UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)
of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
Filed by the
Registrant
þ
Filed by a Party
other than the Registrant
¨
Check the appropriate box:
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¨
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Preliminary Proxy Statement
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¨
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Confidential, for Use of
the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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þ
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Definitive Proxy Statement
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¨
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Definitive Additional Materials
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¨
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Soliciting Material Pursuant
to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12
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CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than the Registrant)
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Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate
box):
Fee computed on table below per Exchange
Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11
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(1)
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Title of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
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(2)
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Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
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(3)
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Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule
0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
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(4)
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Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
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¨
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
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¨
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange
Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration
statement number, or the form or schedule and the date of its filing.
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(1)
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Amount previously paid:
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(2)
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Form, schedule or registration statement no.:
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CASI PHARMACEUTICALS,
INC.
Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
Date:
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Thursday, June 20, 2019
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Time:
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11:00 a.m., local time
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Place:
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Hilton Garden Inn
14975 Shady Grove Road
Rockville, MD 20850
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Purposes:
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1.
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To elect two directors;
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2.
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To approve an amendment to our 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan increasing the number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance
from 20,230,000 to 25,230,000;
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3.
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To approve an amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares
of Common Stock from 170,000,000 to 250,000,000;
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4.
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To approve the issuance of equity compensation to the Chairman and CEO pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule Section 5635(c) and, if
applicable, Nasdaq Listing Rule Section 5635(b);
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5.
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To ratify the appointment of KPMG Huazhen LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2019; and
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6.
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To consider and take action upon such other matters as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any postponement or adjournment
thereof.
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Who Can Vote:
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Stockholders at the close of business on April 24, 2019.
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Our Board of Directors
has fixed April 24, 2019 as the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the 2019
annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”). Only stockholders of record at the close of business on that
date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting.
Details regarding the
matters to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting appear in the accompanying Proxy Statement. Please give this material your careful
attention.
You are cordially invited
to attend the Annual Meeting. Whether or not you expect to attend, you are respectfully requested by the Board of Directors to
sign, date and return the enclosed proxy promptly. Stockholders who execute proxies retain the right to revoke them at any time
prior to the voting thereof. A return envelope, which requires no postage if mailed in the United States, is enclosed for your
convenience.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
/s/ Wei-Wu He
Dr. Wei-Wu
He
Chairman and CEO
April 30, 2019
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON JUNE 20, 2019
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This Proxy Statement relating to the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and the Annual Report to Stockholders on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 are also available for viewing, printing and downloading at www.casipharmaceuticals.com.
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PROXY STATEMENT
ANNUAL MEETING
OF STOCKHOLDERS
To be
held on June 20, 2019
This proxy statement
(the “Proxy Statement”) is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of CASI
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the principal executive offices of which are located
at 9620 Medical Center Drive, Suite 300, Rockville, Maryland 20850, for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Annual Meeting
will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 14975 Shady Grove Road, Rockville, MD 20850 on June 20, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. (local
time) and for any postponement, or adjournments thereof (the “Annual Meeting”), for the purposes set forth in the accompanying
Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Any stockholder giving a proxy has the power to revoke it at any time before it is voted.
Written notice of such revocation should be forwarded directly to the Secretary of the Company at the Company’s executive
offices. Attendance at the Annual Meeting will not have the effect of revoking the proxy unless written notice is given or the
stockholder votes by ballot at the Annual Meeting.
If the enclosed proxy
is properly executed and returned, the shares represented thereby will be voted in accordance with the specified directions and
otherwise in accordance with the judgment of the persons designated as proxies. Any proxy returned on which no direction is specified
will be voted in favor of the actions described in this Proxy Statement, including the election of the director nominees set forth
under the caption “Election of Directors,” the approval of an amendment to the Company’s 2011 Long-Term Incentive
Plan, the approval of an amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the approval of the issuance of equity
compensation to the Chairman and CEO (the “Equity Compensation Proposal”) and the ratification of the appointment of
KPMG Huazhen LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31,
2019.
The approximate date
on which this Proxy Statement and the accompanying form of proxy will first be mailed or given to the Company’s stockholders
is May 10, 2019. Pursuant to rules promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), we have
elected to provide access to our proxy materials both by sending you this full set of proxy materials, including a proxy card,
and by posting our proxy materials on the Internet. This proxy statement and our 2018 Annual Report to Stockholders on Form 10-K
are available at www.casipharmaceuticals.com.
All references in this
Proxy Statement to “the Company,” “we,” “our,” and “us” mean CASI Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. Please note that the Company qualifies as a “smaller reporting company” for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2018 under the applicable rules of the SEC. Accordingly, this Proxy Statement reflects the scaled disclosure requirements available
to smaller reporting companies.
Your vote is important.
Whether or not you
plan to attend the Annual Meeting, please sign and return the accompanying proxy card so that we can be assured of having a quorum
present at the meeting and so that your shares may be voted in accordance with your wishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Q:
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Why am I receiving this Proxy Statement and proxy card?
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A:
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You are receiving a Proxy Statement and proxy card from
us because you own shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) as of
the record date. This Proxy Statement describes issues on which we would like you, as a stockholder, to vote. It also gives you
information on these issues so that you can make an informed decision.
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Cynthia
W. Hu, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel & Secretary and Sara B. Capitelli, the Company’s
Vice President, Finance were named by the Board of Directors as proxy holders. Ms. Hu and Ms. Capitelli will vote all proxies,
or record an abstention or withheld vote, in accordance with the directions on the proxy. This way, your shares will be voted whether
or not you attend the Annual Meeting. Even if you plan to attend the meeting, please complete, sign and return your proxy card
in advance of the meeting just in case you are unable to attend. You can always decide to vote in person. If no contrary direction
is given, the shares will be voted as recommended by the Board of Directors.
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Q:
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What is the record date?
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A:
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The record date is April 24, 2019. Only holders of record
of Common Stock as of the close of business on this date will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.
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Q:
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How many shares are outstanding?
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A:
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As of the record date, the Company had 95,717,052
s
hares
of Common Stock outstanding.
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A:
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You are being asked to vote on the election of two directors
to the terms described in the Proxy Statement, approval of the amendment to the Company’s 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan,
approval of an amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, approval of the Equity Compensation Proposal,
the ratification of KPMG Huazhen LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company, and such other business
as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any postponement or adjournment.
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Q:
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How does the Board of Directors recommend I vote?
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A:
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Please see the information included in the proxy statement
relating to the proposals to be voted on. Our Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote:
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1.
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“
FOR
” the nominees to the Board
of Directors;
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2.
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“
FOR
” the amendment to the Company’s
2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan;
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3.
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“
FOR
” the amendment to the Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation;
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4.
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“
FOR
” the approval of the Equity
Compensation Proposal; and
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5.
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“
FOR
” ratification of KPMG Huazhen
LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm.
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Q:
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What happens if additional matters are presented at
the Annual Meeting?
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A:
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Other than the items of business described in this proxy
statement, we are not aware of any other business to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting. If you grant a proxy, the persons named
as proxy holders will have the discretion to vote your shares on any additional matters properly presented for a vote at the Annual
Meeting in accordance with Delaware law and our Bylaws.
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A:
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You may either vote by mail or in person at the Annual
Meeting. To vote by mail, please sign your proxy card and mail it in the enclosed, prepaid and addressed envelope. If you mark
your voting instructions on the proxy card, your shares will be voted in accordance with your instructions. If you return a signed
card but do not provide voting instructions, your shares will be voted based on the recommendations of the Board of Directors.
We will pass out written ballots to anyone who wants to vote at the Annual Meeting. If you hold your shares through a brokerage
account and do not have a physical share certificate, you must request a legal proxy from your stockbroker in order to vote at
the Annual Meeting.
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Q:
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What does it mean if I receive more than one proxy card?
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A:
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It means that you have multiple accounts at the transfer
agent and/or with stockbrokers. Please sign and return all proxy cards to ensure that all your shares are voted.
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Q:
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How many votes do you need to hold the Annual Meeting?
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A:
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A majority of the Company’s outstanding shares of
Common Stock as of the record date must be present at the Annual Meeting, in person or in proxy, in order to hold the Annual Meeting
and conduct business. This is called a quorum. Proxies received but marked as abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will be
included in the calculation of the number of shares considered to be present at the meeting for quorum purposes.
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Q:
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What is the voting requirement to approve the proposals?
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A:
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In order for a director to be elected, he must receive
the affirmative vote of a plurality of the shares voted. In other words, the two nominees receiving the greatest number of affirmative
votes cast will be elected. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not have an effect on the outcome of the election of directors.
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Approval of the amendment to the Company’s
2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan and the Equity Compensation Proposal requires the affirmative vote of the majority of shares present
or represented and entitled to vote. Abstentions are counted as votes present and entitled to vote and have the same effect as
votes “against” the proposal. Broker non-votes will not be counted for the purpose of determining whether stockholders
have approved the proposal.
Approval of the amendment to the Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation requires the affirmative vote of the majority of shares outstanding. Abstentions have
the same effect as votes “against” the proposal.
Ratification of the appointment of KPMG Huazhen
LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm also requires the affirmative vote of the majority of shares present or
represented and entitled to vote. Abstentions are counted as votes present and entitled to vote and have the same effect as votes
“against” the proposal.
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Q:
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Why is the Company seeking to increase the number of
authorized shares of Common Stock?
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A:
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We have 170,000,000 authorized shares of Common Stock. As of April 22, 2019, approximately
132,405,000 of these shares were issued and outstanding or reserved for issuance under outstanding securities, including
stock options and warrants. The Board of Directors believes that it is prudent to increase the authorized number of shares of
Common Stock in order to maintain a reserve of shares available for immediate issuance to meet business needs, such as equity
offerings, equity awards and strategic acquisition opportunities promptly as they arise.
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Q:
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If the stockholders approve this proposal, when would
the Company implement the increase in the number of authorized shares?
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A:
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We currently expect that the increase in the number of
authorized shares will be implemented as soon as practicable after the receipt of the requisite stockholder approval.
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Q:
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Do any of the Company’s officers and directors
have an interest in the proposals?
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A:
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Yes. The Company’s Chairman and CEO, Wei-Wu He, Ph.D.
will receive stock options covering four (4) million shares of the Company’s Common Stock if the Equity Compensation Proposal
is approved. These stock options replace the four (4) million share performance-based options that were granted to Dr. He in 2018
and approved by stockholders at the 2018 annual meeting.
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Q:
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What are broker non-votes? If my shares are held in
street name by my broker, will my broker vote my shares for me?
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A:
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Generally, broker non-votes occur when shares held by a
broker, bank, or other nominee in “street name” for a beneficial owner are not voted with respect to a particular
proposal because the broker, bank, or other nominee (1) has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner and
(2) lacks discretionary voting power to vote those shares with respect to that particular proposal.
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A broker is entitled to vote shares held for
a beneficial owner on “routine” matters, such as the ratification of the appointment of KPMG Huazhen LLP as our independent
registered public accounting firm, and the amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of shares of Common
Stock, without instructions from the beneficial owner of those shares.
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Q:
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Can I change my vote after I have delivered my proxy?
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A:
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Yes. You may revoke your proxy at any time before its exercise.
You may also revoke your proxy by voting in person at the Annual Meeting. If your shares are held in street name, you must contact
your brokerage firm or bank to change your vote or obtain a proxy to vote your shares if you wish to cast your vote in person
at the Annual Meeting.
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Q:
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How are votes counted?
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A:
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Voting results will be tabulated and certified by our transfer
agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company.
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Q:
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Where can I find the voting results of the Annual Meeting?
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A:
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Preliminary voting results will be announced at the Annual
Meeting. We will report final voting results in a Current Report on Form 8-K, which we expect to file with the SEC within four
business days after the Annual Meeting. If final voting results are not available to us in time to file a Form 8-K within four
business days after the meeting, we intend to file a Form 8-K to publish preliminary results and, within four business days after
the final results are known to us, file an additional Form 8-K to publish the final results.
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You can obtain a copy, at no charge, of
such Current Report on Form 8-K or any of our SEC reports:
• by contacting our corporate offices
via phone at (240) 864-2643 or by email at ir@casipharmaceuticals.com; or
• through the SEC via their website:
www.sec.gov
.
VOTING SECURITIES
Holders of record of
shares of the Company’s Common Stock as of the close of business on April 24, 2019 (the “Record Date”) are entitled
to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting on all matters. On the Record Date, the Company had outstanding 95,717,052 shares
of Common Stock. Each outstanding share is entitled to one vote upon all matters to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting. A majority
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock entitled to vote on any matter and represented at the Annual Meeting, in person or by
proxy, shall constitute a quorum.
Abstentions and broker
non-votes are counted for purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual
Meeting.
For the election of
directors, you have the option to vote “For” or “Withhold” authority to vote for any of the director nominees.
Assuming a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a plurality of the shares of Common Stock cast in person or represented by
proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote is required to elect director nominees. That means that the two director nominees
with the most votes will be elected. If you “Withhold” authority to vote on any or all nominees, your vote will have
no effect on the outcome of the election. If you hold your shares in “street name” and do not provide instructions
to your broker, your broker will not have discretionary authority with respect to the proposal to elect directors and will therefore
provide a “broker non-vote.” Since broker non-votes are not deemed votes cast, they will not affect the outcome of
the election of director nominees.
For (i) the amendment
to the Company’s 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan, and (ii) the Equity Compensation Proposal, you have the option to vote “For,”
“Against” or “Abstain” from voting. Assuming a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a majority of
the shares of Common Stock cast in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote is necessary to approve
these proposals. If you “Abstain” from voting on any of these proposals, your shares will be counted as present and
entitled to vote and your vote will have the same legal effect as a vote “against” the proposal. If you hold your shares
in “street name” and do not provide instructions to your broker, your broker will not have discretionary authority
with respect to these proposals and will therefore provide a “broker non-vote.” Since broker non-votes are not deemed
votes cast, they will not affect the outcome of these proposals.
For the amendment to
the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, you have the option to vote “For,” “Against” or
“Abstain” from voting. Assuming a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares outstanding is
required to approve the proposal. An abstention from voting on this proposal will have the same legal effect as a vote “against”
the proposal, even though the stockholder may interpret such action differently. If you hold your shares in “street name”
and do not provide instructions to your broker, your broker will have discretionary authority to vote your shares with respect
to this proposal.
For the ratification
of the appointment of KPMG Huazhen LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the fiscal year
ending December 31, 2019, you have the option to vote “For,” “Against” or “Abstain” from voting.
Assuming a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of Common Stock cast in person or represented by
proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote is necessary to approve this proposal. If you “Abstain” from voting
on this proposal, your shares will be counted as present and entitled to vote and your vote will have the same legal effect as
a vote “against” the proposal. If you hold your shares in “street name” and do not provide instructions
to your broker, your broker will have discretionary authority to vote your shares with respect to this proposal.
The Company is not
currently aware of any matters that will be brought before the Annual Meeting (other than procedural matters) that are not referred
to in the enclosed Notice of Annual Meeting.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT AND
CERTAIN BENEFICIAL HOLDERS
The following table
sets forth the beneficial ownership of the Company’s Common Stock as of April 22, 2019 for (i) each director (including
nominees), (ii) each named executive officer named in the Summary Compensation Table, (iii) all directors (including nominees)
and executive officers of the Company as a group, and (iv) each person or group known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of
our outstanding stock.
Name of Beneficial Owner
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Amount
and Nature of
Beneficial Ownership
(1)
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Percentage
of
Common Stock
Outstanding
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Directors:
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Wei-Wu He, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO
+
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11,565,525
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(2)(3)
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11.45
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%
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Quan Zhou, Ph.D.
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9,910,870
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(2)(4)
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10.21
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%
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James Huang
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462,691
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(2)
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*
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Y. Alexander Wu, Ph.D.
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206,250
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(2)
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*
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Rajesh C. Shrotriya, MD
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181,250
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(2)
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*
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Franklin C. Salisbury, Jr.
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181,250
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(2)
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*
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Ken K. Ren, Ph.D., Former CEO and Director
+
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3,235,758
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(2)
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3.27
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%
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Named Executive Officers:
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Wei (Larry) Zhang, President CASI China
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-
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*
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George Chi, Chief Financial Officer
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-
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*
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All executive officers and directors as a group (10 persons)
(2)
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25,962,321
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(2)
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24.29%
(2)
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More than 5% Beneficial Owners:
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IDG-Accel China and affiliated entities
(5)
Unit 1509, The Center
99 Queen’s Road, Central
Hong Kong
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9,773,370
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10.08
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%
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Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and affiliated entities
(6)
11500 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 240
Henderson, NV 89052
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10,047,675
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10.50
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%
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Sparkle Byte Limited
(7)
6/F, Tower A, COFCO Plaza
8 Jianguomennei Avenue
Beijing, 100005, China
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10,198,518
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10.65
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%
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Dr. Dapeng Li
(8)
No. 16 Street
Xiasha Economic & Technical Development Zone, Hangzhou
Zhejiang, China 31008
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9,364,130
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9.66
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%
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Wealth Strategy Holdings Limited
(9)
Level 12
International Commerce Centre
1 Austin Road West
Kowloon, Hong Kong
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10,684,625
|
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10.92
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%
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Emerging Technology Partners LLC
(10)
9620 Medical Center Dr., Suite 200
Rockville, MD 20850
|
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7,007,984
|
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7.20
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%
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Kok Thay Lim
(11)
25th Floor WISMA GENTING JALAN SULTAN ISMAIL
50250
KUALA LUMPUR
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4,850,745
|
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5.01
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%
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+
|
As of April 2, 2019, Dr.
