EVOK Evoke Pharma Inc

 

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 10, 2024.

Registration No. 333-275443

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

______________________________________

Amendment No. 4 to

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

______________________________________

EVOKE PHARMA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	2834	20-8447886
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 230

Solana Beach, CA 92075

Telephone: (858) 345-1494

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

______________________________________

David A. Gonyer, R.Ph.

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Evoke Pharma, Inc.

420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 230

Solana Beach, CA 92075

Telephone: (858) 345-1494

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

______________________________________

Copies to:
Matthew T. Bush Cheston J. Larson Anthony Gostanian Latham and Watkins LLP 12670 High Bluff Drive San Diego, CA 92130 (858) 523-5400	Richard A. Friedman Stephen A. Cohen Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 (212) 653-8700

______________________________________

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement is declared effective.

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated filer	☒	Smaller reporting company	☒
		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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

______________________________________

 

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS		SUBJECT TO COMPLETION		DATED JANUARY 10, 2024

 

Up to 8,333,000 Common Stock Units

Each Common Stock Unit Consisting of One Share of Common Stock

One Series A Warrant to Purchase One Share of Common Stock

One Series B Warrant to Purchase One Share of Common Stock

One Series C Warrant to Purchase One Share of Common Stock

Up to 24,999,000 Shares of Common Stock Underlying the Series A Warrants, Series B Warrants and Series C Warrants

and

Up to 8,333,000 PFW Units

Each PFW Unit Consisting of One Pre-Funded Warrant to Purchase One Share of Common Stock

One Series A Warrant to Purchase One Share of Common Stock

One Series B Warrant to Purchase One Share of Common Stock

One Series C Warrant to Purchase One Share of Common Stock

Up to 33,332,000 Shares of Common Stock Underlying the Pre-Funded Warrants, Series A Warrants, Series B Warrants and Series C Warrants

 

Evoke Pharma, Inc.

 

We are offering up to 8,333,000 common stock units (the “Common Stock Units”), each consisting of: (i) one share of our common stock, (ii) a Series A warrant to purchase one share of our common stock (the “Series A Warrant”), (iii) a Series B warrant to purchase one share of our common stock (the “Series B Warrant”), and (iv) a Series C warrant to purchase one share of our common stock (the “Series C Warrant,” and together with the Series A Warrant and Series B Warrant, the “Common Warrants”). The assumed purchase price for each Common Stock Unit is $0.90 (equal to the last sale price of our common stock as reported by The Nasdaq Capital Market on January 9, 2024). The Series A Warrants and the Series C Warrants will have an exercise price of $ per share. The Series B Warrants will have an exercise price per share equal to $ , which is equal to 100% of the price per Common Stock Unit sold in the offering. The Series A Warrants and Series B Warrants are exercisable immediately, subject to certain limitations described herein. The Series C Warrants may only be exercised to the extent and in proportion to a holder of the Series C Warrants exercising its corresponding Series B Warrants. The Series A Warrants will expire five years from the closing date of this offering. The Series B Warrants will expire nine months from the closing date of this offering. The Series C Warrants will also expire nine months from the closing date of this offering, provided that to the extent and in proportion to a holder of the Series C Warrants exercising its corresponding Series B Warrants included in the Common Stock Unit, such Series C Warrant will expire five years from the closing date of this offering. We are also offering the shares of our common stock that are issuable from time to time upon exercise of the Common Warrants.

 

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We are also offering to each purchaser whose purchase of Common Stock Units in this offering would otherwise result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% of our outstanding common stock immediately following the consummation of this offering, the opportunity to purchase, if the purchaser so chooses, up to 8,333,000 pre-funded warrant units (the “PFW Units” and together with the Common Stock Units, the “Units”), in lieu of Common Stock Units that would otherwise result in the purchaser’s beneficial ownership exceeding 4.99% of our outstanding common stock. Each PFW Unit consists of: (i): pre-funded warrants to purchase one share of our common stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”), (ii) a Series A Warrant to purchase one share of our common stock, (iii) a Series B Warrant to purchase one share of our common stock, and (iv) a Series C Warrant to purchase one share of our common stock. The Common Warrants included in the PFW Units are identical to the Common Warrants included in the Common Stock Units. Subject to limited exceptions, a holder of Pre-Funded Warrants will not have the right to exercise any portion of its Pre-Funded Warrants if the holder, together with its affiliates, would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (or, at the election of the holder, 9.99%, 14.99%, or 19.99%) of the number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. Each Pre-Funded Warrant will be exercisable for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.0001 per share of common stock. The public offering price per PFW Unit is equal to the public offering price per Common Stock Unit less $0.0001. Each Pre-Funded Warrant will be exercisable upon issuance and will expire when exercised in full. We are also offering the shares of our common stock that are issuable from time to time upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants. For each PFW Unit we sell, the number of Common Stock Units we are offering will be decreased on a one-for-one basis.

Because a Series A Warrant, Series B Warrant and Series C Warrant are being sold together in this offering with each Common Stock Unit and, in the alternative, each PFW Unit, the number of Series A Warrants, Series B Warrants and Series C Warrants sold in this offering will not change as a result of a change in the mix of the Common Stock Units and PFW Units sold. The shares of common stock in the Common Stock Units or the Pre-Funded Warrants in the PFW Units, as applicable, and the accompanying Common Warrants, can only be purchased together in this offering but will be issued separately and will be immediately separable upon issuance; provided that a Series C Warrant may not be separated from the corresponding Series B Warrant until such Series B Warrant has been exercised.

Neither the Common Stock Units nor the PFW Units will be issued or certificated. The Common Stock Units, the PFW Units, the shares of common stock, the Common Warrants, the Pre-Funded Warrants and shares of common stock underlying the Common Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrants are sometimes collectively referred to herein as the “securities.”

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “EVOK”. The closing price of our common stock on January 9, 2024, as reported by The Nasdaq Capital Market, was $0.90 per share. There is no established public trading market for the Pre-Funded Warrants or the Common Warrants, and we do not expect a market to develop. We do not intend to apply for listing of the Pre-Funded Warrants or the Common Warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Common Warrants will be limited.

The public offering price per Common Stock Unit and any PFW Units, and the accompanying Common Warrants will be determined by us at the time of pricing, may be at a discount to the current market price of our common stock, and the recent market price of our common stock used throughout this prospectus may not be indicative of the final public offering price of the Common Stock Units or PFW Units.

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 10 of this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities.

 

We are a “smaller reporting company” as defined under federal securities law and we have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements available to smaller reporting companies. See the section titled “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being a Smaller Reporting Company.”

 

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Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

			Per Common			Per PFW
			Stock Unit			Unit			Total
Public offering price		$			$			$
Underwriting discounts and commissions (1)		$			$			$
Proceeds to Evoke Pharma, Inc., before expenses		$			$			$

 

(1) In addition to the underwriting discount above, we have also agreed to pay the underwriters a cash fee of 5.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds received upon the exercise of the Series B Warrants. Does not include 0.75% management fee payable to the representatives of the underwriters. See “Underwriting” beginning on page 49 of this prospectus for additional information regarding the compensation payable to the underwriters

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares to purchasers on or about , 2024.

 

Book-Running Managers

 

Craig-Hallum	Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd.

____________________________

 

The date of this prospectus is , 2024.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Page
Prospectus Summary	1
The Offering	6
Risk Factors	9
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements	13
Use of Proceeds	14
Dividend Policy	15
Dilution	16
Description of Units	18
Executive and Director Compensation	24
Principal Stockholders	40
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences	42
Underwriting	49
Legal Matters	53
Experts	54
Where You Can Find More Information	55
Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference	56

____________________________

Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any applicable free writing prospectus is current only as of its date, regardless of its time of delivery or any sale of our securities. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus, on the one hand, and the information contained in any document incorporated by reference filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) before the date of this prospectus, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus. If any statement in a document incorporated by reference is inconsistent with a statement in another document incorporated by reference having a later date, the statement in the document having the late date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

We have not and the underwriters have not taken any action that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons who have come into possession of this prospectus in a jurisdiction outside the United States are required to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus.

 

We further note that the representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is incorporated by reference or filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties or covenants were accurate only as of the date when made. Accordingly, such representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.

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RISK FACTORS

You should consider carefully the risks described below and discussed under the section captioned “Risk Factors” contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as amended by our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as may be further amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus in their entirety, together with other information in this prospectus and the information and documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering before you make a decision to invest in our securities. If any of the following events actually occur, our business, operating results, prospects or financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. This could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risks described below are not the only ones that we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business operations.

 

Risks Related to this Offering

Even if this offering is successful, we will require substantial additional funding and may be unable to raise capital when needed, which would force us to liquidate, dissolve or otherwise wind down our operations.

Our operations have consumed substantial amounts of cash since inception. We believe, based on our current operating plan, that our cash and cash equivalents as well as future cash flows from net sales of Gimoti, together with the net proceeds from this offering, will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next twelve months. This estimate of cash runway could be shortened if there are any significant increases in planned spending on commercialization activities, including for marketing and manufacturing of Gimoti, and our selling, general and administrative costs to support operations, or as a result of any termination of the Eversana Agreement. As of September 30, 2023, we and Eversana each have the right to exercise the Net Profit Quarterly Termination Right and terminate the Eversana Agreement, which right either party may exercise for a 60-day period following the end of the quarter. We and Eversana will continue to have the option to exercise this termination right for the 60-day period following the end of future quarters so long as the net profit under the agreement remains negative for consecutive quarters. If the Net Profit Quarterly Termination Right is exercised, the outstanding principal and interest under the Eversana Credit Facility would be due within 90 days after the effective date of such termination. This would materially and adversely affect our near-term liquidity needs and cash runway. Even if this offering is successful, we anticipate that we will be required to raise additional funds through debt, equity or other forms of financing, such as potential collaboration arrangements, to fund future operations and continue as a going concern. There can be no assurance that we will be able to raise additional funds on acceptable terms, or at all. Because our business is entirely dependent on the success of Gimoti, if we are unable to secure additional financing, successfully commercialize Gimoti or identify and execute on other commercialization or strategic alternatives for Gimoti or our Company, we will be required to curtail all of our activities and may be required to liquidate, dissolve or otherwise wind down our operations. Any of these events could result in a complete loss of your investment in our securities.

Our estimates of the amount of cash necessary to fund our activities may prove to be wrong and we could spend our available financial resources much faster than we currently expect. Our future funding requirements will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to:

 

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We are authorized to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of common stock. As of December 31, 2023, we had 3,343,070 shares of common stock outstanding and have reserved an aggregate of 1,317,451 shares of common stock for issuance under our equity incentive award plan and employee stock purchase plan. Assuming we sell all of the Common Stock Units or PFW Units we propose to sell in this offering, we will have a very limited number of remaining unreserved and authorized shares available for issuance, which will impact our ability to raise additional funds in the future.

Additional funding may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. In addition, the terms of any financing may adversely affect the holdings or the rights of our stockholders. Furthermore, the issuance of additional shares or other securities by us, or the possibility of such issuance, may cause the market price of our shares to decline and dilute the holdings of our existing stockholders. If we raise additional funds by incurring debt, the terms of the debt may involve significant cash payment obligations, as well as covenants and specific financial ratios that may restrict our ability to operate our business. We cannot provide any assurance that our existing capital resources, even after taking into account the proceeds of this offering, will be sufficient to enable us to continue the commercialization of Gimoti or to otherwise continue as a going concern.

 

If you purchase our securities sold in this offering, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of your shares. In addition, we may issue additional equity or convertible debt securities in the future, which may result in additional dilution to investors.

Based on an assumed public offering price of $0.90 per Common Stock Unit, the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market on January 9, 2024 ,and our as adjusted net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2023, if you purchase securities in this offering, you will experience a decrease of $0.44 per share in the net tangible book value of the common stock you purchase representing the difference between our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this offering and the assumed public offering price per share of common stock. The exercise of outstanding stock options and warrants, including those sold in this offering, will, however, result in dilution of your investment. In addition, to the extent we need to raise additional capital in the future and we issue additional shares of common stock or securities exercisable, convertible or exchangeable for our common stock, our then existing stockholders may experience dilution and the new securities may have rights senior to those of our common stock offered in this offering. See the section titled “Dilution” below for a more detailed illustration of the dilution you would incur if you participate in this offering.

We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may not use them effectively.

Our management will have broad discretion in the application of our existing cash and cash equivalents and the net proceeds from this offering, including for any of the purposes described in the section titled “Use of Proceeds,” and you will not have the opportunity as part of your investment decision to assess whether such proceeds are being used appropriately. Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of our existing cash and cash equivalents and the net proceeds from this offering, their ultimate use may vary substantially from their currently intended use. Our management might not apply our existing cash and cash equivalents and the net proceeds from this offering in ways that ultimately increase the value of your investment. The failure by our management to

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apply these funds effectively could harm our business. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in short- and intermediate-term, interest-bearing obligations, investment-grade instruments, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government. These investments may not yield a favorable return to our stockholders. If we do not invest or apply the net proceeds from this offering in ways that enhance stockholder value, we may fail to achieve expected financial results, which could cause our stock price to decline.

The sale of our common stock in this offering, including any shares issuable upon exercise of any Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants, and any future sales of our common stock, or the perception that such sales could occur, may depress our stock price and our ability to raise funds in new stock offerings.

We may from time-to-time issue additional shares of common stock at a discount from the current trading price of our common stock. As a result, our stockholders would experience immediate dilution upon the purchase of any shares of our common stock sold at such discount. In addition, as opportunities present themselves, we may enter into financing or similar arrangements in the future, including the issuance of debt securities, preferred stock or common stock. Sales of shares of our common stock in this offering, including any shares issuable upon exercise of any Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants issued in this offering and in the public market following this offering, or the perception that such sales could occur, may lower the market price of our common stock and may make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities or equity-related securities in the future at a time and price that our management deems acceptable, or at all.

There is no public market for the Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants being offered in this offering.

There is no established public trading market for the Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants being offered in this offering, and we do not expect a market to develop. In addition, we do not intend to apply to list the Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system, including Nasdaq. Without an active market, the liquidity of the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Common Warrants will be limited.

We may not receive any additional funds upon the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants.

Each Pre-Funded Warrant may be exercised by way of a cashless exercise, meaning that the holder may not pay a cash purchase price upon exercise, but instead would receive upon such exercise the net number of shares of our common stock determined according to the formula set forth in the Pre-Funded Warrants. Accordingly, we may not receive any additional funds upon the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants.

Each Common Warrant (other than the Series B Warrant) may be exercised by way of a cashless exercise if at the time of exercise hereof there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the Common Warrants to the holder.

Significant holders or beneficial holders of our common stock may not be permitted to exercise Pre-Funded Warrants that they hold.

A holder of a Pre-Funded Warrant will not be entitled to exercise any portion of any Pre-Funded Warrants which, upon giving effect to such exercise, would cause the aggregate number of shares of our common stock beneficially owned by the holder (together with its affiliates) to exceed 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%, 14.99%, or 19.99%) of the number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise. Such percentage may be increased or decreased by written notice by the holder of the Pre-Funded Warrants to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99%, 14.99%, or 19.99%. Such increase or decrease will not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to us. As a result, you may not be able to exercise your Pre-Funded Warrants for shares of our common stock at a time when it would be financially beneficial for you to do so. In such circumstance you could seek to sell your Pre-Funded Warrants to realize value, but you may be unable to do so in the absence of an established trading market for the Pre-Funded Warrants.

The Common Warrants being offered may not have value.

The Series A Warrants and the Series C Warrants will have an exercise price of $ . The Series B Warrants will have an exercise price per share equal to $ , which is equal to 100% of the price per Common Stock Unit sold in the offering. The Series A Warrants will expire five years from the closing date of this offering. The Series B

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Warrants will expire nine months from the closing date of this offering. The Series C Warrants will also expire nine months from the closing date of this offering, provided that to the extent and in proportion to a holder of the Series C Warrants exercising its corresponding Series B Warrants included in the Common Stock Unit, such Series C Warrant will expire five years from the closing date of this offering. Upon such dates, the Common Warrants will expire and have no further value. In the event that the market price of our common stock does not exceed the exercise price of the Common Warrants during the period when they are exercisable, the Common Warrants may not have any value.

Holders of Pre-Funded Warrants and Common Warrants purchased in this offering will have no rights as common stockholders until such holders exercise their Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants and acquire our common stock.

Until holders of Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants acquire shares of our common stock upon exercise of such warrants, holders of Pre-Funded Warrants and Common Warrants will have no rights with respect to the shares of our common stock underlying such Pre-Funded Warrants and Common Warrants. Upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Common Warrants, the holders will be entitled to exercise the rights of a common stockholder only as to matters for which the record date occurs after the exercise date.

If we fail to meet all applicable Nasdaq Capital Market requirements and Nasdaq determines to delist our common stock, the delisting could adversely affect the market liquidity of our common stock and the market price of our common stock could decrease.

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market. In order to maintain our listing, we must meet minimum financial and other requirements, including requirements for a minimum amount of capital, a minimum closing bid price per share of $1.00 and continued business operations so that we are not characterized as a “public shell company.”

On May 24, 2023, we received a written notice from Nasdaq indicating that, based on our stockholders’ equity of $2.1 million as of March 31, 2023, as reported in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, we were not in compliance with the minimum stockholders’ equity requirement for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(1) (the “Minimum Stockholders’ Equity Requirement”). As required by Nasdaq, we submitted our plan to regain compliance with the Minimum Stockholders’ Equity Requirement and Nasdaq granted us an extension until November 20, 2023 to regain compliance. Following notice on November 21, 2023 from Nasdaq that we had not met the Minimum Stockholders’ Equity Requirement, we requested a hearing before the Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the “Hearings Panel”) and on December 9, 2023, Nasdaq notified the Company that the hearing was scheduled for February 15, 2024. Any further action by Nasdaq will be stayed pending the conclusion of the hearing process. There can be no assurance that the Hearings Panel will grant our request for continued listing or that we will be able to evidence compliance prior to the expiration of any extension that may be granted by the Hearings Panel. If the Hearings Panel does not grant our request for continued listing, we may be subject to delisting from The Nasdaq Capital Market. After giving effect to this offering, we expect to meet the Minimum Stockholders’ Equity Requirement on a pro forma basis, although there can be no assurances that we will regain compliance with the Minimum Stockholders’ Equity Requirement to the satisfaction of Nasdaq currently or in any future periods, even applying the expected proceeds of this offering, or meet the other Nasdaq continued listing requirements. Further, even if we regain compliance with the Minimum Stockholders’ Equity Requirement, we may not be able to maintain compliance which may cause Nasdaq to delist our shares.

 

In the event that our common stock is delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market and is not eligible for quotation or listing on another market or exchange, trading of our common stock could be conducted only in the over-the-counter market. In such event, it could become more difficult to dispose of, or obtain accurate price quotations for, our common stock, and there would likely also be a reduction in our coverage by securities analysts and the news media, which could cause the price of our common stock to decline further. Also, it may be difficult for us to raise additional capital if we are not listed on a major exchange.

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein contain forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy, commercial activities to be conducted by Eversana, prospective products, product approvals, the pricing and reimbursement for Gimoti, future regulatory developments, research and development costs, the timing and likelihood of commercial success, the potential to develop future product candidates, plans and objectives of management for future operations, continued compliance with Nasdaq listing requirements, and future results of current and anticipated products. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein also contain estimates and other statistical data made by independent parties and by us relating to market size and growth and other data about our industry. This data involves a number of assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to such estimates. In addition, projections, assumptions and estimates of our future performance and the future performance of the markets in which we operate are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk.

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which we discuss in greater detail in the documents incorporated by reference herein, including under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. For all forward-looking statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate the net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $6.3 million based on an assumed public offering price of $0.90 per Common Stock Unit, which was the closing price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market on January 9, 2024, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. These estimates exclude the proceeds, if any, from the exercise of Common Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrants sold in this offering, if any.

