UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

SCHEDULE 14A
 
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Filed by the Registrant: x
   
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant: ¨

 

Check the appropriate box:

 

  ¨ Preliminary Proxy Statement
     
  ¨ Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
     
  x Definitive Proxy Statement
     
  ¨ Definitive Additional Materials
     
  ¨ Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-12

 

BRAINSTORM CELL THERAPEUTICS INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

 

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  x  No fee required.
     
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BRAINSTORM CELL THERAPEUTICS INC.
1325 AVENUE OF AMERICAS, 28TH FLOOR

NEW YORK, NY 10019

(201) 488-0460

 

October 25, 2019

 

Dear Stockholder:

 

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. will hold its 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on December 11, 2019 beginning at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, at 3 University Plaza Drive, Suite 320, Hackensack, NJ 07601. We look forward to your attending either in person or by proxy. The enclosed notice of meeting, the proxy statement, and the proxy card from the Board of Directors describe the matters to be acted upon at the meeting.

 

Your vote is important. Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, your shares should be represented, and we encourage you to complete, execute and submit the proxy card sent to you. Individualized details regarding voting of your shares (by mail, internet or telephone, as permitted) are included in the materials sent to you.

 

On behalf of the Board of Directors, we would like to express our appreciation for your continued interest in our company.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

/s/ Chaim Lebovits  
Chaim Lebovits  
President and Chief Executive Officer  

 

 

 

 

BRAINSTORM CELL THERAPEUTICS INC.
1325 AVENUE OF AMERICAS, 28TH FLOOR

NEW YORK, NY 10019

(201) 488-0460
 
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD
December 11, 2019

 

To the Stockholders of Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.:

 

 Notice is hereby given that the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Meeting”) of Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (the “Company”) will be held on December 11, 2019 at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, at 3 University Plaza Drive, Suite 320, Hackensack, NJ 07601, for the following purposes:

 

  1. To elect each of Dr. Irit Arbel, Dr. June S. Almenoff, Dr. Anthony Polverino, Chen Schor, Malcolm Taub and Uri Yablonka as members of the Board of Directors of the Company to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal;
     
  2. To ratify the appointment of Brightman Almagor Zohar & Co., a Firm in the Deloitte Global Network, as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s current fiscal year; and
     
  3. To transact such other business that may properly come before the Meeting and any adjournments or postponements of the Meeting.

 

The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on October 23, 2019 as the record date for the Meeting. All stockholders of record on that date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting.

 

YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT, WHETHER OR NOT YOU INTEND TO BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING. PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED (OR FOLLOW ONLINE VOTING INSTRUCTIONS, WHERE APPLICABLE). INDIVIDUALIZED DETAILS REGARDING VOTING OF YOUR SHARES ARE INCLUDED IN THE MATERIALS YOU RECEIVE IN THE MAIL OR BY EMAIL. IF YOU ATTEND THE MEETING, YOU MAY CONTINUE TO HAVE YOUR SHARES VOTED AS INSTRUCTED IN THE PROXY OR YOU MAY WITHDRAW YOUR PROXY AND VOTE YOUR SHARES IN PERSON.

 

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

/s/ Thomas B. Rosedale  
Thomas B. Rosedale, Secretary  
Boston, Massachusetts  
October 25, 2019  

 

 

 

 

BRAINSTORM CELL THERAPEUTICS INC.
 
PROXY STATEMENT

 

Annual Meeting of Stockholders
To Be Held on December 11, 2019

 

This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (the “Company”, “Brainstorm” or “we”) for use at the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Meeting”) to be held on December 11, 2019, at the time and place set forth in the accompanying notice of the Meeting (the “Notice of Meeting”), and at any adjournments or postponements thereof. The approximate date on which the Notice of Meeting, this Proxy Statement, the accompanying proxy card and the Company’s Annual Report to Stockholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 (the “2018 Annual Report”) are first being sent to stockholders is on or about October 25, 2019.

 

The Company’s principal executive offices are located at 1325 Avenue of Americas, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019, telephone number (201) 488-0460.

 

Important Notice Regarding Availability of Proxy Materials for the Meeting to Be Held on December 11, 2019: Pursuant to rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), we have elected to provide access to our proxy materials both by sending you this full set of proxy materials including a proxy card, and by notifying you of the availability of our proxy materials on the Internet. This Proxy Statement, the Notice of Meeting and the 2018 Annual Report are available at https://materials.proxyvote.com/10501E.

 

Record Date, Outstanding Shares and Voting Rights

 

Only stockholders of record at the close of business on October 23, 2019 (the “Record Date”) are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting. At the close of business on that date, there were 22,606,492 shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.00005 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), outstanding and entitled to vote. Each outstanding share of the Company’s Common Stock entitles the record holder to cast one (1) vote for each matter to be voted upon.

 

The holders of a majority of all shares of the Common Stock issued, outstanding and entitled to vote are required to be present in person or to be represented by proxy at the Meeting in order to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Votes withheld, abstentions and shares held in “street name” by brokers or nominees who indicate on their proxies that they do not have discretionary authority to vote such shares as to a particular matter (“broker non-votes”) shall be counted for purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum for the transaction of business at the Meeting. 

 

The affirmative vote of the holders of a plurality of the votes cast at the Meeting is required for the election of directors (Proposal No. 1). The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast in person or by proxy of the shares entitled to vote is required to ratify the appointment of Brightman Almagor Zohar & Co., a Firm in the Deloitte Global Network (“Deloitte”), as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s current fiscal year (Proposal No. 2). Shares which abstain from voting on a particular matter and broker non-votes will not be counted as votes in favor of such matter and will also not be counted as votes cast or shares voting on such matter. Accordingly, abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the voting for Proposal No. 1 or Proposal No. 2.

 

Voting Instructions

 

A proxy card from the Company, or notice card from your bank, broker or other nominee for the Meeting has been sent directly to you by mail or (as permitted) email, together with this Proxy Statement and the Annual Report, and includes your instructions for voting by mail, electronically or by telephone (as permitted).

 

1

 

 

Those stockholders who elect to vote by mail, should complete, sign and return the proxy card in the prepaid and addressed envelope that was enclosed with the proxy materials that were sent to them, and the shares will be voted at the Meeting in the manner directed. If you complete, sign and return your proxy card, it will be voted as you direct. Stockholders who elect to vote by internet or telephone (as permitted) should follow the instructions in the materials that were sent to them. In the event no choice is specified on a signed proxy card, the persons named as proxies will vote:

 

  ·  FOR the election of each of Dr. Irit Arbel, Dr. June S. Almenoff, Dr. Anthony Polverino, Chen Schor, Malcolm Taub and Uri Yablonka as members of the Board of Directors of the Company;
     
  · FOR the ratification of the appointment of Brightman Almagor Zohar & Co., a Firm in the Deloitte Global Network, as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s current fiscal year; and
     
  · In their discretion, as to any other matter that may be properly brought before the Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.

 

If you are a stockholder of record as of the Record Date and attend the Meeting, you may personally deliver your completed proxy card or vote in person at the Meeting.

 

If the shares you own are held in “street name” by a bank, broker or other nominee, that person, as the record holder of your shares, is required to vote your shares according to your instructions. Your bank, broker or other nominee will send you directions on how to vote those shares. Under applicable stock exchange rules, if you do not give instructions to your bank, broker or other nominee, it will still be able to vote your shares with respect to certain “discretionary” items, but will not be allowed to vote your shares with respect to certain “non-discretionary” items. In the case of “non-discretionary” items, the shares that do not receive voting instructions will be treated as “broker non-votes”, the effect of which is discussed in the section entitled “Record Date, Outstanding Shares and Voting Rights” above.

 

Discretionary Items   Non-Discretionary Items
Proposal No. 2 — Ratification of Deloitte as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.   Proposal No. 1 — Election of Directors.

 

Revocability of Proxies

 

Any stockholder giving a proxy has the power to revoke it at any time before it is exercised. The proxy may be revoked by filing with the Company’s Secretary at the Company’s offices, 1325 Avenue of Americas, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019, an instrument of revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date. The proxy may also be revoked by attending the Meeting and voting in person. If not revoked, the proxy will be voted at the Meeting in accordance with the stockholder’s instructions indicated on the proxy card.

  

Expenses and Solicitation

 

The cost of this solicitation of proxies will be borne by the Company. In addition to soliciting stockholders by mail through its regular employees, the Company may request banks, brokers, and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries to solicit their customers who have stock of the Company registered in the names of a nominee, and, if so, will reimburse such banks, brokers and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for their reasonable out-of-pocket costs. Solicitation by officers, directors and employees of the Company may also be made of some stockholders in person or by mail, telephone or facsimile following the original solicitation. Such officers, directors and employees will receive no compensation in connection with any such solicitations, other than compensation paid pursuant to their duties described elsewhere in this Proxy Statement.

 

2

 

 

Householding of Annual Meeting Materials

 

Some banks, brokers and other nominee record holders may participate in the practice of “householding” proxy statements, annual reports and notices of meetings. This means that only one copy of our Proxy Statement, 2018 Annual Report or Notice of Meeting may have been sent to multiple stockholders in your household. We will promptly deliver a separate copy of any document to you if you write, email or call our Chief Financial Officer at 1325 Avenue of Americas, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019, email: info@brainstorm-cell.com, or telephone: (201) 488-0460. If you want to receive separate copies of the Proxy Statement, 2018 Annual Report or Notice of Meeting in the future, or if you are receiving multiple copies and would like to receive only one copy for your household, you should contact your bank, broker, or other nominee record holder, or you may contact the Company at the above address, email or telephone number.

 

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

 

The following table sets forth certain information as of October 18, 2019 with respect to the beneficial ownership of our Common Stock by the following: (i) each of our current directors; (ii) the officers serving as President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Operating Officer in fiscal 2018 (the “Named Executive Officers”); (iii) all of our current executive officers and directors as a group; and (iv) each person known by the Company to own beneficially more than five percent (5%) of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock.

 

For purposes of the following table, beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and the information is not necessarily indicative of beneficial ownership for any other purpose. Except as otherwise noted in the footnotes to the table, we believe that each person or entity named in the table has sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of our Common Stock shown as beneficially owned by that person or entity (or shares such power with his or her spouse). Under the SEC’s rules, shares of our Common Stock issuable under options that are exercisable on or within 60 days after October 18, 2019 (“Presently Exercisable Options”) or under warrants that are exercisable on or within 60 days after October 18, 2019 (“Presently Exercisable Warrants”) are deemed outstanding and therefore included in the number of shares reported as beneficially owned by a person or entity named in the table and are used to compute the percentage of the Common Stock beneficially owned by that person or entity. These shares are not, however, deemed outstanding for computing the percentage of the Common Stock beneficially owned by any other person or entity. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each person listed in the table is c/o Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., 1325 Avenue of Americas, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019.

 

The percentage of the Common Stock beneficially owned by each person or entity named in the following table is based on 22,606,492 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of October 18, 2019 plus any shares issuable upon exercise of Presently Exercisable Options and Presently Exercisable Warrants held by such person or entity.

