UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE
14A
(Rule
14a-101)
INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE
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Soliciting
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AgeX
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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November
__, 2020
Dear
Stockholder:
You
are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders
of AgeX Therapeutics, Inc. which will be held on Monday, December
28, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at AgeX’s offices at 965 Atlantic Avenue,
Suite 101, Alameda, California. This year we have made arrangements
for our stockholders to attend and participate at the Annual
Meeting online if they wish at https://web.lumiagm.com/268644388.
If you wish to attend the Annual Meeting in person or online you
will need to gain admission in the manner described in the Proxy
Statement that accompanies this letter.
The
Notice and Proxy Statement on the following pages contain details
concerning the business to come before the meeting. Management will
report on current operations, and there will be an opportunity for
discussion concerning AgeX and its activities. Please sign and
return your proxy card in the enclosed envelope to ensure that your
shares will be represented and voted at the meeting even if you
cannot attend. You are urged to sign and return the enclosed proxy
card even if you plan to attend the meeting.
I
look forward to personally meeting all stockholders who are able to
attend.
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Judith
Segall |
|
Secretary |
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NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To
Be Held December 28, 2020
NOTICE
IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of AgeX
Therapeutics, Inc. (“AgeX”), will be held at AgeX’s offices at 965
Atlantic Avenue, Suite 101, Alameda, California on Monday, December
28, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. for the following purposes:
1. To
elect four (4) directors to hold office until the next Annual
Meeting of Stockholders and until their respective successors are
duly elected and qualified. The nominees of the Board of Directors
are: Gregory Bailey, Annalisa Jenkins, Michael May, and Michael D.
West;
2. To
ratify the appointment of OUM & Co., LLP as AgeX’s independent
registered public accountants for the fiscal year ending December
31, 2020;
3. To
seek approval of AgeX stockholders to allow Juvenescence Limited
(“Juvenescence”) to acquire additional shares of AgeX common stock
through the exercise of warrants or the conversion of all or a
portion of the principal amount of certain loans to AgeX if as a
result of the acquisition Juvenescence would (a) acquire more than
19.9% of the AgeX common stock outstanding as of March 30, 2020 at
a price less than the applicable market value of AgeX common stock
or book value per share, and/or (b) own 50% or more of the
outstanding shares of AgeX common stock; and
4. To
transact such other business as may properly come before the
meeting or any adjournments of the meeting.
The
Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on November 23,
2020 as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to
receive notice of and to vote at the meeting or any postponement or
adjournment of the meeting.
This
year we have made arrangements for our stockholders to attend and
participate at the Annual Meeting online if they wish at
https://web.lumiagm.com/268644388. If you wish to attend the Annual
Meeting in person or online you will need to gain admission in the
manner described in the Proxy Statement.
Whether
or not you expect to attend the meeting in person, you are urged to
sign and date the enclosed form of proxy and return it promptly so
that your shares may be represented and voted at the meeting. If
you are present at the meeting, your proxy will be returned to you
if you so request.
WHETHER
OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR PROXY
PROMPTLY BY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE PROXY
CARD.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy
Materials
for the Stockholder Meeting to be Held December 28,
2020.
The
Letter to Stockholders, Notice of Meeting and Proxy Statement, and
Annual Report on Form 10-K,
are
available at:
https://materials.proxyvote.com//00848H
By
Order of the Board of Directors,
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Judith
Segall |
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Secretary |
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Alameda,
California
November
[__], 2020
PRELIMINARY
PROXY STATEMENT
ANNUAL
MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To
Be Held on Monday, December 28, 2020
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS
AND
THE ANNUAL MEETING
Q: Why have I received this Proxy Statement?
AgeX
Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“AgeX”, “we”, “us”,
“our”) is holding its Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the
“Meeting”) at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 28, 2020 at AgeX’s
principal offices located at 965 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 101,
Alameda, California, for the purposes stated in the accompanying
Notice of Annual Meeting, which include (1) electing directors, (2)
ratifying the appointment of our independent registered public
accountants, and (3) to address provisions of the NYSE American
(the “Exchange”) Company Guide applicable to companies like AgeX
that have shares listed on the Exchange, approving a proposal to
allow Juvenescence Limited (“Juvenescence”) to acquire additional
shares of AgeX common stock through the exercise of warrants or the
conversion of all or a portion of the principal amount of certain
loans to AgeX, if as a result Juvenescence would (a) acquire more
than 19.9% of the AgeX common stock outstanding as of March 30,
2020 at a price less than the applicable market value of AgeX
common stock or book value per share, and/or (b) own 50% or more of
the outstanding shares of AgeX common stock (the “Juvenescence
Proposal”). At the Meeting, our management will also report on
current operations, and there will be an opportunity for discussion
concerning AgeX and its activities. This Proxy Statement contains
information about those matters, relevant information about the
Meeting, and other information that we are required to include in a
Proxy Statement under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s
(“SEC”) regulations.
Q: Who is soliciting my proxy?
The
accompanying proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors of AgeX
for use at the Meeting.
Q: Who is entitled to vote at the Meeting?
Only
stockholders of record at the close of business on November 23,
2020, which has been designated as the “record date,” are entitled
to notice of and to vote at the Meeting. On that date, there were
________ shares of AgeX common stock, par value $0.0001 per share,
issued and outstanding, which constitute the only class of AgeX
voting securities outstanding.
Q: What percentage of the vote is required to elect directors or to
approve the other matters that are being presented for a vote by
stockholders?
Directors
will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at the Meeting.
Ratifying the appointment of our independent registered public
accountants and approving the Juvenescence Proposal will require
the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of common stock
represented and voting at the Meeting at which a quorum is present,
provided that the shares voting affirmatively also constitute at
least a majority of the required quorum. A quorum consists of a
majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote
at the Meeting.
Q: How many votes do my shares represent?
Each
share of AgeX common stock is entitled to one vote in all matters.
Stockholders are not entitled to cumulate votes in the election of
directors.
Q: What are my choices when voting?
In
the election of directors, you may vote for all nominees or you may
withhold your vote from one or more nominees. For the vote to
ratify the appointment of our independent registered public
accountants you may vote for the proposal, vote against the
proposal, or abstain from voting on the proposal. Properly executed
proxies in the accompanying form that are received at or before the
Meeting will be voted in accordance with the directions noted on
the proxies.
Q: What if I abstain from voting on a matter?
If
you check the “abstain” box in the proxy form, or if you attend the
Meeting without submitting a proxy and you abstain from voting on a
matter, or if your shares are subject to a “broker non-vote” on a
matter, your shares will be deemed to have not voted on that matter
in determining whether the matter has received an affirmative vote
sufficient for approval. Please see “What if I do not specify how I
want my shares voted?” below for additional information about
broker non-votes.
Q: Can I change my vote after I submit my proxy
form?
You
may revoke your proxy at any time before it is voted. If you are a
stockholder of record and you wish to revoke your proxy you must do
one of the following things:
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deliver
to the Secretary of AgeX a written revocation; or |
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deliver
to the Secretary of AgeX a signed proxy bearing a date subsequent
to the date of the proxy being revoked; or |
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attend
the Meeting and vote in person or through internet voting during
online participation. |
If
you are a “beneficial owner” of shares “held in street name” you
should follow the directions provided by your broker or other
nominee regarding how to revoke your proxy.
Q: Can I still attend and vote at the Meeting if I submit a
proxy?
You
may attend the Meeting and vote in person or online whether or not
you have previously submitted a proxy. If you previously gave a
proxy, your attendance at the Meeting or online will not revoke
your proxy unless you also vote in person at the Meeting or you
vote through internet voting during your online participation at
the Meeting.
Q: How can I vote at the Meeting?
If
you are a stockholder of record, you may vote your shares at the
Meeting by completing a ballot at the Meeting. If you are a
stockholder of record and you attend the Meeting online, you may
vote your shares at the Meeting in the manner provided for internet
voting. However, if you are a “street name” holder, you may vote
your shares in person or online only if you obtain a signed proxy
from your broker or nominee giving you the right to vote your
shares. Please refer to additional information in the “HOW TO
ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING” portion of this Proxy
Statement.
Even
if you currently plan to attend the Meeting in person or online, we
recommend that you also submit your proxy first so that your vote
will be counted if you later decide not to attend the
Meeting.
Q: What are the Board of Directors’
recommendations?
The
Board of Directors recommends that our stockholders vote FOR
(1) each nominee for election as a director, (2) approval of the
appointment of OUM & Co., LLP (“OUM”) as our independent
registered public accountants for the fiscal year ending December
31, 2020; and (3) approval of the Juvenescence Proposal.
Q: What if I do not specify how I want my shares
voted?
Stockholders
of Record. If you are a stockholder of record and you sign and
return a proxy form that does not specify how you want your shares
voted on a matter, your shares will be voted FOR (1) each
nominee for election as a director, (2) approval of the appointment
of OUM as our independent registered public accountants for the
fiscal year ending December 31, 2020; and (3) approval of the
Juvenescence Proposal.
Beneficial
Owners. If you are a beneficial owner and you do not provide
your broker or other nominee with voting instructions, the broker
or other nominee will determine if it has the discretionary
authority to vote on the particular matter. Under the rules of the
various national and regional securities exchanges, brokers and
other nominees holding your shares may vote on certain routine
matters, including the approval of the appointment of our
independent registered public accountants, but cannot vote in the
election of directors. If you hold your shares in street name and
you do not instruct your broker or other nominee how to vote on
those matters as to which brokers and nominees are not permitted to
vote without your instructions, no votes will be cast on your
behalf on those matters. This is generally referred to as a “broker
non-vote.”
Q: What is the difference between holding shares as a stockholder
of record and as a beneficial owner?
Stockholder
of Record. You are a stockholder of record if at the close of
business on the record date your shares were registered directly in
your name with American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC,
our transfer agent.
Beneficial
Owner. You are a beneficial owner if at the close of business
on the record date your shares were held in the name of a brokerage
firm or other nominee and not in your name. Being a beneficial
owner means that, like most of our stockholders, your shares are
held in “street name.” As the beneficial owner, you have the right
to direct your broker or nominee how to vote your shares by
following the voting instructions your broker or other nominee
provides. If you do not provide your broker or nominee with
instructions on how to vote your shares, your broker or nominee
will be able to vote your shares with respect to some of the
proposals, but not all. Please see “What if I do not specify how I
want my shares voted?” above for additional information.
Q: What if any matters not mentioned in the Notice of Annual
Meeting or this Proxy Statement come up for vote at the
Meeting?
The
Board of Directors does not intend to present any business for a
vote at the Meeting other than the matters set forth in the
accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders. As of the
date of this Proxy Statement, no stockholder has notified us of any
other business that may properly come before the Meeting. If other
matters requiring the vote of the stockholders properly come before
the Meeting, then it is the intention of the persons named in the
accompanying form of proxy to vote the proxy held by them in
accordance with their judgment on such matters.
The
enclosed proxy confers discretionary authority to vote with respect
to any and all of the following matters that may come before the
Meeting: (1) matters that the Board of Directors did not know, a
reasonable time before the mailing of the notice of the Meeting,
would be presented at the Meeting; and (2) matters incidental to
the conduct of the Meeting.
Q: Who will bear the cost of soliciting proxies for use at the
Meeting?
AgeX
will bear all of the costs of the solicitation of proxies for use
at the Meeting. In addition to the use of the mails, proxies may be
solicited by a personal interview, telephone, or electronic
communication by our directors, officers, and employees, who will
undertake such activities without additional compensation. Banks,
brokerage houses, and other institutions, nominees, or fiduciaries
will be requested to forward the proxy materials to the beneficial
owners of the common stock held of record by such persons and
entities and will be reimbursed for their reasonable expense
incurred in connection with forwarding such material.
Q: How can I attend and vote at the Meeting?
If
you plan on attending the Meeting in person or online, please read
the “HOW TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING” section of this Proxy
Statement for information about the documents you will need to
bring with you to gain admission to the Meeting and to vote your
shares in person or how to attend and participate in the Meeting
online.
This
Proxy Statement and the accompanying form of proxy are first being
sent or given to our stockholders on or about November [__],
2020.
ELIMINATING
DUPLICATE MAILINGS
AgeX
has adopted a procedure called “householding.” Under this
procedure, we may deliver a single copy of this Proxy Statement and
our Annual Report to multiple stockholders who share the same
address, unless we receive contrary instructions from one or more
of the stockholders. This procedure reduces the environmental
impact of our annual meetings and reduces our printing and mailing
costs. We will deliver separate copies of the Proxy Statement and
Annual Report to each stockholder sharing a common address if they
notify us that they wish to receive separate copies. If you wish to
receive a separate copy of the Proxy Statement or Annual Report,
you may contact us by telephone at (510) 671-8370, or by mail at
965 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 101, Alameda, California 94501. You may
also contact us at the above phone number or address if you are
presently receiving multiple copies of the Proxy Statement, and
Annual Report but would prefer to receive a single copy
instead.
ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
At
the Meeting, four (4) directors will be elected to hold office
until the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders, and until their
successors have been duly elected and qualified. All of the
nominees, Gregory Bailey, Annalisa Jenkins, Michael May, and
Michael D. West, are incumbent directors.
It is
the intention of the persons named in the enclosed proxy, unless
the proxy specifies otherwise, to vote the shares represented by
such proxy FOR the election of the nominees listed below. In
the unlikely event that any nominee should be unable to serve as a
director, proxies may be voted in favor of a substitute nominee
designated by the Board of Directors. If you are a beneficial owner
of shares held in street name, your broker or other nominee will
not be allowed to vote in the election of directors unless you
instruct your broker or other nominee how to vote on the form that
the broker or nominee provided to you.
Directors
The
names and ages of our directors who are nominees for re-election
are:
Gregory
H. Bailey, M.D., 65, joined our Board of Directors in August
2018 and became the Chairman of our Board of Directors in October
2018. Dr. Bailey is currently the Chief Executive Officer of
Juvenescence Limited, a privately held company focused on the
development of therapies for ageing and age-related diseases. Dr.
