes called conflict
of duty. A must not place himself in a position where his duty to another customer conflicts with his duty to B.
|
|
·
|
Confidentiality
:
A must use or disclose information obtained in confidence from B for the benefit only of B.
|
In the corporate realm, these
have been refined as follows:
|
·
|
Duty to act
in good faith in the best interests of the company:
A director had to act at all times in good faith in what he considered
was the best interests of the company.
|
|
·
|
Duty to act
within the powers conferred by the company’s memorandum and articles of association and to exercise powers for proper
purposes:
A director could not cause the company to undertake activities outside that permitted by the company’s
constitutional documents, or exercise his powers for any “improper purpose”.
|
|
·
|
Duty to avoid
conflicting interests and duties:
A director was obliged to avoid placing himself in a position where there was a
conflict, or possible conflict, between the duties which he owed to the company and either his personal interests or other
duties which he owed to a third party.
|
|
·
|
Duty not to
make unauthorized profits:
A director was under a duty to account for any personal profit made by virtue of his directorship
unless the profit was authorized by shareholder resolution or was in accordance with the company’s articles. The duty
to account was strict, and did not depend on fraud or lack of good faith, or on the company suffering any loss.
|
Standard of
Care
A director
had to take such actions as would be taken by “a reasonably diligent person,” having both:
|
·
|
the general knowledge,
skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that
director in relation to the company; and
|
|
·
|
the general knowledge,
skill and experience that that director has.
|
Disclosure of
Personal Interests of an Officer Holder
The Companies Act
requires that an office holder disclose to the Company any direct or indirect personal interest that he or she may have, and all
related material information and documents known to him or her, in connection with any existing or proposed transaction by the
company. The disclosure is required to be made promptly and in any event, no later than the board of directors meeting in which
the transaction is first discussed.
Section 177 of
the Companies Act requires any transaction in which a director has an interest to be declared, and not only those that are extraordinary
transactions.
Disclosure of
Conflicts of Interests
Except as provided
in our Articles of Association, a director may not vote at a meeting of the board or of a committee of the board on any resolution
concerning a matter:
|
·
|
in which he has
(either alone or together with any person connected with him, as provided in the Companies Act) a material interest, other
than an interest in shares or debentures or other securities of or in the company; and
|
|
·
|
subject to the
Companies Act, which conflicts or may conflict with the interests of the Company.
|
A director is not
counted in the quorum at a meeting in relation to any resolution on which he is debarred from voting.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, a director is entitled to vote and be counted in the quorum in respect of any resolution concerning any of the
following matters:
|
·
|
the giving of
any security, guarantee or indemnity to a third party in respect of a debt or obligation of Celsus or any of our subsidiaries
for which he himself has assumed responsibility in whole or in part under a guarantee or indemnity or by the giving of security;
|
|
·
|
any proposal
concerning an offer of shares or debentures or other securities of or by Celsus or any of our subsidiaries for subscription
or purchase in which offer he is or is to be interested as a participant as the holder of such shares, debentures or other
securities or in its underwriting or sub-underwriting;
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any contract,
arrangement, transaction or other proposal concerning any other company in which he holds an interest not representing one
per cent. or more of any class of the equity share capital (calculated exclusive of any shares of that class held as treasury
shares) of such company, or of any third company through which his interest is derived, or of the voting rights available
to members of the relevant company, any such interest being deemed for the purpose of this regulation to be a material interest
in all circumstances;
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any contract,
arrangement, transaction or other proposal concerning the adoption, modification or operation of a superannuation fund or
retirement, death or disability benefits scheme under which he may benefit and which has been approved by or is subject to
and conditional upon approval by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs;
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any contract,
arrangement, transaction or proposal concerning the adoption, modification or operation of any scheme for enabling employees,
including full time executive directors of Celsus or any of our subsidiaries to acquire shares of Celsus or any arrangement
for the benefit of employees of Celsus or any of our subsidiaries, which does not award him any privilege or benefit not awarded
to the employees to whom such scheme relates; or
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any contract,
arrangement, transaction or proposal concerning insurance which Celsus proposes to maintain or purchase for the benefit of
directors or for the benefit of persons including directors.
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Article 26 of the
Articles of Association states, that the board may authorize any matter which may otherwise involve a director breaching his duties
under certain sections of the Companies Act 2006 to avoid conflicts of interest.
Any director (including
the director which has the conflict) may propose that such conflicted director be authorized in relation to any matter which is
the subject of such a conflict. The director with the conflict will not count towards the quorum at the meeting at which the conflict
is considered and may not vote on any resolution authorizing the conflict. Where the board gives authority in relation to such
a conflicts, the board may impose such terms on the relevant director as it deems appropriate.
Directors’ and Officers’
Compensation
The Companies Act
requires that a resolution approving provisions to appoint a director for a fixed period of more than two years, must not be passed
unless a memorandum setting out the proposed contract incorporating the provision is made available to members: in the case of
a resolution at a meeting, by being made available for inspection by members of the company both (i) at the company’s registered
office for not less than 15 days ending with the date of the meeting, and (ii) at the meeting itself.
Directors’ Borrowing Powers
Our board of directors
may, from time to time, in its discretion, cause us to borrow or secure the payment of any sum or sums of money for the purposes
of our company.
Retirement of Directors
We do not have
any age limitations for our directors, nor do we have mandatory retirement as a result of reaching a certain age.
Share Qualification of Directors
No shareholding
qualification is required by a director.
Redemption Provisions
We may, subject
to applicable law and to our Articles of Association, issue redeemable preference shares and redeem the same.
Capital Calls
Under our Articles
of Association and the Companies Act, the liability of our shareholders is limited to the nominal value (i.e. par). The board
of directors has the authority to make calls upon the shareholders in respect of any money unpaid on their shares and each shareholder
shall pay to us as required by such notice the amount called on his shares. If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and
payable, and the fourteen days’ notice provided by the board of directors has not been complied with, any share in respect
of which such notice was given may be forfeited by a resolution of the board.
No Sinking Fund
Our ordinary shares
do not have sinking fund provisions.
Modification of Rights
Subject to the
provisions of the Companies Act, if at any time our capital is divided into different classes of shares, the rights attached to
any class may be varied or abrogated with the consent in writing of the holders of at least three-fourths in nominal value of
that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of that class, but not otherwise.
The quorum at any such meeting is two or more persons holding, or representing by proxy, at least one-third in nominal value of
the issued shares in question.
Transfer Restrictions
Upon the listing
of our shares on a Regulated Market (as defined by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the AIM market of the London Stock
Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, NASDAQ and similar securities exchanges), the Board may decide that
up to 100% of each shareholders’ free shares (i.e. unrestricted shares under the applicable rules and regulations) shall
be restricted to sale or transfer according to the following provisions, such shares as restricted by the Board being Restricted
Shares: (i) during the first six months commencing on the date of the listing, no transfer of Restricted Shares is permitted;
(ii) as of the seventh and eighth month following the date of the listing, such a shareholder may transfer shares that constitute
up to 12.5% of his Restricted Shares per month; and (iii) as of the ninth month following the date of the listing, the remaining
Restricted Shares are no longer considered restricted.
Shareholders’ Meetings and
Resolutions
Pursuant to our
Articles of Association, the quorum required for an ordinary meeting of shareholders consists of at least two shareholders present
in person or by proxy, who hold shares conferring in the aggregate more than 15% of our voting power. If at any time the Company
has only one shareholder, such shareholder, in person, by proxy or, if a corporation, by its representative, shall constitute
a quorum. A meeting adjourned for lack of a quorum generally is adjourned to the same day in the following week at the same time
and place or any time and place as the chairman of the board may designate. Furthermore, the board of the company may call a general
meeting whenever they think fit. If the Board, in its absolute discretion, considers that it is impractical or unreasonable for
any reason to hold a general meeting on the date or at the time or place specified in the notice calling the general meeting,
it may postpone the general meeting to another date, time and/or place.
Under the Companies
Act, each shareholder of record must be provided at least 14 calendar days prior to the notice of any general shareholders’
meeting and 21 days prior to the notice of an annual general meeting. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, our annual
general meeting will be held at such time and place or places as our board may determine. Our board may call a general meeting
whenever it thinks fit, and must do so when required under the Companies Act. General meetings must also be convened on such requisition,
or in default may be convened by such requisitionists or by court order, as provided by the Companies Act.
Voting at any general
meeting of shareholders is by a show of hands, unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by:
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the chairman of the meeting;
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at least five
shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting;
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any shareholder
or shareholders representing in the aggregate not less than one-tenth of the total voting rights of all shareholders entitled
to vote at the meeting; or
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any shareholder
or shareholders holding shares conferring a right to vote at the meeting on which there have been paid up sums in the aggregate
equal to not less than one-tenth of the total sum paid up on all the shares conferring that right.
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In a vote by a
show of hands, every shareholder who is present in person or by proxy at a general meeting has one vote. In a vote on a poll,
every shareholder who is present in person or by proxy shall have one vote for every share of which they are registered as the
holder (provided that no shareholder shall have more than one vote on a show of hands notwithstanding that he may have appointed
more than one proxy to vote on his behalf). The quorum for a shareholders’ meeting is a minimum of two persons holding at
least 15% of the share capital, present in person or by proxy. To the extent the Articles of Association provide for a vote by
a show of hands in which each shareholder has one vote, this differs from U.S. law, under which each shareholder typically is
entitled to one vote per share at all meetings.
Holders of ADSs
are also entitled to vote by supplying their voting instructions to Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas who will vote the ordinary
shares represented by their ADSs in accordance with their instructions. The ability of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas to
carry out voting instructions may be limited by practical and legal limitations, the terms of our Articles of Association, and
the terms of the ordinary shares on deposit. We cannot assure the holders of our ADSs that they will receive voting materials
in time to enable them to return voting instructions to Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas a timely manner.
Unless otherwise
required by law or the Articles of Association, voting in a general meeting is by ordinary resolution. An ordinary resolution
is approved by a majority vote of the shareholders present at a meeting at which there is a quorum. Examples of matters that can
be approved by an ordinary resolution include:
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the election of directors;
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the approval of financial statements;
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the declaration of final dividends;
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the appointment of auditors;
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the increase of authorized share capital;
or
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the grant of authority to issue shares.
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A special resolution
or an extraordinary resolution requires the affirmative vote of not less than three-fourths of the eligible votes. Examples of
matters that must be approved by a special resolution include modifications to the rights of any class of shares, certain changes
to the Articles of Association, or our winding-up.
Limitation on Owning Securities
Our Articles of
Association do not restrict in any way the ownership or voting of ordinary shares by non-residents. Furthermore, there is no longer
an obligation of a shareholder of a UK company which is a non-listed (in the UK or EU) company to voluntarily disclose his shareholding
unless, required to do so by the company. If the company serves a demand on a person under section 793 to the Companies Act 2006,
that person will be required to disclose any interest he has in the shares of the company.
Change in Control
We can issue additional
shares with any rights or restrictions attached to them as long as not restricted by any rights attached to existing shares. These
rights or restrictions can be decided by the directors so long as there is no conflict with any resolution passed by the shareholders.
The ability of the directors to issue shares with rights or restrictions that are different than those attached to the currently
outstanding ordinary shares could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing change of control of our company.