   

    Shares Beneficially Owned
(Includes Common Stock, Presently
Exercisable Options and Presently
Exercisable Warrants)
 
Name of Beneficial Owner   #     %  
Directors and Named Executive Officers                
Chaim Lebovits(1)     4,552,440 (1)     18.2 %
Ralph Kern     112,655       *  
Eyal Rubin     48,421 (2)     *  
Uri Yablonka     107,541 (3)     *  
June Almenoff     7,175 (4)     *  
Irit Arbel     364,387 (5)     1.6 %
Chen Schor     125,558 (6)     *  
Anthony Polverino     10,791       *  
Malcolm Taub     41,332       *  
All current directors and executive officers as a group (10 persons)     5,352,487 (7)     21.2 %
                 
5% Shareholders (other than listed above)                
N/A (see FN1)                

 

3

 

 

* Less than 1%.

 

(1) Includes (i) 1,933,794 shares of Common Stock owned by ACCBT Corp., (ii) 2,016,666 shares of Common Stock issuable to ACCBT Corp. upon the exercise of Presently Exercisable Warrants, (iii) 138,806 shares of Common Stock owned by ACC International Holdings Ltd., (iv) 369,619 shares of Common Stock issuable to Chaim Lebovits upon the exercise of Presently Exercisable Options. Chaim Lebovits, our Chief Executive Officer, may be deemed the beneficial owner of these shares. The address of ACCBT Corp. and ACC International Holdings Ltd.is Morgan & Morgan Building, Pasea Estate, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
   
(2) Includes 23,421 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Presently Exercisable Options.  Mr. Rubin’s employment with the Company terminated on September 18, 2019.
   
(3) Includes 99,998 of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Presently Exercisable Options.
   
(4) Consists of shares owned by Meadowlark Management LLC.  Dr. Almenoff disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein.
   
(5) Includes 208,554 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Presently Exercisable Options. Dr. Arbel’s address is 6 Hadishon Street, Jerusalem, Israel.
   
(6) Includes 121,558 shares owned by The C. Schor Irrevocable Trust, an irrevocable trust for the benefit of Mr. Schor and other individuals.  Mr. Schor disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein.
   
(7) Includes (i) 2,016,666 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Presently Exercisable Warrants and (ii) 678,171 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Presently Exercisable Options.

       

 

4

 

  

PROPOSAL NO. 1

 

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 

The Board recommends that the six nominees named below be elected to serve on the Board, each of whom is presently serving as a member of the Board. The affirmative vote of the holders of a plurality of the votes cast in person or by proxy at an annual meeting of stockholders by the shares entitled to vote is required for the election by stockholders of directors to the Board. Shares of Common Stock represented by all proxies received and not marked so as to withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee or for all nominees will be voted for the election of the six nominees named below. Each nominee has consented to being named in this Proxy Statement and has indicated his or her willingness to serve if elected. If for any reason any nominee should become unable or unwilling to serve, the persons named as proxies may vote the proxy for the election of a substitute nominee selected by the Board. The Board has no reason to believe that any nominee will be unable to serve. Stockholders may vote for no more than six nominees for director.

 

The Board currently has the following six members: Dr. Irit Arbel, June S. Almenoff, Dr. Anthony Polverino, Chen Schor, Malcolm Taub and Uri Yablonka. Biographical and certain other information concerning the Company’s directors and the nominees for election to the Board is set forth below.

 

Nominees for Election to the Board of Directors

 

Name   Age     Position
Dr. Irit Arbel     59     Chairperson and Director
Dr. June S. Almenoff     63     Director
Dr. Anthony Polverino     57     Director
Chen Schor     47     Director
Malcolm Taub     73     Director
Uri Yablonka     43     Director, EVP and Chief Business Officer

 

Additional Information Regarding Members of the Board of Directors

 

Nominees: 

 

Dr. Irit Arbel, one of the Company's co-founders, joined the Company in May 2004 as a director and served as President of the Company for six months. Currently, Dr. Arbel is the Chairperson of the Board and the Chair of the Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee. Dr. Arbel serves as CEO of Neurchords, a biotechnology firm developing graphene- based scaffold for nerve reconstruction in acute spinal cord and peripheral nerve injury. Dr. Arbel served as Executive Vice President, Research and Development at Savicell Diagnostic Ltd until August 2018. From 2009 through 2011, Dr. Arbel served as Chairperson of Real Aesthetics Ltd., a company specializing in cellulite ultrasound treatment, and BRH Medical, developer of medical devices for wound healing. She was also Director of M&A at RFB Investment House, a private investment firm focusing on early stage technology related companies. Previously, Dr. Arbel was President and Chief Executive Officer of Pluristem Life Systems, a biotechnology company, and prior to that, Israeli Sales Manager of Merck, Sharp & Dohme, a pharmaceutical company. Dr. Arbel earned her Post Doctorate degree in 1997 in Neurobiology, after performing research in the area of Multiple Sclerosis. Dr. Arbel also holds a Chemical Engineering degree from the Technion, Israel's Institute of Technology. We believe that Dr. Arbel possesses specific attributes that qualify her to serve on our Board including Dr. Arbel’s extensive experience in the biotechnology field and significant leadership skills as a chief executive officer. Dr. Arbel previously served as our President, which service has given her a deep knowledge of the Company and its business and directly relevant management experience.

 

Dr. Anthony Polverino joined the Company on February 5, 2018 as a director. Dr. Polverino is currently Executive Vice President Early Development and Chief Scientific Officer of Zymeworks Inc., which he joined in September of 2018, and where he is responsible for establishing the vision, strategy, and general management of the organization and overseeing the advancement of products from discovery research through translational research/early development to create a seamless link to clinical development. Prior to Zymeworks Dr. Polverino was the interim chief scientific officer of Kite (now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gilead Sciences), which he joined in 2015, and where he was responsible for establishing Kite's strategic non-clinical R&D roadmap to support its current and future portfolio. Prior to this, he was the Vice President of research at Kite, where his responsibilities included corporate goal setting, budget allocation, scientific and investor interactions, business development in-licensing and partnership deals. Dr. Polverino spent 20 years in positions of increasing responsibilities at Amgen, Inc., most recently as executive director of its Therapeutic Innovation Unit, where he managed research programs in oncology, metabolic disease, inflammatory disease and schizophrenia. Prior to Amgen, he was a postdoctoral scientist at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he worked primarily on oncology research. Dr. Polverino is an author of several patents, and has been published in nearly 40 scientific and peer-reviewed journals. He earned a B.Sc. in Biochemistry/Physiology and a B.Sc. (Honors) in Pharmacology, both from Adelaide University in Adelaide, Australia and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Flinders University, also in Adelaide.

 

5

 

 

Dr. June S. Almenoff joined the Company on February 26, 2017 as a director. Dr. June Almenoff is an accomplished executive with 20+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. She has broad therapeutic development and strategic experience including gastroenterology, rare disease, immune-inflammation, infectious diseases, CNS. She served as President and CMO of Furiex Pharmaceuticals (from 2010 to 2014). During her 4-year tenure, the company’s valuation increased ~10-fold, culminating in its acquisition by Actavis plc for ~$1.2B in 2014. Furiex’s lead product, eluxadoline (Viberzi TM), a novel gastrointestinal drug, is approved and marketed in US and EU. Prior to joining Furiex, Dr. Almenoff was at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) from 1997 to 2010, where she held various positions of increasing responsibility in the R&D organization. During her 12 years at GSK, she was a Vice President in the Clinical Safety organization, chaired a PhRMA-FDA working group and worked in the area of scientific licensing. Dr. Almenoff also led the development of pioneering systems for minimizing risk in drug development which have been widely adapted by industry and regulators. Dr. Almenoff also served as CMO and COO of Innovate Biopharmaceuticals (2018). Dr. Almenoff is currently an independent Board Director and drug development consultant with broad therapeutic expertise. She has served as Executive Chair of RDD Pharma, a private, GI clinical stage biopharma company (2015-18) where she helped the company secure Series B as well as US Govt. Dept of Defense funding and currently serves as an independent director (since 2015). She was a Director of Tigenix NV (Nasdaq: TIG) from 2016-18, until its acquisition for ~$600M. Dr. Almenoff has served on the Board of Ohr Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: OHRP) since 2013, and serves on the investment advisory board of the Harrington Discovery Institute, a venture philanthropy, and the Scientific Advisory Board of Redhill Biopharma (RDHL). She is a consultant and advisor to numerous biopharma companies and investors in the areas of translational medicine, clinical development, and commercial strategy in product development. Dr. Almenoff received her B.A. cum laude from Smith College and graduated with AOA honors from the M.D.-Ph.D. program at the Icahn (Mt. Sinai) School of Medicine. She completed post-graduate medical training at Stanford University Medical Center (Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases) and served on the faculty of Duke University School of Medicine. She is an adjunct Professor at Duke and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP) and has authored more than 50 publications. We believe that Dr. Almenoff possesses specific attributes that qualify her to serve on our Board including her valuable leadership skills and her deep knowledge of pharmaceutical product development.

  

Chen Schor joined the Company as a director on August 22, 2011. Mr. Schor is a global industry leader with vast experience in biotechnology, medical devices, business development and private equity. Mr. Schor led multiple licensing and M&A transactions valued at over $8 billion with companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Amgen, Pfizer, Bayer, Merck-Serono and OncoGeneX Pharmaceuticals, and raised significant funds from reputable investors. Mr. Schor has a broad range of experience in multiple therapeutic areas including Neurology, Respiratory, Oncology, Auto-Immune, Genetic Diseases, and Women’s Health. In addition to leading the global business development at Teva Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Schor played a key role in building early stage companies to regulatory approvals, IPOs and M&As. In July 2016, Mr. Schor joined resTORbio, Inc and is currently serving as Co-Founder, President, and CEO. From December 2014 to July 2016, Mr. Schor was an officer with Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp., a NASDAQ listed biopharmaceutical company. From October 2012 to December 2014, Mr. Schor served as President and CEO of Novalere, Inc. From March 2009 until September 2011, Mr. Schor served as Vice President of Business Development, global branded products at Teva Pharmaceuticals. Prior to joining Teva, Mr. Schor was Chief Business Officer at Epix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (formerly known as Predix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) from December 2003 until March 2009, leading the formation of more than $1.5 billion in collaborations with GlaxoSmithKline, Amgen and additional pharmaceutical companies. Prior to joining Epix, Mr. Schor was a Partner at Yozma Venture Capital from September 1998 until December 2003, managing the fund’s investments in biotechnology and medical device companies. Mr. Schor previously held positions at Arthur Anderson and BDO Consulting, an advisory firm. Mr. Schor holds an M.B.A., a B.A. in Biology, a B.A. in Economics and is a Certified Public Accountant. We believe that Mr. Schor possesses specific attributes that qualify him to serve on our Board including Mr. Schor’s extensive experience in biotechnology and significant leadership skills from his service as a partner of a venture capital firm.

   

6

 

 

Malcolm Taub joined the Company in March 2009 as a director. Since October 2010, Mr. Taub has been a Partner at Davidoff Malito & Hutcher LLP, a full-service law and government relations firm. From 2001 to September 30, 2010, Mr. Taub was the Managing Member of Malcolm S. Taub LLP, a law firm which practiced in the areas of commercial litigation, among other practice areas. Mr. Taub also works on art transactions, in the capacity as an attorney and a consultant. Mr. Taub has also served as a principal of a firm which provides consulting services to private companies going public in the United States. Mr. Taub has acted as a consultant to the New York Stock Exchange in its Market Surveillance Department. Mr. Taub acts as a Trustee of The Gateway Schools of New York and The Devereux Glenholme School in Washington, Connecticut. Mr. Taub has served as an adjunct professor at Long Island University, Manhattan Marymount College and New York University Real Estate Institute. Mr. Taub holds a B.A. from Brooklyn College and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. Mr. Taub formerly served on the Board of Directors of Safer Shot, Inc. (formerly known as Monumental Marketing Inc.). We believe that Mr. Taub possesses specific attributes that qualify him to serve on our Board including Mr. Taub’s vast law experience and his demonstrated leadership skills as a managing member of a law firm. 