Ren resigned as Chief Executive Officer and was succeeded by Dr. Wei-Wu He. Dr. Ren remains a director of the Company.
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(1)
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Beneficial ownership is defined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and the information does not
necessarily indicate beneficial ownership for any other purpose. Under such rules, beneficial ownership includes any shares
over which the person or entity has sole or shared voting power or investment power and also any shares that the person or
entity can acquire within 60 days of April 22, 2019 through the exercise of any stock option or other right. For
purpose of computing the percentage of outstanding shares of common stock held by each person or entity, any shares that the
person or entity has the right to acquire within 60 days after April 22, 2019, are deemed to be outstanding with respect
to such person or entity but are not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage of ownership of any
other person or entity. Unless otherwise noted, each individual has sole voting and investment power with respect to the
shares shown in the table above. The address for each person set forth above, unless otherwise noted, is c/o CASI
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 9620 Medical Center Drive, Suite 300, Rockville, Maryland 20850.
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(2)
|
Includes shares issuable upon exercise of options and warrants which are exercisable within 60 days
of April 22, 2019, in the following amounts: Wei-Wu He, 5,318,902 (including 1,608,888 shares underlying warrants through ETP
Global Fund L.P.); James Huang, 462,500; Y. Alexander Wu, 206,250; Franklin C. Salisbury, 181,250; Rajesh Shrotriya, 181,250; Quan
Zhou, 1,372,067 (including 1,234,567 shares underlying warrants through IDG-Accel China and affiliated entities); Ken K. Ren, 3,220,758;
and all executive officers and directors as a group, 11,161,704.
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(3)
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Includes 441,072 shares beneficially held by Emerging Technology
Partners, LLC. and 6,566,912 shares beneficially held by ETP Global Fund L.P. Also includes 200,000 shares beneficially held by
the Huiying Memorial Foundation as to which Dr. He disclaims beneficial ownership.
|
|
(4)
|
Includes 9,773,370 shares beneficially held by IDG-Accel
China and affiliated entities as to which Dr. Zhou disclaims beneficial ownership.
|
|
(5)
|
Number of shares and percentage of common stock outstanding
are based on the books and records of the Company. According to information provided by IDG in a Schedule 13D Amendment filed
on March 20, 2018, the following persons have sole voting and dispositive power and shared voting and dispositive power over the
shares indicated in the table below: (i) IDG-Accel Growth, (ii) IDG-Accel Investors, (iii) IDG-Accel China Growth Fund III Associates
L.P., an exempted Cayman Islands limited partnership and the sole general partner of IDG-Accel Growth (“IDG-Accel Associates”),
(iv) IDG-Accel China Growth Fund GP III Associates, Ltd., an exempted Cayman Islands limited company (“IDG-Accel GP,”
and collectively with IDG-Accel Growth, IDG-Accel Investors and IDG-Accel Associates, “IDG-Accel”), and the sole general
partner of each of IDG-Accel Investors and IDG-Accel Associates, (v) Chi Sing Ho, an individual, and director and shareholder
of IDG-Accel GP, and (vi) Quan Zhou, an individual, and director and shareholder of IDG-Accel GP:
|
|
|
Sole Power to
Vote/Direct Vote
|
|
|
Shared Power to
Vote/Direct Vote
|
|
|
Sole Power to
Dispose/Direct Disposition
|
|
|
Shared Power to
Dispose/Direct Disposition
|
|
IDG-Accel Growth
|
|
|
9,126,375
|
|
|
|
646,995
|
|
|
|
9,126,375
|
|
|
|
646,995
|
|
IDG-Accel Investors
|
|
|
646,995
|
|
|
|
9,126,375
|
|
|
|
646,995
|
|
|
|
9,126,375
|
|
IDG-Accel Associates
|
|
|
9,126,375
|
|
|
|
646,995
|
|
|
|
9,126,375
|
|
|
|
646,995
|
|
IDG-Accel GP
|
|
|
9,773,370
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
9,773,370
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
Chi Sing Ho
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
9,773,370
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
9,773,370
|
|
Quan Zhou
|
|
|
75,000
|
|
|
|
9,773,370
|
|
|
|
75,000
|
|
|
|
9,773,370
|
|
|
(6)
|
Number of shares and percentage of common stock outstanding are based on the books and records of the
Company. According to a Schedule 13D Amendment filed jointly by Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Spectrum”) and Spectrum
Pharmaceuticals Cayman, L.P. (“Spectrum Cayman”) on April 11, 2019, Spectrum Cayman is owned 99% by Spectrum and 1%
by Spectrum Pharmaceuticals International Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Spectrum Holdings”).
Spectrum Holdings is the sole general partner of Spectrum Cayman and Spectrum is the sole managing member of Spectrum Holdings.
As a result, Spectrum has sole voting and dispositive power over 5,397,413 shares that are held directly by Spectrum and shared
voting and dispositive power over the 4,650,262 shares held by Spectrum Cayman. Spectrum Cayman has shared voting and dispositive
power over the 4,650,262 shares held directly by Spectrum Cayman.
|
|
(7)
|
According to a Schedule 13D Amendment filed with the SEC
on November 14, 2018, the record owner of these shares is Sparkle Byte Limited. By virtue of holding 100% of the equity interest
of Sparkle Byte Limited, Snow Moon Limited may be deemed to have sole voting and dispositive power with respect to these shares.
By virtue of holding 100% of the equity interest of Snow Moon Limited, Tianjin Jingran Management Center (Limited Partnership)
may be deemed to have sole voting and dispositive power with respect to these shares. By virtue of being the general partner of
Tianjin Jingran Management Center (Limited Partnership), He Xie Ai Qi Investment Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd. may be deemed
to have sole voting and dispositive power with respect to these shares. By virtue of being the shareholders and/or directors of
He Xie Ai Qi Investment Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Jianguang Li, Dongliang Lin, Fei Yang and Hugo Shong may be deemed to
have shared voting and dispositive power with respect to these shares.
|
|
(8)
|
Beneficial ownership is based on the books and records
of the Company. According to a Schedule 13G Amendment filed on February 6, 2019, Dr. Li has sole voting power and dispositive
power over the shares.
|
|
(9)
|
Beneficial ownership is based on the books and records
of the Company. According to a Schedule 13G filed on October 11, 2018 by Wealth Strategy Holding Limited (“WSH”),
WSH has sole voting power and dispositive power over the shares.
|
|
(10)
|
Emerging Technology Partners, LLC (“ETP”),
a Delaware limited liability company, is the general partner of ETP Global Fund L.P. (“ETP Global”), a Delaware limited
partnership. ETP Global has shared voting and dispositive power with respect to 6,566,912 shares of common stock. ETP has shared
voting and dispositive power with respect to 7,007,984 shares of common stock. Dr. He, as founder and managing member of each
of ETP and ETP Global, may be deemed the indirect beneficial owner of the 7,007,984 shares of common stock owned by ETP and ETP
Global
|
|
(11)
|
Beneficial ownership is based on the books and records
of the Company.
|
|
*
|
Represents less than 1% of the common stock outstanding.
|
PROPOSAL 1
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Our Board of Directors
currently consists of seven members and is divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as reasonably possible, with terms
currently expiring at the Annual Meeting and the annual meetings of stockholders to be held in 2021 and 2022. At the Annual Meeting,
two directors will be elected by the stockholders to serve the terms described herein. Upon the recommendation of the independent
members of the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors recommends that Mr. Huang and Dr. Zhou be elected as directors of the
Company, and it is intended that the accompanying proxy will be voted
FOR
the election of Mr. Huang and Dr. Zhou as directors,
unless the proxy contains contrary instructions. The Company has no reason to believe that any of the nominees will not be a candidate
or will be unable to serve. However, in the event that any nominee should become unable or unwilling to serve as a director, the
persons named in the proxy have advised that they will vote (unless authority has been withdrawn) for the election of such person
as shall be designated by the independent members of the Board of Directors.
Mr. Huang and Dr. Zhou
currently serve as directors of the Company and have consented to being named in this Proxy Statement and to serve if elected.
Dr. Zhou is a Director
of the General Partner of IDG-Accel China Growth Fund III L.P. (“IDG”). IDG has the right to nominate one director
to the Board of Directors.
The following table
sets forth each nominee to be elected at the Annual Meeting, our continuing directors, the year each such nominee or director was
first elected a director, the positions with the Company currently held by the nominee or director and the year the nominee’s
or director’s current term will expire:
Nominee’s or Director’s
Name
and Year First Became a Director
|
|
Position(s) with the Company
|
|
If Elected,
Year Term will Expire
|
James Huang – 2013
|
|
Director
|
|
2022
|
Quan Zhou, Ph.D. – 2016
|
|
Director
|
|
2022
|
Continuing Directors:
|
|
Position(s) with the Company
|
|
Year Term will Expire
|
Franklin C. Salisbury, Jr – 2014
|
|
Director
|
|
2020
|
Y. Alexander Wu, Ph.D. – 2013
|
|
Director
|
|
2020
|
Wei-Wu He, Ph.D. – 2012
|
|
Director and CEO
|
|
2021
|
Ken K. Ren. PhD. - 2014
|
|
Director
|
|
2021
|
Rajesh C. Shrotriya, MD – 2014
|
|
Director
|
|
2021
|
Vote Required
Election of a director
requires the affirmative vote of a plurality of the shares of common stock present or represented and entitled to vote at the meeting.
This means that each nominee will be elected if he receives more affirmative votes than votes withheld for such nominee. Broker
non-votes will not affect the outcome of the election.
Board of Directors Recommendation
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
RECOMMENDS A VOTE
“FOR”
THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINATED DIRECTORS AND SIGNED PROXIES THAT ARE RETURNED WILL BE
SO VOTED UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED ON THE PROXY CARD.
MANAGEMENT
Directors and Executive Officers
The following table
sets forth the director nominees to be elected at the Annual Meeting, the continuing directors and the executive officers of the
Company, their ages, and the positions currently held by each such person with the Company as of April 22, 2019.
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Positions
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director Nominees for Election:
|
|
|
|
|
James Huang
(1)
|
|
53
|
|
Director
|
Quan Zhou, Ph.D.
(2)
|
|
61
|
|
Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
Continuing Directors:
|
|
|
|
|
Wei-Wu He, Ph.D.
|
|
54
|
|
Chairman and CEO
|
Ken K. Ren, Ph.D.
(3)
|
|
60
|
|
Director
|
Rajesh C. Shrotriya MD
|
|
75
|
|
Director
|
Franklin C. Salisbury, Jr.
(4)(5)
|
|
63
|
|
Director
|
Y. Alexander Wu, Ph.D.
(4)(5)
|
|
55
|
|
Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive
Officers:
|
|
|
|
|
Wei (Larry) Zhang
|
|
60
|
|
President, CASI China
|
Alexander A. Zukiwski, MD
|
|
61
|
|
Chief Medical Officer
|
George Chi
|
|
50
|
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
(1) Chairman
of Audit Committee
(2) Chairman of Compensation
Committee.
(3) Dr. Ren resigned
as CEO on April 2, 2019, but remains a director of the Company.
(4) Member of Compensation
Committee
(5) Member of Audit
Committee
Set forth below is
a brief description of the principal occupation and business experience of each nominee and continuing director, as well as the
summary of our views as to the qualifications of each nominee and continuing director to serve on the Board of Directors and each
board committee of which he is a member. Our views are informed not only by the current and prior employment and educational background
of our directors, but also by the Board of Directors’ experience in working with their fellow directors. Each director has
had the opportunity to assess the contributions that the directors have made to our Board of Directors as well as their industry
knowledge, judgment and leadership capabilities.
Nominees for Election
James Huang
.
Mr. Huang has been a director of the Company since April 2013. Mr. Huang joined Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers China as a
managing partner in 2011 and focuses on the firm’s life sciences practice. His main investment interests are innovation around
China’s growing healthcare markets and helping entrepreneurs build companies. James has made more than 15 investments in
China since 2007. Before coming to KPCB China, James was a managing partner at Vivo Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing
in life sciences investments. While at Vivo, James led numerous investments in China. Before joining Vivo in 2007, James was president
of Anesiva, a biopharmaceutical company focused on pain-management treatments. During his 20-year career in the pharmaceutical
and biotech industry, he also held senior roles in business development, sales, marketing and R&D with Tularik Inc. (acquired
by Amgen), GlaxoSmithKline LLC, Bristol-Meyers Squibb and ALZA Corp. (acquired by Johnson & Johnson). Meanwhile, James Huang
is also funding and manager partner to Panacea Venture, a global venture fund, is focusing on investments in innovative and transformative
early and growth stage healthcare and life sciences companies. James is Chairman of Board at Kindstar Global and Windtree Therapeutics,
JHL Biotech and XW Laboratory and Director at ChiralQuest, Zenesis, and CASI and Omni Pharmaceuticals. James received an M.B.A.
from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
Mr. Huang’s deep experience and numerous contacts with a large number of life science companies, extensive industry knowledge
in both U.S. and China, business development expertise, coupled with his financial background, provides significant abilities to
guide the Company as a member of the Board of Directors as well as serving as Chair of the Audit Committee.
Quan Zhou, Ph.D
.
Dr. Zhou has been a director of the Company since June 2016. Dr. Zhou served as the president of IDG Technology Venture Investment
Inc. since mid-1990’s until 2012. He has been the managing member of IDG Technology Venture Investments, LP and its successor
fund since 2000 and the director of various IDG-Accel China funds since 2005. He currently also serves as director of IDG China
Venture Capital Fund IV L.P and its successor fund and IDG China Capital Fund III L.P. He is a member of the board of directors
of a number of private and listed companies, including CosmoChina Limited, COFCO Womai Limited, Circle Internet Financial Limited
and Yirendai Ltd (NYSE YRD). He has won awards from NASA and holds two U.S. Patents in fiber optic devices. Benefiting from more
than 20 years of successful financing, business and operation experience, he has established close connections with numerous IT
companies and entrepreneurial communities in both China and the United States. He received a Ph.D. in Fiber Optics from Rutgers
University in 1989, a Master’s Degree in Chemical Physics from the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology University in
1982. Dr. Zhou’s qualifications to serve on the Board of Directors, as well as serving as the Chair of the Compensation Committee,
include his substantial business experience, particularly in China.
Continuing Directors
Wei-Wu He, Ph.D
.
Dr. He has served as CEO and Chairman since April 2, 2019. Dr. He served as Executive Chairman of the Company from February
23, 2018 to April 2, 2019, as Chairman of the Company from May 2013 to February 23, 2018, and as Executive Chairman from February
2012 to May 2013. Dr.
He has served as Chairman of OriGene Technologies, Inc. since 1995
and served as its Chief Executive Officer from 1995 through April 2, 2019. He also is the founder and General Partner of Emerging
Technology Partners, LLC, a life sciences focused venture fund established in 2000. Dr. He has been involved in founding or funding
over 20 biotech companies throughout his career, some of which went on to be acquired by significantly larger firms. In the earlier
part of his career, Dr. He was one of the first few scientists at Human Genome Sciences, and prior to that, was a research fellow
at Massachusetts General Hospital and Mayo Clinic. Dr. He is an author to more than 25 research publications and inventor of over
30 issued patents.
Dr. He received his Ph.D.
from Baylor College of Medicine and MBA from The Wharton School of University of Pennsylvania.
We believe that as a seasoned
leader in the biotechnology industry and demonstrated financing and business acumen in both the United States and China, Dr. He
adds valuable insight and expertise to the Board of Directors. Dr. He’s knowledge of the drug development process provides
valuable insight to the Company. His leadership skills, strategic analysis, industry knowledge and substantial experience in the
biotech sector give him the qualifications and skills to serve as a director and the Chairman of the Company.
Ken K. Ren, Ph.D
.
Dr. Ren joined the Company in April 2012 as interim CEO and was appointed CEO in April 2013. Dr. Ren served as CEO until April
2, 2019. Dr. Ren has been a director of the Company since December 2014. Prior to joining the Company, from 2005-2012, Dr. Ren
was the president of Accelovance (China), a subsidiary of Accelovance, Inc., which is a Maryland-based contract research organization.
Prior to Accelovance, Dr. Ren was the founder of New Jersey-based AHT Inc., which merged with Novemed, a portfolio investment of
a blue-chip public company in Hong Kong. He was a co-founder of the China Innovation Center for Life Science (U.S.A.) Corp., a
New York-based consulting firm in partnership with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology which provided consulting services
to health-care and pharmaceutical companies in both the U.S. and China. Over the past 15 years, Dr. Ren has been involved in several
U.S./China based start-up companies in pharmaceutical development or services. Dr. Ren was a research scientist at Pfizer from
1993–1995 and a Research Fellow at Rockefeller University from 1990–1993. He received his medical degree at the Shandong
University School of Medicine in China in 1986 and a Ph.D. from State University of New York at Buffalo in 1990.
Dr.
Ren’s qualifications to serve on the Board of Directors include his extensive leadership experience and background in the
healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, which make him well qualified to serve on our Board of Directors.
Rajesh C. Shrotriya,
MD.
Dr. Shrotriya has been a director of the Company since September 2014. From 2000 – 2017, he was President
and Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. In this capacity he spearheaded major changes
in business strategy and coordinated structural reorganization culminating in the formation of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc..
He is also a Director of the UNVL Foundation. Prior to joining Spectrum, from September 2000 to August 2002, Dr. Shrotriya was
President and COO of Neotherapeutics, Inc., and prior to that he was Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer for
SuperGen, Inc. and Vice President, Medical Affairs and Vice President, Chief Medical Officer at MGI Pharma, Inc. For 18 years he
held various positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, the most recent being Executive Director Worldwide CNS Clinical Research.
