CERUS CORP false 0001020214 --12-31 0001020214 2024-01-04 2024-01-04

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): January 4, 2024

 

 

CERUS CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   000-21937   68-0262011

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

1220 Concord AveSuite 600

ConcordCalifornia

  94520
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code (925) 288-6000

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

 

Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

 

Pre-commencement communication pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

 

Pre-commencement communication pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share   CERS   The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


Item 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On January 5, 2024, Cerus Corporation (the “Company”) entered into a second amendment (the “Term Loan Amendment”) to that certain Amended and Restated Credit, Security and Guaranty Agreement (Term Loan) dated as of March 31, 2023 by and among the Company, the lenders party thereto from time to time and MidCap Financial Trust, as agent and a lender. The Term Loan Amendment, among other things, removes the minimum revenue condition applicable to the remaining $5 million available in tranche 3, which may now be drawn at any time prior to July 1, 2024.

The foregoing description does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Term Loan Amendment, a copy of which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

 

Item 3.03

Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

 

Item 5.03

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

On January 4, 2024, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company approved the amendment and restatement of the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (as so amended and restated, the “Bylaws”) to, among other things:

 

   

clarify that the Board may determine that meetings of stockholders may be held by remote communication;

 

   

articulate the Board’s authority to postpone, reschedule or cancel a meeting of stockholders that had previously been scheduled by the Board;

 

   

update the advance notice provision including, without limitation to:

 

   

provide that the timeframe during which stockholders may submit a notice of nomination or other business for consideration at an annual meeting is not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day and not later than the close of business on the 90th day prior to the anniversary date of the prior year’s annual meeting unless the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 70 days after such anniversary date, in which case, such notice must be submitted not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to the annual meeting and the 10th day following the day on which the public announcement of the date of the meeting is first made by the Company (the “Advance Notice Timeliness Provision”);

 

   

provide for a separate timeframe during which stockholders may submit a notice of nomination at an annual meeting that only applies if the corporation increases the number of directors to be elected at an annual meeting near or after the closing of the otherwise applicable advance notice window and that only applies to the additional directors to be elected;

 

   

update the disclosure requirements relating to any nominees (including submission of a questionnaire and certain representations), to any proposed business and to the stockholder proposing the nomination or proposal, any beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made and their affiliates and associates;

 

   

reflect the universal proxy rules as set forth in Rule 14a-19 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), by requiring the stockholder making a nomination to represent whether it will comply with the universal proxy rules and providing that the nomination will be disregarded if the stockholder does not comply with the universal proxy rules;

 

   

limit the number of nominees that a stockholder may nominate for election at a meeting to the number of directors to be elected at such meeting;

 

   

provide for the requirements and timing for a stockholder to nominate persons for election to the board at a special meeting if the board has determined that directors will be elected at such special meeting;

 

   

provide that if the stockholder or a qualified representative thereof does not appear at the meeting to present the nomination or proposal, the nomination or proposal will be disregarded; and

 

   

require that certain information in the stockholder’s notice be updated and supplemented as of the record date for the meeting and a date prior to the meeting;

 

   

limit the matters to be presented at a special meeting to the matters set forth in the notice;

 

   

clarify that notices to stockholders may be given by electronic transmission in accordance with applicable law;


   

clarify that, with respect to matters that are submitted to the stockholders, if a different or minimum vote is required by the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, the Bylaws, the rules and regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Company, or any law or regulation applicable to the Company or its securities, such different or minimum vote shall be the applicable vote on the matter;

 

   

clarify that abstentions are not considered to be votes cast;

 

   

clarify additional authority of the chair of stockholders’ meetings to make determinations regarding the conduct of stockholders’ meetings;

 

   

provide additional flexibility with respect to the location and timing of board meetings;

 

   

provide that mandatory advancement to directors and officers is limited to expenses in defense of a proceeding; and

 

   

provide that, unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (i) the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction, any state court located within the State of Delaware or, if and only if all such state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) shall be the sole and exclusive forum for certain intracorporate matters and (ii) the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

The Bylaws also incorporate other changes to conform to recent amendments to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), to conform various provisions of the Bylaws to the DGCL, the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and to other provisions of the Bylaws, and to make other general clean-up and clarifying changes.

The foregoing description does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Bylaws, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 with this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 8.01

Other Information.

As a result of the updated Advance Notice Timeliness Provision in the Bylaws, the dates after which notice of a stockholder proposal submitted to the Company in respect of its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be considered untimely (outside of the processes of Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act) have changed from those set forth in the Company’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 28, 2023. The new dates are set forth below:

Pursuant to the Bylaws, if you wish to submit a proposal or nominate a director at the Company’s 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2024 Annual Meeting”), but you are not requesting that your proposal or nomination be included in the Company’s proxy materials for the 2024 Annual Meeting pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, your proposal or nomination must delivered to and received by the Company’s Corporate Secretary, in writing, at 1220 Concord Avenue, Suite 600, Concord, CA 94520 by no earlier than the close of business on February 8, 2024 and no later than the close of business on March 9, 2024. However, if the 2024 Annual Meeting is not held between May 8, 2024 and August 16, 2024, then your proposal or nomination must be delivered to and received by the Company’s Corporate Secretary, in writing, not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the date of the 2024 Annual Meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the 90th day prior to the date of the 2024 Annual Meeting, or (ii) if the Company publicly announces the date of the 2024 Annual Meeting fewer than 100 days prior to the date of the 2024 Annual Meeting, the 10th day following the day that the Company first makes a public announcement of the date of the 2024 Annual Meeting. In addition, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Company at the 2024 Annual Meeting is increased effective after the time period for which nominations would otherwise be due and there is no public announcement by the Company naming the nominees for the additional directorships by February 28, 2024, a stockholder’s notice will also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships, if it is delivered to the Company’s Corporate Secretary at 1220 Concord Avenue, Suite 600, Concord, CA 94520


not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Company. The Company also advises you to review the Bylaws, which contain additional requirements about advance notice of stockholder proposals and director nominations.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Description

