Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)

Registration No. 333- 230762

 

The information in this prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This prospectus supplement is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where their offer or sale is not permitted.

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JULY 16, 2019

(To the Prospectus dated April 17, 2019)

 

______ American Depositary Shares

Representing _______ Ordinary Shares

 

 

 

IMMURON LIMITED

We are offering ________ American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each representing 40 ordinary shares, no par value (“ordinary shares”), pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

ADSs representing our ordinary shares and warrants to purchase ADSs (“ADS Warrants”) are listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols “IMRN” and “IMRNW,” respectively. On July 15, 2019, the last reported price of the ADSs and ADS Warrants on The Nasdaq Capital Market was $2.93 per ADS and $1.99 per ADS Warrant, respectively.

 

Our ordinary shares are currently listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”) under the symbol “IMC”. On July 16, 2019, the last reported price of our ordinary shares on the ASX was A$0.145 per ordinary share.

 

The aggregate market value of our outstanding ordinary shares held by non-affiliates as of the date of this prospectus supplement was approximately $______, based on 163,215,706 ordinary shares outstanding as of the date of this prospectus supplement, of which ____ were held by non-affiliates, and a price per ordinary share of A$0.19 based on the closing sale price of our ordinary shares on the ASX on May 23, 2019. During the 12 calendar month period that ends on, and includes, the date of this prospectus supplement, we have sold securities with an aggregate market value of $2,000,000 pursuant to General Instruction I.B.5 of Form F-3. . In no event will we sell our ordinary shares in a primary public offering with a value exceeding one-third of our public float in any 12 calendar month period so long as our public float remains below $75.0 million.

 

Investing in the ADSs involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-3 of this prospectus for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in these securities.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

      Per ADS       Total  
Public offering price   $           $         
Underwriter discounts and commissions (1)   $       $    
Proceeds to us, before expenses   $       $    

 

(1) Underwriting discounts and commissions do not include a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the gross proceeds of this offering payable to ThinkEquity, a division of Fordham Financial Management, Inc., the representative of the underwriters. We refer you to “Underwriting” beginning on page S-22 for additional information regarding underwriters’ compensation.

 

We have granted the representative of the underwriters an over-allotment option to purchase up to an additional _______ ADSs from us at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions, within 45 days from the date of this prospectus supplement to cover over-allotments, if any. If the representative of the underwriters exercises its over-allotment option in full, the total underwriting discounts and commissions payable will be $_______, and the total proceeds to us, before expenses, will be $___________.

 

We expect to deliver the ADSs to purchasers on or about _____, 2019.

 

ThinkEquity

a division of Fordham Financial Management, Inc.

 

The date of this prospectus supplement is ______, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Prospectus Supplement

 

  PAGE
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT S-ii
PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION S-ii
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS S-iii
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY S-1
RISK FACTORS S-3
USE OF PROCEEDS S-4
DIVIDEND POLICY S-5
CAPITALIZATION S-5
DILUTION S-6
MANAGEMENT S-7
DESCRIPTION OF THE SECURITIES WE ARE OFFERING S-9
TAXATION S-15
UNDERWRITING S-22
LEGAL MATTERS S-26
EXPERTS S-26
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION S-26
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE S-26

 

Prospectus

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS 1
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS 3
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY 4
RISK FACTORS 4
CAPITALIZATION AND INDEBTEDNESS 5
USE OF PROCEEDS 5
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL AND CONSTITUTION 5
DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES 11
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERENCE SHARES 18
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS 19
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS 20
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION 20
TAXATION 24
EXPENSES 24
LEGAL MATTERS 24
EXPERTS 24
ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES 24
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE 25
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION 26

  

S- i

 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of this offering of ADSs and supplements information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information about us and the securities we may offer from time to time under our registration statement on Form F-3. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, and the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein, on the other hand, the information in this prospectus supplement shall prevail.

 

You should read both this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, together with additional information described below under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information,” before purchasing any of the ADSs. This prospectus supplement does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For a more complete understanding of the offering of the ADSs, you should refer to the registration statement, including the exhibits. You may access the registration statement, exhibits and other reports we file with the SEC on the SEC’s website. More information regarding how you can access this and other information is included under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” below.

 

The information in this prospectus supplement is accurate as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus supplement, and the information in any free writing prospectus that we may provide you in connection with this offering is accurate only as of the date of that free writing prospectus. Neither the delivery of this prospectus supplement nor the sale of any securities means that information contained in this prospectus supplement is correct after the date of this prospectus supplement or as of any other date. To the extent there is any conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement, provided that if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date, the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement. Any information incorporated by reference is only accurate as of the date of the document incorporated by reference.

 

Unless otherwise indicated or the context implies otherwise:

 

“ADSs” refers to American depositary shares, each of which represents forty (40) ordinary shares;

 

“ASX” refers to the Australian Securities Exchange, where our ordinary shares are listed;

 

“A$” or “Australian dollars” refers to the legal currency of Australia;

 

“IFRS” refers to the International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IASB; and

 

“Immuron,” “we,” “us” or “our” refer to Immuron Limited, an Australian corporation, and its subsidiaries.

 

All references to “$”, “US$” and “U.S. dollar” in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus refer to United States dollars. Except as otherwise stated, all monetary amounts in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are presented in United States dollars. Unless otherwise indicated, the consolidated financial statements and related notes included, or incorporated by reference, in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have been prepared in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards and also comply with IFRS, which differs in certain significant respects from Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States. Our fiscal year ends on June 30 of each year. References to “fiscal 2018” mean the 12-month period ended June 30, 2018 and other fiscal years are referred to in a corresponding manner.

 

PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Our financial information is presented in Australian dollars. For the convenience of the reader, in this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated, translations from Australian dollars into U.S. dollars were made at the rate of A$1.00 to US$0.7046, which was exchange rate as quoted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on December 31, 2018.

 

We have made rounding adjustments to some of the figures included in this prospectus supplement. Accordingly, numerical figures shown as totals in some tables may not be an arithmetic aggregation of the figures that preceded them.

 

S- ii

 

  

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference, contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this prospectus supplement and any accompanying prospectus , including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy, prospective products, product approvals, research and development costs, timing and likelihood of success, plans and objectives of management for future operations, and future results of current and anticipated products, are forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which 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. The words “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “objective,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “positioned,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our business and the industry in which we operate and management’s beliefs and assumptions, are not guarantees of future performance or development and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors.

 

Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements we make. As a result, any or all of our forward-looking statements in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may turn out to be inaccurate. We have included important factors in the cautionary statements included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, particularly in the sections of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus titled “Risk Factors,” that we believe could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that we make. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment in which new risks often emerge. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments we may make.

 

You should read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are made as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus supplement or such accompanying prospectus only, and we do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

 

S- iii

 

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY

 

This summary highlights information contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding to invest in our securities. You should read this entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus carefully, including the “Risk Factors” section contained in this prospectus supplement and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and the other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and in the accompanying prospectus.

 

We are a commercial and clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a proprietary technology platform focused on the development and commercialization of a novel class of specifically targeted polyclonal antibodies that we believe can address significant unmet medical needs. Our oral polyclonal antibodies offer delivery within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and essentially do not cross into the bloodstream, potentially leading to much improved safety and tolerability, without sacrificing efficacy. We believe that our two lead drug candidates, IMM-124E and IMM-529 currently in clinical development, have the potential to transform the existing medical care paradigms for travelers’ diarrhea, and for  C. difficile  infections, respectively.

 

We currently market our flagship commercial product Travelan ® in Australia, where it is a listed medicine on the Australian Register for Therapeutic Goods, as an over-the-counter product indicated to reduce the risk of travelers’ diarrhea. We also market Travelan ® in Canada where it is licensed as a natural health product indicated to reduce the risk of travelers’ diarrhea, and presently market Travelan ® in the U.S. as a dietary supplement for digestive tract protection.