Each $0.15 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of $0.90 per Common Stock Unit, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us by approximately $1.1 million, assuming that the number of Common Stock Units and PFW Units offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We may also increase or decrease the number of shares we are offering. Each increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 shares in the number of Common Stock Units (or PFW Units) offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us by approximately $0.8 million, assuming the assumed public offering price per Common Stock Unit and PFW Unit remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, for working capital and general corporate purposes, including for commercialization activities. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, to in-license, acquire, or invest in complementary businesses, technologies, products or assets; however, we have no current commitments or obligations to do so.

 

We believe, based on our current operating plan, that our cash and cash equivalents as well as future cash flows from net sales of Gimoti, together with the net proceeds from this offering, will be sufficient to fund our operations for the next 12 months. However, the amounts and timing of our actual expenditures will depend on numerous factors, including the amount of future Gimoti sales, any unexpected increases in planned spending on commercialization activities, including as a result of any termination of the Eversana Agreement or otherwise for marketing and manufacturing of Gimoti, and our general and administrative costs to support operations, and other factors described under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference herein, as well as the amount of cash used in our operations. We therefore cannot estimate with certainty the amount of net proceeds to be used for the purposes described above. We may find it necessary or advisable to use the net proceeds for other purposes, and we will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds. Pending the uses described above, we plan to invest the net proceeds from this offering in short- and intermediate-term, interest-bearing obligations, investment-grade instruments, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our capital stock. We intend to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the operation of our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Any future determination related to our dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors after considering our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, business prospects and other factors our board of directors deems relevant, and subject to the restrictions contained in any future financing instruments.

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DILUTION

If you invest in our securities in this offering, your ownership interest will be immediately diluted to the extent of the difference between the assumed public offering price per Common Stock Unit and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering.

Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share is determined by dividing our total tangible assets less our total liabilities by the total number of shares of common stock outstanding. Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) as of September 30, 2023 was approximately ($0.9) million, or ($0.26) per share, based on 3,343,070 shares of common stock outstanding as of that date.

After giving effect to the sale of 8,333,000 Common Stock Units in this offering, at an assumed public offering price of $0.90 per Common Stock Unit, which was the closing price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market on January 9, 2024, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of September 30, 2023 would have been approximately $5.4 million, or $0.46 per share. This represents an immediate increase in as adjusted net tangible book value of $0.72 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $0.44 per share to new investors purchasing shares of our securities in this offering.

The following table illustrates this dilution to new investors on a per share basis:

Assumed combined public offering price per Common Stock Unit							$		0.90
Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share as of September 30, 2023		$		(0.26	)
Increase in net tangible book value (deficit) per share attributable to new investors participating in this offering				0.72
As adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering									0.46
Dilution per share to new investors participating in this offering							$		0.44

Each $0.15 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of $0.90 per Common Stock Unit, which was the closing price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market on January 9, 2024, would increase (decrease) the as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately $1.1 million, or $0.10 per, share and increase (decrease) the dilution per share to new investors by $0.05 per share, assuming the number of Common Stock Units offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We may also increase or decrease the number of shares of common stock and accompanying Common Warrants we are offering. Each increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 shares in the number of Common Stock Units we are offering would increase (decrease) our as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately $0.8 million, or $0.03 per share, and decrease (increase) the dilution per share to new investors participating in this offering by $0.03 per share, assuming that the assumed public offering price per share for each Common Stock Unit remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only and will change based on the actual public offering price, number of shares and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

 

The foregoing tables and calculations (other than the historical net tangible book value calculation) are based on 3,343,070 shares of common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2023, and exclude:

Assuming the Pre-Funded Warrants were immediately and fully exercised, this would result in an as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering of $ million, or $ per share of common stock, which represents a dilution per share to new investors of $ , and an increase in net tangible book value per share to existing stockholders of $ .

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In addition, to the extent that any outstanding options or warrants described above are exercised, new options are issued, or we issue additional shares of common stock or other equity or convertible debt securities in the future, there will be further dilution to investors participating in this offering.

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

 

We are offering up to 8,333,000 Common Stock Units, each consisting of: (i) one share of our common stock, (ii) a Series A Warrant to purchase one share of our common stock, (iii) a Series B Warrant to purchase one share of our common stock, and (iv) a Series C Warrant to purchase one share of our common stock. The Series A Warrants, Series B Warrants and Series C Warrants are collectively referred to the as the “Common Warrants.”

We are also offering to each purchaser whose purchase of Common Stock Units in this offering would otherwise result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% of our outstanding common stock immediately following the consummation of this offering, the opportunity to purchase, if the purchaser so chooses, up to 8,333,000 PFW Units, in lieu of Common Stock Units that would otherwise result in the purchaser’s beneficial ownership exceeding 4.99% (or, at the election of the holder, 9.99%, 14.99%, or 19.99%) of our outstanding common stock. Each PFW Unit consists of: (i): a Pre-Funded Warrant to purchase one share of our common stock, (ii) a Series A Warrant to purchase one share of our common stock, (iii) a Series B Warrant to purchase one share of our common stock, and (iv) a Series C Warrant to purchase one share of our common stock. The Common Warrants included in the PFW Units are identical to the Common Warrants included in the Common Stock Units

Common Stock

Voting Rights

Under the terms of our Certificate of Incorporation, holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors, and do not have cumulative voting rights. Accordingly, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they so choose, other than any directors that holders of any preferred stock we may issue may be entitled to elect.

Dividend Rights

Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, as may be declared by the board of directors out of legally available funds.

Liquidation Rights

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of or provision for all of our debts and other liabilities, subject to the prior rights of any preferred stock then outstanding.

Rights and Preferences

Holders of our common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights and there are no redemption or sinking funds provisions applicable to the common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of our common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

Fully Paid and Nonassessable

All outstanding shares of our common stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Delaware Law and Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

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Some provisions of Delaware law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could make the following transactions more difficult: an acquisition of us by means of a tender offer; an acquisition of us by means of a proxy contest or otherwise; or the removal of our incumbent officers and directors. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish or

could deter transactions that stockholders may otherwise consider to be in their best interest or in our best interests, including transactions which provide for payment of a premium over the market price for our shares.

These provisions, summarized below, are intended to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of the increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging these proposals because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.

Undesignated Preferred Stock

The ability of our board of directors, without action by the stockholders, to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences as designated by our board of directors could impede the success of any attempt to change control of us. These and other provisions may have the effect of deferring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management of our company.

Stockholder Meetings

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by our chairperson of the board, chief executive officer or president, or by a resolution adopted by a majority of our board of directors.

Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Nominations and Proposals

Our amended and restated bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals to be brought before a stockholder meeting and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors.

Elimination of Stockholder Action by Written Consent

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws eliminate the right of stockholders to act by written consent without a meeting.

Staggered Board

Our board of directors is divided into three classes. The directors in each class serve for a three-year term, one class being elected each year by our stockholders. This system of electing and removing directors may tend to discourage a third-party from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us, because it generally makes it more difficult for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors.

Removal of Directors

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that no member of our board of directors may be removed from office by our stockholders except for cause and, in addition to any other vote required by law, upon the approval of not less than 66 2/3% of the total voting power of all of our outstanding voting stock then entitled to vote in the election of directors.

Stockholders Not Entitled to Cumulative Voting

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not permit stockholders to cumulate their votes in the election of directors. Accordingly, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock

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entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they choose, other than any directors that holders of our preferred stock may be entitled to elect.

Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute

We are subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, which prohibits persons deemed to be “interested stockholders” from engaging in a “business combination” with a publicly held Delaware corporation for three years following the date these persons become interested stockholders unless the business combination is, or the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder was, approved in a prescribed manner or another prescribed exception applies. Generally, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock. Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. The existence of this provision may have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions not approved in advance by the board of directors.

Amendment of Charter Provisions

The amendment of any of the above provisions, except for the provision making it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock, would require approval by holders of at least 66 2/3% of the total voting power of all of our outstanding voting stock.

The provisions of Delaware law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws could have the effect of discouraging others from attempting hostile takeovers and, as a consequence, they may also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in the composition of our board and management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

 

Pre-Funded Warrants

General

The term “pre-funded” refers to the fact that the purchase price of the Pre-Funded Warrants in this offering includes almost the entire exercise price that will be paid under the Pre-Funded Warrants, except for a nominal remaining exercise price of $0.0001. The purpose of the Pre-Funded Warrants is to enable investors that may have restrictions on their ability to beneficially own more than 4.99% (or, at the election of such purchaser, 9.99%, 14.99%, or 19.99%) of our outstanding common stock following the consummation of this offering the opportunity to invest capital into the Company without triggering their ownership restrictions, by receiving Pre-Funded Warrants in lieu of shares of our common stock which would result in such ownership of more than 4.99%, 9.99%, 14.99%, or 19.99%, as applicable, and receiving the ability to exercise their option to purchase the shares underlying the Pre-Funded Warrants at a nominal price at a later date.

The following is a brief summary of certain terms and provisions of the Pre-Funded Warrants being offered by us. The following description is not complete and is subject in all respects to the provisions of the Pre-Funded Warrant, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Prospective investors should carefully review the terms and provisions of the form of Pre-Funded Warrant for a complete description of the terms of the Pre-Funded Warrants.

Exercise Price

Pre-Funded Warrants will have an exercise price of $0.0001 per share. The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of certain stock dividends and distributions, stock splits, stock combinations, reclassifications or similar events affecting our common stock and also upon any distributions of assets, including cash, stock or other property to our stockholders.

Exercisability

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The Pre-Funded Warrants are immediately exercisable and do not expire until exercised in full. The Pre-Funded Warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice accompanied by payment in full of the exercise price in immediately available funds for the number of shares of our common stock purchased upon such exercise (except in the case of a cashless exercise as discussed below).

Exercise Limitations

The Pre-Funded Warrants may not be exercised by the holder to the extent that the holder, together with its affiliates, would beneficially own, after such exercise more than 4.99% of the shares of our common stock then outstanding (including for such purpose the shares of our common stock issuable upon such exercise). However, any holder may increase or decrease such beneficial ownership limitation upon notice to us, provided that such limitation cannot exceed 19.99%, and provided that any increase in the beneficial ownership limitation shall not be effective until 61 days after such notice is delivered. Purchasers of Pre-Funded Warrants in this offering may also elect prior to the issuance of the Pre-Funded Warrants to have the initial exercise limitation set at 9.99%, 14.99%, or 19.99% of our outstanding shares of common stock.

Cashless Exercise

In lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to us upon such exercise in payment of the aggregate exercise price, the holder of a Pre-Funded Warrant may elect instead to receive upon such exercise (either in whole or in part) the net number of shares of common stock determined according to a formula set forth in the Pre-Funded Warrants.

Transferability

Subject to applicable laws, the Pre-Funded Warrants may be transferred at the option of the holder upon surrender of the Pre-Funded Warrant to us together with the appropriate instruments of transfer.

Fractional Shares

No fractional shares of common stock will be issued upon the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants. Rather, the number of shares of common stock to be issued will, at our election, either be rounded up to the nearest whole number or we will pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the exercise price.

Trading Market

There is no established trading market for the Pre-Funded Warrants, and we do not expect a market to develop. We do not intend to list the Pre-Funded Warrants on any securities exchange or other nationally recognized trading system. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the Pre-Funded Warrants will be limited.

Rights as a Stockholder

Except as otherwise provided in the Pre-Funded Warrants or by virtue of the holders’ ownership of shares of our common stock, the holders of warrants do not have the rights or privileges of holders of our common stock, including any voting rights, until such warrant holders exercise their Pre-Funded Warrants.

Fundamental Transactions

In the event of a fundamental transaction, as described in the Pre-Funded Warrants and generally including any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of our common stock, the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of our properties or assets, our consolidation or merger with or into another person, the acquisition of more than 50% of our outstanding common stock, or any person or group becoming the beneficial owner of more than 50% of the voting power represented by our outstanding common stock, upon consummation of such a fundamental transaction, the holders of the Pre-Funded Warrants will be entitled to receive upon exercise of the Pre-Funded

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Warrants the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property that the holders would have received had they exercised the Pre-Funded Warrants immediately prior to such fundamental transaction without regard to any limitations on exercise contained in the Pre-Funded Warrants.

Waivers and Amendments

No term of the Pre-Funded Warrants may be amended or waived without the written consent of the holder of such Pre-Funded Warrant.

Common Warrants

General

The following is a brief summary of certain terms and provisions of the Common Warrants being offered by us. The following description is not complete and is subject in all respects to the provisions of each series of Common Warrant, the forms of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Prospective investors should carefully review the terms and provisions of the forms of each series of Common Warrant for a complete description of the terms and conditions of the Common Warrants.

Exercise Price

Each Series A Warrant and Series C Warrant offered hereby has an initial exercise price per share equal to $ . The exercise price of the Series A Warrant and the Series C Warrant will be determined at the time of pricing based on negotiations with the underwriters. Each Series B Warrant offered hereby has an assumed initial exercise price per share equal to $ (representing 100% of the price per share of the common stock sold in the offering). The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of certain stock dividends and distributions, stock splits, stock combinations, reclassifications or similar events affecting our common stock and also upon any distributions of assets, including cash, stock or other property to our stockholders.

Exercisability

The Series A Warrants are immediately exercisable and will expire five years following the date of issuance. The Series B Warrants are immediately exercisable and will expire nine months following the date of issuance. The Series C Warrants will become exercisable only to the extent and in proportion to a holder of the Series C Warrants exercising its corresponding Series B Warrants included in a Unit. The Series C Warrant will expire nine months following the date of issuance, provided that to the extent and in proportion to a holder of the Series C Warrants exercising its corresponding Series B Warrants included in a Unit, such Series C Warrant will expire five years following the date of issuance. Each series of Common Warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part, by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice accompanied by payment in full of the exercise price in immediately available funds for the number of shares of our common stock purchased upon such exercise (except in the case of a cashless exercise as discussed below).

Exercise Limitations

The Common Warrants may not be exercised by the holder to the extent that the holder, together with its affiliates, would beneficially own, after such exercise more than 4.99% of the shares of our common stock then outstanding (including for such purpose the shares of our common stock issuable upon such exercise). However, any holder may increase or decrease such beneficial ownership limitation upon notice to us, provided that such limitation cannot exceed 19.99%, and provided that any increase in the beneficial ownership limitation shall not be effective until 61 days after such notice is delivered. Purchasers of Common Warrants in this offering may also elect prior to the issuance of the Common Warrants to have the initial exercise limitation set at 9.99%, 14.99%, or 19.99% of our outstanding shares of common stock.

Cashless Exercise

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If at the time of exercise hereof there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Series A or Series C Warrants, then in lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to us upon such exercise in payment of the aggregate exercise price, the holder may elect instead to receive upon such exercise (either in whole or in part) the net number of shares of common stock determined according to a formula set forth in the Series A Warrants and Series C Warrants.

 

The Series B Warrants may only be exercised for cash.

Transferability

Subject to applicable laws, a Series A Warrant may be transferred at the option of the holder upon surrender of the Series A Warrant to us together with the appropriate instruments of transfer. A Series B Warrant may not be transferred during its term except with our consent. A Series C Warrant may not be transferred during its term except with our consent; provided that a Series C Warrant may be transferred without our consent after the corresponding Series B Warrant included in a Unit has been exercised, but only to the extent and in proportion to the exercise of such corresponding Series B Warrant. A Series C Warrant that is transferable may be transferred at the option of the holder upon surrender of the Series C Warrant to us together with the appropriate instruments of transfer.

Fractional Shares

No fractional shares of common stock will be issued upon the exercise of the Common Warrants. Rather, the number of shares of common stock to be issued will, at our election, either be rounded up to the nearest whole number or we will pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the exercise price.

Trading Market

There is no established trading market for the Common Warrants, and we do not expect a market to develop. We do not intend to list the Common Warrants on any securities exchange or other nationally recognized trading system. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the Common Warrants will be limited.

Rights as a Stockholder

Except as otherwise provided in the Common Warrants or by virtue of the holders’ ownership of shares of our common stock, the holders of warrants do not have the rights or privileges of holders of our common stock, including any voting rights, until such warrant holders exercise their Common Warrants.

Fundamental Transaction

In the event of a fundamental transaction, as described in the Common Warrants and generally including any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of our common stock, the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of our properties or assets, our consolidation or merger with or into another person, the acquisition of more than 50% of our outstanding common stock, or any person or group becoming the beneficial owner of more than 50% of the voting power represented by our outstanding common stock, upon consummation of such a fundamental transaction, the holders of the Common Warrants will be entitled to receive upon exercise of the Common Warrants the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property that the holders would have received had they exercised the Common Warrants immediately prior to such fundamental transaction without regard to any limitations on exercise contained in the Common Warrants.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a fundamental transaction, we or a successor entity shall, at the holder’s option, exercisable at any time concurrently or within thirty (30) days following the consummation of a fundamental transaction, purchase the Common Warrant by paying to the holder an amount equal to the Black Scholes Value (as defined in each Common Warrant) of the remaining unexercised portion of the Common Warrant on the date of the fundamental transaction. If the fundamental transaction is not within our control, the holders of the Common Warrants will only be entitled to receive from us or a successor entity the same type or form of consideration (and in the same proportion), at the Black Scholes Value of the unexercised portion of the Common Warrant, that is being offered and paid to the holders of our common stock in connection with the fundamental transaction, whether

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that consideration is in the form of cash, stock or any combination thereof, or whether the holders of our common stock are given the choice to receive alternative forms of consideration in connection with the fundamental transaction.

Waivers and Amendments

No term of the Common Warrants may be amended or waived without the written consent of the holder of such Common Warrant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Overview

 

Our named executive officers for 2023, which consist of our principal executive officer during 2023 and our two next most highly compensated executive officers during 2023, were:

 

This discussion may contain forward-looking statements that are based on our current plans, considerations, expectations, and determinations regarding future compensation programs. Actual compensation programs that we adopt following the closing of this offering may differ materially from the currently planned programs summarized in this discussion.

 

The following table sets forth information regarding compensation earned with respect to the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2023 by our named executive officers.

 

Summary Compensation Table

 

The following table shows information regarding the compensation earned by our named executive officers during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:

 

Name and Principal Position		Year				Salary ($)				Bonus ($)(1)				Option Awards ($)(2)				All Other Compensation ($)(3)				Total $
David A. Gonyer			2023				595,000				-				94,500				71,309				760,809
Chief Executive Officer			2022				570,000				171,000				78,488				65,534				885,022
Matthew J. D'Onofrio			2023				450,000				-				78,000				48,121				576,121
President, Chief			2022				417,000				93,825				44,850				46,285				601,960
Operating Officer, Secretary and Treasurer
Marilyn R. Carlson, D.M.D., M.D.			2023				420,000				-				47,250				24,989				492,239
Chief Medical Officer			2022				402,000				90,450				44,850				25,688				562,988

 

 

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Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table

 

Annual Base Salary

 

In general, base salaries for our named executive officers are initially established through arm’s length negotiation at the time the executive is hired, taking into account such executive’s qualifications, experience and prior salary. Base salaries of our named executive officers are approved and reviewed annually by our compensation committee and adjustments to base salaries are based on the scope of an executive’s responsibilities, individual contribution, prior experience and sustained performance. Decisions regarding salary increases may take into account an executive officer’s current salary, equity ownership, and the amounts paid to an executive officer’s peers inside our company by conducting an internal analysis, which compares the pay of an executive officer to other members of the management team. Base salaries are also reviewed in the case of promotions or other significant changes in responsibility. Base salaries are not automatically increased if the board of directors and compensation committee believe that other elements of the named executive officer’s compensation are more appropriate in light of our stated objectives. This strategy is consistent with our intent of offering compensation that is both cost-effective, competitive and contingent on the achievement of performance objectives.

 

The actual base salaries paid to all of our named executive officers for 2023 are set forth in the “Summary Compensation Table” above.