3.1    Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document)


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Dated: January 5, 2024     CERUS CORPORATION
    By:  

/s/ Chrystal N. Jensen

    Chrystal N. Jensen
    Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel

 

3

Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

CERUS CORPORATION

(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I. OFFICES      1  

Section 1. Registered Office

     1  

Section 2. Other Offices

     1  
ARTICLE II. CORPORATE SEAL      1  

Section 3. Corporate Seal

     1  
ARTICLE III. STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS      1  

Section 4. Place of Meetings

     1  

Section 5. Annual Meeting

     1  

Section 6. Special Meetings

     8  

Section 7. Notice of Meetings

     8  

Section 8. Quorum

     8  

Section 9. Adjournment and Notice of Adjourned Meetings

     9  

Section 10. Voting Rights

     9  

Section 11. Joint Owners of Stock

     9  

Section 12. List of Stockholders

     10  

Section 13. Action Without Meeting

     10  

Section 14. Organization

     11  
ARTICLE IV. DIRECTORS      11  

Section 15. Number and Term of Office

     11  

Section 16. Powers

     11  

Section 17. Classes of Directors

     11  

Section 18. Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships

     12  

Section 19. Resignation

     12  

Section 20. Removal

     12  

Section 21. Meetings

     12  

Section 22. Quorum and Voting

     13  

Section 23. Action Without Meeting

     13  

Section 24. Fees and Compensation

     13  

Section 25. Committees

     13  

Section 26. Chairman of the Board; Organization

     14  

 

i


ARTICLE V. OFFICERS      15  

Section 27. Officers Designated

     15  

Section 28. Tenure and Duties of Officers

     15  

Section 29. Delegation of Authority

     16  

Section 30. Resignations

     16  

Section 31. Removal

     16  
ARTICLE VI. EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION      16  

Section 32. Execution of Corporate Instruments

     16  

Section 33. Voting of Securities Owned by the Corporation

     17  
ARTICLE VII. SHARES OF STOCK      17  

Section 34. Form and Execution of Certificates

     17  

Section 35. Lost Certificates

     17  

Section 36. Transfers

     18  

Section 37. Fixing Record Dates for Meetings of Stockholders

     18  

Section 38. Registered Stockholders

     18  
ARTICLE VIII. OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION      18  

Section 39. Execution of Other Securities

     18  
ARTICLE IX. DIVIDENDS      19  

Section 40. Declaration of Dividends

     19  

Section 41. Dividend Reserve

     19  
ARTICLE X. FISCAL YEAR      19  

Section 42. Fiscal Year

     19  
ARTICLE XI. INDEMNIFICATION      19  

Section 43. Indemnification of Directors, Executive Officers, Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents

     19  
ARTICLE XII. NOTICES      22  

Section 44. Notices

     22  
ARTICLE XIII. AMENDMENTS      22  

Section 45. Amendments

     22  
ARTICLE XIV. LOANS TO OFFICERS      23  

Section 46. Loans to Officers

     23  
ARTICLE XV. MISCELLANEOUS      23  

Section 47. Annual Report

     23  
ARTICLE XVI. FORUM SELECTION      23  

Section 48

     23  

 

ii


ARTICLE I.

OFFICES

Section 1. Registered Office.The registered office of the corporation in the State of Delaware shall be as set forth in the certificate of incorporation of the corporation (as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Certificate of Incorporation”).

Section 2. Other Offices. The corporation shall also have and maintain an office or principal place of business at such place as may be fixed by the Board of Directors, and may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the corporation may require.

ARTICLE II.

CORPORATE SEAL

Section 3. Corporate Seal. The corporate seal shall consist of a die bearing the name of the corporation and the inscription, “Corporate Seal-Delaware.” Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.

ARTICLE III.

STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS

Section 4. Place of Meetings. Meetings of the stockholders of the corporation shall be held at such place, if any, either within or without the State of Delaware, as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors, or, if not so designated, then at the office of the corporation required to be maintained pursuant to Section 2 hereof.

Section 5. Annual Meeting.

(a) The annual meeting of the stockholders of the corporation, for the purpose of election of directors and for such other business as may lawfully come before it, shall be held on such date and at such time as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. The corporation may postpone, reschedule or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board of Directors.

(b) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business or nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the corporation shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, such business or nomination must be: (A) specified in the corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto), (B) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or any authorized committee thereof, or (C) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder of the corporation who was a stockholder of record of the corporation at the time the notice provided for in this Section 5 is delivered to the Secretary of the corporation, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 5. For business or a nomination to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the corporation and any such proposed business (other than the nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors) must constitute a proper matter for stockholder

 

1


action. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to or mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than seventy (70) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, in the event public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is first made by the corporation fewer than one hundred (100) days prior to the date of such annual meeting, the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the corporation. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment, recess or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. The number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the annual meeting on its own behalf (or in the case of one or more stockholders giving the notice on behalf of a beneficial owner, the number of nominees such stockholders may collectively nominate for election at the annual meeting on behalf of such beneficial owner) shall not exceed the number of directors to be elected at such annual meeting.