  

On July 16, 2019, we announced sales results for the year ended 30 June 2019 (‘FY19’) for our commercially available products, including Travelan®. Travelan® sales experienced considerable growth in North America in FY19 as revenue increased by 52%, and reached $1.16M* AUD. In the USA, Travelan® FY19 revenue exceeded the $1M milestone for the first time, as sales grew by 32% YoY to $1.02M* AUD. Global Immuron revenue expanded by +29% YoY in FY19, reaching $2.6M* AUD.

 

The data presented above reflects our preliminary estimates based solely upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus supplement, and is not a comprehensive statement of our financial results or position as of June 30, 2019. Such results are subject to the completion of our closing procedures. You should not place undue reliance upon our preliminary estimates. For example, during the course of the preparation of our financial statements and related notes for the year ended June 30, 2019, additional items that would require material adjustments to be made to the preliminary estimated financial information presented above may be identified. There can be no assurance that these estimates will be realized, and estimates are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are not within our control.

 

We believe that IMM-124E (which contains the same active pharmaceutical ingredient as Travelan ® ) has great potential in preventing travelers’ diarrhea, and we are accordingly planning to focus clinical development of this drug candidate through an FDA 505(b)(2) pathway to an approval specifically for prevention of travelers’ diarrhea. IMM-124E is also in two NIH sponsored Phase 2 clinical trials to treat alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), respectively. The ASH trial has completed enrollment, and release of top-line data by the NIH is expected sometime in the third quarter of 2019.

 

We are also looking to refocus the present ex-U.S. clinical program for IMM-529 which is presently evaluating IMM-529 in  C. difficile patients to specifically evaluate patients with recurrent  C. difficile  infections where present-day standard-of-care antibiotics typically lead to considerable rates of recurrence. To do this, we plan to file an IND with FDA in 2020 for clinical development of IMM-529 specifically to treat patients with recurrent  C. difficile , currently an unmet medical need.

 

Corporate Information

 

Immuron Limited was incorporated under the laws of Australia in 1994 and has been listed on the ASX since April 30, 1999. Our principal executive office is located at Level 3, 62 Lygon Street, Carlton South, Victoria, Australia 3053 and our telephone number is +61 (0)3 9824 5254. Our website address is www.immuron.com. Information on our website and the websites linked to it do not constitute a part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Our agent for service of process in the United States is Puglisi & Associates, 850 Library Avenue, Suite 204, Newark, DE 19711.

 

S- 1

 

 

THE OFFERING

 

     
ADSs offered by us   ________ ADSs
     
Ordinary shares to be outstanding immediately after this offering   __________ ordinary shares (including ordinary shares represented by ADSs) (1)
     
ADSs   Each ADS represents 40 ordinary shares. The depositary (as identified below) is the holder of the ordinary shares underlying the ADSs and ADS holders have the rights provided in the deposit agreement among us, the depositary and holders and beneficial owners of ADSs from time to time. To better understand the terms of the ADSs, please see “Description of the Securities We Are Offering.”
     
Depositary   The Bank of New York Mellon
     
Use of proceeds   We currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities under this prospectus supplement to support a variety of non-clinical activities, including animal toxicology studies, manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredient, development of supporting analytical assays and regulatory activities in connection with the development of our two clinical candidates, IMM-124E and IMM-529. In addition, we expect to use a portion of the net proceeds for our anticipated clinical trial with IMM-124E to prevent travelers’ diarrhea and working capital. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds from this offering to in-license, acquire or invest in complementary businesses, technologies, products or assets. However, we have no current commitments or obligations to do so. See “Use of Proceeds”.
     
Risk factors   See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-3 of this prospectus supplement and other information included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before investing in our securities.
     
Nasdaq Capital Market Symbol   ADSs and ADS Warrants are listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols “IMRN” and “IMRNW,” respectively.

 

(1) The number of shares of ordinary shares outstanding after this offering is based on 163,215,706 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares represented by ADSs) outstanding as of June 30, 2019, and excludes:

 

  an aggregate of 44,823,800 ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of options at exercise prices of between $0.21 and $1.37 per ordinary share; and

 

  27,760,000 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of warrants at an exercise price of $0.176 per ordinary share.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, this prospectus supplement reflects and assumes the following:

 

  no exercise of the representative of the underwriters’ over-allotment option; and

 

  no exercise of the Underwriter’s Warrants;

 

S- 2

 

 

RISK FACTORS

 

An investment in the ADSs involves a high degree of risk. Prior to making a decision about investing in these securities, you should carefully consider the specific risks, uncertainties and assumptions discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F  for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018, all of which are incorporated herein by reference, and may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file with the SEC in the future. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks which cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities.

 

Risks Related to the Offering

 

We will have broad discretion in how we use the proceeds, and we may use the proceeds in ways with which you and other shareholders may disagree.

 

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to support a variety of non-clinical activities, including animal toxicology studies, manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredient, development of supporting analytical assays and regulatory activities in connection with the development of our two clinical candidates, IMM-124E and IMM-529. In addition, we expect to use a portion of the net proceeds for our anticipated clinical trial with IMM-124E to prevent travelers’ diarrhea and working capital. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds from this offering to in-license, acquire or invest in complementary businesses, technologies, products or assets. However, we have no current commitments or obligations to do so. Pending these uses, our management will have broad discretion in the application of the proceeds from this offering and could spend the proceeds in ways that do not necessarily improve our operating results or enhance the value of our ordinary shares.

 

We will need to raise additional capital to meet our business requirements in the future, which is likely to be challenging, could be highly dilutive and may cause the market price of our securities to decline.

 

In order to meet our business objectives, we will need to raise additional capital, which may not be available on reasonable terms, or at all. We anticipate that, if we raise such additional capital, we will use such additional capital to accomplish the following:

 

finance our current operating expenses;

 

finance our clinical trials;

 

pursue growth opportunities;

 

hire and retain qualified management and key employees;

 

respond to competitive pressures;

 

comply with regulatory requirements; and

 

maintain compliance with applicable laws.

 

To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of such securities could result in substantial dilution for our current stockholders. The terms of any securities issued by us in future capital transactions may be more favorable to new investors, and may include preferences, superior voting rights and the issuance of warrants or other derivative securities, which may have a further dilutive effect on the holders of any of our securities then-outstanding. We may issue additional ordinary shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for our ordinary shares in connection with hiring or retaining personnel, option or warrant exercises, future acquisitions or future placements of our securities for capital-raising or other business purposes. The issuance of additional securities, whether equity or debt, by us, or the possibility of such issuance, may cause the market price of our securities to decline and existing stockholders may not agree with our financing plans or the terms of such financings.

 

S- 3

 

 

Any additional debt or equity financing that we may need may not be available on terms favorable to us, or at all. If we are unable to obtain such additional financing on a timely basis, we may have to curtail or cease our business operations.

 

You will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value per share of the ADSs you purchase.

 

Since the offering price per share of the ADSs being offered is substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of ADSs, you will suffer substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of the ADSs you purchase in this offering. Based on the public offering price of $___ per ADS, if you purchase ADSs in this offering, you will suffer immediate and substantial dilution of approximately $____ per share ($___ per ADS) in the net tangible book value of the ADSs. See the section entitled “Dilution” on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement for a more detailed discussion of the dilution you will incur if you purchase ADSs in this offering.

 

If we are classified as a “passive foreign investment company,” then our U.S. shareholders could suffer adverse tax consequences as a result.

