As filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on January 20, 2016
Registration No. 333-
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Under the Securities Act of 1933
HEMISPHERX BIOPHARMA, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in
its charter)
Delaware |
52-0845822 |
(State or jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number) |
1617 JFK Boulevard
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
(215) 988-0080
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip
Code)
____________________
AMENDED AND RESTATED HEMISPHERX BIOPHARMA,
INC.
2009 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
(full title of the plan)
William A. Carter, M.D., Chief Executive
Officer
Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc.
1617 JFK Boulevard
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
(215) 988-0080
(Name, Address & Telephone number, including
area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
Richard Feiner, Esq.
Silverman Shin Byrne & Gilchrest PLLC
381 Park Avenue South - Suite 1601
New York, New York 10016
(212) 779-8600
Fax (917) 720-0863
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated
filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See definition of "large accelerated
filer,” “accelerated filer" and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check
one):
Large accelerated filer ¨ |
Accelerated filer ¨ |
Non-accelerated filer ¨ |
Smaller Reporting Company x |
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of Securities
to be Registered |
Amount to be
Registered(1)(3) |
Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per
Share(2) |
Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering
Price(2) |
Amount of
Registration
Fee |
Shares of Common Stock, $.001 par value, and Shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options/warrants |
7,000,000 |
$0.08 |
$560,000 |
$56.39 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Registration Fee |
|
|
|
$56.39 |
(1) Represents 7,000,000 shares reserved for issuance under
the Amended and Restated Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. 2009 Equity Incentive Plan and/or upon exercise of stock options to be granted
under the foregoing Plan. Excludes 15,000,000 shares previously registered on the Company’s registration statement on Form
S-8 (SEC File No. 333-160499), as amended.
(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration
fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act.
(3) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933,
this registration statement also covers any additional securities that may be offered or issued in connection with any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction.
PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS
The information specified in Item 1 and Item 2 of Part I of
this Registration Statement on Form S-8 is omitted from this filing in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428 under the Securities
Act and the introductory note to Part I of the Registration Statement on Form S-8. The documents containing the information specified
in Part I will be delivered to the participants in the Amended and Restated Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. 2009 Equity Incentive Plan
covered by this Registration Statement as required by Rule 428(b) (1).
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" the
information we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents.
The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this Registration Statement, and later information filed
with the SEC will update and supersede this information. We hereby incorporate by reference into this Registration Statement the
following documents previously filed with the SEC:
| (a) | Our annual report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2014. |
(b) | Our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2015, June 30, 2015 and September 30, 2015. |
| |
(c) | Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed
with the Commission on June, 24, 2015, July 27, 2015, August 5, 2015, August 26, 2015, September 17, 2015, November 23, 2015,
December 10, 2015, December 16, 2015, and January 14, 2016. |
| (d) | The Notice of Annual Meeting and definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Commission on August 10, 2015 in connection with
our 2015 Annual Meeting; |
| (e) | A description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form S-1, SEC File No. 333-117178, and any amendment
or report filed for the purpose of updating this description filed subsequent to the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination
of this offering. |
Except to the extent that information therein is deemed furnished
and not filed pursuant to the Exchange Act, all documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the effective date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment to this Registration Statement indicating that all securities offered hereby have been sold or deregistering all securities
then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of
such documents. Any statement contained herein or in any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained
herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed to constitute a part of this Registration
Statement, except as so modified or superseded.
We will provide without charge to each person to whom documents
are being provided pursuant to Part I of this Registration Statement, upon the written or oral request of any such person, a copy
of any document described above (other than exhibits). Requests for such copies should be directed to Corporate Secretary, Hemispherx
Biopharma, Inc., 1617 JFK Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, Phone: (215) 988-0080.
Item 4. Description of Securities.
Not applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
Not applicable.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
As permitted by Section 102 of the DGCL, we have adopted provisions
in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws that limit or eliminate the personal liability of our directors for a breach of
their fiduciary duty of care as a director. The duty of care generally requires that, when acting on behalf of the corporation,
directors exercise an informed business judgment based on all material information reasonably available to them. Consequently,
a director will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages or breach of fiduciary duty as a director,
except for liability for:
| • | any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders; |
| • | any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; |
| • | any act related to unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions or payment of dividends; or |
| • | any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. |
These limitations of liability do not affect the availability
of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission. Our certificate of incorporation also authorizes us to indemnify
our officers, directors and other agents to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law.
As permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL, our bylaws provide
that:
| • | we may indemnify our directors, officers, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, subject to limited
exceptions; |
| • | we may advance expenses to our directors, officers, employees and agents in connection with a legal proceeding to the fullest
extent permitted by the DGCL, subject to limited exceptions; and |
| • | the rights provided in our bylaws are not exclusive. |
We have purchased a policy of directors’ and officers’
liability insurance that insures our directors and officers against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in
some circumstances.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
Item 8. Exhibits.