(c) A stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth: (i) as to each matter of business (other than a nomination) that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting: a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws of the corporation, the language of the proposed amendment), and any material interest in such business of such stockholder, the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, and any of their respective affiliates or associates (such affiliates or associates, the “Stockholder Associated Persons”); (ii) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal of other business is made, and any Stockholder Associated Persons, (A) the name and address, as they appear on the corporation’s books, of the stockholder proposing such business and the name and address of any beneficial owner or Stockholder Associated Person, (B) the class or series and number of shares of the corporation which are owned beneficially and/or of record by the stockholder, beneficial owner and Stockholder Associated Persons, including any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the corporation as to which such stockholder, beneficial owner or Stockholder Associated Persons have a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future, (C) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, convertible securities, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into as of the date of the stockholder’s notice by, or on behalf of, such stockholder, beneficial owner and Stockholder Associated Persons, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in underlying shares of capital stock of the corporation, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder, beneficial owner or Stockholder Associated Persons, with respect to securities of the corporation, (D) any other information relating to such stockholder,

 

2


beneficial owner or Stockholder Associated Person, if any, that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in an election contest pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, (E) a description of any proxy (other than a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the 1934 Act), agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder, beneficial owner or Stockholder Associated Persons have or share a right, directly or indirectly, to vote any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the corporation, (F) a description of any rights to dividends or other distributions on the shares of any class or series of capital stock of the corporation, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially by such stockholder, beneficial owner or Stockholder Associated Persons that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the corporation, (G) a description of any performance-related fees (other than an asset based fee) that such stockholder, beneficial owner or Stockholder Associated Persons, directly or indirectly, are entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of any class or series of capital stock of the corporation or any interests described in clause (ii)(C), (H) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the nomination or proposal between or among such stockholder and/or such beneficial owner, Stockholder Associated Persons, and any other person, including, in the case of a nomination, the nominee, including any agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to any compensation or payments to be paid to any such proposed nominee(s), pertaining to the nomination(s) or other business proposed to be brought before the meeting of stockholders (which description shall identify the name of each other person who is party to such an agreement, arrangement or understanding), (I) as to the stockholder giving the notice, a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination, (J) a representation whether such stockholder, beneficial owner or any Stockholder Associated Person intends or is part of a group which intends (1) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee, (2) otherwise to solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination, and/or (3) to solicit proxies in support of any proposed nominee in accordance with Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the 1934 Act; and (K) the names and addresses of other stockholders and beneficial owners known by such stockholder, beneficial owner or any Stockholder Associated Person to support such nomination or proposal, and to the extent known, the class or series and number of all shares of the corporation’s capital stock owned beneficially and/or of record by such other stockholder(s) and beneficial owner(s) (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (ii)(A) through (K) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who otherwise would be required to disclose Disclosable Interests hereunder solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by this Section 5 behalf of a beneficial owner and (iii) as to each person, if any, whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director: (A) the name, age, business address and residence address of such person, (B) the principal occupation or employment of such person, (C) the class or series and number of shares of the corporation which are owned beneficially and of record by such person and list of any pledge of or encumbrances on such shares,

 

3


(D) a description of all agreements, arrangements or understandings between the stockholder giving the notice, the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination(s) is made, any Stockholder Associated Persons and each nominee and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nominations are to be made by the stockholder, (E) all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) under the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including without limitation such person’s written consent to being named in the corporation’s proxy statement, proxy card and other filings, if any, as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (F) all Disclosable Interests, (G) a questionnaire completed and signed by such person (in the form to be provided by the Secretary upon written request of any stockholder of record within ten (10) days of such request) with respect to the background and qualification of such proposed nominee and the background of any other person on whose behalf the nomination is being made and (H) a written representation and agreement (in the form to be provided by the Secretary upon written request of any stockholder of record within ten (10) days of such request) that such proposed nominee (1) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question that has not been disclosed to the corporation or that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (2) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed to the corporation, and (3) would be in compliance, if elected as a director of the corporation, and will comply with, all applicable publicly disclosed corporate governance, code of conduct and ethics, conflict of interest, confidentiality, corporate opportunities, trading and any other policies and guidelines of the corporation applicable to directors. The corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the corporation and to determine the independence of such proposed nominee (as such term is used in any applicable stock exchange listing requirements or applicable law) or to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve on any committee or sub-committee of the Board of Directors under any applicable stock exchange listing requirements or applicable law, or that the Board of Directors determines, in its sole discretion, could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the background, qualifications, experience, independence, or lack thereof, of such proposed nominee.

(d) The foregoing notice requirements of this Section 5 shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder with respect to business other than a nomination if the stockholder has notified the corporation of such stockholder’s intention to present a proposal at an annual meeting in compliance with applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the 1934 Act and such stockholder’s proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the corporation to solicit proxies for such annual meeting.

(e) Notwithstanding anything in paragraph (b) of this Section 5 to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of the corporation at the annual meeting is increased effective after the time period for which nominations would otherwise be due under paragraph (b) of this Section 5 and there is no public announcement by the

 

4


corporation naming the nominees for the additional directorships at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 5 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the corporation.

(f) Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the corporation’s notice of meeting (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or any authorized committee thereof or (ii) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time the notice provided for in this Section 5 is delivered to the Secretary of the corporation, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and upon such election and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 5. The number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the special meeting at which directors are to be elected on its own behalf (or in the case of one or more stockholders giving the notice on behalf of a beneficial owner, the number of nominees such stockholders may collectively nominate for election at the special meeting on behalf of such beneficial owner) shall not exceed the number of directors to be elected at such special meeting. In the event a special meeting of stockholders is duly called for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board of Directors, any such stockholder entitled to vote in such election of directors may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be) for election to such position(s) as specified in the corporation’s notice of meeting, if the stockholder’s notice required by paragraph (c) of this Section 5 shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which the corporation first makes a public announcement of the date of the special meeting at which directors are to be elected. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment, recess or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(g) Except as otherwise expressly provided in any applicable rule or regulation promulgated under the 1934 Act, no person shall be eligible for election as a director of the corporation at an annual or special meeting of stockholders unless such person was nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 5 and no business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders unless such business was brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 5. Except as otherwise provided by law, at any meeting of stockholders the chairperson of the meeting (or, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, the Board of Directors or an authorized committee thereof) shall (i) determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 5 (including whether the stockholder, beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, or any Stockholder Associated Person solicited (or is part of a group which solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be, proxies or votes in support of such stockholder’s nominee or proposal in compliance with