 

Uri Yablonka joined the Company on June 6, 2014 as Chief Operating Officer and as a member of the Board. On March 6, 2017 he was appointed Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer and ceased to serve as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Yablonka served since December 2010 as owner and General Manager of Uri Yablonka Ltd., a business consulting firm. He also served since January 2011 as Vice President, Business Development at ACC International Holdings Ltd. (Holdings). Holdings is also an affiliate of ACCBT Corp. Prior to serving with Holdings, Mr. Yablonka served as Senior Partner of PM-PR Media Consulting Ltd. From 2008 to January 2011, Mr. Yablonka was Senior Partner at PM-PR Media Consulting Ltd., where he led public relations and strategy consulting for a wide range of governmental and private organizations.  From 2002 to 2008, he served as a correspondent at the Maariv Daily News Paper, including extensive service as a Diplomatic Correspondent.  We believe that Mr. Yablonka’s skills and experience provide the variety and depth of knowledge, judgment and vision necessary for the effective oversight of the Company.  His experience in business consulting and development and media experience are expected to be valuable to the Company in its current stage of growth and beyond, and his governmental experience can provide valuable insight into issues faced by companies in regulated industries such as ours. We believe that these skills and experiences qualify Mr. Yablonka to serve as a director of the Company. 

 

The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election of the nominees named above as directors of the Company.

 

Qualifications of Directors

 

The Board believes that each director has valuable individual skills and experiences that, taken together, provide the variety and depth of knowledge, judgment and vision necessary for the effective oversight of the Company. As indicated in the foregoing biographies, the directors have extensive experience in a variety of fields, including biotechnology (Drs. Arbel, Almenoff and Polverino and Mr. Schor), accounting (Mr. Schor), business consulting and development (Dr. Polverino and Mr. Yablonka), media (Mr. Yablonka) and law (Mr. Taub), each of which the Board believes provides valuable knowledge about important elements of our business. Most of our directors have leadership experience at major companies or firms with operations inside and outside the United States and/or experience on other companies’ boards, which provides an understanding of ways other companies address various business matters, strategies and issues. As indicated in the foregoing biographies, the directors have each demonstrated significant leadership skills, including as a chief executive officer (Dr. Arbel and Mr. Schor), executive officer (Drs. Almenoff and Polverino, and Mr. Yablonka), as a managing member of a law firm (Mr. Taub), as general manager of a business consulting firm (Mr. Yablonka) or as a partner of a venture capital firm (Mr. Schor). A number of the directors have extensive public policy, government or regulatory experience, which can provide valuable insight into issues faced by companies in regulated industries such as the Company. One of the directors (Dr. Arbel) has served as the President of the Company and one is currently serving as Chief Business Officer (Mr. Yablonka), which service has given each a deep knowledge of the Company and its business and directly relevant management experience. The Board believes that these skills and experiences qualify each individual to serve as a director of the Company. 

 

7

 

 

Certain Arrangements

 

On August 22, 2011, we entered into an agreement with Chen Schor, which was amended and restated on November 11, 2011 to clarify vesting terms (as amended and restated, the “Executive Director Agreement”) pursuant to which we paid $15,000 per quarter to Mr. Schor for his services as an Executive Board Member. In accordance with the terms of the Executive Director Agreement, the Company and Mr. Schor have also entered into an amended and restated Restricted Stock Agreement on November 11, 2011, pursuant to which Mr. Schor received 61,558 shares of our restricted Common Stock under our 2005 U.S. Stock Option and Incentive Plan. The shares vested over 3 years – 20,519 shares on August 22, 2012, 20,519 shares on August 22, 2013 and 20,519 shares on August 22, 2014. On May 3, 2015, we entered into a Restricted Stock Agreement with Mr. Schor, pursuant to which Mr. Schor received a grant of 60,000 shares of our restricted Common Stock under our 2014 Stock Incentive Plan in consideration for Mr. Schor’s ongoing services as an Executive Director of the Company. The shares of restricted stock vested as follows: 20,000 on August 22, 2015, 20,000 on August 22, 2016 and 20,000 on August 22, 2017. On February 26, 2017 the Executive Director Agreement was terminated by mutual agreement of Chen Schor and the Company, and the Board approved that Chen Schor will receive the following compensation for his service on the Board: an annual cash award in the amount of $30,000, paid in biannual installments, that Mr. Schor will not receive annual director awards under the Director Compensation Plan, but in the event that Mr. Schor serves as a member of any committee of the Board he will be entitled to committee compensation under the Director Compensation Plan. Mr. Schor serves as a member of the Audit Committee. 

 

On June 1, 2015 pursuant to the Company’s First Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Director Compensation Plan, we granted a stock option to Irit Arbel, the Company’s Chair of the Board of Directors, to purchase up to 6,667 shares of Common Stock at a purchase price of $0.75 per share.  On February 26, 2017 pursuant to the Company’s Second Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Director Compensation Plan, we granted a stock option to Dr. Arbel to purchase up to 6,667 shares of Common Stock at a purchase price of $0.75 per share. On July 13, 2017 pursuant to the Company’s Third Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Director Compensation Plan, we granted a stock option to Dr. Arbel to purchase up to 12,000 shares of Common Stock at a purchase price of $0.75 per share. Each option was fully vested and exercisable on the date of grant.

 

Pursuant to a February 26, 2017 resolution of the Board, Dr. Almenoff receives the following compensation for her service on the Board: an annual cash award in the amount of $30,000, paid in biannual installments. Dr. Almenoff will not receive annual director awards under the Director Compensation Plan, but in the event that Dr. Almenoff serves as a member of any committee of the Board she will be entitled to committee compensation under the Director Compensation Plan. Dr. Almenoff has not been appointed to any Board committee at this time. 

 

Pursuant to a February 26, 2017 resolution of the Board, Mr. Araya received the following compensation for his service on the Board: an annual cash award in the amount of $12,500, paid in biannual installments, and an annual restricted stock award (each, an “Araya Grant”) valued at $12,500 on the date of grant, as determined based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock at the end of normal trading hours on the date of grant, or the previous closing price in the event the grant date does not fall on a business day. Mr. Araya also received a grant of 1,249 shares of restricted stock for his service on the GNC Committee. All grants ceased vesting and Mr. Araya resigned as a member of the GNC effective August 28, 2018, in connection with Mr. Araya commencing employment with the Company as its Chief Commercial Officer.

 

Uri Yablonka serves as the Company’s EVP & Chief Business Officer and is compensated for all services as an officer and director of the Company pursuant to an employment agreement with the Company and related compensation described under “Executive Employment Agreements” in the Executive Compensation section below.

 

8

 

 

Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings

 

None of our directors or executive officers has during the past ten years:

 

  · been convicted in a criminal proceeding or been subject to a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses);

 

  · had any bankruptcy petition filed by or against the business or property of the person, or of any partnership, corporation or business association of which he was a general partner or executive officer, either at the time of the bankruptcy filing or within two years prior to that time;
     
  · been subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction or federal or state authority, permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting, his involvement in any type of business, securities, futures, commodities, investment, banking, savings and loan, or insurance activities, or to be associated with persons engaged in any such activity;
     
  · been found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law, and the judgment has not been reversed, suspended, or vacated;
     
  · been the subject of, or a party to, any federal or state judicial or administrative order, judgment, decree, or finding, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated (not including any settlement of a civil proceeding among private litigants), relating to an alleged violation of any federal or state securities or commodities law or regulation, any law or regulation respecting financial institutions or insurance companies including, but not limited to, a temporary or permanent injunction, order of disgorgement or restitution, civil money penalty or temporary or permanent cease-and-desist order, or removal or prohibition order, or any law or regulation prohibiting mail or wire fraud or fraud in connection with any business entity; or
     
  · been the subject of, or a party to, any sanction or order, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any self-regulatory organization (as defined in Section 3(a)(26) of the Exchange Act, any registered entity (as defined in Section 1(a)(29) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1(a)(29))), or any equivalent exchange, association, entity or organization that has disciplinary authority over its members or persons associated with a member.

 

9

 

 

PROPOSAL NO. 2

 

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF BRIGHTMAN ALMAGOR ZOHAR & CO., A FIRM IN THE DELOITTE GLOBAL NETWORK, AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR

 

The Board has appointed Deloitte as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm to audit the Company’s financial statements for the current fiscal year. Deloitte has audited the financial statements of the Company since the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. The Board is asking the Company’s stockholders to ratify the appointment of Deloitte as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. Although ratification is not required by the Company’s Bylaws or otherwise, the Board is submitting the appointment of Deloitte to the stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. If the stockholders do not ratify the selection of Deloitte as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, the Board will reconsider its selection. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Board, in its discretion, may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if the Board determines that such a change would be in the Company’s and its stockholders’ best interests. A representative of Deloitte is not expected to be present at the Meeting and will not have the opportunity to make a statement or be available to respond to appropriate questions from stockholders.

 

The Board recommends a vote FOR ratification of the appointment of Brightman Almagor Zohar & Co., a Firm in the Deloitte Global Network, as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s current fiscal year.

 

10

 

 

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND BOARD MATTERS

 

Independence of Members of Board

 

The Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that each of Dr. Arbel, Dr. Almenoff, Dr. Polverino and Mr. Taub satisfies the criteria for being an “independent director” under the standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. (“Nasdaq”) and has no material relationship with the Company other than by virtue of service on the Board of Directors. Mr. Schor and Mr. Yablonka are not considered “independent directors.”

 

The Board of Directors is comprised of a majority of independent directors and the Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee (the “GNC Committee”) is comprised entirely of independent directors. A majority of the Audit Committee is comprised of independent directors. Since November 9, 2017 Chen Schor has served as the “audit committee financial expert” in accordance with Nasdaq Rule 5605(c)(2)(B). Mr. Schor is not currently independent under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2) due to his previous executive director service to the Company provided pursuant to the Executive Director Agreement (described under “Executive Employment Agreements” in the Executive Compensation section above) which terminated February 26, 2017. However, the Board has determined that due to his financial expertise, Mr. Schor’s membership on the Audit Committee is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

 

Board Leadership Structure

 

On April 25, 2014, the Board elected Dr. Arbel to serve as Chair of the Board. The Chair presides at all Board meetings. The Chair’s role and responsibilities include maintaining an active relationship with the Chief Executive Officer, participating in preparation for Board meetings (suggesting agenda items as appropriate), serving as a supplemental channel for communications between Board members and the Chief Executive Officer and providing counsel to individual directors on the performance of their duties. The position of Chair and Chief Executive Officer are separate. Together, the Chair and Chief Executive Officer provide strategic guidance and oversight to the Company. The Board believes that Dr. Arbel serving as Chair is optimal because it will provide the Board with strong and consistent leadership, and the other members of the Board bring various perspectives and opinions. Taken together, the Board believes that this leadership structure provides an appropriate balance of experienced leadership, independent oversight and management input.