Dr. Shrotriya’s significant leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical sector,
along with his experience as a physician and his expertise in drug development, make him well-qualified to serve on our Board of
Directors.
Franklin C. Salisbury,
Jr
.
Mr. Salisbury has been a director of the Company since June 2014. Mr. Salisbury is a co-founder and director
of AIM-HI Translational Research, a nonprofit accelerator fund which is an extension of NFCR. Prior to AIM-HI, Mr. Salisbury was
Chief Executive Officer of the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) from 1998-2018. NFCR is an organization that supports
basic science research at universities and research hospitals in order to accelerate new approaches to preventing, diagnosing and
treating cancer. Under his leadership, NFCR has forged greater collaboration among scientist at universities, research hospitals,
and pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. and China in an effort to bring new and innovative care to cancer patients. Mr. Salisbury
also led NFCR to launch several research consortia that have enabled cancer researchers to pool their resources and reduce duplicate
efforts, thereby accelerating discoveries being made and reducing the cost of achieving them. Mr. Salisbury also holds a B.A. in
economics from Yale, a Juris Doctor, J.D., from the University of Georgia School of Law, a Masters of the Arts degree from the
University of Chicago, and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. Mr. Salisbury’s leadership experience and significant background
in supporting cancer research give him the qualifications and skills necessary to guide the Company’s Board of Directors,
including as a member of the Compensation Committee and Audit Committee.
Y.
Alexander Wu, Ph.D
. Dr. Wu has been a director of the Company since April 2013. From 2006 to 2017, Dr. Wu was co-founder
and Chief Executive Officer of Crown Bioscience, Inc., a drug discovery and preclinical research organization in the oncology sector
with over 600 employees. The company was acquired by JSR for over $400 million in 2017. Before co-founding Crown Bioscience, Dr.
Wu was Chief Business Officer of Starvax International Inc., a biopharmaceutical R&D company focusing on the development of
novel therapeutic drugs for the treatment of infectious disease and cancer. Prior to Starvax, he was the Head of Asian Operations
with Burrill & Company, a life science venture capital and merchant bank. Dr. Wu also co-founded and was Chief Operating Officer
of Unimicro Technologies, a life science instrumentation company. He started his career with Hoffmann-La Roche, where he was Manager
of Business Development and Strategic Planning. Dr. Wu obtained his B.S. in biochemistry from Fudan University, China, a M.S. in
Biochemistry from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. in molecular cell biology and MBA from the University of California,
Berkeley.
Dr. Wu’s experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and research in the oncology and small molecule areas,
practical experience as a senior executive operating in U.S. and China, and entrepreneurial vision makes him uniquely qualified
to serve as a Director, as well as a member of the Compensation Committee and Audit Committee.
Executive Officers
Wei (Larry)
Zhang.
Mr. Zhang joined the Company in September 2018 as President of CASI (Beijing)
Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (“CASI China”), which is a subsidiary of the Company, and has more than 20 years management
experience in the healthcare and biopharmaceutical industries in the U.S., Asia Pacific, and China. Prior to joining the Company’s
Beijing office, Mr. Zhang was Vice President, Head of Public Affairs and Corporate Responsibility at Novartis Group (China) focusing
on the public affairs/public relations strategy including initiating Novartis’ China policy focusing on National Medical
Product Administration (NMPA) new drug approval reform, IP protection, generic quality consistency evaluation and new regulations
on biosimilars. From 2011-2016, he was Chief Executive Officer of Sandoz Pharmaceutical (China), a Novartis Company. Mr. Zhang
has also held executive leadership roles with Bayer Healthcare and Baxter International Corporation in the U.S. and Asia Pacific.
He holds a bachelor and master degree in nuclear physics from University of Science & Technology of China, an MBA in marketing/finance
from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and received Ph.D. training in political science from University of Utah.
Alexander A.
Zukiwski, MD.
Dr. Zukiwski joined the Company in April of 2017 as Chief Medical Officer.
Prior
to joining the Company, Dr. Zukiwski was Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer of Arno Therapeutics and has been a
Director of Arno Therapeutics since 2014. At Arno his responsibilities included leading the clinical development and regulatory
affairs teams to support the company’s pipeline. Prior to Arno in 2007, Dr. Zukiwski served as Chief Medical Officer and
Executive Vice President of Clinical Research at MedImmune. Prior to MedImmune, Dr. Zukiwski held several roles of increasing responsibility
at Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J,) medical affairs and clinical development functions at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical
Research & Development LLC (J&JPRD); Centocor R&D and Ortho Biotech. Before joining J&J, he served in clinical
oncology positions at pharmaceutical companies such as Hoffmann-LaRoche, Glaxo Wellcome and Rhone- Poulenc Rorer. Dr. Zukiwski
has more than 21 years of experience in global drug development and supported the clinical evaluation and registration of many
successful oncology therapeutic agents, including Taxotere
®
, Xeloda
®
, Procrit
®
/Eprex
®
,
Velcade
®
, Yondelis
®
, and Doxil
®
. He previously served as a Member of Medical Advisory
Board at Gem Pharmaceuticals, LLC and served as a Director of Ambit Biosciences Corporation. Dr. Zukiwski holds a bachelor’s
degree in pharmacy from the University of Alberta and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Calgary. He conducted
his post-graduate training at St. Thomas Hospital Medical Center in Akron, Ohio and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer
Center.
George
Chi CFA, CPA.
Mr. Chi joined the Company in October 2018 as Chief Financial
Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Chi was Vice President of Finance at Flavors Holdings where he led the global accounting
function, including financial reporting, planning, treasury, investor relations, tax and auditing with global sales in 90 countries.
Prior to Flavor Holdings, from 2014-2016, he was Chief Financial Officer at BPL Plasma delivering 60% sales growth and 300% EBITDA
growth for a $180 million business. He consolidated business and finance operations to prepare for an IPO where the business was
sold at four times the investment in three years. From 2008-2013, he was finance director at Unilever where he was responsible
for leading the accounting function including financial reporting, annual budgeting and strategic planning for a $10 billion business
across 12 categories. He also successfully managed a $12 billion debt portfolio and coordinated with investment banks for annual
debt issuance and repayment. Mr. Chi holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Tsinghua University, Beijing, China and
a M.B.A. in finance and operations from the Yale School of Management. He also holds certifications as a CPA, CFA from Stanford
University Risk Management.
All executive officers
of the Company are elected by the Board of Directors on an annual basis and serve until their successors have been duly elected
and qualified.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Director Independence
Our Board of Directors
currently consists of seven members and is divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as reasonably possible.
The Board of Directors
affirmatively determined that each of the directors and nominees, with the exception of Dr. Wei-Wu He, our Chairman and CEO, and
Dr. Ken R. Ren, our former CEO, qualify as “independent” as defined by applicable NASDAQ and SEC rules. In making this
determination, the Board of Directors concluded that none of these members has a relationship which, in the opinion of the Board
of Directors, would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Drs.
He and Ren do not serve on any independent committees.
Board of Directors Meetings and Attendance
The Board of Directors
of the Company held nine meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 (“fiscal 2018”). Each director
attended 75% or more of the meetings of the Board of Directors and committees of which they were members during fiscal 2018. The
Company generally encourages, but does not require, directors to attend the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders. The
Company considers the international travel associated with directors attending the annual meeting and the Company’s objective
of preserving its cash resources. One director attended the last annual meeting of stockholders.
Board Committees
The Board of Directors
has two standing committees: the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee. For greater efficiency, the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee was disbanded in 2013 and the committee’s function was delegated to the independent members of the Board
of Directors. Each member of these committees is independent as defined under applicable NASDAQ and SEC rules. Each of the Audit
and Compensation Committees has a written charter approved by the Board of Directors. The current members of each of the committees
are identified below:
Director
|
|
Audit
|
|
Compensation
|
Wei-Wu He, Chairman and CEO
|
|
|
|
|
James Huang
|
|
X
(chairman and financial expert)
|
|
|
Quan Zhou
|
|
|
|
X
(chairman)
|
Ken K. Ren
|
|
|
|
|
Franklin C. Salisbury, Jr.
|
|
X
|
|
X
|
Rajesh C. Shrotriya
|
|
|
|
|
Y. Alexander Wu
|
|
X
|
|
X
|
Audit Committee
The primary purpose
of the Audit Committee is to oversee: (a) management’s preparation of the financial statements and management’s
conduct of the Company’s accounting and financial reporting process, (b) management’s maintenance of the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting, (c) the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and
(d) the qualifications, independence and performance of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.
The Audit Committee held five meetings during fiscal 2018.
The Company’s
independent registered public accounting firm is ultimately accountable to the Audit Committee in its capacity as a committee of
the Board of Directors. The Audit Committee has sole authority and responsibility to appoint, compensate, oversee, evaluate, and,
where appropriate, replace the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. In addition, the Audit Committee
must approve any audit and permitted non-audit services to be provided by the Company’s independent registered public accounting
firm.
The Board of Directors
has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee, a copy of which is available on our website at www.casipharmaceuticals.com.
All members of the Audit Committee meet the independence and financial literacy requirements as defined by applicable NASDAQ and
SEC rules. The Board of Directors has determined that James Huang, chairman of the Audit Committee, is an “audit committee
financial expert” as defined by the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee
develops and recommends to the Board of Directors the compensation and benefits of all officers (Vice Presidents and above) of
the Company, reviews general policy matters relating to compensation and benefits of employees of the Company and administers the
Company’s stock option plans. The Compensation Committee also reviews, and if appropriate, approves employment agreements,
severance agreements, change in control agreements and provisions, and any special or supplemental benefits for each of our executive
officers. The Compensation Committee held one meeting during fiscal 2018. Committee related matters were also discussed at meetings
of either the entire Board of Directors or independent executive sessions of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors
has adopted a written charter for the Compensation Committee, a copy of which is available on our website at www.casipharmaceuticals.com.
All members of the Compensation Committee are “independent” as defined by applicable NASDAQ rules.
Board of Directors Leadership Structure
and Role in Risk Oversight
Our Board of Directors
recently appointed our former Executive Chairman, Dr. Wei-Wu He, as CEO. The Board of Directors believes that Dr. He is the director
best situated to identify strategic opportunities for our Company and to focus the activities of the Board of Directors due to
his commitment to the business and his long tenure with CASI. The Board of Directors also believes that Dr. He’s dual roles
as Chairman of the Board and CEO promotes effective execution of our business strategy and facilitates information flow between
management and the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors
takes an active role in risk oversight related to the Company. The Board of Directors does not have a standing risk committee,
but primarily administers its oversight role during meetings of our Board of Directors and its committees. During regular meetings
of the Board of Directors, members discuss the operating results for the current fiscal quarter and the status of our product candidates
with senior management. These discussions allow the members of the Board of Directors to analyze any significant financial, operational,
competitive, economic, regulatory and legal risks of our business model, as well as how effectively we implement our strategic
and budgetary goals. The Board of Directors is also routinely informed of developments that affect our risk profile and those that
are material to other aspects of our business. Further, significant transactions and decisions require approval by the Board of
Directors, or the appropriate board committee.
The Compensation Committee
is responsible for overseeing risks related to our cash and equity-based compensation programs and practices as well as for evaluating
whether our compensation plans encourage participants to take excessive risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse
effect on the Company. We believe that our executive and employee compensation plans are appropriately structured so as not to
incent excessive risk taking and are not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on our business.
Director Candidates
The independent members
of the Board of Directors identify potential nominees from various sources, including personal contacts and the recommendations
of current directors and executive officers. In the past, the Company has used third party consultants to assist in identifying
and evaluating potential nominees and the Board of Directors may do so in the future.
The Board of Directors
will consider nominees for director recommended by a stockholder. Stockholders who wish to recommend a director nominee for consideration
by the independent members of the Board of Directors should submit a nomination in accordance with the procedures outlined in the
Company’s Bylaws or other procedures adopted by the Board of Directors, if any. Currently, the Company’s bylaws require
stockholders to provide written notice of a proposed nominee to: CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Attn: Secretary, 9620 Medical Center
Drive, Suite 300, Rockville, Maryland 20850, not less than 60, nor more than 90, calendar days before the date on which the previous
year’s proxy was mailed. Such notice must include all information specified in the bylaws relating to the proposed nominee.
The Board of Directors
does not have specific, minimum qualifications for nominees and has not established specific qualities or skills that it regards
as necessary for one or more of the Company’s directors to possess. In evaluating potential director candidates, the independent
members of the Board of Directors may take into account all factors and criteria it considers appropriate, which shall include,
among others:
|
·
|
whether the director/potential director possesses personal and professional integrity, sound judgment
and forthrightness;
|
|
·
|
the director/potential director’s educational, business or scientific experience and other
directorship experience;
|
|
·
|
whether the director/potential director assists in achieving a mix of directors that represents
a diversity of background and experience;
|
|
·
|
whether the director/potential director, by virtue of particular business, professional or technical
expertise, experience or specialized skill relevant to the Company’s current or future business, will add specific value
as a member of the Board of Directors;
|
|
·
|
whether the director/potential director meets the independence requirements of NASDAQ listing standards; and
|
|
·
|
whether the director/potential director is free from conflicts of interest with the Company.
|
The Board of Directors
does not have a formal policy with respect to diversity. To carry out its obligations with respect to the proper composition and
functioning of the Board of Directors, the independent directors review the qualifications of all directors, evaluating skills
and talents to assure a complementary balance of disciplines and perspectives. The independent directors also seek to further enhance
the Board of Directors through diversity of experience, as well as gender and ethnic diversity. Through these and other activities,
the independent directors seek to assemble a Board of Directors that can responsibly, critically and collegially work through major
decisions based on each director’s experience, talent, skills and knowledge.
There are no differences
in the manner in which the Board of Directors evaluates potential director nominees based on whether the potential nominee was
recommended by a stockholder or through any other source.
Executive Sessions of Independent Directors
The independent members
of the Board of Directors typically meet in executive sessions following regularly scheduled meetings of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors continues to meet in closed sessions (without the presence of management) following each regularly scheduled
meeting. The Board of Directors holds executive sessions of the independent directors without the presence of our Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer, and James Huang, chairman of our Audit Committee, is responsible for leading these executive sessions.
Code of Ethics
The Company has adopted
a Code of Ethics, as defined in applicable SEC and NASDAQ rules, which applies to the Company’s directors, officers and
employees, including the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting officer. The Company
intends to disclose any amendment to or waiver of a provision of the Code of Ethics that applies to its principal executive officer,
principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing such information on its website available at www.casipharmaceuticals.com.
The Code of Ethics is available on the Company’s website.
Communications with the Board of Directors
Any stockholder who
wishes to send any communications to the Board of Directors or to individual directors should deliver such communications to the
Company’s executive offices, 9620 Medical Center Drive, Suite 300, Rockville, Maryland 20850, Attn: Investor Relations. Any
such communication should indicate whether the communication is intended to be directed to the entire Board of Directors or to
a particular director(s), and must indicate the number of shares of Company stock beneficially owned by the stockholder. Our investor
relations department will forward appropriate communications to the Board of Directors and/or the appropriate director(s). Inappropriate
communications include correspondence that does not relate to the business or affairs of the Company or the functioning of the
Board of Directors or its committees, advertisements or other commercial solicitations or communications, and communications that
are frivolous, threatening, illegal or otherwise not appropriate for delivery to directors.
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
In setting director
compensation, the Company considers the significant amount of time that directors expended in fulfilling their duties to the Company
as well as the skill-level required by the Company of members of the Board of Directors. We compensate our non-employee members
of the Board of Directors through a mixture of (i) cash and (ii) equity-based compensation.
2018 Director Compensation – Annual
Cash Retainer
As part of the cash
component of the Company’s 2018 Director Compensation Program, Y. Alexander Wu, Franklin C. Salisbury, Jr., and Rajesh Shrotriya
each receive an annual cash retainer payment of $20,000. James Huang receives $25,000 as chairman of the Audit Committee, and Quan
Zhou receives $25,000 as chairman of the Compensation Committee. In 2018, Wei-Wu He received $55,000 for his service as Executive
Chairman. These annual cash retainers are payable in quarterly installments.
2018 Director Compensation - Annual
Director Stock Option Grants
As part of the equity-based
component of the Company’s 2018 Director Compensation Program, each of Y. Alexander Wu, Rajesh C. Shrotriya and Franklin
C. Salisbury, Jr. were awarded an annual grant of options to purchase 35,000 shares of Common Stock exercisable at the closing
price of the Company’s stock on grant date June 30, 2018. In their roles as chairman of the Audit Committee and chairman
of the Compensation Committee, James Huang and Quan Zhou, respectively, were each awarded an annual grant of options to purchase
50,000 shares of Common Stock exercisable at the closing price of the Company’s stock on grant date June 30, 2018. These
annual awards vest ratably quarterly to the end of one year.
2018 Director Compensation - Stock Option
Grants to Executive Chairman
As part of its compensation
philosophy, the Board of Directors and Compensation Committee believe that executives and directors should have a meaningful opportunity
for stock ownership based on each individual’s contribution to transactions or other events that build long-term stockholder
value. On March 13, 2018, Dr. He was awarded a grant of stock options, subject to stockholder approval. At the 2018 annual meeting,
stockholders approved the grant. Under the terms of the grant, Dr. He received a stock option exercisable for 1 million shares
of Common Stock that vested and became exercisable on March 13, 2019. In addition, the Board of Directors approved the grant of
a performance-based option covering 4 million shares of Common Stock. The performance-based option only would vest if, within 18
months of the date of grant, specific operational and strategic milestones were achieved. The options had an exercise price
of $3.22, the closing market price of the Common Stock on the date of grant. The performance-based option was cancelled by the
Board of Directors effective April 2, 2019, in connection with the appointment of Dr. He as CEO and Chairman and the grant of options
discussed below.