 

5


such stockholder’s representation as required by clause (ii)(J) of this Section 5) and (ii) if any proposed nomination or business was not made or proposed in compliance with this Section 5, declare that such nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the corporation to present a nomination or proposed business advanced by such stockholder, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that such proposal or nomination is set forth in the notice of meeting or other proxy materials and notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the corporation. For purposes of this Section 5, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Bylaws, unless otherwise required by law, if any stockholder, beneficial owner or Stockholder Associated Person (i) provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the 1934 Act with respect to any proposed nominee and (ii) subsequently fails to comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the 1934 Act (or fails to timely provide reasonable evidence sufficient to satisfy the corporation that such stockholder has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the 1934 Act in accordance with the following sentence), then the nomination of each such proposed nominee shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that the nominee is included as a nominee in the corporation’s proxy statement, notice of meeting or other proxy materials for any annual meeting (or any supplement thereto) and notwithstanding that proxies or votes in respect of the election of such proposed nominees may have been received by the corporation (which proxies and votes shall be disregarded). If any stockholder, beneficial owner or Stockholder Associated Person provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the 1934 Act, such stockholder shall deliver to the corporation, no later than five (5) business days prior to the applicable meeting, reasonable evidence that it or such beneficial owner or Stockholder Associated Person has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the 1934 Act.

(h) For purposes of this Section 5, (i) “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act; (ii) “affiliates” and “associates” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), (iii) “business day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banks are closed in New York City, New York and (iv) “close of business” means 5:00 p.m. local time at the principal executive offices of the corporation on any calendar day, whether or not the day is a business day.

(i) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 5; provided however, that any references in these Bylaws to the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations or

 

6


proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to this Section 5 (including paragraphs (b)(C) and (f) hereof), and compliance with paragraphs (b)(C) and (f) of this Section 5 shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or submit other business (other than, as provided in paragraph (d) of this Section 5, business other than nominations brought properly under and in compliance with Rule 14a-8 of the 1934 Act, as may be amended from time to time). Nothing in this Section 5 shall be deemed to affect any rights (i) of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals other than nominations in the corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the 1934 Act or (ii) of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors pursuant to any applicable provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.

(j) A stockholder providing notice of a proposed nomination for election to the Board of Directors or other business proposed to be brought before a meeting (given pursuant to paragraph (b)(C) of this Section 5 or paragraph (f) of this Section 5, as applicable) shall promptly update and supplement such notice from time to time to the extent necessary so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to clauses (c)(i), (c)(ii)(A)-(H), (K) and (c)(iii) of this Section 5 shall be true and correct (x) as of the record date for notice of the meeting and (y) as of the date that is fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Any such update and supplement shall be delivered in writing to the Secretary of the corporation at the principal executive offices of the corporation (i) in the case of any update and supplement required to be made as of the record date for notice of the meeting, not later than five (5) days after the later of such record date and the public announcement of such record date and (ii) in the case of any update or supplement required to be made as of fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting or adjournment or postponement thereof, not later than ten (10) days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this Section 5 or any other section of these Bylaws shall not limit the corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any stockholder’s notice, including, without limitation, any representation required herein, extend any applicable deadlines under these Bylaws or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted a stockholder’s notice under these Bylaws to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees, matters, business and/or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of stockholders.

(k) Notwithstanding anything set forth in this Section 5, the corporation shall not be required to accept delivery of any notice, questionnaire, representation, other document or agreement or any other information required under this Section 5, unless such document or information is in writing exclusively (and not in an electronic transmission) and delivered exclusively by hand (including, without limitation, overnight courier service) or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.

(l) Any person directly or indirectly soliciting proxies from the stockholders of the corporation must use a proxy card color other than white, which shall be reserved for the exclusive use of the Board of Directors.

 

7


Section 6. Special Meetings.

(a) Special meetings of the stockholders of the corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, by (i) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, (ii) the Chief Executive Officer, or (iii) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption), and shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as the Board of Directors, shall fix. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice. The corporation may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.

Section 7. Notice of Meetings. Except as otherwise provided by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, notice of each meeting of stockholders shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, such notice to specify the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes of the meeting. Notice of any meeting of stockholders may be waived in writing or by electronic transmission, given by the person entitled to notice thereof, either before or after such meeting, and will be waived by any stockholder by his attendance thereat in person or by proxy, except when the stockholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Any stockholder so waiving notice of such meeting shall be bound by the proceedings of any such meeting in all respects as if due notice thereof had been given.

Section 8. Quorum. At all meetings of stockholders, except where otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, the presence, in person or by proxy duly authorized, of the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote at the meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of a quorum, any meeting of stockholders may be adjourned, from time to time, either by the chairman of the meeting or, if directed to be voted on by the chairman of the meeting, by vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the shares represented thereat, but no other business shall be transacted at such meeting. The stockholders present at a duly called or convened meeting, at which a quorum is present, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum. Unless a different or minimum vote is required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the corporation, or any law or regulation applicable to the corporation or its securities, in which case such different or minimum vote shall be the applicable vote on the matter, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast, excluding abstentions, at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall decide any matter presented to the stockholders; provided, however, that directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. Where a separate vote by a class or classes or series is required, except where otherwise provided by the statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or classes or series,

 

8


present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter and, unless a different or minimum vote is required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the corporation, or any law or regulation applicable to the corporation or its securities, in which case such different or minimum vote shall be the applicable vote on the matter, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority (plurality, in the case of the election of directors) of the votes cast, excluding abstentions, by the holders of shares of such class or classes or series shall be the act of such class or classes or series.