In addition, as
discussed above under “- A. Directors and Senior Management”, our board of directors is divided into three
classes for purposes of election. One class is elected at each annual meeting of stockholders to serve for a three-year term.
Because this would prevent shareholders from replacing the entire board at a single meeting, this provision could also have the
effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company.
We may in the future
be subject to the UK Takeover Code which is not binding on our company at the present time. Nevertheless, the UK Takeover Code
could apply to our company under certain circumstances in the future and if that were to occur, each shareholder who is to acquire
more than 29.9% of our issued and outstanding shares could, in most circumstances, be required to make an offer for all the shares
in our company under the terms of the UK Takeover Code.
Differences in Corporate Law Between
England and the State Of Delaware
As a public limited
company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, the rights of our shareholders are governed by applicable English law,
including the Companies Act, and not by the law of any U.S. state. As a result, our directors and shareholders are subject to
different responsibilities, rights and privileges than are applicable to directors and shareholders of U.S. corporations. We have
set below a summary of the differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the Delaware General Corporation
Law relating to shareholders’ rights and protections. This summary is not intended to be a complete discussion of the respective
rights and it is qualified in its entirety by reference to English law, Delaware law and our Articles of Association. Before investing,
you should consult your legal advisor regarding the impact of English corporate law on your specific circumstances and reasons
for investing. The summary below does not include a description of rights or obligations under the U.S. federal securities laws
or NASDAQ listing requirements. You are also urged to carefully read the relevant provisions of the Delaware General Corporation
Law and the Companies Act for a more complete understanding of the differences between Delaware and English law.
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Delaware
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England
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Number of
Directors
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Under Delaware
law, a corporation must have at least one director and the number of directors shall be fixed by or in the manner provided
in the bylaws, unless specified in the certificate of incorporation.
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Under the Companies
Act, a public limited company must have at least two directors and the number of directors may be fixed by or in the manner
provided in a company’s articles of association.
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Removal of
Directors
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Under Delaware
law, directors may be removed from office, with or without cause, by a majority shareholder vote, except (a) in the case
of a corporation whose board is classified, shareholders may effect such removal only for cause, unless otherwise provided
in the certificate of incorporation, and (b) in the case of a corporation having cumulative voting, if less than the
entire board is to be removed, no director may be removed without cause if the votes cast against his or her removal would
be sufficient to elect him or her if then cumulatively voted at an election of the entire board of directors, or, if there
are classes of directors, at an election of the class of directors of which he or she is a part.
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Under the Companies
Act, shareholders may remove a director without cause by an ordinary resolution (which is passed by a simple majority of those
voting in person or by proxy at a general meeting) irrespective of any provisions of any service contract the director has
with the company, provided that 28 clear days’ notice of the resolution is given to the company and certain other procedural
requirements under the Companies Act are followed (such as allowing the director to make representations against his or her
removal at the meeting and/or in writing).
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Vacancies
on the Board of Directors
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Under Delaware
law, vacancies and newly created directorships may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office (even though less
than a quorum) or by a sole remaining director unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of
the corporation.
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Under English
law, the procedure by which directors (other than a company’s initial directors) are appointed is generally set out
in a company’s articles of association, provided that where two or more persons are appointed as directors of a public
limited company by resolution of the shareholders, resolutions appointing each director must be voted on individually unless
a resolution of the shareholders that such resolutions do not have to be voted on individually is first agreed to by the meeting
without any vote being given against it.
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Delaware
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England
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Annual General
Meeting
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Under Delaware
law, the annual meeting of shareholders shall be held at such place, on such date and at such time as may be designated from
time to time by the board of directors or as provided in the certificate of incorporation or by the bylaws.
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Under the Companies
Act, a public limited company must hold an annual general meeting each year. This meeting must be held within six months beginning
with the day following the company’s accounting reference date.
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General Meeting
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Under Delaware
law, special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the board of directors or by such person or persons as may be authorized
by the certificate of incorporation or by the bylaws.
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Under the Companies
Act, a general meeting of the shareholders of a public limited company may be called by the directors. Shareholders holding
at least 5% of the paid-up capital (excluding any paid-up capital held as treasury shares) of the company carrying voting
rights at general meetings can also require the directors to call a general meeting.
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Notice of
General Meetings
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Under Delaware
law, written notice of any meeting of the shareholders must be given to each shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting not
less than ten nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting and shall specify the place, date, hour and purpose
or purposes of the meeting.
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The Companies Act provides
that a general meeting (other than an adjourned meeting) must be called by notice of:
• in
the case of an annual general meeting, at least 21 days; and
• in
any other case, at least 14 days.
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The company’s
articles of association may provide for a longer period of notice and, in addition, certain matters (such as the removal of
directors or auditors) require special notice, which is 28 clear days’ notice. The shareholders of a company may in
all cases consent to a shorter notice period, the proportion of shareholders’ consent required being 100% of those entitled
to attend and vote in the case of an annual general meeting and, in the case of any other general meeting, a majority in number
of the members having a right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority who together hold not less than 95% in nominal
value of the shares giving a right to attend and vote at the meeting.
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Delaware
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England
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Quorum
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The certificate
of incorporation or bylaws may specify the number of shares, the holders of which shall be present or represented by proxy
at any meeting in order to constitute a quorum, but in no event shall a quorum consist of less than
1
/3 of
the shares entitled to vote at the meeting. In the absence of such specification in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws,
a majority of the shares entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting
of shareholders.
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Subject to the
provisions of a company’s articles of association, the Companies Act provides that two shareholders present at a meeting
(in person or by proxy) shall constitute a quorum.
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Proxy
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Under Delaware
law, at any meeting of shareholders, a shareholder may designate another person to act for such shareholder by proxy, but
no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period.
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Under the Companies
Act, at any meeting of shareholders, a shareholder may designate another person to attend, speak and vote at the meeting on
their behalf by proxy (or, in the case of a shareholder which is a corporate body, by way of a corporate representative).
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Issue of New
Shares
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Under Delaware
law, if the company’s certificate of incorporation so provides, the directors have the power to authorize additional
stock. The directors may authorize capital stock to be issued for consideration consisting of cash, any tangible or intangible
property or any benefit to the company or any combination thereof.
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Under the Companies Act, the
directors of a company must not exercise any power to allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert any
security into, shares unless they are authorized to do so by the company’s articles of association or by an ordinary
resolution of the shareholders.
Any authorization given must
state the maximum amount of shares that may be allotted under it and specify the date on which it will expire, which must
be not more than five years from the date the authorization was given. The authority can be renewed by a further resolution
of the shareholders.
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Delaware
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England
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Pre-emptive
Rights
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Under Delaware
law, unless otherwise provided in a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, a stockholder does not, by operation
of law, possess pre-emptive rights to subscribe to additional issuances of the corporation’s stock.
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Under the Companies
Act, “equity securities” (being (i) shares in the company other than shares that, with respect to dividends and
capital, carry a right to participate only up to a specified amount in a distribution (“ordinary shares”) or (ii)
rights to subscribe for, or to convert securities into, ordinary shares) proposed to be allotted for cash must be offered
first to the existing equity shareholders in the company in proportion to the respective nominal value of their holdings,
unless an exception applies or a special resolution to the contrary has been passed by shareholders in a general meeting or
the articles of association provide otherwise in each case in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act.
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Liability
of Directors and Officers
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Under Delaware law, a corporation’s
certificate of incorporation may include a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director to the
corporation and its shareholders for monetary damages arising from a breach of fiduciary duty as a director. However,
no provision can limit the liability of a director for:
•
any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders;
• acts
or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
• willful
or negligent payment of unlawful dividends or stock purchases or redemptions; or
• any
transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit.
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Under the Companies Act, any
provision (whether contained in a company’s articles of association or any contract or otherwise) that purports
to exempt a director of a company (to any extent) from any liability that would otherwise attach to him in connection
with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company is void.
Any provision by which a company
directly or indirectly provides an indemnity (to any extent) for a director of the company or of an associated company
against any liability attaching to him in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in
relation to the company of which he or she is a director is also void except as permitted by the Companies Act, which
provides exceptions for the company to: (i) purchase and maintain insurance against such liability; (ii) provide
a “qualifying third party indemnity” (being an indemnity against liability incurred by the director to a person
other than the company or an associated company. Such indemnity must not cover fines imposed in criminal proceedings,
penalties imposed by regulatory bodies arising out of non-compliance with regulatory requirements, the defense costs of
criminal proceedings where the director is found guilty, the defense costs of civil proceedings successfully brought against
the director by the company or an associated company, and the costs of unsuccessful applications by the director for relief);
and (iii) provide a “qualifying pension scheme indemnity” (being an indemnity against liability incurred
in connection with the company’s activities as trustee of an occupational pension plan).
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Delaware
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England
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Voting Rights
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Delaware law
provides that, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, each shareholder of record is entitled to one
vote for each share of capital stock held by such shareholder.
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Under English
law, unless a poll is demanded by the shareholders of a company or is required by the Chairman of the meeting or the company’s
articles of association, shareholders shall vote on all resolutions on a show of hands.
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Under the Companies
Act, a poll may be demanded by: (i) not fewer than five shareholders having the right to vote on the resolution; (ii) any
shareholder(s) representing at least 10% of the total voting rights of all the shareholders having the right to vote on the
resolution (excluding any voting rights attached to treasury shares); or (iii) any shareholder (s) holding shares
in the company conferring a right to vote on the resolution being shares on which an aggregate sum has been paid up equal
to not less than 10% of the total sum paid up on all the shares conferring that right. A company’s articles of association
may provide more extensive rights for shareholders to call a poll.
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Under English
law, an ordinary resolution is passed on a show of hands if it is approved by a simple majority (more than 50%) of the votes
cast by shareholders present (in person or by proxy) and entitled to vote. If a poll is demanded, an ordinary resolution is
passed if it is approved by holders representing a simple majority of the total voting rights of shareholders present (in
person or by proxy) who (being entitled to vote) vote on the resolution. Special resolutions require the affirmative vote
of not less than 75% of the votes cast by shareholders present (in person or by proxy) at the meeting.
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Delaware
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England
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Variation
of Class Rights
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Under Delaware
law, the holders of the outstanding shares of a class shall be entitled to vote as a class upon a proposed amendment, whether
or not entitled to vote thereon by the certificate of incorporation, if the amendment would increase or decrease the aggregate
number of authorized shares of such class, increase or decrease the par value of the shares of such class, or alter or change
the powers, preferences or special rights of the shares of such class so as to affect them adversely.
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The Companies Act provides
that rights attached to a class of shares may only be varied or abrogated in accordance with provision in the company’s
articles for the variation or abrogation of those rights or, where the company’s articles contain no such provision,
if the holders of shares of that class consent to the variation or abrogation. Consent for these purposes means:
• consent
in writing from the holders of at least 75% in nominal value of the issued shares of that class (excluding any shares
held as treasury shares); or
• a
special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of that class sanctioning the variation.
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The Companies
Act provides that the quorum for a class meeting is not less than two persons holding or representing by proxy at least one-third
of the nominal value of the issued shares of that class. Following a variation of class rights, shareholders who amount to
not less than 15% of the shareholders of the class in question who did not approve the variation may apply to court to have
the variation cancelled. Any application must be made within 21 days of the variation. The court may cancel the variation
if it is satisfied having regard to all the circumstances of the case that the variation would unfairly prejudice the shareholders
of the class represented by the applicant.