2019 Director Compensation - Stock Option
Grants to CEO and Chairman
On April 2, 2019, subject
to stockholder approval and cancellation of his existing performance-based option, Dr. He was awarded a stock option covering 4
million shares of Common Stock, at an exercise price of $2.85, the closing price on the grant date, vesting at the earlier of (i)
the completion of a transformative event by the Company as determined in the discretion of the Compensation Committee and (ii)
the second anniversary of the date of grant (the “2019 Option Grant”). See Proposal 4: Approval of Option Grants to
the Chairman and CEO.
2018 Director Compensation
The table below summarizes
the compensation paid by the Company to non-employee directors during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.
Name
|
|
Fees
Earned or
Paid
in Cash
|
|
|
Stock
Awards(1)
|
|
|
Option
Awards(2)(3)
|
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
|
|
|
All Other
Compensation
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
Wei-Wu He, Ph.D
|
|
$
|
55,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
4,670,000
|
(5)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
1,380,000
|
(4)
|
|
$
|
6,105,000
|
|
James Huang
|
|
$
|
25,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
275,500
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
300,500
|
|
Y. Alexander Wu, Ph.D
|
|
$
|
20,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
192,850
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
212,850
|
|
Franklin C. Salisbury, Jr.
|
|
$
|
20,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
192,850
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
212,850
|
|
Rajesh C. Shrotriya, MD
|
|
$
|
20,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
192,850
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
212,850
|
|
Quan Zhou, Ph.D
|
|
$
|
25,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
275,500
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
300,500
|
|
(1)
|
The amounts in this column represent the grant date fair value calculated in accordance with ASC 718. There were no stock awards in 2018.
|
(2)
|
The amounts in this column represent the grant date fair value of options awarded, as calculated in accordance with ASC 718. Using the Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing method, fair value was calculated as $5.51 per share, for all Board members excluding Wei-Wu He. The fair value for Wei-Wu He’s 1 million options awarded was calculated at $4.67 per share. Assumptions used in the calculation of these amounts are included in Note 12 to the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018, set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 29, 2019.
|
(3)
|
As of December 31, 2018, each of the non-employee directors had the following aggregate number of options exercisable for shares of common stock: Wei-Wu He: 2,710,014; James Huang: 450,000
;
Y. Alexander Wu: 197,500; Franklin C. Salisbury, Jr.: 172,500; Rajesh C. Shrotriya: 172,500 and Quan Zhou: 125,000.
|
(4)
|
Reflects payment approved by the Audit Committee on September 11, 2018 for services provided in identifying and securing potential investors for the Company’s September 2018 financing.
|
(5)
|
Excludes the value of 4 million option awards issued in 2018, with a grant date fair value totaling $19,000,000, that would have vested upon the achievement of certain performance-based conditions, but was cancelled effective April 2, 2019 in connection with the appointment of Dr. He and the 2019 Option Grant.
|
PROPOSAL 2:
APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT
TO THE COMPANY’S 2011 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
General
The Board of Directors has approved an amendment to the 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2011 Plan”), subject to
stockholder approval, to increase the number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance from 20,230,000 to 25,230,000.
Management and the
Board of Directors believe that the use of stock based compensation is important to the Company to recruit and retain qualified
persons. The use of stock options has long been a vital component of the Company’s overall compensation philosophy, which
is premised on the principle that any long-term incentive compensation should be closely aligned with stockholders’ interests.
Stock options align employees’ interests directly with those of other stockholders because an increase in stock price after
the date of award is necessary for employees to realize any value, thus rewarding executives and employees only upon improved stock
price performance. Our Board of Directors believes it important to our continued success that we have an adequate reserve of shares
available for issuance under the 2011 Plan for use in attracting, motivating and retaining qualified employees, officers, consultants
and directors.
Description of the 2011 Plan
The following summary of the material features of the 2011 Plan, as proposed to be amended, is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the full text of the 2011 Plan, a copy of which is attached as
Appendix A
to this Proxy Statement and is also
available at no charge upon request to the Company. Unless otherwise specified, capitalized terms used herein have the meanings
assigned to them in the 2011 Plan.
Eligibility
The 2011 Plan authorizes the grant of Stock Options (including incentive stock options and nonqualified
stock options), Stock Appreciation Rights, restricted or unrestricted Stock Awards, Phantom Stock Units, Performance Awards, or
any combination of the foregoing to all persons who are at the time of the grant of an award Employees (including persons who may
become Employees), members of the Board of Directors or the board of directors of an Affiliate, or consultants of the Company or
of any Affiliate, as may be selected from time to time. Only Employees of the Company, or of any Parent or Subsidiary of
the Company, are eligible to receive grants of incentive stock options. As of April 22, 2019
the
Company expects that approximately 50 employees (including 40 employees at CASI China, and 4 executive officers), and 6 non-employee
directors will be eligible to participate in the 2011 Plan. In addition, the Company may grant certain awards to consultants to
the Company, although the Company does not have a policy of routinely doing so. The selection of and basis upon which individuals
participate in the 2011 Plan are determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. As a result, these numbers and types of awards
will vary over time. In selecting persons to receive awards and become Participants, the Committee will consider any and all factors
it considers relevant or appropriate, and designation of a participant in any year does not require the Committee to designate
that person to receive an award in any other year. In general, the Company would expect that in the, aggregate, a greater percentage
of all future awards will made to our senior officers and non-employee directors
than other employees.
Administration
The 2011 Plan is administered by the Board of Directors or by a committee or committees appointed by the Board of Directors
(all of which will hereinafter be referred to as the “Administrator”). The Administrator has all the powers vested
in it by the terms of the 2011 Plan, including the authority to determine eligibility, grant awards, prescribe stock option grant
agreements (a “Grant Agreement”) evidencing such awards, establish programs for granting awards, determine whether
a stock option shall be an incentive stock option or a nonqualified stock option, determine any exceptions to non-transferability,
establish any Performance Goals applicable to Awards, determine the period during which Awards may be exercised and the period
during which Awards shall be subject to restrictions, and otherwise administer the 2011 Plan. In making these determinations, the
Administrator may take into account the nature of the services rendered or to be rendered by the Award recipients, their present
and potential contributions to the success of the Company and its Affiliates, and such other factors as the Administrator in its
discretion shall deem relevant. The Administrator may delegate to the Chief Executive Officer or an officer of the Company acting
in such capacity the power to administer the 2011 Plan and to exercise the full authority of the Administrator with respect to
awards granted to specified Participants or groups of Participants.
Shares Available For The Plan
If the stockholders approve the amendment to the 2011 Plan, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock available for grants
and Awards will be increased from 20,230,000 to 25,230,000. If an award expires or terminates unexercised or is forfeited, or if
any shares of Common Stock are surrendered to the Company in connection with an award, the shares of Common Stock subject to that
award and the surrendered shares of Common Stock will become available for future awards under the 2011 Plan. The number of shares
subject to the 2011 Plan (and the number of shares and terms of any award) will be adjusted by the Administrator in the event of
any change in the outstanding Common Stock by reason of any stock dividend, spin-off, split-up, reverse stock split, recapitalization,
reclassification, merger, consolidation, liquidation, business combination or exchange of shares and the like.
Stock Options
The 2011 Plan authorizes the grant of incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options. Incentive stock options are stock
options that satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code. Nonqualified stock options are stock options that do not satisfy
the requirements of Section 422 of the Code. Options granted under the 2011 Plan would entitle the grantee, upon exercise, to purchase
a specified number of shares of Common Stock from the Company at a specified exercise price per share. The period of time during
which an option may be exercised, as well as any vesting schedule, is determined by the Administrator, except that no option may
be exercised more than 10 years after the date of grant. All options granted under the 2011 Plan must have an exercise price at
least equal to Fair Market Value of stock underlying the option on the date of grant. Additionally, no incentive stock option may
be granted under the 2011 Plan to any person who, at the time of the grant, owns (or is deemed to own) stock possessing more than
10% of the total combined voting power of the Company or any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation, as defined in Sections
424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively, of the Company, unless the option’s exercise price is at least 110% of the Fair
Market Value of the stock subject to the option on the date of grant, and the term of the option does not exceed five years from
the date of grant.
Other Awards
In addition to Stock Options, the 2011 Plan authorizes the grant of Stock Appreciation Rights, Stock Awards (both restricted
and unrestricted), Phantom Stock Units and Performance Awards.
Subject to the terms of a particular grant, the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right under the 2011 Plan would entitle the
grantee to receive in cash, Common Stock, or a combination thereof, as specified in the Grant Agreement, the excess of the Fair
Market Value of a specified number of shares of Common Stock on the date of exercise over the base price per share specified in
the Grant Agreement. The 2011 Plan also authorizes the grant of restricted and unrestricted Stock Awards on terms and conditions,
which terms and conditions may condition the vesting or payment of such Awards on the achievement of one or more Performance Goals
(as described below) established by the Administrator.
In addition, the 2011 Plan authorizes the grant of Phantom Stock Units in the form of Awards denominated in stock-equivalent
units on terms and conditions, which terms and conditions may condition the vesting or payment of such Awards on the achievement
of one or more Performance Goals (as described below), established by the Administrator. An Award of Phantom Stock Units may be
settled in cash, Common Stock, or a combination thereof, as specified in the Grant Agreement.
Finally, the 2011 Plan authorizes the grant of Performance Awards, which become payable upon attainment of one or more Performance
Goals established by the Administrator. Performance Awards may be paid in cash, Common Stock, or a combination thereof, as
specified in the Grant Agreement.
Performance Goals
In its discretion, the Administrator may condition the grant, vesting or payment of Awards
on the attainment of Performance Goals. The term “Performance Goals” means performance goals established by the Administrator
which may be based on earnings (including earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), earnings per share (including
without limitation on a diluted basis), sales, revenues (including without limitation labor-based revenue for services performed
by employees as distinct from labor performed by subcontractors), expenses (including without limitation sales and general administrative
expenses), cash flow (including without limitation free cash flow), economic value added, total shareholder return, return on assets,
equity or invested capital, customer or client orders (value of new contracts awarded), days sales outstanding (as a measure of
the time required to collect accounts receivable after earning revenue), employee satisfaction (as measured by employee surveys
or otherwise), voluntary attrition (as a measure of employee satisfaction), regulatory compliance, satisfactory internal or external
audits, improvement of financial ratings, achievement of balance sheet or income statement objectives, implementation or completion
of one or more projects or transactions (including mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, and restructurings), working capital, or
any other objective goals established by the Administrator, and which may be absolute in their terms or measured against or in
relationship to other companies comparably, similarly or otherwise situated. Such performance goals may be particular to a Participant,
or may be based on the performance of the Corporation, one or more Affiliates, or the Corporation and one or more Affiliates, and
may cover such period as may be specified by the Administrator.
Transferability
Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator or provided in a Grant Agreement, Awards granted under the 2011 Plan are
not transferable except by will or the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as
defined in Code Section 414(p). Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, Awards may be exercised only by the grantee
or by permitted transferees during the lifetime of the grantee or, in the event of legal disability, by the grantee’s guardian
or legal representative.
Amendment and Termination
The Board of Directors may amend, alter or terminate the 2011 Plan, or any portion thereof, at any time. No award may be granted
under the 2011 Plan after the close of business on June 9, 2021. Subject to other applicable provisions of the Plan, all awards
made under the 2011 Plan prior to the termination of the 2011 Plan will remain in effect until those Awards have been satisfied
or terminated.
Summary of Certain Federal Income Tax Considerations
General
The following discussion
briefly summarizes certain federal income tax aspects of Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Stock Awards, Phantom Stock
Units, and Performance Awards granted under the 2011 Plan. The rules governing the tax treatment of Awards and the receipt of
shares of Common Stock and/or cash in connection with such Awards are quite technical, so the following description of tax consequences
is necessarily general in nature and does not purport to be complete. Moreover, statutory provisions are subject to change, as
are their interpretations, and their application may vary in individual circumstances. Finally, the tax consequences under applicable
state and local law may not be the same as under the federal income tax laws.
Incentive Stock Options
In general, a grantee will not recognize income on the grant or exercise of an incentive stock option. The exercise of an incentive
stock option will not result in taxable income to the grantee provided that the grantee was, without a break in service, an employee
of the Company or a subsidiary during the period beginning on the date of the grant of the option and ending on the date three
months prior to the date of exercise (one year prior to the date of exercise if the grantee is disabled). The excess of the fair
market value of the shares at the time of the exercise of an incentive stock option over the exercise price is included in calculating
the grantee’s alternative minimum taxable income for the tax year in which the incentive stock option is exercised unless
the grantee disposes of the shares in the year of exercise. If the grantee does not sell or otherwise dispose of the shares within
two years from the date of the grant of the incentive stock option or within one year after the transfer of such shares to the
grantee then, upon disposition of such shares, any amount realized in excess of the exercise price will be taxed to the grantee
as capital gain and the Company will not be entitled to a corresponding tax deduction. The grantee will generally recognize a capital
loss to the extent that the amount realized is less than the exercise price. If the foregoing holding period requirements are not
met, the grantee will generally realize ordinary income at the time of the disposition of the shares in an amount equal to the
lesser of (i) the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise over the exercise price or (ii) the excess,
if any, of the amount realized upon disposition of the shares over the exercise price, and the Company will be entitled to a corresponding
tax deduction. Any amount realized in excess of the value of the shares on the date of exercise will be capital gain. If the amount
realized is less than the exercise price, the grantee will not recognize ordinary income, and the grantee will generally recognize
a capital loss equal to the excess of the exercise price over the amount realized upon the disposition of the shares.
Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Phantom Stock Units, and Performance Awards
A grantee generally
is not required to recognize income on the grant of a nonqualified Stock Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, or on the award of
Phantom Stock Units or a Performance Award. Generally, ordinary income is instead, required to be recognized on the date the nonqualified
Stock option or stock appreciation right is exercised, or in the case of an award of Phantom Stock Units or a Performance Award
on the date of payment of such Award in cash or shares of Common Stock. In general, the amount of ordinary income required to be
recognized, (a) in the case of a nonqualified Stock Option, is an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value
of the shares of Common Stock on the exercise date over the exercise price, (b) in the case of a Stock Appreciation Right, the
amount of cash and the Fair Market Value of any shares of Common Stock received on exercise, and (c) in the case of an Award of
Phantom Stock Units or a Performance Award, the amount of cash and the Fair Market Value of any shares of Common Stock received.
Restricted Stock Awards
Unless a grantee of shares of Common Stock of restricted stock makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code as described
below, the grantee generally is not required to recognize ordinary income on the award of restricted stock. Instead, on the date
the shares of Common Stock vest (i.e. become transferable or are no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture), the grantee
will be required to recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the shares
of Common Stock on such date over the amount, if any, paid for such shares of Common Stock. If a grantee makes a Section 83(b)
election to recognize ordinary income on the date the shares of Common Stock are awarded, the amount of ordinary income required
to be recognized is an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock on the date of
award over the amount, if any, paid for such shares of Common Stock. In such case, the grantee will not be required to recognize
additional ordinary income when the shares of Common Stock vest.
Unrestricted Stock Awards
In general, a grantee
is required to recognize ordinary income on the date of issuance of such unrestricted shares of Common Stock to the grantee equal
to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of such shares of Common Stock on such date over the amount, if any, paid for such
shares of Common Stock.
Gain or Loss On Sale or Exchange of 2011 Plan Shares
In general, gain
or loss from the sale or exchange of shares of Common Stock granted or awarded under the 2011 Plan will be treated as capital
gain or loss, if the shares of Common Stock are held as capital assets at the time of the sale or exchange. However, if certain
holding period requirements are not satisfied at the time of a sale or exchange of shares of Common Stock acquired upon exercise
of an incentive stock option (a “disqualifying disposition”), a grantee generally will be required to recognize ordinary
income upon such disposition.
Deductibility By Company
The Company generally is not allowed a deduction in connection with the grant or exercise of an incentive Stock Option. However,
if a grantee is required to recognize income as a result of a disqualifying disposition, the Company generally will be entitled
to a deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income so recognized. In general, in the case of a nonqualified Stock Option (including
an incentive Stock Option that is treated as a nonqualified Stock Option, as described above), a Stock Appreciation Right, a Stock
Award, Phantom Stock, or a Performance Award, the Company generally will be allowed a deduction in an amount equal to the amount
of ordinary income recognized by the grantee, provided that certain income tax reporting requirements are satisfied.
Parachute Payments
Where payments to certain persons that are contingent on a change in control exceed limits specified in the Code, the person
generally is liable for a 20% excise tax on, and the corporation or other entity making the payment generally is not entitled to
any deduction for a specified portion of such payments. If the Administrator, in its discretion, grants Awards, the exercise date,
vesting or payment of which is accelerated by a change in control of the Company, such acceleration of the exercise date, vesting
or payment would be relevant in determining whether the excise tax and deduction disallowance rules would be triggered.