Section 9. Adjournment and Notice of Adjourned Meetings. Whether or not a quorum is present, any meeting of stockholders, whether annual or special, may be adjourned from time to time either by the chairman of the meeting or, if directed to be voted on by the chairman of the meeting, by the stockholders (provided that in the absence of a quorum the vote of stockholders required to adjourn the meeting shall be as set forth in Section 8). When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, if any, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken or are provided in any other manner permitted by the General Corporation Law of Delaware. At the adjourned meeting, the corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board of Directors shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

Section 10. Voting Rights. For the purpose of determining those stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of the stockholders, except as otherwise provided by law, only persons in whose names shares stand on the stock records of the corporation on the record date, as provided in Section 12 of these Bylaws, shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders. Every person entitled to vote shall have the right to do so either in person or by an agent or agents authorized by a proxy granted in accordance with Delaware law. An agent so appointed need not be a stockholder. No proxy shall be voted after three (3) years from its date of creation unless the proxy provides for a longer period.

Section 11. Joint Owners of Stock. If shares or other securities having voting power stand of record in the names of two (2) or more persons, whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants in common, tenants by the entirety, or otherwise, or if two (2) or more persons have the same fiduciary relationship respecting the same shares, unless the Secretary is given written notice to the contrary and is furnished with a copy of the instrument or order appointing them or creating the relationship wherein it is so provided, their acts with respect to voting shall have the following effect: (a) if only one (1) votes, his act binds all; (b) if more than one (1) votes, the act of the majority so voting binds all; (c) if more than one (1) votes, but the vote is evenly split on any particular matter, each faction may vote the securities in question proportionally, or any person voting the shares may apply to the Delaware Court of Chancery or such other court as may have jurisdiction for relief as provided in the Delaware General Corporation Law, Section 217(b). If the instrument filed with the Secretary shows that any such tenancy is held in unequal interests, a majority or even-split for the purpose of subsection (c) shall be a majority or even-split in interest.

 

9


Section 12. List of Stockholders. The corporation shall prepare, no later than the tenth (10th) day before each meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at said meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of ten (10) days ending on the day before the meeting date (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of meeting or (ii) during ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the corporation.

Section 13. Action Without Meeting.

(a) Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required by statute to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders, or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.

(b) Every written consent shall bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the consent, and no written consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within sixty (60) days of the earliest dated consent delivered to the corporation in the manner herein required, written consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to take action are delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to a corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.

(c) Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing. If the action which is consented to is such as would have required the filing of a certificate under any section of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware if such action had been voted on by stockholders at a meeting thereof, then the certificate filed under such section shall state, in lieu of any statement required by such section concerning any vote of stockholders, that written notice and written consent have been given as provided in Section 228 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such action by written consent may be taken following the closing of the initial public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act, covering the offer and sale of Common Stock of the corporation (the “Initial Public Offering”).

 

10


Section 14. Organization.

(a) At every meeting of stockholders, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or is absent, the President, or, if the President is absent, a chairman of the meeting designated by the President or chosen by the Board of Directors, shall act as chairman. The Secretary, or, in his absence, an Assistant Secretary directed to do so by the President, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

(b) The Board of Directors of the corporation shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. Subject to such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairman of the meeting shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, establishing an agenda or order of business for the meeting, rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, limitations on participation in such meeting to stockholders of record of the corporation and their duly authorized and constituted proxies and such other persons as the chairman shall permit, restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants and regulation of the opening and closing of the polls on matters which are to be voted on at the meeting. The chairman of the meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter or business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such chairman should so determine, such chairman shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with rules of parliamentary procedure.

ARTICLE IV.

DIRECTORS

Section 15. Number and Term of Office. The authorized number of directors of the corporation shall be fixed in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation. Directors need not be stockholders unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation.

Section 16. Powers. Except as may be otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.

Section 17. Classes of Directors. The terms of the directors shall be as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation.

Each director shall serve until his successor is duly elected and qualified or until his death, resignation or removal. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

 

11


Section 18. Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Vacancies and newly created directorships shall be filled as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation.

Section 19. Resignation. Any director may resign at any time by delivering his resignation in writing or by electronic transmission to the Secretary, such resignation to specify whether it will be effective at a particular time, upon receipt by the Secretary or at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. If no such specification is made, it shall be deemed effective upon receipt.

Section 20. Removal. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, no director shall be removed without cause. Subject to any limitations imposed by law, the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office at any time with cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation, entitled to vote at an election of directors (the “Voting Stock”).

Section 21. Meetings.

(a) Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held at such time and place, if any, as determined by the Board of Directors. No notice of an annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be necessary and such meeting shall be held for the purpose of electing officers and transacting such other business as may lawfully come before it.

(b) Regular Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time or date and at any place, if any, within or without the State of Delaware which has been designated by the Board of Directors and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice-messaging system or other form of electronic transmission. No further notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Board of Directors.

(c) Special Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time and place, if any, within or without the State of Delaware whenever called by the Chairman of the Board, the President or any two of the directors.

(d) Telephone Meetings. Any member of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

(e) Notice of Meetings. Notice of the date, time and place, if any, of all special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be given to each director orally in person or by telephone, or by electronic transmission, at least twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting, or sent in writing to each director by first class mail, charges prepaid, at least three (3) days before the meeting. Notice of any meeting may be waived in writing or by electronic transmission at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

 

12


(f) Waiver of Notice. The transaction of all business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, however called or noticed, or wherever held, shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum be present and if, either before or after the meeting, each of the directors not present shall give a waiver of notice. All such waivers shall be filed with the corporate records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting.

Section 22. Quorum and Voting.