 

In February 2023, our compensation committee approved base salary increases for 2023 for Messrs. Gonyer and D’Onofrio and Dr. Carlson to $595,000, $450,000, and $420,000, respectively. These base salary increases represented adjustments of approximately 4.4 %, 7.9% and 4.5%, respectively.

 

The base salaries of our named executive officers continue to be below the median level of similarly-situated executives for our peer group of companies.

 

Annual Bonuses

 

Each named executive officer is also eligible for a performance bonus based upon the achievement of certain corporate performance goals and objectives approved by our compensation committee and board of directors.

 

Bonuses are set based on a percentage of the executive’s base salary as of the end of the bonus year and are expected to be paid out in the first quarter of the following year. The target levels for 2023 executive bonuses were as follows: 60% for our Chief Executive Officer, 50% for our President and Chief Operating Officer, and 45% for our Chief Medical Officer. The executive bonuses are 100% based on the achievement of corporate objectives that are set each year by the board of directors and the compensation committee. All final bonus payments to our named executive officers are determined by our compensation committee. The actual bonuses awarded in any year, if any, may be more or less than the target, depending on individual performance and the achievement of corporate objectives and may also vary based on other factors at the discretion of the compensation committee.

 

For 2023, the corporate performance objectives for our named executive officers were related to corporate financial objectives. Bonuses for any one year are usually determined and paid in the first quarter of the following year. Accordingly, bonus compensation for our named executive officers for 2023 has not yet been determined as of the date of filing of this prospectus.

 

The overall achievement level was then used to determine each named executive officer’s bonus. The bonuses paid to our named executive officers for 2023 are set forth in the “Summary Compensation Table” above.

 

Equity-Based Incentive Awards

 

The goals of our long-term, equity-based incentive awards are to align the interests of our named executive officers and other employees, non-employee directors and consultants with the interests of our stockholders. Because vesting is based on continued employment, our equity-based incentives also encourage the retention of our named executive officers through the vesting period of the awards. In determining the size of the long-term equity incentives to be awarded to our named executive officers, we take into account a number of internal factors, such as the relative

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job scope, the value of existing long-term incentive awards, individual performance history, prior contributions to us and the size of prior grants. Our compensation committee reviews competitive market data prepared by APA in connection with its grant of long-term equity incentive awards to the named executive officers, but such awards are not determined by reference to any specific target level of compensation or benchmarking. Based upon these factors, the compensation committee determines the size of the long-term equity incentives at levels it considers appropriate to create a meaningful opportunity for reward predicated on the creation of long-term stockholder value. We have not granted any equity awards other than stock options to date.

 

To reward and retain our named executive officers in a manner that best aligns employees’ interests with stockholders’ interests, we use stock options as the primary incentive vehicles for long-term compensation. We believe that stock options are an effective tool for meeting our compensation goal of increasing long-term stockholder value by tying the value of the stock options to our future performance. Because employees are able to profit from stock options only if our stock price increases relative to the stock option’s exercise price, we believe stock options provide meaningful incentives to employees to achieve increases in the value of our stock over time.

 

The exercise price of each stock option grant is the fair market value of our common stock on the grant date, as determined by our board of directors from time to time. Stock option awards granted to our named executive officers generally vest on a monthly basis over a four-year period. From time to time, our compensation committee may, however, determine that a different vesting schedule is appropriate.

 

In February 2023, our named executive officers were granted stock options to purchase shares of our common stock. Specifically, Messrs. Gonyer and D’Onofrio and Dr. Carlson were granted options to purchase 30,000, 25,000, and 15,000 shares of our common stock, respectively. The options for Mr. Gonyer and Dr. Carlson vest on a monthly basis over a four-year period commencing January 1, 2023, while the options for Mr. D'Onofrio vest on the four-year anniversary of the grant date, subject to the reporting person’s continued service to the issuer through each such vesting date.

 

We have had no program, plan or practice pertaining to the timing of stock option grants to named executive officers coinciding with the release of material non-public information. Stock options granted to our named executive officers may be subject to accelerated vesting in certain circumstances. For additional discussion, please see “Employment Agreements.”

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Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

 

The following table sets forth specified information concerning unexercised stock options and unvested stock awards for each of the named executive officers outstanding as of December 31, 2023:

		Option Awards
Name		Grant Date		Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Exercisable(1)(2)(3)(4) (5)				Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Unexercisable(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)				Option Exercise Price ($)				Option Expiration Date
David A. Gonyer, R.Ph.		6/17/2019			4,417				-				7.44			3/5/2025
		6/17/2019			3,750				-				7.44			1/27/2026
		6/17/2019			14,062				-				7.44			1/25/2027
		6/17/2019			14,062				-				7.44			2/7/2028
		6/17/2019			14,062				-				7.44			2/5/2029
		2/28/2020			25,107				1,976				14.76			2/27/2030
		1/27/2021			25,216				9,367				32.16			1/26/2031
		2/2/2022			6,986				7,597				6.60			2/1/2032
		2/8/2023			6,875				23,125				4.01			2/7/2033
Matthew J. D'Onofrio		6/17/2019			4,417				-				7.44			3/5/2025
		6/17/2019			3,281				-				7.44			1/27/2026
		6/17/2019			9,375				-				7.44			1/25/2027
		6/17/2019			9,375				-				7.44			2/7/2028
		6/17/2019			9,375				-				7.44			2/5/2029
		2/28/2020			15,450				1,216				14.76			2/27/2030
		1/27/2021			18,228				6,772				32.16			1/26/2031
		2/2/2022			3,992				4,341				6.60			2/1/2032
		2/8/2023			-				25,000				4.01			2/7/2033
Marilyn R. Carlson		6/17/2019			4,687				-				7.44			3/5/2025
D.M.D., M.D.		6/17/2019			2,109				-				7.44			1/27/2026
		6/17/2019			6,250				-				7.44			1/25/2027
		6/17/2019			7,812				-				7.44			2/7/2028
		6/17/2019			7,812				-				7.44			2/5/2029
		2/28/2020			15,450				1,216				14.76			2/27/2030
		1/27/2021			18,228				6,772				32.16			1/26/2031
		2/2/2022			3,992				4,341				6.60			2/1/2032
		2/8/2023			3,437				11,563				4.01			2/7/2023

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Employment Arrangements with our Executive Officers

 

Employment Agreements with Messrs. Gonyer and D'Onofrio

 

We have entered into employment agreements with each of Messrs. Gonyer and D’Onofrio. Pursuant to the employment agreements, each executive's base salary is subject to review each year at the sole discretion of the compensation committee. The executives are eligible to earn an annual cash performance bonus under the company’s bonus plan or plans applicable to senior executives. The annual cash performance bonus payable is based on the achievement of individual and/or company performance goals to be determined in good faith by the compensation committee.

 

Pursuant to each of the employment agreements, if we terminate such officer’s employment without cause (as defined below), such officer resigns for good reason (as defined below) or such officer’s employment is terminated as a result of his or her death or following his or her permanent disability, the executive officer or his or her estate, as applicable, is entitled to the following payments and benefits: (1) fully earned but unpaid base salary through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts under any compensation plan or practice to which he or she is entitled; (2) a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to 12 months of his base salary as in effect immediately prior to the date of termination; (3) a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to his or her bonus (as defined below) for the year in which the termination of his employment occurs, prorated for the period of his service during such year, provided that the officer shall not be entitled to receive such amount in the event that his termination results from his discharge by us without cause prior to a change in control (as defined below); (4) a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to the cost of the continuation of health benefits for a period of 12 months following date of termination; (5) a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to the cost of his life insurance premiums for a period of 12 months following the date of termination; (6) solely in the event of the officer’s termination by us without cause or by the officer for good reason, a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to $15,000 for outplacement service; and (7) the automatic acceleration of the vesting and exercisability of outstanding unvested stock awards as to the number of stock awards that would have vested over the 12-month period following termination had such executive officer remained continuously employed by us during such period. In the event an officer’s termination without cause or resignation for good reason occurs within three months prior to the occurrence of a change in control or within 12 months following a change in control, all of his outstanding unvested stock awards will accelerate and become fully vested on the later of (1) the date of termination or (2) the date of such change in control.

 

Employment Agreement with Dr. Carlson

 

We have also entered into an employment agreement with Dr. Carlson. Pursuant to the employment agreement, Dr. Carlson agrees to devote 80% of her productive time and efforts to the performance of her duties as Chief Medical Officer. Pursuant to the employment agreement, Dr. Carlson’s base salary is subject to review each year at the sole discretion of the compensation committee. Dr. Carlson is also eligible to earn an annual cash performance bonus under the company’s bonus plan or plans applicable to senior executives. The annual cash performance bonus payable is based on the achievement of individual and/or Company performance goals to be determined in good faith by the

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compensation committee. The company also pays Dr. Carlson a taxable monthly payment equal to the monthly premium Dr. Carlson pays for healthcare coverage under Medicare, in an amount not to exceed $2,000 per month.

 

Pursuant to the employment agreement, if we terminate Dr. Carlson’s employment without cause (as defined below) or Dr. Carlson resigns for good reason (as defined below), Dr. Carlson is entitled to the following payments and benefits: (1) fully earned but unpaid base salary through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts under any compensation plan or practice to which she is entitled; (2) a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to her monthly base salary as in effect immediately prior to the date of termination for a period of nine months; (3) a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to her bonus for the year in which the termination of her employment occurs, prorated for the period of her service during such year, provided that Dr. Carlson shall not be entitled to receive such amount in the event that her termination results from her discharge by the company without cause prior to a change in control (as defined below); and (4) a taxable monthly payment in an amount equal to her monthly healthcare coverage costs under Medicare as in effect immediately prior to the date of termination, in an amount not to exceed $2,000 per month, for a period of nine months.

 

In the event Dr. Carlson’s termination without cause or resignation for good reason occurs within three months prior to the occurrence of a change in control or within 12 months following a change in control, all of her outstanding unvested stock awards will accelerate and become fully vested on the later of (1) the date of termination or (2) the date of such change in control.

 

Dr. Carlson’s employment agreement also contains standard confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation covenants.

 

Defined Terms for Purposes of Employment Agreements

 

For purposes of the employment agreements with the named executive officers, “cause” generally means an executive officer’s (1) commission of an act of fraud, embezzlement or dishonesty that has a material adverse impact on us or any successor or affiliate of ours; (2) conviction of, or entry into a plea of “guilty” or “no contest” to, a felony; (3) unauthorized use or disclosure of our confidential information or trade secrets or any successor or affiliate of ours that has a material adverse impact on any such entity; (4) gross negligence, insubordination or material violation of any duty of loyalty, or any other material misconduct on the part of the executive officer; (5) ongoing and repeated failure or refusal to perform or neglect of his or her duties as required by his or her employment agreement, which failure, refusal or neglect continues for 15 days following his or her receipt of written notice from our board of directors stating with specificity the nature of such failure, refusal or neglect; or (6) breach of any material provision of his or her employment agreement.

 

For purposes of the employment agreements with the named executive officers, “good reason” generally means (1) other than for Dr. Carlson, a change in the executive officer’s status, position or responsibilities that, in the executive officer’s reasonable judgment, represents a substantial and material reduction in the status, position or responsibilities as in effect immediately prior thereto; the assignment to the executive officer of any duties or responsibilities that, in the executive officer’s reasonable judgment, are materially inconsistent with such status, position or responsibilities; or any removal of the executive officer from or failure to reappoint or reelect the executive officer to any of such positions, except in connection with the termination of the executive officer’s employment for cause (as defined above), as a result of his or her permanent disability or death, or by the executive officer other than for good reason; (2) with respect to Dr. Carlson, a material diminution in her authority, duties or responsibilities; (3) a material reduction in the executive officer’s annual base salary, except in connection with a general reduction in the compensation of our or any successor’s or affiliate’s personnel with similar status and responsibilities; (4) our or any successor’s or affiliate’s requirement the executive officer (without the executive officer’s consent) be based at any place outside a 50-mile radius of his or her placement of employment as of the effective date of the employment agreement, except for reasonably required travel for our or any successor’s or affiliate’s business that is not materially greater than such travel requirements prior to the effective date of the employment agreement; (5) any material breach by us or any successor or affiliate of obligations to the executive officer under the employment agreement; (6) other than for Dr. Carlson, any purported termination of the executive officer’s employment or service relationship for cause (as defined above) by us or any successor or affiliate that is not in accordance with the definition of cause; or (7) other than for Dr. Carlson, a change in control (as defined below).

 

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For purposes of the employment agreements with the named executive officers, “bonus” generally means an amount equal to the greater of (1) the executive officer’s target bonus for the fiscal year in which the date of termination occurs; or (2) the bonus awarded to the executive officer for the fiscal year prior to the date of termination (which bonus shall be annualized to the extent the executive officer was not employed for the entire fiscal year prior to the date of termination). If any portion of the bonus awarded to the executive officer consisted of securities or other property, the fair market value thereof shall be determined in good faith by our board of directors.

 

For purposes of the employment agreements with the named executive officers, a “change in control” generally means:

401(k) Plan

 

We currently maintain a 401(k) retirement savings plan that allows eligible employees to contribute a portion of their compensation, within limits prescribed by the Internal Revenue Code, on a pre-tax basis through contributions to the plan. Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in the 401(k) plan. We believe that providing a vehicle for tax-deferred retirement savings through our 401(k) plan adds to the overall desirability of our executive compensation package and further incentivizes our named executive officers in accordance with our compensation policies.

 

Health and Welfare Benefits; Perquisites

 

Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in our health and welfare plans. We reimburse Dr. Carlson for her health care premiums and pay for the health and welfare benefits for our other named executive officers and our other four employees. We do not provide our named executive officers with any other significant perquisites or other personal benefits.

 

Clawback Policy

 

We maintain a compensation recovery policy that is compliant with the Nasdaq Listing Rules, as required by the Dodd-Frank Act.

Equity Incentive Plans

The principal features of our equity incentive plans are summarized below. These summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the actual text of the applicable plan, each of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

2013 Equity Incentive Plan

 

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Purpose. The purpose of our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2013 Plan”) is to promote our success and enhance our value by linking the individual interests of the members of the board of directors and our employees and consultants to those of our stockholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to our stockholders. The 2013 Plan is further intended to provide us flexibility in our ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of members of the board of directors, our employees and our consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of our operation is largely dependent.

Securities Subject to the 2013 Plan. As of December 31, 2023, a total of 1,172,070 shares of our common stock were authorized for issuance under the 2013 Plan. In addition, commencing on January 1, 2024 and on each January 1 thereafter during the ten-year term of the 2013 Plan, through and including January 1, 2033, the aggregate number of shares available for issuance under the 2013 Plan shall be increased by that number of shares of our common stock equal to the lesser of:

The number of shares of stock that may be issued or transferred pursuant to ISOs under the 2013 Plan may not exceed an aggregate of 50,000,000 shares. All of the foregoing share numbers may be adjusted for changes in our capitalization and certain corporate transactions, as described below under the heading “Adjustments.”

To the extent that an award lapses, expires, is forfeited or is settled for cash, any shares subject to the award will, to the extent of such lapse, expiration, forfeiture or cash settlement, be available for future grant or sale under the 2013 Plan. In addition, shares of common stock which are delivered by the holder or withheld by us in payment of the grant or exercise price or tax withholding obligation of any award under the 2013 Plan will again be available for future grant or sale under the 2013 Plan. If any shares of restricted stock are forfeited by a participant or repurchased by us pursuant to the 2013 Plan, such shares shall again be available for future grant or sale under the 2013 Plan. Any shares subject to a Stock Appreciation Right, or a SAR, that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the SAR on exercise thereof shall again be available for the grant of an award pursuant to the 2013 Plan. The payment of dividend equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding awards shall not be counted against the shares of stock available for issuance under the plan.

Administration. The compensation committee of our board of directors administers the 2013 Plan (except with respect to any award granted to non-employee directors, which must be administered by our full board of directors). To administer the 2013 Plan, our compensation committee must consist solely of at least two members of our board of directors, each of whom is a “non-employee director” for purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. Subject to the terms and conditions of the 2013 Plan, our compensation committee has the authority to select the persons to whom awards are to be made, to determine the type or types of awards to be granted to each person, the number of awards to grant, the number of shares to be subject to such awards, and the terms and conditions of such awards, and to make all other determinations and decisions and to take all other actions necessary or advisable for the administration of the 2013 Plan. Our compensation committee is also authorized to establish, adopt, amend or revise rules relating to administration of the 2013 Plan. Our board of directors may at any time revest in itself the authority to administer the 2013 Plan.

Eligibility. Options, SARs, restricted stock and other awards under the 2013 Plan may be granted to individuals who are our officers or employees or are the officers or employees of any of our subsidiaries. Such awards may also be granted to our non-employee directors and consultants, but only employees may be granted ISOs. The sum of any cash compensation, or other compensation, and the value (determined as of the grant date in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of awards granted to a non-employee director as compensation for services as a non-employee director during any calendar year under the 2013 Plan may not exceed $400,000. The board of directors may make exceptions to this limit for individual non-employee directors in extraordinary circumstances, as the board of directors may determine in its discretion, provided that the non-employee director receiving such additional compensation may not participate in the decision to award such compensation or in other contemporaneous compensation decisions involving non-employee directors.

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Awards. The 2013 Plan provides that our compensation committee (or the board of directors, in the case of awards to non-employee directors) may grant or issue stock options, SARs, restricted stock, restricted stock units, dividend equivalents, stock payments and performance awards, or any combination thereof. Our compensation committee (or the board of directors, in the case of awards to non-employee directors) will consider each award grant subjectively, considering factors such as the individual performance of the recipient and the anticipated contribution of the recipient to the attainment of our long-term goals. Each award will be set forth in a separate agreement with the person receiving the award and will indicate the type, terms and conditions of the award.

 

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Stock payments may be authorized by our compensation committee (or our board of directors, in the case of awards to non-employee directors) in the form of common stock or an option or other right to purchase common stock as part of a deferred compensation arrangement, made in lieu of all or any part of compensation, including bonuses, that would otherwise be payable to employees, consultants or members of our board of directors.

 

Performance-Based Compensation. The compensation committee may grant to eligible recipients restricted stock, dividend equivalents, stock payments, restricted stock units, cash bonuses and other stock-based awards that are paid, vest or become exercisable upon the attainment of company performance criteria relating to our performance, the performance of a division, business unit or an individual, and may include but are not limited to the following: operating or other costs and expenses, improvements in expense levels, cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow), return on assets, return on capital, stockholders’ equity, return on stockholders’ equity, total stockholder return, return on sales, gross or net profit or operating margin, working capital, net earnings (either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), gross or net sales or revenue, net income (either before or after taxes), adjusted net income, operating earnings, earnings per share of stock, adjusted earnings per share of stock, price per share of stock, regulatory body approval for commercialization of a product, capital raised in financing transactions or other financing milestones, market recognition (including but not limited to awards and analyst ratings), financial ratios, implementation or completion of critical projects, market share, economic value, comparisons with various stock market indices, and implementation, completion or attainment of objectively determinable objectives relating to research, development, regulatory, commercial or strategic milestones or development. These performance criteria may be measured in absolute terms or as compared to performance in an earlier period or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease or as compared to results of a peer group or to market performance indicators or indices.

The compensation committee may provide that one or more adjustments will be made to one or more of the performance goals established for any performance period. Such adjustments may include one or more of the following: items related to a change in accounting principle, items relating to financing activities, expenses for restructuring or productivity initiatives, other non-operating items, items related to acquisitions, items attributable to the business operations of any entity acquired by us during the performance period, items related to the disposal of a business or segment of a business, items related to discontinued operations that do not qualify as a segment of a business under applicable accounting standards, items attributable to any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares occurring during the performance period, any other items of significant income or expense which are determined to be appropriate adjustments, items relating to unusual or extraordinary corporate transactions, events or developments, items related to amortization of acquired intangible assets, items that are outside the scope of our core, on-going business activities, items related to acquired in-process research and development, items relating to changes in tax laws, items relating to major licensing or partnership arrangements, items relating to asset impairment charges, items relating to gains and losses for litigation, arbitration or contractual settlements, or items relating to any other unusual or nonrecurring events or changes in applicable laws, accounting principles or business conditions.