 

Generally, if, for any taxable year, at least 75% of our gross income is passive income (including our pro rata share of the gross income of our 25% or more owned corporate subsidiaries) or at least 50% of the average quarterly value of our gross assets (including our pro rata share of the gross assets of our 25% or more owned corporate subsidiaries) is attributable to assets that produce passive income or are held for the production of passive income, including cash, we would be characterized as a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For purposes of these tests, passive income includes dividends, interest, and gains from the sale or exchange of investment property and rents and royalties other than rents and royalties which are received from unrelated parties in connection with the active conduct of a trade or business. If we are characterized as a PFIC, a U.S. holder of our ordinary shares or the ADSs may suffer adverse tax consequences, including having gains recognized on the sale of our ordinary shares or ADSs treated as ordinary income, rather than capital gain, the loss of the preferential rate applicable to dividends received on our ordinary shares or the ADSs by individuals who are U.S. holders, and having interest charges added to their tax on distributions from us and on gains from the sale of our ordinary shares or the ADSs. See “Taxation.”

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

We estimate that the net proceeds to us from our issuance and sale of ADSs in this offering will be approximately $_____ million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

 

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to support a variety of non-clinical activities, including animal toxicology studies, manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredient, development of supporting analytical assays and regulatory activities in connection with the development of our two clinical candidates, IMM-124E and IMM-529. In addition, we expect to use a portion of the net proceeds for our anticipated clinical trial with IMM-124E to prevent travelers’ diarrhea and working capital. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds from this offering to in-license, acquire or invest in complementary businesses, technologies, products or assets. However, we have no current commitments or obligations to do so.

 

This expected use of our net proceeds from this offering represents our intentions based upon our current plans and business conditions, which could change in the future as our plans and business conditions evolve. The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures may vary significantly depending on numerous factors, including the progress of our commercialization effort, the progress of our product candidate development, the status of and results from clinical trials and any unforeseen cash needs.

 

S- 4

 

 

As a result, our management will retain broad discretion over the allocation of the net proceeds from this offering, and investors will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of the net proceeds from this offering. The timing and amount of our actual expenditures will be based on many factors, including cash flows from operations and the anticipated growth of our business. Pending these uses, we expect to invest the net proceeds in short-term, interest bearing obligations, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the United States. The goal with respect to the investment of these net proceeds is capital preservation and liquidity so that such funds are readily available to fund our operations.

 

DIVIDEND POLICY

 

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our ordinary shares. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to support our operations and to finance the growth and development of our business, and therefore do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our ordinary shares in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to declare cash dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors, subject to compliance with applicable laws and covenants under our credit facilities, which may restrict or limit our ability to pay dividends, and will depend on our financial condition, operating results, capital requirements, general business conditions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.

 

CAPITALIZATION

 

The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and our capitalization as of December 31, 2018 presented in U.S. dollars:

 

  on an actual basis; and

 

  on an as adjusted basis to give effect to the sale of ______ ADSs in this offering at a public offering price of $____ per ADS.

 

    As of December 31, 2018  
    Actual     As Adjusted  
    $     $  
Cash and cash equivalents     2,952,456                         
                 
Shareholders’ equity:                
Issued capital     41,178,623          
Reserves     1,942,390          
Accumulated losses     (38,064,556 )        
Total shareholders’ equity     5,056,097          
Total capitalization     5,056,097          

 

The table above excludes:

 

  an aggregate of 44,823,800 ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of options at exercise prices of between $0.21 and $1.37 per ordinary share; and

 

  27,760,000 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of warrants at an exercise price of $0.176 per ordinary share.

 

S- 5

 

 

DILUTION

 

If you purchase ADSs in this offering, your ownership interest in us will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per ADS you will pay in this offering and the pro forma net tangible book value per ADS after this offering.

 

Our historical net tangible book value as of December 31, 2018, was approximately $5.06 million, corresponding to a net tangible book value of $0.035 per ordinary share or $1.41 per ADS (using the ratio of 40 ordinary shares to one ADS), as of such date. We calculate our historical net tangible book value per share or per ADS by taking the amount of our total tangible assets, subtracting the amount of our total liabilities, and then dividing the difference by the actual total number of ordinary shares or ADSs outstanding, as applicable.

 

The as adjusted net tangible book value per share as of December 31, 2018 was $___ per ordinary share or $___ per ADS (using the ratio of 40 ordinary shares to one ADS). The as adjusted net tangible book value per share gives effect to the sale and issuance of the ADSs in this offering at an offering price of $____ per ADS, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.  

 

The as adjusted net tangible book value per share after the offering is calculated by dividing the net tangible book value of $____ million, by _____, which is equal to our as adjusted issued and outstanding ordinary shares. The difference between the public offering price and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share represents an immediate increase in the net tangible book value of $____ per ordinary share or $___ per ADS to existing shareholders and immediate dilution of $____ per share, or $____ per ADS to new investors purchasing the ADSs in this offering.

 

The following table illustrates this dilution on an ADS basis:

 

Public offering price per ADS           $    
                 
Actual net tangible book value per ADS as at December 31, 2018   $ 1.41          
                 
Increase in net tangible book value per ADS attributable to purchasers purchasing ADSs in this offering   $            
Net tangible book value per ADS, as adjusted to give effect to this offering           $    
Dilution per ADS to purchasers in this offering           $    

 

S- 6

 

 

MANAGEMENT

 

The following table sets forth the names and ages of all of our directors and executive officers. Our board of directors is currently comprised of seven members, who are elected annually to serve for one year or until their successor is duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal. Executive officers serve at the discretion of the board of directors and are appointed by the board of directors.

 

Name   Age   Position
Dr. Roger Aston   63   Non-Executive Chairman
Mr. Peter Anastasiou   58   Executive Vice Chairman
Mr. Daniel Pollock   58   Non-Executive Director
Mr. Stephen Anastasiou   61   Non-Executive Director
Prof. Ravi Savarirayan   52   Non-Executive Director
Mr. Richard J. Berman   76   Non-Executive Director
Gary S. Jacob, Ph.D.   72   Chief Executive Officer and Non-Executive Director
Dr. Jerry Kanellos, Ph.D.   57   Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Phillip Hains   59   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

 

Mr. Peter Anastasiou and Mr. Stephen Anastasiou are brothers. Other than such relationship, there are no family relationships among our directors and senior executives.  Peter Anastasiou is the Chairman of Grandlodge Capital Pty Ltd., one of our principal stockholders.

 

Roger Aston  has been a member of our board of directors and the board’s non-executive Chairman since March 2012. Dr. Aston is both a scientist and a seasoned biotechnology entrepreneur, with a successful track record in both fields, and brings to the board more than 20 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Aspects of his experience include FDA and EU product registration, clinical trials, global licensing agreements, fundraising through private placements, and a network of contacts within the pharmaceutical, banking and stock broking sectors. Dr. Aston has had extensive experience on boards of many biopharmaceutical companies including Directorships/Chairmanships with Clinuvel Limited (ASX:CUV), HalcyGen Limited (ASX:HGN), Ascent Pharma Health Limited (ASX:APH). Dr. Aston is currently the Executive Chairman of Pharmaust Ltd (ASX:PAA), Director and Chairman of Regeneus Limited (ASX:RGS) and ResApp Limited (ASX:RAP). During 2007 and 2008, Dr. Aston was a member of the AusIndustry Biological Committee advising the Industry Research and Development Board. More recently, Dr. Aston was Executive Chairman of Mayne Pharma Group from 2009 to 2011 and CEO of Mayne Pharma Group until 2012. Dr. Aston has also been a Director of IDT Limited (ASX:IDT), Cynata Limited (ASX:CYP), Calzada Limited (now Polynovo Limited), Director and Chairman of Oncosil Medical Limited (ASX:OSL), and Biolife Limited (now Imugene ASX:IMU).

 

Peter Anastasiou has been a member of our board of directors and our Executive Vice Chairman since May 2015. Mr. Anastasiou is an entrepreneur and investor with extensive experience in business both in Australia and overseas. Mr. Anastasiou was the founding Chairman of the ACSI Group of Companies, which has owned and managed successful consumer companies such as SABCO, Britex Carpet Care, Rug Doctor and Crystal Clear. Mr. Anastasiou also has a number of philanthropic interests including being a patron of the Identity Theatre for men, a prior board member and supporter of the Indigenous Eye Health Unit at Melbourne University, a supporter of the John Fawcett Foundation in Bali, and a founding investor and Director of Melbourne Victory Football Club.