(a) Unless the Certificate of Incorporation requires a greater number and except with respect to indemnification questions arising under Section 43 hereof, for which a quorum shall be one-third of the exact number of directors fixed from time to time in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation, a quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of the exact number of directors fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation; provided, however, at any meeting whether a quorum be present or otherwise, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than by announcement at the meeting.

(b) At each meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present, all questions and business shall be determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present, unless a different vote be required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

Section 23. Action Without Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. After an action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

Section 24. Fees and Compensation. Directors shall be entitled to such compensation for their services as may be approved by the Board of Directors, including, if so approved, by resolution of the Board of Directors, a fixed sum and expenses of attendance, if any, for attendance at each regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors and at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Directors. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the corporation in any other capacity as an officer, agent, employee, or otherwise and receiving compensation therefor.

Section 25. Committees.

(a) Executive Committee. The Board of Directors may appoint an Executive Committee to consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee, to the extent permitted by law and provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the corporation.

 

13


(b) Other Committees. The Board of Directors may from time to time appoint such other committees as may be permitted by law. Such other committees appointed by the Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors and shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be permitted by law and prescribed by the resolution or resolutions creating such committees.

(c) Term. Unless earlier removed from such committee by the Board of Directors, each member of a committee of the Board of Directors shall serve a term on the committee coexistent with such member’s term on the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may at any time increase or decrease the number of members of a committee or terminate the existence of a committee. The membership of a committee member shall terminate on the date of his death or voluntary resignation from the committee or from the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may at any time for any reason remove any individual committee member and the Board of Directors may fill any committee vacancy created by death, resignation, removal or increase in the number of members of the committee. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee, and, in addition, in the absence or disqualification of any member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.

(d) Meetings. Unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise provide, regular meetings of the Executive Committee or any other committee appointed pursuant to this Section 25 shall be held at such times and places as are determined by the Board of Directors, or by any such committee, and when notice thereof has been given to each member of such committee, no further notice of such regular meetings need be given thereafter. Special meetings of any such committee may be held at any place, if any, which has been determined from time to time by such committee, and may be called by any director who is a member of such committee, upon notice to the members of such committee of the time and place, if any, of such special meeting given in the manner provided for the giving of notice to members of the Board of Directors of the time and place of special meetings of the Board of Directors. Notice of any special meeting of any committee may be waived in writing or by electronic transmission at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends such special meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. A majority of the members then serving on such committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a majority of those present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of such committee.

Section 26. Chairman of the Board; Organization.

(a) The Board of Directors may elect from among its members a Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, when present, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall perform other duties commonly incident to his office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.

 

14


(b) At every meeting of the directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or is absent, a chairman of the meeting chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall preside over the meeting. The Secretary, or in his absence, an Assistant Secretary directed to do so by the chairman of the meeting, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

ARTICLE V.

OFFICERS

Section 27. Officers Designated. The officers of the corporation shall include, if and when designated by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, one or more Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Controller, all of whom shall be elected by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may also appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, Assistant Controllers and such other officers and agents with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary. The Board of Directors may assign such additional titles to one or more of the officers as it shall deem appropriate. Any one person may hold any number of offices of the corporation at any one time unless specifically prohibited therefrom by law. The salaries and other compensation of the officers of the corporation shall be fixed by or in the manner designated by the Board of Directors.

Section 28. Tenure and Duties of Officers.

(a) General. All officers shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and until their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified, unless sooner removed. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors. If the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy may be filled by the Board of Directors.

(b) Duties of President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders, unless the Chairman of the Board of Directors has been appointed and is present. Unless some other officer has been elected Chief Executive Officer of the corporation, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the corporation. The President shall perform other duties commonly incident to his office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.

(c) Duties of Vice Presidents. The Vice Presidents may assume and perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the President or whenever the office of President is vacant. The Vice Presidents shall perform other duties commonly incident to their office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.

 

15


(d) Duties of Secretary and Assistant Secretaries. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall record all acts and proceedings thereof in the minute book of the corporation. The Secretary shall give notice in conformity with these Bylaws of all meetings of the stockholders and of all meetings of the Board of Directors and any committee thereof requiring notice. The Secretary shall perform all other duties given him in these Bylaws and other duties commonly incident to his office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time. The President may direct any Assistant Secretary to assume and perform the duties of the Secretary in the absence or disability of the Secretary, and each Assistant Secretary shall perform other duties commonly incident to his office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.

(e) Duties of Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurers, Controller and Assistant Controllers. The Chief Financial Officer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the corporation in such form and as often as required by the Board of Directors or the President. The Chief Financial Officer, subject to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to his office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time. The President may direct the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, or the Controller or any Assistant Controller to assume and perform the duties of the Chief Financial Officer in the absence or disability of the Chief Financial Officer, and each Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer and each Controller and Assistant Controller shall perform other duties commonly incident to his office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.

Section 29. Delegation of Authority. The Board of Directors may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officer or agent, notwithstanding any provision hereof.

Section 30. Resignations. Any officer may resign at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Board of Directors or to the President or to the Secretary. Any such resignation shall be effective when received by the person or persons to whom such notice is given, unless a later time is specified therein, in which event the resignation shall become effective at such later time. Unless otherwise specified in such notice, the acceptance of any such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation shall be without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the corporation under any contract with the resigning officer.

Section 31. Removal. Any officer may be removed from office at any time, either with or without cause, by the Board of Directors, or by any committee or superior officers upon whom such power of removal may have been conferred by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VI.

EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION

Section 32. Execution of Corporate Instruments. The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, determine the method and designate the signatory officer or officers, or other person or persons, to execute on behalf of the corporation any corporate instrument or document, or to sign on behalf of the corporation the corporate name without limitation, or to enter into contracts on behalf of the corporation, except where otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, and such execution or signature shall be binding upon the corporation.