Bailey is also a director of Manx Financial Group, plc, BioHaven
Inc, SalvaRx Inc and Portage Biotech. Dr. Bailey has founded and
served as a director of a number of private and public companies
and previously served as a managing partner of Palantir Group,
Inc., a merchant bank involved in a number of biotech company
startups and financings. Dr. Bailey practiced emergency medicine
for ten years before entering finance. Dr. Bailey received his M.D.
from the University of Western Ontario. We believe that Dr. Bailey
is qualified to serve on our Board based on his years of experience
in medicine and as an executive and in finance for the
biotechnology industry.
Annalisa
Jenkins, M.B.B.S., F.R.C.P., 55, has served as a member of our
Board of Directors since October 2018. From November 2017 until
April 2019, Dr. Jenkins served as the chief executive officer of
PlaqueTec Ltd., a biotechnology company focusing on coronary artery
disease treatment and prevention. Previously, Dr. Jenkins served as
the chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors
of Dimension Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on
rare and metabolic diseases associated with the liver, from
September 2014 until its sale to Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. in
November 2017. From October 2013 to March 2014, Dr. Jenkins served
as executive vice president, head of global research and
development for Merck Serono Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical
company. Previously, from September 2011 to October 2013, she
served as Merck Serono’s executive vice president, global
development and medical, and was a member of Merck Serono’s
executive committee. Prior to that, Dr. Jenkins pursued a 15-year
career at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, a biopharmaceutical
company, where, from July 2009 to June 2011, she was a senior vice
president and head of global medical affairs. Dr. Jenkins is
currently a committee member of the science board to the FDA, which
advises FDA leadership on complex scientific and technical issues.
Dr. Jenkins serves on the board of directors of AVROBIO, Inc.,
Oncimmune Holdings plc, and a number of privately held
biotechnology and life science companies. Dr. Jenkins previously
served on the board of Silence Therapeutics, Ardelyx, Inc. and
Sensyne Health plc. Dr. Jenkins graduated with a degree in medicine
from St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in the University of London and
subsequently trained in cardiovascular medicine in the UK National
Health Service. Earlier in her career, Dr. Jenkins served as a
medical officer in the British Royal Navy. We believe Dr. Jenkins
is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on her
industry experience in the field in which we operate and her
executive experience with companies in our industry.
Michael
H. May, 52, joined our Board of Directors during August 2019.
Dr. May is President and Chief Executive Officer of CCRM
Enterprises and the Center for Commercialization of Regenerative
Medicine or CCRM, a public-private consortium founded under
Canada’s Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research
Program to generate sustainable health and economic benefits
through global collaboration in cell and gene therapy, and
regenerative medicine. Dr. May co-founded Rimon Therapeutics Ltd.,
a Toronto-based tissue engineering company developing novel medical
polymers that possess drug-like activity, and served as President
and Chief Executive Officer of Rimon from 2000 to 2006, and
President and Chief Operating Officer from 2006 to 2010. Dr. May
serves on a number of boards of directors and advisory committees
in the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine,
including at the International Society for Cell Therapy (ISCT) and
the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM). Dr. May completed his
PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Toronto in 1998 as
an NSERC Scholar and was awarded the Martin Walmsley Fellowship for
Technological Entrepreneurship. We believe that Dr. May is
qualified to serve on our Board based on his years of experience in
tissue engineering and the fields of stem cell research and
regenerative medicine.
Michael
D. West, Ph.D., 67, joined the Board of Directors during
January 2017 and has served as our Chief Executive Officer since
that date. Dr. West was appointed Chief Executive Officer of
Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (formerly BioTime, Inc.) during
October 2007 and then served as Co-Chief Executive Officer from
October 2015 until September 2018. Dr. West also served as interim
President and Chief Executive Officer of Asterias Biotherapeutics,
Inc. from April 2014 to June 2014, and as Vice President of
Technology Integration of Asterias until December 2015. Dr. West
served as a director of: Lineage from 2002 until September 2018;
Asterias from 2012 until September 2018; and OncoCyte Corporation
from 2013 to 2016. Prior to becoming Chief Executive Officer of
Lineage, Dr. West served as Chief Executive Officer, President, and
Chief Scientific Officer of Ocata Therapeutics, Inc., a company
engaged in developing human stem cell technology for use in
regenerative medicine. Dr. West also founded Geron Corporation of
Menlo Park, California, and from 1990 to 1998, he was a Director
and Vice-President, where he initiated and managed programs in
telomerase diagnostics, oligonucleotide-based telomerase inhibition
as anti-tumor therapy, and the cloning and use of telomerase in
telomerase-mediated therapy wherein telomerase is utilized to
immortalize human cells. From 1995 to 1998 he organized and managed
the research between Geron and its academic collaborators, James
Thomson and John Gearhart, which led to the first isolation of
human embryonic stem and human embryonic germ cells. Dr. West
received a B.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1976, an
M.S. in Biology from Andrews University in 1982, and a Ph.D. from
Baylor College of Medicine in 1989 concentrating on the biology of
cellular aging. Dr. West is an internationally renowned pioneer and
expert in stem cell research, and we believe that he is qualified
to serve on our Board based on his years of executive experience in
the fields of stem cell research and regenerative
medicine.
Previous Arrangement for the Designation of
Directors
Pursuant
to a Shareholders Agreement between our former parent company
Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (“Lineage”), formerly known as
BioTime, Inc., and our current largest stockholder Juvenescence
Limited (“Juvenescence”), Lineage had the right to designate two
members of our Board of Directors and Juvenescence had the right to
designate three members of our Board of Directors. Under the
Shareholders Agreement, the remaining members of the Board of
Directors were to be independent of Lineage and Juvenescence and
mutually agreed to and designated by Lineage and Juvenescence.
Pursuant to the Shareholders Agreement, Juvenescence designated
Gregory Bailey and Annalisa Jenkins as directors. Lineage had
previously appointed Michael D. West and Michael H. Mulroy as
directors. The Shareholders Agreement is no longer in effect,
having expired on November 28, 2018 (the “Distribution Date”) when
Lineage distributed to its shareholders, on a pro rata basis,
12,697,028 shares of the AgeX common stock it then held (the
“Distribution”).
Director
Independence
Gregory
Bailey, Annalisa Jenkins, and Michael May qualify as “independent”
in accordance with Section 803(A) of the NYSE American Company
Guide. Michael Mulroy who served as a director during a portion of
2019 and John Mauldin who served as director during 2019 and a
portion of 2020 also were independent under that standard. Mr.
Mauldin stepped off the Board of Directors during March 2020. The
members of our Audit Committee meet the additional independence
standards under Section 803(B)(2) of the NYSE American Company
Guide and Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the “Exchange Act”). The members of our Compensation
Committee meet the additional independence standards under Section
805(c)(1) of the NYSE American Company Guide. Our independent
directors received no compensation or remuneration during the last
fiscal year for serving as directors except as disclosed under
“CORPORATE GOVERNANCE—Compensation of Directors.” None of the
independent directors, nor any of the members of their respective
families, have participated in any transaction with us that would
disqualify them as “independent” directors under the standards
described above.
Michael
D. West does not qualify as “independent” because he serves as our
President and Chief Executive Officer. Gregory Bailey does not meet
the independence standard for service on the Audit Committee under
Exchange Act Rule 10A-3 because he is the Chief Executive Officer
of Juvenescence Limited, which is our largest stockholder and owns
more than 43% of our issued and outstanding shares of common
stock.
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
Directors’
Meetings
During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, our Board of Directors met
ten times. None of our current directors attended fewer than 75% of
the meetings of the Board and the committees on which they served
during their terms as directors. Directors are also encouraged to
attend our annual meetings of stockholders, although they are not
formally required to do so.
Meetings
of Non-Management Directors
Our
non-management directors met no less frequently than quarterly in
executive session, without any directors who are AgeX officers or
employees present. These meetings allowed the non-management
directors to engage in open and frank discussions about corporate
governance and about our business, operations, finances, and
management performance.
Stockholder
Communications with Directors
If
you wish to communicate with the Board of Directors or with
individual directors, you may do so by following the procedure
described on our website www.agexinc.com.
Code
of Ethics
We
have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (“Code of
Ethics”) that applies to our principal executive officers, our
principal financial officer and accounting officer, our other
executive officers, and our directors. The purpose of the Code of
Ethics is to promote (i) honest and ethical conduct, including the
ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest
between personal and professional relationships; (ii) full, fair,
accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in reports and
documents that we file with or submit to the SEC and in our other
public communications; (iii) compliance with applicable
governmental rules and regulations; (iv) prompt internal reporting
of violations of the Code of Ethics to an appropriate person or
persons identified in the Code of Ethics; and (v) accountability
for adherence to the Code of Ethics. A copy of our Code of Ethics
has been posted on our internet website and can be found at
www.agexinc.com. We intend to disclose any future
amendments to certain provisions of our Code of Ethics, and any
waivers of those provisions granted to our principal executive
officers, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer
or controller or persons performing similar functions, by posting
the information on our website within four business days following
the date of the amendment or waiver.
Board
Leadership Structure
Our
leadership structure bifurcates the roles of Chief Executive
Officer and Chairman of the Board. In other words, although our
Chief Executive Officer is a member of our Board, Gregory Bailey
currently serves as Chairman of the Board. AgeX believes that the
Chairman can provide support and advice to the Chief Executive
Officer, and lead the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities. The
Chairman of the Board serves as an active liaison between the Board
and our Chief Executive Officer and our other senior management.
The Chairman of the Board also interfaces with our other
non-management directors with respect to matters such as the
members and chairs of Board committees, other corporate governance
matters, and strategic planning.
The
Board’s Role in Risk Management
The
Board has an active role, as a whole, in overseeing management of
the risks of our business. The Board regularly reviews information
regarding our credit, liquidity, and operations, as well as the
risks associated with our research and development activities and
our plans to expand our business. The Audit Committee provides
oversight of our financial reporting processes and the annual audit
of our financial statements. In addition, the Audit Committee
reviews and must approve any business transactions between AgeX and
its executive officers, directors, and stockholders who
beneficially own 5% or more of our outstanding shares of common
stock.
Hedging
Transactions
We
have adopted a policy that prohibits our directors and our officers
and other employees from purchasing financial instruments,
including prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps,
collars, and exchange funds, or to otherwise engage in transactions
that hedge or offset, or that are designed to hedge or offset,
risks of any decrease in the market value of our common stock or
other equity securities granted to the employee or director as part
of their compensation, or held, directly or indirectly, by the
employee or director.
Committees
of the Board
Audit
Committee
The
members of the Audit Committee are Annalisa Jenkins and Michael H.
May. John Mauldin also served as a member of the Audit Committee
during 2019 and a portion of 2020. The Audit Committee held four
meetings during 2019. The purpose of the Audit Committee is to
recommend the engagement of our independent registered public
accountants, to review their performance and the plan, scope, and
results of the audit, and to review and approve the fees we pay to
our independent registered public accountants. The Audit Committee
also will review our accounting and financial reporting procedures
and controls, all requests for waivers of, our Code of Ethics, and
all transactions between us and our executive officers, directors,
and stockholders who beneficially own 5% or more of any class of
our voting securities. A copy of the Audit Committee Charter has
been posted on our internet website and can be found at
www.agexinc.com.
Compensation
Committee
The
members of the Compensation Committee are Annalisa Jenkins
(Chairman), and Gregory Bailey. John Mauldin also served as a
member of the Compensation Committee during 2019 and a portion of
2020. The Compensation Committee held one meeting during 2019. The
Compensation Committee oversees our compensation and employee
benefit plans and practices, including executive compensation
arrangements and incentive plans and awards of stock options and
other equity-based awards under our equity plans, including our
2017 Equity Incentive Plan. The Compensation Committee will
determine or recommend to the Board of Directors the terms and
amount of executive compensation and grants of equity-based awards
to executives, key employees, consultants, and independent
contractors. The Chief Executive Officer may make recommendations
to the Compensation Committee concerning executive compensation and
performance, but the Compensation Committee makes its own
determination or recommendation to the Board of Directors with
respect to the amount and components of compensation, including
salary, bonus and equity awards to executive officers, generally
taking into account factors such as company performance, individual
performance, and compensation paid by peer group companies. A copy
of the Compensation Committee Charter has been posted on our
internet website and can be found at
www.agexinc.com.
Report
of the Audit Committee on the Audit of Our Financial
Statements
The
following is the report of the Audit Committee with respect to
AgeX’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31,
2019.
Michael
May jointed the Audit Committee during August 2019 when he became a
member of our Board of Directors. Michael Mulroy also served as a
member of the Audit Committee during a portion of
2019.
The
information contained in this report shall not be deemed
“soliciting material” or otherwise considered “filed” with the SEC,
and such information shall not be incorporated by reference into
any future filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“Securities Act”), or the Exchange Act, except to the extent that
AgeX specifically incorporates such information by reference in
such filing.
The
members of the Audit Committee held discussions with our management
and representatives of OUM & Co. LLP, our independent
registered public accountants, concerning the audit of our
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019. The
independent public accountants are responsible for performing an
independent audit of our financial statements and issuing an
opinion on the conformity of those audited financial statements
with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
The Audit Committee does not itself prepare financial statements or
perform audits, and its members are not auditors or certifiers of
AgeX’s financial statements.
The
Audit Committee members reviewed and discussed with management and
representatives of the auditors the audited financial statements
contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2019. Our auditors also discussed with the Audit
Committee the adequacy of AgeX’s internal control over financial
reporting.
The
Audit Committee members discussed with the independent auditors the
matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of
the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the SEC. The
Audit Committee received the written disclosures and the letter
mandated by applicable requirements of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent accountant’s
communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence,
and discussed with the independent accountant the independent
accountant’s independence. Based on the reviews and discussions
referred to above, the Audit Committee unanimously approved the
inclusion of the audited financial statements in our Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the
SEC.
The
Audit Committee also met on a quarterly basis with the auditors
during 2019 to review and discuss our financial statements for the
quarter and the adequacy of internal control over financial
reporting.