Performance-Based Compensation
Section 162(m) of the Code generally disallows a federal income tax deduction to public corporations for compensation greater
than $1 million paid for any fiscal year to certain executive officers. Until the adoption of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on December
22, 2017, an exemption from the $1.0 million limitation was available for compensation that qualified as “performance-based”
under Section 162(m). As noted above, with the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, only qualifying performance-based compensation
paid pursuant to a written binding contract in effect on November 2, 2017 (and not modified in any material respect on or after
November 2, 2017) will be eligible for this deduction exception. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also expanded the executive officers
covered by Section 162(m) to include the chief financial officer position as well as any person who ever was a covered executive
for any prior taxable year, beginning after December 31, 2016. As a result of these changes, starting in 2018, and subject to applicable
grandfathering rules, most compensation in excess of $1.0 million payable to any person who was a named executive officer of the
Company since fiscal year 2016 will not be deductible, regardless of whether the compensation is performance-based.
Tax Rules Affecting Nonqualified
Deferred Compensation Plans
Section 409A of the Code imposes tax rules that apply to “nonqualified deferred compensation plans.” Failure to
comply with, or qualify for an exemption from, the rules with respect to an Award could result in significant adverse tax results
to the grantee of such Award, including immediate taxation upon vesting and an additional income tax of 20 percent of the amount
of income so recognized. The 2011 Plan is intended to allow the granting of Awards which are intended to comply with or qualify
for an exemption from Section 409A of the Code.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
As of December 31,
2018, the number of stock options and restricted common stock outstanding under our equity compensation plans, the weighted average
exercise price of outstanding stock options and restricted common stock and the number of securities remaining available for issuance
were as follows:
Plan category
|
|
Number of securities to be
issued upon exercise of
outstanding options, restricted
common stock, warrants and
rights (a)
|
|
|
Weighted average exercise
price of outstanding
options, restricted
common stock, warrants
and rights (b)
|
|
|
Number of securities remaining
available for future issuance
under equity compensation
plans (excluding securities
reflected in column (a)) (c)
|
|
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
|
|
|
18,429,308
|
|
|
$
|
2.44
|
|
|
|
6,834,234
|
|
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
0.00
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
Total
|
|
|
18,429,308
|
|
|
$
|
2.44
|
|
|
|
6,834,234
|
|
Vote Required
The affirmative vote
of a majority of the total votes cast by the stockholders present at the meeting, in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote on
this proposal is necessary for approval of the amendment to the 2011 Plan. If you submit a proxy without direction as to a vote
on this matter, the proxy will be voted “FOR” the proposal. Abstentions will have the effect of a vote against this
proposal. Broker non-votes will not be treated as votes cast and will have no effect on the outcome of the vote on this proposal.
Board of Directors Recommendation
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY’S 2011 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
The following summary
compensation table includes information concerning compensation for each of our named executive officers during fiscal years ended
December 31, 2018 and 2017.
Name and Principal Position
|
|
Year
|
|
Salary
($)
|
|
|
Bonus
($)
|
|
|
Stock
Awards
($)(1)
|
|
|
Option
Awards
($)(1)
|
|
|
Non-
Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
($)
|
|
|
All Other
Compensation
($)
|
|
|
Total
($)
|
|
Ken K. Ren, PhD
(2)
|
|
2018
|
|
$
|
427,980
|
|
|
$
|
120,000
|
(3)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
$538,350
|
(4)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
$150,819
|
(5)(6)
|
|
$
|
1,237,149
|
|
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
2017
|
|
$
|
389,375
|
|
|
|
370,000
|
(7)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
(8)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
29,040
|
(6)
|
|
$
|
788,415
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wei (Larry) Zhang
(9)
|
|
2018
|
|
$
|
98,600
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
4,850,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
49,300
|
(10)
|
|
$
|
4,997,900
|
|
President, CASI China
|
|
2017
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
George Chi
(11)
|
|
2018
|
|
$
|
76,250
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
1,312,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
4,893
|
(12)
|
|
$
|
1,393,143
|
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
|
2017
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(1)
|
The amounts in this column represent the aggregate
grant date fair value of these awards as calculated in accordance with ASC 718. Assumptions used in the calculation of these amounts
are included in Note 9 to the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018, set forth in
the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 29, 2019.
|
|
(2)
|
Dr. Ren resigned as Chief Executive Officer, effective
April 2, 2019.
|
|
(3)
|
Reflects bonus earned triggered by the approval of EVOMELA
in December 2018.
|
|
(4)
|
Represents the value of certain option awards issued in
2017 and 2016 which vested in 2018 upon the achievement of certain performance-based conditions.
|
|
(5)
|
Includes $120,000 payment approved by the Audit Committee
on September 11, 2018 for services provided in identifying and securing potential investors for the Company’s September
2018 financing.
|
|
(6)
|
Includes 401(k) matching contributions and 401(k) profit
sharing contributions by the Company, a health insurance opt-out benefit and wellness benefit.
|
|
(7)
|
Reflects discretionary bonus approved by the Compensation
Committee on December 7, 2017.
|
|
(8)
|
Excludes the value of certain option awards issued in 2017, with a grant date fair value totaling $1,411,200,
that vest based upon the achievement of certain performance-based conditions. These options were cancelled on April 2, 2019 in
connection with Dr. Ren’s resignation.
|
|
(9)
|
Mr. Zhang was appointed as President, CASI China, effective
September 1, 2018.
|
|
(10)
|
Includes reimbursement for total annual expenditures, including
housing rental, meals, laundry services, and costs for children’s education and language training.
|
|
(11)
|
Mr. Chi was appointed Chief Financial Officer effective
September 28, 2018.
|
|
(12)
|
Includes 401(k) matching contributions and 401(k) profit
sharing contributions by the Company, health insurance opt-out benefit, wellness benefit and car allowance.
|
OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS –
2018
The following table
includes certain information with respect to the value of all unexercised options previously awarded to the executive officers
named above at the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.
Name and Principal Position
|
|
Number of Securities
Underlying Unexercised
Options Exercisable
|
|
|
Number of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options Unexercisable
|
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price ($)
|
|
|
Option
Expiration
Date (1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ken K. Ren, Ph.D
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
2.16
|
|
|
04/02/2022
|
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
|
1,000,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
1.79
|
|
|
05/30/2023
|
|
|
|
250,000
|
(4)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
1.84
|
|
|
04/03/2024
|
|
|
|
225,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
1.41
|
|
|
04/06/2025
|
|
|
|
192,186
|
(5)
|
|
|
7,814
|
(2)
|
|
$
|
0.88
|
|
|
03/02/2026
|
|
|
|
280,701
|
(6)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
0.8601
|
|
|
03/11/2026
|
|
|
|
86,486
|
(6)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
1.15
|
|
|
06/24/2026
|
|
|
|
308,571
|
(6)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
1.11
|
|
|
10/03/2026
|
|
|
|
720,000
|
(7)
|
|
|
—
|
(8)
|
|
$
|
0.99
|
|
|
08/14/2027
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wei (Larry) Zhang
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
President, CASI China
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
1,000,000
|
(3)
|
|
$
|
6.95
|
|
|
09/01/2028
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
George Chi
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
400,000
|
(3)
|
|
$
|
4.67
|
|
|
09/28/2028
|
(1)
|
The term of each option is ten years.
|
(2)
|
Options become exercisable 25% on date of grant and then in equal monthly installments over the next three years.
|
(3)
|
These stock options vest as follows: 25% on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversary of the date of grant.
|
(4)
|
Includes 100,000 options that vested in 2014 upon achievement of certain performance-based conditions.
|
(5)
|
Includes 75,000 options that vested in 2018 upon achievement of performance-based conditions.
|
(6)
|
Relates to options issued, as a result of the 2016 closings of the Company’s recent financing transactions, which vested immediately.
|
(7)
|
Represents options that vested in 2018 upon achievement of performance-based conditions.
|
(8)
|
Excludes 1,280,000 options that vest upon
achievement of certain performance-based conditions. These options were cancelled on April 2, 2019 in connection with Dr. Ren’s
resignation.
|
Change-In-Control Agreements
The Company currently
is a party to Change in Control Agreements with Ken K. Ren and George Chi.
Each of the Change
in Control Agreements with the officers listed above provides for certain benefits either upon an involuntary termination of employment,
other than for cause, or resignation for “good reason,” upon a “Triggering Event.” The terms of the Change
in Control Agreement are substantially the same for all of our executive officers.
A Triggering Event
includes a merger of the Company with and into an unaffiliated corporation if the Company is not the surviving corporation or the
sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets. “Good reason” generally means any material diminution
or change in salary, responsibilities or title; relocation to an office more than 50 miles from Company headquarters or office;
a failure to continue health benefits; a failure to pay deferred compensation due under any plan; or the failure to honor any material
aspect of the employment agreement.
The benefits to be
received by the executive officer whose employment is terminated after a Triggering Event occurs include: (i) receipt of a
lump sum severance payment equal to the executive’s then current annual salary and the average of the two prior year’s
bonuses; (ii) pro rata current year bonus; (iii) continuation of life, health and disability benefits for twelve months
after the termination of employment and (iv) in accordance with the terms of such named executive officer’s option agreement,
all outstanding options would accelerate and become immediately exercisable. The closing stock price of our common stock on December
31, 2018 was $4.02 per share.
Employment Arrangements
The Company is
currently a party to employment agreements with Ken K. Ren, Wei (Larry) Zhang, and George Chi. The terms of such agreements
and the respective payments payable upon termination are set forth below.
Ken K. Ren, Ph.D, former Chief Executive
Officer
On April 2, 2012, in
connection with his appointment as interim Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ren received an annual base salary of $250,000 and was
awarded an option to purchase 150,000 shares of common stock. The stock option vested 50% after 6 months and 100% after one year
and is exercisable at an exercise price per share of $2.16, representing the closing price of our stock price on the Nasdaq Stock
Market on April 2, 2012, the first day of employment. Dr. Ren was also eligible to receive a cash bonus in the amount of $50,000
in the event of the enrollment of the first patient in the Company’s global trial during his interim term.
On April 4, 2013, after
having completed the interim one-year term, the Company appointed Dr. Ren as Chief Executive Officer and entered into an employment
agreement with Dr. Ren. The term of the employment agreement is subject to automatic one-year extensions unless either party gives
at least thirty days prior written notice not to extend.
The agreement provides
for an annualized minimum base salary of $300,000, with incentive compensation, if any, at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
The base salary will be reviewed at least annually in accordance with the Company’s customary practices for executives. Dr.
Ren’s current base salary for fiscal 2018 is $427,980.
If the Company
terminates Dr. Ren “without cause,” Dr. Ren will receive a severance benefit equal to six months of salary,
payable in accordance with the Company’s customary pay practices, a pro-rata portion of any incentive compensation he
would have been entitled to for that year, and continued insurance coverage for up to six months. Dr. Ren also may resign at
any time for “good reason,” (which generally means any material diminution or change in salary, responsibilities
or title; relocation to an office more than 50 miles from Company headquarters; failure to continue health benefits; a
failure to pay deferred compensation due under any plan; or the failure to honor any material aspect of the employment
agreement), by providing at least thirty days prior written notice. Resignation for “good reason” or
non-extension of the term of her agreement will be deemed a termination without cause. In addition, if Dr. Ren’s
employment is terminated upon disability or death, Dr. Ren or his estate will be entitled to receive a payment equal to six
months of salary plus a pro-rated amount of any incentive compensation he would have been entitled to for that year.
The employment agreement
imposes confidentiality obligations and a 6-month non-compete (12 months in the event of a resignation for other than good
reason) on Dr. Ren following termination of employment.
On April 4, 2013,
the Company entered into a change in control agreement with Dr. Ren. See “Change in Control Agreements” for information
on change-in-control termination payments. These change in control severance payments will be made in lieu of the severance payments
under the executive’s employment agreement.
In connection with
his resignation, Dr. Ren is expected to enter into a separation agreement with the Company (the “Separation Agreement”).
The Separation Agreement will terminate Dr. Ren’s change in control agreement and provide that Dr. Ren shall receive the
severance benefits set forth in his Employment Agreement for a termination without cause. The Separation Agreement also will include
a general release by Dr. Ren, as well as customary covenants and acknowledgements.
Wei (Larry) Zhang, President, CASI
China
Effective September
1, 2018, CASI (Beijing) Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“CASI China”) entered into a labor contract with Wei (Larry) Zhang,
governed by the laws of the People’s Republic of China. The term of the agreement is set for three years, until August 31,
2021. The contract will automatically terminate if not renewed, but the contract can be renewed if the parties agree to the terms
of the renewal.
The contract provides
for a base salary pre-tax of 170,000 yuan per month. Mr. Zhang was also awarded an option to purchase 1,000,000 shares of common
stock of the Company at an exercise price of $6.95, representing the closing price of our stock price on the Nasdaq Stock Market
on September 1, 2018 (the date of grant). The stock options will vest 25% (250,000 shares) on each of the first four anniversaries
of the date of grant.
CASI China can
terminate the labor contact if it provides 30 days’ written notice or after it pays Mr. Zhang an extra month’s
wages in cases where: (a) Mr. Zhang is injured and cannot resume his position; (b) Mr. Zhang fails the performance appraisal;
or (c) where the employment contract cannot be performed. CASI China can terminate the labor contract at any time if (a) Mr.
Zhang seriously violates the rules and regulations of CASI China; (b) Mr. Zhang is grossly negligent resulting in a loss of
10,000 Yuan or greater; (c) Mr. Zhang is investigated for criminal responsibility; or (d) Mr. Zhang has a labor relationship
with other employers. Mr. Zhang can terminate the employment contract if CASI China (a) fails to provide appropriate working
conditions; (b) fails to provide labor remuneration in a full and timely manner; or (c) fails to pay social insurance
premiums. The contract is terminated if (a) CASI China is declared bankrupt and business license is revoked; or (b) if Mr.
Zhang retires, resigns, dies or goes missing.
Under his contract,
Mr. Zhang is also entitled to reimbursement for total annual expenditures - up to 1,020,000 RMB per year. Included in that 1,020,000
RMB is up to 600,000 RMB for housing rental, up to 10,000 RMB for meals, up to 10,000 RMB for laundry services, and reimbursed
costs for his children’s education and language training. In the event the amount of invoice for these items is less than
1,020,000 RMB, the remaining amount will be consolidated into Mr. Zhang’s annual bonus.
George Chi, Chief Financial Officer
Effective September
28, 2018, the Company entered into an employment agreement with George Chi. The term of the employment agreement is subject to
automatic one-year extensions unless either party gives at least sixty days prior written notice not to extend.
The agreement provides
for an annualized minimum base salary of $300,000. Mr. Chi’s current base salary for fiscal 2018 is $300,000, prorated for
his service. In addition, upon the commencement of his employment, the Company granted stock options to Mr. Chi covering 400,000
shares of Common Stock with a per share exercise price of $4.67, vested as to 25% on each of the first four anniversaries of the
date of grant. This option award is subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s form of non-qualified stock option
award agreement.
If the Company terminates
Mr. Chi “without cause,” Mr. Chi will receive a severance benefit equal to six months of salary, payable in accordance
with the Company’s customary pay practices, a pro-rata portion of any incentive compensation he would have been entitled
to for that year, and continued insurance coverage for up to six months. Mr. Chi also may resign at any time for “good reason,”
(which generally means any material diminution or change in salary, responsibilities or title; relocation to an office more than
the location specified in his employment agreement; failure to continue health benefits; a failure to pay deferred compensation
due under any plan; or the failure to honor any material aspect of the employment agreement), by providing at least thirty days
prior written notice. Resignation for “good reason” or non-extension of the term of his agreement will be deemed a
termination without cause. In addition, if Mr. Chi’s employment is terminated upon disability or death, Mr. Chi or his estate
will be entitled to receive a payment equal to six months’ salary plus a pro-rated amount of any incentive compensation he
would have been entitled to for that year.
The employment agreement
imposes confidentiality obligations and a 6-month non-compete (12 months in the event of a resignation for other than good
reason) on Mr. Chi following termination of employment.
Also effective September
28, 2018, the Company entered into a change in control agreement with Mr. Chi. See “Change-in-Control Severance Agreements”
for information on change in control termination payments. These change in control severance payments will be made in lieu of the
severance payments under the executive’s employment agreement.
SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Section 16(a)
of the 1934 Securities and Exchange Act (the “1934 Act”) requires the Company’s executive officers, directors
and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of a registered class of the Company’s equity securities to file with the
SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of Common Stock and other equity securities of the Company.
Such executive officers, directors, and greater than 10% beneficial owners are required by SEC regulation to furnish the Company
with copies of all Section 16(a) reports filed by such reporting persons.
Based solely on our
review of such forms furnished to the Company and written representations from certain reporting persons, we believe that all filing
requirements applicable to our executive officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners were timely made during fiscal
2018, with the exception of (1) two late Form 3’s filed by Dr. Dapeng Li, and (2) one late Form 3 filed by Wealth Strategy
Holding Limited.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Any member of the Board
of Directors who is a related person with respect to a transaction under review may not participate in the deliberations or vote
respecting approval or ratification of the transaction, provided, however, that such director may be counted in determining the
presence of a quorum at a meeting of the committee that considers the transaction.
As previously reported,
on September 17, 2014, the Company entered into investment agreements and issued a total of 5,405,382 shares of Common Stock to
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (together with its affiliates, “Spectrum”) in connection with the licensing of greater
China rights to develop and commercialize EVOMELA® and ZEVALIN®. The former CEO of Spectrum is also a member of CASI’s
Board and Spectrum is the Company’s largest shareholder. Pursuant to the investment agreements, Spectrum had a contingent
right to purchase shares of Common Stock at par value in order to maintain its post-investment equity ownership percentage as of
the date of the transaction if CASI issued securities (subject to a limited exception for certain equity compensation grants) after
the closing of the transaction. The contingent purchase right expired during the fourth quarter of 2017.