 

16


All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositories on funds to the credit of the corporation or in special accounts of the corporation shall be signed by such person or persons as the Board of Directors shall authorize so to do.

Unless authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.

Section 33. Voting of Securities Owned by the Corporation. All stock and other securities of other corporations or entities owned or held by the corporation for itself, or for other parties in any capacity, shall be voted, and all proxies with respect thereto shall be executed, by the person authorized so to do by resolution of the Board of Directors, or, in the absence of such authorization, by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or any Vice President.

ARTICLE VII.

SHARES OF STOCK

Section 34. Form and Execution of Certificates. The shares of the corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of stock shall be uncertificated. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by certificate in the corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name of the corporation by any two authorized officers of the corporation (it being understood that each of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary shall be authorized officer for such purpose), certifying the number of shares owned by such holder in the corporation. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be facsimiles. In case any officer, transfer agent, or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of issue.

Section 35. Lost Certificates. A new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares may be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen, or destroyed. The corporation may require, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares, the owner of such lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require or to give the corporation a surety bond in such form and amount as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed.

 

17


Section 36. Transfers.

(a) Transfers of record of shares of stock of the corporation shall be made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by attorney duly authorized, and, in the case of stock represented by certificate, upon the surrender of a properly endorsed certificate or certificates for a like number of shares.

(b) The corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of the corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Section 37. Fixing Record Dates for Meetings of Stockholders.

(a) In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board of Directors so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the board of directors determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

Section 38. Registered Stockholders. The corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.

ARTICLE VIII.

OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION

Section 39. Execution of Other Securities. All bonds, debentures and other corporate securities of the corporation, other than stock certificates (covered in Section 34), may be signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President or any Vice President, or such other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, provided, however, that where any such bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be authenticated by the manual signature, or where permissible facsimile signature, of a trustee under an indenture pursuant to which such bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be issued, the signatures of the persons signing and attesting the corporate seal on such bond, debenture or other corporate security may be the

 

18


imprinted facsimile of the signatures of such persons. Interest coupons appertaining to any such bond, debenture or other corporate security, authenticated by a trustee as aforesaid, may be signed by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the corporation or such other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, or bear imprinted thereon the facsimile signature of such person. In case any officer who shall have signed or attested any bond, debenture or other corporate security, or whose facsimile signature shall appear thereon or on any such interest coupon, shall have ceased to be such officer before the bond, debenture or other corporate security so signed or attested shall have been delivered, such bond, debenture or other corporate security nevertheless may be adopted by the corporation and issued and delivered as though the person who signed the same or whose facsimile signature shall have been used thereon had not ceased to be such officer of the corporation.

ARTICLE IX.

DIVIDENDS

Section 40. Declaration of Dividends. Dividends upon the capital stock of the corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors pursuant to law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.

Section 41. Dividend Reserve. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the corporation, or for such other purpose as the Board of Directors shall think conducive to the interests of the corporation, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.

ARTICLE X.

FISCAL YEAR

Section 42. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XI.

INDEMNIFICATION

Section 43. Indemnification of Directors, Executive Officers, Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents.

(a) Directors and Executive Officers. The corporation shall indemnify its directors and executive officers (for the purposes of this Article XI, “executive officers” shall have the meaning defined in Rule 3b-7 promulgated under the 1934 Act) to the fullest extent not prohibited by law; provided, further, that the corporation shall not be required to indemnify any director or executive officer in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless (i) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (ii) the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the corporation, (iii) such indemnification is provided by the corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the corporation under the Delaware General Corporation Law or (iv) such indemnification is required to be made under subsection (d).

 

19


(b) Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents. The corporation shall have power to indemnify its other officers, employees and other agents as set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law.

(c) Expenses. The corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by law advance to any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or executive officer of the corporation, prior to the final disposition of the proceeding, promptly following request therefor, all expenses incurred by such person in defending such proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay said amounts if it should be determined ultimately that such person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Bylaw or otherwise.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Bylaw, no advance shall be made by the corporation to an executive officer of the corporation (except by reason of the fact that such executive officer is or was a director of the corporation in which event this paragraph shall not apply) in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, if a determination is reasonably and promptly made (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the proceeding, or (ii) if such quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable, a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that the facts known to the decision-making party at the time such determination is made demonstrate clearly and convincingly that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation.

(d) Enforcement. Without the necessity of entering into an express contract, all rights to indemnification and advances to directors and executive officers under this Bylaw shall be deemed to be contractual rights and be effective to the same extent and as if provided for in a contract between the corporation and the director or executive officer. Any right to indemnification or advances granted by this Bylaw to a director or executive officer shall be enforceable by or on behalf of the person holding such right in any court of competent jurisdiction if (i) the claim for indemnification (after final disposition of the proceeding) or advances is denied, in whole or in part, or (ii) no disposition of such claim is made within ninety (90) days of request therefor; provided that such request for indemnification is made after the final disposition of the proceeding. The claimant in such enforcement action, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting his claim. In connection with any claim for indemnification, the corporation shall be entitled to raise as a defense to any such action that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the Delaware General Corporation Law for the corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed. In connection with any claim by an executive officer of the corporation (except in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such executive officer is or was a director of the corporation) for advances, the corporation shall be entitled to raise a defense as to any such action clear and convincing evidence that such person acted in bad faith or

 

20


in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, or with respect to any criminal action or proceeding that such person acted without reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was lawful. Neither the failure of the corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

(e) Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights conferred on any person by this Bylaw shall not be exclusive of any other right which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding office. The corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

(f) Survival of Rights. The rights conferred on any person by this Bylaw shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or other agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

(g) Insurance. To the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the corporation, upon approval by the Board of Directors, may purchase insurance on behalf of any person required or permitted to be indemnified pursuant to this Bylaw.