The
Audit Committee: Annalisa Jenkins (Chair) and Michael
May
Nomination
of Candidates for Election as Directors
Nominating
& Corporate Governance Committee and Nominating Policies and
Procedures
The
members of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee are
Michael H. May and Gregory Bailey. John Mauldin also served as a
member of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee
during 2019 and a portion of 2020. Mr. May was appointed as chair
of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee during
August 2020. The Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee
held three meetings during 2019.
The
purpose of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee is
to recommend to the Board of Directors individuals qualified to
serve as directors and on committees of the Board, and to make
recommendations to the Board on issues and proposals regarding
corporate governance matters. A copy of the Nominating &
Corporate Governance Committee Charter has been posted on our
internet website and can be found at
www.agexinc.com.
The
Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee will consider
nominees for election as directors proposed by stockholders,
provided that they notify the Nominating & Corporate Governance
Committee of the nomination in writing at least 120 days prior to
the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting;
provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is more
than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary
date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered,
or mailed and received, not later than the 90 days day prior to
such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth day following the day
on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was
first made. Within the applicable time frame the stockholder and
the nominee must also provide the Nominating & Corporate
Governance Committee with all information that the Nominating &
Corporate Governance Committee may reasonably request regarding the
nominee.
The
Board and the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee have
not set any specific minimum qualifications that a prospective
nominee would need in order to be nominated to serve on the Board
of Directors. Rather, in evaluating any new nominee or incumbent
director, the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee will
consider whether the particular person has the knowledge, skills,
experience, and expertise needed to manage our affairs in light of
the skills, experience, and expertise of the other members of the
Board as a whole. The Nominating & Corporate Governance
Committee will also consider whether a nominee or incumbent
director has any conflicts of interest with AgeX that might
conflict with our Code of Ethics or that might otherwise interfere
with their ability to perform their duties in a manner that is in
the best interest of AgeX and its stockholders. The Nominating
& Corporate Governance Committee will also consider whether
including a prospective director on the Board will result in a
Board composition that complies with (a) applicable state corporate
laws, (b) applicable federal and state securities laws, and (c) the
rules of the SEC and each stock exchange on which our shares are
listed.
The
Board of Directors and the Nominating & Corporate Governance
Committee have not adopted specific policies with respect to a
particular mix or diversity of skills, experience, expertise,
perspectives, and background that nominees should have. However,
the present Board was assembled with a focus on attaining a Board
comprised of people with substantial experience in bioscience, the
pharmaceutical industry, corporate management, and finance. The
Board believes that this interdisciplinary approach will best suit
our needs as we work to develop and commercialize cancer diagnostic
tests.
Some
of the factors considered by the Nominating & Corporate
Governance Committee and the Board in selecting the Board’s
nominees for election at the Meeting are discussed in this Proxy
Statement under “ELECTION OF DIRECTORS.”
Because
our principal executive office is located in California, we must
comply with recently enacted Section 301.3 of the California
Corporations Code, which provides that a publicly held corporation,
as defined in Section 301.3, that has its principal executive
offices in California must have had at least one female director by
the close of 2019, and may be required to have as many as three
female directors by the close of 2021, depending on the authorized
number of directors. Failure to comply with Section 301.3 can lead
to the imposition of fines. Our Board of Directors presently
complies with Section 301.3 but we could be required to add one or
more additional women to our Board of Directors if we were to
increase the authorized number of directors.
Executive
Officers
Michael
D. West, President and Chief Executive Officer, Andrea Park, Chief
Financial Officer, Nafees Malik, Chief Operating Officer, and Hal
Sternberg, Vice President of Research, are our executive officers.
Russell Skibsted served as our Chief Financial Officer during 2019
and until May 15, 2020.
Andrea E. Park, 48, was appointed as Chief Financial Officer
of AgeX Therapeutics, Inc. in May 2020. Ms. Park served as AgeX’s
VP of Finance and Controller since October 2019. Ms. Park’s career
spans over 24 years of public accounting and finance experience.
Before joining AgeX, Ms. Park served as VP of Finance and
Controller from June 2016 to September 2019 and as Corporate
Controller from February 2005 to June 2016 for Lineage Cell
Therapeutics, Inc. (formerly BioTime, Inc.). While at Lineage, Ms.
Park was directly involved in the accounting and financial
reporting of the public spin off and eventually the deconsolidation
of three of its then subsidiaries including Asterias
Biotherapeutics, Inc., Oncocyte Corporate and AgeX. Earlier in her
career she has worked in the audit and assurance practice at
Deloitte. Ms. Park has a B.A. in Business Economics with
Concentration in Accounting from the University of California,
Santa Barbara.
Nafees
N. Malik, MBChB, MPhil, 43, was appointed as our Chief
Operating Officer during October 2018. He was also appointed Head
of Cell and Gene Therapy at Juvenescence UK Ltd during October
2018. He founded and was managing director of Asklepian Consulting
Limited from June 2013 where he focused on the strategic and
commercial analysis of cell and gene therapies and regenerative
medicine. Dr. Malik received his medical degree from the University
of Liverpool and his Master of Philosophy degree in Bioscience
Enterprise from the University of Cambridge.
Hal
Sternberg, Ph.D., 67, was appointed Vice President of Research
in August 2017. Prior to serving in that role, Dr. Sternberg was
Vice President of Research of Lineage for over 25 years and was one
of Lineage co-founders. Prior to co-founding and joining Lineage,
Dr. Sternberg held various positions at the University of
California at Berkeley from 1982 to 1988, where he supervised a
team of researchers studying Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr. Sternberg
holds a M.S. in Chemistry and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the
University of Maryland.
DIRECTOR
COMPENSATION
Directors
and members of committees of the Board of Directors who are our
employees are entitled to receive compensation as employees but are
not compensated for serving as directors or attending meetings of
the Board or committees of the Board. All directors are entitled to
reimbursements for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in
attending meetings of the Board or committees of the
Board.
The
following table summarizes certain information concerning the
compensation paid during the past fiscal year to each of the
persons who served as directors during the year ended December 31,
2019 and who were not our employees on the date the compensation
was earned.
Name
|
|
Fees
Earned Or Paid in Cash |
|
|
Option
Awards(1)
|
|
|
All
Other Compensation |
|
|
Total
|
|
Gregory
Bailey |
|
$ |
60,000 |
|
|
$ |
270,647 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
330,647 |
|
Annalisa
Jenkins |
|
$ |
40,027 |
|
|
$ |
270,647 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
310,674 |
|
John
Mauldin(2) |
|
$ |
40,000 |
|
|
$ |
175,920 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
215,920 |
|
Michael
May |
|
$ |
14,288 |
|
|
$ |
22,223 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
36,511 |
|
Michael
Mulroy(3) |
|
$ |
26,075 |
|
|
$ |
175,920 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
201,995 |
|
|
(1) |
Those
of our directors who were serving on our Board of Directors on
March 11, 2019 and who were not our salaried employees each
received an annual award of stock options on that date entitling
them to purchase common stock at a fixed price as partial
compensation for serving on our Board. Dr. Bailey and Dr. Jenkins,
who had not received a grant of options upon joining the Board the
previous year, each received 100,000 stock options while Mr.
Mauldin and Mr. Mulroy each received 65,000 stock options. Those
options will vest and become exercisable in equal quarterly
installments over a one-year period from the date of
grant. |
|
|
|
|
|
Dr.
May received 26,534 stock options upon his appointment as a member
of our Board of Directors. on August 5, 2019. The options vested
and became exercisable in two equal quarterly installments on
September 30 and December 31, 2019. |
|
|
|
|
|
The
dollar amounts in this column represent the aggregate fair market
value of such awards determined based on the price of our common
stock on the grant date in accordance with ASC Topic 718,
Compensation-Stock Compensation (ASC Topic 718). See Note 13
Stock-Based Awards to our Consolidated Financial Statements
included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2019 for details as to the assumptions used to
determine the fair value of the awards. |
|
|
|
|
(2) |
Mr.
Mauldin resigned from our Board of Directors on March 12, 2020. On
that date, 100,000 options were vested but expired unexercised 90
days after his resignation date. |
|
|
|
|
(3) |
Mr.
Mulroy resigned from our Board of Directors on July 30, 2019. On
that date, 32,500 unvested options were immediately forfeited and
the remaining 67,500 vested options expired 90 days after his
resignation date. |
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
Emerging
Growth Company and Smaller Reporting Company
We
are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our
Business Startups Act of 2012 and a “smaller reporting company” as
defined in the rules and regulations of the SEC. As an emerging
growth company and as a smaller reporting company we may take
advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements
that are otherwise applicable, in general, to public companies that
are not emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies.
Accordingly, this Proxy Statement includes reduced disclosure about
our executive compensation arrangements.
The
following tables show certain information relating to the
compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and the two highest
paid individuals who were serving as executive officers at year end
and in each case whose total compensation exceeded $100,000 during
2018. We refer to such executive officers referred to as our “Named
Executive Officers”.
Summary
Compensation Table
The
following table sets forth the compensation awarded to, earned by,
or paid to our Named Executive Officers in respect of their service
to the Company for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and
2018.
Name
and principal position |
|
Year |
|
Salary |
|
|
Bonus |
|
|
Option
Awards(1) |
|
|
All
Other
Compensation(2) |
|
|
Total |
|
Michael
D. West |
|
2019 |
|
$ |
543,054 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
484,647 |
(3) |
|
$ |
14,000 |
|
|
$ |
1,041,701 |
|
Chief
Executive Officer |
|
2018 |
|
|
575,433 |
(4) |
|
$ |
39,000 |
(5) |
|
|
1,025,497 |
|
|
|
10,477 |
|
|
|
1,650,407 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hal
Sternberg |
|
2019 |
|
|
250,374 |
|
|
|
25,000 |
(6) |
|
|
40,597 |
|
|
|
13,052 |
|
|
|
329,023 |
|
Vice
President, Research |
|
2018 |
|
|
242,665 |
|
|
|
30,000 |
(6) |
|
|
20,058 |
|
|
|
4,270 |
|
|
|
296,993 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nafees
Malik(7) |
|
2019 |
|
|
279,540 |
(8) |
|
|
50,000 |
(8) |
|
|
189,453 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
518,993 |
|
Chief
Operating Officer |
|
2018 |
|
|
58,650 |
(8) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
723,590 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
782,240 |
|
|
(1) |
Amounts
shown in this column do not reflect dollar amounts actually
received by our Named Executive Officers. Instead, these amounts
reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of each stock option
granted, computed in accordance with the provisions of FASB ASC
Topic 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation. We used the
Black-Scholes Pricing Model to compute option fair values based on
applicable exercise and stock prices, an expected option term,
volatility assumptions, and risk-free interest rates. Our Named
Executive Officers will only realize compensation upon exercise of
the stock options and to the extent the trading price of our common
stock is greater than the exercise price of such stock options at
the time of exercise. |
|
|
|
|
|
One
fourth of the options will vest upon completion of 12 full months
of continuous employment measured from the date of grant, and the
balance of the options vest in 36 equal monthly installments
commencing on the first anniversary of the date of grant, based on
the completion of each month of continuous service as an employee
or director of AgeX or its subsidiaries. |
|
|
|
|
(2) |
Amounts
represent 401(k) matching contributions by us for the periods
presented unless described otherwise. |
|
|
|
|
(3) |
Dr.
West’s equity awards in 2019 reflect the fair value of 100,000
stock options and 50,000 restricted stock units. |
|
|
|
|
(4) |
Pursuant
to the Shared Facilities Agreement, Dr. West’s salary for his
services as Chief Executive Officer of AgeX for the period January
1 through September 17, 2018 was paid by Lineage, with 80% of such
amount allocated to AgeX and reimbursed to Lineage. Since October
15, 2018 we have compensated Dr. West directly for his services as
Chief Executive Officer under the terms of his employment
agreement. |
|
|
|
|
(5) |
Pursuant
to the Shared Facilities Agreement, Dr. West’s pro-rated bonus for
his services as Chief Executive Officer of AgeX from January 1
through September 17, 2018 was paid by Lineage, with 80% of such
amount allocated to AgeX and reimbursed to Lineage. |
|
|
|
|
(6) |
Amounts
represent the discretionary annual cash bonus paid to Dr. Sternberg
during the periods presented. |
|
(7) |
Dr.
Malik has served as our Chief Operating Officer as a consultant
through Juvenescence since October 2018. Dr. Malik is an employee
of Juvenescence and has been devoting a majority of his time to
AgeX’s operations for which AgeX reimburses Juvenescence for his
services. |
|
|
|
|
(8) |
Amounts
represent consulting fees and bonus payments made to Juvenescence
for Dr. Malik. |
Executive
Employment Agreements and Change of Control
Provisions
Michael D. West
We
have entered into an employment agreement with our Chief Executive
Officer Michael D. West, effective October 18, 2018 (the “West
Employment Agreement”). Pursuant to the West Employment Agreement,
Dr. West’s annual base salary was set at $525,000. Under the West
Employment Agreement, Dr. West is eligible to earn an annual
incentive cash bonus with a target of no less than 50% of annual
base salary. Actual bonus amounts will be based on Dr. West’s
attainment of individual performance goals at target levels set by
the Board of Directors for the applicable calendar year. If such
performance goals for the applicable year are fully achieved, the
Board of Directors may approve a bonus amount exceeding the target
bonus level.
Under
the West Employment Agreement, Dr. West has been granted options to
purchase 500,000 shares of our common stock with an exercise price
of $3.00 per share, with one fourth of the options vesting
following 12 full months of continuous service as an employee of
AgeX, measured from the date of grant, and the balance vesting in
36 equal monthly installments commencing on the first anniversary
of the date of grant, based upon the completion of each month of
continuous service as an employee of AgeX. Such options expire on
the earliest of (1) 10 years from the date of grant, (2) three
months after Dr. West ceases to provide continuous service to us
(other than due to death or disability) or (3) one year after Dr.
West ceases to provide continuous service to us due to death or
disability.
Under
the West Employment Agreement, Dr. West has agreed to certain
covenants regarding confidential information and assignment of
inventions, as well as a covenant not to solicit our employees
during Dr. West’s employment with us and for one year thereafter.