 

Risk Management and Oversight Process

 

The Board takes an active role, as a whole and at the committee level, in overseeing management of our Company’s risks. Generally, the entire Board, the Audit Committee and the GNC Committee are involved in overseeing risks associated with the Company and monitor and assess those risks in reviews with management and with the Company’s outside advisors and independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee reviews regulatory risk, operational risk and enterprise risk, particularly as they relate to financial reporting, on a regular basis with management, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and the Company’s outside consultants and advisors. In its regular meetings, the Audit Committee discusses the scope and plan for the internal audit and includes management in its review of accounting and financial controls, assessment of business risks and legal and ethical compliance programs. The GNC Committee monitors the Company’s governance and succession risk by review with management and outside advisors. The GNC Committee also monitors CEO succession and the Company’s compensation policies and related risks by reviews with management. The GNC Committee periodically reviews our compensation programs for employees to assure that these programs do not create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the company.

 

Prohibitions on Hedging of Securities

 

Pursuant to Brainstorm’s Policy on Trading of Securities and Public Disclosures, all Brainstorm personnel are strictly prohibited from engaging in "short sales" of securities of Brainstorm (sales of securities that are not then owned), and are prohibited from buying or selling, directly or indirectly, in the over-the-counter market, through an exchange or otherwise, options to purchase or sell securities of Brainstorm (i.e., puts, calls, straddles, etc.). Brainstorm believes that trading in options signals to the market and regulatory authorities that the individual engaged in such trading may possess material non-public information. Even if the individual is not trading on material non-public information, Brainstorm seeks to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. All Brainstorm personnel are also prohibited from trading of other derivative securities, the value of which is derived from the value of the common stock of Brainstorm. Further, all transactions in securities of Brainstorm (including option exercises, gifts, loans, pledges, hedges, contributions to a trust or any other transfer) by members of the Board, executive officers and employees who directly report to the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer, must be approved in advance by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.

 

11

 

 

Diversity

 

While the Company does not have a formal diversity policy, the Board considers diversity in identifying director nominees. The Board and the GNC Committee believe that it is important that our directors represent diverse viewpoints. In addition to diversity of experience, the GNC Committee seeks director candidates with a broad diversity of professions, skills and backgrounds. The GNC Committee discusses Board composition, including the diversity of the Board, annually.

 

Board Meetings

 

The Board held five meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, each incumbent director attended at least 75% of the aggregate of the total number of meetings of the Board and the total number of meetings of the committees on which he or she served. The Company’s directors are encouraged to attend the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders. All of the Company’s directors attended the prior year’s annual meeting.

  

Committees of the Board of Directors

 

Audit Committee

 

On February 7, 2008, the Board of Directors (“Board”) established a standing Audit Committee in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities to stockholders concerning our financial reporting and internal controls, and facilitates open communication among the Audit Committee, Board, outside auditors and management. The Audit Committee discusses with management and our outside auditors the financial information developed by us, our systems of internal controls and our audit process. The Audit Committee is solely and directly responsible for appointing, evaluating, retaining and, when necessary, terminating the engagement of the independent auditor. The independent auditors meet with the Audit Committee (both with and without the presence of management) to review and discuss various matters pertaining to the audit, including our financial statements, the report of the independent auditors on the results, scope and terms of their work, and their recommendations concerning the financial practices, controls, procedures and policies employed by us. The Audit Committee preapproves all audit services to be provided to us, whether provided by the principal auditor or other firms, and all other services (review, attest and non-audit) to be provided to us by the independent auditor. The Audit Committee coordinates the Board’s oversight of our internal control over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures and code of conduct. The Audit Committee is charged with establishing procedures for (i) the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters; and (ii) the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters. The Audit Committee reviews all related party transactions on an ongoing basis, and all such transactions must be approved by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee is authorized, without further action by the Board, to engage such independent legal, accounting and other advisors as it deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its responsibilities. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee, which is available in the corporate governance section of our website at www.brainstorm-cell.com. The Audit Committee currently consists of Mr. Taub (Chair) and Dr. Arbel, each of whom is independent within the meaning of The NASDAQ Marketplace Rules and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act, as well as Mr. Schor, who is not currently independent but serves on the Audit Committee in accordance with Nasdaq Rule 5605(c)(2)(B). The Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Schor is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K. The Audit Committee held four meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

 

12

 

 

GNC Committee

 

On June 27, 2011, the Board established a standing Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee (the “GNC Committee”), which assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities relating to (i) compensation of the Company’s executive officers, (ii) the director nomination process and (iii) reviewing the Company’s compliance with SEC corporate governance requirements. The Board has adopted a written charter for the GNC Committee, which is available in the corporate governance section of our website at www.brainstorm-cell.com. The GNC Committee currently consists of Dr. Arbel (Chair), Dr. Polverino and Mr. Taub, each of whom is independent as defined under applicable NASDAQ listing standards. The GNC Committee held four meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

 

The GNC Committee determines salaries, incentives and other forms of compensation for the Chief Executive Officer and the executive officers of the Company and reviews and makes recommendations to the Board with respect to director compensation. The GNC Committee meets without the presence of executive officers when approving or deliberating on executive officer compensation, but may invite the Chief Executive Officer to be present during the approval of, or deliberations with respect to, other executive officer compensation. In addition, the GNC Committee administers the Company’s stock incentive compensation and equity-based plans. 

 

The GNC Committee makes recommendations to the Board concerning all facets of the director nominee selection process. Generally, the GNC Committee identifies candidates for director nominees in consultation with management and the independent members of the Board, through the use of search firms or other advisers, through the recommendations submitted by stockholders or through such other methods as the GNC Committee deems to be helpful to identify candidates. Once candidates have been identified, the GNC Committee confirms that the candidates meet the independence requirements and qualifications for director nominees established by the Board. The GNC Committee may gather information about the candidates through interviews, questionnaires, background checks, or any other means that the GNC Committee deems to be helpful in the evaluation process. The GNC Committee meets to discuss and evaluate the qualities and skills of each candidate, both on an individual basis and taking into account the overall composition and needs of the Board. Upon selection of a qualified candidate, the GNC Committee would recommend the candidate for consideration by the full Board.

 

In considering whether to include any particular candidate in the Board’s slate of recommended director nominees, the Board will consider the candidate’s integrity, education, business acumen, knowledge of the Company’s business and industry, age, experience, diligence, conflicts of interest and the ability to act in the interests of all stockholders. The Board believes that experience as a leader of a business or institution, sound judgment, effective interpersonal and communication skills, strong character and integrity, and expertise in areas relevant to our business are important attributes in maintaining the effectiveness of the Board. As a matter of practice, the Board considers the diversity of the backgrounds and experience of prospective directors as well as their personal characteristics (e.g., gender, ethnicity, age) in evaluating, and making decisions regarding, Board composition, in order to facilitate Board deliberations that reflect a broad range of perspectives. The Board does not assign specific weights to particular criteria and no particular criterion is a prerequisite for each prospective nominee. The Company believes that the backgrounds and qualifications of its directors, considered as a group, should provide a significant breadth of experience, knowledge and abilities that will allow the Board to fulfill its responsibilities.

  

Stockholder Communication with the Board

 

Under the Policy, stockholders may also send written communications to the Board or any individual members, to the attention of the Company’s Secretary at the Company’s offices, 1325 Avenue of Americas, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019. All such communications will be relayed accordingly, except for mass mailings, job inquiries, surveys, business solicitations or advertisements, personal grievances, matters as to which the Company tends to receive repetitive or duplicate communications, or patently offensive or otherwise inappropriate material.

 

13

 

 

Family Relationships

 

There are no family relationships between the executive officers or directors of the Company.

 

Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings

 

None.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

Executive Officers

 

Set forth below is a summary description of the principal occupation and business experience of each of the Company’s current executive officers.

 

Name   Age     Position
Chaim Lebovits     48     President and Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Ralph Kern     62     Chief Operating Officer and Chief Medical Officer
Preetam Shah, PhD, MBA     47     Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Uri Yablonka     43     Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer and Director
Arturo Araya     49     Chief Commercial Officer

 

Chaim Lebovits joined the Company in July 2007 as President. On August 1, 2013, the Company appointed Mr. Lebovits as its Principal Executive Officer, and to assume the duties and responsibilities of the Chief Executive Officer on an interim basis until June 2014. On September 22, 2015, the Company appointed Chaim Lebovits as its Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Lebovits controls ACC Holdings International, and its subsidiaries ACC Resources, specializing in the mining, oil and energy industries, and ACC BioTech, which is focused on biotechnology. He has been at the forefront of mining and natural resource management in the African region for over a decade and has spent years leading the exploration and development of resources in West Africa and Israel and served as a member of the board of directors of several companies in the industry. Mr. Lebovits has also held senior positions for the worldwide Chabad Lubavitch organization, the largest Jewish organization in the world today.

 

Dr. Ralph Kern joined the Company on March 6, 2017 as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Medical Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Dr. Kern was Senior Vice President, Head Worldwide Medical at Biogen Inc. since 2016. Prior positions at Biogen Inc. include Vice President, Head of Global Therapeutic Areas from 2015 to 2016 and Vice President, Head of Global Medical Neurology in 2015. Dr. Kern has also served Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation as Vice President, Head Neuroscience Medical Unit from 2014 to 2015 and as Vice President, Head MS Medical Unit from 2011 to 2014. He also worked for Genzyme Corporation from 2006 to 2011 where he served as Global Medical Director, Personalized Genetic Health (2010-2011), Head of Medical Affairs, Canada (2006-2008), General Manager, Fabry Disease (2008-2010) and Head of Medical Affairs, Canada (2006-2008). He also served as University Neurology Program Director at the University of Toronto (2003-2006), Consultant Neurologist at Mount Sinai Hospital (2001-2006) and Director, EMG, EEG and Evoked Potential Laboratory at The Credit Valley Hospital (1988-2001).

 

Preetam Shah, PhD, MBA joined the Company on September 6, 2019 as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Prior to joining the Company, Preetam Shah served as Director, Healthcare Investment Banking at Barclays Capital Plc. since June 2016. He has also served as Vice President, Healthcare Investment Banking at Canaccord Genuity Inc. from 2013 to 2016. Dr. Shah founded Saisarva LLC. and was a financial consultant from 2010-2013 for healthcare-focused private equity firms, hedge funds, and global pharmaceutical companies. From 2006-2009, Dr. Shah served as Vice President, U.S. Operations and Investments at Reliance Capital USA Ventures LLC, an affiliate of Reliance ADA Group Companies. Dr. Shah completed his post-doctoral fellowship in Infectious Diseases from Stanford University School of Medicine. He holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Mississippi Medical Center and a M.B.A. in Finance from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

 

14

 

 

 

Uri Yablonka joined the Company on June 6, 2014 as Chief Operating Officer and as a member of the Board. On March 6, 2017 he was appointed Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer and ceased to serve as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Yablonka served since December 2010 as owner and General Manager of Uri Yablonka Ltd., a business consulting firm. He also served since January 2011 as Vice President, Business Development at ACC International Holdings Ltd. (Holdings). Holdings is also an affiliate of ACCBT Corp. Prior to serving with Holdings, Mr. Yablonka served as Senior Partner of PM-PR Media Consulting Ltd. From 2008 to January 2011, Mr. Yablonka was Senior Partner at PM-PR Media Consulting Ltd., where he led public relations and strategy consulting for a wide range of governmental and private organizations.  From 2002 to 2008, he served as a correspondent at the Maariv Daily News Paper, including extensive service as a Diplomatic Correspondent.  We believe that Mr. Yablonka’s skills and experience provide the variety and depth of knowledge, judgment and vision necessary for the effective oversight of the Company.  His experience in business consulting and development and media experience are expected to be valuable to the Company in its current stage of growth and beyond, and his governmental experience can provide valuable insight into issues faced by companies in regulated industries such as ours. We believe that these skills and experiences qualify Mr. Yablonka to serve as a director of the Company. 