Forfeiture, Recoupment and Clawback Provisions. Pursuant to its general authority to determine the terms and conditions applicable to awards under the 2013 Plan, the compensation committee has the right to provide, in an award agreement or otherwise, that an award shall be subject to the provisions of any recoupment or clawback policies implemented by us, including, without limitation, any recoupment or clawback policies adopted to comply with the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

Adjustments. If there is any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of our assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the shares of our common stock or the share price of our common stock other than an equity restructuring (as defined in the 2013 Plan), the plan administrator will make such equitable adjustments, if any, as the plan administrator in its discretion may deem appropriate to reflect such change with respect to (1) the aggregate number and type of shares that may be issued under the 2013 Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the number of shares available under the plan and the maximum number of shares which may be subject to one or more awards to a participant pursuant to the plan during any calendar year), (2) the number and kind of shares, or other securities or property, subject to outstanding awards, (3) the number and kind of shares, or other securities or property, for which automatic grants are to be subsequently made to new and continuing non-employee directors, (4) the terms and conditions of any outstanding awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect

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thereto), and (5) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding awards under the 2013 Plan. If there is any equity restructuring, (1) the number and type of securities subject to each outstanding award and the grant or exercise price per share for each outstanding award, if applicable, will be proportionately adjusted, and (2) the plan administrator will make proportionate adjustments to reflect such equity restructuring with respect to the aggregate number and type of shares that may be issued under the 2013 Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the number of shares available under the plan and the maximum number of shares which may be subject to one or more awards to a participant pursuant to the plan during any calendar year). Adjustments in the event of an equity restructuring will not be discretionary. The plan administrator also has the authority under the 2013 Plan to take certain other actions with respect to outstanding awards in the event of a corporate transaction, including provision for the cash-out, termination, assumption or substitution of such awards.

Corporate Transactions. In the event of a change in control where the acquirer does not assume or substitute awards granted under the 2013 Plan, awards issued under the 2013 Plan will be subject to accelerated vesting such that 100% of the awards will become vested and exercisable or payable, as applicable. Under the 2013 Plan, a change in control is generally defined as:

Amendment and Termination of the 2013 Plan. Our compensation committee or board of directors may terminate, amend or modify the 2013 Plan. However, stockholder approval of any amendment to the 2013 Plan will be obtained to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with any applicable law, regulation or stock exchange rule, or for any amendment to the 2013 Plan that increases the number of shares available under the 2013 Plan or that may be issued to an individual in any calendar year. If not terminated earlier by our compensation committee or board of directors, the 2013 Plan will terminate in March 2033 on the tenth anniversary of the date of its initial approval by our board of directors.

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Repricing Permitted. Our compensation committee (or the board of directors, in the case of awards to non-employee directors) has the authority, without the approval of our stockholders, to authorize the amendment of any outstanding award to reduce its price per share and to provide that an award will be canceled and replaced with the grant of an award having a lesser price per share. Our compensation committee (or the board of directors, in the case of awards to non-employee directors) also has the authority, without the approval of our stockholders, to amend any outstanding award to increase the price per share or to cancel and replace an award with the grant of an award having a price per share that is greater than or equal to the price per share of the original award.

2013 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Purpose. The purpose of our 2013 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) is to assist our eligible employees in acquiring a stock ownership interest in our company and to help our eligible employees provide for their future security and to encourage them to remain in our employment.

Securities Subject to the ESPP. As of December 31, 2023, a total of 145,381 shares of our common stock are authorized for issuance under the ESPP. In addition, commencing on January 1, 2024 and on each January 1 thereafter through and including January 1, 2033, the aggregate number of shares available for issuance under the ESPP shall be increased by that number of shares of our common stock equal to the lesser of:

Not withstanding the foregoing, the number of shares of stock that may be issued or transferred pursuant to awards under the ESPP may not exceed an aggregate of 10,000,000 shares. All of the foregoing share numbers may be adjusted for changes in our capitalization and certain corporate transactions, as described below under the heading “Adjustments.”

Administration. Our board of directors or its committee has full and exclusive authority to interpret the terms of the ESPP and determine eligibility. Our compensation committee is the administrator of the ESPP.

Eligibility. Our employees are eligible to participate in the ESPP if they are customarily employed by us or any participating subsidiary for at least 20 hours per week and more than five months in any calendar year on the day prior to the first day of the offering period. However, an employee may not be granted rights to purchase stock under our ESPP if such employee, immediately after the grant, would own (directly or through attribution) stock possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of our common or other class of stock.

Eligible employees become participants in the ESPP by enrolling and authorizing payroll deductions by the deadline established by the administrator prior to the relevant offering date. Directors who are not employees are not eligible to participate. Employees who choose not to participate, or are not eligible to participate at the start of an offering period but who become eligible thereafter, may enroll in any subsequent offering period.

Participation in an Offering.

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Adjustments.

In the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation, spin-off, recapitalization, distribution of company assets to stockholders (other than normal cash dividends), or any other corporate event affecting our common stock, the number of shares reserved under the ESPP and the price per share and number of shares of our common stock covered by each outstanding right may be adjusted proportionately. Such adjustments will be made by the administrator of the ESPP, whose determination in that respect will be final, binding and conclusive.

In the event of certain significant transactions or a change in control (as defined in the ESPP), the administrator of the ESPP may provide for (1) either the replacement or termination of outstanding rights in exchange for cash, (2) the assumption or substitution of outstanding rights by the successor or survivor corporation or parent or subsidiary thereof, if any, (3) the adjustment in the number and type of shares of stock subject to outstanding rights, (4) the use of participants’ accumulated payroll deductions to purchase stock on a new purchase date prior to the next purchase date and termination of any rights under ongoing offering periods or (5) the termination of all outstanding rights.

Transferability. A participant may not transfer rights granted under the ESPP other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution or as otherwise provided under the ESPP.

 

Amendment and Termination. The administrator of the ESPP may amend, suspend or terminate the ESPP. However, stockholder approval of any amendment to the ESPP will be obtained for any amendment which changes the aggregate number or type of shares that may be sold pursuant to rights under the ESPP, changes the corporations or classes of corporations whose employees are eligible to participate in the ESPP or changes the ESPP in any manner

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that would cause the ESPP to no longer be an employee stock purchase plan within the meaning of Section 423(b) of the Code. The ESPP will continue in effect until it is terminated by our board of directors.

 

Non-Employee Director Compensation

 

The following table sets forth information for the year ended December 31, 2023 regarding the compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to our non-employee directors who served on our board of directors during 2023. Employees of our company who also serve as a director do not receive additional compensation for their performance of services as a director.

Director		Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($)				Option Awards ($) (1)					All Other Compensation ($)		Total ($)
Cam Garner			73,000				29,948		(2)		—			102,948
Todd C. Brady, M.D., Ph.D.			54,750				24,675		(3)		—			79,425
Malcolm R. Hill, Pharm.D.			54,500				24,675		(4)		—			79,175
Vickie W. Reed			60,000				25,308		(5)		—			85,308
Kenneth J. Widder, M.D.			53,500				24,043		(6)		—			77,543

 

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The table below shows the aggregate numbers of option awards (exercisable and unexercisable) held as of December 31, 2023 by each non-employee director who was serving as of December 31, 2023.

 

Director		Options Exercisable at December 31, 2023				Options Unexercisable at December 31, 2023
Cam Garner			29,458				17,750
Todd C. Brady, M.D., Ph.D.			26,018				14,625
Malcolm R. Hill, Pharm.D.			24,645				14,625
Vickie W. Reed			8,722				16,944
Kenneth J. Widder, M.D.			25,580				14,250

 

For the year ended December 31, 2023, each non-employee director received $45,000 for his or her service. Additionally, the chair of our board of directors received an annual cash retainer of $20,000, the chair of the audit committee received an additional annual cash retainer of $15,000, the chair of the compensation committee received an additional annual cash retainer of $8,000, and the chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee received an additional annual cash retainer of $5,500. Audit committee members received an additional cash retainer of $5,750, compensation committee members received an additional annual cash retainer of $4,000 and nominating and corporate governance committee members received an additional annual cash retainer of $2,750.

 

Each non-employee director who is newly elected or appointed to the board of directors will receive an initial grant of options to purchase 5,833 shares of our common stock, vesting in three equal annual installments on each of the first three anniversaries of the date of grant, upon such election or appointment to the board of directors. Effective January 2023, our board of directors amended the compensation program for our non-employee directors. Under the amended program, non-employee directors receive annual grants of options on the date of each annual meeting of stockholders as follows: each non-employee director, options to purchase 12,000 shares; chair of our board of directors, an additional grant of options to purchase 3,500 shares; chair of the audit committee, an additional grant of options to purchase 3,000 shares; chair of the compensation committee, an additional 2,250 shares; and chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee, an additional grant of options to purchase 1,500 shares. Audit committee members received an additional grant of options to purchase 1,500 shares; members of the compensation committee received an additional grant of 1,125 shares; and the members of the nominating and corporate governance committee received an additional grant of options to purchase 750. All of the annual grants will vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant. The remaining terms of the director compensation program as in effect prior to this amendment remain unchanged.

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PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of the Company’s common stock as of December 31, 2023 by (i) each person or group of persons known by us to beneficially own at least 5% of our common stock, (ii) each of our named executive officers, (iii) each of our directors and (iv) all of our directors and executive officers as a group.

The following table gives effect to the shares of common stock issuable within 60 days of December 31, 2023 upon the exercise of all options and other rights beneficially owned by the indicated stockholders on that date. Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 promulgated under Section 13 of the Exchange Act and includes voting and investment power with respect to shares. Percentage of beneficial ownership is based on 3,343,070 shares of common stock outstanding on December 31, 2023. Except as otherwise noted below, each person or entity named in the following table has sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of our common stock that he, she or it beneficially owns.

Unless otherwise indicated below, the address for each beneficial owner listed is c/o Evoke Pharma, Inc., 420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 230, Solana Beach, CA 92075. We believe, based on information provided to us that each of the stockholders listed below has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares beneficially owned by the stockholder unless noted otherwise, subject to community property laws where applicable.

Name of Beneficial Owner	Shares Beneficially Owned Prior to Offering				Shares Beneficially Owned After to Offering
	Number		Percentage		Number		Percentage
Executive Officers and Directors
David A. Gonyer, R.Ph.(1)	147,279		4.3%		147,279		4.2%
Matthew J. D'Onofrio(2)	95,409		2.8%		95,409		2.8%
Marilyn R. Carlson, D.M.D., M.D.(3)	76,808		2.3%		76,808		2.3%
Cam L. Garner(4)	57,424		1.7%		57,424		1.7%
Todd C. Brady, M.D., Ph.D.(5)	26,351		*		26,351		*
Malcolm R. Hill, Pharm.D.(6)	26,249		*		26,249		*
Vickie W. Reed(7)	8,722		*		8,722		*
Kenneth J. Widder, M.D.(8)	25,580		*		25,580		*
All executive officers and directors as a group (8 persons)(9)	463,822		12.5%		463,822		12.5%

 

 

* Less than 1%

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

The following discussion is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the shares of common stock and Pre-Funded Warrants and accompanying Common Warrants or components thereof, which we refer to collectively as the “Securities,” issued pursuant to this offering, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all potential tax effects. The effects of other U.S. federal tax laws, such as estate and gift tax laws, and any applicable state, local or foreign tax laws are not discussed. This discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial decisions, and published rulings and administrative pronouncements of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in effect as of the date of this offering. These authorities may change or be subject to differing interpretations. Any such change or differing interpretation may be applied retroactively in a manner that could adversely affect a holder of the Securities. We have not sought and will not seek any rulings from the IRS regarding the matters discussed below. There can be no assurance the IRS or a court will not take a contrary position regarding the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Securities.

This discussion is limited to holders that hold the Securities as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). This discussion does not address all U.S. federal income tax consequences relevant to a holder’s particular circumstances, including the impact of the alternative minimum tax or the unearned income Medicare contribution tax. In addition, it does not address consequences relevant to holders subject to particular rules, including, without limitation:

If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds the Securities, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level.

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Accordingly, partnerships holding the Securities and the partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them.

THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED AS LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE. INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE SECURITIES ARISING UNDER THE U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAXING JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.

Allocation of Purchase Price

Each share of common stock or Pre-Funded Warrant, as applicable, and accompanying Common Warrants will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as an investment unit consisting of one share of our common stock or Pre-Funded Warrant, as applicable, and accompanying Series A Warrant, Series B Warrant and Series C Warrant. In determining their tax basis for the common stock or Pre-Funded Warrant and the Common Warrants constituting an investment unit, holders of Securities should allocate their purchase price for the investment unit between the common stock or Pre-Funded Warrant, as applicable, and each such Common Warrant on the basis of their relative fair market values at the time of issuance. The Company does not intend to advise holders of the Securities with respect to this determination, and holders of the Securities are advised to consult their tax and financial advisors with respect to the relative fair market values of the common stock or Pre-Funded Warrant, as applicable, and the accompanying Common Warrants for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Treatment of Pre-Funded Warrants

Although not free from doubt, a Pre-Funded Warrant should be treated as a share of our common stock for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and a holder of Pre-Funded Warrants should generally be taxed in the same manner as a holder of common stock, as described below. Accordingly, no gain or loss should be recognized (other than with respect to cash paid in lieu of a fractional share) upon the exercise of a Pre-Funded Warrant (except in the case of a cashless exercise, the treatment of which for U.S. federal income tax purposes is not clear) and, upon exercise, the holding period of a Pre-Funded Warrant should carry over to the share of common stock received. Similarly, the tax basis of the Pre-Funded Warrant should carry over to the share of common stock received upon exercise, increased by the exercise price of $0.0001. The discussion below assumes the characterization described above is respected for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the risks associated with the acquisition of Pre-Funded Warrants pursuant to this offering (including alternative characterizations).

Tax Considerations Applicable to U.S. Holders

Definition of a U.S. Holder

For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. holder” is any beneficial owner of the Securities that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is or is treated as any of the following:

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Distributions

As described in the section entitled “Dividend Policy,” we do not expect to pay any cash dividends on our capital stock in the foreseeable future. However, if we do make distributions of cash or property on our common stock or Pre-Funded Warrants (other than certain distributions of common stock), such distributions will constitute dividends to the extent paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by a corporate U.S. holder may be eligible for a dividends received deduction, subject to applicable limitations. Dividends received by certain non-corporate U.S. holders, including individuals, are generally taxed at the lower applicable capital gains rate provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will constitute a return of capital and first be applied against and reduce a U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in its common stock, but not below zero. Any excess will be treated as capital gain and will be treated as described below in the section relating to the sale or disposition of our common stock or Pre-Funded Warrants, as applicable.

Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock or Pre-Funded Warrants

Upon the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of the common stock or Pre-Funded Warrants, a U.S. holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received upon the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition and (ii) such U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the common stock or Pre-Funded Warrant. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder’s holding period in such common stock or Pre-Funded Warrant is more than one year at the time of the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition. Long-term capital gains recognized by certain non-corporate U.S. holders, including individuals, generally will be subject to reduced rates of U.S. federal income tax. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain limitations.

Sale or Other Disposition, Exercise or Expiration of Common Warrants

Upon the sale or other disposition of a Common Warrant (other than by exercise), a U.S. holder will generally recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale or other disposition and the U.S. holder’s tax basis in the Common Warrant. This capital gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder’s holding period in such Common Warrant is more than one year at the time of the sale or other disposition. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain limitations.

In general, a U.S. holder will not be required to recognize income, gain or loss upon exercise of a Common Warrant for its exercise price (except to the extent the U.S. holder receives a cash payment for a such fractional share that would otherwise have been issuable upon exercise of the Common Warrant, which will be treated as a sale as described above under “Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock or Pre-Funded Warrants”). A U.S. holder’s tax basis in a share of common stock received upon exercise of Common Warrants will be equal to the sum of (i) the U.S. holder’s tax basis in the Common Warrants exchanged therefor and (ii) the exercise price of such Common Warrants. A U.S. holder’s holding period in the shares of common stock received upon exercise will commence on the day after such U.S. holder exercises the Common Warrants. Although there is no direct legal authority as to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of an exercise of a Common Warrant on a cashless basis, we intend to take the position that such exercise will not be taxable, either because the exercise is not a gain realization event or because it qualifies as a tax-free recapitalization. In the former case, the holding period of the shares of common stock received upon exercise of Common Warrants should commence on the day after the Common Warrants are exercised. In the latter case, the holding period of the shares of common stock received upon exercise of Common Warrants would include the holding period of the exercised Common Warrants. However, our position is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS may treat a cashless exercise of a Common Warrant as a taxable exchange. U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors as to the consequences of an exercise of a Common Warrant on a cashless basis, including with respect to their holding period and tax basis in the common stock received.

If a Common Warrant expires without being exercised, a U.S. holder will recognize a capital loss in an amount equal to such holder’s tax basis in the Common Warrant. Such loss will be long-term capital loss if, at the time of the expiration, the U.S. holder’s holding period in such Common Warrant is more than one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain limitations.

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Constructive Dividends on Common Warrants or Pre-Funded Warrants

As described in the section entitled “Dividend Policy,” we do not expect to pay any cash dividends on our capital stock in the foreseeable future. However, if, at any time during the period in which a U.S. holder holds Common Warrants or Pre-Funded Warrants, we were to pay a taxable dividend to our stockholders and, in accordance with the anti-dilution provisions of the Common Warrants or Pre-Funded Warrants, the exercise price thereof were decreased, that decrease would be deemed to be the payment of a taxable dividend to a U.S. holder of the Common Warrants or Pre-Funded Warrants, as applicable, to the extent of our earnings and profits, notwithstanding the fact that such holder will not receive a cash payment. If the exercise price is adjusted in certain other circumstances or other adjustments are made (or in certain circumstances, there is a failure to make adjustments), such adjustments may also result in the deemed payment of a taxable dividend to a U.S. holder. In addition, a holder of a Common Warrant or Pre-Funded Warrant may, in some circumstances, be deemed to have received a distribution subject to U.S. federal income tax as a result of an adjustment or the non-occurrence of an adjustment to the exercise price or number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Common Warrant or Pre-Funded Warrant. U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the proper treatment of any adjustments to the Common Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrants.

We are currently required to report the amount of any deemed distributions on our website or to the IRS and to holders not exempt from reporting. The IRS has proposed regulations addressing the amount and timing of deemed distributions, as well as obligations of withholding agents and filing and notice obligations of issuers in respect of such deemed distributions. If adopted as proposed, the regulations would generally provide that (i) the amount of a deemed distribution is the excess of the fair market value of the right to acquire stock immediately after the exercise price adjustment over the fair market value of the right to acquire stock (after the exercise price adjustment) without the adjustment, (ii) the deemed distribution occurs at the earlier of the date the adjustment occurs under the terms of the instrument and the date of the distribution of cash or property that results in the deemed distribution and (iii) we are required to report the amount of any deemed distributions on our website or to the IRS and to all holders (including holders that would otherwise be exempt from reporting). The final regulations will be effective for deemed distributions occurring on or after the date of adoption, but holders and withholding agents may rely on them prior to that date under certain circumstances.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

A U.S. holder may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding when such holder receives payments on the common stock or Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants (including constructive dividends) or receives proceeds from the sale or other taxable disposition of common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants, or Common Warrants. Certain U.S. holders are exempt from backup withholding, including corporations and certain tax-exempt organizations. A U.S. holder will be subject to backup withholding if such holder is not otherwise exempt and such holder:

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS. U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their qualification for an exemption from backup withholding and the procedures for obtaining such an exemption.