The West Employment Agreement also includes a covenant not to
compete with us during his employment. In the event of Dr. West’s
resignation or termination from AgeX for any reason, Dr. West has
agreed to promptly resign from the Board of Directors of AgeX and
any of its subsidiaries.
Hal Sternberg
We
have entered into an employment agreement with our Vice President
of Research Hal Sternberg (the “Sternberg Employment Agreement”).
Dr. Sternberg’s annual base salary from January 1 through March 10,
2019 was $242,050 and from March 11 through December 31, 2019 was
$251,127. Any bonus will be granted at the discretion of our Board
of Directors based on Dr. Sternberg’s performance and achievement
of goals or milestone set by the Board of Directors from time to
time. The Board of Directors may also follow the recommendations of
its compensation committee in determining whether to award bonuses
or to establish performance goals or milestones. Under the
Sternberg Employment Agreement, Dr. Sternberg has agreed to certain
covenants regarding confidential information.
Effective
May 1, 2020, Dr. Sternberg agreed to a 50% salary reduction as part
of a cost savings plan that we implanted that also included a
reduction in staffing.
Severance and Change of Control Arrangements for Dr. West and Dr.
Sternberg
Pursuant
to the West Employment Agreement, and Sternberg Employment
Agreement, each officer is entitled to severance benefits under
certain circumstances.
If we
terminate Dr. West’s employment without “cause” or he resigns for
“good reason” at any time, he will be entitled to (1) 12 months
base salary, (2) all accrued but unpaid salary earned prior to or
as of the date of termination or resignation, (3) full payment of
Dr. West’s target bonus due for such year and (4) for a period of
six months, all benefits under any health insurance plan of AgeX.
In addition, if we terminate Dr. West’s employment without “cause”
or he resigns for “good reason,” (1) all of Dr. West’s outstanding
equity awards that would otherwise have vested during the 12 months
following termination or resignation will become fully vested and
exercisable immediately and (2) with respect to any outstanding
vested but unexercised options, the exercise period following
termination or resignation will be extended to the earlier of the
(A) 12 months after termination or (B) the natural expiration date
of the applicable option. If we terminate Dr. West’s employment
without “cause,” or he resigns for “good reason,” following a
“Change of Control,” (1) Dr. West will be entitled to all of the
benefits and payments that he would have been entitled to if his
employment had been otherwise terminated without “cause” or if he
resigned for “good reason,” as set forth above, and (2) all of Dr.
West’s unvested options and restricted stock units, if any, will
become fully vested and exercisable immediately. The severance
compensation may be paid in a lump sum or, at our election, in
installments consistent with the payment of Dr. West’s salary while
employed by us. In order to receive the severance benefits, Dr.
West must execute a general release of all claims against
us.
If we
terminate Dr. Sternberg’s employment without “cause” within 12
months of employment, he will be entitled to three months base
salary. If we terminate Dr. Sternberg’s employment without “cause”
after 12 months of employment, he will be entitled to six months
base salary. If we terminate Dr. Sternberg’s employment following a
“Change of Control” within 12 months of employment, he will be
entitled to three months base salary and accelerated vesting of 50%
of any then unvested stock options granted. If we terminate Dr.
Sternberg’s employment following a “Change in Control” after 12
months of employment, he will receive six months base salary and
vesting of 100% of any then unvested stock options granted. If Dr.
Sternberg’s employment is terminated for “cause,” due to death or
disability or from Dr. Sternberg’s resignation, Dr. Sternberg will
be entitled to all accrued but unpaid salary earned prior to or as
of the date of termination or resignation. The severance
compensation may be paid in a lump sum or, at our election, in
installments consistent with the payment of Dr. Sternberg’s salary
while employed by us. In order to receive the severance benefits,
Dr. Sternberg must execute a general release of all claims against
us and must return all our property in his possession.
“Change
of Control,” as defined in each of the West Employment Agreement
and Sternberg Employment Agreement, means any one of the
following:
|
● |
the
acquisition of our voting securities by a person or an Affiliated
Group entitling the holder to elect a majority of our directors,
except that an increase in the amount of voting securities held by
a person or Affiliated Group who on the date of the Employment
Agreement beneficially owned more than 10% of our voting securities
will not be a Change of Control. In addition, an acquisition of
voting securities by one or more persons acting as an underwriter
in connection with a sale or distribution of voting securities will
not constitute a Change of Control; |
|
|
|
|
● |
the
sale of all or substantially all of our assets; or |
|
● |
a
merger or consolidation in which we merge or consolidate into
another corporation or entity in which our stockholders immediately
before the merger or consolidation do not own, in the aggregate,
voting securities of the surviving corporation or entity entitling
them, in the aggregate (and without regard to whether they
constitute an Affiliated Group) to elect a majority of the
directors or persons holding similar powers of the surviving
corporation or entity. |
A
Change of Control will not occur if all of the persons acquiring
our voting securities or assets, or merging or consolidating with
us, are one or more of our direct or indirect subsidiaries or
parent corporations. “Affiliated Group” means (A) a person and one
or more other persons in control of, controlled by, or under common
control with, such person; and (B) two or more persons who, by
written agreement among them, act in concert to acquire voting
securities entitling them to elect a majority of our
directors.
Equity
Awards Outstanding At December 31, 2019
The
following table summarizes certain information concerning
outstanding stock options granted by us under our 2017 Equity
Incentive Plan (the “Incentive Plan”) and the stock option plans of
certain of our subsidiaries and held by our Named Executive
Officers as of December 31, 2019.
|
|
AgeX
and Subsidiary Option and Stock Awards
|
|
|
|
Number
of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
|
|
|
Number
of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
|
|
|
Option
|
|
|
Option
|
|
|
Number
of Shares or
Units
of Stock that
|
|
|
Market
Value
of
Shares
or
Units
of
Stock
that
|
|
|
|
Stock
Option |
|
Options |
|
|
Options |
|
|
Exercise |
|
|
Expiration |
|
|
have
Not |
|
|
have
Not |
|
Name |
|
Plan
Name |
|
Exercisable |
|
|
Unexercisable |
|
|
Price |
|
|
Date |
|
|
Vested |
|
|
Vested |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael
D. West |
|
AgeX
Therapeutics, Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
100,000 |
(1) |
|
$ |
4.28 |
|
|
|
March
10, 2029 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
145,833 |
|
|
|
354,167 |
(2) |
|
$ |
3.00 |
|
|
|
October
17, 2028 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
513,333 |
|
|
|
146,667 |
(3) |
|
$ |
2.00 |
|
|
|
October
9, 2027 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
50,000 |
(4) |
|
$ |
214,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LifeMap
Sciences, Inc. 2011 Stock Option Plan |
|
|
99,140 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
1.75 |
|
|
|
September
30, 2020
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ReCyte
Therapeutics, Inc. 2011 Stock Option Plan |
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$ |
2.05 |
|
|
|
December
28, 2020 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hal
Sternberg |
|
AgeX
Therapeutics, Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
15,000 |
(1) |
|
$ |
4.28 |
|
|
|
March
10, 2029
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,875 |
|
|
|
8,125 |
(5) |
|
$ |
2.00 |
|
|
|
March
14, 2028 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
18,229 |
|
|
|
16,771 |
(6) |
|
$ |
2.00 |
|
|
|
November
14, 2027 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Nafees
Malik |
|
AgeX
Therapeutics, Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
70,000 |
(1) |
|
$ |
4.28 |
|
|
|
March
10, 2029
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
102,083 |
|
|
|
247,917 |
(2) |
|
$ |
3.00 |
|
|
|
October
17, 2028 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
(1) |
One
fourth of the options will vest upon completion of 12 full months
of continuous service as an employee of AgeX or any subsidiary,
measured from the date of grants March 11, 2019 and the balance of
the options will vest in 36 equal monthly installments commencing
on the first anniversary of the date of grant, based upon the
completion of each month of continuous service as an employee of
AgeX or any subsidiary. |
|
|
(2) |
One
fourth of the options vested on October 17, 2019, and the balance
of the options will vest in 36 equal monthly installments
commencing on the first anniversary of the date of grant, based
upon the completion of each month of continuous service as an
employee of AgeX or any subsidiary. |
|
|
(3) |
One
third of the options vested on August 17, 2018 and the balance of
the options will vest in 24 equal monthly installments thereafter,
based upon the completion of each month of continuous service as an
employee or director of AgeX. |
|
|
(4) |
The
RSUs were granted under AgeX’s 2017 Equity Incentive Plan on March
11, 2019, at which time the closing price on the NYSE American was
$4.28 per share. None of the RSUs vested during 2019. The RSUs are
subject to time-based vesting over a 4 year period with the first
25% vesting on the first anniversary date and the remainder vesting
in equal quarterly installment over the remaining 3 years but must
be reported here at the aggregate grant date fair value, as if the
RSUs were fully vested and exercisable at the date of grant. Each
RSU represents a contingent right to receive one AgeX common
stock. |
|
|
(5) |
One
fourth of the options will vest vested on March 14, 2019, and the
balance of the options will vest in 36 equal monthly installments
commencing on the first anniversary of the date of grant, based
upon the completion of each month of continuous service as an
employee of AgeX or a subsidiary. |
|
|
(6) |
One
fourth of the options vested on November 15, 2018, and the balance
of the options will vest in 36 equal monthly installments
thereafter, based upon the completion of each month of continuous
service as an employee or director of AgeX. |
Risk Considerations and Recoupment Policies
The
Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors considers, in
establishing and reviewing the executive compensation program,
whether the program encourages unnecessary or excessive risk
taking. Most of our executive compensation arrangements include a
fixed salary that provides a steady income so that executives do
not feel pressured to focus exclusively on stock price performance
or short-term financial targets to the detriment of our long-term
operational and strategic objectives. We supplement fixed salaries
with discretionary bonus awards based on the executive’s
performance as well as the performance of AgeX. The stock options
that we have granted to our executive officers under the Incentive
Plan vest over four to five years, assuring that the executives
take a long-term perspective in viewing their equity
ownership.
Because
we have not adopted compensation plans, or made incentive awards,
based on quantified financial performance measures, we have not
adopted specific policies regarding the adjustment or recovery of
awards or payments if the relevant performance measures are
restated or otherwise adjusted in a manner that would reduce the
size of an award or payment. We may adopt such policies, however,
if we adopt incentive compensation plans or grant incentive bonuses
based on financial performance measures or if we are required to do
by the rules of any national securities exchange or interdealer
quotation system on which our common stock or other equity
securities are listed.
The
Incentive Plan
The
following summary of the Incentive Plan is a summary only and does
not purport to include all of the terms of the Incentive Plan, and
is qualified by the full terms of the Incentive Plan. The Incentive
Plan permits us to grant awards (“Awards”) consisting of stock
options, the grant or sale of restricted stock (“Restricted
Stock”), the grant of stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), and the
grant of hypothetical units issued with reference to our common
stock (“Restricted Stock Units”), for up to 4,000,000 shares of our
common stock. Awards may be granted under the Incentive Plan to
employees, directors, and consultants of AgeX and our subsidiaries,
including also subsidiaries that we may form or acquire in the
future. The Incentive Plan will be administered by our Board of
Directors or by a committee authorized by our Board (“Committee”),
who will make all determinations with regard to the grant and terms
of Awards, subject to the terms of the Incentive Plan.
Awards
may vest and thereby become exercisable or have restrictions on
forfeiture lapse on the date of grant or in periodic installments
or upon the attainment of performance goals, or upon the occurrence
of specified events as determined by the Board or the Committee.
The Board or Committee, in its discretion, may accelerate the
vesting of an Award after the date of grant.
No
person shall be granted, during any one-year period, options to
purchase, or SARs with respect to, more than 1,000,000 shares in
the aggregate, or any Awards of Restricted Stock or Restricted
Stock Units with respect to more than 500,000 shares in the
aggregate. If an Award is to be settled in cash, the number of
shares on which the Award is based shall not count toward the
individual share limit.
No
Awards may be granted under the Incentive Plan more than ten years
after the date upon which the Incentive Plan was adopted by the
Board, and no options or SARS granted under the Incentive Plan may
be exercised after the expiration of ten years from the date of
grant.
Stock
Options
Options
granted under the Incentive Plan may be either “incentive stock
options” within the meaning of Section 422(b) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or “non-qualified”
stock options that do not qualify incentive stock options.
Incentive stock options may be granted only to employees of AgeX
and its subsidiaries. The exercise price of stock options granted
under the Incentive Plan must be equal to the fair market of our
common stock on the date the option is granted. In the case of an
optionee who, at the time of grant, owns more than 10% of the
combined voting power of all classes of our stock, the exercise
price of any incentive stock option must be at least 110% of the
fair market value of our common stock on the grant date, and the
term of the option may be no longer than five years. The aggregate
fair market value of common stock (determined as of the grant date
of the option) with respect to which incentive stock options become
exercisable for the first time by an optionee in any calendar year
may not exceed $100,000.
The
exercise price of an option may be payable in cash or in shares of
our common stock having a fair market value equal to the exercise
price, or in a combination of cash and common stock, or other legal
consideration for the issuance of stock as the Board or Committee
may approve.
Generally,
options will be exercisable only while the optionee remains an
employee, director or consultant, or during a specific period
thereafter as approved by the Board or Committee, which will
generally be three months, but in the case of the termination of an
employee, director, or consultant’s services due to death or
disability, the period for exercising a vested option shall be
extended to the earlier of 12 months after termination or the
expiration date of the option.
The
number of shares covered by the Incentive Plan, and the number of
shares and the exercise price per share of each outstanding option,
shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in
the number of issued and outstanding shares of common stock
resulting from a subdivision or consolidation of shares or the
payment of a stock dividend, or any other increase or decrease in
the number of issued and outstanding shares of common stock
effected without receipt of consideration by us.
Restricted
Stock and Restricted Stock Units
In
lieu of granting options, we may enter into purchase agreements
with employees under which they may purchase or otherwise acquire
Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units subject to such vesting,
transfer, and repurchase terms and restrictions as the Board or
Committee may determine. We may permit employees or consultants who
purchase Restricted Stock to pay for their shares by delivering a
promissory note or an installment payment agreement that may be
secured by a pledge of their Restricted Stock. We may also issue
Restricted Stock for services actually performed by the recipient
prior to the issuance of the Restricted Stock.