 

Arturo O. Araya has served as the Chief Commercial Officer of the Company since August, 2018. He also served as a director of the Company from February, 2017 to November, 2018. From 2002 to 2016, Mr. Araya worked for Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation, where he served as the Vice President and Head of Global Commercial for Novartis’ Cell and Gene Therapies Unit (June 2014 to July 2016), where he led a cross-functional team to globally commercialize a portfolio of cell and gene therapies. In his prior role as Novartis’ Global Brand Leader for CTL019 (September 2012-May 2014), a CAR-T therapy, he was responsible for developing early launch plans, including worldwide and multiple indication forecasts and resource modeling. He has led the Oncology Unit for Novartis in seven countries (March 2002-August 2012). Prior to his tenure at Novartis, Mr. Araya was with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (1999-2002), most recently as Associate Director of Marketing Intelligence, Business Development & Licensing. He earned an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan, and an M.A. and B.S. in Engineering from the University of Connecticut.

 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

Summary Compensation

 

The following table sets forth certain summary information with respect to the compensation paid during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 earned by our President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and our Chief Operating Officer (the “Named Executive Officers”). In the table below, columns required by the regulations of the SEC have been omitted where no information was required to be disclosed under those columns.

 

Summary Compensation Table

 

                      Option
and Stock
    All Other        
          Salary     Bonus     Awards     Compensation        
Name and Principal Position   Year     ($)     ($)     ($) (1) (2)     ($)(3)     Total ($)  
Chaim Lebovits (*)     2018       500,000       750,000 (6)     133,472 (8)     195,398       1,578,870  
President and CEO (4)     2017       391,250       250,000 (5)     193,500 (7)     170,600       1,005,350  
Ralph Kern, Chief     2018       500,000       150,000 (10)     119,000 (12)     72,650       841,650  
Operating Officer (9)     2017       417,000       -       200,000 (11)     59,000       676,000  
Eyal Rubin (*), Chief     2018       197,000       49,000               105,000       351,000  
Financial Officer (13)     2017       20,200       5,000       347,843 (14)     9,207       382,250  

  

(*) These Named Executive Officers were paid in NIS; the amounts above are the U.S. dollar equivalent. The conversion rate used was the average of the 2018 daily rates between the U.S. dollar and the NIS as published by the Bank of Israel, the central bank of Israel.

 

15

 

 

(1) The amounts shown in the “Option and Stock Awards” column represent the aggregate grant date fair value of awards computed in accordance with ASC 718, not the actual amounts paid to or realized by the Named Executive Officer during fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2017. ASC 718 fair value amount as of the grant date for stock options generally is spread over the number of months of service required for the grant to vest.
   
(2) The fair value of each stock option award is estimated as of the date of grant using the Black-Scholes valuation model. Additional information regarding the assumptions used to estimate the fair value of all stock option awards is included in Note 10 to Consolidated Financial Statements.
   
(3) Includes management insurance (which includes pension, disability insurance and severance pay), payments towards such employee’s education fund, Israeli social security and amounts paid for use of a Company car. Each Named Executive Officer also receives gross-up payments for the taxes on these benefits.
   
(4) On September 22, 2015, the Company appointed Chaim Lebovits as its Chief Executive Officer.
   
(5) In July 2017, the Company paid Mr. Lebovits a discretionary cash bonus payment of $250,000 in recognition of his contributions to the Company’s performance in fiscal year 2017.
   
(6) In April and in July 2018, the Company paid Mr. Lebovits a discretionary cash bonus payment of $250,000 and $500,000 in recognition of his contributions to the Company’s performance in fiscal year 2018.
   
(7) On July 26, 2017 Mr. Lebovits received a grant of an option to purchase up to 41,580 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $4.81 per share, and a grant of 31,185 shares of restricted Common Stock.
   
(8) On July 26, 2018 Mr. Lebovits received a grant of 31,185 shares of restricted Common Stock.
   
(9) Dr. Kern’s employment with the Company began on March 6, 2017.
   
(10) In March 2018, the Company paid Mr. Kern a discretionary cash bonus payment of $150,000 in recognition of his contributions to the Company’s performance in fiscal year 2018.
   
(11) On March 6, 2017 Dr. Kern received a grant of an option to purchase up to 47,847 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $4.18 per share, and a grant of 35,885 shares of restricted Common Stock.
   
(12) On March 6, 2018 Dr. Kern received a grant of 35,885 shares of restricted Common Stock.
   
(13) Mr. Rubin’s employment with the Company began on November 20, 2017 and terminated on September 18, 2019.
   
(14) On November 20, 2017, Mr. Rubin received a grant of 25,000 shares of restricted Common Stock and also an option to purchase up to 93,686 shares of Common Stock under the 2014 Global Plan, at an exercise price per share equal to $4.30 per share.

 

Executive Employment Agreements

 

Chaim Lebovits

 

On September 28, 2015, Chaim Lebovits, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President, and the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Ltd. (the “Subsidiary”), entered into an employment agreement, which was amended July 26, 2017 (as amended, the “Lebovits Employment Agreement”). Pursuant to the Lebovits Employment Agreement, Chaim Lebovits is paid a salary at the annual rate of $500,000 (the “Base Salary”).  Mr. Lebovits also receives other benefits that are generally made available to the Subsidiary’s employees.  In addition, he is provided with a cellular phone and a company car, with all costs including taxes borne by the Subsidiary.  

 

Pursuant to the Lebovits Employment Agreement, Mr. Lebovits was granted a stock option under the Company’s 2014 Global Share Option Plan on September 28, 2015 for the purchase of up to 369,619 shares of the Company’s Common Stock at a per share exercise price of $2.45, which grant is fully vested and exercisable and shall be exercisable for a period of two years after termination of employment. Pursuant to the Lebovits Employment Agreement, Mr. Lebovits was granted on July 26, 2017, and will also be eligible to receive in the future, an annual cash bonus equal to 50% of his base salary, subject to his satisfaction of pre-established performance goals to be mutually agreed upon by the Board and Mr. Lebovits. Performance shall be evaluated through a performance management framework and a bonus range based on the target bonus.

 

16

 

 

Pursuant to the Lebovits Employment Agreement, Mr. Lebovits received on July 26, 2017, and is entitled to receive on each anniversary thereafter (provided he remains Chief Executive Officer), a grant of restricted stock under the Company’s 2014 Global Share Option Plan (or any successor or other equity plan then maintained by the Company) comprised of a number of shares of Common Stock with a fair market value (determined based on the price of the Common Stock at the end of normal trading hours on the business day immediately preceding the Effective Date according to Nasdaq) equal to 30% of Mr. Lebovits’ Base Salary. Each grant shall vest as to twenty-five percent (25%) of the award on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversary of the date of grant, provided Mr. Lebovits remains continuously employed by the Company from the date of grant through each applicable vesting date. Each grant shall be subject to accelerated vesting upon a Change of Control (as defined in the Lebovits Employment Agreement) of the Company. In the event of Mr. Lebovits’ termination of employment, any portion of a grant that is not yet vested (after taking into account any accelerated vesting) shall automatically be immediately forfeited to the Company, without the payment of any consideration to Mr. Lebovits.

 

Pursuant to the Lebovits Employment Agreement, on July 26, 2017, Mr. Lebovits also received a fully vested and exercisable option (the “Option”) under the Company’s 2014 Global Share Option Plan to purchase up to 41,580 shares of Common Stock with an exercise price per share is $4.81, which remained exercisable until the 2nd anniversary of the date of grant.

 

The Lebovits Employment Agreement contains termination provisions, pursuant to which if the Company terminates the Employment Agreement or Mr. Lebovits’ employment without Cause (as defined in the agreement) or if Mr. Lebovits terminates the employment agreement or his employment thereunder with Good Reason (as defined in the agreement), the Company shall: (i) within 90 days pay Mr. Lebovits, as severance pay, a lump sum equal to six (6) months of Base Salary (which shall increase to nine (9) months after July 26, 2019 and twelve (12) months after July 26, 2020) (provided Mr. Lebovits is actively employed by the Company on such dates) (the “Payment Period”); (ii) pay Mr. Lebovits within 30 days of his termination of employment any bonus compensation that Mr. Lebovits would be entitled to receive during the Payment Period in the absence of his termination without Cause or for Good Reason; (iii) immediately vest such number of equity or equity based awards that would have vested during the six (6) months following the date of termination of employment; and (iv) shall continue to provide to Mr. Lebovits health insurance benefits during the Payment Period, unless otherwise provided by a subsequent employer. The foregoing severance payments are conditional upon Mr. Lebovits executing a waiver and release in favor of the Company in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company.

 

Dr. Ralph Kern

 

On February 28, 2017, the Company and Dr. Ralph Kern entered into an employment agreement, effective March 6, 2017, which sets forth the terms of Dr. Kern’s employment (as amended by Amendment No. 1 dated March 3, 2017, the “Agreement”). Pursuant to the Agreement, Dr. Kern is paid an annual salary of $500,000 (the “Base Salary”), which may be increased (but not decreased) at the sole discretion of the Board. Dr. Kern will also be eligible to receive an annual cash bonus equal to 30% of his base salary, subject to his satisfaction of pre-established performance goals to be mutually agreed upon by the Board and Dr. Kern. Performance shall be evaluated through a performance management framework and a bonus range based on the target bonus. Dr. Kern will also receive other benefits that are generally made available to the Company’s employees.

 

Pursuant to the Agreement, Dr. Kern received on March 6, 2017, and is entitled to receive on each anniversary thereafter (provided he remains employed by the Company), a grant of restricted stock under the Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan (or any successor or other equity plan then maintained by the Company) comprised of a number of shares of common stock of the Company, $0.00005 par value (“Common Stock”) with a fair market value (determined based on the price of the Common Stock at the end of normal trading hours on the business day immediately preceding March 6, 2017 according to Nasdaq) equal to 30% of Dr. Kern’s Base Salary. Each equity grant shall vest as to twenty-five percent (25%) of the award on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversary of the date of grant, provided Dr. Kern remains continuously employed by the Company from the date of grant through each applicable vesting date. Each equity grant shall be subject to accelerated vesting upon a Change of Control (as defined in the Agreement) of the Company. In the event of Dr. Kern’s termination of employment, any portion of an equity grant that is not yet vested (after taking into account any accelerated vesting) shall automatically be immediately forfeited to the Company, without the payment of any consideration to Dr. Kern.

  

Pursuant to the Agreement, on March 6, 2017, Dr. Kern also received an option under the Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan to purchase up to 47,847 shares of Common Stock with an exercise price per share of $4.18. The option was fully vested and exercisable and remained exercisable until the 2nd anniversary of the date of grant.

 

17

 

 

The Agreement contains termination provisions, pursuant to which if the Company terminates the Agreement or Dr. Kern’s employment without Cause (as defined in the Agreement) or if Dr. Kern terminates the Agreement or his employment thereunder with Good Reason (as defined in the Agreement), the Company shall: (i) within 90 days pay Dr. Kern, as severance pay, a lump sum equal to six (6) months of Base Salary (which shall increase to nine (9) months after the second anniversary of March 6, 2017 and twelve (12) months after the third anniversary of March 6, 2017) (provided Dr. Kern is actively employed by the Company on such dates) (the “Payment Period”); (ii) pay Dr. Kern within 30 days of his termination of employment any bonus compensation that Dr. Kern would be entitled to receive during the Payment Period in the absence of his termination without Cause or for Good Reason; (iii) immediately vest such number of equity or equity based awards that would have vested during the six (6) months following the date of termination of employment; and (iv) shall continue to provide to Dr. Kern health insurance benefits during the Payment Period, unless otherwise provided by a subsequent employer. The foregoing severance payments are conditional upon Dr. Kern executing a waiver and release in favor of the Company in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company.