The Company is party
to supply agreements with for the purchase of EVOMELA, ZEVALIN, and MARQIBO in China for quality testing purposes to support CASI’s
application for import drug registration and for commercialization purposes. In 2018, the Company entered into commercial purchase
obligation commitments for EVOMELA from Spectrum for approximately $9.2 million. As of December 31, 2018, the Company paid $4,850,000
as a deposit for the purchase of EVOMELA expected to be delivered in 2019. Additionally, the Company incurred and paid $120,000
to Spectrum in 2018 for services to support the development of MARQIBO. In 2017, under supply agreements with Spectrum, the Company
received shipments of EVOMELA, ZEVALIN, and MARQIBO, in China for quality testing purposes to support CASI’s application
for import drug registration. The total cost of the materials was approximately $2,705,000. On March 1, 2019, Spectrum sold these
products, along with the licenses and contracts relating thereto, to Acrotech Biopharma L.L.C. (“Acrotech”). All future
needs will be sourced from Acrotech and its suppliers.
In September 2014,
CASI delivered to Talon Therapeutics, Inc., another affiliate of Spectrum, a $1.5 million promissory note, payable 18 months after
the closing of the transaction, for exclusive China rights to an additional commercial oncology drug, MARQIBO®. The note is
secured by the license granted by Spectrum to CASI for MARQIBO®. On December 20, 2017, CASI entered into a Third Amendment
to Secured Promissory Note extending the maturity date to September 17, 2019.
In October 2017, the
Company entered into securities purchase agreements for an approximately $23.8 million strategic financing (the “2017 Financing”).
Pursuant to the closings of the 2017 Financing, in 2017, CASI issued a total of (a) 3,333,330 shares of Common Stock and warrants
to purchase 666,666 additional shares of Common Stock in exchange for $10 million to Wealth Strategy Holdings Limited, which became
a 5% or greater security holder due to the transaction, and (b) 3,081,875 shares of Common Stock and warrants to purchase 616,375
additional shares of Common Stock in exchange for $9,245,625 to Dapeng Li, who is 5% or greater security holder.
In connection with
the 2017 Financing, CASI issued to Spectrum 1,519,096 shares of Common Stock for a purchase price of $15,190.96 pursuant to the
exercises of Spectrum’s contingent purchase rights in 2017.
In March 2018, the
Company entered into securities purchase agreements pursuant to which the Company issued 15,432,091 shares of Common Stock with
accompanying warrants to purchase 6,172,832 shares of Common Stock in a $50 million private placement (the “March 2018 Financing”).
Pursuant to the closings of the March 2018 Financing, CASI issued a total of 3,086,419 shares of Common Stock and warrants to purchase
1,234,567 additional shares of Common Stock in exchange for $10 million to ETP Global Fund, L.P. (“ETP”). Dr. Wei-Wu
He, our Chairman and CEO is the managing member of Emerging Technology Partners LLC, which is the general partner of
ETP. Also pursuant to the closings of the March 2018 Financing, the Company issued a total of (a) 2,882,098 shares of Common Stock
and warrants to purchase 1,152,839 additional shares of Common Stock in exchange for $9,337,997.50 to IDG-Accel China Growth Fund
III L.P., and (b) 204,320 shares of Common Stock and warrants to purchase 81,728 additional shares of Common Stock in exchange
for $661,996.80 to IDG-Accel China III Investors L.P. A director and shareholder of IDG-Accel China Growth Fund GP III Associates
Ltd., which is the ultimate general partner of IDG-Accel China Growth Fund III, L.P., is also a director of the Company. Also pursuant
to the closings of the March 2018 Financing, the Company issued 925,925 shares of Common Stock and warrants to purchase 370,370
additional shares of Common Stock in exchange for $3 million to Wealth Strategy Holdings Limited, a 5% or greater stockholder,
and 216,049 shares of Common Stock and warrants to purchase 86,419 additional shares of Common Stock in exchange for $700,000 to
Yuchun He, the sister of our Chairman and CEO.
In September 2018,
the Company entered into securities purchase agreements pursuant to which the Company issued shares of Common Stock with accompanying
warrants to purchase additional shares of Common Stock in a private placement (the “September 2018 Financing”). Pursuant
to the closings of the September 2018 Financing, in 2018, CASI issued a total of (a) 1,865,671 shares of Common Stock and warrants
to purchase 559,701 additional shares of Common Stock in exchange for $10 million to Wealth Strategy Holding Limited, and (b) 559,701
shares of Common Stock and warrants to purchase 167,910 additional shares of Common Stock in exchange for $3 million to Dapeng
Li, each a 5% or greater security holder.
The Company’s
Chairman and CEO and the Company’s former CEO played a key role in identifying and securing potential investors
for the Company’s September 2018 Financing. As a result, the Company did not have to pay a commission to, or incur additional
expenses for, a placement agent. In exchange for their services, which were deemed to be outside the scope of their responsibilities
as officers and directors of the Company, the Company paid $1,380,000 and $120,000 to the Chairman and CEO and former
CEO respectively.
Also in 2018, the Company
paid Emerging Technology Partners, LLC approximately $1.5 million of expenses on the Company’s behalf for due diligence and
related services (the “Services”) for certain business development activities. Dr. Wei-Wu He, our Chairman
and CEO, is the managing member of Emerging Technology Partners LLC.
PROPOSAL 3
APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY’S
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
On March 7, 2019, the
Board of Directors approved, and is recommending to our stockholders for approval, an amendment to Article FOURTH of our Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, substantially in the form attached hereto as Appendix B (the “Amendment”)
to increase the number of authorized shares of Common Stock from One Hundred Seventy Million (170,000,000) to Two Hundred Fifty
Million (250,000,000). Of the 170,000,000 shares of Common Stock currently authorized, as of April 2, 2019, approximately 132,405,000
of these shares were issued and outstanding or reserved for issuance under outstanding securities, including stock options and
warrants. As of April 22, 2019, 95,717,052 shares are issued and outstanding, 29,026,159 shares are reserved for issuance upon
exercise of existing stock options and purchase warrants, and 7,582,234 shares are reserved for future issuance under existing
equity incentive awards. Therefore, we currently have limited authorized shares of Common Stock available for future issuance.
The Board has unanimously
determined that the Amendment is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders, and recommends that our
stockholders approve the Amendment. In accordance with the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, we are hereby seeking
approval of the Amendment by our stockholders.
No changes to the Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation are being proposed with respect to the number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock.
Other than the proposed increase in the number of authorized shares of Common Stock, the Amendment is not intended to modify the
rights of existing stockholders in any material respect. The additional shares of Common Stock to be authorized pursuant to the
proposed amendment will be of the same class of Common Stock as is currently authorized.
Under the Delaware General
Corporation Law, our stockholders are not entitled to appraisal rights with respect to the Amendment.
If approved, our proposed
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation would be amended by deleting Article FOURTH and inserting the following in lieu
thereof:
“The total number of shares of capital
stock which the Corporation is authorized to issue is Two Hundred Fifty Five Million (255,000,000), divided into two classes as
follows:
|
(A)
|
Common Stock. Two Hundred Fifty Million (250,000,000) shares of common stock, $.01 par value per
share (“Common Stock”), the holder of which shall be entitled to one vote for each share on all matters required or
permitted to be voted on by stockholders of the Company”.
|
|
(B)
|
Preferred Stock. Five million (5,000,000) shares of preferred stock, $1.00 par value per share
(“Preferred Stock”).”
|
Purpose of the Proposed Amendment
The principal purpose
of this proposal is to authorize additional shares of common stock for future issuance in order to raise additional capital for
the Company that may be used to enhance the balance sheet of the Company and for general corporate purposes to fund the future
growth initiatives of the Company.
In determining the
size of the proposed authorized share increase, the Board of Directors considered a number of factors, including the advice of
its external advisors, industry norms, future issuance under its equity plans and the long-term need for additional shares in connection
with potential future equity financing, acquisitions and other transactions.
Other than issuances
pursuant to equity incentive plans and currently outstanding options and warrants, as of the date of this Proxy Statement, we have
no current plans, arrangements or understandings regarding the issuance of any additional shares of Common Stock that would be
authorized pursuant to this proposal and there are no negotiations pending with respect to the issuance thereof for any purpose.
The Board of Directors does not intend to issue any Common Stock except on terms which the Board of Directors deems to be in the
best interests of the Company and its then existing stockholders.
Potential Effects of the Amendment
The proposed increase
in the number of authorized shares of Common Stock will not have any immediate effect on the rights of our existing stockholders.
The Board of Directors will have the authority to issue the additional shares of Common Stock without requiring future stockholder
approval of such issuances, except as may be required by applicable law or rules of any stock exchange on which our securities
may be listed. The issuance of additional shares of Common Stock will decrease the relative percentage of equity ownership
of our existing stockholders, thereby diluting the voting power of their Common Stock, and, depending on the price at which additional
shares may be issued, could also be dilutive to the earnings per share of our Common Stock.
It is possible that a
subsequent issuance of these shares could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of the Company. Shares
of authorized and unissued Common Stock could, within the limits imposed by applicable law, be issued in one or more transactions
that would make a change in control of the Company more difficult, and therefore, less likely. Issuances of additional shares of
our stock could dilute the earnings per share and book value per share of our outstanding Common Stock and dilute the stock ownership
or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of the Company. While it may be deemed to have potential anti-takeover effects,
the proposal to increase the authorized Common Stock is not prompted by any specific effort of which we are aware to accumulate
shares of our Common Stock or obtain control of the Company.
The additional authorized
shares of Common Stock, if and when issued, would be part of the existing class of Common Stock and would have the same rights
and privileges as the shares of Common Stock currently outstanding. Stockholders do not have preemptive rights with respect to
our Common Stock. Therefore, should the Board of Directors determine to issue additional shares of Common Stock, existing stockholders
would not have any preferential rights to purchase such shares in order to maintain their proportionate ownership thereof.
Effectiveness of the Amendment
If the Amendment is approved
by our stockholders, it will become effective upon the filing of an amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation,
which filing is expected to occur promptly after stockholder approval of this proposal.
Vote Required
The affirmative votes
of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock are required to approve the Amendment. If you submit
a proxy without direction as to a vote on this matter, the proxy will be voted “FOR” this proposal. Abstentions will
have the effect of a vote against this proposal.
Board of Directors Recommendation
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT
THE STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR”
THE AMENDMENT.
PROPOSAL 4
Approval
of Option Grants to the Chairman and CEO
Background
As previously reported,
upon the recommendation of the Compensation Committee, our Board of Directors approved a grant of stock options to Dr. He, our
Chairman and CEO, effective April 2, 2019. Under the terms of the grant, subject to stockholder approval and cancellation of his
existing performance-based option, Dr. He received a stock option covering 4 million shares of Common Stock, at an exercise price
of $2.85, the closing price on the grant date, vesting at the earlier of (i) the completion of a transformative event by the Company
as determined in the discretion of the Compensation Committee and (ii) the second anniversary of the date of grant. Other than
the vesting terms, all of the options include the same terms and conditions as options issued under the 2011 Plan.
The Compensation Committee
elected to issue the options outside of the 2011 Plan because issuing the stock options outside the plan will preserve the shares
available under the plan for future awards to other directors, officers, employees and consultants. Because the stock options constitute
equity compensation and are not being granted pursuant to the 2011 Plan, the Company is required to obtain stockholder approval
for the grant of the stock options under Nasdaq Rule 5635(c). If applicable, such stockholder approval also will constitute approval
of the potential issuance of the shares of Common Stock underlying the stock options for purposes of Nasdaq Rule 5635(b).
Reasons for the Compensation Arrangements
Dr. He was appointed
as Chairman and CEO on April 2, 2019. The Compensation Committee believes that the stock options granted to Dr. He represent fair
and reasonable compensation to him for his services as Chairman and CEO. Dr. He has played, and continues to play, a key role in
the development and implementation of CASI’s China strategy. In addition, Dr. He has helped us to raise the capital necessary
to build our presence in China and was actively involved in our in-licensing of FDA-approved drugs and acquisition of a portfolio
of abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs).
Recognizing the potential
opportunities afforded by the improving regulatory environment in China for drug development and commercialization, Dr. He first
invested in CASI in early 2012. Through investment funds under his management, Dr. He has invested approximately $12.8 million
directly in CASI. Dr. He also has introduced CASI to other supportive long-term institutional investors.
With the acquisition
of the ANDA portfolio and approximately $87.5 million in gross cash proceeds from the our 2018 offerings, our Board of Directors
believes that we are at an important juncture in our mission to execute our plan to become a leading platform to launch medicines
in the greater China market leveraging our China-based regulatory and commercial competencies and our global drug development expertise.
With his understanding of the drug development process in China, Dr. He’s insight is critical to our long-term goal of leveraging
CASI’s expertise and resources in China and the U.S. to bring high-quality pharmaceuticals and innovative oncology products
to patients and to develop them faster and more cost-effectively using a dual China-U.S. development approach.
The
stock option grant vests at the earlier of (i) the completion of a transformative event by the Company as determined in the discretion
of the Compensation Committee and (ii) the second anniversary of the date of grant.
The Compensation
Committee recommended that the option package include two components – time and performance-based elements.
The
performance-based element incentivizes Dr. He to lead the Company’s growth at this critical juncture in which we begin
commercial operations in China. The Board of Directors and Compensation Committee have concluded that rewarding Dr. He for
successfully completing critical short-term objectives will provide a stronger foundation on which to build long-term
stockholder value. The time-based vesting trigger vests after two years. The Board believes that two years is a reasonable
amount of time for Dr. He to achieve these objectives. Even if the time-based option vests before the performance criteria
are satisfied, Dr. He, like other stockholders, only will benefit from that option if the stock price is greater than its
exercise price.
Consequences if Stockholder Approval
is Not Obtained
If stockholders do
not approve the Equity Compensation Proposal, the options will be terminated in full. The Compensation Committee then likely would
consider alternative compensation arrangements. If the Company were required to pay compensation in cash, the rate at which we
use cash on a monthly basis could increase.
Potential Effects of the Equity Compensation
Proposal if Stockholder Approval is Obtained
The issuance of the
4 million shares of Common Stock on exercise of the options that are the subject of this Equity Compensation Proposal will cause
dilution to our stockholders’ ownership, voting power and right to participate in dividends or other payments from future
earnings, if any, and may cause a decline in the market price of our common stock. In addition, Dr. He, together with affiliated
entities, could become the largest stockholder of the Company, assuming no other stock issuances are made prior to the time of
the award. If the Equity Compensation Proposal is approved by stockholders, CASI does not anticipate seeking additional stockholder
approval if and when a change in control occurs due to the issuance, vesting or exercise of the stock options.
Vote Required
The affirmative vote
of a majority of the total votes cast by the stockholders present at the meeting, in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote on
this proposal is necessary for approval of the option grants to the Chairman and CEO. If you submit a proxy without direction as
to a vote on this matter, the proxy will be voted “FOR” the proposal. Abstentions will have the effect of a vote against
this proposal. Broker non-votes will not be treated as votes cast and will have no effect on the outcome of the vote on this proposal.
Board of Directors Recommendation
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “
FOR
” APPROVAL OF THE OPTION GRANTS TO THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO.
PROPOSAL 5
RATIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Board of Directors
recommends a vote
FOR
the ratification of the appointment of KPMG Huazhen LLP (“KPMG”), as the Company’s
independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019 (“fiscal 2019”). KPMG
was appointed the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm on January 24, 2019, and has been engaged for fiscal
2019. KPMG has no direct or indirect financial interest in the Company.
On September 24, 2018,
CohnReznick LLP (“CohnReznick”) notified the Company that it intended to resign as the Company’s independent
registered public accounting firm effective upon CohnReznick’s completion of interim review procedures related to the period
as of and for the three and nine months ending September 30, 2018.
The audit reports of
CohnReznick on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 did
not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting
principles.
During the Company’s
two most recent fiscal years, there were no disagreements within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K, with CohnReznick
on any matters of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope and procedure which, if
not resolved to the satisfaction of CohnReznick, would have caused CohnReznick to make reference to the subject matter in connection
with its reports, and there were no reportable events as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
On January 24, 2019,
our Audit Committee engaged KMPG as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit the Company’s consolidated
financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. The Company did not, nor did anyone on its behalf, consult KPMG
during the Company’s two most recent fiscal years and any subsequent interim period prior to the Company’s engagement
of KPMG regarding any of the matters or events set forth in Item 304(a)(2) of Regulation S-K.
Representatives of
KPMG are not expected to be present at the Annual Meeting and thus will not be available to respond to questions from stockholders.
Although the Company
is not required to submit the ratification of the selection of its independent registered public accounting firm to a vote of stockholders,
the Audit Committee believes that it is good corporate governance and sound policy to do so. If the stockholders fail to ratify
the appointment of KPMG, the Audit Committee will reconsider whether or not to retain the firm. If the selection of independent
registered public accounting firm is ratified, the Audit Committee, in its discretion, may nevertheless select a different independent
registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interest
of the Company and its stockholders.
Vote Required
The affirmative vote
of a majority of the total votes cast by the stockholders present at the meeting, in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote on
this proposal is necessary for approval of the ratification of the appointment of KPMG as the Company’s independent registered
public accounting firm for the current year. If you submit a proxy without direction as to a vote on this matter, the proxy will
be voted “FOR” this proposal. Abstentions will have the effect of a vote against this proposal.