The
Board or Committee may require that Restricted Stock shall be held
by us or in escrow pending the expiration or release of the
applicable restrictions. Unvested Restricted Stock for which we
have not received payment may be forfeited to us, or we may have
the right to repurchase unvested shares upon the occurrence of
specified events, such as termination of employment.
Subject
to the restrictions set by the Board or Committee, a recipient of
Restricted Stock generally shall have the rights and privileges of
a stockholder, including the right to vote the Restricted Stock and
the right to receive dividends; provided that, any cash dividends
and stock dividends with respect to the Restricted Stock shall be
withheld by us for the recipient’s account, and interest may be
credited on the amount of the cash dividends withheld at a rate and
subject to such terms as determined by the Board or Committee. The
cash dividends or stock dividends so withheld and attributable to
any particular share of Restricted Stock (and earnings thereon, if
applicable) shall be distributed to the recipient in cash or, at
the discretion of the Board or Committee, in common stock having a
fair market value equal to the amount of such dividends, if
applicable, upon the release of restrictions on the Restricted
Stock and, if the Restricted Stock is forfeited, the recipient
shall have no right to the dividends.
The
terms and conditions of a grant of Restricted Stock Units shall be
determined by the Board or Committee. No common stock shall be
issued at the time a Restricted Stock Unit is granted, and we will
not be required to set aside a fund for the payment of any such
award. A recipient of Restricted Stock Units shall have no voting
rights with respect to the Restricted Stock Units. Upon the
expiration of the restrictions applicable to a Restricted Stock
Unit, we will either issue to the recipient, without charge, one
share of common stock per Restricted Stock Unit or cash in an
amount equal to the fair market value of one share of common
stock.
At
the discretion of the Board or Committee, each Restricted Stock
Unit (representing one share of common stock) may be credited with
cash and stock dividends paid in respect of one share (“Dividend
Equivalents”). Dividend Equivalents shall be withheld by us for the
recipient’s account, and interest may be credited on the amount of
cash Dividend Equivalents withheld at a rate and subject to such
terms as determined by the Board or Committee. Dividend Equivalents
credited to a recipient’s account and attributable to any
particular Restricted Stock Unit (and earnings thereon, if
applicable) shall be distributed in cash or, at the discretion of
the Board or Committee, in common stock having a fair market value
equal to the amount of the Dividend Equivalents and earnings, if
applicable, upon settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit. If a
Restricted Stock Unit is forfeited, the recipient shall have no
right to the related Dividend Equivalents.
SARs
An
SAR is the right to receive, upon exercise, an amount payable in
cash or shares or a combination of shares and cash, as determined
by the Board or Committee, equal to the number of shares subject to
the SAR that is being exercised, multiplied by the excess of (a)
the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date the
SAR is exercised, over (b) the exercise price specified in the SAR
Award agreement. SARs may be granted either as free-standing SARs
or in tandem with options, and with such terms and conditions as
the Board or Committee may determine. No SAR may be exercised later
than 10 years after the date of grant.
The
exercise price of an SAR will be determined by the Board or
Committee, but shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value
of one share of common stock on the date of grant. An SAR granted
in conjunction with an option shall have the same exercise price as
the related option, shall be transferable only upon the same terms
and conditions as the related option, and shall be exercisable only
to the same extent as the related option; provided, however, that
the SAR by its terms shall be exercisable only when the fair market
value per share exceeds the exercise price per share of the SAR or
related option. Upon any exercise of an SAR granted in tandem with
an option, the number of shares for which the related option shall
be exercisable shall be reduced by the number of shares for which
the SAR has been exercised. The number of shares for which an SAR
issued in tandem with an option shall be exercisable shall be
reduced by the number of shares for which the related option has
been exercised.
Withholding
To
the extent provided by the terms of an Award agreement or as may be
approved by the Board or Committee, an optionee or recipient of a
Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Award or SAR may satisfy
any federal, state or local tax withholding obligation relating to
the Award by any of the following means (in addition to our right
to withhold from any compensation paid to the Award recipient) or
by a combination of such means: (a) tendering a cash payment; (b)
authorizing us to withhold shares of common stock from the shares
otherwise issuable to the recipient as a result of the exercise or
acquisition of shares under the Award, provided, however, that no
shares are withheld with a value exceeding the minimum amount of
tax required to be withheld by law; or (c) delivering to us
previously owned and unencumbered shares of our common
stock.
Changes
in Shares Under the Incentive Plan
In
the event of changes in the outstanding common stock or in our
capital structure by reason of any stock or extraordinary cash
dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, an extraordinary
corporate transaction such as any recapitalization, reorganization,
merger, consolidation, combination, exchange, or other relevant
change in capitalization, the terms of Awards granted under the
Incentive Plan, and the maximum number of shares subject to all
Awards under the Incentive Plan or with respect to which any one
person may be granted Awards during any one year period, will be
equitably adjusted or substituted, as to the number, price or kind
of shares or other consideration subject to the Awards to the
extent necessary to preserve the economic intent of the Awards. In
making such adjustments, the Board or Committee shall generally
ensure that the adjustments will not constitute a modification,
extension or renewal of an incentive stock option within the
meaning of Section 424(h)(3) of the Code, and in the case of
non-qualified options, ensure that any adjustments will not
constitute a modification of such non-qualified options within the
meaning of Section 409A of the Code, and that adjustments or
substitutions of Awards intended to qualify as “performance-based
compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code will not cause us to
be denied a tax deduction on account of Section 162(m) of the
Code.
Restrictions
on Transfers of Options
Under
the Incentive Plan, stock options may be transferred to a limited
class of defined “Permitted Transferees,” such as the option
holder’s immediate family members, family trusts and
family-controlled companies. In addition, options may be
transferred to a securities broker/dealer to exercise the options
on the option holder’s behalf as a means of the option holder
obtaining the funds needed to exercise the option, provided that
the fair market value of the shares being acquired exceeded the
exercise price of the option at the close of the market on the
trading day preceding the exercise date.
Repricing
Prohibition
The
Incentive Plan prohibits any modification of the purchase price or
exercise price of an outstanding option or other Award if the
change would effect a “repricing’ without stockholder approval. As
defined in the Incentive Plan, “repricing” means a reduction in the
exercise price of an outstanding option or SAR or cancellation of
an “underwater” or “out-of-the-money” Award in exchange for other
Awards or cash. An “underwater” or “out-of-the-money” Award is
defined to mean an Award for which the exercise price is less than
the “fair market value” of our common stock. The fair market value
will generally be determined by the Board, but while our common
stock is publicly traded, the fair market value will be the closing
price of the common stock on a national securities exchange or
inter-dealer quotation system on which the common stock is
traded.
Limitation
on Share Recycling
Shares
subject to an Award shall not again be made available for issuance
or delivery under the Incentive Plan if those shares are (a) shares
tendered in payment of an option, (b) shares delivered or withheld
by us to satisfy any tax withholding obligation, (c) shares covered
by a stock-settled SAR or other Award that were not issued upon the
settlement of the Award, or (d) shares repurchased by us using the
proceeds from option exercises. Only shares subject to an Award
that is cancelled or forfeited or expires prior to exercise or
realization may be regranted under the Incentive Plan.
The
foregoing description of the Incentive Plan is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the Incentive Plan, a copy of which is
filed as an Exhibit to our Registration Statement on Form 10 and is
incorporated herein by reference.
Other
Compensation Plans
We do
not have any pension plans, defined benefit plans, or non-qualified
deferred compensation plans. We do make contributions to 401(k)
plans for participating executive officers and other
employees.
PRINCIPAL
STOCKHOLDERS
The
following table sets forth information as of November 13, 2020
concerning beneficial ownership of our common stock by each
stockholder known by us to be the beneficial owner of 5% or more of
our outstanding shares of common stock. Information concerning
certain beneficial owners of more than 5% of the outstanding common
stock is based upon information disclosed by such owners in their
reports on Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G and information otherwise
known by us. Except as otherwise noted in the notes to the table
below, each person or entity identified in the table below has sole
voting and investment power with respect to the securities owned by
such person or entity. Beneficial ownership is determined in
accordance with the rules of the SEC.
Name
and Address of Beneficial Owner |
|
Number
of Shares |
|
|
Percent
of Total |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Juvenescence
Limited
18 Athol Street
Douglas
Isle of Man IM1 1JA
|
|
|
21,156,799 |
(1) |
|
|
49.9 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Broadwood
Partners, L.P.
Broadwood
Capital, Inc.
Neal
Bradsher
724
Fifth Avenue, 9th Floor
New
York, NY 10019
|
|
|
3,003,446 |
(2) |
|
|
8.0 |
% |
|
(1) |
Includes 2,919,299 shares that may be acquired upon the exercise of
common stock purchase warrants and up to 1,790,000 shares that may
be acquired through the conversion of a portion of the $5.5 million
of loans to AgeX into shares of AgeX common stock at an assumed
conversion price of $1.54 per share based on the closing price of
AgeX common stock on the NYSE American on November 13, 2020, but
subject to the “50% cap” provision of the New Loan Agreement and
New Warrant Agreement discussed below under “CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS
AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS-- New Loan Agreement and New Warrant
Agreement” limiting the loan amount that can be converted into
common stock and the number of New Warrants that can be exercised
without stockholder approval. See also, “THE JUVENESCENCE PROPOSAL”
elsewhere in this Proxy Statement which if approved by AgeX
stockholders would eliminate the 50% cap.
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
Includes
2,997,156 shares owned by Broadwood Partners, L.P. and 6,290 shares
owned by Neal Bradsher. Broadwood Capital, Inc. is the general
partner of Broadwood Partners, L.P. Neal Bradsher is the President
of Broadwood Capital, Inc. Mr. Bradsher and Broadwood Capital, Inc.
have disclaimed beneficial ownership of the shares owned by
Broadwood Partners, L.P. except to the extent of their respective
pecuniary interests in such shares. |
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT
The
following table sets forth information as of November 13, 2020
concerning beneficial ownership of our common stock by each current
member of our Board of Directors, all Named Executive Officers, and
all executive officers and directors as a group. Except as
otherwise noted in the notes to the table below, each person or
entity identified in the table below has sole voting and investment
power with respect to the securities owned by such person or
entity. Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the
rules of the SEC.
Name |
|
Number
of Shares |
|
|
Percent |
|
Michael
D. West (1) |
|
|
1,008,345 |
|
|
|
2.61 |
% |
Andrea
Park (2) |
|
|
6,601 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Hal
Sternberg (3) |
|
|
44,924 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Gregory
Bailey (4) |
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Annalisa
Jenkins (4) |
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Michael
May (4) |
|
|
26,534 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Directors
and Executive Officers as a Group (6 persons)
(5) |
|
|
1,286,404 |
|
|
|
3.30 |
% |
|
(1) |
Includes 976,666 shares that may be acquired upon the exercise of
certain stock options that are presently exercisable or that will
become exercisable within 60 days, and 3,125 Restricted Stock Units
that will become exercisable within 60 days. Excludes 283,334
shares that may be acquired upon the exercise of certain stock
options that are not presently exercisable and that will not become
exercisable within 60 days, and 28,125 Restricted Stock Units that
are not presently vested and will not vest within 60 days. |
|
|
|
|
(2) |
Includes
6,250 shares of common stock that may be acquired upon the exercise
of certain stock options that are presently exercisable or that
will become exercisable within 60 days. Excludes 313,750 shares
that may be acquired upon the exercise of certain stock options
that are not presently exercisable and that will not become
exercisable within 60 days. Ms. Park was appointed as Chief
Financial Officer on May 15, 2020. |
|
|
|
|
(3) |
Includes
44,791 shares of common stock that may be acquired upon the
exercise of certain stock options that are presently exercisable or
that will become exercisable within 60 days. Excludes 20,209 shares
that may be acquired upon the exercise of certain stock options
that are not presently exercisable and that will not become
exercisable within 60 days. |
|
|
|
|
(4) |
Entirely
shares that may be acquired upon the exercise of certain stock
options that are presently exercisable. |
|
|
|
|
(5) |
Includes
1,254,241 shares that may be acquired upon the exercise of certain
stock options and Restricted Stock Units that are presently
exercisable or that will become exercisable within 60 days.
Excludes 617,293 shares that may be acquired upon the exercise of
certain stock options that are not presently exercisable and that
will not become exercisable within 60 days and 28,125 Restricted
Stock Units that are not presently vested and will not vest within
60 days. |
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Agreements
with Lineage and its Subsidiaries
Asset Contribution Agreement
On
August 17, 2017, we entered into an Asset Contribution and
Separation Agreement (the “Asset Contribution Agreement”) with our
former parent company Lineage pursuant to which Lineage contributed
certain assets and cash to us in exchange for 28,800,000 shares of
our common stock. Concurrently with the acquisition of assets from
Lineage, we sold 4,950,000 shares of common stock for $10.0 million
in cash primarily to investors other than Lineage, which included
600,000 shares sold to Alfred D. Kingsley, the Chairman of
Lineage’s board of directors and our former Executive Chairman,
125,000 shares sold to John Mauldin who later became a member of
our Board of Directors, and 16,000 shares sold to Lineage at the
same price per share paid by other investors. At the close of the
financing, Lineage owned 85.4% of our issued and outstanding shares
of common stock.
Certain License and Sublicense Agreements
Concurrently
with the contribution of assets to us by Lineage under the Asset
Contribution Agreement, we entered into a License Agreement with
Lineage pursuant to which Lineage has licensed to us, with rights
to sublicense, certain intellectual property, including patents and
patent applications and know-how for use in the development,
manufacture and commercialization of products or services for the
prevention, treatment, amelioration, diagnosis or monitoring of all
human and non-human animal diseases and conditions except for the
field of medical products, devices and services for the reserved
Lineage fields of orthopedic, ophthalmic, and medical aesthetic
uses (the “Lineage Exclusive Field”). In addition, Lineage retains
an option right, on terms to be negotiated, to license iTR patents
in research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of
treatments based on iTR in the Lineage Exclusive Field. The
licensed patents and know-how relate generally to (a)
PureStem® human embryonic progenitor cell lines,
and (b) telomere length and DNA quality control analysis in
pluripotent stem cells. We also received an option to license
certain Lineage retained rights outside of orthopedic indications
unless a license grant would compete with a Lineage program or
products in the Lineage Exclusive Field.