 

Preetam Shah

 

On September 5, 2019, the Company and Preetam Shah, PhD, MBA, the Company’s Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, entered into an employment agreement, pursuant to which Dr. Shah receives an annual salary of $350,000 and is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus equal to 40% of his base salary, subject to the satisfaction of performance goals to be established each year. Dr. Shah also receives other benefits that are generally made available to the Company’s employees. Pursuant to the agreement, Dr. Shah received on September 6, 2019, a one-time grant of stock options under the Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan (i) to purchase up to 100,000 shares of Common Stock, at an exercise price equal to $3.96 per share, and (ii) to purchase up to 100,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price per share equal to $6.00 per share. Each option shall vest and become exercisable as follows: 25% of the shares underlying the option shall vest and become exercisable on the first anniversary of the date of grant, and the remaining shares underlying the option shall vest and become exercisable in equal quarterly installments thereafter, until fully vested and exercisable on the fourth anniversary of the date of grant, provided that Dr. Shah remains continuously employed by the Company from the date of grant through each applicable vesting date. Each option shall have a ten (10) year term. Any unvested shares underlying the options as of the date of Dr. Shah’s employment termination shall automatically terminate.

 

Pursuant to the agreement, Dr. Shah received on September 6, 2019, a one-time grant under the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan of 25,000 shares of restricted common stock of the Company, which shall vest as to 100% of the award on the one year anniversary of the grant date, provided Dr. Shah remains continuously employed by the Company from the date of grant through the vesting date. In the event of Dr. Shah’s termination of employment prior to the one-year anniversary of the grant date, the restricted stock grant shall automatically be immediately forfeited to the Company, without the payment of any consideration to Dr. Shah.

 

The agreement contains termination provisions, pursuant to which if the Company terminates the agreement or Dr. Shah’s employment without Cause (as defined in the agreement) or if Dr. Shah terminates the agreement or his employment thereunder with Good Reason (as defined in the agreement), the Company shall: (i) pay Dr. Shah, as severance pay, a lump sum equal to three (3) months of Base Salary; (ii) pay Dr. Shah any bonus compensation that Dr. Shah would be entitled to receive during the period of employment in that fiscal year; (iii) immediately vest such number of equity or equity based awards that would have vested during the three (3) months following the date of termination of employment; and (iv) continue to provide Dr. Shah’s health insurance benefits during the three (3) months following the date of termination of employment, unless otherwise provided by a subsequent employer. The foregoing severance payments are conditional upon Dr. Shah executing a waiver and release in favor of the Company in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company.

 

Eyal Rubin

 

Eyal Rubin served as the Company’s EVP and Chief Financial Officer from November 20, 2017 to September 18, 2019, pursuant to an October 31, 2017 employment agreement. Mr. Rubin was paid a gross monthly salary of NIS 59,000 (approximately $16,200 per month), and received an annual cash bonus equal to 25% of his annual base salary, paid pro-rata on a quarterly basis. Mr. Rubin also received a grant of 25,000 shares of restricted Common Stock under the Company’s 2014 Global Share Option Plan, which vested as to 100% of the award on April 1, 2018.

 

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Uri Yablonka 

 

Uri Yablonka, the Company’s Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer and director, is party to a June 6, 2014 employment agreement with the Subsidiary, which was amended July 26, 2017. Pursuant to the agreement, Uri Yablonka is paid a monthly salary of 41,000 NIS (approximately $11,300 per month). Mr. Yablonka also receives other benefits that are generally made available to the Company’s employees, including pension and education fund benefits. The Company provides Mr. Yablonka with a Company car and cellular phone, and a gross-up payment for any taxes relating thereto. Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Yablonka also was granted a stock option on June 6, 2014 under the Company’s Amended and Restated 2004 Global Share Option Plan (the “Global Plan”) for the purchase of 33,333 shares of the Company’s Common Stock, which was fully vested and exercisable upon grant. The exercise price for the grant is $2.70 per share. In addition, the Company agreed to grant Mr. Yablonka a stock option under the Global Plan (or the applicable successor option plan) for the purchase of up to 13,333 shares of Common Stock (subject to appropriate adjustment in the case of stock splits, reverse stock splits and the like) of the Company on the first business day after each annual meeting of stockholders (or special meeting in lieu thereof) of the Company beginning with the 2014 annual meeting, and provided that Mr. Yablonka remains an employee of the Company on each such date. The exercise price per share of the Common Stock subject to each additional option shall be equal to $0.75 (subject to appropriate adjustment in the case of stock splits, reverse stock splits and the like, or changes to the Israeli Annual Option Award under the Company’s Director Compensation Plan as amended from time to time). Each additional option vests and becomes exercisable on each monthly anniversary date as to 1/12th the number of shares subject to the option, over a period of twelve months from the date of grant, such that each additional option will be fully vested and exercisable on the first anniversary of the date of grant, provided that Mr. Yablonka remains an employee of the Company on each such vesting date. In addition, Mr. Yablonka was granted 5,543 shares of Common Stock under the 2014 Global Plan on July 13, 2017.

  

Arturo Araya

 

Arturo Araya, the Company’s Chief Commercial Officer, is party to an August 28, 2018 employment agreement with the Company, pursuant to which Mr. Araya receives an annual base compensation of $300,000 and is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus equal to 20% of his base salary, subject to satisfaction of pre-established performance goals. On August 28, 2018 he also received a one-time grant of an option to purchase 200,000 shares of Common Stock under the Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan, at an exercise price of $3.98 per share. 25% of the grant shall vest and become exercisable on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the grant date, so that the grant becomes fully vested and exercisable on the fourth anniversary of the grant date. The grant is subject to accelerated vesting upon a Change of Control, as defined in the agreement, and has a 10-year term.  Any unvested shares underlying the grant as of the date of the termination of his employment with the Company shall automatically terminate.  In connection with the employment agreement Mr. Araya resigned from the GNC Committee, and the restricted stock previously granted to him in connection with his service on the Board and the GNC Committee ceased vesting. Mr. Araya ceased serving as a member of the Board on November 29, 2018.

 

Terms of Option Awards

  

Stock option grants to the Named Executive Officers are described in the summaries of their executive employment agreements above and incorporated herein. Unless otherwise stated, option grants issued to Named Executive Officers prior to August 14, 2014 were made pursuant to the Company’s 2004 Global Share Option Plan and grants issued to Named Executive Officers on or after August 14, 2014 were made pursuant to the Company’s 2014 Global Share Option Plan, and expire on the tenth anniversary of the grant date.

 

Outstanding Equity Awards

 

The following table sets forth information regarding equity awards granted to the Named Executive Officers that are outstanding as of December 31, 2018. In the table below, columns required by the regulations of the SEC have been omitted where no information was required to be disclosed under those columns.

 

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Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2018

 

    Option Awards     Stock Awards  
Name   Number of 
Securities 
Underlying 
Unexercised 
Options 
(#) 
Exercisable
    Number of 
Securities 
Underlying 
Unexercised 
Options 
(#) 
Unexercisable
    Option 
Exercise 
Price 
($)
    Option 
Expiration 
Date
   

 Number

of Shares

or Units

of Stock

That Have

Not Vested

(#)

   

Market

Value of

Shares or

Units of

Stock That

Have Not

Vested

($)(1)

 
Chaim Lebovits     369,619       -       2.45       9/28/2025       23,389 (2)     78,820  
      41,580       -       4.81       7/26/2019       31,185 (3)     105,093  
Ralph Kern     47,847       -       4.18       3/6/2019       26,914 (4)     90,699  
                                      35,885 (5)     120,932  
Eyal Rubin     23,421       70,264 (6)     4.30       11/20/2027                  

 

(1) Based on the fair market value of our Common Stock on December 28, 2018 ($3.37 per share).
   
(2) Restricted stock award vests 25% on each of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th anniversary of date of grant (July 26, 2017), provided that Chaim Lebovits remains continuously employed by the Company from the date of grant through each applicable vesting date.
   
(3) Restricted stock award vests 25% on each of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th anniversary of date of grant (July 26, 2018), provided that Chaim Lebovits remains continuously employed by the Company from the date of grant through each applicable vesting date.
   
(4) Restricted stock award vests 25% on each of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th anniversary of date of grant (March 6, 2017), provided that Ralph Kern remains continuously employed by the Company from the date of grant through each applicable vesting date.
   
(5) Restricted stock award vests 25% on each of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th anniversary of date of grant (March 6, 2018), provided that Ralph Kern remains continuously employed by the Company from the date of grant through each applicable vesting date.
   
(6) Options for the purchase of 23,422 shares were vested and exercisable on December 31, 2018. Options for the purchase of 23,422 shares will vest and become exercisable yearly until the option is fully vested and exercisable on the fourth anniversary of the date of grant.

  

 Stock Incentive Plans

 

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, the Company had outstanding awards for stock options under four plans: (i) the 2004 Global Stock Option Plan and the Israeli Appendix thereto (the “2004 Global Plan”) (ii) the 2005 U.S. Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the “2005 U.S. Plan,” and together with the 2004 Global Plan, the “Prior Plans”); (iii) the 2014 Global Share Option Plan and the Israeli Appendix thereto (which applies solely to participants who are residents of Israel) (the “2014 Global Plan”); and (iv) the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2014 U.S. Plan” and together with the 2014 Global Plan, the 2014 Plans).

 

The 2004 Global Plan and 2005 U.S. Plan expired on November 25, 2014 and March 28, 2015, respectively. Grants that were made under the Prior Plans remain outstanding pursuant to their terms. The 2014 Plans were approved by the stockholders on August 14, 2014 (at which time the Company ceased to issue awards under each of the 2005 U.S. Plan and 2004 Global Plan) and amended on June 21, 2016 and November 29, 2018. Unless otherwise stated, option grants prior to August 14, 2014 were made pursuant to the Company’s Prior Plans, and grants issued on or after August 14, 2014 were made pursuant to the Company’s 2014 Plans, and expire on the tenth anniversary of the grant date.

 

The 2014 Plans have a shared pool of 4,400,000 shares of common stock available for issuance. The exercise price of the options granted under the 2014 Plans may not be less than the nominal value of the shares into which such options are exercised. Any options under the 2014 Plans that are canceled or forfeited before expiration become available for future grants.

 

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Compensation of Directors

 

The following table sets forth certain summary information with respect to the compensation paid during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 earned by each of the directors of the Company. In the table below, columns required by the regulations of the SEC have been omitted where no information was required to be disclosed under those columns.

 

Director Compensation Table for Fiscal 2018

 

    Fees           Option        
    Earned or     Stock     Awards        
    Paid in     Awards     ($)     Total  
Name   Cash ($)     ($)(1)     (1)(2)     ($)  
Dr. Irit Arbel     -       -       66,040 (3)     66,040  
Dr. June S. Almenoff     30,000 (4)     -               30,000  
Arturo O. Araya     12,500 (5)     7,944               20,444  
Dr. Anthony Polverino     -       23,904 (6)     -       23,904  
Mr. Chen Schor     30,000 (7)     6,220 (8)     -       36,220  
Mr. Malcolm Taub     -       37,320 (9)     -       37,320  
Uri Yablonka     -       -       34,758 (10)     34,758  

 

(1) The amounts shown in the “Stock Awards” and “Option Awards” columns represent the aggregate grant date fair value of awards computed in accordance with ASC 718, not the actual amounts paid to or realized by the directors during fiscal 2018.
   