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Delaware
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England
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Shareholder
Vote on Certain Transactions
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Generally, under Delaware law,
unless the certificate of incorporation provides for the vote of a larger portion of the stock, completion of a merger,
consolidation, sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of a corporation’s assets or dissolution requires:
• the
approval of the board of directors; and
• approval
by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding stock or, if the certificate of incorporation provides for
more or less than one vote per share, a majority of the votes of the outstanding stock of a corporation entitled to vote
on the matter.
Under Delaware law, a contract
or transaction between the company and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the company and any other
organization in which one or more of its directors or officers, are directors or officers, or have a financial interest,
shall not be void solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer participates in the meeting of the
board which authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because any such director’s or officer’s votes
are counted for such purpose, if:
• the
material facts as to the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction
are disclosed or are known to the board, and the board in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative
votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum;
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The Companies Act provides
for schemes of arrangement, which are arrangements or compromises between a company and any class of shareholders or creditors
and used in certain types of reconstructions, amalgamations, capital reorganizations or takeovers. These arrangements
require:
• the
approval at a shareholders’ or creditors’ meeting convened by order of the court, of a majority in number
of shareholders or creditors representing 75% in value of the capital held by, or debt owed to, the class of shareholders
or creditors, or class thereof present and voting, either in person or by proxy; and
• the
approval of the court.
Once approved, sanctioned and
effective, all shareholders and creditors of the relevant class and the company are bound by the terms of the scheme.
The Companies Act also contains certain provisions relating to transactions between a director and the company, including
transactions involving the acquisition of substantial non-cash assets from a director or the sale of substantial noncash
assets to a director, and loans between a company and a director or certain connected persons of directors. If such transactions
meet certain thresholds set out within the Companies Act the approval of shareholders by ordinary resolution will be required.
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• the
material facts as to the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction
are disclosed or are known to the shareholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically
approved in good faith by vote of the shareholders; or
• the
contract or transaction is fair as to the corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified, by the board
of directors, a committee or the shareholders.
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Delaware
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England
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Standard of
Conduct for Directors
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Delaware law
does not contain specific provisions setting forth the standard of conduct of a director. The scope of the fiduciary duties
of directors is generally determined by the courts of the State of Delaware. In general, directors have a duty to act without
self-interest, on a well-informed basis and in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interest of the shareholders.
Directors of a Delaware corporation owe fiduciary duties of care and loyalty to the corporation and to its shareholders. The
duty of care generally requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise
under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself or herself of all material information reasonably
available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director act in a manner he or she reasonably
believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. The director must not use his or her corporate position for personal
gain or advantage. In addition, under Delaware law, when the board of directors of a Delaware corporation approves the sale
or break-up of a corporation, the board of directors may, in certain circumstances, have a duty to obtain the highest value
reasonably available to the shareholders.
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Under English law, a director
owes various statutory and fiduciary duties to the company, including:
• to
act in the way he or she considers, in good faith, would be most likely to promote the success of the company for the
benefit of its shareholders as a whole;
• to
avoid a situation in which he or she has, or can have, a direct or indirect interest that conflicts, or possibly conflicts,
with the interests of the company;
• to
act in accordance with the company’s constitution and only exercise his or her powers for the purposes for which
they are conferred;
• to
exercise independent judgment;
• to
exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence;
• not
to accept benefits from a third party conferred by reason of his or her being a director or doing (or not doing) anything
as a director; and
• a
duty to declare any interest that he or she has, whether directly or indirectly, in a proposed or existing transaction
or arrangement with the company.
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Delaware
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England
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Shareholder
Suits
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Under Delaware law, a shareholder
may initiate a derivative action to enforce a right of a corporation if the corporation fails to enforce the right itself.
The complaint must:
• state
that the plaintiff was a shareholder at the time of the transaction of which the plaintiff complains or that the plaintiff’s
shares thereafter devolved on the plaintiff by operation of law; and
• allege
with particularity the efforts made by the plaintiff to obtain the action the plaintiff desires from the directors and
the reasons for the plaintiff’s failure to obtain the action; or
• state
the reasons for not making the effort. Additionally, the plaintiff must remain a shareholder through the duration of the
derivative suit.
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Under English
law, generally, the company, rather than its shareholders, is the proper claimant in an action in respect of a wrong done
to the company or where there is an irregularity in the company’s internal management. Notwithstanding this general
position, the Companies Act provides that (i) a court may allow a shareholder to bring a derivative claim (that is, an
action in respect of and on behalf of the company) in respect of a cause of action arising from a director’s negligence,
default, breach of duty or breach of trust, subject to complying with the procedural requirements under the Companies Act
and (ii) a shareholder may bring a claim for a court order where the company’s affairs have been or are being conducted
in a manner that is unfairly prejudicial to some or all of its shareholders.
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Other U.K. Law Considerations
Squeeze-Out
Under the Companies
Act, if a takeover offer (as defined in Section 974 of the Companies Act) is made for the shares of a company and the offeror
were to acquire, or unconditionally contract to acquire: (i) not less than 90% in value of the shares to which the takeover
offer relates (the “Takeover Offer Shares”); and (ii) where those shares are voting shares, not less than 90%
of the voting rights attached to the Takeover Offer Shares, the offeror could acquire compulsorily the remaining 10% within three
months of the day after the last day on which its offer can be accepted. It would do so by sending a notice to outstanding shareholders
telling them that it will acquire compulsorily their Takeover Offer Shares and then, six weeks later, it would execute a transfer
of the outstanding Takeover Offer Shares in its favor and pay the consideration to the company, which would hold the consideration
on trust for outstanding shareholders. The consideration offered to the shareholders whose Takeover Offer Shares are acquired
compulsorily under the Companies Act must, in general, be the same as the consideration that was available under the takeover
offer.
Sell-Out
The Companies Act
also gives minority shareholders a right to be bought out in certain circumstances by an offeror who has made a takeover offer
(as defined in Section 974 of the Companies Act). If a takeover offer related to all the shares of a company and, at any
time before the end of the period within which the offer could be accepted, the offeror held or had agreed to acquire not less
than 90% of the shares to which the offer relates, any holder of the shares to which the offer related who had not accepted the
offer could by a written communication to the offeror require it to acquire those shares. The offeror is required to give any
shareholder notice of his or her right to be bought out within one month of that right arising. The offeror may impose a time
limit on the rights of the minority shareholders to be bought out, but that period cannot end less than three months after the
end of the acceptance period. If a shareholder exercises his or her rights, the offeror is bound to acquire those shares on the
terms of the offer or on such other terms as may be agreed.
Disclosure of Interest in Shares
Pursuant to Part 22
of the Companies Act, a company is empowered by notice in writing to require any person whom the company knows to be, or has reasonable
cause to believe to be, interested in the company’s shares or at any time during the three years immediately preceding the
date on which the notice is issued to have been so interested, within a reasonable time to disclose to the company details of
that person’s interest and (so far as is within such person’s knowledge) details of any other interest that subsists
or subsisted in those shares. If a shareholder defaults in supplying the company with the required details in relation to the
shares in question (the “Default Shares”), the shareholder shall not be entitled to vote or exercise any other right
conferred by membership in relation to general meetings. Where the Default Shares represent 0.25% or more of the issued shares
of the class in question, in certain circumstances the directors may direct that:
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(i)
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any dividend or other money
payable in respect of the Default Shares shall be retained by the company without any liability to
pay interest on it when such
dividend or other money is finally paid to the shareholder; and/or
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(ii)
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no transfer by the relevant
shareholder of shares (other than a transfer approved in accordance with the provisions of the
company’s articles of
association) may be registered (unless such shareholder is not in default and the transfer does not relate
to Default Shares).
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Dividends
Under English law,
before a company can lawfully make a distribution, it must ensure that it has sufficient distributable reserves. A company’s
distributable reserves are its accumulated, realized profits, so far as not previously utilized by distribution or capitalization,
less its accumulated, realized losses, so far as not previously written off in a reduction or reorganization of capital duly made.
In addition to having sufficient distributable reserves, a public company will not be permitted to make a distribution if, at
the time, the amount of its net assets (that is, the aggregate of the company’s assets less the aggregate of its liabilities)
is less than the aggregate of its issued and paid-up share capital and undistributable reserves, or if the distribution would
result in the amount of its net assets being less than that aggregate.
Purchase of Own Shares
Under English law,
a public limited company may purchase its own shares only out of the distributable profits of the company or the proceeds of a
new issue of shares made for the purpose of financing the purchase, provided that it is not restricted from doing so by its articles.
A public limited company may not purchase its own shares if as a result of the purchase there would no longer be any issued shares
of the company other than redeemable shares or shares held as treasury shares. Shares must be fully paid in order to be repurchased.
Subject to the
foregoing, because NASDAQ is not a “recognized investment exchange” under the Companies Act, a company may purchase
its own fully paid shares only pursuant to a purchase contract authorized by ordinary resolution of the holders of its ordinary
shares before the purchase takes place. Any authority will not be effective if any shareholder from whom the company proposes
to purchase shares votes on the resolution and the resolution would not have been passed if such shareholder had not done so.
The resolution authorizing the purchase must specify a date, not being later than five years after the passing of the resolution,
on which the authority to purchase is to expire.
A share buy back
by a company of its ordinary shares will give rise to U.K. stamp duty at the rate of 0.5% of the amount or value of the consideration
payable by the company, and such stamp duty will be paid by the company. Our Articles of Association do not have conditions governing
changes in our capital which are more stringent than those required by law.
Statutory Pre-Emption Rights
Under English law,
a company must not allot equity securities to a person on any terms unless the following conditions are satisfied:
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(i)
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it has made an
offer to each person who holds ordinary shares in the company to allot to them on the same or more favorable terms a proportion
of those securities that is as nearly as practicable equal to the proportion in nominal value held by them of the ordinary
share capital of the company; and
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(ii)
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the period during
which any such offer may be accepted has expired or the company has received notice of the acceptance or refusal of every
offer so made.
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For these purposes
“equity securities” means ordinary shares in the company or rights to subscribe for, or to convert securities into,
ordinary shares in the company. “Ordinary shares” means shares other than shares that, with respect to dividends and
capital, carry a right to participate only up to a specified amount in a distribution. The statutory pre-emption rights are subject
to certain exceptions, including the issue of ordinary shares for non-cash consideration, an allotment of bonus shares and the
allotment of equity securities pursuant to an employees’ share scheme. The statutory pre-emption rights may also be disapplied
with the approval of 75% of shareholders.
U.K. City Code On Takeovers And
Mergers
Since our central
place of management is not in the United Kingdom, we are currently not subject to the U.K. City Code on Takeovers and Mergers
(the “Takeover Code”), which is issued and administered by the U.K. Panel on Takeovers and Mergers, or the Panel.
The Takeover Code
provides a framework within which takeovers of companies subject to it are conducted. In particular, the Takeover Code contains
certain rules in respect of mandatory offers. Under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code, if a person:
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acquires an interest
in our shares which, when taken together with shares in which he or persons acting in concert with him are interested, carries
30% or more of the voting rights of our shares; or
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who, together
with persons acting in concert with him, is interested in shares that in the aggregate carry not less than 30% and not more
than 50% of the voting rights in us, acquires additional interests in shares that increase the percentage of shares carrying
voting rights in which that person is interested, the acquirer and depending on the circumstances, its concert parties, would
be required (except with the consent of the Panel) to make a cash offer for our outstanding shares at a price not less than
the highest price paid for any interests in the shares by the acquirer or its concert parties during the previous 12 months.