Board of Directors Recommendation
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “
FOR
” THE RATIFICATION OF KPMG HUAZHEN LLP AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR FISCAL 2019.
MATTERS CONCERNING OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The following table
presents aggregate fees for professional services rendered by each of KPMG and CohnReznick for the years ended December 31,
2018 and 2017.
KPMG
|
|
2017
|
|
|
2018
|
|
Audit fees
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
655,563
|
|
Audit-related fees
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
Tax fees
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
655,563
|
|
Services rendered by
KPMG (for fiscal year 2018) in connection with fees presented above were as follows:
The Company incurred
from KPMG audit fees of $655,563 for fiscal year 2018, covering professional services rendered for the audit of the Company’s
annual financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2018.
The Company did not
incur any other fees from KPMG in fiscal year 2018.
CohnReznick
|
|
2017
|
|
|
2018
|
|
Audit fees
|
|
$
|
197,408
|
|
|
$
|
176,245
|
|
Audit-related fees
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
Tax fees
|
|
$
|
11,950
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
209,358
|
|
|
$
|
176,245
|
|
Services rendered by
CohnReznick (for fiscal years 2017 and 2018) in connection with fees presented above were as follows:
Audit Fees
The Company incurred
from CohnReznick audit fees of $128,805 for fiscal year 2018, covering professional services rendered for the reviews of the
financial statements included in the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the first three quarters of 2018 and
for interim 2018 audit procedures performed prior to its resignation.
The Company incurred
from CohnReznick audit fees in fiscal year 2018 of $47,440 related to SEC filings, including issuances of consents and a comfort
letter.
The Company incurred
from CohnReznick audit fees of $189,500 in fiscal year 2017, covering professional services rendered for (1) the audit of
the Company’s annual financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2017 and (2) the reviews of the financial statements included in the Company’s quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q for the first three quarters of 2017.
The Company incurred
from CohnReznick audit fees in fiscal year 2017 of $7,908 related to SEC filings, including issuances of consents.
Audit-Related Fees
The Company did not
incur audit-related fees in fiscal years 2017 or 2018.
Tax Fees
The Company incurred
from CohnReznick fees of $11,950 in fiscal year 2017 related to tax compliance services, including preparation of tax returns.
The Company did not incur any such fees in fiscal year 2018 from CohnReznick.
All Other Fees
The Company did not
incur any other fees in fiscal years 2017 or 2018.
The Audit Committee
has considered the compatibility of non-audit services with the auditor’s independence. The Audit Committee pre-approves
all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm in accordance with the
Audit Committee’s pre-approval policy for audit and non-audit services.
REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
The Board of Directors
of the Company has appointed an Audit Committee composed of three directors, Mr. Huang (chairman), Mr. Salisbury and Dr. Wu,
each of whom is independent under NASDAQ listing standards, as applicable and as may be modified or supplemented.
The Board of Directors
has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee. A copy of that Charter is available on our website at
www.casipharmaceuticals.com.
The Audit Committee’s job is one of oversight as set forth in its Charter. It is not the duty of the Audit Committee to prepare
the Company’s financial statements, to plan or conduct audits, or to determine that the Company’s financial statements
are complete and accurate and are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s management is
responsible for preparing the Company’s financial statements and for maintaining internal control. The independent registered
public accounting firm is responsible for performing independent audits of the Company’s financial statements and an audit
of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
The Audit Committee
has reviewed and discussed the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements with management and with KPMG Huazhen
LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2018.
The Audit Committee
meets with the independent registered public accounting firm, with and without management present, as needed, to discuss the results
of their audits and reviews, their consideration of the Company’s internal controls, including internal control over financial
reporting, and the overall quality of the Company’s financial reporting.
The Audit Committee
has discussed with KPMG Huazhen LLP
the matters required to be discussed by Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Auditing Standard 1301.
The Audit Committee
also has received and reviewed the written disclosures and the letter from KPMG Huazhen LLP required by applicable requirements
of the PCAOB regarding KPMG Huazhen LLP’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence and has discussed
with KPMG Huazhen LLP its independence.
Based on the review
and discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee has recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited consolidated
financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2018 for filing with the SEC.
|
By the Audit Committee:
|
|
|
|
James Huang, Chairman
|
|
Franklin C. Salisbury, Jr.
|
|
Y. Alexander Wu, Ph.D
|
GENERAL
Management of the Company
does not know of any matters other than those stated in this Proxy Statement that are to be presented for action at the Annual
Meeting. If any other matters should properly come before the Annual Meeting, it is intended that proxies in the accompanying form
will be voted on any such other matters in accordance with the judgment of the persons voting such proxies. Discretionary authority
to vote on such matters is conferred by such proxies upon the persons voting them.
The Company will bear
the cost of preparing, printing, assembling, and mailing the proxy, Proxy Statement and other material that may be sent to stockholders
in connection with this solicitation. It is contemplated that brokerage houses will forward the proxy materials to beneficial owners
at the request of the Company. In addition to the solicitation of proxies by use of the mails, officers and regular employees of
the Company may solicit proxies by telephone without additional compensation. The Company does not expect to pay any compensation
for the solicitation of proxies.
The Company’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 (without exhibits), is being forwarded to each shareholder
with this proxy statement. This Proxy Statement and our Annual Report are also available for reviewing, printing and downloading
at www.casipharmaceuticals.com. The exhibits to the 10-K, which are listed on the Exhibit Index in Part IV of the Annual
Report on Form 10-K, are available upon written request to the Company and upon payment of the nominal fees associated with
copying and mailing such exhibits. All such requests should be directed to Investor Relations, CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 9620
Medical Center Drive, Suite 300, Rockville, Maryland 20850.
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
The Annual Meeting
of stockholders for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019 is expected to be held in June 2020 (the “Next Annual Meeting”).
Pursuant to the proxy rules, all proposals intended to be presented at the Next Annual Meeting must be received at the Company’s
executive offices
,
which are located at 9620 Medical Center Drive, Suite 300, Rockville, Maryland 20850, Attention: Corporate
Secretary, no later than January 11, 2020, to receive consideration for inclusion in the Proxy Statement and form of proxy related
to that meeting.
Stockholders who do
not wish to follow the SEC rules in proposing a matter for action at the Next Annual Meeting must notify the Company in writing
of the information required by our amended and restated bylaws dealing with stockholder proposals. The notice must be delivered
to the Company’s Secretary not later than the close of business on March 11, 2020, nor earlier than February 10, 2020. As
to all such matters which the Company does not have notice on or prior to that date, discretionary authority to vote on such proposal
shall be granted to the persons designated in the Company’s proxy related to the Next Annual Meeting.
* * *
|
By Order of the Board of Directors,
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wei-Wu He, Ph.D
|
|
Chairman and CEO
|
April 30, 2019
APPENDIX A
CASI PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
2011 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
|
1.
|
PURPOSE AND TYPES OF AWARDS
|
The purpose of the
2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“Plan”) is to promote the long-term growth and profitability of the Corporation by:
(i) providing key people with incentives to improve stockholder value and to contribute to the growth and financial success of
the Corporation and (ii) enabling the Corporation to attract, retain and reward the best-available persons.
The Plan permits the
granting of stock options (including incentive stock options qualifying under Code section 422 and nonqualified stock options),
stock appreciation rights, restricted or unrestricted stock awards, phantom stock, performance awards, or any combination of the
foregoing.
Under this Plan, except
where the context otherwise indicates, the following definitions apply:
(a) “
Administrator
”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
(b) “
Affiliate
”
means a corporation, partnership, business trust, limited liability company or other form of business organization at least a majority
of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock or other equity interests of which is owned by the Corporation, either
directly or indirectly, and any other entity designated by the Administrator in which the Corporation has a significant interest.
(c) “
Award
”
shall mean a grant of a Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Stock Award, Phantom Stock Award, or Performance Award.
(d) “
Board
”
shall mean the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
(e) “
Code
”
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(f) “
Common
Stock
” shall mean a share of common stock of the Corporation, $.01 par value.
(g) “
Corporation
”
shall mean EntreMed, Inc. and any successor thereto.
(h) “
Date
of Exercis
e” shall mean the date on which the Corporation receives notice of the exercise of a Stock Option in accordance
with Section 6(a)(iv).
(i) “
Date
of Grant
” shall mean the date on which an Award is granted under the Plan.
(j) “
Employee
”
shall mean any person who the Administrator determines to be an employee of the Corporation or an Affiliate.
(k)
“
Exercise Price
” shall mean the price per share at which a Stock Option may be exercised.
(l) “
Exchange
Act
” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(m) “
Fair
Market Value
” of a share of the Corporation’s Common Stock for any purpose on a particular date shall mean the
last reported sale price per share of Common Stock on such date or, in case no such sale takes place on such date, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ Stock Market or any other national securities exchange, or if
the Common Stock is not so listed or admitted to trading, the average of the high bid and low asked prices, in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by Nasdaq or, if such system is no longer in use, the principal other automated quotations system that may
then be in use or, if the Common Stock is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices
as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Common Stock as selected in good faith by the Administrator
or by such other source or sources as shall be selected in good faith by the Administrator. If, as the case may be, the relevant
date is not a trading day, the determination shall be made as of the next preceding trading day. As used herein, the term “trading
day” shall mean a day on which public trading of securities occurs and is reported in the principal consolidated reporting
system referred to above, or if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on a national securities exchange, any business
day. In all events, Fair Market Value shall be determined pursuant to a method that complies with Section 409A of the Code.
(n) “
Grant
Agreement
” shall mean a written document memorializing the terms and conditions of an Award granted pursuant to the Plan
and incorporating the terms of the Plan.
(o) “
Option
Period
” shall mean the period during which a Stock Option may be exercised.
(p) “
Participant
”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.
(q) “
Parent
”
shall mean a corporation, whether now or hereafter existing, within the meaning of the definition of “parent corporation”
provided in Code section 424(e), or any successor thereto.
(r) “
Performance
Award
” shall mean a performance award granted pursuant to Section 6(e).
(s) “
Performance
Goals
” shall mean performance goals established by the Administrator which may be based on earnings (including earnings
before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), earnings per share (including without limitation on a diluted basis), sales,
revenues, expenses (including without limitation sales and general administrative expenses), cash flow (including without limitation
free cash flow), economic value added, total stockholder return, return on assets, equity or invested capital, customer or client
orders (value of new contracts awarded), regulatory compliance, satisfactory internal or external audits, achievement of balance
sheet or income statement objectives, implementation or completion of one or more projects or transactions (including mergers,
acquisitions, collaborations, partnerships, dispositions, and restructurings), working capital, or any other objective goals established
by the Administrator, and which may be absolute in their terms or measured against or in relationship to other companies comparably,
similarly or otherwise situated. Such performance goals may be particular to a Participant, or may be based on the performance
of the Corporation, one or more Affiliates, or the Corporation and one or more Affiliates, and may cover such period as may be
specified by the Administrator.
(t) “
Phantom
Stock Unit
” shall mean an Award of stock-equivalent units granted pursuant to Section 6(d).
(u) “
Section
422 Employee
” shall mean an Employee who is employed by the Corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary with respect to the
Corporation, including a Parent or Subsidiary that becomes such after adoption of the Plan.
(v) “
Stock
Appreciation Right
” or “
SAR
” shall mean a stock appreciation right granted pursuant to Section 6(b).
(w) “
Stock
Award
” shall mean shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Section 6(c).
(x) “
Stock
Option
” shall mean an option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Section 6(a).
(y) “
Subsidiary
”
and “
Subsidiaries
” shall mean only a corporation or corporations, whether now or hereafter existing, within
the meaning of the definition of “subsidiary corporation” provided in section 424(f) of the Code, or any successor
thereto.
(z) “
Ten-Percent
Stockholder
” shall mean a Participant who (applying the rules of Code section 424(d)) owns stock possessing more than
10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the Corporation.
(a)
Administration
of the Plan
. The Plan shall be administered by the Board or by such committee or committees as may be appointed by the Board
from time to time (the Board, committee or committees hereinafter referred to as the “Administrator”). Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Administrator may delegate to the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation the power to administer this Plan
and have the full authority of the Administrator hereunder with respect to Awards granted to specified Participants or groups of
Participants.
(b)
Powers
of the Administrator
. The Administrator shall have all the powers vested in it by the terms of the Plan, such powers to include
authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to grant Awards under the Plan, prescribe Grant Agreements evidencing such Awards
and establish programs for granting Awards.
(c) The
Administrator shall have full power and authority to take all other actions necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of the
Plan, including, but not limited to, the authority to: (i) determine the eligible persons to whom, and the time or times at which
Awards shall be granted; (ii) determine the types of Awards to be granted; (iii) determine the number of shares to be covered by
or used for reference purposes for each Award; (iv) impose such terms, limitations, restrictions and conditions upon any such Award
as the Administrator shall deem appropriate, including, but not limited to, whether a stock option shall be an incentive stock
option or a nonqualified stock option, any exceptions to nontransferability, any Performance Goals applicable to Awards, any provisions
relating to vesting, any circumstances in which the Awards would terminate, the period during which Awards may be exercised, and
the period during which Awards shall be subject to restrictions; (v) accelerate, extend, or otherwise change the time in which
an Award may be exercised or becomes payable and to waive or accelerate the lapse, in whole or in part, of any restriction or condition
with respect to such Award, including, but not limited to, any restriction or condition with respect to the vesting or exercisability
of an Award due to termination of any Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Corporation or an Affiliate;
and (vi) establish objectives and conditions, if any, for earning Awards and determining whether Awards will be paid after the
end of a performance period.
(d) In
making these determinations, the Administrator may take into account the nature of the services rendered or to be rendered by the
Award recipients, their present and potential contributions to the success of the Corporation and its Affiliates, and such other
factors as the Administrator in its discretion shall deem relevant. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Administrator shall
have full power and authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to administer and interpret the Plan and to adopt and interpret
such rules, regulations, agreements, guidelines and instruments for the administration of the Plan and for the conduct of its business
as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable.
(e)
Non-Uniform
Determinations
. The Administrator’s determinations under the Plan (including, without limitation, determinations of the
persons to receive Awards, the form, amount and timing of such Awards, the terms and provisions of such Awards and the Grant Agreements
evidencing such Awards) need not be uniform and may be made by the Administrator selectively among persons who receive, or are
eligible to receive, Awards under the Plan, whether or not such persons are similarly situated.
(f)
Limited
Liability
. To the maximum extent permitted by law, no member of the Administrator shall be liable for any action taken or decision
made in good faith relating to the Plan or any Award thereunder.
(g)
Effect
of Administrator’s Decision
. All actions taken and decisions and determinations made by the Administrator on all matters
relating to the Plan pursuant to the powers vested in it hereunder shall be in the Administrator’s sole and absolute discretion
and shall be conclusive and binding on all parties concerned, including the Corporation, its stockholders, any Participants and
any other employee, consultant, or director of the Corporation, and their respective successors in interest.
|
4.
|
SHARES AVAILABLE FOR THE PLAN
|
Maximum Issuable
Shares
. Subject to adjustments as provided in Section 7(f), the shares of Common Stock that may be issued with respect to
Awards granted under the Plan shall not exceed an aggregate of
25,230,000
shares of Common Stock.
The Corporation shall reserve such number of shares for Awards under the Plan, subject to adjustments as provided in Section 7(f).
If any Award, or portion of an Award, under the Plan expires or terminates unexercised, becomes unexercisable or is forfeited
or otherwise terminated, surrendered or canceled as to any shares, or if any shares of Common Stock are surrendered to the Corporation
in connection with any Award (whether or not such surrendered shares were acquired pursuant to any Award), the shares subject
to such Award and the surrendered shares shall thereafter be available for further Awards under the Plan.
(a) Participation
in the Plan shall be open to all persons who are at the time of the grant of an Award (i) Employees (including persons who may
become Employees), (ii) members of the Board or the board of directors of an Affiliate, or (iii) consultants of the Corporation
or of any Affiliate, as may be selected by the Administrator from time to time (a “Participant”). A Participant who
has been granted an Award may, if he or she is otherwise eligible, be granted additional Awards if the Administrator so determines.
The Administrator,
in its sole discretion, establishes the terms of all Awards granted under the Plan. All Awards shall be subject to the terms and
conditions provided in the Grant Agreement.
(a)
Stock
Options
.
(i) The
Administrator may from time to time grant to eligible Participants Awards of incentive stock options (as that term is defined in
Code section 422) or nonqualified stock options; provided, however, that Awards of incentive stock options shall be limited to
Section 422 Employees. Stock Options must have an exercise price at least equal to Fair Market Value on the date of grant. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, in the case of an incentive stock option granted to a Ten-Percent Stockholder, the exercise price must be at least
equal to 110% of Fair Market Value.
(ii) The
Administrator shall determine the Option Period for a Stock Option, which shall be specifically set forth in the Grant Agreement,
provided that a Stock Option shall not be exercisable after ten years (five years in the case of an incentive stock option granted
to an Employee who on the Date of Grant is a Ten-Percent Stockholder) from its Date of Grant.
(iii) Subject
to the terms of the applicable Grant Agreement, a Stock Option may be exercised, in whole or in part, by delivering to the Corporation
a notice of the exercise, in such form as the Administrator may prescribe, accompanied by (a) a full payment for the shares of
Common Stock with respect to which the Stock Option is exercised or (b) to the extent provided in the applicable Grant Agreement,
irrevocable instructions to a broker to deliver promptly to the Company cash equal to the exercise price of the Stock Option. To
the extent provided in the applicable Grant Agreement, payment may be made by delivery (including constructive delivery) of shares
of Common Stock (provided that such Shares, if acquired pursuant to an Option or other Award granted hereunder or under any other
compensation plan maintained by the Corporation or any Affiliate, have been held by the Participant for such period, if any, as
the Administrator may specify), valued at Fair Market Value on the Date of Exercise.