 

Daniel Pollock  has been a member of our board of directors since October 2012. Mr. Pollock is a lawyer admitted in both Scotland and Australia and holding Practicing Certificates in both jurisdictions. He is a sole practitioner in his own legal firm based in Melbourne, Australia which operates internationally and specializes in commercial law. He is also Executive Director and co-owner of Great Accommodation P/L a property management business operating in Victoria.

 

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Stephen Anastasiou  has been a member of our board of directors since May 2013. Mr. Anastasiou has over 20 years’ experience in general management, marketing and strategic planning within the healthcare industry. His breadth of experience incorporates medical diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, hospital, dental and OTC products, with companies including the international pharmaceutical company Bristol - Myers Squibb. While working with KPMG Peat Marwick as a management consultant, Mr. Anastasiou led project teams in a diverse range of market development and strategic planning projects in both the public and private sector. He is also a director and shareholder of a number of unlisted private companies, covering a variety of industry sectors that include healthcare and funds management.

 

Professor Ravi Savarirayan  was appointed as a non-executive director of our board on April 7, 2017. He is a consultant clinical geneticist at the Victorian Clinical Genetics Services since August 1999, as well as Professor and Research Group Leader (Skeletal Biology and Disease) at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute since September 2000. Mr. Savarirayan is a founding member of the Skeletal Dysplasia Management Consortium since January 2011 and has been the Chair of the Specialist Advisory Committee in Clinical Genetics, Royal Australasian College of Physicians since February 2009. He was president of the International Skeletal Dysplasia Society from July 2009 to June 2011 and has been an invited member of several International Working Committees on Constitutional Diseases of Bone. Mr. Savarirayan’s primary research focus is on inherited disorders of the skeleton causing short stature, arthritis and osteoporosis. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles, collaborating with peers from over 30 countries, and has been on the editorial board of Human Mutation since January 2009, European Journal of Human Genetics since July 2007, American Journal of Medical Genetics since December 2011 and Journal of Medical Genetics since June 2005. Mr. Savarirayan received his MBBS from the University of Adelaide in 1990 and became a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in December 1997. He was certified as a specialist in clinical genetics from the Human Genetics Society of Australasia in 1998 and received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Melbourne in 2004, for his thesis “Clinical and Molecular Studies in the Osteochondrodysplasias.”

 

Mr. Richard J. Berman  was   appointed as a non-executive director effective July 1, 2018 Mr. Berman’s business career spans over 35 years of venture capital, senior management and merger & acquisitions experience. Mr. Berman is a well-respected and seasoned professional, senior executive and public company board member with extensive experience in many business sectors including finance, technology, retail, bio-science and real estate. In the last five years, Mr. Berman was employed under the following positions, director at Energy Smart Resources, Inc since2012, lead independent director of Cryoport, Inc. since2015, and independent director of Catasys, Inc since 2017. Mr. Berman is also a director of three public healthcare companies: Advaxis, Inc., Caladrius Biosciences, Inc., and Cryoport Inc. He has also served as a director or officer of more than a dozen public and private companies. In 2016, he joined the advisory Board of Medifirst while in 2014, he was elected Chairman of MetaStat Inc. From 2006-2011, he was Chairman of National Investment Managers, a company with $12 billion in pension administration assets. From 2002 to 2010, he was a director of Nexmed Inc where he also served as Chairman/CEO in 2008 and 2009 (now called Apricus Biosciences, Inc.). From 1998-2000, he was employed by Internet Commerce Corporation (now Easylink Services) as Chairman and CEO, and was a director from 1998 to 2012. Previously, Mr. Berman worked at Goldman Sachs; was Senior Vice President of Bankers Trust Company, where he started the M&A and Leveraged Buyout Departments; created the largest battery company in the world in the 1980’s by merging Prestolite, General Battery and Exide to form Exide Technologies (XIDE); helped to create what is now Soho (NYC) by developing five buildings; and advised on over $4 billion of M&A transactions in over 300 deals. He is a past Director of the Stern School of Business of NYU where he obtained his B.S. and MBA. degrees. He also has law degrees from Boston College and The Hague Academy of International Law, respectively.

 

Gary S. Jacob , Ph.D. has served as our Chief Executive Officer since November 2018 and a director since April 2019. From July 2008 until December 2017, Dr. Jacob was President and Chief Executive Officer of Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc., and he served as its Chairman from September 2013 to December 2017. He served as Executive Chairman from December 2017 until October 2018. On December 12, 2018, Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Dr. Jacob has been Chairman of ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. since May 2013. Dr. Jacob has been a director of Trovagene, Inc. since February 2009. Dr. Jacob served as Chief Executive Officer of Callisto Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from October 2004 until it was merged into Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. in January 2013. Prior to 1999, Dr. Jacob served as a Monsanto Science Fellow, specializing in the field of glycobiology, and from 1997 to 1998 was Director of Functional Genomics, Corporate Science & Technology, at Monsanto Company. Dr. Jacob earned a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Missouri, St. Louis, and holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The board believes Dr. Jacob’s broad management expertise in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries provides relevant experience in a variety of strategic and operational areas and qualifies him to serve as a director of our company.

 

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Dr. Jerry Kanellos, Ph.D.   has been our Chief Operating Officer since July 2015, and served as our Interim CEO from August 2017 until November 2018 and our Chief Scientific Officer from July 2015 to November 2018. In addition, since April 2018, Dr. Kanellos has served as a director of IMC Canada Limited. Dr. Kanellos has over twenty-five years’ experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, and has held leadership roles in executive management, business development, project management, intellectual property portfolio management research and development. From 2008 until 2012, Dr. Kanellos was the Chief Operating Officer of TransBio Limited where he was responsible for the strategic identification, development and maintenance of commercial partnerships globally, along with development, management and maintenance responsibility for the intellectual property portfolio, research and development and technology transfer. Prior to this, Dr. Kanellos worked for five years as a consultant to the biotechnology industry and provided development and commercialization strategies for various bodies including academic institutes, private and publicly listed companies and government departments both national and international. He has also been involved in the establishment and management of several startup biotechnology companies. During his ten year tenure in research and development at CSL Limited, a global specialty biotherapeutics company that develops and delivers innovative biotherapies, Dr. Kanellos gained considerable experience in the international drug development process, formulation development through to pharmaceutical scale up and cGMP manufacture successfully leading the Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) programs for the approval, manufacture and launch of several products. Dr. Kanellos holds a PhD degree in Medicine from the University of Melbourne.

 

Phillip Hains  has been our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary since April 2013. Mr. Hains is a Chartered Accountant and specialist in the public company environment. He has served the needs of a number of public company boards of directors and related committees. He has over 20 years’ experience in providing accounting, administration, compliance and general management services. He holds a Masters of Business Administration from RMIT and a Public Practice Certificate from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia.

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE SECURITIES WE ARE OFFERING

 

American Depositary Shares

 

The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, will register and deliver ADSs. Each ADS will represent 40 shares (or a right to receive 40 shares) deposited with HSBC Bank Australia, as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS will also represent any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary. The depositary’s office at which the ADSs will be administered and its principal executive office are located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286.

 

You may hold ADSs either (A) directly (i) by having an American Depositary Receipt, or ADR, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs, registered in your name, or (ii) by having ADSs registered in your name in the Direct Registration System, or DRS, or (B) indirectly by holding a security entitlement in ADSs through your broker or other financial institution. If you hold ADSs directly, you are a registered ADS holder, also referred to as an ADS holder. This description assumes you are an ADS holder. If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADS holders described in this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.

 

The DRS is a system administered by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, under which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership is confirmed by statements sent by the depositary to the registered holders of uncertificated ADSs.

 

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As an ADS holder, we will not treat you as one of our shareholders and you will not have shareholder rights. Australian law governs shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the shares underlying your ADSs. As a registered holder of ADSs, you will have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary, ADS holders and all other persons indirectly or beneficially holding ADSs sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. New York law governs the deposit agreement and the ADSs.