The
License Agreement contains customary provisions pertaining to
patent maintenance, enforcement, and defense and related cost
allocations, insurance, indemnification, and termination of the
license in the event of a breach or default by a party, or the
bankruptcy or other insolvency event with respect to a
party.
Additional License and Sublicense Agreements
Lineage
and certain Lineage subsidiaries also entered into agreements
pursuant to which they have licensed or sublicensed to us, on a
non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty bearing basis, certain
additional patents and patent rights and know-how relating to
HyStem® hydrogel technology, human embryonic
progenitor cell technology, and human pluripotent stem cell lines
and technology for use outside the Lineage Exclusive Fields, or in
the case of certain sublicense rights, fields previously licensed
to third parties.
HyStem®
Patent License and Sublicense
Lineage
has granted to us a sublicense of certain patents licensed to
Lineage by the University of Utah Research Foundation (the “Utah
Sublicense”), and has granted to us a direct license of certain
patents held by Lineage (the “HyStem License”), related to
HyStem® hydrogel technology for use outside of
the Lineage Exclusive Field for products that include cells and
that are covered by certain other patents contributed, licensed, or
sublicensed to us by Lineage. We may only develop, sell, and
otherwise commercialize a product under the Utah Sublicense and
HyStem License if we spend at least a low seven figure amount on
research with respect to the product. Lineage will agree to provide
us with a reasonable amount of the hydrogel product for the purpose
of our research for which we will pay Lineage’s cost of
manufacturing and supplying the hydrogel.
The
Utah Sublicense and HyStem License will expire upon the latest
expiration date of a sublicensed or licensed patent, unless
terminated earlier pursuant to the respective agreements. We will
pay Lineage a royalty, in an amount not exceeding 10 percent, on
“net sales” as defined in the Utah Sublicense and HyStem License.
Commencing June 30, 2019, and for each 12-month period thereafter,
we will pay Lineage a minimum royalty in the low five figures
regardless of the actual amount of net sales for the applicable
period.
Sublicense
of Certain Progenitor Patents
Lineage
has granted to us a sublicense of certain patents licensed to
Lineage that pertain to the derivation of human embryonic
progenitor cell lines. The sublicense will permit us to use the
sublicensed patents for the treatment, palliation, diagnosis, or
prevention of any disease, disorder or health condition outside of
the Lineage Exclusive Field. The sublicense expires on the later of
July 10, 2028 or the latest expiration date of a sublicensed
patent, unless terminated earlier pursuant to the terms of the
sublicense.
We
will pay Lineage a royalty on “net sales,” as defined in the
sublicense agreement, until the royalty payments to Lineage’s
licensor by Lineage total $1.2 million and thereafter will pay to
Lineage a low single digit royalty on its own net sales and a low
double-digit royalty on sublicensing consideration. If we grant a
sublicense to use the patents, we will pay Lineage a portion of any
consideration received for a sublicense, including but not limited
to, upfront payments and milestones, and non-cash exchanges or
considerations, but not payments for developing a product, service
or process. If we become obligated to pay royalties to one or more
affiliates of Lineage for the use of patent rights related to this
sublicense and as a result, the royalties payable to Lineage with
respect to royalties under the sublicense plus the royalties
payable to the affiliates would exceed a designated amount of net
sales, the royalties due to Lineage may be reduced but not less
than the designated amount. In addition, we will pay to Lineage a
royalty on “net sales,” as defined in the sublicense agreement, by
the sublicensee. If we become obligated to pay royalties to one or
more affiliates of Lineage for the use of patent rights related to
this sublicense and as a result, the royalties payable to Lineage
with respect to sales by a sublicensee plus the royalties payable
to the affiliates would exceed a designated amount of net sales,
the royalty due on net sales by the sublicensee may be reduced but
not less than the designated amount.
The
sublicense agreement includes reciprocal cross-licenses between
Lineage and us with respect to any new patents that may be issued
based on the use of the sublicensed patents. Any such license to
Lineage will be exclusive in the Lineage Exclusive Field and
nonexclusive in all other licensed fields. Any such license from
Lineage to us will be for use outside the Lineage Exclusive Field
and for medical products or services involving tendon. Each license
will be for a term of 10 years.
ESI
License
Lineage’s
subsidiary ES Cell International Pte (“ESI”) has granted to us
non-exclusive rights to certain ESI patents and human pluripotent
stem cell lines (“ESI Cell Lines”) for use outside of the Lineage
Exclusive Field and outside certain other fields for which ESI has
previously granted licenses. We will pay ESI a royalty on “net
sales,” as defined in the license agreement, of products under
certain patents licensed to us by ESI. If we become obligated to
pay royalties to one or more third party or to Lineage for the use
of patent rights related to this license and as a result the
royalties payable to ESI with respect to this license agreement
plus the royalties payable to such third party or Lineage would
exceed a designated amount of net sales, the royalty due on net
sales by the sublicensee may be reduced. The patent license expires
upon the latest expiration date of a licensed patent, unless
terminated earlier pursuant to the terms of the license. All other
rights under the license are terminable by either party under the
conditions specified in the license.
If we
grant rights to any third party to use ESI Cell Lines derived under
cGMP, we will pay ESI a share of all consideration that we receive
as consideration for the grant of those rights, including all cash
and non-cash consideration but not royalties. We are not permitted
to grant sublicenses to the licensed ESI patents but may sublicense
the use of ESI Cell Lines. We also will pay ESI 5% of any fees that
we may receive for providing third parties with a “drug master
file” for submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or
similar regulatory agencies in other jurisdictions that may be used
to provide confidential detailed information about facilities,
processes or articles used in the manufacturing, processing,
packaging and storing of one or more human drugs, including but not
limited to biologics, cell lines and cell products.
We
have agreed not to provide ESI cell lines to third parties for use
to develop cell therapies to treat spinal cord injury, and we have
agreed to allow ESI to designate up to three oncology indications
to be treated by dendritic cell therapies derived from ESI cell
lines which, through a subsequent amendment to our License
Agreement with ESI, will be designated as exclusive ESI fields for
which AgeX will not provide ESI cell lines to third
parties.
Shared Facilities Agreement and Relationship with
Lineage
On
August 17, 2017, AgeX and Lineage executed the Shared Facilities
Agreement. Under the terms of the Shared Facilities Agreement,
Lineage allowed AgeX to use Lineage’s premises and equipment
located in Alameda, California for the purpose of conducting
business. Lineage also provided accounting, billing, bookkeeping,
payroll, treasury, payment of accounts payable, and other similar
administrative services to AgeX. We terminated the Shared
Facilities Agreement effective September 30, 2019.
Lineage
charged AgeX a use fee for services received and usage of
facilities, equipment, and supplies (“Use Fee”). For each billing
period, Lineage prorated and allocated to AgeX costs of services of
Lineage employees, equipment, insurance, lease, professional,
software, supplies and utilities. Allocation depended on key cost
drivers including actual documented use, square footage of
facilities used, time spent, costs incurred by or for AgeX, or upon
proportionate usage by Lineage and AgeX, as reasonably estimated by
Lineage. Lineage charged a 5% markup on such allocated costs as
permitted by the Shared Facilities Agreement. The allocated cost of
Lineage employees and contractors who provided services was based
upon records maintained of the number of hours or percentage of
time of such personnel devoted to the performance of
services.
The
Use Fee was determined and invoiced to AgeX on a monthly basis for
each calendar month of each calendar year. In addition to the Use
Fees, AgeX reimbursed Lineage for any out of pocket costs incurred
by Lineage for the purchase of office supplies, laboratory
supplies, and other goods and materials and services for the
account or use of AgeX.
In
aggregate, Lineage charged such Use Fees to AgeX and subsidiaries
as follows (in thousands):
|
|
Year
Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2019 |
|
|
2018 |
|
Research
and development |
|
$ |
701 |
|
|
$ |
1,278 |
|
General
and administrative |
|
|
239 |
|
|
|
400 |
|
Total
Use Fees |
|
$ |
940 |
|
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
As of
December 31, 2019, Lineage owed AgeX approximately $7,000, while as
of December 31, 2018 AgeX owed Lineage approximately $34,000 under
the Shared Facilities Agreement.
Employee Matters Agreement
We
entered into an Employee Matters Agreement with Lineage that
governs the respective rights, responsibilities and obligations of
Lineage and us after the Distribution with respect to transferred
employees, defined contribution plans, employee health and welfare
benefit plans, incentive plans, and other employment, compensation
and benefits-related matters. The Employee Matters Agreement
provides for, among other things, the allocation and treatment of
assets and liabilities arising out of incentive plans, retirement
plans and employee health and welfare benefit plans in which
certain of our employees participated prior to the
Distribution.
Tax Matters Agreement
We
entered into a Tax Matters Agreement with Lineage that governs the
parties’ respective rights, responsibilities and obligations with
respect to tax liabilities and benefits, tax attributes, the
preparation and filing of tax returns, allocation of tax refunds,
the control of audits and other tax proceedings and other matters
regarding taxes while we were part of a consolidated group with
Lineage for income tax purposes, and after our deconsolidation from
Lineage’s consolidated tax group, for any tax period ending on or
before the Distribution Date, as well as tax periods beginning
before and ending after the Distribution Date.
In
general, the Tax Matters Agreement allocates taxes between Lineage
and the subsidiary companies that comprise its consolidated group
or the “Lineage Group” on the one hand and AgeX and our
subsidiaries or the “AgeX Group” on the other hand. Lineage will be
responsible for any U.S. federal, state and local taxes (and any
related interest, penalties or audit adjustments) for the Lineage
Group, and we will be responsible for any U.S. federal, state and
local taxes (and any related interest, penalties or audit
adjustments) for the AgeX Group for any periods or portions thereof
beginning on or after August 31, 2017 based on certain assumptions,
including that the AgeX Group is not included in the Lineage
consolidated tax returns. Lineage will also determine the extent to
which certain tax attributes attributable to the Lineage Group
resulted in tax savings to the AgeX Group and we will pay the
amount of that tax savings to Lineage, or if tax attributes
attributable to the AgeX Group resulted in tax savings to the
Lineage Group, Lineage will pay the amount of that tax savings to
us. The Tax Matters Agreement also may provide special rules for
allocating tax liabilities resulting from the
Distribution.
Sales
of Warrants
During
2018, we sold warrants to purchase 2,000,000 shares of common stock
for $0.50 per warrant for aggregate cash proceeds of $1,000,000 to
certain investors. The warrants entitled the warrant holders to
purchase shares of our common stock for $2.50 per share. Alfred D.
Kingsley, our former Executive Chairman, purchased warrants
entitling him to purchase 248,600 shares of AgeX common stock, and
John Mauldin who later became a member of our Board of Directors
purchased warrants entitling him to purchase 50,000 shares of AgeX
common stock, on the same terms as the other investors. Mr.
Kingsley exercised his warrants during March 2019 and purchased
248,600 shares of common stock for $621,500.
Registration
Rights Agreement
We
have agreed to register for sale under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the “Securities Act”) certain shares of common stock,
including all shares held by Juvenescence, Lineage and Alfred D.
Kingsley, and shares beneficially owned by John Mauldin. We have
agreed to file a registration statement, including on Form S-3 once
we are eligible to use such form for offerings on a delayed or
continuous basis, covering those shares following a written request
for registration from any holder or group of holders of not less
than 50% of the shares covered by the Registration Rights
Agreement, but not earlier than November 28, 2019, which is the
first anniversary date of the Distribution. Those stockholders are
also eligible to include shares in a registration statement we file
for our own account, subject to certain exceptions, if their shares
are not eligible for sale without registration under Rule 144 under
the Securities Act. We are obligated to pay the fees and expenses
of each registered offering under such registration rights
agreement except for underwriting discounts and
commissions.
Compensation
of Our Chief Operating Officer
Since
October 2018, AgeX’s Chief Operating Officer, Nafees Malik, who is
an employee of Juvenescence, has been devoting a majority of his
time to AgeX’s operations for which AgeX reimburses Juvenescence
for his services on an agreed upon fixed annual rate of $272,000
from October 18, 2018 through March 10, 2019 and $283,000 from
March 11, 2019 through December 31, 2019. Additionally, Dr. Malik
received a $50,000 bonus in March 2019. As of December 31, 2019,
AgeX had accrued approximately $71,000 payable to Juvenescence for
Dr. Malik’s services rendered.
2019
Loan Facility Agreement and Warrant Agreement
On
August 13, 2019 AgeX and Juvenescence entered into a Loan Facility
Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) pursuant to which Juvenescence
provided AgeX a $2.0 million line of credit for a period of 18
months. As of March 30, 2020, AgeX had drawn all of the $2.0
million.
In
lieu of interest, AgeX issued to Juvenescence 19,000 shares of AgeX
common stock concurrently with the first draw down of funds under
the Loan Agreement. However, if AgeX fails to repay the loan when
due, interest at the rate of 10% per annum, compounded daily, will
accrue on the unpaid balance from the date the payment was
due.
In
lieu of repayment of funds borrowed, AgeX may convert the loan
balance (including principal and accrued interest, if any) into
AgeX common stock or “units” if AgeX consummates a “Qualified
Offering” which means a sale of common stock (or common stock
paired with warrants or other convertible securities in “units”) in
which the gross sale proceeds are at least $7.5 million.