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DESCRIPTION OF
AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES
American Depositary Shares
Deutsche Bank Trust
Company Americas, as depositary, will register and deliver the ADSs. Each ADS will represent ownership of 100 ordinary shares
deposited with State Street Bank & Trust Company, having its principal office at 525 Ferry Road, Crewe Toll, Edinburgh, EH5
2AW Scotland, as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS will also represent ownership of any other securities, cash or other property
which may be held by the depositary. The depositary’s corporate trust office at which the ADSs will be administered is located
at 60 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, USA. The principal executive office of the depositary is located at 60 Wall Street, New
York, NY 10005, USA.
The Direct Registration
System, or DRS, is a system administered by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, pursuant to which the depositary may register
the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the
ADS holders entitled thereto.
We will not treat
ADS holders as our shareholders and accordingly, you, as an ADS holder, will not have shareholder rights. English law governs
shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. As a holder of ADSs, you will
have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary and you, as an ADS holder, and the beneficial owners of ADSs
sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. The laws of the State of New York govern the
deposit agreement and the ADSs.
The following is
a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit
agreement and the form of American Depositary Receipt.
Holding the ADSs
How will you hold your ADSs?
You may hold ADSs
either (1) directly (a) by having an American Depositary Receipt, or ADR, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number
of ADSs, registered in your name, or (b) by holding ADSs in the DRS, or (2) indirectly through your broker or other financial
institution. If you hold ADSs directly, you are an ADS holder. This description assumes you hold your ADSs directly. If you hold
the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADS
holders described in this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures
are.
Dividends and Other Distributions
How will you receive dividends
and other distributions on the shares?
The depositary
has agreed to pay to ADS holders the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on ordinary shares or
other deposited securities, after deducting its fees and expenses. The holder of ADSs will receive these distributions in proportion
to the number of ordinary shares their ADSs represent as of the record date (which will be as close as practicable to the record
date for our ordinary shares) set by the depositary with respect to the ADSs.
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Cash.
The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the ordinary shares or
any net proceeds from the sale of any ordinary shares, rights, securities or other entitlements into U.S. dollars if it can
do so on a reasonable basis, and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or lawful or
if any government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the
foreign currency only to those ADS holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert
for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable
for any interest.
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Before making
a distribution, any taxes or other governmental charges, together with fees and expenses of the depositary, that must be paid,
will be deducted. See “Taxation.” It will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional
cents to the nearest whole cent.
If the exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign
currency, you may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.
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Shares.
The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any ordinary shares we distribute as a dividend
or free distribution to the extent reasonably practicable and permissible under law. The depositary will only distribute whole
ADSs. It will try to sell ordinary shares which would require it to deliver a fractional ADS and distribute the net proceeds
in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs will also
represent the new ordinary shares. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed ordinary shares sufficient to pay
its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.
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Elective
Distributions in Cash or Shares.
If we offer holders of our ordinary shares the option to receive dividends
in either cash or shares, the depositary, after consultation with us and having received timely notice as described in the
deposit agreement of such elective distribution by us, has discretion to determine to what extent such elective distribution
will be made available to ADS holders. We must first instruct the depositary to make such elective distribution available
to ADS holders and furnish it with satisfactory evidence that it is legal to do so. The depositary could decide it is not
legal or reasonably practical to make such elective distribution available to ADS holders, or it could decide that it is only
legal or reasonably practical to make such elective distribution available to some but not all holders of the ADSs. In such
case, the depositary shall, on the basis of the same determination as is made in respect of the ordinary shares for which
no election is made, distribute either cash in the same way as it does in a cash distribution, or additional ADSs representing
ordinary shares in the same way as it does in a share distribution. The depositary is not obligated to make available to ADS
holders a method to receive the elective dividend in shares rather than in ADSs. There can be no assurance that ADS holders
will be given the opportunity to receive elective distributions on the same terms and conditions as the holders of ordinary
shares.
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Rights
to Purchase Additional Shares.
If we offer holders of our ordinary shares any rights to subscribe for
additional shares or any other rights, the depositary may after consultation with us and having received timely notice as
described in the deposit agreement of such distribution by us, make these rights available to ADS holders. We must first instruct
the depositary to make such rights available to ADS holders and furnish the depositary with satisfactory evidence that it
is legal to do so. If the depositary decides it is not legal and practical to make the rights available but that it is practical
to sell the rights, the depositary will use reasonable efforts to sell the rights and distribute the net proceeds in the same
way as it does with cash. The depositary will allow rights that are not distributed or sold to lapse. In that case, ADS holders
will receive no value for them. If the depositary makes rights available to ADS holders, it will exercise the rights and purchase
the shares on ADS holders’ behalf. The depositary will then deposit the shares and deliver ADSs to ADS holders. It will
only exercise rights if ADS holders pay it the exercise price and any other charges the rights require that ADS holders to
pay. U.S. securities laws may restrict transfers and cancellation of the ADSs represented by shares purchased upon exercise
of rights. For example, ADS holders may not be able to trade these ADSs freely in the United States. In this case, the depositary
may deliver restricted depositary shares that have the same terms as the ADSs described in this section except for changes
needed to put the necessary restrictions in place.
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Other Distributions.
Subject to receipt of timely notice from us with the request to make any such distribution available to
ADS holders, and provided the depositary has determined such distribution is lawful and reasonably practicable and feasible
and in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement, the depositary will send to ADS holders anything else we distribute
on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way,
the depositary has a choice: it may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as
it does with cash; or, it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed
property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to ADS holders unless it
receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution. The depositary may sell a portion of the
distributed securities or property sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.
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The depositary
is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We
have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation
to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that
ADS holders may not receive the distributions we make on our ordinary shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical
for us to make them available to ADS holders.
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Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation
How are ADSs issued?
The depositary
will deliver ADSs if an ADS holders or its broker deposit ordinary shares or evidence of rights to receive ordinary shares with
the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes
or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names the ADS holder requests and will deliver the
ADSs to or upon the order of the person or persons entitled thereto.
How do ADS holders cancel an
American Depositary Share?
You may turn in
your ADSs at the depositary’s corporate trust office or by providing appropriate instructions to your broker. Upon payment
of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will
deliver the ordinary shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to you or a person you designate at the office
of the custodian. Or, at your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its corporate
trust office, if feasible.
The depositary
may refuse to accept for surrender ADSs only in the case of (i) temporary delays caused by closing our transfer books or those
of the depositary or the deposit of our ordinary shares in connection with voting at a shareholders’ meeting or the payment
of dividends, (ii) the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges and (iii) compliance with any laws or governmental regulations
relating to depositary receipts or to the withdrawal of deposited securities. Subject thereto, in the case of surrender of a number
of ADSs representing other than a whole number of our ordinary shares, the depositary will cause ownership of the appropriate
whole number of our ordinary shares to be delivered in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement and will, at the discretion
of the depositary, either (i) issue and deliver to the person surrendering such ADSs a new ADS representing any remaining fractional
Ordinary Share or (ii) sell or cause to be sold the fractional ordinary shares represented by the ADSs surrendered and remit the
proceeds of such sale (net of applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the depositary and taxes and/or governmental
charges) to the person surrendering the ADS.
How do ADS holders interchange
between Certificated ADSs and Uncertificated ADSs?
You may surrender
your ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that ADR
and will send you a statement confirming that you are the owner of uncertificated ADSs. Alternatively, upon receipt by the depositary
of a proper instruction from a holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs,
the depositary will execute and deliver to you an ADR evidencing those ADSs.
Voting Rights
How do you vote?
As an ADS holder,
you may instruct the depositary to vote the deposited securities. Otherwise, you could exercise your right to vote directly if
you withdraw the ordinary shares your ADSs represent. However, you may not know about the meeting enough in advance to withdraw
the ordinary shares.
If we ask for your
instructions and upon timely notice from us as described in the deposit agreement, the depositary will notify you of the upcoming
vote and arrange to deliver our voting materials to you. The materials will (1) describe the matters to be voted on and (2) explain
how you may instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary shares or other deposited securities underlying your ADSs as you direct.
Voting instructions may be given only by mail and in respect of a number of ADSs representing an integral number of our ordinary
shares or other deposited securities. For instructions to be valid, the depositary must receive them on or before the date specified.
The depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to the laws of the United Kingdom and the provisions of our constitutive
documents, to vote or to have its agents vote the ordinary shares or other deposited securities as you instruct. The depositary
will only vote or attempt to vote as you instruct.
We cannot assure
you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary shares
underlying your ADSs. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions
or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions
. This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and
you may have no recourse if the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs are not voted as you requested.
In order to give
you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities,
if we request the depositary to act, we are required to give the depositary 30 days’ advance notice of any such meeting
and details concerning the matters to be voted upon sufficiently in advance of the meeting date, and the depositary will mail
you a notice.
Fees and Charges
As a holder of
American Depository Shares, or ADSs, you will be required to pay the following service fees to the depositary bank:
Service:
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Fee:
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Issuance of ADSs,
including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property
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Up to $0.05 per
ADS issued
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Cancellation
of ADSs, including in the case of termination of the deposit agreement
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Up to $0.05 per
ADS cancelled
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Distribution
of cash dividends or other cash distributions
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Up to $0.02 per
ADS held
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Distribution
of ADSs pursuant to share dividends, free share distributions or exercise of rights
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Up to $0.05 per
ADS held
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Operation and
maintenance costs in administering the ADSs
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An annual fee
of $0.02 per ADS held
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Inspections of
the relevant share register maintained by the local registrar and/or performing due diligence on the central securities depository
for England and Wales
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An annual fee
of $0.01 per ADS held (such fee to be assessed against holders of record as at the date or dates set by the depositary as
it sees fit and collected at the sole discretion of the depositary by billing such holders for such fee or by deducting such
fee from one or more cash dividends or other cash distributions)
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As an ADS holder,
you will also be responsible to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the depositary bank and certain taxes and governmental
charges such as:
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Taxes (including
applicable interest and penalties) and other governmental charges.
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Such registration
fees as may from time to time be in effect for the registration of ordinary shares or other deposited securities with the
foreign registrar and applicable to transfers of ordinary shares or other deposited securities to or from the name of the
custodian, the depositary or any nominees upon the making of deposits and withdrawals, respectively.
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Expenses for
cable, telex and fax transmissions and for delivery of securities.
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Expenses and
charges incurred by the Depositary in the conversion of foreign currency.
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Fees and expenses incurred
in connection with the delivery or servicing of ordinary shares on deposit, including any fees of a central depository
for securities in the local market, where applicable.
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Fees and expenses
incurred in connection with complying with exchange control regulations and any other regulatory requirements that are not
currently applicable but may arise or become applicable to ordinary shares, deposited securities, ADSs and ADRs.
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Any applicable
fees and penalties thereon.