Tax Considerations Applicable to Non-U.S. Holders

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For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of the Securities that is neither a U.S. holder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Distributions

As described in the section entitled “Dividend Policy,” we do not expect to pay any cash dividends on our capital stock in the foreseeable future. However, if we do make distributions of cash or property (other than certain distributions of common stock) on our common stock or Pre-Funded Warrants, such will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Amounts not treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes will constitute a return of capital and first be applied against and reduce a non-U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in its common stock or Pre-Funded Warrants, but not below zero. Any excess will be treated as capital gain and will be treated as described below in the section relating to the sale or disposition of our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants. Because we may not know the extent to which a distribution is a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes at the time it is made, for purposes of the withholding rules discussed below we or the applicable withholding agent may treat the entire distribution as a dividend.

Subject to the discussion below on backup withholding and foreign accounts, dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder of our common stock or Pre-Funded Warrants that are not effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the dividends (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty).

Non-U.S. holders will be entitled to a reduction in or an exemption from withholding on dividends as a result of either (a) an applicable income tax treaty or (b) the non-U.S. holder holding our common stock or Pre-Funded Warrants in connection with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States and dividends being effectively connected with that trade or business. To claim such a reduction in or exemption from withholding, the non-U.S. holder must provide the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed (a) IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable documentation) claiming an exemption from or reduction of the withholding tax under the benefit of an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established, or (b) IRS Form W-8ECI stating that the dividends are not subject to withholding tax because they are effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. holder of a trade or business within the United States, as may be applicable. These certifications must be provided to the applicable withholding agent prior to the payment of dividends and must be updated periodically. Non-U.S. holders that do not timely provide the applicable withholding agent with the required certification, but that qualify for a reduced rate under an applicable income tax treaty, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.

If dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder are effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the non-U.S. holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such dividends are attributable), then, although exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax (provided the non-U.S. holder provides appropriate certification, as described above), the non-U.S. holder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such dividends on a net income basis at the regular U.S. federal income tax rates. In addition, a non-U.S. holder that is a corporation may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year that are attributable to such dividends, as adjusted for certain items. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under any applicable income tax treaty.

Exercise of Common Warrants or Pre-Funded Warrants

A non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the exercise of Common Warrants or Pre-Funded Warrants into shares of common stock. However, if a cashless exercise of Common Warrants or Pre-Funded Warrants results in a taxable exchange, as described in “–Treatment of Pre-Funded Warrants” and “–Tax Considerations Applicable to U.S. Holders – Sale or Other Disposition, Exercise or Expiration of Common Warrants,” the rules described below under “Sale or Other Disposition of Common Stock, Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants” would apply.

Sale or Other Disposition of Common Stock, Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants

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Subject to the discussions below on backup withholding and foreign accounts, a non-U.S. holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other disposition of our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants unless:

Gain described in the first bullet point above will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular U.S. federal income tax rates. A non-U.S. holder that is a foreign corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively connected gain, as adjusted for certain items.

A non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on any gain derived from the disposition, which may be offset by certain U.S.-source capital losses of the non-U.S. holder (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States) provided the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

With respect to the third bullet point above, we believe we are not currently and do not anticipate becoming a USRPHC. Because the determination of whether we are a USRPHC depends on the fair market value of our USRPIs relative to the fair market value of our other business assets and our non-U.S. real property interests, however, there can be no assurance we are not a USRPHC or will not become one in the future.

Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding potentially applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

Constructive Dividends on Common Warrants or Pre-Funded Warrants

As described in the section entitled “Dividend Policy,” we do not expect to pay any cash dividends on our capital stock in the foreseeable future. However, if at any time during the period in which a non-U.S. holder holds Common Warrants or Pre-Funded Warrants we were to pay a taxable dividend to our stockholders and, in accordance with the anti-dilution provisions of the Common Warrants or Pre-Funded Warrants, the exercise price of the warrants were decreased, that decrease would be deemed to be the payment of a taxable dividend to a non-U.S. holder to the extent of our earnings and profits, notwithstanding the fact that such holder will not receive a cash payment. If the exercise price is adjusted in certain other circumstances (or in certain circumstances, there is a failure to make adjustments), such adjustments may also result in the deemed payment of a taxable dividend to a non-U.S. holder. Any resulting withholding tax attributable to deemed dividends may be collected from other amounts payable or distributable to the non-U.S. holder. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the proper treatment of any adjustments to the Common Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrants.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Subject to the discussion below on foreign accounts, a non-U.S. holder will not be subject to backup withholding with respect to distributions on our common stock or Pre-Funded Warrants we make to the non-U.S. holder (including constructive dividends with respect to Common Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrants), provided the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know such holder is a United States person and the holder certifies its non-U.S. status, such as by providing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or W-8ECI, or other applicable certification. However, information returns generally will be filed with the IRS in connection with any distributions (including deemed distributions) made on our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants and Common

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Warrants to the non-U.S. holder, regardless of whether any tax was actually withheld. Copies of these information returns may also be made available under the provisions of a specific treaty or agreement to the tax authorities of the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established.

Information reporting and backup withholding may apply to the proceeds of a sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants within the United States, and information reporting may (although backup withholding generally will not) apply to the proceeds of a sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants outside the United States conducted through certain U.S.-related financial intermediaries, in each case, unless the beneficial owner certifies under penalty of perjury that it is a non-U.S. holder on IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, or other applicable form (and the payor does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the beneficial owner is a U.S. person), or such owner otherwise establishes an exemption. Proceeds of a disposition of our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants conducted through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Additional Withholding Tax on Payments Made to Foreign Accounts

Withholding taxes may be imposed under Sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code (such Sections commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”)) on certain types of payments made to non-U.S. financial institutions and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on dividends (including deemed dividends) paid on our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants, or (subject to the proposed Treasury Regulations discussed below) gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants paid to a “foreign financial institution” or a “non-financial foreign entity” (each as defined in the Code), unless (1) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations, (2) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any “substantial United States owners” (as defined in the Code) or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial United States owner, or (3) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements clause in (1) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain “specified United States persons” or “United States-owned foreign entities” (each as defined in the Code), annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on certain payments to non-compliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules.

Under the applicable Treasury Regulations and administrative guidance, withholding under FATCA generally applies to payments of dividends (including deemed dividends). Because we may not know the extent to which a distribution is a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes at the time it is made, for purposes of these withholding rules we or the applicable withholding agent may treat the entire distribution as a dividend. While withholding under FATCA would have applied also to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants or Common Warrants on or after January 1, 2019, proposed Treasury Regulations eliminate FATCA withholding on payments of gross proceeds entirely. Taxpayers generally may rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations until final Treasury Regulations are issued.

Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of these withholding provisions.

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UNDERWRITING

We have entered into an underwriting agreement with Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC and Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd. (the “Representatives”), as the representatives of the underwriters named below and the book-running managers of this offering. Subject to the terms and conditions of an underwriting agreement between us and the Representative, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and the underwriters have agreed to purchase, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of our securities listed next to its name in the following table:

	Number of Shares and Accompanying Warrants
Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC
Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd.
Total

 

The underwriters are committed to purchase all of the securities offered by us if it purchases any securities. The obligations of the underwriters may be terminated upon the occurrence of certain events specified in the underwriting agreement. Furthermore, pursuant to the underwriting agreement, the underwriters’ obligations are subject to customary conditions, representations, and warranties contained in the underwriting agreement, such as receipt by the underwriters of officers’ certificates and legal opinions.

 

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against specified liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.

 

The underwriters are offering the above securities, subject to prior sale, when, as, and if issued to and accepted by it, subject to approval of legal matters by its counsel and other conditions specified in the underwriting agreement. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel, or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.

 

Discounts, Commissions, and Expenses

 

The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters.

 

 

		Per Common Stock Unit	Per PFW Unit	Total
Public offering price		$	$	$
Underwriting discounts and commissions (8.0%) (1)		$	$	$
Proceeds before expenses to us		$	$	$

____________

(1) Reflects underwriting discounts and commissions to the underwriters of $ , or eight percent (8%) per share. We have also agreed to issue the representatives of the underwriters or their designees warrants to purchase a number of shares of common stock equal to 5% of the securities sold in this offering, to pay the warrant solicitation fee described below, and to reimburse the underwriters for certain offering expenses. In addition, we have agreed to pay a management fee to the representatives equal to 0.75% of the gross proceeds received in this offering, which is not included in the underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

The underwriters propose to offer the securities offered by us to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus. In addition, the underwriters may offer some of the securities to other securities dealers at such price less an expected concession of 10% of the purchase price per share. If all of the shares offered by us are not sold at the public offering price, the Representatives may change the offering price and other selling terms by means of a supplement to this prospectus.

 

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We have also agreed to reimburse the underwriters for their expenses in connection with this offering, up to $125,000, including fees of underwriters' counsel. We estimate that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding the total underwriting discount and reimbursement of fees of underwriters' counsel, will be approximately $600,000.

 

Warrant Solicitation Fee

Upon any exercise of the Series B Warrants issued in this offering, we have agreed to pay the underwriters a cash fee equal to 5.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds received upon the exercise of the Series B Warrants in accordance with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) Rule 5110(g)(10).

 

Discretionary Accounts

The underwriters do not intend to confirm sales of the securities offered hereby to any accounts over which they have discretionary authority.

 

Representatives' Warrants

 

Upon the closing of this offering, we have agreed to issue to the Representatives or their designees warrants to purchase a number of shares of Common Stock equal to five percent (5%) of the aggregate number of Units sold in this offering (the “Representatives' Warrants”). The Representatives' Warrants will be exercisable six months from the effective date of this registration statement and will expire five years from the effective date thereof. The exercise price of the warrants is equal to 165% of the offering price of the price per share of the Units offered hereby. The Representatives' Warrants have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a 180-day lock-up pursuant to Rule 5110(e) of FINRA. The Representatives (or permitted assignees under Rule 5110(e)) will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge, or hypothecate these warrants or the securities underlying these warrants, nor will they engage in any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the warrants or the underlying securities for a period of 180 days from the effective date of the offering. In addition, the warrants provide for registration rights upon request, in certain cases. The one-time demand registration right provided will not be greater than five years from the effective date of the registration statement in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(C). The unlimited piggyback registration right provided will not be greater than seven years from the effective date of the registration statement in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(D). We will bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the securities issuable on exercise of the warrants other than underwriting commissions incurred and payable by the holders.

 

Lock-Up Agreements

Our executive officers and directors have agreed with the Representatives to be subject to a lock-up period of 90 days following the date of closing of the offering pursuant to this prospectus. This means that, during the lock-up period, such persons may not offer for sale, contract to sell, sell, distribute, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of our Common Stock, subject to certain customary exceptions. The Representatives may, in their sole discretion and without notice, waive the terms of any of these lock-up agreements. We have also agreed, in the underwriting agreement, that without prior written notice to the Representatives, we will not offer, sell, issue or otherwise transfer or dispose of our securities for 90 days following the closing of this offering, subject to certain customary exceptions.

Indemnification

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make for these liabilities.

Price Stabilization, Short Positions, and Penalty Bids

 

In connection with this offering, each underwriter may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the price of our securities. Specifically, such underwriter may over-allot in connection with this offering by selling more securities than are set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. This creates a short position in our

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securities for such underwriter’s own accounts. The short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of securities over-allotted by such underwriter is not greater than the number of securities that it may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of securities involved is greater than the number of securities in the over-allotment option. To close out a short position, such underwriter may elect to exercise all or part of the over-allotment option. Such underwriter may also elect to stabilize the price of our securities or reduce any short position by bidding for, and purchasing, securities in the open market.

 

The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter or dealer repays selling concessions allowed to it for distributing a security in this offering because the underwriter repurchases that security in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

 

Finally, each underwriter may bid for, and purchase, shares of our securities in market-making transactions, including “passive” market-making transactions as described below.

 

These activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of our securities at a price that is higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the absence of these activities. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may discontinue any of these activities at any time without notice. These transactions may be affected on NASDAQ, in the over-the-counter market, or otherwise.

 

In connection with this offering, the underwriters and selling group members, if any, or their affiliates may engage in passive market-making transactions in our Common Stock immediately prior to the commencement of sales in this offering, in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Rule 103 generally provides that:

 

Electronic Distribution

 

This prospectus in electronic format may be made available on websites or through other online services maintained by the underwriters, or by their affiliates. Other than this prospectus in electronic format, the information on the underwriters’ websites and any information contained in any other websites maintained by an underwriter is not part of this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the underwriters in their capacity as underwriter, and should not be relied upon by investors.

 

Other than the prospectus in electronic or printed format, the information on the underwriters’ website and any information contained in any other website maintained by an underwriter is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the underwriters in their capacity as underwriters and should not be relied upon by investors.

 

Certain Relationships

The Representatives and their affiliates have engaged in, and may in the future engage in, investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us or our affiliates. The Representatives have received, or may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions for these transactions.

 

Offers Outside the United States

Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The

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securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “EVOK”.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, San Diego, California. Certain legal matters relating to the offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, New York, New York.

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EXPERTS

The financial statements as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2022 incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in the registration statement have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of BDO USA, LLP (n/k/a BDO USA P.C.), an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated herein by reference, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. The report on the financial statements contains an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to the securities offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits filed therewith. For further information about us and the common stock offered hereby, reference is made to the registration statement and the exhibits filed therewith. Statements contained in this prospectus concerning the contents of any contract or any other document are not necessarily complete, please see the copy of the contract or document that has been filed for the complete contents of that contract or document. Each statement in this prospectus relating to a contract or document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit. The exhibits to the registration statement should be reviewed for the complete contents of these contracts and documents.

The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address is www.sec.gov.

We also maintain a website at www.evokepharma.com. The reference to our website address does not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on our website, and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this prospectus.

You may also request a copy of these filings, at no cost to you, by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

Evoke Pharma, Inc.

Attn: Corporate Secretary

420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 230

Solana Beach, CA 92075

Telephone: (858) 345-1494

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information from other documents that we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus. Information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus and the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part the information or documents listed below that we have filed with the SEC:

 

We will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including exhibits to these documents. You should direct any requests for documents to Evoke Pharma, Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, 420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 230, Solana Beach, CA 92075; Telephone: (858) 345-1494.

You also may access these filings on our website at www.evokepharma.com. We do not incorporate the information on our website into this prospectus or any supplement to this prospectus and you should not consider any information on, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus or any supplement to this prospectus (other than those filings with the SEC that we specifically incorporate by reference into this prospectus or any supplement to this prospectus).

Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus will be deemed modified, superseded or replaced for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus modifies, supersedes or replaces such statement.

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Evoke Pharma, Inc.

 

 

 

 

____________________________________

PROSPECTUS

____________________________________

 

Book-Running Managers

CRAIG-HALLUM

LAIDLAW & COMPANY (UK) LTD.

Until , 2024 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This delivery requirement is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

 

 

, 2024

 

 

 

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

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Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by the registrant in connection with the offering of the securities being registered. All amounts are estimates except for the SEC registration fee and the Financial Institution Regulatory Association (“FINRA”) filing fee.

Item		Amount paid or to be paid
SEC registration fee		$	5,092
FINRA listing fee			5,000
Legal fee and expenses			400,000
Accounting fees and expenses			180,000
Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses			5,000
Miscellaneous expenses			4,908
Total		$	600,000

 

 

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Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 102 of the DGCL permits a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that no director of the Company shall be personally liable to it or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability, except to the extent that the DGCL prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors for breaches of fiduciary duty.

Section 145 of the DGCL provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or a person serving at the request of the corporation for another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise in related capacities against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with an action, suit or proceeding to which he was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, ending or completed action, suit or proceeding by reason of such position, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, except that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

Our Bylaws provide that we will indemnify each person who was or is a party or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of us) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at our request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (all such persons being referred to as an “Indemnitee”), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. Our Bylaws also provide that we will indemnify any Indemnitee who was or is a party to an action or suit by or in the right of us to procure a judgment in our favor by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at our request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) and, to the extent permitted by law, amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, and any appeal therefrom, if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interests, except that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to us, unless a court determines that, despite such adjudication but in view of all of the circumstances, he or she is entitled to indemnification of such expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, he or she will be indemnified by us against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith. Expenses must be advanced to an Indemnitee under certain circumstances.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and officers. These indemnification agreements may require us, among other things, to indemnify our directors and officers for some expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by a director or officer in any action or proceeding arising out of his or her service as one of our directors or officers, or any of our subsidiaries or any other company or enterprise to which the person provides services at our request.

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We maintain a general liability insurance policy that covers certain liabilities of directors and officers of our corporation arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers.

Any underwriting agreement or distribution agreement that we enter into with any underwriters or agents involved in the offering or sale of any securities registered hereby may require such underwriters or dealers to indemnify us, some or all of our directors and officers and our controlling persons, if any, for specified liabilities, which may include liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933.

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Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

None.

 

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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

(a) Exhibits. The following documents are filed as exhibits to this registration statement.

_____________

Exhibit Number		Description of Exhibit
1.1*		Underwriting Agreement
3.1		Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 30, 2013.)
3.2		Certificate of Amendment of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 20, 2022.)
3.2		Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 30, 2013.)
4.1		Form of the Company’s Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on August 16, 2013.)
4.2**		Form of Pre-Funded Warrant
4.3*		Form of Series A Warrant
4.4*		Form of Series B Warrant
4.5*		Form of Series C Warrant
5.1*		Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP
10.1#		Form of Indemnity Agreement for Directors and Officers (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on May 24, 2013.)
10.2#		Employment Agreement, effective as of December 1, 2013, between the Company and Marilyn R. Carlson (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 10, 2016.)
10.3#		Evoke Pharma, Inc. 2013 Equity Incentive Award Plan, as amended and restated effective May 10, 2023 (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on March 29, 2023.)
10.4†		Commercial Services Agreement, dated as of January 21, 2020, between the Company and Eversana Life Science Services, LLC (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 12, 2020.)
10.5†		3PL Agreement between the Company and Eversana Life Science Services, LLC dated August 27, 2020 (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 12, 2020.)
10.6#		Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy, as Amended and Restated Effective February 8, 2023 (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 10, 2023.)

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Exhibit Number		Description of Exhibit
10.7†		Amendment No. 1 to the Commercial Services Agreement, dated as of February 1, 2022, between the Company and Eversana Life Sciences Services, LLC (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 11, 2021.)
10.8†		Amendment No. 2 to the Commercial Services Agreement, dated as of November 3, 2022, between the Company and Eversana Life Sciences Services, LLC (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 10, 2022.)
10.9#		Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, effective as of June 7, 2013, between the Company and David A. Gonyer (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on June 14, 2013.)
10.10#		Evoke Pharma, Inc. 2013 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended and restated effective May 10, 2023 (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on March 29, 2023.)
10.11†		Loan Agreement, dated as of January 21, 2020, between the Company and Eversana Life Science Services, LLC (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 12, 2020.)
10.12†		Master Supply Agreement dated as of May 11, 2016 by and between the Company and Cosma S.p.A. (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 15, 2016.)
10.13		Third Amendment to Standard Office Lease dated December 15, 2020 between the Company and SB Corporate Centre III-IV, LLC. (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed with the SEC on December 22, 2020.)
10.14#		2013 Equity Incentive Award Plan and form of option agreement thereunder (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Amendment No. 4 to Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on August 30, 2013.)
10.15#		Amended and Restated Retention Letter, dated May 22, 2013, between the Company and David A. Gonyer (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on June 14, 2013.)
10.16#		Amended and Restated Retention Letter, dated May 22, 2013, between the Company and Matthew D’Onofrio (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on June 14, 2013.)
10.17†		Asset Purchase Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2007, between the Company and Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Amendment No. 2 to Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on July 3, 2013.)
10.18†		Manufacturing Services Agreement dated November 7, 2017, between the Company and Patheon UK Limited (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 7, 2018.)
10.19		Standard Office Lease, dated as of December 19, 2016, between the Company and SB Corporate Centre III-IV, LLC (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 15, 2017.)