Events
of Default under the Loan Agreement include: (i) AgeX fails to pay
any amount in the manner and at the time provided in the Loan
Agreement and the failure to pay is not remedied within 10 business
days; (ii) AgeX fails to perform any of its obligations under the
Loan Agreement and if the failure can be remedied it is not
remedied to the satisfaction of Juvenescence within 10 business
days after notice to AgeX; (iii) other indebtedness for money
borrowed in excess of $100,000 becomes due and payable or can be
declared due and payable prior to its due date or if indebtedness
for money borrowed in excess of $25,000 is not paid when due; (iv)
AgeX stops payment of its debts generally or discontinues its
business or becomes unable to pay its debts as they become due or
enters into any arrangement with creditors generally, (v) AgeX
becomes insolvent or begins liquidation or administration or other
insolvency procedures, or a receiver, trustee or similar officer is
appointed in respect of all or any part of its assets and such
appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty days, (vi)
it becomes illegal for AgeX to perform its obligations under the
Loan Agreement or any governmental permit, license, consent,
exemption or similar requirement for AgeX to perform its
obligations under the Loan Agreement or to carry out its business
is not obtained or ceases to remain in effect; (vii) the issuance
or levy of any judgment, writ, warrant of attachment or execution
or similar process against all or any material part of the property
or assets of AgeX if such process is not released, vacated or fully
bonded within sixty calendar days after its issue or levy; (viii)
any injunction, order or judgement of any court is entered or
issued which in the opinion of Juvenescence materially and
adversely affects the ability of AgeX to carry out its business or
to pay amounts owed to Juvenescence under the Loan Agreement, and
(ix) there is a change in AgeX’s financial condition that in the
opinion of Juvenescence materially and adversely affects, or is
likely to so affect, its ability to perform any of its obligations
under the Loan Agreement.
As
consideration for the line of credit under the Loan Agreement, AgeX
issued to Juvenescence warrants to purchase 150,000 shares of AgeX
common stock (the 2019 Warrants”). The exercise price of the 2019
Warrants is $2.60 per share, which was the volume weighted average
price on the NYSE American (VWAP) of AgeX common stock over the
twenty trading days prior to the date the 2019 Warrants were
issued. The 2019 Warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m. New York Time
three years after the date of issue. The number of shares issuable
upon exercise of the 2019 Warrants and the exercise price per share
are subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events
such as a stock split or reverse split or combination of the common
stock, stock dividend, recapitalization or reclassification of the
common stock, and similar events.
AgeX
has entered into a Registration Rights Agreement to register the
19,000 shares issuable under the Loan Agreement and the 150,000
2019 Warrants and underlying shares for resale under the Securities
Act, upon request of Juvenescence if Form S-3 is available to AgeX.
Juvenescence will also have “piggy-back” registration rights if
AgeX files a registration statement for the sale of shares for
itself or other stockholders. AgeX will bear the expenses of the
registration statement but not underwriting or broker’s commissions
related to the sale of 2091 Warrants or shares. AgeX and
Juvenescence will indemnify each other from certain liabilities in
connection the registration, offer, and sale of securities under a
registration statement, including liabilities arising under the
Securities Act.
New
Loan Agreement and New Warrant Agreement
On
March 30, 2020, AgeX and Juvenescence entered into a new Secured
Convertible Facility Agreement (the “New Loan Agreement”) pursuant
to which Juvenescence has agreed to provide to AgeX an $8.0 million
line of credit for a period of 18 months on substantially the same
terms as the Loan Agreement described below, except that (a) all
loans to AgeX under the New Loan Agreement in excess of an initial
$500,000 advance are subject to Juvenescence’s discretion, (b) AgeX
may not draw more than $1 million in any single draw, (c) in lieu
of accrued interest, AgeX will issue to Juvenescence 28,500 shares
of AgeX common stock when AgeX has borrowed an aggregate of $3
million under the New Loan Agreement, (d) AgeX will issue to
Juvenescence warrants to purchase shares of AgeX common stock (“New
Warrants”) in amounts determined by the warrant formula described
below, (e) the Repayment Date for outstanding principal balance of
the loan under the New Loan Agreement will be March 30, 2023, (f)
if AgeX requests additional loans after making the first two draws
of funds (which are expected to total $1 million) under the New
Loan Agreement, a Security and Pledge Agreement (the “Security
Agreement”) will go into effect granting Juvenescence a security
interest in all of the assets of AgeX and AgeX’s subsidiaries
ReCyte Therapeutics and Reverse Bioengineering, Inc. (the
“Guarantor Subsidiaries” or each a “Guarantor Subsidiary”) (g) the
Guarantor Subsidiaries will guarantee AgeX’s obligations under the
New Loan Agreement if AgeX makes more than two draws of funds under
the New Loan Agreement and (h) Juvenescence has the right to
convert the principal amount of outstanding loans under the New
Loan Agreement into shares of AgeX common stock at the Market Price
as defined in the New Loan Agreement. Further, in addition to the
Events of Default described herein, additional Events of Default
will arise under the New Loan Agreement if (i) AgeX or any of the
Guarantor Subsidiaries sells, leases, licenses, consigns,
transfers, or otherwise disposes of a material part of its assets
other than inventory in the ordinary course of business or certain
intercompany transactions, or certain other limited permitted
transactions, unless Juvenescence approves, (ii) the security
interests under the Security Agreement, if in effect, are not valid
or perfected, or AgeX or a Guarantor Subsidiary contests the
validity of its obligations under the New Loan Agreement or
Security Agreement or other related agreement with Juvenescence, or
there is a loss, theft, damage or destruction of a material portion
of the collateral, (iii) any representation, warranty, or other
statement made by AgeX or a Guarantor Subsidiary under the New Loan
Agreement is incomplete, untrue, incorrect, or misleading, or (iv)
AgeX or a Guarantor Subsidiary suspends or ceases to carry on all
or a material part of its business or threatens to do
so.
Each
time AgeX receives an advance of funds under the New Loan
Agreement, AgeX will issue to Juvenescence a number of New Warrants
equal to 50% of the number determined by dividing the amount of the
advance by the applicable Market Price. The Market Price will be
the closing price per share of AgeX common stock on the NYSE
American or other national securities exchange on the date of the
applicable notice from AgeX requesting a draw of funds that
triggers the obligation to issue New Warrants; provided, however
that if AgeX common stock is not traded on a national securities
exchange the Market Price shall be determined with reference to
closing prices quoted or bid and asked prices on the OTC Bulletin
Board or similar quotation system averaged over twenty consecutive
trading days. The exercise price of the New Warrants will be the
applicable Market Price. The New Warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m.
New York time three years after the date of issue. AgeX issued
warrants to purchase 2,769,299 shares of AgeX common stock for the
$5.5 million of loans drawn through November 13, 2020.
During
July 2020 New Loan Agreement was amended. The amendment waived (i)
the provisions requiring that, as a condition to the funding of a
third draw of funds, AgeX and the Guarantor Subsidiaries execute a
Security Agreement and related documents pledging certain assets as
collateral, and (ii) certain provisions providing that the
Guarantor Subsidiaries guarantee AgeX’s obligations under the New
Loan Agreement, in each case subject to an acknowledgement by AgeX
and the Guarantor Subsidiaries that Juvenescence may, in its
discretion, condition any advances under the New Loan Agreement
subsequent to the third draw of funds on the receipt of such
collateral agreements and guarantees. In addition, the New Loan
Agreement and the related Warrant Agreement were amended to place
certain limits on the number of shares that may be issued to
Juvenescence upon conversion of outstanding loan amounts or
exercise of the warrants, in order to comply with applicable NYSE
American listing requirements. No more than 19.9% of the shares
outstanding at March 30, 2020 may be issued upon conversion of any
advance outstanding under the New Loan Agreement at a conversion
price that is lower than the market price of AgeX common stock at
the time the applicable advance being converted was made. In
addition, no advances may be converted into common stock and no New
Warrants may be exercised, in an amount that would cause
Juvenescence’s ownership to equal or exceed 50% of the number of
shares of AgeX common stock, in each case without the approval of
AgeX’s stockholders. AgeX has agreed to seek the approval of its
stockholders if Juvenescences’ ability to exercise the New Warrants
or convert outstanding loan amounts without being subject to the
19.9% and 50% limitations. See “The Juvenescence Proposal”
elsewhere in this Proxy Statement.
Through
November 13, 2020, AgeX had borrowed a total of $5.5 million
against the $8.0 million line of credit. AgeX may draw additional
funds from time to time subject to Juvenescence’s discretion, prior
to the Repayment Date on March 30, 2023. AgeX may not draw down
funds if an “Event of Default” under the New Loan Agreement has
occurred and is continuing and AgeX may not draw down more than
$1.0 million in any single draw. In lieu of accrued interest, AgeX
issued to Juvenescence 28,500 shares of AgeX common stock when AgeX
borrowed an aggregate of $3 million under the New Loan Agreement on
July 27, 2020.
AgeX
has entered into an amendment to the Registration Rights Agreement
to include the 28,500 shares issuable under the New Loan Agreement
and the New Warrants and underlying shares as registrable
securities under the Registration Rights Agreement.
DELINQUENT
SECTION 16(a) REPORTS
Section
16(a) of Exchange Act, requires our directors and executive
officers and persons who own more than ten percent (10%) of a
registered class of our equity securities (“Reporting Persons”) to
file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of
changes in ownership of our common stock and other AgeX equity
securities. Officers, directors and greater than ten percent
beneficial owners are required by SEC regulations to furnish us
with copies of all reports they file under Section
16(a).
To
our knowledge, based solely on our review of the copies of Forms, 3
and 4 and amendments thereto filed during the last fiscal year, and
Forms 5 and amendments thereto filed with respect to the last
fiscal year, by the Reporting Persons, or written representation
from the Reporting Persons that no Form 5 was required, all Section
16(a) filing requirements applicable to our officers, directors,
and greater than ten percent beneficial owners were complied with
during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, except that a Form
3 was filed late by Andrea Park our Chief Financial
Officer.
RATIFICATION
OF THE SELECTION OF OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANTS
The
Board of Directors has selected OUM & Co. LLP (“OUM”) as our
independent registered public accountants. OUM has served as our
independent registered public accountants since October 2017. The
Board of Directors proposes and recommends that the stockholders
ratify the selection of the firm of OUM to serve as our independent
registered public accountants for the fiscal year ending December
31, 2020. Approval of the selection of OUM to serve as our
independent registered public accountants requires the affirmative
vote of a majority of the shares of common stock present and voting
on the matter at the Meeting, provided that the affirmative vote
cast constitutes a majority of a quorum. Unless otherwise directed
by the stockholders, proxies will be voted FOR approval of
the selection of OUM to audit our financial statements.
We
expect that a representative of OUM will be present at the Meeting,
in person or by conference telephone, and will have an opportunity
to make a statement if he or she so desires and may respond to
appropriate questions from stockholders.
The
Board of Directors Recommends a Vote “FOR” Ratification of the
Selection of OUM as Our
Independent
Registered Public Accountants
Audit
Fees, Audit Related Fees, Tax Fees and Other Fees
OUM
audited our annual financial statements for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2019 and 2018. The following table sets forth the
aggregate fees billed to us during the fiscal years ended December
31, 2019 and 2018 by OUM:
|
|
2019 |
|
|
2018 |
|
Audit
Fees(1) |
|
$ |
288,000 |
|
|
$ |
232,000 |
|
Audit
Related Fees(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
74,000 |
|
Total
Fees(3) |
|
$ |
288,000 |
|
|
$ |
306,000 |
|
|
(1) |
Audit
Fees consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for
the audit of our annual financial statements included in our
Registration Statement on Form 10 and services that are normally
provided by our independent registered public accountants in
connection with statutory and regulatory filings or
engagements. |
|
|
|
|
(2) |
Audit-Related
Fees relate to assurance and related services that are reasonably
related to the performance of the audit or review of our
consolidated financial statements and are not reported under “Audit
Fees.” This category would include fees related to non-routine SEC
filings. |
|
|
|
|
(3) |
Our
former parent company Lineage paid 80% of all audit fees incurred
through November 28, 2018, the date on which Lineage distributed
approximately 12.7 million shares of AgeX common stock owned by
Lineage on a pro rata basis to eligible Lineage
shareholders. |
Pre-Approval
of Audit and Permissible Non-Audit Services
Our
Audit Committee requires pre-approval of all audit and non-audit
services. Other than de minimis services incidental to audit
services, non-audit services shall generally be limited to tax
services such as advice and planning and financial due diligence
services. All fees for such non-audit services must be approved by
the Audit Committee, except to the extent otherwise permitted by
applicable SEC regulations. The Audit Committee may delegate to one
or more designated members of the Audit Committee the authority to
grant pre-approvals, provided such approvals are presented to the
Audit Committee at a subsequent meeting. During 2019 and 2018, 100%
of the fees paid to OUM were approved by the Audit
Committee.
JUVENESCENCE
PROPOSAL
AgeX
has entered into the New Loan Agreement with Juvenescence, its
largest stockholder, as further discussed in this Proxy Statement
under “CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS—New Loan
Agreement and New Warrant Agreement”. As of November 13, 2020,
Juvenescence held 16,447,500 shares of AgeX common stock or
approximately 43.6% of AgeX outstanding common stock, plus 2019
Warrants and New Warrants to purchase an additional 2,919,299
shares of AgeX common stock. As of November 13, 2020, AgeX had
drawn $5.5 million in loans under the New Loan Agreement, which if
converted into AgeX common stock at a conversion price of $1.54 per
share, the closing price of AgeX common stock on the NYSE American
(the “Exchange”) on November 13, 2020, would result in AgeX issuing
to AgeX an additional 3,571,428 shares of AgeX common stock. If the
principal amount of loans under the New Loan Agreement is converted
into common stock, the actual number of shares issuable will depend
on the amount of the loan converted and the applicable conversion
price on the date of conversion, as discussed below. AgeX may,
subject to the terms and conditions of the New Loan Agreement,
borrow up to an additional $2.5 million from Juvenescence which
could be converted into additional shares of AgeX common stock, and
Juvenescence could acquire additional New Warrants to purchase
additional shares of AgeX common stock if and when it lends
additional funds to AgeX under the New Loan Agreement.
The
New Loan Agreement provides that the aggregate principal cash
amount outstanding under the New Loan Agreement (“Outstanding
Amount”) may be converted into shares of AgeX common stock as
follows: (i) the entire Outstanding Amount may be converted at
AgeX’s election (“Borrower Conversion”) upon a sale of shares (or
“units” consisting of shares of common stock together with warrants
or any other security convertible into common stock) to third party
investors in a bona fide investment transaction in which the
aggregate sales price to AgeX of the shares or units sold in such
offering, before deduction of underwriting discounts and
commissions, placement agent fees and offering expenses, is not
less than $10 million (a “Qualified Offering”); or (ii) all or any
portion of the Outstanding Amount may be converted at
Juvenescence’s election any time (“Lender Conversion”).