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The depositary
fees payable upon the issuance and cancellation of ADSs are typically paid to the depositary bank by the brokers (on behalf of
their clients) receiving the newly issued ADSs from the depositary bank and by the brokers (on behalf of their clients) delivering
the ADSs to the depositary bank for cancellation. The brokers in turn charge these fees to their clients. Depositary fees payable
in connection with distributions of cash or securities to ADS holders and the depositary services fee are charged by the depositary
bank to the holders of record of ADSs as of the applicable ADS record date.
The depositary
fees payable for cash distributions are generally deducted from the cash being distributed or by selling a portion of distributable
property to pay the fees. In the case of distributions other than cash (i.e., share dividends, rights, etc.), the depositary bank
charges the applicable fee to the ADS record date holders concurrent with the distribution. In the case of ADSs registered in
the name of the investor (whether certificated or uncertificated in direct registration), the depositary bank sends invoices to
the applicable record date ADS holders. In the case of ADSs held in brokerage and custodian accounts (via DTC), the depositary
bank generally collects its fees through the systems provided by DTC (whose nominee is the registered holder of the ADSs held
in DTC) from the brokers and custodians holding ADSs in their DTC accounts. The brokers and custodians who hold their clients’
ADSs in DTC accounts in turn charge their clients’ accounts the amount of the fees paid to the depositary banks.
In the event of
refusal to pay the depositary fees, the depositary bank may, under the terms of the deposit agreement, refuse the requested service
until payment is received or may set off the amount of the depositary fees from any distribution to be made to the ADS holder.
The depositary
has agreed to reimburse us for a portion of certain expenses we incur that are related to establishment and maintenance of the
American Depository Receipt, or ADR, program, including investor relations expenses. There are limits on the amount of expenses
for which the depositary will reimburse us, but the amount of reimbursement available to us is not related to the amounts of fees
the depositary collects from investors. Further, the depositary has agreed to reimburse us certain fees payable to the depositary
by holders of ADSs. Neither the depositary nor we can determine the exact amount to be made available to us because (i) the number
of ADSs that will be issued and outstanding, (ii) the level of service fees to be charged to holders of ADSs and (iii) our reimbursable
expenses related to the program are not known at this time.
Payment of Taxes
As an ADS holder,
you will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on your ADSs or on the deposited securities represented
by any of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities
represented by your ADSs until such taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities
represented by your ADSs to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited
securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to you any net proceeds, or send to
you any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes. You agree to indemnify us, the depositary, the custodian and each of
our and their respective agents, directors, employees and affiliates for, and hold each of them harmless from, any claims with
respect to taxes (including applicable interest and penalties thereon) arising from any tax benefit obtained for you.
Reclassifications, Recapitalizations
and Mergers
If
we:
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Then:
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Change the nominal
or par value of our ordinary shares
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The cash, shares
or other securities received by the depositary will become deposited securities.
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Reclassify, split
up or consolidate any of the deposited securities
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Each ADS will
automatically represent its equal share of the new deposited securities.
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Distribute securities
on the ordinary shares that are not distributed to you or recapitalize, reorganize, merge, liquidate, sell all or substantially
all of our assets, or take any similar action
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The depositary
may distribute some or all of the cash, shares or other securities it received. It may also deliver new ADSs or ask you to
surrender your outstanding ADRs in exchange for new ADRs identifying the new deposited securities.
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Amendment and Termination
How may the deposit agreement
be amended?
We may agree with
the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the form of ADR without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or
increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees,
facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, including expenses incurred in connection with foreign exchange control regulations
and other charges specifically payable by ADS holders under the deposit agreement, or materially prejudices a substantial existing
right of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders
of the amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADSs, to agree to
the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.
How may the deposit agreement
be terminated?
The depositary
will terminate the deposit agreement if we ask it to do so, in which case the depositary will give notice to you at least 90 days
prior to termination. The depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement if the depositary has told us that it would like
to resign and we have not appointed a new depositary within 90 days. In such case, the depositary must notify you at least 30
days before termination.
After termination,
the depositary and its agents will do the following under the deposit agreement but nothing else: collect distributions on the
deposited securities, sell rights and other property and deliver ordinary shares and other deposited securities upon cancellation
of ADSs after payment of any fees, charges, taxes or other governmental charges. Six months or more after termination, the depositary
may sell any remaining deposited securities by public or private sale. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received
on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement, for the pro rata benefit of the ADS holders
that have not surrendered their ADSs. It will not invest the money and has no liability for interest. The depositary’s only
obligations will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination, our only obligations will be to indemnify the
depositary and to pay fees and expenses of the depositary that we agreed to pay.
Books of Depositary
The depositary
will maintain ADS holder records at its depositary office. You may inspect such records at such office during regular business
hours but solely for the purpose of communicating with other holders in the interest of business matters relating to the ADSs
and the deposit agreement.
The depositary
will maintain facilities in New York to record and process the issuance, cancellation, combination, split-up and transfer of ADRs.
These facilities
may be closed from time to time, to the extent not prohibited by law or if any such action is deemed necessary or advisable by
the depositary or us, in good faith, at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of law, any government or governmental
body or commission or any securities exchange on which the ADRs or ADSs are listed, or under any provision of the deposit agreement
or provisions of, or governing, the deposited securities, or any meeting of our shareholders or for any other reason.
Limitations on Obligations and Liability
Limits on our Obligations and
the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs
The deposit agreement
expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the
depositary. We and the depositary:
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are only obligated
to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without gross negligence or willful misconduct;
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are not liable
if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or circumstances beyond our control from performing our obligations under the
deposit agreement, including, without limitation, requirements of any present or future law, regulation, governmental or regulatory
authority or share exchange of any applicable jurisdiction, any present or future provisions of our memorandum and articles
of association, on account of possible civil or criminal penalties or restraint, any provisions of or governing the deposited
securities or any act of God, war or other circumstances beyond our control as set forth in the deposit agreement;
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are not liable
if either of us exercises, or fails to exercise, discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;
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have no obligation
to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADSs or the deposit agreement on your behalf or on behalf
of any other party;
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may rely upon
any documents we believe in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party;
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disclaim any
liability for any action/inaction in reliance on the advice or information of legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting
ordinary shares for deposit, holders and beneficial owners (or authorized representatives) of ADSs, or any person believed
in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information;
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disclaim any
liability for inability of any holder to benefit from any distribution, offering, right or other benefit made available to
holders of deposited securities but not made available to holders of ADSs; and
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disclaim any
liability for any indirect, special, punitive or consequential damages.
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The depositary
and any of its agents also disclaim any liability for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote, the manner in which any
vote is cast or the effect of any vote or failure to determine that any distribution or action may be lawful or reasonably practicable
or for allowing any rights to lapse in accordance with the provisions of the deposit agreement, the failure or timeliness of any
notice from us, the content of any information submitted to it by us for distribution to you or for any inaccuracy of any translation
thereof, any investment risk associated with the acquisition of an interest in the deposited securities, the validity or worth
of the deposited securities, the credit-worthiness of any third party, or for any tax consequences that may result from ownership
of ADSs, ordinary shares or deposited securities.
In the deposit
agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.
Requirements for Depositary Actions
Before the depositary
will issue, deliver or register a transfer of an ADS, make a distribution on an ADS, or permit withdrawal of ordinary shares,
the depositary may require:
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payment of stock
transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the transfer
of any ordinary shares or other deposited securities and payment of the applicable fees, expenses and charges of the depositary;
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satisfactory proof of the identity
and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and
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compliance with
regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of transfer
documents.
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The depositary
may refuse to issue and deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs generally when the register of the depositary or our transfer
books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it is necessary or advisable to do so.
Your Right to Receive the Shares
Underlying Your ADSs
You have the right
to cancel your ADSs and withdraw the underlying ordinary shares at any time except:
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when temporary
delays arise because: (1) the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books; (2) the transfer
of ordinary shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting; or (3) we are paying a dividend on our ordinary
shares;
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when you owe
money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges; or
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when it is necessary
to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the withdrawal
of ordinary shares or other deposited securities.
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This right of withdrawal
may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.
Pre-release of ADSs
The deposit agreement
permits the depositary to deliver ADSs before deposit of the underlying ordinary shares. This is called a pre-release of the ADSs.
The depositary may also deliver ordinary shares upon cancellation of pre-released ADSs (even if the ADSs are cancelled before
the pre-release transaction has been closed out). A pre-release is closed out as soon as the underlying ordinary shares are delivered
to the depositary. The depositary may receive ADSs instead of ordinary shares to close out a pre-release. The depositary may pre-release
ADSs only under the following conditions: (1) before or at the time of the pre-release, the person to whom the pre-release is
being made represents to the depositary in writing that it or its customer (a) owns the ordinary shares or ADSs to be deposited,
(b) assigns all beneficial rights, title and interest in such ordinary shares or ADSs to the depositary for the benefit of the
owners, (c) will not take any action with respect to such ordinary shares or ADSs that is inconsistent with the transfer of beneficial
ownership, (d) indicates the depositary as owner of such ordinary shares or ADSs in its records, and (e) unconditionally guarantees
to deliver such ordinary shares or ADSs to the depositary or the custodian, as the case may be; (2) the pre-release is fully collateralized
with cash or other collateral that the depositary considers appropriate; and (3) the depositary must be able to close out the
pre-release on not more than five business days’ notice. Each pre-release is subject to further indemnities and credit regulations
as the depositary considers appropriate. In addition, the depositary will normally limit the number of ADSs that may be outstanding
at any time as a result of pre-release to 30% of the aggregate number of ADSs then outstanding, although the depositary, in its
sole discretion, may disregard the limit from time to time, if it thinks it is appropriate to do so, including (1) due to a decrease
in the aggregate number of ADSs outstanding that causes existing pre-release transactions to temporarily exceed the limit stated
above or (2) where otherwise required by market conditions. The depositary may also set limits with respect to the number of ADSs
and Shares involved in pre-release transactions with any one person on a case-by-case basis as it deems appropriate.
Direct Registration System
In the deposit
agreement, all parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the DRS and Profile Modification System, or Profile, will apply
to uncertificated ADSs upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC. DRS is the system administered by DTC pursuant to which the depositary
may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary
to the ADS holders entitled thereto. Profile is a required feature of DRS which allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf
of an ADS holder, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs
to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register
such transfer.
In connection with
and in accordance with the arrangements and procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties to the deposit agreement understand
that the depositary will not verify, determine or otherwise ascertain that the DTC participant which is claiming to be acting
on behalf of an ADS holder in requesting registration of transfer and delivery described in the paragraph above has the actual
authority to act on behalf of the ADS holder (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). In the deposit
agreement, the parties agree that the depositary’s reliance on, and compliance with, instructions received by the depositary
through the DRS/Profile System and in accordance with the deposit agreement, shall not constitute negligence or bad faith on the
part of the depositary.
DESCRIPTION
OF WARRANTS
We may issue and
offer warrants under the material terms and conditions described in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement.
The accompanying prospectus supplement may add, update or change the terms and conditions of the warrants as described in this
prospectus.
We may issue warrants
to purchase our ordinary shares, including shares represented by ADSs, and/or debt securities. Warrants may be issued independently
or together with any securities and may be attached to or separate from those securities. The warrants may be issued under warrant
or subscription agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all of which will be described
in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants we are offering. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection
with the warrants and will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners
of warrants.