 

The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. Because it is a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of ADR which summarizes certain terms of your ADSs. You may also obtain a copy of the deposit agreement at the SEC’s Public Reference Room which is located at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-732-0330. You may also find the registration statement and the deposit agreement on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Dividends and Other Distributions

 

How will you receive dividends and other distributions on the shares?

 

The depositary has agreed to pay to ADS holders the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on shares or other deposited securities, after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of shares your ADSs represent.

 

Cash.  The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the shares into U.S. dollars, if it can do so on a reasonable basis and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or if any government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADS holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any interest.

 

Before making a distribution, any withholding taxes, or other governmental charges that must be paid will be deducted. The depository will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole cent. If the exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.

 

Shares.  The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will sell shares which would require it to deliver a fraction of an ADS (or ADSs representing those shares) and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs will also represent the new shares. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed shares sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution (or ADSs representing those shares).

 

Rights to purchase additional shares.  If we offer holders of our securities any rights to subscribe for additional shares or any other rights, the depositary may make these rights available to ADS holders. If the depositary decides it is not legal and practical to make the rights available but that it is practical to sell the rights, the depositary will use reasonable efforts to sell the rights and distribute the proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. The depositary will allow rights that are not distributed or sold to lapse. In that case, you will receive no value for them.

 

If the depositary makes rights available to ADS holders, it will exercise the rights and purchase the shares on your behalf. The depositary will then deposit the shares and deliver ADSs to the persons entitled to them. It will only exercise rights if you pay it the exercise price and any other charges the rights require you to pay together with the depositary’s fees and expenses.

 

U.S. securities laws may restrict transfers and cancellation of the ADSs represented by shares purchased upon exercise of rights. For example, you may not be able to trade these ADSs freely in the United States. In this case, the depositary may deliver restricted depositary shares that have the same terms as the ADSs described in this section except for changes needed to put the necessary restrictions in place.

 

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  Other Distributions.  The depositary will send to ADS holders anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary (i) may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds, in the same way as it does with cash or (ii) it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to ADS holders unless it receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed securities or property sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.

 

The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that you may not receive the distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to you.

 

Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation

 

How are ADSs issued?

 

The depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposits shares or evidence of rights to receive shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order of the person or persons that made the deposit.

 

How can ADS holders withdraw the deposited securities?

 

You may surrender your ADSs at the depositary’s office. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to the ADS holder or a person the ADS holder designates at the office of the custodian. However, at the request, risk and expense of the ADS holder, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its office, if feasible.

 

How do ADS holders interchange between certificated ADSs and uncertificated ADSs?

 

You may surrender your ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that ADR and will send to the ADS holder a statement confirming that the ADS holder is the registered holder of uncertificated ADSs. Alternatively, upon receipt by the depositary of a proper instruction from a registered holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs, the depositary will execute and deliver to the ADS holder an ADR evidencing those ADSs.

 

Voting Rights

 

How do you vote?

 

The depositary will notify ADS holders of shareholders’ meetings and arrange to deliver our voting materials to them if we ask it to. Those materials will describe the matters to be voted on and explain how ADS holders may instruct the depositary to vote. For instructions to be valid, they much reach the depositary by a date set by the depositary.

 

The depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to the laws of Australia and of our Constitution or similar documents, to vote or to have its agents vote the shares or other deposited securities as instructed by ADS holders. The depositary will only vote or attempt to vote as instructed. Accordingly, ADS holders must instruct the depositary how to vote the number of deposited shares their ADSs represent; otherwise, such holders will not be able to exercise their right to vote unless they withdraw their shares.

 

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We cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote your shares. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and there may be nothing you can do if your shares are not voted as you requested.

 

In order to give you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities, if we request the depositary to act, we agree to give the depositary notice of any such meeting and details concerning the matters to be voted upon at least 30 days in advance of the meeting date.

 

Fees and Expenses

 

Persons depositing or withdrawing shares or ADS holders must pay :   For :
     
$5.00 (or less) per 100 ADSs (or portion of 100 ADSs)   Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property and cancellation of ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal, including if the deposit agreement terminates
     
$0.05 (or less) per ADS   Any cash distribution to ADS holders
     
A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities distributed to you had been shares and the shares had been deposited for issuance of ADSs   Distribution of securities distributed to holders of deposited securities which are distributed by the depositary to ADS holders
     
$0.05 (or less) per ADS per calendar year   Depositary services
     
Registration or transfer fees   Transfer and registration of shares on our share register to or from the name of the depositary or its agent when you deposit or withdraw shares
     
Expenses of the depositary   Cable, telex and facsimile transmissions (when expressly provided in the deposit agreement)  and expenses of converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars
     
Taxes and other governmental charges the depositary or the custodian has to pay on any ADSs or shares underlying ADSs, such as  stock transfer taxes, stamp duty or withholding taxes   As necessary
     
Any charges incurred by the depositary or its agents for servicing the deposited securities   As necessary

 

The depositary collects its fees for delivery and surrender of ADSs directly from investors depositing shares or surrendering ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal or from intermediaries acting for them. The depositary collects fees for making distributions to investors by deducting those fees from the amounts distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property to pay the fees. The depositary may collect its annual fee for depositary services by deduction from cash dividends or other cash distributions or by directly billing investors or by charging the book-entry system accounts of participants acting for them. The depositary may collect any of its fees by deduction from any cash distribution payable to ADS holders that are obligated to pay those fees.

 

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From time to time, the depositary may make payments to us to reimburse us for costs and expenses generally arising out of establishment and maintenance of the ADS program, waive fees and expenses for services provided to us by the depositary or share revenue from the fees collected from ADS holders. In performing its duties under the deposit agreement, the depositary may use brokers, dealers, foreign currency dealers or other service providers that are owned by or affiliated with the depositary and that may earn or share fees, spreads or commissions.

 

The depositary may convert currency itself or through any of its affiliates and, in those cases, acts as principal for its own account and not as agent, advisor, broker or fiduciary on behalf of any other person and earns revenue, including, without limitation, transaction spreads, that it will retain for its own account. The revenue is based on, among other things, the difference between the exchange rate assigned to the currency conversion made under the deposit agreement and the rate that the depositary or its affiliate receives when buying or selling foreign currency for its own account. The depositary makes no representation that the exchange rate used or obtained in any currency conversion under the deposit agreement will be the most favorable rate that could be obtained at the time or that the method by which that rate will be determined will be the most favorable to ADS holders, subject to the depositary’s obligations under the deposit agreement. The methodology used to determine exchange rates used in currency conversions is available upon request.

 

Payment of Taxes

 

You will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on your ADSs or on the deposited securities represented by any of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities represented by your ADSs until such taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities represented by your ADSs to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to ADS holders any proceeds, or send to ADS holders any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes.

 

Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and Mergers

 

Upon any change in nominal value, change in par value, split-up, consolidation, or any other reclassification of deposited securities, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or sale of assets affecting us or to which we are a party, or upon the redemption or cancellation by us of the deposited securities, any securities, cash or property which shall be received by the depositary or a custodian in exchange for, in conversion of, in lieu of or in respect of deposited securities shall be treated as new deposited securities under the deposit agreement, and ADSs shall thenceforth represent, in addition to the existing deposited securities, the right to receive the new deposited securities so received, unless additional ADRs are delivered. In any such case the depositary may execute and deliver additional ADRs as in the case of a dividend in ordinary shares, or call for the surrender of outstanding ADRs to be exchanged for new ADRs specifically describing such new deposited securities.

 

Amendment and Termination

 

How may the deposit agreement be amended?

 

We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the ADRs without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, or prejudices a substantial right of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADSs, to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.

 

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How may the deposit agreement be terminated?