AgeX
common stock is listed on NYSE American (the “Exchange”) and AgeX
must comply with the listing requirements of the Exchange. Section
713 of the Exchange Company Guide requires listed companies to
obtain stockholder approval as a prerequisite to Exchange listing
approval before: (i) issuing additional shares in a transaction
involving the sale, issuance, or potential issuance by the issuer
of common stock (or securities convertible into common stock) equal
to 20% or more of stock outstanding (determined as of the date of
the particular transaction agreement) for less than the greater of
book or market value of the Exchange listed common stock (the “20%
Rule”) and (ii) issuing shares that will result in a change of
control of the company (the “Change of Control Rule”). While the
Exchange has not defined “change of control”, the Exchange
considers any issuance of stock to be subject to the Change of
Control Rule if the issuance of stock would result in a stockholder
holding 50% or more of a company’s outstanding stock. The New Loan
Agreement, as amended in July 2020, contains a “19.9 % blocker”
provision and a “change of control blocker” provision intended to
prevent a Lender Conversion or Borrower Conversion that would
violate the 20% Rule or the Change of Control Rule. The Warrant
Agreement governing the New Warrants contains a “change of control
blocker” provision intended to prevent an exercise of New Warrants
that would violate the Change in Control Rule. The exercise price
of the New Warrants is set with reference to the market price of
AgeX common stock so the 20% Rule would have no effect on the
exercise of New Warrants by Juvenescence.
The
19.9% blocker provides that any Borrower Conversion or Lender
Conversion must either (i) not involve the issuance of more than
19.9% of the common stock outstanding on the date of the New Loan
Agreement at a price lower than the applicable market price (as
further explained below) so that stockholder approval under the 20%
Rule would not be required, or (ii) be approved by the AgeX
stockholders. Under the New Loan Agreement, AgeX may borrow funds
from Juvenescence in period installments or “tranches” and the
market price of AgeX common stock is determined for each such
tranche. Each tranche market price is based on the closing price of
AgeX common stock on the date of the drawdown notice from AgeX to
Juvenescence requesting funding of the loan tranche. Upon Borrower
Conversion, which can take place only in connection with a
Qualified Offering by AgeX, the number of shares of AgeX common
stock issuable to Juvenescence would be the Outstanding Amount
divided by the lowest price per share paid by investors for shares
in the Qualified Offering (the “Borrower Conversion Price”).
Accordingly, only shares of common stock issuable upon the
conversion of a tranche with a tranche market price greater than
the Borrower Conversion Price would be aggregated (along with any
other common stock issued to Juvenescence in connection with the
Qualified Offering) for the purpose of determining the
applicability of the 19.9% blocker. Upon Lender Conversion, only
shares issuable upon the conversion of a tranche with a tranche
market price that is lower than the market price on the date prior
to the date the Juvenescence delivers a conversion notice to AgeX
are aggregated for the purposes of determining the applicability of
the 19.9% blocker. The change of control blocker provision provides
that without the prior approval of AgeX stockholders a Borrower
Conversion, a Lender Conversion, or an exercise of New Warrants may
not take place if it would cause Juvenescence’s ownership to equal
or exceed 50% of the outstanding shares of AgeX common
stock.
Consequently,
without the approval of AgeX stockholders the Outstanding Amount
may not be converted into AgeX common stock under the Borrower
Conversion provisions or the Lender Conversion provisions of the
New Loan Agreement in an amount that would (a) equal exceed 19.9%
of the outstanding common stock (measured at the date of the New
Loan Agreement) at a conversion price less than the greater of the
book value or the applicable tranche market value of AgeX common
stock, or (b) cause Juvenescence’s ownership to equal or exceed 50%
of the outstanding shares of AgeX common stock. Furthermore, New
Warrants may be not exercised by Juvenescence if such exercise
would cause Juvenescence’s ownership to equal or exceed 50% of the
outstanding shares of AgeX common stock.
As
required by the terms of the New Loan Agreement, as amended, AgeX
is seeking the vote of AgeX stockholders to approve (i) the ability
of AgeX and Juvenescence to convert the Outstanding Amount into
shares of AgeX common stock under the Borrower Conversion and
Lender Conversion and provisions of the New Loan Agreement even if
the Borrower Conversion or Lender Conversion, as applicable, would
result in (a) Juvenescence receiving additional shares in excess of
19.9% of the AgeX common stock outstanding as of March 30 2020, the
date of the New Loan Agreement, for less than the greater of book
value or the applicable tranche market values of AgeX common stock,
or (b) Juvenescence owning more than 50% of AgeX outstanding common
stock, and (ii) the ability of Juvenescence to exercise its New
Warrants if the exercise would cause Juvenescence’s ownership of
AgeX common stock to equal or exceed 50% of the outstanding AgeX
common stock.
Possible
Consequences of the Juvenescence Proposal
Stockholder
approval of the Juvenescence Proposal could permit Juvenescence to
acquire a majority interest in the outstanding common stock of
AgeX. As a controlling stockholder, Juvenescence would have the
power to elect all directors of AgeX and to approve or reject all
matters submitted for stockholder approval by the AgeX Board of
Directors, by Juvenescence as a stockholder, or by other
stockholders, including but not limited to: equity compensation
plans for employees, officers, and directors; mergers,
acquisitions, and consolidations; sales of AgeX assets; and
amendments of AgeX’s certificate of incorporation and
bylaws.
Furthermore,
upon Juvenescence holding more than 50% the outstanding AgeX common
stock, AgeX would qualify as a “controlled company” as defined by
the Exchange Company Guide. Being a “controlled company” would
entitle AgeX to exempt itself from the requirement that a majority
of its directors be “independent” directors as defined in the
Exchange Company Guide, and that the Compensation Committee and the
Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee be comprised
entirely of independent directors. If AgeX were to take advantage
of any or all of these exceptions available to controlled companies
under the Exchange Company Guide it would be required to disclose
doing so in its annual meeting proxy statement or in its Annual
Report on Form 10-K.
Even
if Juvenescence does not acquire more than 50% of the outstanding
AgeX common stock, the Juvenescence Proposal could allow
Juvenescence to acquire more shares through a Lender Conversion or
Borrower Conversion than might otherwise be the case if the 19.9%
blocker were to remain in place.
Certain Conflict of Interest Considerations
The Chairman of our Board of Directors, Gregory Bailey, is the
Chief Executive Officer of Juvenescence. The New Loan Agreement and
New Warrant Agreement were approved by the Audit Committee of our
Board of Directors pursuant to authority delegated by our Board of
Directors with Mr. Bailey abstaining as to such delegation of
authority, and pursuant to our Related Person Transaction Policy.
Mr. Bailey is not a member of the Audit Committee and did not
participate in the proceedings of the Audit Committee considering
and approving the New Loan Agreement or the New Warrant Agreement.
Mr. Bailey also abstained from voting on the recommendation of our
Board of Directors that our stockholders vote FOR approval of the
Juvenescence Proposal at the Meeting.
As discussed in the section of this Proxy Statement captioned
“ELECTION OF DIRECTORS – Director Independence,” the members of the
Audit Committee qualify as “independent” under Section 803(A) and
Section 803(B)(2) of the NYSE American Company Guide and Rule 10A-3
under the Exchange Act. Our Related Person Transaction Policy
applies to transactions exceeding $120,000 in which any of our
officers, directors, beneficial owners of more than 5% of the
outstanding shares of our common stock, or any member of their
immediate family, has a direct or indirect material interest,
determined in accordance with the policy. We refer to those
transactions as Related Person Transactions. A Related Person
Transaction will be subject to review and approval by our Audit
Committee prior to effectiveness or consummation, to the extent
practical. The Audit Committee will review the relevant information
available to it about the Related Person Transaction. The Audit
Committee may approve or ratify the Related Person Transaction only
if the Audit Committee determines that, under the circumstances,
the transaction is in, or is not in conflict with, AgeX’s best
interests.
In approving the New Loan Agreement and New Warrant Agreement
during March 2020, the Audit Committee considered the following
factors to the extent they determined such factors to be relevant
under the Related Person Transactions Policy:
|
· |
Juvenescence’s interest in the New Loan Agreement
and New Warrant Agreement; |
|
· |
the
approximate total consideration to Juvenescence under the New Loan
Agreement and the New Warrant Agreement; |
|
· |
the
approximate dollar value of the amount of Juvenescence interest in
the transaction; |
|
· |
the
transaction was undertaken in the ordinary course of AgeX’s
financing activities; |
|
· |
the
availability of other sources of financing; |
|
· |
the
purpose and the potential benefits of the transaction to AgeX;
and |
|
· |
such
other information regarding the New Loan Agreement and New Warrant
Agreement or Juvenescence that, in the context of the proposed
transaction, the members of the Audit Committee believed could be
material to investors in light of the circumstances of the
transaction. |
Vote Required to Approve the Juvenescence Proposal
Approval
of the Juvenescence Proposal requires the affirmative vote of a
majority of the shares of common stock present and voting on the
matter at the Meeting, provided that the affirmative vote
constitutes a majority of a quorum. Unless otherwise directed by
the stockholders, proxies will be voted FOR approval of this
proposal.
The
Board of Directors, with Gregory Bailey Abstaining, Recommends a
Vote “FOR” the Juvenescence Proposal
PROPOSALS
OF STOCKHOLDERS
Stockholders
who intend to present a proposal for action at our 2021 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders must notify our management of such
intention by notice received at our principal executive offices not
later than September 1, 2021 for such proposal to be included in
our proxy statement and form of proxy relating to such
meeting.
ANNUAL
REPORT
Our
Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, filed with the SEC for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, without exhibits, may be
obtained by a stockholder without charge, upon written request to
the Secretary of AgeX.
HOW
TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING
IMPORTANT
NOTICE:
If
you plan to attend the Meeting in person please be aware that
in-person attendance could be prohibited or limited by federal,
state, or local orders due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We may issue a
press release or post on our website or use other communication
methods to notify our stockholders of any such limitations that may
be imposed and remain in effect after the date of this Proxy
Statement. However, due to changing circumstances we may not be
able to give advance notice of the number of persons, if any, that
may be permitted to attend the Meeting in person. As explained
below, we have made arrangements for our stockholders to attend the
Meeting online in lieu of attending in person.
Whether
you plan to attend the Meeting in person or online, we encourage
you to sign and return the enclosed proxy card and indicate how you
wish your shares to be voted at the Meeting. If you do attend the
Meeting you will be able to revoke your proxy and vote at the
Meeting by following the instructions in this Proxy Statement.
If you are unable to attend the Meeting and you do not revoke
your proxy, your shares will be voted as indicated on your proxy
card.
Attending
the Meeting in Peron
If
you are a “stockholder of record” (meaning that you have a stock
certificate registered in your own name), your name will appear on
our stockholder list. You will be admitted to the Meeting in person
upon showing your proxy card, driver’s license, or other
identification.
If
you are a “street name” stockholder (meaning that your shares are
held in an account at a broker-dealer firm) your name will not
appear on our stockholder list. If you plan to attend the Meeting
in person, you should ask your broker for a “legal proxy.” You will
be admitted to the Meeting by showing your legal proxy. You
probably received a proxy form from your broker along with your
Proxy Statement, but that form can only be used by your broker to
vote your shares, and it is not a “legal proxy” that will permit
you to vote your shares directly at the Meeting. Follow the
instructions from your broker or bank included with these proxy
materials, or contact your broker or bank to request a legal proxy
form. If you cannot obtain a legal proxy in time, you will be
admitted to the Meeting if you bring a copy of your most recent
brokerage account statement showing that you own AgeX shares.
However, if you do not obtain a legal proxy, you can only vote your
shares by returning to your broker or bank, before the Meeting, the
proxy form from your broker or bank that accompanied this Proxy
Statement.
Participating
in the Meeting Online
This
year we have made arrangements for our stockholders to attend and
vote at the Meeting online. Stockholders who wish to attend the
Meeting online you will need to gain admission in the manner
described below. Stockholders who follow the procedures for
attending the Meeting online will be able to vote at the Meeting
and ask questions. If you do not comply with the procedures
described here for attending the Meeting online, you will not be
able to participate and vote at the Meeting online but may view the
Meeting webcast by visiting
https://web.lumiagm.com/268644388 and following the
instructions to log in as a guest using the password
agex2020.
If
you are a “stockholder of record” (meaning that you have a stock
certificate registered in your own name), to attend and participate
in the Meeting online you will need to visit
https://web.lumiagm.com/268644388 and use the control
number on your proxy card to log on. The password for the Meeting
is agex2020.
If
you are a “street name” stockholder (meaning that your shares are
held in an account at a broker-dealer firm) and you wish to
participate and vote online at the Meeting, you must first obtain a
valid legal proxy from your broker, bank or other agent and then
register in advance to attend the Meeting. After obtaining a valid
legal proxy from your broker, bank or other agent, you must
register to attend the Meeting by submitting proof of your legal
proxy reflecting the number of your shares along with your name and
email address to American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC
to receive an 11-digit control number that may be used to access
the Meeting online. Requests for registration should be directed to
proxy@astfinancial.com or to facsimile number 718-765-8730. Written
requests can be mailed to:
American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company LLC
Attn:
Proxy Tabulation Department
6201
15th Avenue
Brooklyn,
NY 11219
Requests
for registration must be labeled as “Legal Proxy” and be received
no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on December 18, 2020, five
business day before the Meeting.
You
will receive a confirmation of your registration by email after we
receive your registration materials. You may attend the Meeting and
vote your shares at https://web.lumiagm.com/268644388
during the Meeting. The password for the meeting is agex2020.
Follow the instructions provided to vote. We encourage you to
access the Meeting prior to the start time leaving ample time for
the check in.
By
Order of the Board of Directors,
 |
|
Judith
Segall |
|
Secretary |
|
|
|
November
__, 2020 |
|