The particular
terms of the warrants, the warrant or subscription agreements relating to the warrants and the warrant certificates representing
the warrants will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, including, as applicable:
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the title of
such warrants;
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the aggregate
number of such warrants;
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the price or
prices at which such warrants will be issued and exercised;
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the currency
or currencies in which the price of such warrants will be payable;
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the securities
purchasable upon exercise of such warrants;
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the date on which
the right to exercise such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire;
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if applicable,
the minimum or maximum amount of such warrants which may be exercised at any one time;
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if applicable,
the designation and terms of the securities with which such warrants are issued and the number of such warrants issued with
each such security;
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if applicable,
the date on and after which such warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable;
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if applicable,
any provisions for cashless exercise of the warrants;
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if applicable;
any exercise limitations with respect to the ownership limitations by the holder exercising the warrant;
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information with
respect to book-entry procedures, if any;
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any material
United Kingdom and United States federal income tax consequences;
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the anti-dilution
provisions of the warrants, if any; and
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any other terms
of such warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such warrants.
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Holders of warrants
will not be entitled, solely by virtue of being holders, to vote, to consent, to receive dividends, to receive notice as shareholders
with respect to any meeting of shareholders for the election of directors or any other matters, or to exercise any rights whatsoever
as a holder of the equity securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants.
The description
in the applicable prospectus supplement of any warrants we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its
entirety by reference to the applicable warrant agreement and warrant certificate, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer
warrants. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the applicable warrant agreement if we offer warrants, see
“Where You Can Find More Information” beginning on page 39 and “Incorporation of Information by Reference”
beginning on page 40. We urge you to read any applicable prospectus supplement and the applicable warrant agreement and form of
warrant certificate in their entirety.
DESCRIPTION OF
SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS
We may issue subscription
rights to purchase our ordinary shares and/or our ADSs. These subscription rights may be issued independently or together with
any other security offered hereby and may or may not be transferable by the shareholder receiving the subscription rights in such
offering. In connection with any offering of subscription rights, we may enter into a standby arrangement with one or more underwriters
or other purchasers pursuant to which the underwriters or other purchasers may be required to purchase any securities remaining
unsubscribed for after such offering.
The prospectus
supplement relating to any subscription rights we offer, if any, will, to the extent applicable, include specific terms relating
to the offering, including some or all of the following:
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the price, if
any, for the subscription rights;
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the exercise
price payable for each ordinary share and/or ADS upon the exercise of the subscription rights;
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the number of
subscription rights to be issued to each shareholder;
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the number and
terms of the ordinary shares and/or ADSs which may be purchased per each subscription right;
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the extent to
which the subscription rights are transferable;
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any other terms
of the subscription rights, including the terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the subscription
rights;
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the date on which
the right to exercise the subscription rights shall commence, and the date on which the subscription rights shall expire;
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the extent to which the subscription
rights may include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities; and
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if applicable,
the material terms of any standby underwriting or purchase arrangement which may be entered into by us in connection with
the offering of subscription rights.
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The description
in the applicable prospectus supplement of any subscription rights we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified
in its entirety by reference to the applicable subscription right agreement, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer subscription
rights. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the applicable subscription right agreement if we offer subscription
rights, see “Where You Can Find More Information” beginning on page 39 and “Incorporation by Reference”
beginning on page 40. We urge you to read the applicable subscription right agreement and any applicable prospectus supplement
in their entirety.
DESCRIPTION OF
DEBT SECURITIES
The following description,
together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and
provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. The debt securities will be our direct general obligations
and may include debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness. The debt securities will be either senior debt securities
or subordinated debt securities. The debt securities will be issued under one or more separate indentures. Senior debt securities
will be issued under a senior debt indenture, and subordinated debt securities will be issued under a subordinated debt indenture.
We use the term “indentures” to refer to both the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture. A form of each
of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus
is a part. The indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. We use the term “indenture trustee” to
refer to either the senior trustee or the subordinated trustee, as applicable.
The following summaries
of material provisions of the debt securities and indentures are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to,
all the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities and the description thereof contained
in the prospectus supplement.
General
We will describe
in each prospectus supplement the following terms relating to a series of debt securities:
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the title or
designation;
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any limit on
the principal amount that may be issued;
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whether or not
we will issue the series of debt securities in global form, the terms and the Depositary;
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the annual interest
rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the
dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such
dates;
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whether or not
the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt;
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the terms of
the subordination of any series of subordinated debt;
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the place where
payments will be payable;
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our right, if
any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period;
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the date, if
any, after which, and the price at which, we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional
redemption provisions;
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the date, if
any, on which, and the price at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund provisions or otherwise, to
redeem, or at the holder’s option to purchase, the series of debt securities;
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whether the indenture
will restrict our ability to pay dividends, or will require us to maintain any asset ratios or reserves;
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whether we will
be restricted from incurring any additional indebtedness;
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a discussion
on any material or special U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities;
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the denominations
in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;
and
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any other specific
terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities.
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Conversion or Exchange Rights
We will set forth
in the prospectus supplement the terms on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for ordinary
shares or other securities. We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the
holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of ordinary shares or other securities that the
holders of the series of debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.
Consolidation, Merger or Sale
The indentures
will not contain any covenant which restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose
of all or substantially all of our assets so long as (i) we are the surviving entity or (ii) the successor is a U.S. entity who
assumes all of our obligations under the indentures or the debt securities, as appropriate.
Events of Default Under the Indenture
The following may
be events of default under the indentures with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:
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if we fail to
pay interest when due and our failure continues for a number of days to be stated in the indenture and the time for payment
has not been extended or deferred;
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if we fail to
pay the principal, or premium, if any, when due and the time for payment has not been extended or delayed;
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if we fail to
observe or perform any other covenant contained in the debt securities or the indentures, other than a covenant specifically
relating to another series of debt securities, and our failure continues for a number of days to be stated in the indenture
after we receive notice from the indenture trustee or holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding
debt securities of the applicable series; and
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if specified
events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur as to us.
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If an event of
default with respect to debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the indenture trustee or the holders of at least
25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice to us in writing, and to the indenture
trustee if notice is given by such holders, may declare the unpaid principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, due
and payable immediately; provided that if an event of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occurs, such amounts shall automatically
become due and payable without any declaration or other action on the part of the trustee or any holder.
The holders of
a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or event of default
with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults or events of default regarding payment of principal, premium,
if any, or interest, unless we have cured the default or event of default in accordance with the indenture. Any waiver will cure
the default or event of default.
Subject to the
terms of the indentures, if an event of default under an indenture occurs and is continuing, the indenture trustee will be under
no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of
the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the indenture trustee reasonable indemnity. The holders
of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method
and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the indenture trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred
on the indenture trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series, provided that:
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the direction
given by the holder is not in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and
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subject to its
duties under the Trust Indenture Act, the indenture trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability
or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding.
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A holder of the
debt securities of any series will only have the right to institute a proceeding under the indentures or to appoint a receiver
or trustee, or to seek other remedies if:
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the holder has
given written notice to the indenture trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to that series;
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the holders of at least 25%
in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made a written request, and such
holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the indenture trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee; and
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the indenture
trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount
of the outstanding debt securities of that series other conflicting directions within 60 days after the notice, request and
offer.
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These limitations
do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any,
or interest on, the debt securities.
We will periodically
file statements with the indenture trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the indentures.
Modification of Indenture; Waiver
We and the indenture
trustee may change an indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to specific matters, including:
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to fix any ambiguity,
defect or inconsistency in the indenture; and
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to change anything
that does not materially adversely affect the interests of any holder of debt securities of any series.
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In addition, under
the indentures, the rights of holders of a series of debt securities may be changed by us and the indenture trustee with the written
consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series
that is affected. However, we and the indenture trustee may only make the following changes with the consent of each holder of
any outstanding debt securities affected:
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changing the
fixed maturity of the series of debt securities or any installment of principal of or interest on any series of debt securities;
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reducing the
principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or any premium payable upon the redemption
of any debt securities; or
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reducing the
percentage of debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment.
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Discharge
Each indenture
provides that we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except
for obligations to:
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register the
transfer or exchange of debt securities of the series;
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replace stolen,
lost or mutilated debt securities of the series;
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maintain paying
agencies;
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hold monies for
payment in trust;
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compensate and
indemnify the indenture trustee; and
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appoint any successor
indenture trustee.
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In order to exercise
our rights to be discharged, we must deposit with the indenture trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all
the principal of, any premium, if any, and interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due.
Form, Exchange and Transfer
We will issue the
debt securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we otherwise specify in the applicable
prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The indentures provide that we may issue
debt securities of a series in temporary or permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or
on behalf of, a Depositary named by us and identified in a prospectus supplement with respect to that series. See “Book-Entry
Issuance” for a further description of the terms relating to any book-entry securities.
Subject to the
terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement,
the holder of the debt securities of any series, at its option, can exchange the debt securities for other debt securities of
the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.
Subject to the
terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement,
holders of the debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or
with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the
security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the
debt securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange, no service charge will be required for any registration of
transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.
We will name in
the applicable prospectus supplement the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that
we initially designate for any debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation
of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required
to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.
If we elect to
redeem the debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:
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issue, register
the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days
before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for redemption and ending
at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or
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register the
transfer of or exchange any debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion
of any debt securities we are redeeming in part.
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Payment and Paying Agents
Unless we otherwise
indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of the interest on any debt securities on any interest
payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close
of business on the regular record date for the interest.
We will pay principal
of and any premium and interest on the debt securities of a particular series at the office of the paying agents designated by
us, except that unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make interest payments by check
which we will mail to the holder. Unless we otherwise indicate in a prospectus supplement, we will designate the corporate trust
office of the indenture trustee in the City of New York as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities
of each series. We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any other paying agents that we initially designate for the
debt securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a
particular series.
All money we pay
to a paying agent or the indenture trustee for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt securities
which remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid
to us, and the holder of the security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.
Governing Law
The indentures
and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the
extent that the Trust Indenture Act is applicable.
Subordination of Subordinated Notes
The subordinated
notes will be unsecured and will be subordinate and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other indebtedness to the
extent described in a prospectus supplement. The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of subordinated notes which
we may issue. It also does not limit us from issuing any other secured or unsecured debt.
Regarding the Indenture Trustee
We will name the
indenture trustee for debt securities issued under the applicable indenture in the applicable supplement to this prospectus and,
unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, the indenture trustee will also act as Transfer Agent and Paying Agent
with respect to the debt securities. The indenture trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the debt securities of any
series by act of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such series delivered to
the indenture trustee and to us.
Global Securities
The debt securities
of a series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities that will be deposited with, or on
behalf of, a depository identified in an applicable subsequent filing and registered in the name of the depository or a nominee
for the depository. In such a case, one or more global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations
equal to the portion of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of the series to be represented by the global
security or securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for debt securities in definitive certificated form,
a global security may not be transferred except as a whole by the depository for the global security to a nominee of the depository
or by a nominee of the depository to the depository or another nominee of the depository or by the depository or any nominee to
a successor depository for that series or a nominee of the successor depository and except in the circumstances described in an
applicable subsequent filing.
We expect that
the following provisions will apply to depository arrangements for any portion of a series of debt securities to be represented
by a global security. Any additional or different terms of the depository arrangement will be described in an applicable subsequent
filing.