 

The depositary will terminate the deposit agreement at our direction by mailing notice of termination to the ADS holders then outstanding at least 30 days prior to the date fixed in such notice for such termination. The depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement by mailing notice of termination to us and the ADS holders if 30 days have passed since the depositary told us it wants to resign but a successor depositary has not been appointed and accepted its appointment.

 

After termination, the depositary and its agents will do the following under the deposit agreement but nothing else: collect distributions on the deposited securities, sell rights and other property, and deliver shares and other deposited securities upon cancellation of ADSs. Four months after termination, the depositary may sell any remaining deposited securities by public or private sale. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement for the pro rata benefit of the ADS holders that have not surrendered their ADSs.   It will not invest the money and has no liability for interest. The depositary’s only obligations will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination our only obligations will be to indemnify the depositary and to pay fees and expenses of the depositary that we agreed to pay.

 

Limitations on Obligations and Liability

 

Limits on Our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs

 

The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary. We and the depositary, among other things:

 

  are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without negligence or bad faith;

 

  are not liable if we are or it is prevented or delayed by law or circumstances beyond our or its control from performing our or its obligations under the deposit agreement;

 

  are not liable if we or it exercises discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;

 

  are not liable for the inability of any holder of ADSs to benefit from any distribution on deposited securities that is not made available to holders of ADSs under the terms of the deposit agreement, or for any special, consequential or punitive damages for any breach of the terms of the deposit agreement;

 

  have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADSs or the deposit agreement on your behalf or on behalf of any other person;

 

  are not liable for the acts or omissions of any securities depository, clearing agency or settlement system; and

 

  may rely upon any documents we believe or it believes in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person.

 

In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.

 

Requirements for Depositary Actions

 

Before the depositary will deliver or register a transfer of ADSs, make a distribution on ADSs, or permit withdrawal of shares, the depositary may require, among other things: 

 

  payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the transfer of any shares or other deposited securities;

 

  satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and

 

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  compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of transfer documents.

 

The depositary may refuse to deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs when the transfer books of the depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it advisable to do so.

 

Your Right to Receive the Shares Underlying Your ADSs

 

ADS holders have the right to cancel their ADSs and withdraw the underlying shares at any time except:

 

  when temporary delays arise because: (i) the depositary, we or the foreign registrar has closed its transfer books; (ii) the transfer of shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting; or (iii) we are paying a dividend on our shares;

 

  when you owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges; or

 

  when it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the withdrawal of shares or other deposited securities.

 

This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.

 

Direct Registration System

 

All parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the DRS and Profile Modification System, or Profile, will apply to uncertificated ADSs upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC. DRS is the system administered by DTC under which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership will be confirmed by statements sent by the depositary to the registered holders of uncertificated ADSs. Profile is a required feature of DRS that allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of a registered holder of ADSs, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register that transfer.

 

In connection with and in accordance with the arrangements and procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties to the deposit agreement understand that the depositary will not determine whether the DTC participant that is claiming to be acting on behalf of an ADS holder in requesting registration of transfer and delivery described in the paragraph above has the actual authority to act on behalf of the ADS holder (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). In the deposit agreement, the parties agree that the depositary’s reliance on and compliance with instructions received by the depositary through the DRS/Profile System and in accordance with the deposit agreement will not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the depositary.

 

Shareholder Communications; Inspection of Register of Holders of ADSs

 

The depositary will make available for your inspection at its office all reports and communications that it receives from us as a holder of deposited securities that we make generally available to holders of deposited securities. The depositary will send you copies of those communications that we ask it to send. You have a right to inspect the register of holders of ADSs, but not for the purpose of contacting those holders about a matter unrelated to our business, the deposit agreement or the ADSs.

 

TAXATION

 

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal and Australian income tax considerations to U.S. Holders, as defined below, of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of ordinary shares and ADSs. This discussion is based on the laws in force as of the date of this prospectus supplement, and is subject to changes in the relevant income tax law, including changes that could have retroactive effect. The following summary does not take into account or discuss the tax laws of any country or other taxing jurisdiction other than the United States and Australia. Holders are advised to consult their tax advisors concerning the overall tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of ordinary shares or ADSs in their particular circumstances. This discussion is not intended, and should not be construed, as legal or professional tax advice.

 

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This summary does not address the effects of U.S. federal estate and gift tax laws, the alternative minimum tax, or any state and local tax considerations within the United States, and is not a comprehensive description of all U.S. federal or Australian income tax considerations that may be relevant to a decision to acquire or dispose of ordinary shares or ADSs. Furthermore, this summary does not address U.S. federal or Australian income tax considerations relevant to holders subject to taxing jurisdictions other than, or in addition to, the United States and Australia, and does not address all possible categories of holders, some of which may be subject to special tax rules.

 

AUSTRALIAN TAX CONSEQUENCES

 

In this section we discuss the material Australian tax considerations that apply to non-Australian tax residents who do not carry on business in Australia (“foreign residents”), with respect to the acquisition, ownership and disposal of the absolute beneficial ownership of ADSs. This discussion is based upon existing Australian tax law as of the date of this prospectus supplement, which is subject to change, possibly retrospectively. This discussion does not address all aspects of Australian income tax law which may be important to particular investors in light of their individual investment circumstances, such as ADSs or shares held by investors subject to special tax rules (for example, financial institutions, insurance companies or tax exempt organizations). In addition, this summary does not discuss any foreign or state tax considerations, other than Australian stamp duty. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the Australian and foreign income and other tax considerations of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the ADSs or shares.

 

Nature of ADSs for Australian Taxation Purposes

 

Foreign resident holders of ADSs should obtain specialist Australian tax advice regarding their rights and obligations under the deposit agreement with the depositary, including whether the deposit arrangement constitutes a ‘bare trust’ for Australian taxation purposes. Outside certain limited aspects of the Australian tax legislation (for example, for Australian capital gains tax and dividend withholding tax purposes, which are discussed below), there is no express legislative basis for disregarding ‘bare trusts’ for Australian tax purposes generally. There is stated to be some industry practice to disregard ‘bare trusts’ for Australian tax purposes generally. Industry consultation has been conducted in relation to a proposal to enact such legislation for Australian income tax purposes. No legislation has yet been enacted.

 

Holders of ADSs can be treated as the owners of the underlying ordinary shares for Australian capital gains tax purposes under the presently enacted ‘absolute entitlement’ capital gains tax rules. Dividends paid on the underlying ordinary shares can be treated for Australian dividend withholding tax purposes as if they were derived directly by the owners of ADSs under the presently enacted ‘present entitlement’ dividend withholding tax rules. In the following analysis we discuss the application of those Australian dividend withholding tax and capital gains tax rules to foreign resident holders of ADSs.

 

Taxation of Dividends

 

Australia operates a dividend imputation system under which eligible dividends may be declared to be ‘franked’ to the extent of tax paid on company profits. Fully franked dividends are not subject to dividend withholding tax. Dividends that are not franked or are partly franked and are paid to a foreign resident may be subject to dividend withholding tax, but only to the extent the dividends are not franked.

 

Unfranked dividends paid to a foreign resident who is treated as deriving the dividend directly under the ‘present entitlement’ dividend withholding tax rules are subject to withholding tax at 30%, unless the foreign resident is a resident of a country with which Australia has a double taxation agreement. In accordance with the provisions of the Double Taxation Convention between Australia and the U.S., the maximum rate of Australian dividend withholding tax on unfranked dividends to which a resident of the U.S. is beneficially entitled is reduced to 15%, 5% or nil, depending on the circumstances of the U.S. resident These reduced rates only apply to U.S. residents who are ‘qualified persons’ under the Convention. The Double Taxation Convention between Australia and the U.S. does not apply to limit the dividend withholding tax rate on dividends where the ADSs are effectively connected to a permanent establishment of the U.S. resident in Australia or a fixed base of the U.S. resident in Australia from which the U.S. resident provides independent personal services. If no dividend withholding tax is paid by reason of a nil rate applying under the Convention, Australian ABN/TFN withholding tax may instead be applicable and specialist tax advice should be sought.