(h) Amendments. Any repeal or modification of this Bylaw shall only be prospective and shall not affect the rights under this Bylaw in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that is the cause of any proceeding against any agent of the corporation.

(i) Saving Clause. If this Bylaw or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director and executive officer to the full extent not prohibited by any applicable portion of this Bylaw that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law.

(j) Certain Definitions. For the purposes of this Bylaw, the following definitions shall apply:

(i) The term “proceeding” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, the investigation, preparation, prosecution, defense, settlement, arbitration and appeal of, and the giving of testimony in, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.

(ii) The term “expenses” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, court costs, attorneys’ fees, witness fees, fines, amounts paid in settlement or judgment and any other costs and expenses of any nature or kind incurred in connection with any proceeding.

 

21


(iii) The term the “corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Bylaw with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

(iv) References to a “director,” “executive officer,” “officer,” “employee,” or “agent” of the corporation shall include, without limitation, situations where such person is serving at the request of the corporation as, respectively, a director, executive officer, officer, employee, trustee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

(v) References to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the corporation” as referred to in this Bylaw.

ARTICLE XII.

NOTICES

Section 44. Notices.

(a) Notice to Stockholders. Whenever, under any provisions of these Bylaws, notice is required to be given to any stockholder, it shall be given in accordance with Section 232 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

ARTICLE XIII.

AMENDMENTS

Section 45. Amendments. The Bylaws may be altered or amended or new Bylaws adopted by the stockholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the Voting Stock. The Board of Directors shall also have the power to adopt, amend, or repeal Bylaws.

 

22


ARTICLE XIV.

LOANS TO OFFICERS

Section 46. Loans to Officers. The corporation may lend money to, or guarantee any obligation of, or otherwise assist any officer or other employee of the corporation or of its subsidiaries, including any officer or employee who is a director of the corporation or its subsidiaries, whenever, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, such loan, guarantee or assistance may reasonably be expected to benefit the corporation. The loan, guarantee or other assistance may be with or without interest and may be unsecured, or secured in such manner as the Board of Directors shall approve, including, without limitation, a pledge of shares of stock of the corporation. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to deny, limit or restrict the powers of guaranty or warranty of the corporation at common law or under any statute.

ARTICLE XV.

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 47. Annual Report.

(a) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Bylaw, the Board of Directors shall cause an annual report to be sent to each stockholder of the corporation not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the close of the corporation’s fiscal year. Such report shall include a balance sheet as of the end of such fiscal year and an income statement and statement of changes in financial position for such fiscal year, accompanied by any report thereon of independent accounts or, if there is no such report, the certificate of an authorized officer of the corporation that such statements were prepared without audit from the books and records of the corporation. When there are more than 100 stockholders of record of the corporation’s shares, as determined by Section 605 of the California Corporations Code, additional information as required by Section 1501(b) of the California Corporations Code shall also be contained in such report, provided that if the corporation has a class of securities registered under Section 12 of the 1934 Act, that Act shall take precedence. Such report shall be sent to stockholders at least fifteen (15) days prior to the next annual meeting of stockholders after the end of the fiscal year to which it relates.

(b) If and so long as there are fewer than 100 holders of record of the corporation’s shares, the requirement of sending of an annual report to the stockholders of the corporation is hereby expressly waived.

ARTICLE XVI.

FORUM SELECTION

Section 48.

(a) Unless the corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction, any state court located within the State of Delaware or, if and only if all such state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) and any appellate court therefrom shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the following claims or causes of action: (i) any derivative claim or cause of action brought on behalf of the corporation; (ii) any claim or cause of action for breach of a fiduciary

 

23


duty owed by any current or former director, officer or other employee, or stockholder of the corporation, to the corporation or the corporation’s stockholders; (iii) any claim or cause of action against the corporation or any current or former director, officer or other employee, or stockholders of the corporation, arising out of or pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws (as each may be amended from time to time); (iv) any claim or cause of action seeking to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws (as each may be amended from time to time, including any right, obligation, or remedy thereunder); (v) any claim or cause of action as to which the Delaware General Corporation Law confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware; and (vi) any claim or cause of action against the corporation or any current or former director, officer or other employee, or stockholder of the corporation, governed by the internal affairs doctrine or otherwise related to the corporation’s internal affairs, in all cases to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the court having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants.

(b) Unless the corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the 1933 Act, including all causes of action asserted against any defendant named in such complaint. For the avoidance of doubt, this provision is intended to benefit and may be enforced by the corporation, its officers and directors, the underwriters for any offering giving rise to such complaint, and any other professional entity whose profession gives authority to a statement made by that person or entity and who has prepared or certified any part of the documents underlying the offering.

(c) Any person or entity holding, owning or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 48.

 

24

v3.23.4
Document and Entity Information
Jan. 04, 2024
Cover [Abstract]  
Entity Registrant Name CERUS CORP
Amendment Flag false
Entity Central Index Key 0001020214
Current Fiscal Year End Date --12-31
Document Type 8-K
Document Period End Date Jan. 04, 2024
Entity Incorporation State Country Code DE
Entity File Number 000-21937
Entity Tax Identification Number 68-0262011
Entity Address, Address Line One 1220 Concord Ave
Entity Address, Address Line Two Suite 600
Entity Address, City or Town Concord
Entity Address, State or Province CA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code 94520
City Area Code (925)
Local Phone Number 288-6000
Written Communications false
Soliciting Material false
Pre Commencement Tender Offer false
Pre Commencement Issuer Tender Offer false
Security 12b Title Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share
Trading Symbol CERS
Security Exchange Name NASDAQ
Entity Emerging Growth Company false

Cerus (NASDAQ:CERS)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Cerus Charts.
Cerus (NASDAQ:CERS)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Cerus Charts.