Upon the issuance
of any global security, and the deposit of that global security with or on behalf of the depository for the global security, the
depository will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the principal amounts of the debt securities represented
by that global security to the accounts of institutions that have accounts with the depository or its nominee. The accounts to
be credited will be designated by the underwriters or agents engaging in the distribution of the debt securities or by us, if
the debt securities are offered and sold directly by us. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited
to participating institutions or persons that may hold interest through such participating institutions. Ownership of beneficial
interests by participating institutions in the global security will be shown on, and the transfer of the beneficial interests
will be effected only through, records maintained by the depository for the global security or by its nominee. Ownership of beneficial
interests in the global security by persons that hold through participating institutions will be shown on, and the transfer of
the beneficial interests within the participating institutions will be effected only through, records maintained by those participating
institutions. The laws of some jurisdictions may require that purchasers of securities take physical delivery of the securities
in certificated form. The foregoing limitations and such laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in the global
securities.
So long as the
depository for a global security, or its nominee, is the registered owner of that global security, the depository or its nominee,
as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the debt securities represented by the global security for
all purposes under the applicable Indenture. Unless otherwise specified in an applicable subsequent filing and except as specified
below, owners of beneficial interests in the global security will not be entitled to have debt securities of the series represented
by the global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of debt securities
of the series in certificated form and will not be considered the holders thereof for any purposes under the Indenture. Accordingly,
each person owning a beneficial interest in the global security must rely on the procedures of the depository and, if such person
is not a participating institution, on the procedures of the participating institution through which the person owns its interest,
to exercise any rights of a holder under the Indenture.
The depository
may grant proxies and otherwise authorize participating institutions to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction,
notice, consent, waiver or other action which a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable Indenture. We understand
that, under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or any owner of a beneficial interest in the global
security desires to give any notice or take any action a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable Indenture, the
depository would authorize the participating institutions to give the notice or take the action, and participating institutions
would authorize beneficial owners owning through such participating institutions to give the notice or take the action or would
otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them.
Unless otherwise
specified in applicable subsequent filings, payments of principal, premium and interest on debt securities represented by a global
security registered in the name of a depository or its nominee will be made by us to the depository or its nominee, as the case
may be, as the registered owner of the global security.
We expect that
the depository for any debt securities represented by a global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium or
interest, will credit participating institutions’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial
interests in the principal amount of the global security as shown on the records of the depository. We also expect that payments
by participating institutions to owners of beneficial interests in the global security held through those participating institutions
will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts
of customers registered in street names, and will be the responsibility of those participating institutions. None of us, the trustees
or any agent of ours or the trustees will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments
made on account of beneficial interests in a global security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating
to those beneficial interests.
Unless otherwise
specified in the applicable subsequent filings, a global security of any series will be exchangeable for certificated debt securities
of the same series only if:
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the depository
for such global securities notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depository or such depository ceases
to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, a successor depository is not appointed by
us within 90 days after we receive the notice or become aware of the ineligibility;
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we in our sole
discretion determine that the global securities shall be exchangeable for certificated debt securities; or
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there shall have
occurred and be continuing an event of default under the applicable Indenture with respect to the debt securities of that
series.
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Upon any exchange,
owners of beneficial interests in the global security or securities will be entitled to physical delivery of individual debt securities
in certificated form of like tenor and terms equal in principal amount to their beneficial interests, and to have the debt securities
in certificated form registered in the names of the beneficial owners, which names are expected to be provided by the depository’s
relevant participating institutions to the applicable trustee.
In the event that
the Depository Trust Company, or “DTC,” acts as depository for the global securities of any series, the global securities
will be issued as fully registered securities registered in the name of Cede & Co., DTC’s partnership nominee.
DTC is a member
of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, a limited-purpose trust company under New York State banking law and a registered clearing
agency with the Commission. Established in 1973, DTC was created to reduce costs and provide clearing and settlement efficiencies
by immobilizing securities and making “book-entry” changes to ownership of the securities. DTC provides securities
movements for the net settlements of the National Securities Clearing Corporation, or “NSCC,” and settlement for institutional
trades (which typically involve money and securities transfers between custodian banks and broker/dealers), as well as money market
instruments.
DTC is a subsidiary
of The Depository Trust & Clearing Company, or “DTCC.” DTCC is a holding company established in 1999 to combine
DTC and NSCC. DTCC, through its subsidiaries, provides clearing, settlement and information services for equities, corporate and
municipal bonds, government and mortgage backed securities, money market instruments and over the-counter derivatives. In addition,
DTCC is a leading processor of mutual funds and insurance transactions, linking funds and carriers with their distribution networks.
DTCC’s customer base extends to thousands of companies within the global financial services industry. DTCC serves brokers,
dealers, institutional investors, banks, trust companies, mutual fund companies, insurance carriers, hedge funds and other financial
intermediaries—either directly or through correspondent relationships.
DTCC is industry-owned
by its customers who are members of the financial community, such as banks, broker/dealers, mutual funds and other financial institutions.
DTCC operates on an at-cost basis, returning excess revenue from transaction fees to its member firms. All services provided by
DTC are regulated by the Commission.
The 2017 DTCC Board
of Directors is composed of 20 directors serving one-year terms. Twelve directors are representatives of clearing agency participants,
including broker/dealers, custodian and clearing banks, and investment institutions; two directors are designated by DTCC’s
preferred shareholders, which are NYSE Euronext and FINRA; four directors are from non-participants; and the remaining two are
the non-executive chairman and the chief executive officer and president of DTCC. All of the Board members except those designated
by the preferred shareholders are elected annually.
To facilitate subsequent
transfers, the debt securities may be registered in the name of DTC’s nominee, Cede & Co. The deposit of the debt securities
with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. will effect no change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge
of the actual beneficial owners of the debt securities. DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the direct participating
institutions to whose accounts debt securities are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The participating
institutions remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.
Delivery of notices
and other communications by DTC to direct participating institutions, by direct participating institutions to indirect participating
institutions, and by direct participating institutions and indirect participating institutions to beneficial owners of debt securities
are governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect.
Neither DTC nor
Cede & Co. consents or votes with respect to the debt securities. Under its usual procedures, DTC mails a proxy to the issuer
as soon as possible after the record date. The proxy assigns Cede & Co.’s consenting or voting rights to those direct
participating institution to whose accounts the debt securities are credited on the record date.
If applicable,
redemption notices shall be sent to Cede & Co. If less than all of the debt securities of a series represented by global securities
are being redeemed, DTC’s practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each direct participating institutions
in that issue to be redeemed.
To the extent that
any debt securities provide for repayment or repurchase at the option of the holders thereof, a beneficial owner shall give notice
of any option to elect to have its interest in the global security repaid by us, through its participating institution, to the
applicable trustee, and shall effect delivery of the interest in a global security by causing the direct participating institution
to transfer the direct participating institution’s interest in the global security or securities representing the interest,
on DTC’s records, to the applicable trustee. The requirement for physical delivery of debt securities in connection with
a demand for repayment or repurchase will be deemed satisfied when the ownership rights in the global security or securities representing
the debt securities are transferred by direct participating institutions on DTC’s records.
DTC may discontinue
providing its services as securities depository for the debt securities at any time. Under such circumstances, in the event that
a successor securities depository is not appointed, debt security certificates are required to be printed and delivered as described
above.
We may decide to
discontinue use of the system of book-entry transfers through the securities depository. In that event, debt security certificates
will be printed and delivered as described above.
DESCRIPTION
OF UNITS
We may issue units
comprised of one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so
that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the
rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that
the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.
The applicable
prospectus supplement will describe:
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the designation
and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities
may be held or transferred separately;
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any unit agreement
under which the units will be issued;
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any provisions
for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and
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whether the units
will be issued in fully registered or global form.
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The applicable
prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any units. The preceding description and any description of units in the applicable
prospectus supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the unit
agreement and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements relating to such units. For more information
on how you can obtain copies of the applicable unit agreement if we offer units, see “Where You Can Find More Information”
beginning on page 39 and “Incorporation by Reference” beginning on page 40. We urge you to read the applicable unit
agreement and any applicable prospectus supplement in their entirety.
TAXATION
The material United
Kingdom and U.S. federal income tax consequences relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of any of the securities
offered by this prospectus will be set forth in the prospectus supplement offering those securities.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
The securities
being offered by this prospectus may be sold:
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to or through
one or more underwriters on a firm commitment or agency basis;
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through put or
call option transactions relating to the securities;
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to or through
dealers, who may act as agents or principals, including a block trade (which may involve crosses) in which a broker or dealer
so engaged will attempt to sell as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the
transaction;
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through privately
negotiated transactions;
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purchases by
a broker or dealer as principal and resale by such broker or dealer for its own account pursuant to this prospectus;
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directly to purchasers,
including our affiliates , through a specific bidding or auction process, on a negotiated basis or otherwise; to or through
one or more underwriters on a firm commitment or best efforts basis;
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exchange distributions
and/or secondary distributions;
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ordinary brokerage
transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchasers;
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in “at-the-market”
offerings, within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act to or through a market maker or into an existing trading
market, on an exchange or otherwise;
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transactions
not involving market makers or established trading markets, including direct sales or privately negotiated transactions;
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transactions
in options, swaps or other derivatives that may or may not be listed on an exchange or
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through any other
method permitted pursuant to applicable law; or
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through a combination
of any such methods of sale.
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At any time a particular
offer of the securities covered by this prospectus is made, a revised prospectus or prospectus supplement, if required, will be
distributed which will set forth the aggregate amount of securities covered by this prospectus being offered and the terms of
the offering, including the name or names of any underwriters, dealers, brokers or agents, any discounts, commissions, concessions
and other items constituting compensation from us and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid
to dealers. Such prospectus supplement, and, if necessary, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this
prospectus is a part, will be filed with the SEC to reflect the disclosure of additional information with respect to the distribution
of the securities covered by this prospectus. In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the
securities sold under this prospectus may only be sold through registered or licensed broker-dealers. In addition, in some states
the securities may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption
from registration or qualification requirements is available and is complied with.
The distribution
of securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions, including block transactions and transactions on
The NASDAQ Capital Market or any other organized market where the securities may be traded. The securities may be sold at a fixed
price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices relating to the prevailing
market prices or at negotiated prices. The consideration may be cash or another form negotiated by the parties. Agents, underwriters
or broker-dealers may be paid compensation for offering and selling the securities. That compensation may be in the form of discounts,
concessions or commissions to be received from us or from the purchasers of the securities. Any dealers and agents participating
in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and compensation received by them on resale of the securities
may be deemed to be underwriting discounts. If any such dealers or agents were deemed to be underwriters, they may be subject
to statutory liabilities under the Securities Act.
Agents may from
time to time solicit offers to purchase the securities. If required, we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any
agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities and set forth any compensation payable to the agent. Unless otherwise indicated
in the prospectus supplement, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment. Any agent selling
the securities covered by this prospectus may be deemed to be an underwriter, as that term is defined in the Securities Act, of
the securities.