(2) The fair value of each stock option award is estimated as of the date of grant using the Black-Scholes valuation model. Additional information regarding the assumptions used to estimate the fair value of all stock option awards is included in Note 10 – Share-based compensation to employees and to directors to Consolidated Financial Statements.
   
(3) At December 31, 2018, Dr. Arbel had options (vested and unvested) to purchase 221,886 shares of Common Stock.
   
(4) Represents amounts paid to Dr. Almenoff for services as a director.
   
(5) Represents amounts paid to Mr. Araya for services as a director.  Mr. Araya ceased serving as a member of the Board on November 29, 2018.
   
(6) At December 31, 2018, Mr. Polverino had 1,834 shares of unvested restricted Common Stock.
   
(7) Represents the amount paid to Mr. Schor pursuant to the Executive Director Agreement for his services as a director and consultant.
   
(8) At December 31, 2018, Mr. Schor had 1,834 shares of unvested restricted Common Stock.
   
(9) At December 31, 2018, Mr. Taub had 11,000 shares of unvested restricted Common Stock.
   
(10) At December 31, 2018, Mr. Yablonka had options (vested and unvested) to purchase 99,998 shares of Common Stock.

 

Director Compensation Plan

 

We review the level of compensation of our non-employee directors on a periodic basis. To determine how appropriate the current level of compensation for our non-employee directors is, we have historically obtained data from a number of different sources, including publicly available data describing director compensation in peer companies and survey data collected by an independent compensation consultant. Those of our directors who are not employees of Brainstorm receive compensation for their services as directors as follows:

  

21

 

 

The Company’s Second Amended and Restated Director Compensation Plan was approved July 9, 2014 and amended on April 29, 2015, February 26, 2017 and July 13, 2017 (as amended, the “Director Compensation Plan”). Under the Director Compensation Plan, each eligible director is granted an annual award immediately following each annual meeting of stockholders beginning with the 2014 annual meeting. For non-U.S. directors, this annual award consists of a nonqualified stock option to purchase 13,333 shares of Common Stock. For U.S. directors, at their option, this annual award is either (i) a nonqualified stock option to purchase 6,666 shares of Common Stock or (ii) 6,666 shares of restricted stock. Additionally, each member of the GNC Committee or Audit Committee of the Board receives (i) a nonqualified stock option to purchase 2,000 shares of Common Stock or (ii) in the case of U.S. directors and at their option, 2,000 shares of restricted stock. The chair of the GNC Committee or Audit Committee will instead of the above committee award receive (i) a nonqualified stock option to purchase 3,333 shares of Common Stock or (ii) in the case of U.S. directors and at their option, 3,333 shares of restricted stock. Any eligible participant who is serving as chairperson of the Board shall also receive (i) a nonqualified stock option to purchase 6,666 shares of Common Stock or (ii) in the case of U.S. directors and at their option, 6,666 shares of restricted stock. Awards are granted on a pro rata basis for directors serving less than a year at the time of grant. The exercise price for options for U.S. directors will be equal to the closing price per share of the Common Stock on the grant date as reported on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board or the national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then traded. The exercise price for options for non-U.S. directors is $0.75. Every option and restricted stock award will vest monthly as to 1/12 the number of shares subject to the award over a period of twelve months from the date of grant, provided that the recipient remains a member of the Board on each such vesting date, or, in the case of a committee award, remains a member of the committee on each such vesting date. Every non-employee director of the Company is eligible to participate in the Director Compensation Plan, except that Chen Schor, Dr. June S. Almenoff, Arturo O. Araya (until he commenced service as an employee in August, 2018) and Dr. Anthony Polverino are not entitled receive annual director awards under the Director Compensation Plan, but are entitled to committee compensation under the Director Compensation Plan in the event that they qualify for and serve as a member of any committee of the Board. Chen Schor, Dr. Almenoff, Mr. Araya and Dr. Polverino’s director compensation is further discussed below.

 

Pursuant to a February 26, 2017 resolution of the Board, Dr. Almenoff receives the following compensation for her service on the Board: an annual cash award in the amount of $30,000, paid in biannual installments. Dr. Almenoff will not receive annual director awards under the Director Compensation Plan, but in the event that Dr. Almenoff serves as a member of any committee of the Board she will be entitled to committee compensation under the Director Compensation Plan. Dr. Almenoff has not been appointed to any Board committee at this time. 

 

Pursuant to resolutions of the Board, Dr. Polverino receives the following compensation for his service on the Board: an annual cash award in the amount of $12,500, paid in biannual installments, and an annual restricted stock award (each, a “Grant”) valued at $12,500 on the date of grant, as determined based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock at the end of normal trading hours on the date of grant, or the previous closing price in the event the grant date does not fall on a business day. The Grant vests in 12 consecutive, equal monthly installments commencing on the one-month anniversary of the date of grant, until fully vested on the first anniversary of the date of grant. Dr. Polverino does not receive annual director awards under the Director Compensation Plan, but in the event that he serves as a member of any committee of the Board he is entitled to committee compensation under the Director Compensation Plan. Dr. Polverino serves on the GNC Committee. In November 2018 he received a grant of 1,667 shares of Common Stock for prior GNC Committee services.

 

Pursuant resolution of the Board, Mr. Araya received the following compensation for his service on the Board: an annual cash award in the amount of $12,500, paid in biannual installments, and an annual restricted stock award (each, an “Araya Grant”) valued at $12,500 on the date of grant, as determined based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock at the end of normal trading hours on the date of grant, or the previous closing price in the event the grant date does not fall on a business day. Mr. Araya also received a grant of 1,249 shares of restricted stock for his service on the GNC Committee. All grants ceased vesting and Mr. Araya resigned as a member of the GNC effective August 28, 2018, in connection with Mr. Araya commencing employment with the Company as its Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Araya ceased serving as a member of the Board on November 29, 2018. 

 

On February 26, 2017 the Amended and Restated Executive Director Agreement between the Company and Chen Schor dated November 11, 2011 was terminated by mutual agreement of Chen Schor and the Company, and the Board approved that Chen Schor will receive the following compensation for his service on the Board: an annual cash award in the amount of $30,000, paid in biannual installments; that Mr. Schor will not receive annual director awards under the Director Compensation Plan, but in the event that Mr. Schor serves as a member of any committee of the Board he will be entitled to committee compensation under the Director Compensation Plan; and that the restricted stock grant (the “Schor Grant”) of 60,000 shares of restricted Common Stock previously granted to Mr. Schor under the Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan will continue to vest as previously agreed: 20,000 on: (a) August 22, 2015 (b) 20,000 on August 22, 2016 and (c) 20,000 on August 22, 2017 (at which time the Grant was fully vested). Mr. Schor has serves as a member of the audit committee since November 9, 2017.

 

22

 

 

On July 13, 2017 pursuant to the Company’s Third Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Director Compensation Plan, we granted a stock option to Dr. Arbel to purchase up to 12,000 shares of Common Stock at a purchase price of $0.75 per share, which was fully vested and exercisable on the date of grant.

  

On November 30, 2018, the following grants were made under the Director Compensation Plan to the eligible directors: Dr. Arbel received a stock option to purchase 25,333 shares of Common Stock for her service as a director, chairperson of the Board, chair of the GNC Committee and a member of the Audit Committee; Mr. Schor received 2,000 shares of restricted stock for his service as a member of the Audit Committee; Dr. Polverino received 2,000 shares of restricted stock for his service as a member of the GNC Committee; and Mr. Taub received 12,000 shares of restricted stock for his service as a director, chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the GNC Committee.

 

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

 

The Audit Committee of our Board reviews and approves all related-party transactions. A “related-party transaction” is a transaction that meets the minimum threshold for disclosure under the relevant SEC rules (transactions involving amounts exceeding the lesser of $120,000 or one (1) percent of the average of the smaller reporting company's total assets at year-end for the last two fiscal years in which a “related person” or entity has a direct or indirect material interest). “Related persons” include our executive officers, directors, 5% or more beneficial owners of our Common Stock, immediate family members of these persons and entities in which one of these persons has a direct or indirect material interest. When a potential related-party transaction is identified, management presents it to the Audit Committee to determine whether to approve or ratify it.

 

The Audit Committee reviews the material facts of any related-party transaction and either approves or disapproves of the entry into the transaction. If advance approval of a related-party transaction is not feasible, then the transaction will be considered and, if the Audit Committee determines it to be appropriate, ratified by the Audit Committee. No director may participate in the approval of a transaction for which he or she is a related party.

 

Research and License Agreement with Ramot

 

The Company has maintained a commercial relationship with Ramot, the technology transfer group within Tel Aviv University, since July 2004, when the Company and Ramot entered into a Research and License Agreement (the “Original Agreement”). The Original Agreement was amended in both March and May of 2006, when the parties signed, respectively, an Amended and Restated Research and License Agreement (the “Amended and Restated Agreement”) and Amendment Number 1 to the Amended and Restated Agreement. Thereafter, the Company and Ramot entered into a Letter Agreement in December 2009 which further amended the Amended and Restated Agreement by releasing the Company from various duties and obligations (including the Company’s commitment to fund three (3) years of additional Ramot research - a financial commitment of $1,140,000), while converting other payments due and owing to Ramot by the Company into shares of Common Stock. In December 2011, the Company assigned the Amended and Restated Agreement (as amended) to its Israeli Subsidiary with the consent of Ramot, provided the Company agreed to guaranty the performance obligations of its Israeli Subsidiary thereunder. The Amended and Restated Agreement was amended in both April 2014 (Amendment Number 2) and March 2016 (Amendment Number 3).

 

In addition to the foregoing, on April 30, 2014, the Israeli Subsidiary executed a consulting agreement (the “Offen Consulting Agreement”) with Professor Offen of Tel Aviv University, which expressly replaced their previous agreement (signed in July 2004). Pursuant to the Offen Consulting Agreement, Professor Offen granted our Israeli Subsidiary exclusive rights, title and interest in and to all work product and deliverables resulting from the provision of his services thereunder, except that any new intellectual property arising from this agreement would be deemed a joint invention that is jointly owned by both our Israeli Subsidiary and Ramot. No such joint inventions have resulted from this consulting agreement and it was terminated on January 18, 2018.

 

The primary focus of our agreements (and subsequent amendments) with Ramot has and continues to be the commissioning of a group of scientists within Tel Aviv University to carry out research in the area of the stem-cell technology referenced above, and the granting of rights to the Company (and later our Israeli Subsidiary, after the assignment referenced above) in the inventions, know-how and results procured from such research (the “Ramot IP”).

 

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In consideration for the rights granted to our Israeli Subsidiary in and to the Ramot IP, our Israeli Subsidiary is required to pay Ramot royalties ranging between three percent (3%) and five percent (5%) of all net sales realized from the exploitation of the Ramot IP, as well as remittances of between twenty percent (20%) and twenty-five percent (25%) on revenues received from the sub-licensing of the Ramot IP.

 

Pursuant to the third amendment of the Amended and Restated Agreement referenced above, Ramot agreed to convert the exclusive licenses then-existing, to outright transfers and assignments of the Ramot IP, thereby granting our Israeli Subsidiary ownership thereof.  