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Exhibit Number		Description of Exhibit
10.20#		Amendment to Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, effective as of January 25, 2017 between the Company and Matthew D’Onofrio (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 15, 2017.)
10.21		First Amendment to Standard Office Lease dated September 27, 2018 between the Company and SB Corporate Centre III-IV, LLC. (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 6, 2019.)
10.22#		Amendment to Employment Agreement, effective as of January 25, 2017, between the Company and Marilyn R. Carlson (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 15, 2017.)
10.23		Fifth Amendment to Standard Office Lease, dated August 24, 2022, between the Company and SB Corporate Centre III-IV, LLC.  (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 21, 2022.)
10.24		Sixth Amendment to Standard Office Lease, dated October 9, 2023 between the Company and SB Corporate Centre III-IV, LLC.   (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 9, 2023.)
10.25		Second Amendment to Standard Office Lease dated December 6, 2019 between the Company and SB Corporate Centre III IV, LLC  (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 12, 2020.)
10.26		Fourth Amendment to Standard Office Lease dated February 3, 2022 between the Company and SB Corporate Centre III-IV, LLC. (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 9, 2022.)
23.1*		Consent of BDO USA, P.C., Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
23.2*		Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1**		Power of Attorney (included on signature page of initial filing of this registration statement)
107*		Calculation of Filing Fee Table

 

 

† Portions of this exhibit have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)(iv) of Regulation S-K.

# Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

* Filed herewith

** Previously filed.

(b) Financial statement schedules. Schedules not listed above have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the Financial Statements or notes thereto.

 

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Item 17. Undertakings.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(A) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(B) Each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

(5) That for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

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(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(6) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(7) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

(i) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;

(ii) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(I) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective; and

(iii) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Solana Beach, State of California, on January 10, 2024.

EVOKE PHARMA, INC.
By:	/s/ David A. Gonyer
Name:	David A. Gonyer, R.Ph.
Title:	Chief Executive Officer and Director

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name		Title		Date
/s/ David A. Gonyer		Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)		January 10, 2024
David A. Gonyer, R.Ph.
/s/ Matthew J. D’Onofrio		President, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary and Treasurer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)		January 10, 2024
Matthew J. D’Onofrio
*		Chairman of the Board of Directors		January 10, 2024
Cam L. Garner
*		Director		January 10, 2024
Todd C. Brady, M.D., Ph.D.
*		Director		January 10, 2024
Malcolm R. Hill, Pharm.D.
*		Director		January 10, 2024
Vickie W. Reed
*		Director		January 10, 2024
Kenneth J. Widder, M.D.

 

* Pursuant to power of attorney.

By: /s/ David A. Gonyer

Name: David A. Gonyer

Title: Attorney-in-Fact

II-11

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UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

between

EVOKE PHARMA, INC.

and

CRAIG-HALLUM CAPITAL GROUP LLC

LAIDLAW & COMPANY (UK) LTD.

as Representatives of the Several Underwriters
 

 

 

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EVOKE PHARMA, INC.

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

New York, New York
[ ], 2024

Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC

Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd.

As the Representatives of the

Several Underwriters Named on Schedule 1 hereto

 

c/o Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC

222 South Ninth Street, Suite 350

Minneapolis, MN 55402

c/o Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd.

521 5th Avenue, 12th Floor

New York, NY 10175

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned, Evoke Pharma, Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Delaware (collectively with its subsidiaries and affiliates, including, without limitation, all entities disclosed or described in the Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined) as being subsidiaries or affiliates of Evoke Pharma, Inc., the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC and Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “you” (including its correlatives) or the “Representatives”) and with the other underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto for which the Representatives are acting as representative (the Representatives and such other underwriters being collectively called the “Underwriters” or, individually, an “Underwriter”) as set forth below.

 

	1.	Purchase and Sale of Securities.

1.1 Firm Securities.

1.1.1. Nature and Purchase of Securities.

(i) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters the following securities of the Company:

(a) [ ] common stock units (the “Firm Common Units”), each consisting of: (i) one share of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”); (ii) a Series A warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock (the “Series A Warrant”), at an exercise price of $[ ], which shall be exercisable immediately for a period of five (5) years, subject to adjustment as provided therein; (iii) a Series B warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock (the “Series B Warrant”), at an exercise price of $[ ], which shall be exercisable immediately for a period of nine (9) months, subject to adjustment as provided therein; and (iv) a Series C warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock, (the “Series C Warrant,” and together with the Series A Warrant and Series B Warrant, the “Firm Warrants”), an exercise price of $[ ], which shall be exercisable immediately, subject to the vesting as described in the Prospectus (as defined below), for a period of nine-months or five (5) years as described in the Prospectus, subject to adjustment as provided therein; and

 

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(b) [ ] pre-funded warrant units (the “Firm PFW Units,” and together with the Firm Common Units, the “Firm Units”), each consisting of: (i) pre-funded warrants (the “Firm Pre-Funded Warrants”) to purchase one share of Common Stock, at an exercise price of $[ ] until such time as the Firm Pre-Funded Warrant is exercised in full, subject to adjustment as provided in the Firm Pre-Funded Warrant; (ii) a Series A Warrant; (iii) a Series B Warrant; and (iv) a Series C Warrant. The Firm Common Units, Firm PFW Units and Firm Warrants are collectively referred to herein as the “Firm Securities”.

(ii) The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule 1 attached hereto and made a part hereof at a purchase price set forth in Schedule 2-A attached hereto and made a part hereof. The offering and sale of the Firm Securities is hereinafter referred to as the “Offering.”

1.1.2. Shares Payment and Delivery.

(i) Delivery and payment for the Firm Securities shall be made at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on the second (2nd) Business Day following the date of this Agreement (“Effective Date”) (or the third (3rd) Business Day following the date hereof if the Applicable Time (as defined below) is after 4:30 p.m., Eastern time) or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at the offices of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112 (“Representative Counsel”), or at such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Securities is called the “Closing Date.”

(ii) Payment for the Firm Securities shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in U.S. dollars (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery of the certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Firm Securities (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representatives may request in writing at least two (2) full Business Days prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representatives for all of the Firm Securities. The term “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York, New York.

1.2 [Intentionally Omitted]

1.3 Representatives’ Warrants.

1.3.1. Purchase Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Representatives (and/or its designees) on the Closing Date a warrant (“Representatives’ Warrant”) to purchase up to an aggregate of [•] shares of Common Stock, representing 5% of the Firm Units sold on such date, to be issued pursuant to a Representatives’ Warrant Agreement, in the form reasonable acceptable to the Representative (the “Representatives’ Warrant Agreement”), which Representatives’ Warrant shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on a date which is one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date and expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Effective Date at an initial exercise price per share of Common Stock of $[•], which is equal to one hundred sixty five percent (165%) of the public offering price of the Firm Common Units. The Representatives’ Warrant Agreement and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise thereof are hereinafter referred to together as the “Representatives’ Securities.” The Representatives understand and agree that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement and the underlying shares of Common Stock during the one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than (i) an Underwriter or a selected dealer in connection with the Offering, (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of the Representatives or of any such Underwriter or selected dealer, or (iii) as otherwise expressly permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(g); and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing lock-up restrictions.

 

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1.3.2. Delivery. Delivery of the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement shall be made on the Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representatives may request.

2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), as of the Closing Date as follows:

2.1 Filing of Registration Statement.

2.1.1. Pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-275443), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Firm Securities and the Representatives’ Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the “Securities Act Regulations”) contains and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated therein and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of the Effective Date pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations (the “Rule 430A Information”)), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b). The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.

Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The Preliminary Prospectus, subject to completion, dated [ ], 2023, that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in the Offering is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.

“Applicable Time” means [TIME] [a.m./p.m.], Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the Firm Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Firm Securities or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 (the “Bona Fide Electronic Road Show”)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule 2-B hereto.

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

“Pricing Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Pricing Prospectus and the information included on Schedule 2-A hereto, all considered together.

 

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For the purposes of this Agreement “Knowledge” means, when referring to the ‘knowledge’ of the Company, or any similar phrase or qualification based on knowledge, the actual knowledge of Company’s officers and/or directors, and the knowledge that each such person would have obtained after making due and appropriate inquiry with respect to the particular matter in question.

2.1.2. Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File Number 001-36075) providing for the registration pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of the shares of Common Stock, which registration statement complies in all material respects with the Exchange Act. The registration of such shares of Common Stock and related Form 8-A under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date hereof. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.

2.2 Stock Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the shares of Common Stock included in the Firm Common Units and the Underlying Shares on The Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Exchange”). The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting the shares of Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

2.3 No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

2.4 Disclosures in Registration Statement.

2.4.1. Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation.

(i) Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(ii) Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. No post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement reflecting any facts or events arising after the date thereof which represent, individually or in the aggregate, a fundamental change in the information set forth therein is required to be filed with the Commission.

(iii) The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date, did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto does not conflict in any material respect with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and any such Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they

 

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were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of the following disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus: (i) the second sentence of the second paragraph of the subsection entitled “Discounts, Commissions, and Expenses” related to concessions; (ii) the first, second, third and fourth paragraphs under the subsection entitled “Price Stabilization, Short Positions, and Penalty Bids”; (iii) the subsection entitled “Electronic Distribution”; and (iv) the subsection entitled “Certain Relationships” (the “Underwriters’ Information”).

(iv) Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriters’ Information.

2.4.2. Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described, or incorporated by reference or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company or any Subsidiary (as defined in Section 2.7 below) is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company or any Subsidiary, and none of the Company, its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder, except for a default or event which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change as such terms is defined in Section 2.5.1 below. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company or any Subsidiary of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, ordinance, judgment, order or decree of any governmental or regulatory agency, body, authority or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary or any of its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations, except for any such violation that would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

2.4.3. Prior Securities Transactions. No securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Preliminary Prospectus.

2.4.4. Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Offering and the Company’s business as currently conducted are accurate, correct and complete in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.

 

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2.4.5. No Other Distribution of Offering Materials. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the Offering other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and other materials, if any, permitted under the Securities Act and consistent with Section 3.2 below.

2.5 Changes After Dates in Registration Statement.

2.5.1. No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material adverse change (including in the financial position or results of operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries), nor any change or development in the business of the Company which, singularly or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to involve a material adverse change in or affecting the business, general affairs, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, business, assets, properties or prospects of the Company and any Subsidiary, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company or its Subsidiaries, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) no officer (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) of the Exchange Act) or director of the Company or its Subsidiaries has resigned from any position with the Company; and (iv) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has sustained any material loss or interference with its business or properties from fire, explosion, flood, earthquake, hurricane, accident or other calamity. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Firm Securities contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least one (1) Trading Day (as defined below) prior to the date that this representation is made.

2.5.2. Recent Securities Transactions, etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities, other than (x) grants under any stock compensation plan and (y) Common Stock issued upon the exercise or conversion of then outstanding options, warrants and/or convertible securities, or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.

2.6 Independent Accountants. BDO USA, P.A. (the “Auditor”), who has certified the financial statements of the Company that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”). The Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.

2.7 Financial Statements, etc. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present in all materials respects the financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by GAAP); and the supporting schedules incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. Except as included or otherwise incorporated by reference therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information and the related notes, if any, included in or otherwise incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been properly compiled and prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and present fairly the information shown therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the

 

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adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in or otherwise incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the date of the latest financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (a) neither the Company nor any of its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including each entity disclosed or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being a subsidiary of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock, (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or, other than in the course of business, any grants under any stock compensation plan, and (d) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt.

2.8 Authorized Capital; Options, etc. The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted stock capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date, as applicable, there will be no stock options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued shares of Common Stock of the Company or any security convertible or exercisable into shares of Common Stock of the Company, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.

2.9 Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.

2.9.1. Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission or similar rights with respect thereto or put rights, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or rights of participation of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The authorized shares of Common Stock conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such securities, exempt from such registration requirements.

2.9.2. Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Firm Securities and the Representatives’ Securities have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Firm Securities and Representatives’ Securities are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Firm Securities and Representatives’ Securities has been duly and validly taken. The shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants, the Warrants and the Representatives’ Warrant (the “Underlying Shares”) have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and when paid for and issued in accordance with the Pre-Funded Warrant, the Warrant and the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement, as the case may be, such Underlying Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and the holders thereof

 

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are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders and such shares of Common Stock are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The Firm Securities and Representatives’ Securities conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. All corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Pre-Funded Warrant, the Warrant and the Representatives’ Warrant has been duly and validly taken.

2.10 Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Securities Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.

2.11 Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrant, the Warrant and the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

2.12 No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrant, the Warrant, the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement and all ancillary documents, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof, as the case may be, do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in a material breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a material default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge, or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument, to which the Company is a party; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (as the same may be further amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”) or the Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) of the Company or the charter, bylaws or other organizational documents of its Subsidiaries; or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof, except in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above for any such violation which would not reasonably be expected to result in, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change.

2.13 No Defaults; Violations. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is (i) in violation of its charter, bylaws, or other organizational documents, (ii) in material default under, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under or result in the creation or imposition of any lien upon any property or assets of the Company or such Subsidiary pursuant to any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, lease, loan or credit agreement, or other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets, or (iii) in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment or decree, write, decree or order of any court or judicial, regulatory or other legal or Governmental Entity except for any such violation that would not reasonably be expected to result in, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change.

2.14 Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.

2.14.1. Conduct of Business. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to have any such authorization, approval,

 

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order, license, certificate or permit would not have or reasonably be expected to result in, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change.

2.14.2. Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrant, the Warrant, the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement and all ancillary documents and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof and thereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency or other body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Firm Securities or Representatives’ Securities and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrant, the Warrant Agreement and the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except (i) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings, registrations or qualifications that have already been obtained or made and (ii) with respect to applicable federal and state securities laws, the rules and regulations of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

2.15 D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers immediately prior to the Offering (the “Insiders”) as supplemented by all information concerning the Company’s directors, officers and principal stockholders as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as well as in the Lock-Up Agreement (as defined in Section 2.24 below), provided to the Underwriters, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become materially inaccurate and incorrect.

2.16 Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or any Subsidiary, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or in connection with the Company’s listing application for the listing of the Firm Securities on the Exchange, or which adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrant, the Warrant, the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement or the Firm Securities.

2.17 Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of its state of organization as of the date hereof, and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, singularly or in the aggregate, would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

2.18 Insurance. The Company and its Subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks which the Company believes are adequate, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage at least equal to $3,000,000 and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries have no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

2.19 Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.

2.19.1. Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Insider with respect to the sale of the Firm Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, its stockholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation as determined by FINRA.

2.19.2. Payments Within Twelve (12) Months. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such

 

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person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve (12) months prior to the date hereof, other than the payment to the Underwriters as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering.

2.19.3. Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates.

2.19.4. FINRA Affiliation. To the Company’s knowledge, there is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA). Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Firm Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.

2.20 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The Company’s accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”). None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality of any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding; (ii) if not given in the past, might reasonably been expected to have resulted in a Material Adverse Change; (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company; (iv) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA or any applicable non-U.S. anti-bribery statute or regulation; (v) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment; or (vi) received notice of any investigation, proceeding or inquiry by any Governmental Entity regarding any of the matters in clauses (i)-(v) above; and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s affiliates have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

2.21 Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries, is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory that currently is the subject or target of to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

2.22 Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

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2.23 Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to you or to Representative Counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

2.24 Lock-Up Agreements. Schedule 3 hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers and directors (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Representatives an executed Lock-Up Agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.

2.25 Subsidiaries. All Subsidiaries are duly organized and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization or incorporation, and each Subsidiary is qualified to do business and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s ownership and control of each Subsidiary is as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

2.26 Related Party Transactions.

2.26.1. Business Relationships. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person (within the scope of Item 404 of Regulation S-K) required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required.

2.26.2. No Unconsolidated Entities. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity that would reasonably be expected to materially affect the Company’s Subsidiaries’ liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources required to be described in or otherwise incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described or incorporated by reference as required.

2.26.3. No Loans or Advances to Affiliates. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company or its Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of (i) any of the officers or directors of the Company or its Subsidiaries, (ii) any other affiliates of the Company or (iii) any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, which are, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

2.27 FDA. As to each product subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) that is manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold, and/or marketed by the Company (each such product, a “FDA Product”), such FDA Product is being manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold and/or marketed by the Company in compliance with all applicable requirements under FDCA and similar laws, rules and regulations relating to registration, investigational use, premarket clearance, licensure, or application approval, good manufacturing practices, good laboratory practices, good clinical practices, product listing, quotas, labeling, advertising, record keeping and filing of reports, except where the failure to be in compliance would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. There is no pending, completed or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, action (including any lawsuit, arbitration, or legal or administrative or regulatory proceeding, charge, complaint, or investigation) against the Company, and the Company has not received any notice, warning letter or other communication from the FDA or any other Governmental Entity, which (i) contests the premarket clearance, licensure, registration, or approval of, the uses of, the distribution of, the manufacturing or packaging of, the testing of, the sale of, or the labeling and promotion of any FDA Product, (ii) withdraws its approval of, requests the recall, suspension, or seizure of, or withdraws or orders the withdrawal of advertising or sales promotional materials relating to, any FDA Product, (iii) imposes a clinical hold on any clinical investigation by the Company, (iv) enjoins production at any facility of the Company, (v) enters or proposes to enter into a consent decree of permanent

 

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injunction with the Company, or (vi) otherwise alleges any violation of any laws, rules or regulations by the Company, and which, either individually or in the aggregate, would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The properties, business and operations of the Company have been and are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the FDA. The Company has not been informed by the FDA that the FDA will prohibit the marketing, sale, license or use in the United States of any product proposed to be developed, produced or marketed by the Company nor has the FDA expressed any concern as to approving or clearing for marketing any product being developed or proposed to be developed by the Company.

2.28 Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance.

2.28.1. Disclosure Controls. The Company has developed and currently maintains disclosure controls and procedures that will comply with Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations, and such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material information concerning the Company will be made known on a timely basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the Company’s Exchange Act filings and other public disclosure documents.

2.28.2. Compliance. The Company is, or at the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and taken reasonable steps to ensure the Company’s future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the material provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

2.29 Accounting Controls. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) in its internal controls. The Auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are known to the Company’s management and that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud known to the Company’s management, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

2.30 No Investment Company Status. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

2.31 No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent.

2.32 Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) reasonably necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently carried on and

 

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as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries reasonably necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property Rights of others which would reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such infringement, fee or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change: (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (B) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (C) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (D) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (E) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company and would reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to the Company which has not been patented has been kept confidential. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described therein. The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence. None of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons, where such violation would reasonably be expected to be a Material Adverse Change.

2.33 Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective Subsidiary, except (i) such taxes the Company or a Subsidiary is challenging in good faith and (ii) would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Chane. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriters or as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, (i) no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its Subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its Subsidiaries. The term “taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts

 

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with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.