 

Tax on Sales or other Dispositions of Shares - Capital Gains Tax

 

Capital gains derived by foreign residents in respect of the disposal of capital assets that are not taxable Australian property may be disregarded. Foreign residents who are treated as the direct owner of the underlying shares under the ‘absolute entitlement’ capital gains tax rules will not be subject to Australian capital gains tax on the capital gain made on a disposal of our shares, unless they, together with associates, hold 10% or more of our issued capital, tested either at the time of disposal or over any continuous 12 month period in the 24 months prior to disposal, and the value of our shares at the time of disposal are wholly or principally attributable to Australian real property assets.

 

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Australian capital gains tax applies to net capital gains at a taxpayer’s marginal tax rate. Foreign residents are not entitled to any discount on capital gains where they acquired the relevant capital asset after May 8, 2012 and were foreign residents during their entire holding period.

 

Net capital gains are calculated after reduction for capital losses, which may only be offset against capital gains.

 

Tax on Sales or other Dispositions of ADS - Revenue Account

 

Some foreign residents may hold their ADS on revenue rather than on capital account. These foreign residents may have the gains made on the sale or other disposal of the ADS included in their Australian assessable income under the ordinary income provisions of the income tax law, if the gains are sourced in Australia. The ordinary income provisions of the Australian income tax law do not presently contain express provisions to disregard ‘bare trusts’ so as to treat ADS holders as holding our shares directly.

 

Foreign residents assessable under these ordinary income provisions in respect of gains made on ADS held on revenue account may be assessed for such gains at the Australian tax rates for foreign residents, which start at a marginal rate of 32.5% for foreign resident individuals. Some relief from the Australian income tax may be available to such foreign residents under the Double Taxation Convention between the U.S. and Australia.

 

A situation may arise where a foreign resident holds their ADS on revenue account but the depositary holds our shares on capital account. The tax implications of such a situation are complex and foreign residents should seek specialist Australian tax advice for their circumstances.

 

To the extent an amount would be included in a foreign resident’s assessable income under both the capital gains tax provisions and the ordinary income provisions, the capital gain amount may be reduced, so that the foreign resident may not be subject to double tax on the gain.

 

Dual Residency

 

If an ADS holder were a resident of both Australia and the U.S. under those countries’ domestic taxation laws, that holder may be subject to tax as an Australian resident. If, however, the holder is determined to be a U.S. resident for the purposes of the Double Taxation Convention between the U.S. and Australia, the Australian tax applicable may be limited by the Double Taxation Convention. Holders should obtain specialist taxation advice in these circumstances.

 

Stamp Duty

 

A transfer of shares of a company listed on the ASX is not subject to Australian stamp duty except in some circumstances where a person, either alone or when aggregated with any associated persons or transactions, acquires 90% or more of the shares. The Australian stamp duty treatment of ‘bare trusts’ in respect of such shares for foreign residents is complex and specialist advice should be sought.

 

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Australian Death Duty

 

Australia does not have estate or death duties. No capital gains tax liability is realized upon the inheritance of a deceased person’s shares (assuming the shares are treated as being held directly by the ADS holder under the ‘absolute entitlement’ capital gains tax rules). The disposal of inherited shares by beneficiaries (again, assuming the shares are treated as being held directly by the beneficiaries under the ‘absolute entitlement’ capital gains tax rules), may, however, give rise to a capital gains tax liability.

 

Goods and Services Tax

 

The issue or transfer of shares will not incur Australian goods and services tax. The Australian goods and services tax treatment of ‘bare trusts’ in respect of such shares for foreign residents is complex and specialist advice should be sought.

 

UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

 

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences that generally apply to U.S. Holders (as defined below) who hold ADSs or ordinary shares as capital assets. This summary is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the “Code”), Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, and the bilateral taxation convention between Australia and the U.S. (the “Tax Treaty”), all as in effect on the date hereof and all of which are subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. This summary does not discuss all the tax consequences that may be relevant to an investment in ADSs or ordinary shares by a U.S. Holder in light of such holder’s particular circumstances or to U.S. Holders subject to special rules, including broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions, traders in securities who elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for securities holdings, insurance companies, investors liable for alternative minimum tax, tax-exempt organizations, regulated investment companies, or real estate investment trusts, non-resident aliens of the U.S. or taxpayers whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes or persons holding ADSs or ordinary shares through any such entities, persons who acquired their ADSs or ordinary shares through the exercise or cancellation of any employee stock options or otherwise as compensation for their services, investors that actually or constructively own 10% or more of our shares by vote or value, and investors holding ADSs or ordinary shares as part of a straddle or appreciated financial position or as part of a hedging or conversion transaction.

 

If a partnership or an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes owns ADSs or ordinary shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such a partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A partnership that owns ADSs or ordinary shares and each partner in such partnership should consult its own tax advisors about the U.S. federal income tax consequences of holding and disposing of ADSs or ordinary shares.

 

This summary does not address the effect of any U.S. federal taxation other than U.S. federal income taxation. In addition, this summary does not include any discussion of U.S. federal estate and gift tax, state, local or foreign taxation. You are urged to consult your tax advisors regarding the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences to you relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of ADSs or ordinary shares, the consequences to you under any other taxing jurisdiction foreign, as well as the U.S. federal, state and local tax considerations of an investment in ADSs or ordinary shares.

 

For purposes of this summary, the term “U.S. Holder” means (i) an individual who is a citizen or, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a resident of the U.S., (ii) a corporation or other entity taxable as a corporation created or organized in or under the laws of the U.S. or any political subdivision thereof, (iii) an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust if (a) a court within the U.S. is able to exercise primary supervision over administration of the trust, and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

 

Taxation of Dividends

 

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, U.S. Holders of ADSs will be treated as owning the underlying ordinary shares represented by the ADSs held by them. Subject to the passive foreign investment company, or PFIC rules discussed below, the gross amount of any distributions received with respect to the underlying ordinary shares represented by the ADSs, including the amount of any taxes withheld therefrom, will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. You will be required to include this amount of dividends in gross income as ordinary income. Distributions in excess of our earnings and profits will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of your tax basis in the ADSs, and any amount in excess of your tax basis will be treated as gain from the sale of ADSs. See Disposition of ADSs below for the discussion on the taxation of capital gains. Dividends will not qualify for the dividends-received deduction generally available to corporations under Section 243 of the Code.

 

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Dividends that we pay in Australian dollars, including the amount of any Australian taxes withheld therefrom, will be included in your income in a U.S. dollar amount calculated by reference to the exchange rate in effect on the day such dividends are received. A U.S. Holder who receives payment in Australian dollars and converts Australian dollars into U.S. dollars at an exchange rate other than the rate in effect on such day will likely have a foreign currency exchange gain or loss, which would be treated as U.S.-source ordinary income or loss.

 

Subject to complex limitations, any Australian withholding tax imposed on our dividends will be a foreign income tax eligible for credit against a U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability (or, alternatively, for deduction against income in determining such tax liability). The limitations set forth in the Code include computational rules under which foreign tax credits allowable with respect to specific classes of income cannot exceed the U.S. federal income taxes otherwise payable with respect to each such class of income. Dividends generally will be treated as foreign-source passive category income or general category income for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes, depending upon the holder’s circumstances. The rules relating to the determination of the foreign tax credit are complex. You should consult with your own tax advisors to determine whether and to what extent you would be entitled to this credit.

 

Subject to certain limitations, “qualified dividend income” received by a non-corporate U.S. Holder will be subject to tax at a reduced maximum tax rate of 20 percent. Distributions taxable as dividends generally qualify for the 20 percent rate provided that either: (i) the issuer is entitled to benefits under the Tax Treaty or (ii) the ADSs are readily tradable on an established securities market in the U.S. and certain other requirements are met. We believe that we are entitled to benefits under the Tax Treaty and that the ADSs currently are readily tradable on an established securities market in the U.S. However, no assurance can be given that the ADSs will remain readily tradable. Furthermore, the reduced rate does not apply to dividends received from PFICs. The amount of foreign tax credit is limited in the case of foreign qualified dividend income. U.S. Holders of ADSs should consult their own tax advisors regarding the effect of these rules in their particular circumstances.