 

Investment Agreement with ACCBT Corp.

 

We are party to a July 2, 2007 subscription agreement and related registration rights agreement and warrants, amended July 31, 2009, May 10, 2012, May 19, 2014 and November 2, 2017 (together as amended, the “ACCBT Documents”) with ACCBT, a company under the control of Mr. Chaim Lebovits, our President and Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to which, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $5.0 million, we sold to ACCBT 1,920,461 shares of our Common Stock (the “Subscription Shares”) and warrants to purchase up to 2,016,666 shares of our Common Stock (the “ACCBT Warrants”). The ACCBT Warrants contain cashless exercise provisions, which permit the cashless exercise of up to 50% of the underlying shares of Common Stock. 672,222 of the ACCBT Warrants have an exercise price of $3.00 and the remainder have an exercise price of $4.35. All of the ACCBT Warrants are presently outstanding.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the ACCBT Documents, ACCBT has the following rights for so long as ACCBT or its affiliates hold at least 5% of our issued and outstanding share capital:

 

  · Board Appointment Right: ACCBT has the right to appoint 30% of the members of our Board and any of our committees and the Board of Directors of our subsidiaries.
     
  · Preemptive Right: ACCBT has the right to receive thirty days’ notice of, and to purchase a pro rata portion (or greater under certain circumstances where offered shares are not purchased by other subscribers) of, securities issued by us, including options and rights to purchase shares. This preemptive right does not include issuances under our equity incentive plans.
     
  · Consent Right: ACCBT’s written consent is required for Brainstorm transactions greater than $500,000.

 

In addition, ACCBT is entitled to demand and piggyback registration rights, whereby ACCBT may request, upon 15 days’ written notice, that we file, or include within a registration statement to be filed, with the Securities and Exchange Commission for ACCBT’s resale of the Subscription Shares, as adjusted, and the shares of our Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the ACCBT Warrants. We registered 1,920,461 shares of Common Stock and 2,016,666 shares of Common Stock underlying the ACCBT Warrants on registration statement No. 333-201705 dated January 26, 2015 pursuant to ACCBT’s registration rights.

 

The foregoing description reflects the November 2, 2017 Warrant Amendment Agreement between the Company and ACCBT, pursuant to which the rights and privileges of the ACCBT Entities relating to the management of the Company were reduced, in exchange for a five (5) year extension of the expiration of the Company warrants held by the ACCBT Entities. Pursuant to the amendment, the ACCBT Documents were amended as follows: (i) the ACCBT Entities existing right to appoint 50.1% of the Board of Directors of the Company and its subsidiaries was reduced to 30%; (ii) the ACCBT Entities’ consent rights regarding Company matters pursuant to the ACCBT Documents were limited to transactions greater than $500,000 (previous to the amendment the consent right was for transactions of $25,000 or more); and (iii) the expiration date of each of the ACCBT Warrants was extended until November 5, 2022 (the previous expiration date was November 5, 2017).

 

Mr. Lebovits, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, is deemed to control ACCBT. Mr. Lebovits employment agreement with the Company and related employee compensation are described under “Executive Employment Agreements” in the Executive Compensation section above.

 

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Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

Principal Accountant Fees and Services 

 

The following table presents fees for professional audit services rendered by Brightman Almagor Zohar & Co., a Firm in the Deloitte Global Network (“Deloitte”) for the audit of our financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018 and fees billed for other services rendered by Deloitte during those periods.

 

    December 31,  
    2018     2017  
Audit Fees (1)   $ 58,000     $ 55,000  
Audit-Related Fees   $ -     $ -  
Tax Fees (2)   $ 28,000     $ -  
All Other Fees   $ -     $ -  
Total Fees   $ 86,000     $ 55,000  

 

(1) Audit fees are comprised of fees for professional services performed by Deloitte for the audit of our annual financial statements and the review of our quarterly financial statements, as well as other services provided by Deloitte in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.
   
(2) Tax fees are comprised of fees for preparation of tax returns to the Company and the services performed by Deloitte in connection with Inter-Company matters.

 

We did not use Deloitte for financial information system design and implementation. These services, which include designing or implementing a system that aggregates source data underlying the financial statements and generates information that is significant to our financial statements, are provided internally or by other service providers. We did not engage Deloitte to provide compliance outsourcing services.

 

Pre-approval Policies

 

Our Audit Committee is responsible for pre-approving all services provided by our independent auditors. All of the above services and fees were reviewed and approved by the Audit Committee before the services were rendered.

 

The Board of Directors has considered the nature and amount of fees billed by Deloitte and believes that the provision of services for activities unrelated to the audit is compatible with maintaining Deloitte’s independence.

 

Audit Committee Financial Expert

 

The Board has determined that Chen Schor is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K. Mr. Schor is serving as the “audit committee financial expert” in accordance with Nasdaq Rule 5605(c)(2)(B). Mr. Schor is not currently independent under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2) due to his previous executive director service to the Company provided pursuant to the Executive Director Agreement (described in “Certain Arrangements” above) which terminated February 26, 2017. However, the Board has determined that due to his financial expertise, Mr. Schor’s membership on the Audit Committee is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

 

Audit Committee Report

 

The Audit Committee of the Board has reviewed and discussed the Company’s audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 with the Company’s management. The Audit Committee has discussed with Deloitte, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended. The Audit Committee has discussed with Deloitte its independence and has received the written disclosures and the letter from Deloitte required by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent accountant’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence. The Audit Committee has also considered whether Deloitte’s provision of non-audit services to the Company is compatible with maintaining Deloitte’s independence. Based on such reviews and discussions, among other things, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the audited financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

 

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AUDIT COMMITTEE
Malcolm Taub (Chair)
Dr. Irit Arbel
Chen Schor

 

The information contained in the foregoing Audit Committee Report shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or “filed” or incorporated by reference into any of the Company’s previous or future filings with the SEC, or subject to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, except to the extent specifically incorporated by reference into a document filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended or the Exchange Act.

 

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

 

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act requires our executive officers and directors, and persons who own more than 10% of our Common Stock (collectively, the “Reporting Persons”), to file reports regarding ownership of, and transactions in, our securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission and to provide us with copies of those filings. Based solely on our review of the copies of such forms received by us, or written representations from the Reporting Persons, we believe that during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 all Reporting Persons complied with the applicable requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act other than one late Form 4 filed by Ralph Kern on March 26, 2018, reporting one transaction late. There are no known failures to file a required Form 3, Form 4 or Form 5.

   

Other Matters

 

The Board does not know of any other matters which may come before the Meeting. However, if any other matters are properly presented at the Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote, or otherwise act, in accordance with their judgment on such matters. Discretionary authority for them to do so is contained in the enclosed proxy card.

 

An adjournment of the Meeting may be made from time to time by the chairman of the Meeting or by approval of the holders of shares representing a majority of the votes present in person or by proxy at the Meeting, whether or not a quorum exists. In their discretion, the proxies named in the proxy card are authorized to vote upon any adjournment of the Meeting.

 

Stockholder Proposals

 

Proposals of stockholders intended for inclusion in the Company’s proxy statement for the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2020 or special meeting of stockholders held in lieu thereof in accordance with Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Exchange Act, must be received by the Company at its principal executive offices at the following address: Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., 1325 Avenue of Americas, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019 not later than June 27, 2020 in order to be included in the Company’s proxy statement relating to the 2020 meeting of stockholders. Any such proposal must also comply with the requirements as to form and substance established by the SEC in order to be included in the proxy statement relating to the 2020 meeting of stockholders.

 

Pursuant to Rule 14a-4 promulgated under the Exchange Act (“Rule 14a-4”), stockholders who wish to make a proposal or nominate a director at the 2020 meeting of stockholders, other than a proposal intended for inclusion in the Company’s proxy statement for the 2020 meeting of stockholders, must notify the Company not later than September 10, 2020. If a stockholder who wishes to present such a proposal fails to notify the Company by September 10, 2020, and such proposal is brought before the 2020 meeting of stockholders, then under the SEC’s proxy rules, the proxies solicited by management with respect to such meeting will confer discretionary voting authority with respect to such stockholder proposal on those persons selected by management to vote the proxies. Even if a stockholder makes a timely notification, those persons selected by management to vote the proxies may still exercise discretionary voting authority under circumstances consistent with Rule 14a-4.

 

In order to curtail controversy as to the date on which a proposal was received by the Company, it is suggested that stockholders submit any proposals they might have by certified mail, return receipt requested to the Company.

 

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Incorporation by Reference

 

The SEC allows the Company to incorporate information “by reference” into this Proxy Statement, which means that we may disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference herein is deemed to be a part of this Proxy Statement and is being delivered to you with this Proxy Statement.

 

This Proxy Statement incorporates by reference our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, a copy of which (without exhibits) is being delivered to you with this Proxy Statement and which contains important information about the Company that is not set forth in this Proxy Statement.

 

Annual Report on Form 10-K

 

Together with this Proxy Statement, the Company is sending a copy of its 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K (without exhibits) to all of its stockholders of record as of October 23, 2019. The 2018 Annual Report contains the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018.

 

A copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (with all exhibits) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the SEC may be accessed from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and from the Investors section of the Company’s website at www.brainstorm-cell.com and may be obtained without charge upon written request to Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., 1325 Avenue of Americas, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019, Attention: Chief Executive Officer.

 

By Order of the Board of Directors  
   
/s/ Thomas B. Rosedale  
Thomas B. Rosedale, Secretary  
Boston, Massachusetts  
October 25, 2019  

 

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VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 10, 2019. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form. BRAINSTORM CELL THERAPEUTICS INC. 1325 AVENUE OF AMERICAS 28TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10019 ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by our company in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically via e-mail or the Internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years. VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903 Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 10, 2019. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions. VOTE BY MAIL Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: E86470-P29693 KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED. BRAINSTORM CELL THERAPEUTICS INC. The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR the following: For Withhold For All AllAllExcept To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark "For All Except" and write the number(s) of the nominee(s) on the line below. ! !! 1. Election of Directors Nominees: 01) Dr. Irit Arbel 02) Dr. June S. Almenoff 03) Dr. Anthony Polverino 04) Chen Schor 05) Malcolm Taub 06) Uri Yablonka For Against Abstain The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR the following proposal: ! ! ! 2. To ratify the appointment of Brightman Almagor Zohar & Co., a firm in the Deloitte Global Network, as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the current fiscal year. NOTE: Such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof. Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer. Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] Date Signature (Joint Owners) Date

 
 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting: The Notice and Proxy Statement and Form 10-K are available at www.proxyvote.com. E86471-P29693 BRAINSTORM CELL THERAPEUTICS INC. Annual Meeting of Stockholders December 11, 2019 at 10:00 AM This proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors The stockholder(s) hereby appoint(s) Chaim Lebovits, Dr. Ralph Kern, Preetam Shah, Uri Yablonka, and Thomas B. Rosedale, or any one of them, as proxies, each with the power to appoint (his/her) substitute, and hereby authorize(s) them to represent and to vote, as designated on the reverse side of this ballot, all of the shares of common stock of BRAINSTORM CELL THERAPEUTICS INC. that the stockholder(s) is/are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at 10:00 AM, Eastern Time on December 11, 2019, at 3 University Plaza Drive, Suite 320, Hackensack, NJ 07601 and any adjournment or postponement thereof. This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein. If no such direction is made, this proxy will be voted in accordance with the Board of Directors' recommendations. Continued and to be signed on reverse side 

 

 

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