2.34 ERISA Compliance. The Company and its Subsidiaries, and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company, its Subsidiaries or its “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company or any Subsidiary is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, any Subsidiary or any of its ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, any Subsidiary or any of its ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). None of the Company, any Subsidiary nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any material liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, any Subsidiary or any of its ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

2.35 Compliance with Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change, the Company: (A) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to the Company, including, without limitation, all statutes, rules, or regulations relating to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product manufactured or distributed by the Company and, without limiting the foregoing, include (i) the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FDCA”), (ii) the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Environmental Protection Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act and Laws applicable to hazardous or regulated substances and radioactive or biologic materials, (iii) the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, (iv) the False Claims Act, (v) the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, (vi) the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, (vii) the criminal False Claims Law, (viii) the HIPAA as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act and (ix) licensing and certification laws covering any aspect of the business of the Company (“Applicable Laws”), except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (B) has not received any warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from any other governmental authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws and/or to carry on its business as now conducted (“Applicable Authorizations”); (C) possesses all material Application Authorizations and such Applicable Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Applicable Authorizations; (D) has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any Governmental Entity or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Applicable Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding nor, to the Company’s knowledge, has there been any material noncompliance with or violation of any Applicable Laws by the Company that could reasonably be expected to require the issuance of any such communication or result in an investigation, corrective action, or enforcement action by any Governmental Entity; (E) has not received notice that any Governmental Entity has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Applicable Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity has threatened or is considering such action; (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted or taken reasonably practicable steps to file, obtain, maintain or submit all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Applicable Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); and (G) has not, either voluntarily or involuntarily, initiated, conducted, or issued or caused to be initiated, conducted or issued, any recall, market withdrawal or replacement, safety alert,

 

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post-sale warning, “dear doctor” letter, or other notice or action relating to the alleged lack of safety or efficacy of any product or any alleged product defect or violation and, to the Company’s knowledge, no third party has initiated, conducted or intends to initiate any such notice or action.

2.36 Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company has timely filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, each as amended, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the twelve (12) months preceding the date hereof (“SEC Reports”). As of the respective dates they were filed (except if amended, updated or superseded by a filing made by the Company with the Commission prior to the Effective Date, then on the date of such filing), the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

2.37 Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Firm Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

2.38 Real Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real or personal property which are material to the business of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, claims and defects that do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

2.39 Clinical and Preclinical Studies. The studies, tests and preclinical and clinical trials conducted by or, to the Company’s knowledge, on behalf of the Company were and, if still ongoing, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to accepted professional scientific standards and all authorizations and applicable laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and any applicable rules, regulations and policies of the jurisdiction in which such trials and studies are being conducted; the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and trials contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are, to the Company’s knowledge, accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such studies, tests and trials; except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any studies, tests or trials, the results of which the Company believes reasonably call into question the study, test, or trial results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus when viewed in the context in which such results are described and the clinical state of development; and, except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not received any notices or correspondence from the FDA or any governmental entity requiring the termination or suspension of any studies, tests or preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company.

2.40 Loans to Directors or Officers. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company or its Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

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2.41 Smaller Reporting Company. As of the time of filing of the Registration Statement and as of the date of this Agreement, the Company was a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act Regulations.

2.42 Industry Data. The statistical and market-related data included in or otherwise incorporated by reference to each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.

2.43 Testing-the-Waters Communications; Electronic Road Show. The Company has not (i) engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the written consent of the Representatives and with entities that are “qualified institutional buyers” within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company confirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. Each Written Testing-the-Waters Communications did not, as of the Applicable Time, and at all times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities will not, include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict in any material respects with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus. Each Written Testing-the-Waters Communication did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to the Underwriters’ Information. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule 2-C hereto. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company has made available a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show in compliance with Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) of the Securities Act Regulations such that no filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h) of the Securities Act Regulations) is required in connection with the Offering.

2.44 Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the shares of Common Stock to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.

2.45 Environmental Laws. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably expect to result in a Material Adverse Change, the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all foreign, federal, state, local and foreign legally-binding rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and safety (to the extent relating to exposure to hazardous or toxic substances) or the environment which are applicable to their businesses (“Environmental Laws”). There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or upon any other property, in violation of any Environmental Law or which would, under any Environmental Law, give rise to any liability which would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change; and there has been no material disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances.

2.46 Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in either the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

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	3.	Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:

3.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company shall deliver to the Representatives, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives shall reasonably object in writing.

3.2 Federal Securities Laws.

3.2.1. Compliance. The Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Representatives promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed and when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective; (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Firm Securities and Representatives’ Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the Offering of the Firm Securities and Representatives’ Securities. The Company shall effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and shall take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

3.2.2. Continued Compliance. The Company shall comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Firm Securities as contemplated in this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrant, the Warrant and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Firm Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Firm Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of Representative Counsel or counsel for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representatives notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or Representative Counsel shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations within forty-eight (48) hours prior to the Applicable Time. The Company shall give the Representatives notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the Closing Date and will furnish the Representatives with copies of the related document(s) a reasonable amount of time prior to such

 

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proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or Representative Counsel shall reasonably object.

3.2.3. Exchange Act Registration. Until the later of (i) three (3) years from after the date of this Agreement and (ii) the expiration date of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants (or the date that all of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants have been exercised, if earlier), the Company shall use its best efforts to maintain the registration of the shares of Common Stock and the Underlying Shares under the Exchange Act. The Company shall not deregister the shares of Common Stock and the Underlying Shares under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent of the Representatives.

3.2.4. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it shall not make any offer relating to the Firm Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representatives shall be deemed to have consented to each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representatives. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Underwriters as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

3.2.5. Testing-the-Waters Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly notify the Representatives and shall promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

3.3 Delivery to the Underwriters of Registration Statements. The Company has delivered or made available or shall deliver or make available to the Representatives and Representative Counsel, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

3.4 Delivery to the Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Firm Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

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3.5 Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representatives. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus through and including the expiration date of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants (or the date that all of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants have been exercised, if earlier), and shall notify the Representatives immediately and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or, to the Company’s knowledge, the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Firm Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or, to the Company’s knowledge, the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3.5 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (b) in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.

3.6 [Reserved]

3.7 [Reserved].

3.8 [Reserved].

3.9 [Reserved].

3.10 Payment of Expenses

3.10.1. General Expenses Related to the Offering. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Firm Securities to be sold in the Offering with the Commission; (b) all Public Filing System filing fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of such Firm Securities on the Exchange and such other stock exchanges as the Company and the Representatives together determine, including any fees charged by the DTC for new securities; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to background checks of the Company’s officers and directors in an amount not to exceed $5,000 per person; (e) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of the Firm Securities under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate; (f) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Firm Securities under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate; (g) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including, without limitation, the Underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky Surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters, Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’ Questionnaire and Power of Attorney), Registration Statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Representatives may reasonably deem necessary; (h) the costs and expenses of a public relations firm; (i) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Firm Securities; (j) fees and expenses of the transfer agent for the Firm Securities; (k) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; (l) to the extent approved by the Company in writing, the costs associated with post-Closing advertising the Offering in the national editions of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times; (m) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; (n) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; and (o) the actual and accountable out-of-pocket fees and expenses of the Representative Counsel not to exceed $125,000. The Representatives may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters.

 

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3.10.2. Non-accountable Expenses. The Company further agrees that, in addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 3.10.1, on the Closing Date it shall pay to the Representatives, by deduction from the net proceeds of the Offering contemplated herein, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to three-quarters of one percent (0.75%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Firm Securities presuming exercise of any Pre-Funded Warrants issued, less any advance (as contemplated by Section 8.3 hereof), provided, however, that in the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8.3 hereof.

3.11 Application of Net Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

3.12 Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company shall make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first day of the fifteenth (15th) full calendar month following the date of this Agreement, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent registered public accounting firm unless required by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning after the date of this Agreement.

3.13 Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or stockholders (without the consent of the Representatives) has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Firm Securities.

3.14 Internal Controls. The Company shall continue to maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

3.15 [Reserved].

3.16 FINRA. The Company shall advise the Representatives (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) and Representative Counsel if it is or becomes aware that (i) any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company's securities or (iii) any beneficial owner of the Company's unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180 days immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).

3.17 No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and that none of the Underwriters or their affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

3.18 Company Lock-Up Agreements. Restriction on Sales of Securities. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not, for a period of ninety (90) days after the date of this Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, sell, issue, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any equity of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for equity of the Company; (ii) file or caused to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any equity of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for equity of the Company; or (iii) enter into any agreement or announce the intention to effect any of the actions described in clause (i) or (ii).

 

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The restrictions contained in this Section 3.18 shall not apply to (a) the Firm Securities and the Representatives’ Securities to be sold hereunder, (b) the adoption of an equity incentive plan and the grant of awards or equity pursuant to any equity incentive or employee stock purchase plan, and the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8; (c) the issuance of shares of common stock pursuant to the exercise or settlement of securities outstanding on the date hereof; and (d) the issuance of equity securities in connection with an acquisition, collaboration, licensing or a strategic relationship, which may include the sale of equity securities and the filing of a registration statement on Form S-4; provided that such recipients enter into a Lock-up Agreement.

3.19 [Reserved]

3.20 Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, if necessary, to qualify the Firm Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Firm Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

3.21 Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Firm Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Firm Securities as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act Regulations.

3.22 Sarbanes Oxley. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and Prospectus, the Company shall at all times comply with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes Oxley Act in effect from time to time.

3.23. Reservation of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has irrevocably reserved, and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all times, free of pre-emptive rights, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue the Underlying Shares.

4. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities, as provided herein, shall be subject to (i) the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date; (ii) the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company in all material respects of its obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following conditions:

4.1 Regulatory Matters.

4.1.1. Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement has become effective not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by you, and, at each of the Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A.

 

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4.1.2. FINRA Clearance. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.

4.1.3. Exchange Clearance. On the Closing Date, the Company’s shares of Common Stock, including the Firm Shares and Underlying Shares, shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange.

4.2 Company Counsel Matters.

4.2.1. Closing Date Opinion of Counsel. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, substantially in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Representatives.

4.2.2. [Reserved]

4.2.3. [Reserved]

4.2.4. Reliance. In rendering such opinions, such counsel may rely: (i) as to matters involving the application of laws other than the laws of the United States and/or jurisdictions in which they are admitted, to the extent such counsel deems proper and to the extent specified in such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives) of other counsel reasonably acceptable to the Representatives, familiar with the applicable laws; and (ii) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates or other written statements of officers of the Company and officers of departments of various jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the corporate existence or good standing of the Company, provided that copies of any such statements or certificates shall be delivered to Representative Counsel if requested. The opinion of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP and any opinion relied upon by Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP shall include a statement to the effect that it may be relied upon by Representative Counsel in its opinion delivered to the Underwriters.

4.3 Comfort Letters.

4.3.1. Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed you shall have received a comfort letter containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in or otherwise incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, addressed to the Representatives and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to you and to the Auditor, dated as of the date of this Agreement and to not have the Auditor cutoff date more than two (2) Business Days prior to the date of this Agreement.

4.3.2. Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Date the Representatives shall have received from the Auditor a letter, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the Auditor reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 4.3.1, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date.

4.4 Officers’ Certificates.

4.4.1. Officers’ Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated the Closing Date of its Chief Executive Officer, and its Chief Financial Officer stating on behalf of the Company and not in an individual capacity that (i) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, and the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus

 

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as of its date and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the Effective Date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (iii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date, the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties qualified as to materiality, which shall be true and correct in all respects and except for those representations and warranties which refer to facts existing at a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such date) and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date, and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included in or otherwise incorporated by reference to the Pricing Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, nor any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except as set forth in the Prospectus.

4.4.2. Secretary’s Certificate. At each of the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company dated the Closing Date, as the case may be, respectively, certifying on behalf of the Company and not in an individual capacity: (i) that each of the Charter and Bylaws is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.

4.4.3. Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate. At the time this Agreement is executed, and at the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received, if requested by the Representatives, a certificate of the Company signed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of the date of this Agreement, the Closing Date, certifying on behalf of the Company and not in an individual capacity as to the accuracy of certain financial information contained in or otherwise incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

4.5 No Material Changes. Prior to and on the Closing Date: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Change or development involving a prospective Material Adverse Change in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding would reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; (iv) no action shall have been taken and no law, statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any Governmental Entity which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Firm Securities or the Representatives’ Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company; (v) no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Firm Securities or Representatives’ Securities or result or potentially result in a Material Adverse Change; and (vi) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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4.6 Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of each of this Agreement, the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement, the Firm Securities, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

4.7 Delivery of Agreements.

4.7.1. Lock-Up Agreements. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements from each of the persons listed in Schedule 3 hereto.

4.7.2. Warrant Agreement. On or before the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives an executed copy of the Firm Warrants.

4.7.3. Pre-Funded Warrant Certificates. On or before the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives executed copies of the Pre-Funded Warrant, if any Pre-Funded Warrants are sold.

4.7.4. Representatives’ Warrant Agreement. On or before the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives executed copies of the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement.

4.8 Additional Documents. At the Closing Date, Representative Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling Representative Counsel evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Firm Securities and the Representatives’ Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and Representative Counsel.

 

	5.	Indemnification.

5.1 Indemnification of the Underwriters.

5.1.1. General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and each of its and their respective directors, officers, members, employees, representatives, partners, shareholders, affiliates, counsel, and agents and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries (a “Claim”), (i) arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (B) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (C) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Firm Securities and Representatives’ Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless

 

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such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information or (ii) otherwise arising in connection with or allegedly in connection with the Offering. The Company also agrees that it will reimburse each Underwriter Indemnified Party for all fees and expenses (including, but not limited to, any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) (collectively, the “Expenses”), and further agrees wherever and whenever possible to advance payment of Expenses as they are incurred by an Underwriter Indemnified Party in investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any Claim.

5.1.2. Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the approval of such Underwriter Indemnified Party) and payment of actual expenses if an Underwriter Indemnified Party requests that the Company do so. Such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company, and shall be advanced by the Company. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld). In addition, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriters, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action in respect of which advancement, reimbursement, indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes an unconditional release of each Underwriter Indemnified Party, acceptable to such Underwriter Indemnified Party, from all liabilities, expenses and claims arising out of such action for which indemnification or contribution may be sought and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Underwriter Indemnified Party.

5.2 Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the several Underwriters by the provisions of Section 5.1.2. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representatives of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Firm Securities or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication.

5.3 Contribution.

5.3.1. Contribution Rights. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 5.1 or 5.2 in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the Offering of the Firm Securities, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the

 

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relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the Offering of the Firm Securities purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the shares of the Common Stock purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 5.3.1 were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 5.3.1 shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 5.3.1, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.3.1 in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the Offering of the Firm Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

5.3.2. Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen (15) days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party (“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the failure to so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid fifteen (15) days, the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions contained in this Section 5.3.2 are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available. Each Underwriter’s obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5.3 are several and not joint.

 

	6.	Default by an Underwriter.

6.1 Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Securities. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default on its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Securities and if the number of the Firm Securities with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Securities that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Securities to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.

6.2 Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Securities. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 relates to more than 10% of the Firm Securities, you may in your discretion arrange for yourself or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Securities to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Securities, you do not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure

 

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another party or parties satisfactory to you to purchase said Firm Securities on such terms. In the event that neither you nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Securities to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will automatically be terminated by you or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3.10 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

6.3 Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Securities to which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Securities.

 

	7.	Additional Covenants.

7.1 Board Composition and Board Designations. The Company shall ensure that: (i) the qualifications of the persons serving as members of the Board of Directors and the overall composition of the Board comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, with the Exchange Act and with the listing rules of the Exchange or any other national securities exchange, as the case may be, in the event the Company seeks to have its Firm Securities listed on another exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system, and (ii) if applicable, at least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange.

 

	8.	Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination Thereof.

8.1 Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective when both the Company and the Representatives have executed the same and delivered counterparts of such signatures to the other party.

8.2 Termination. The Representatives shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in the reasonable opinion of the Representatives will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have declared war; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in the reasonable opinion of the Representatives, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Securities; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if the Representatives shall have become aware after the date hereof of a Material Adverse Change or a adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Representatives’ reasonable judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Firm Securities or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Firm Securities.

8.3 Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a default by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6.2 above, in the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall

 

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be obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable out-of-pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable (including the fees and disbursements of Representative Counsel) up to $125,000, and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters; provided, however, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Representatives will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).

8.4 Survival of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be in any way affected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.

8.5 Representations, Warranties, Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Firm Securities.

 

	9.	Miscellaneous.

9.1 Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed (registered or certified mail, return receipt requested), personally delivered or sent by e-mail and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered or e-mailed and confirmed or if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing.

If to the Representatives:

Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC

222 South Ninth Street, Suite 350

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention: Chris Jensen

E-mail: chris.jensen@craig-hallum.com

 

Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd.

521 Fifth Avenue, 12th Floor

New York, NY 10175
Attention: Luke Kottke

E-mail: lkottke@laidlawltd.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, NY 10112

Attn: Richard A. Friedman, Esq.

E-mail: rafriedman@sheppardmullin.com

 

If to the Company:

 

Evoke Pharma, Inc.

420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 370

Solana Beach, CA 92075

Attention: David A. Gonyer, Chief Executive Officer

 

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E-mail: dgonyer@evokepharma.com

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Latham & Watkins, LLP

12670 High Bluff Drive

San Diego, CA 92130

Attention: Matthew T. Bush, Esq.

E-Mail: matthew.bush@lw.com

9.2 Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that each Underwriter’s research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from its investment banking division and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriter’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the Offering that differ from the views of their investment banking division. The Company acknowledges that each Underwriter is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, rules and regulations, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the Company; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 9.2 shall relieve the Underwriter of any responsibility or liability it may otherwise bear in connection with activities in violation of applicable securities laws, rules or regulations.

9.3 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.

9.4 Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.

9.5 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, it is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that Section 5 of that certain engagement letter between the Company and the Representatives dated October 12, 2023, as amended November 28, 2023, shall remain in full force and effect but that all other provisions of such engagement letter are hereby terminated and superseded by this Agreement.

9.6 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representatives, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives, heirs and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from any of the Underwriters.

9.7 Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable

 

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attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

9.8 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.

9.9 Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.

[Signature Page Follows]
 

 

 

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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.

Very truly yours,

EVOKE PHARMA, INC.

By:_________________________________

Name:
Title:

Confirmed as of the date first written above mentioned, on behalf of itself and as Representatives of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto:

CRAIG-HALLUM CAPITAL GROUP LLC

By: _________________________________

Name:

Title:

LAIDLAW & COMPANY (UK) LTD.

By: _________________________________

Name:

Title:
 

 

 

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SCHEDULE 1
 

Underwriter	Total Number of Firm Common Units to be Purchased	Total Number of Firm PFW Units to be Purchased	Total Number of Series A Warrants to be Purchased	Total Number of Series B Warrants to be Purchased	Total Number of Series C Warrants to be Purchased
Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC
Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd.
TOTAL

 

 

 

 

 

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SCHEDULE 2-A
 

Pricing Information

Number of Firm Common Units: [ ]

Number of Firm Pre-Funded Units: [ ]

Number of Series A Warrants: [ ]

Number of Series B Warrants: [ ]

Number of Series C Warrants: [ ]

Public Offering Price per Firm Common Unit and accompanying Firm Warrants: $[ ]

Public Offering Price per Firm PFW Unit and accompanying Firm Warrants: $[ ]

Underwriting Discount per Firm Common Unit and accompanying Firm Warrants: $[ ]

Underwriting Discount per Firm PFW Units and accompanying Firm Warrants: $[ ]

Underwriting Non-accountable expense allowance per Firm Common Unit and accompanying Firm Warrants: $[ ]

Underwriting Non-accountable expense allowance per Firm PFW Units and accompany Firm Warrants: $[ ]

Proceeds to Company per Firm Common Unit and accompany Firm Warrants (before expenses): $[ ]

Proceeds to Company per Firm PFW Units and accompany Firm Warrants (before expenses): $[ ]
 

 

 

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SCHEDULE 2-B

Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses

[None.]
 

 

 

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SCHEDULE 2-C

Written Testing-the-Waters Communications

[None.]
 

 

 

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SCHEDULE 3

List of Lock-Up Parties

 

 

 

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EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Lock-Up Agreement
 

Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC

Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd.

As Representatives of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement referenced below

 

c/o Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC

222 South Ninth Street, Suite 350

Minneapolis, MN 55402

 

c/o Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd.

521 Fifth Avenue, 12th Floor

New York, NY 10175

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that

Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC and Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd. (together, the “Representatives”), propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Evoke Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) of securities, including shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) and warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock.