To the extent that
we make sales to or through one or more underwriters or agents in at-the-market offerings, we will do so pursuant to the terms
of a distribution agreement between us and the underwriters or agents. If we engage in at-the-market sales pursuant to a distribution
agreement, we will sell any of our listed securities to or through one or more underwriters or agents, which may act on an agency
basis or on a principal basis. During the term of any such agreement, we may sell any of our listed securities on a daily basis
in exchange transactions or otherwise as we agree with the underwriters or agents. The distribution agreement will provide that
any of our listed securities which are sold will be sold at prices related to the then prevailing market prices for our listed
securities. Therefore, exact figures regarding proceeds that will be raised or commissions to be paid cannot be determined at
this time and will be described in a prospectus supplement. Pursuant to the terms of the distribution agreement, we also may agree
to sell, and the relevant underwriters or agents may agree to solicit offers to purchase, blocks of our listed securities. The
terms of each such distribution agreement will be set forth in more detail in a prospectus supplement to this prospectus.
If underwriters
are used in a sale, securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time
in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined
at the time of sale, or under delayed delivery contracts or other contractual commitments. Securities may be offered to the public
either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting
as underwriters. If an underwriter or underwriters are used in the sale of securities, an underwriting agreement will be executed
with the underwriter or underwriters, as well as any other underwriter or underwriters, with respect to a particular underwritten
offering of securities, and will set forth the terms of the transactions, including compensation of the underwriters and dealers
and the public offering price, if applicable. The prospectus and prospectus supplement will be used by the underwriters to resell
the securities.
If a dealer is
used in the sale of the securities, we or an underwriter will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may
then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale. To the extent
required, we will set forth in the prospectus supplement the name of the dealer and the terms of the transactions.
We may directly
solicit offers to purchase the securities and may make sales of securities directly to institutional investors or others. These
persons may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale of the securities.
To the extent required, the prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any such sales, including the terms of any bidding
or auction process, if used.
Agents, underwriters
and dealers may be entitled under agreements which may be entered into with us to indemnification by us against specified liabilities,
including liabilities incurred under the Securities Act, or to contribution by us to payments they may be required to make in
respect of such liabilities. If required, the prospectus supplement will describe the terms and conditions of the indemnification
or contribution. Some of the agents, underwriters or dealers, or their affiliates may be customers of, engage in transactions
with or perform services for us or our subsidiaries.
Any person participating
in the distribution of securities registered under the registration statement that includes this prospectus will be subject to
applicable provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and the applicable SEC rules and
regulations, including, among others, Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of our securities
by that person. Furthermore, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of our securities
to engage in market-making activities with respect to our securities. These restrictions may affect the marketability of our securities
and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to our securities.
Certain persons
participating in an offering may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions, penalty bids
and other transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the offered securities. These activities may
maintain the price of the offered securities at levels above those that might otherwise prevail in the open market, including
by entering stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate covering transactions or imposing penalty bids, each of which is described below:
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a stabilizing
bid means the placing of any bid, or the effecting of any purchase, for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the
price of a security.
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a syndicate covering
transaction means the placing of any bid on behalf of the underwriting syndicate or the effecting of any purchase to reduce
a short position created in connection with the offering.
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a penalty bid
means an arrangement that permits the managing underwriter to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member in connection
with the offering when offered securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in syndicate covering transactions.
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These transactions
may be effected on an exchange or automated quotation system, if the securities are listed on that exchange or admitted for trading
on that automated quotation system, or in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.
If so indicated
in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types
of institutions to purchase offered securities from us at the public offering price set forth in such prospectus supplement pursuant
to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. Such contracts will be subject
only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commission payable
for solicitation of such contracts.
In addition, ordinary
shares, ADSs or warrants may be issued upon conversion of or in exchange for debt securities or other securities.
Any underwriters
to whom offered securities are sold for public offering and sale may make a market in such offered securities, but such underwriters
will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. The offered securities may or
may not be listed on a national securities exchange. No assurance can be given that there will be a market for the offered securities.
Any securities
that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 or Regulation S under the Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 or Regulation S
rather than pursuant to this prospectus.
In connection with
offerings made through underwriters or agents, we may enter into agreements with such underwriters or agents pursuant to which
we receive our outstanding securities in consideration for the securities being offered to the public for cash. In connection
with these arrangements, the underwriters or agents may also sell securities covered by this prospectus to hedge their positions
in these outstanding securities, including in short sale transactions. If so, the underwriters or agents may use the securities
received from us under these arrangements to close out any related open borrowings of securities.
We may enter into
derivative transactions with third parties or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated
transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, such third parties (or
affiliates of such third parties) may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including
in short sale transactions. If so, such third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) may use securities pledged by us or
borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of shares, and may use securities
received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of shares. The third parties (or
affiliates of such third parties) in such sale transactions will be underwriters and will be identified in the applicable prospectus
supplement (or a post-effective amendment).
We may loan or
pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities using this prospectus.
Such financial institution or third party may transfer its short position to investors in our securities or in connection with
a simultaneous offering of other securities offered by this prospectus or in connection with a simultaneous offering of other
securities offered by this prospectus.
EXPERTS
BDO USA LLP, independent
registered public accounting firm, has audited our financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2016 included
in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2016, which is incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement. Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given
upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
BDO AG, independent
registered public accounting firm, has audited our financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2015 included
in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2016, which is incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement. Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon
their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters
of United States federal law will be passed upon for us by McDermott Will & Emery LLP, New York, New York. Certain legal
matters as to English law will be passed upon for us by McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP, London, England. If the securities
are distributed in an underwritten offering, certain legal matters will be passed upon for the underwriters by counsel identified
in the applicable prospectus supplement.
WHERE YOU CAN
FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with
the SEC a registration statement on Form F-3, including amendments and relevant exhibits and schedules, under the Securities
Act covering the ordinary shares represented by ADSs to be sold in this offering. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of
the registration statement, summarizes material provisions of contracts and other documents that we refer to in the prospectus.
Since this prospectus does not contain all of the information contained in the registration statement, you should read the registration
statement and its exhibits and schedules for further information with respect to us and our ordinary shares and the ADSs. You
may review and copy the registration statement, reports and other information we file at the SEC’s public reference room
at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may also request copies of these documents upon payment of a duplicating
fee by writing to the SEC. For further information on the public reference facility, please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Our
SEC filings, including the registration statement, are also available to you on the SEC’s Web site at
http://www.sec.gov
.
We are subject
to the information reporting requirements of the Exchange Act that are applicable to foreign private issuers, and under those
requirements we file reports with the SEC. Those other reports or other information may be inspected without charge at the locations
described above. As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act related to the furnishing and
content of proxy statements, and our officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing
profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required under the Exchange
Act to file annual, quarterly and current reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as United
States companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act. However, we file with the SEC, within four months after
the end of each fiscal year, or such applicable time as required by the SEC, an annual report on Form 20-F containing financial
statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm.
INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
We file annual
and special reports and other information with the SEC (File Number 001-36288). These filings contain important information that
does not appear in this prospectus. The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus,
which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to other documents which we have filed or will
file with the SEC. We are incorporating by reference in this prospectus the documents listed below and all amendments or supplements
we may file to such documents, as well as any future filings we may make with the SEC on Form 20-F under the Exchange Act before
the time that all of the securities offered by this prospectus have been sold or de-registered:
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our Annual Report
on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the SEC on
March 31, 2017
;
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our Form 6-Ks
furnished with the SEC on
May 11, 2017
,
May 15, 2017
,
May 16, 2017
,
May 30, 2017
,
June 23, 2017
,
June 29, 2017
,
July 18, 2017
,
August 8, 2017
,
August 10, 2017
,
August 21, 2017
,
September 7, 2017
,
September 15, 2017
,
September 21, 2017
,
October 11, 2017
,
October 17, 2017
,
October 19, 2017
,
November 13, 2017
,
December 8, 2017
,
December 11, 2017
,
January 26, 2018
,
February 1, 2018
and
February 6, 2018
(in each case, to the extent expressly incorporated by reference into our effective registration
statements filed by us under the Securities Act);
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the description
of the ADSs and ordinary shares contained in our Form 8-A filed with the SEC on
January 30, 2014
including any amendment or
report filed for the purpose of updating such description;
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In addition, any
reports on Form 6-K submitted to the SEC by us pursuant to the Exchange Act after the date of the initial registration statement
and prior to effectiveness of the registration statement that we specifically identify in such forms as being incorporated by
reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and all subsequent annual reports on Form 20-F
filed after the effective date of this registration statement and prior to the termination of this offering and any reports on
Form 6-K subsequently submitted to the SEC or portions thereof that we specifically identify in such forms as being incorporated
by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, shall be considered to be incorporated into
this prospectus by reference and shall be considered a part of this prospectus from the date of filing or submission of such documents.
As you read the
above documents, you may find inconsistencies in information from one document to another. If you find inconsistencies between
the documents and this prospectus, you should rely on the statements made in the most recent document. All information appearing
in this prospectus is qualified in its entirety by the information and financial statements, including the notes thereto, contained
in the documents incorporated by reference herein.
We will provide
to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, a copy of these filings, at no cost, upon
written or oral request to us at the following address:
Akari Therapeutics, PLC
75/76 Wimpole Street
London W1G 9RT
+44 20 8004 0270
Attention: David Horn Solomon
INDEMNIFICATION
FOR SECURITIES ACT LIABILITIES
Insofar as indemnification
for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant
to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against
public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
ENFORCEMENT OF
FOREIGN JUDGMENTS
We are incorporated
under the laws of England and Wales. Several of our directors and officers reside outside the United States, and a portion of
our assets and all or a substantial portion of the assets of such persons are located outside the United States. As a result,
it may be difficult for you to serve legal process on us or certain of our directors and executive officers or have any of them
appear in a U.S. court.
It may be difficult
for U.S. investors to bring and/or effectively enforce suits against our company in England. Although English courts do recognize
U.S. judgments unless there is an overriding jurisdictional or public policy reason not to do so, if a judgment is obtained in
the U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal securities laws against us, difficulties may arise in
enforcing the judgment against us in the English courts. The enforceability of any U.S. judgment in the United Kingdom will depend
on the particular facts of the case as well as the laws and treaties in effect at the time. The United States and the United Kingdom
do not currently have a treaty providing for reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments (other than arbitration awards)
in civil and commercial matters. It may similarly be difficult for U.S. investors to bring an original action in the English courts
to enforce liabilities based on U.S. federal securities laws.
EXPENSES
We are paying all
of the expenses of the registration of our securities under the Securities Act, including, to the extent applicable, registration
and filing fees, printing and duplication expenses, administrative expenses, accounting fees and the legal fees of our counsel.
The following is a statement of estimated expenses at the present time in connection with the distribution of the securities registered
hereby. All amounts shown are estimates except the SEC registration fee. The estimates do not include expenses related to offerings
of particular securities. Each prospectus supplement describing an offering of securities will reflect the estimated expenses
related to the offering of securities under that prospectus supplement.
SEC registration fees
|
|
$
|
5,279
|
|
FINRA filing fee
|
|
$
|
15,500
|
|
Legal fees and expenses
|
|
$
|
25,000
|
|
Accountants fees and expenses
|
|
$
|
10,000
|
|
Printing Fees
|
|
$
|
5,000
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
|
$
|
5,000
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
65,779
|
|
2,368,392 American
Depositary Shares
Representing 236,839,200 Ordinary Shares
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
Paulson Investment Company, LLC
June 28, 2019
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