(iv) To
the extent provided in the terms of an Option, a Participant may direct the Corporation to withhold from the shares of Common Stock
to be issued upon exercise of the Stock Option (or portion thereof) being exercised a number of shares of Common Stock having a
Fair Market Value not in excess of the aggregate exercise price of the Stock Option (or portion thereof) being exercised, with
payment of the balance of the exercise price being made pursuant to any one or more of the methods prescribed in Section 6(a)(iii)
above.
(b)
Stock
Appreciation Rights
. The Administrator may from time to time grant to eligible Participants Awards of Stock Appreciation Rights.
A SAR may be exercised in whole or in part as provided in the applicable Grant Agreement and entitles the Participant to receive,
subject to the provisions of the Plan and the Grant Agreement, a payment having an aggregate value equal to the product of (i)
the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value on the exercise date of one share of Common Stock over (B) the base price per share specified
in the Grant Agreement, multiplied by (ii) the number of shares covered by the SAR, or portion thereof, which is exercised. Payment
by the Corporation of the amount receivable upon any exercise of a SAR may be made by the delivery of Common Stock or cash, or
any combination of Common Stock and cash, as specified in the Grant Agreement. If upon settlement of the exercise of a SAR a Participant
is to receive a portion of such payment in shares of Common Stock, the number of shares shall be determined by dividing such portion
by the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the exercise date. No fractional shares shall be used for such payment and
the Administrator shall determine whether cash shall be given in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares
shall be eliminated.
(c)
Stock
Awards
. The Administrator may from time to time grant restricted or unrestricted stock Awards to eligible Participants in such
amounts, on such terms and conditions (which terms and conditions may condition the vesting or payment of Stock Awards on the achievement
of one or more Performance Goals), and for such considerations, including no consideration or such minimum consideration as may
be required by law, as it shall determine.
(d)
Phantom
Stock
. The Administrator may from time to time grant Awards to eligible Participants of Phantom Stock Units in such amounts
and on such terms and conditions as it shall determine, which terms and conditions may condition the vesting or payment of Phantom
Stock on the achievement of one or more Performance Goals. Phantom Stock Units granted to a Participant shall be credited to a
bookkeeping reserve account solely for accounting purposes and shall not require a segregation of any of the Corporation’s
assets. An Award of Phantom Stock Units may be settled in Common Stock, in cash, or in a combination of Common Stock and cash,
as specified in the Grant Agreement. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Grant Agreement, the Participant shall not
have the rights of a stockholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock represented by a Phantom Stock Unit solely as a result
of the grant of a Phantom Stock Unit to the Participant.
(e)
Performance
Awards
. The Administrator may, in its discretion, grant Performance Awards, which become payable on account of attainment of
one or more Performance Goals established by the Administrator. Performance Awards may be paid by the delivery of Common Stock
or cash, or any combination of Common Stock and cash, as specified in the Grant Agreement. For purposes of Section 4(b) hereof,
a Performance Award shall be deemed to cover a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the maximum number of shares of Common
Stock that may be issued upon payment of the Award.
(a)
Investment
Representations
. The Administrator may require each person acquiring shares of Common Stock pursuant to Awards hereunder to
represent to and agree with the Corporation in writing that such person is acquiring the shares without a view to distribution
thereof. The certificates for such shares may include any legend that the Administrator deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions
on transfer. All certificates for shares issued pursuant to the Plan shall be subject to such stock transfer orders and other restrictions
as the Administrator may deem advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
any stock exchange upon which the Common Stock is then listed or interdealer quotation system upon which the Common Stock is then
quoted, and any applicable federal or state securities laws. The Administrator may place a legend or legends on any such certificates
to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.
(b)
Compliance
with Securities Law
. Each Award shall be subject to the requirement that if, at any time, counsel to the Corporation shall
determine that the listing, registration or qualification of the shares subject to such an Award upon any securities exchange or
interdealer quotation system or under any state or federal law, or the consent or approval of any governmental or regulatory body,
or that the disclosure of nonpublic information or the satisfaction of any other condition is necessary in connection with the
issuance or purchase of shares under such an Award, such Award may not be exercised, in whole or in part, unless such satisfaction
of such condition shall have been effected on conditions acceptable to the Administrator. Nothing herein shall be deemed to require
the Corporation to apply for or to obtain such listing, registration or qualification, or to satisfy such condition.
(c)
Withholding
of Taxes
. Participants and holders of Awards shall pay to the Corporation or its Affiliate, or make provision satisfactory
to the Administrator for payment of, any taxes required to be withheld in respect of Awards under the Plan no later than the date
of the event creating the tax liability. The Corporation or its Affiliate may, to the extent permitted by law, deduct any such
tax obligations from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Participant or holder of an Award. In the event that payment
to the Corporation or its Affiliate of such tax obligations is made in shares of Common Stock, such shares shall be valued at Fair
Market Value on the applicable date for such purposes.
(d)
Transferability
.
Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator or provided in a Grant Agreement, no Award granted under the Plan shall be
transferable by a Participant except by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator
in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence, during the lifetime of the Participant, the Award may
be exercised only by the Participant or, during the period the Participant is under a legal disability, by the Participant’s
guardian or legal representative. Except as provided above, the Award may not be assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or
disposed of in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and shall not be subject to execution, attachment or similar
process.
(e)
Capital
Adjustments
. In the event of any change in the outstanding Common Stock by reason of any stock dividend, split-up, stock split,
recapitalization, reclassification, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation, liquidation or the like, the Administrator
shall provide for a substitution for or adjustment in (i) the number and class of shares of Common Stock subject to outstanding
Awards, (ii) the exercise price of Stock Options and the base price upon which payments under SARs are determined, (iii) the aggregate
number and class of shares of Common Stock for which Awards thereafter may be made under this Plan, (iv) the maximum number of
shares of Common Stock with respect to which a Participant may be granted Awards during the period specified in Section 4(b) hereof.
(f)
Modification,
Substitution of Awards
.
(i) Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Plan, the Administrator may modify the terms of any outstanding Awards; provided, however,
that (a) no modification of an Award shall, without the consent of the Participant, alter or impair any of the Participant’s
rights or obligations under such Award and (b) subject to Section 7(f), in no event may (i) a Stock Option be modified to reduce
the Exercise Price of the Stock Option or (ii) a Stock Option be cancelled or surrendered in consideration for the grant of
a new Stock Option with a lower Exercise Price.
(ii) Anything
contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding, Awards may, at the discretion of the Administrator, be granted under this Plan
in substitution for stock options and other awards covering capital stock of another corporation which is merged into, consolidated
with, or all or a substantial portion of the property or stock of which is acquired by, the Corporation or one of its Affiliates.
The terms and conditions of the substitute Awards so granted may vary from the terms and conditions set forth in this Plan to such
extent as the Administrator may deem appropriate in order to conform, in whole or part, to the provisions of the awards in substitution
for which they are granted. Such substitute Awards granted hereunder shall not be counted toward the limit imposed by Section 4(b)
hereof, except to the extent it is determined by the Administrator that counting such Awards is required in order for Awards hereunder
to be eligible to qualify as “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(iii) Any
provision of the Plan or any Grant Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event of (a) a merger or consolidation to
which the Corporation is a party, or (b) a sale or exchange of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s Common Stock
for cash, securities or other property, the Administrator shall take such actions, if any, as it deems necessary or appropriate
to prevent the enlargement or diminishment of Participants’ rights under the Plan and Awards granted hereunder, and may,
in its discretion, cause any Award granted hereunder to be canceled in consideration of a cash payment equal to the fair value
of the canceled Award, as determined by the Administrator in its discretion. The fair value of a Stock Option shall be deemed to
be equal to the product of (x) the number of shares of Common Stock the Stock Option covers (and has not previously been exercised)
and (y) the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock as of the date of cancellation over the Exercise
Price of the Stock Option.
(g)
Foreign
Employees
. Without amendment of this Plan, the Administrator may grant Awards to Participants who are subject to the laws of
foreign countries or jurisdictions on such terms and conditions different from those specified in this Plan as may in the judgment
of the Administrator be necessary or desirable to foster and promote achievement of the purposes of this Plan. The Administrator
may make such modifications, amendments, procedures, sub-plans and the like as may be necessary or advisable to comply with provisions
of laws of other countries or jurisdictions in which the Corporation or any of its Affiliates operate or have employees.
(h)
Termination,
Amendment and Modification of the Plan
. The Board may amend, alter or terminate the Plan, or portion thereof, at any time,
provided, however, that after the stockholders of the Corporation have approved the Plan, the Board shall not amend or terminate
the Plan without approval of (a) the Corporation’s stockholders to the extent applicable law or regulations or the requirements
of the principal exchange or interdealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, if any, requires stockholder
approval of the amendment or termination, and (b) each affected Participant if the amendment or termination would adversely affect
the Participant’s rights or obligations under any Award granted prior to the date of the amendment or termination.
(i)
Non-Guarantee
of Employment or Service
. Nothing in the Plan or in any Grant Agreement shall confer on an individual any legal or equitable
right against the Corporation, any Affiliate or the Administrator, except as expressly provided in the Plan or the Grant Agreement.
Nothing in the Plan or in any Grant Agreement thereunder shall (i) constitute inducement, consideration, or contract for employment
or service between an individual and the Corporation or any Affiliate; (ii) confer any right on an individual to continue in the
service of the Corporation or any Affiliate; or (iii) shall interfere in any way with the right of the Corporation or any Affiliate
to terminate such service at any time with or without cause or notice, or to increase or decrease compensation for such service.
(j)
Other
Employee Benefits
. Except as to plans that by their terms include such amounts as compensation, the amount of any compensation
deemed to be received by a Participant as a result of the exercise of an Award or the sale of shares received upon such exercise
will not constitute compensation with respect to which any other employee benefits of such Participant are determined, including,
without limitation, benefits under any bonus, pension, profit-sharing, life insurance or salary continuation plan, except as otherwise
specifically determined by the Administrator.
(k)
No
Trust or Fund Created
. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any
kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Corporation and a Participant or any other person. To the extent that any Participant
or other person acquires a right to receive payments from the Corporation pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater
than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Corporation.
(l)
Governing
Law
. The validity, construction and effect of the Plan, of Grant Agreements entered into pursuant to the Plan, and of any rules,
regulations, determinations or decisions made by the Administrator relating to the Plan or such Grant Agreements, and the rights
of any and all persons having or claiming to have any interest therein or thereunder, shall be determined exclusively in accordance
with applicable federal laws and the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its conflict of laws principles.
(m)
Effective
Date, Termination Date
. The Plan is effective as of April 13, 2011, the date on which the Plan was adopted by the Board, subject
to the approval of the stockholders of the Corporation within twelve months of such effective date. No Award shall be granted under
the Plan after the close of business on April 13, 2021. Subject to other applicable provisions of the Plan, all Awards made under
the Plan prior to such termination of the Plan shall remain in effect until such Awards have been satisfied or terminated in accordance
with the Plan and the terms of such Awards.
(n)
No
Restrictions on Corporation
. Neither the adoption of the Plan nor its submission to the Corporation’s stockholders shall
be taken to impose any limitations on the powers of the Corporation or its Affiliates to issue, grant or assume options, warrants,
rights, restricted stock or other awards otherwise than under the Plan, or to adopt other stock option, restricted stock, or other
plans, or to impose any requirement of stockholder approval upon the same.
(o)
Creditors
.
The interests of any Participant under the Plan and/or any Award granted hereunder are not subject to the claims of creditors and
may not, in any way, be transferred, assigned, alienated or encumbered except to the extent provided in an Agreement.
(p)
Stock
Certificates
.
(i) The
Corporation shall not be required to issue any certificate or certificates for shares of Common Stock with respect to Awards granted
under the Plan, or record any person as a holder of record of such shares of Common Stock, without obtaining, to the complete satisfaction
of the Administrator, the approval of all regulatory bodies the Administrator deems necessary, and without complying to the Board’s
or Administrator’s complete satisfaction, with all rules and regulations under federal, state or local law the Administrator
deems applicable.
(ii) To
the extent that the Plan provides for issuance of stock certificates to reflect the issuance of shares of Common Stock, the issuance
may be effected on a noncertificated basis, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or
automated dealer quotation system on which the shares of Common Stock are traded. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be
issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Administrator shall determine whether cash, other Awards, or other property
shall be issued or paid in lieu of any fractional shares of Common Stock or whether any fractional shares of Common Stock or any
rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.
Appendix
B
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
CASI PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Corporation”),
a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, does hereby certify:
FIRST: That the Board of Directors
of the Corporation has duly adopted resolutions: (i) authorizing the Corporation to execute and file with the Secretary of State
of the State of Delaware this Certificate of Amendment of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (this “Certificate
of Amendment”) to increase the number of authorized shares of the Corporation's common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the
“Common Stock”), from One Hundred Seventy Million (170,000,000) shares to Two Hundred Fifty Million (250,000,000) shares;
and (ii) declaring this Certificate of Amendment to be advisable and recommended for approval by the stockholders of the Corporation.
SECOND: That this Certificate of Amendment
was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
by the Board of Directors and the stockholders of the Corporation.
THIRD: That upon the effectiveness of this
Certificate of Amendment, Article FOURTH of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended and restated
such that, as amended, said paragraph below shall read as follows:
“The total number of shares of capital
stock which the Corporation is authorized to issue is Two Hundred Fifty-Five Million (255,000,000) shares divided into two classes
as follows:
(A)
Common
Stock
. Two Hundred Fifty Million (250,000,000) shares of common stock, $.01 par value per share (“Common Stock”),
the holder of which shall be entitled to one vote for each share on all matters required or permitted to be voted on by stockholders
of the Corporation, and
(B)
Preferred
Stock
. Five Million (5,000,000) shares of preferred stock, $1.00 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”).
FOURTH: This
Certificate of Amendment shall become effective at 8:00 a.m. on [XX] date.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Amendment of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be executed by
George Chi, its Chief Financial Officer, this _____ day of ________, 2019
|
CASI PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
|
|
|
|
By:
|
|
|
Name:
|
George Chi
|
|
Title:
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
ANNUAL
MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF CASI PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. June 20, 2019 GO GREEN eConsent makes it easy to go paper less. With
eConsent, you can quickly access your proxy material, statements and other eligible documents online, while reducing costs,
clutter and paper waste. Enroll today via www.astfinancial.com to enjoy online access. IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY
OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE STOCKHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON JUNE 20, 2019. You may obtain a copy of the related proxy statement,
the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, and the form of proxy card without charge by visiting www.casipharmaceuticals.com
Please sign, date and mail your proxy card in the envelope provided as soon as possible. Please detach and mail in the envelope
provided. 20230303030000000000 2 062019 INSTRUCTIONS: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark “FOR
ALL EXCEPT” and fill in the circle next to each nominee you wish to withhold, as shown here: 1. Election of Directors: O
James Huang – Term Expiring 2022 O Quan Zhou, Ph.D., – Term Expiring 2022 FOR ALL NOMINEES WITHHOLD AUTHORITY FOR
ALL NOMINEES FOR ALL EXCEPT (See instructions below) NOMINEES:To change the address on your account, please check the box at right
and indicate your new address in the address space above. Please note that changes to the registered name(s) on the account may
not be submitted via this method. FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN 2. Approval of amendment to our 2011 LongTerm Incentive Plan described
in the accompanying proxy statement. 3. Approval of amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to increase
the number of authorized shares of common stock from 170,000,000 to 250,000,000.4. Approval of the issuance of equity compensation
to the Chairman and CEO pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule Section 5635 (c) and if applicable, Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635 (b). 5. Ratification
of the appointment of KPMG Huazhen LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December
31, 2019. The shares of Common Stock represented by this proxy will be voted as directed. If no contrary instruction is given,
the shares of Common Stock will be voted for the election of each director nominee, for the amendment to the 2011 LongTerm
Incentive Plan, for the amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, for the approval of the issuance of
equity compensation to the Chairman and CEO, and for the ratification of the appointment of KPMG Huazhen LLP as the independent
registered public accounting firm of the Company for fiscal year 2019. In their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote
upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof. Attendance of the
undersigned at the meeting or at any adjournment or postponement thereof will not be deemed to revoke this proxy unless the undersigned
shall revoke this proxy in writing or shall deliver a subsequently dated proxy to the Corporate Secretary of CASI Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. or shall vote in person at the meeting. Signature of Stockholder Date: Signature of Stockholder Date: Note: Please sign exactly
as your name or names appear on this Proxy. When shares are held jointly, each holder should sign. When signing as executor, administrator,
attorney, trustee or guardian, please give full title as such. If the signer is a corporation, please sign full corporate name
by duly authorized officer, giving full title as such. If signer is a partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized
person.
0
CASI PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS The undersigned
hereby appoints Cynthia W. Hu and Sara B. Capitelli and each of them as proxy (each of whom shall have full power of substitution)
to represent the undersigned at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 14975 Shady Grove Rd.,
Rockville, MD 20850 on Thursday, June 20, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. and at any adjournment or postponement thereof, and to vote the shares
of common stock the undersigned would be entitled to vote if personally present, as indicated on the reverse. (Continued and to
be signed on the reverse side.) 1.1 14475
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