To induce the Representatives to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, the undersigned will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending ninety (90) days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement relating to the Public Offering (the “Lock-Up Period”), (1) offer for sale, contract to sell, sell, distribute, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”); (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise; (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any Lock-Up Securities; or (4) publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement relating to any Lock-Up Securities.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Representatives in connection with (a) transactions relating to Lock-Up Securities acquired in the Public Offering or in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering; provided that no filing pursuant to Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Lock-Up Securities acquired in such transactions; (b) transfers of Lock-Up Securities as a bona fide gift, by will or intestacy or to a family member or trust for the benefit of the undersigned or

 

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a family member (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “family member” means any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); (c) transfers of Lock-Up Securities to a charity or educational institution; (d) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity, (i) any transfers of Lock-Up Securities to another corporation, partnership or other business entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the undersigned or (ii) distributions of Lock-Up Securities to members, partners, stockholders, subsidiaries or affiliates (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned; (e) if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustee or beneficiary of the trust; provided that in the case of any transfer pursuant to the foregoing clauses (b), (c) (d) or (e), (i) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, and (ii) each transferee shall sign and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this lock-up agreement; and provided that in the case of any transfer pursuant to the foregoing clauses (d) or (e), no filing pursuant to Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made; (f) the receipt by the undersigned from the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the vesting of restricted stock awards or stock units or upon the exercise of options to purchase the Company’s shares of Common Stock issued under an equity incentive plan of the Company or an employment arrangement described in the Pricing Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) (the “Plan Shares”) or the transfer of shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into shares of Common Stock to the Company upon a vesting event of the Company’s securities or upon the exercise of options to purchase the Company’s securities, in each case on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis or to cover tax obligations of the undersigned in connection with such vesting or exercise, but only to the extent such right expires during the Lock-up Period, provided that if the undersigned is required to file a report pursuant to Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in such schedule or report to the effect that the purpose of such transfer was to cover tax withholding obligations of the undersigned in connection with such vesting or exercise and, provided further, that the Plan Shares shall be subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement; (g) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to agreements described in the Pricing Prospectus under which the Company has the option to repurchase such securities, a right of first refusal or such similar contractual arrangement with respect to the transfer of such securities, provided that if the undersigned is required to file a report pursuant to Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in such schedule or report describing the purpose of the transaction; (h) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Lock-Up Securities, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Lock-Up Securities during the Lock-Up Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such public announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Lock-Up Securities may be made under such plan during the Lock-Up Period; (i) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities that occurs by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement, provided that the transferee agrees to sign and deliver a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this lock-up agreement for the balance of the Lock-Up Period, and provided further, that any filing under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act that is required to be made during the Lock-Up Period as a result of such transfer shall include a statement that such transfer has occurred by operation of law; and (j) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to a bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of shares of Common Stock involving a change of control (as defined below) of the Company after the closing of the Public Offering and approved by the Company’s board of directors; provided that in the event that the tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the Lock-Up Securities owned by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this lock-up agreement. For purposes of clause (j) above, “change of control” shall mean the consummation of any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other similar transaction the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of a majority of total voting power of the voting stock of the Company. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with this lock-up agreement.

 

The undersigned agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement during the period from the date hereof to and including the expiration of the

 

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Lock-Up Period, the undersigned will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate any such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the Lock-Up Period (as may have been extended pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the undersigned agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed or “friends and family” securities that the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering; (ii) the Representatives agree that, at least three (3) business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Lock-Up Securities, the Representatives will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver; and (iii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two (2) business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representatives hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two (2) business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer of Lock-Up Securities not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this lock-up agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of such transfer.

 

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Representatives are relying upon this lock-up agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this lock-up agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

It is understood and agreed that, if (i) the Company notifies the Representatives that it does not intend to proceed with the proposed Public Offering, (ii) the Underwriting Agreement is not executed by February 9, 2024, or (iii) the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of shares of Common Stock to be sold thereunder, then this lock-up agreement shall be void and of no further force or effect.

 

Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Representatives.

 

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Very truly yours,

 

 

____________________________________

Name:

Address:

 

 

	-41-

 

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Exhibit 4.3

SERIES A COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

EVOKE PHARMA, INC.

Warrant Shares: _______	Initial Exercise Date: [●]
	Issue Date: [●]

THIS SERIES A COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, _____________ or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after [●] (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the five year anniversary of the Initial Exercise Date (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Evoke Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), up to ______ shares (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”). The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).

“Affiliate” means any Person directly or indirectly is controlled by, controlling or under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

“Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

“Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter‑in‑place”, “non‑essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.

“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or its subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

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“Registration Statement” means the Company’s registration statement on Form S‑1, as amended (File No. 333‑275443).

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“Trading Day” means any weekday on which the Trading Market is open for trading. If the Common Stock is not listed or admitted for trading, “Trading Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

“Trading Market” means the Nasdaq Capital Market and any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the New York Stock Exchange, OTCQB or OTCQX (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

“Transfer Agent” means Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, the current transfer agent of the Company, located at 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent Bid Price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

“Warrant Agent” means initially the Company, but upon ten (10) days’ notice to the Holder, the Company may appoint a new warrant agent. Any corporation into which the Company or any new warrant agent may be merged or any corporation resulting from any consolidation to which the Company or any new warrant agent shall be a party or any corporation to which the Company or any new warrant agent transfers substantially all of its corporate trust or shareholders services business shall be a successor warrant agent under this Warrant without any further act. Any such successor warrant agent shall promptly cause notice of its succession as warrant agent to be mailed (by first class mail, postage prepaid) to the Holder at the Holder’s last address as shown on the Warrant Register.

“Warrants” means this Warrant and the other Common Stock purchase warrants issued by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement, exclusive of the Pre‑Funded Warrants (as described in the Registration Statement).

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(A) =	as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (“Bloomberg”) as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;
(B) =	the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and
(X) =	the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c), except to the extent required by applicable law, rule or regulation.

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The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

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If to the Company:

Evoke Pharma, Inc.

420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 370

Solana Beach, CA

Attention: Matt D’Onofrio

Email: mdonofrio@evokepharma.com

If to the Holder, to its address or e-mail address set forth herein or on the books and records of the Company.

Or, in each of the above instances, to such other address or e-mail address as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party at least five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change.

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********************

(Signature Page Follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

EVOKE PHARMA, INC.

 

By:

Name:

Title:

 

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NOTICE OF EXERCISE

_______________________________

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

Name of Investing Entity:

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity:

Name of Authorized Signatory:

Title of Authorized Signatory:

Date:

 

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EXHIBIT B

ASSIGNMENT FORM

(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

Name:	_______________________________________
	(Please Print)
Address:	_______________________________________
	(Please Print)
Phone Number:	_______________________________________
Email Address:	_______________________________________
Dated: _______________ __, ______
Holder’s Signature:___________________
Holder’s Address:____________________

 

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Exhibit 4.4

SERIES B COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

EVOKE PHARMA, INC.

Warrant Shares: _______	Initial Exercise Date: [●]
	Issue Date: [●]

THIS SERIES B COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, _____________ or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after [●] (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the nine month anniversary of the Initial Exercise Date (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Evoke Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), up to ______ shares (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”). The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).

“Affiliate” means any Person directly or indirectly is controlled by, controlling or under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

“Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

“Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter‑in‑place”, “non‑essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.

“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or its subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

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“Registration Statement” means the Company’s registration statement on Form S‑1, as amended (File No. 333‑275443).

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“Trading Day” means any weekday on which the Trading Market is open for trading. If the Common Stock is not listed or admitted for trading, “Trading Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

“Trading Market” means the Nasdaq Capital Market and any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the New York Stock Exchange, OTCQB or OTCQX (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

“Transfer Agent” means Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, the current transfer agent of the Company, located at 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent Bid Price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

“Warrant Agent” means initially the Company, but upon ten (10) days’ notice to the Holder, the Company may appoint a new warrant agent. Any corporation into which the Company or any new warrant agent may be merged or any corporation resulting from any consolidation to which the Company or any new warrant agent shall be a party or any corporation to which the Company or any new warrant agent transfers substantially all of its corporate trust or shareholders services business shall be a successor warrant agent under this Warrant without any further act. Any such successor warrant agent shall promptly cause notice of its succession as warrant agent to be mailed (by first class mail, postage prepaid) to the Holder at the Holder’s last address as shown on the Warrant Register.

“Warrants” means this Warrant and the other Common Stock purchase warrants issued by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement, exclusive of the Pre‑Funded Warrants (as described in the Registration Statement).

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Cashless Exercise. This Warrant may only be exercised for cash and cannot be exercised, in whole or in part, by means of a “cashless exercise.” All further references to “cashless exercise” set forth this in this Warrant shall be disregarded.

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The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

10

 

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Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

If to the Company:

Evoke Pharma, Inc.

420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 370

Solana Beach, CA

Attention: Matt D’Onofrio

11

 

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Email: mdonofrio@evokepharma.com

If to the Holder, to its address or e-mail address set forth herein or on the books and records of the Company.

Or, in each of the above instances, to such other address or e-mail address as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party at least five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change.

********************

(Signature Page Follows)

 

12

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

EVOKE PHARMA, INC.

 

By:

Name:

Title:

 

13

 

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NOTICE OF EXERCISE

_______________________________

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

Name of Investing Entity:

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity:

Name of Authorized Signatory:

Title of Authorized Signatory:

Date:

 

14

 

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EXHIBIT B

ASSIGNMENT FORM

(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

Name:	_______________________________________
	(Please Print)
Address:	_______________________________________
	(Please Print)
Phone Number:	_______________________________________
Email Address:	_______________________________________
Dated: _______________ __, ______
Holder’s Signature:___________________
Holder’s Address:____________________

 

15

 

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Exhibit 4.5

SERIES C COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

EVOKE PHARMA, INC.

Warrant Shares: _______	Initial Exercise Date: [●]
	Issue Date: [●]

THIS SERIES C COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, _____________ or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after [●] (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Termination Date (as defined below) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Evoke Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), up to ______ shares (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”); provided, however, the exercisability of this Series C Warrant shall vest ratably from time to time in proportion to the Holder’s (or its permitted assigns) exercise of the Series B Common Stock Purchase Warrant as compared with all Series B Common Stock Purchase Warrants issued to the Holder on the Initial Exercise Date (the “Vesting Schedule”). By way of example, if the Holder exercises all of its Series B Common Stock Purchase Warrants, all Warrants hereunder may be exercised by the Holder, if the Holder exercises half of the Series B Common Stock Purchase Warrants, only half of the Warrant Shares hereunder may be exercised by the Holder until such time that the Holder exercises additional Series B Common Stock Purchase Warrants. The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).

“Affiliate” means any Person directly or indirectly is controlled by, controlling or under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

“Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

“Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter‑in‑place”, “non‑essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.

“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or its subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

1

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

“Registration Statement” means the Company’s registration statement on Form S‑1, as amended (File No. 333‑275443).

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“Termination Date” means the nine month anniversary of the Initial Exercise Date, provided that to the extent and in proportion to a Holder exercising its corresponding Series B Common Stock Purchase Warrants, such Series C Common Stock Purchase Warrant will expire five years from the Initial Exercise Date.

“Trading Day” means any weekday on which the Trading Market is open for trading. If the Common Stock is not listed or admitted for trading, “Trading Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

“Trading Market” means the Nasdaq Capital Market and any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the New York Stock Exchange, OTCQB or OTCQX (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

“Transfer Agent” means Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, the current transfer agent of the Company, located at 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent Bid Price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

“Warrant Agent” means initially the Company, but upon ten (10) days’ notice to the Holder, the Company may appoint a new warrant agent. Any corporation into which the Company or any new warrant agent may be merged or any corporation resulting from any consolidation to which the Company or any new warrant agent shall be a party or any corporation to which the Company or any new warrant agent transfers substantially all of its corporate trust or shareholders services business shall be a successor warrant agent under this Warrant without any further act. Any such successor warrant agent shall promptly cause notice of its succession as warrant agent to be mailed (by first class mail, postage prepaid) to the Holder at the Holder’s last address as shown on the Warrant Register.

“Warrants” means this Warrant and the other Common Stock purchase warrants issued by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement, exclusive of the Pre‑Funded Warrants (as described in the Registration Statement).

2

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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(A) =	as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (“Bloomberg”) as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;
(B) =	the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and

3

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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(X) =	the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c), except to the extent required by applicable law, rule or regulation.

4

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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5

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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6

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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7

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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8

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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9

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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10

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

11

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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If to the Company:

Evoke Pharma, Inc.

420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 370

Solana Beach, CA

Attention: Matt D’Onofrio

Email: mdonofrio@evokepharma.com

If to the Holder, to its address or e-mail address set forth herein or on the books and records of the Company.

Or, in each of the above instances, to such other address or e-mail address as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party at least five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change.

12

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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********************

(Signature Page Follows)

 

13

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

EVOKE PHARMA, INC.

 

By:

Name:

Title:

 

14

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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NOTICE OF EXERCISE

_______________________________

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

Name of Investing Entity:

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity:

Name of Authorized Signatory:

Title of Authorized Signatory:

Date:

 

15

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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EXHIBIT B

ASSIGNMENT FORM

(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

Name:	_______________________________________
	(Please Print)
Address:	_______________________________________
	(Please Print)
Phone Number:	_______________________________________
Email Address:	_______________________________________
Dated: _______________ __, ______
Holder’s Signature:___________________
Holder’s Address:____________________

 

16

|US-DOCS147622068.2||

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12670 High Bluff Drive

San Diego, California 92130

Tel: +1.858.523.5400 Fax: +1.858.523.5450

www.lw.com

FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES

Austin Milan

Beijing Munich

Boston New York

Brussels Orange County

Century City Paris

Chicago Riyadh

Dubai San Diego

Düsseldorf San Francisco

Frankfurt Seoul

Hamburg Silicon Valley

Hong Kong Singapore

Houston Tel Aviv

London Tokyo

Los Angeles Washington, D.C.

Madrid

 

 

 

January 10, 2024

 

 

 

 

Evoke Pharma, Inc.

420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 370

Solana Beach, California

 

 

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-275443); 33,332,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share

To the addressee set forth above:

 

|US-DOCS147625826.2||

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January 10, 2024 Page 2

 

We have acted as special counsel to Evoke Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the proposed issuance of (i) up to 8,333,000 shares (the “Shares”) of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), (ii) pre-funded warrants (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”) to purchase up to 8,333,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrant Shares”), (iii) Series A Warrants (the “Series A Warrants”) to purchase up to 8,333,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Series A Warrant Shares”), (iv) Series B Warrants (the “Series B Warrants”) to purchase up to 8,333,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Series B Warrant Shares”), and (v) Series C Warrants (the “Series C Warrants,” and together with the Pre-Funded Warrants, Series A Warrants and Series B Warrants, the “Warrants”) to purchase up to 8,333,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Series C Warrant Shares,” and together with the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares, Series A Warrant Shares and Series B Warrant Shares, the “Warrant Shares”). The Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares are included in a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on November 9, 2023 (Registration No. 333-275443) (as amended, the “Registration Statement”). The terms “Shares,” “Warrants” and “Warrant Shares” shall include any additional securities registered by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act in connection with the offering contemplated by the Registration Statement. This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related prospectus (the “Prospectus”), other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issue of the Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares.

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the internal laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof:

 

|US-DOCS147625826.2||

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January 10, 2024 Page 3

 

In rendering the foregoing opinions, we have assumed that (i) the Company will comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and (ii) upon the issue of any of the Warrant Shares, the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and by the board of directors of the Company in connection with the offering contemplated by the Registration Statement.

With your consent, we have assumed that the status of the Warrants as legally valid and binding obligations of the Company is not affected by any (i) breaches of, or defaults under, agreements or instruments, (ii) violations of statutes, rules, regulations or court or governmental orders, or (iii) failures to obtain required consents, approvals or authorizations from, or make required registrations, declarations or filings with, governmental authorities.

 

Our opinions are subject to: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, preference, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) (a) the effect of general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief), (b) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and (c) the discretion of the court before which a proceeding is brought; and (iii) the invalidity under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy. We express no opinion as to (a) any provision for liquidated damages, default interest, late charges, monetary penalties, make whole premiums or other economic remedies to the extent such provisions are deemed to constitute a penalty; (b) consents to, or restrictions upon, governing law, jurisdiction, venue, arbitration, remedies, or judicial relief; (c) any provision requiring the payment of attorneys’ fees, where such payment is contrary to law or public policy; (d) other applicable exceptions; and (e) the severability, if invalid, of provisions to the foregoing effect.

 

|US-DOCS147625826.2||

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January 10, 2024 Page 4

 

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm contained in the Prospectus under the heading “Legal Matters.” We further consent to the incorporation by reference of this letter and consent into any registration statement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act with respect to the Shares and the Warrants. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

Sincerely,

 

/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP

 

|US-DOCS147625826.2||

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Exhibit 23.1

Exhibit 23.1

 

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Evoke Pharma, Inc.

Solana Beach, California

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting a part of this Registration Statement of our report dated March 21, 2023, relating to the financial statements of Evoke Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”) appearing in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. Our report contains an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

We also consent to the reference to us under the caption “Experts” in the Prospectus.

/s/ BDO USA, P.C.

San Diego, California

January 10, 2024

 

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Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
S-1
(Form Type)
Evoke Pharma, Inc
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities
	Security Type	Security Class Title	Fee Calculation or Carry Forward Rule	Amount Registered	Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit	Maximum Aggregate Offering Price (1)	Fee Rate	Amount of Registration Fee
Fees Previously Paid	Equity	Common Stock Units, each consisting of (A) one share of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, (B) one Series A Warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock, (C) one Series B Warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock and (D) one Series C Warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock, and PFW Units, each consisting of (A) one Pre-Funded Warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock, (B) one Series A Warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock, (C) one Series B Warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock and (D) one Series C Warrant to purchase one share of	457(o)			$7,500,000	0.0001476	$1,107.00

 

|US-DOCS147616044.1||

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		Common Stock (3)
	Equity	Common Stock included as part of the Common Stock Units	457(g)			—		(4)
	Equity	Pre-Funded Warrants to purchase Common Stock included as part of the PFW Units (3)	457(g)			—		(3)(4)
	Equity	Common Stock underlying Pre-Funded Warrants included in the PFW Units	457(g)			—		(4)
	Equity	Series A Warrants to purchase Common Stock included as part of the Units and PFW Units	457(g)			—		(4)
	Equity	Series B Warrants to purchase Common Stock included as part of the Units and PFW Units	457(g)			—		(4)
	Equity	Series C Warrants to purchase Common Stock included as part of the Units and PFW Units	457(g)			—		(4)
Fees Previously Paid	Equity	Common Stock underlying the Series A Warrants to purchase Common Stock included in the Common Stock Units and PFW Units	457(o)			$7,500,000	0.0001476	$1,107.00
Fees Previously Paid	Equity	Common Stock underlying the Series B Warrants to purchase	457(o)			$7,500,000	0.0001476	$1,107.00

 

|US-DOCS147616044.1||

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		Common Stock included in the Common Stock Units and PFW Units
Fees Previously Paid	Equity	Common Stock underlying the Series C Warrants to purchase Common Stock included in the Common Stock Units and PFW Units	457(o)			$7,500,000	0.0001476	$1,107.00
	—	—	—	—	—	—		—
	—	—	—	—		—
	Total Offering Amounts					$30,000,000	0.0001476	$4,428.00
	Total Fees Previously Paid							$5,092.20
	Total Fee Offsets							—
	Net Fee Due							$0.00
(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
(2) Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act, this registration statement shall also cover any additional shares of the registrant’s securities that become issuable by reason of any share splits, share dividends or similar transactions.
(3) The proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the Common Stock Units will be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis based on the offering price of any PFW Units issued in the offering, and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the Pre-Funded Warrants to be issued in the offering will be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis based on the offering price of any Common Stock issued in the offering. Accordingly, the proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the Common Stock Units together with the PFW Units (including the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants), if any, is $7,500,000. (4) No separate registration fee is payable pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act.

 

|US-DOCS147616044.1||

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