Exhibit No. Description
4.2 | Amended and Restated Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (1). |
| 5.1 | Opinion of Silverman Shin Byrne & Gilchrest PLLC, legal counsel. |
| 23.1 | Consent of RSM US LLP (formerly, McGladrey LLP) |
23.3 | Consent of Silverman Shin Byrne & Gilchrest PLLC, legal counsel (included in Exhibit
5.1). |
| 24.1 | Powers of Attorney (included in Signature Pages to the Registration Statement on Form S-8). |
| (1) | Previously filed as Appendix A to the Company's Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A (SEC File No. 1-13441) filed with
the Commission on or about August 10, 2015, and incorporated herein by this reference. |
Item 9. Undertakings.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers
or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by section
10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or
events arising after the effective date of the
Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective
amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar
value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated
maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the
aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth
in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with
respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information
in the Registration Statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the registration statement
is on form S-8 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic
reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of
1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating
to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide
offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that,
for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report
pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee
benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising
under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to
the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the
event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred
or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding)
is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant
will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933
and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the Registrant, Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc., certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements
for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, on the 20th day of
January, 2016.
HEMISPHERX BIOPHARMA, INC.
(Registrant)
By: |
/s/ William A. Carter, M.D. |
|
|
William A. Carter, M.D., |
|
|
Chief Executive Officer |
|
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints William A. Carter acting alone, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent,
with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, in
connection with the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, including, without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, to sign the Registration Statement in the name and on behalf of the Registrant or on behalf of
the undersigned as a director or officer of the Registrant, and any and all amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement,
including any and all stickers and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits
thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any applicable securities
exchange or securities self-regulatory body, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully
to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or their substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
this registration statement on Form S-8 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the dates indicated.
Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ William A. Carter |
|
Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive |
|
|
William A. Carter |
|
Officer (Principal Executive) and Director |
|
January 20, 2016 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Thomas K. Equels |
|
President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, |
|
|
Thomas K. Equels |
|
General Counsel, and Vice Chairman |
|
January 20, 2016 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Adam Pascale |
|
|
|
|
Adam Pascale |
|
Chief Accounting Officer |
|
January 20, 2016 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ William M. Mitchell |
|
|
|
|
William M. Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D. |
|
Director |
|
January 20, 2016 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Iraj E. Kiani |
|
|
|
|
Iraj E. Kiani, Ph.D. |
|
Director |
|
January 20, 2016 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Peter W. Rodino |
|
|
|
|
Peter W. Rodino |
|
Director |
|
January 20, 2016 |
Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc.
Form S-8
Index to Exhibits
Exhibit No. Description
| 5.1 | Opinion of Silverman Shin Byrne & Gilchrest PLLC, legal counsel. |
| 23.1 | Consent of RSM US LLP (formerly, McGladrey LLP). |
Exhibit 5.1
SILVERMAN SHIN BYRNE & GILCHREST
PLLC
381 Park Avenue South, Suite 1601
New York, New York 10016
Tel. No. 212-779-8600
Telecopy Number - (212) 779-8858
January 20,
2016
Board of Directors
Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc.
1617 JFK Boulevard
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
| Re: | Registration Statement on Form S-8. |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation of the Company's Registration Statement on
Form S-8, (the "Registration Statement") with respect to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act"), of 7,000,000 shares (the “Additional Plan Shares”) of the Company's common stock,
par value $0.001 per share (the "Common Stock"), which may be issued upon the terms and subject to the conditions
set forth in the Amended and Restated Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). This
opinion does not relate to 15,000,000 shares issuable or issued pursuant to the Plan prior to its recent amendment and
restatement, which shares were previously registered on Form S-8 (SEC file no. 333-160499). This opinion letter is furnished
to you at your request to enable you to fulfill the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K, 17 C.F.R.
229.601(b)(5), in connection with the Registration Statement.
In connection with the opinion expressed herein, we have examined
originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records and other instruments
as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of our opinion, including: (i) the Company's Amended and Restated Certificate
of Incorporation and all amendments thereto; (ii) the Company's Amended and Restated Bylaws; (iii) the Plan; (iv) the Registration
Statement; and (v) the applicable minutes of meetings or consents in lieu of meetings of the Company's board of directors (the
"Board").
For purposes of expressing the opinion hereinafter set forth,
we have assumed: (i) the genuineness of all signatures and documents; (ii) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as
originals; (iii) the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies; (iv) the correctness and accuracy
of all facts set forth in the documents referred to in this opinion letter; (v) compliance with the terms of the Plan by the Company
and its employees, officers, the Board and any committees or individuals appointed to administer the Plan; (vi) that the resolutions
authorizing the Company to issue or deliver and sell the shares pursuant to the Plan will be in full force and effect at all times
at which the shares are issued or delivered or sold by the Company, and the Company will take no action inconsistent with such
resolutions; and (vii) that each award under the Plan will be approved by the Board or an authorized committee of the Board.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing and having regard for
such legal considerations as we have deemed relevant, we are of the opinion that the Additional Plan Shares have been duly authorized
by the Company and, upon issuance and payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Plan (and the agreements or certificates
issued thereunder) will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1
to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons
whose consent is required by the Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
|
Very truly yours, |
|
|
|
/s/ Silverman Shin Byrne & Gilchrest PLLC |
|
Silverman Shin Byrne & Gilchrest PLLC |
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm
Hemispherx
Biopharma, Inc.
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
We
consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. of our
report dated March 19, 2015, relating to our audit of the consolidated financial statements included in the Annual Report on
Form 10-K of Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2014.
/s/
RSM US LLP
RSM US LLP
Blue
Bell, Pennsylvania
January
20, 2016
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