 

Disposition of ADSs

 

If you sell or otherwise dispose of ADSs, you will recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale or other disposition and your adjusted tax basis in the ADSs. Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, such gain or loss generally will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if you have held the ADSs for more than one year at the time of the sale or other disposition. In general, any gain that you recognize on the sale or other disposition of ADSs will be U.S.-source for purposes of the foreign tax credit limitation; losses will generally be allocated against U.S.-source income. Deduction of capital losses is subject to certain limitations under the Code. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences if a foreign withholding tax is imposed on a disposition of our ADSs, including the availability of the foreign tax credit under their particular circumstances.

 

Additional Tax on Investment Income

 

U.S. Holders that are individuals, estates, or trusts and whose income exceeds certain thresholds will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income, which will include dividends and capital gains from the sale or other taxable disposition of ADSs, subject to certain limitations and exceptions.

 

Passive Foreign Investment Companies

 

The Code provides special, generally adverse, rules regarding certain distributions received by U.S. Holders with respect to, and sales, exchanges and other dispositions, including pledges, of, shares of stock of a PFIC. A foreign corporation will be a PFIC for any taxable year if at least 75% of its gross income for the taxable year is passive income or at least 50% of its gross assets during the taxable year, based on a quarterly average and generally by value, produce or are held for the production of passive income. Passive income for this purpose generally includes, among other things, dividends, interest, rents, royalties, gains from commodities and securities transactions and gains from the disposition of assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income. In determining whether a foreign corporation is a PFIC, a pro-rata portion of the income and assets of each corporation in which it owns, directly or indirectly, at least a 25% interest (by value) is taken into account.

 

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Based on our business results for the last fiscal year and the composition of our assets, we believe that we were not a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes for the taxable year ended June 30, 2018. However, the determination of PFIC status is a factual determination that must be made annually at the close of each taxable year and therefore, there can be no certainty as to our PFIC status for a taxable year until the close of that taxable year. Our PFIC status could change depending, among other things, upon a decrease in the trading price of our ordinary shares or ADSs and how quickly we make use of the proceeds from this offering, as well as changes in the composition and relative values of our assets and the composition of our income. Moreover, the rules governing whether certain assets are active or passive are complex and in some cases their application can be uncertain. If we were a PFIC in any year during a U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares or ADSs, we generally would continue to be treated as a PFIC for each subsequent year during which the U.S. Holder owned the ordinary shares or ADSs.

 

If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds ordinary shares or ADSs, any “excess distribution” that the U.S. Holder receives and any gain recognized from a sale or other disposition (including a pledge) of such ordinary shares or ADSs will be subject to certain adverse tax rules, unless the U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election (provided the ADSs are “marketable”) or qualified electing fund election, as discussed below. Any distribution in a taxable year that is greater than 125% of the average annual distribution received by a U.S. Holder during the shorter of the three preceding taxable years or such holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares or ADSs will be treated as an excess distribution. Under these special tax rules:

 

  ●   the excess distribution or gain will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares or ADSs;
     
  ●   the amount allocated to the current taxable year, and any taxable year prior to the first taxable year in which we were a PFIC in the U.S. Holder’s holding period, will be treated as ordinary income arising in the current taxable year; and
     
  ●   the amount allocated to each other year will be subject to income tax at the highest rate in effect for that year and applicable to the U.S. Holder and the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed on the resulting tax attributable to each such year.

 

If we are a PFIC, the tax liability for amounts allocated to years prior to the year of disposition or excess distribution cannot be offset by any net operating loss, and gains (but not losses) recognized on the transfer of the ordinary shares or ADSs cannot be treated as capital gains, even if the ordinary shares or ADSs are held as capital assets. In addition, non-corporate U.S. Holders will not be eligible for reduced rates of taxation on any dividends that we pay if we are a PFIC for either the taxable year in which the dividend is paid or the preceding year. Furthermore, unless otherwise provided by the U.S. Treasury Department, each U.S. Holder of a PFIC is required to file an annual report containing such information as the U.S. Treasury Department may require.

 

If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which any of our non-U.S. subsidiaries is also a PFIC, a U.S. Holder of ordinary shares or ADSs during such year would be treated as owning a proportionate amount (by value) of the shares of the lower-tier PFIC for purposes of the application of these rules to such subsidiary. You should consult your tax advisors regarding the tax consequences if the PFIC rules apply to any of our subsidiaries.

 

In certain circumstances, in lieu of being subject to the adverse tax rules discussed above, you may make an election to include gain on the stock of a PFIC as ordinary income under a mark-to-market method, provided that such stock is regularly traded on a qualified exchange, or “marketable.” Under current law, the mark-to-market election may be available to U.S. Holders of ADSs or ordinary shares if the ADSs or ordinary shares are listed on NASDAQ, which constitutes a qualified exchange. As stated above, the ADSs will be listed on NASDAQ, although there can be no assurance that the ADSs will be “regularly traded” for purposes of the mark-to-market election. It should also be noted that it is intended that only the ADSs and not the ordinary shares will be listed on NASDAQ. While we would expect the Australian Stock Exchange, on which the ordinary shares are listed, to be considered a qualified exchange, no assurance can be given as to whether the Australian Stock Exchange is a qualified exchange, or that the ordinary shares would be traded in sufficient frequency to be considered regularly traded for these purposes. Additionally, because a mark-to-market election cannot be made for equity interests in any lower-tier PFIC that we may own, a U.S. Holder that makes a mark-to-mark election with respect to its ADSs or ordinary shares may continue to be subject to the PFIC rules with respect to any indirect investments held by us that are treated as an equity interest in a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If you make an effective mark-to-market election, you will include in each year that we are a PFIC as ordinary income the excess of the fair market value of your ordinary shares or ADSs at the end of your taxable year over your adjusted tax basis in the ordinary shares or ADSs. You will be entitled to deduct as an ordinary loss in each such year the excess of your adjusted tax basis in the ordinary shares or ADSs over their fair market value at the end of the year, but only to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. If you make an effective mark-to-market election, any gain you recognize upon the sale or other disposition of your ordinary shares or ADSs in a year that we are a PFIC will be treated as ordinary income and any loss will be treated as ordinary loss, but only to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. Any gain or loss you recognize upon the sale or other disposition of your ordinary shares or ADSs in a year when we are not a PFIC will be a capital gain or loss. See  Disposition of ADSs above  for the treatment of capital gains and losses.

 

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Your adjusted tax basis in the ordinary shares or ADSs will be increased by the amount of any income inclusion and decreased by the amount of any loss under the mark-to-market rules. If you make a mark-to-market election, it will be effective for the taxable year for which the election is made and all subsequent taxable years unless the ordinary shares or ADSs are no longer regularly traded on a qualified exchange or the IRS consents to the revocation of the election. You are urged to consult your tax advisors about the availability of the mark-to-market election, and whether making the election would be advisable in your particular circumstances. In the case of a valid mark-to-market election, any distributions we make would generally be subject to the rules discussed above under “— Taxation of Dividends ,” except the reduced rates of taxation on any dividends received from us would not apply if we are a PFIC.

 

Alternatively, you can sometimes avoid the PFIC rules described above by electing to treat us as a “qualified electing fund” under Section 1295 of the Code. However, this option will not be available to you because we do not intend to comply with the requirements necessary to permit you to make this election.

 

U.S. Holders are urged to contact their own tax advisors regarding the determination of whether we are a PFIC and the tax consequences of such status.

 

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

 

Payments in respect of ordinary shares or ADSs may be subject to information reporting to the IRS and to U.S. backup withholding tax at a rate equal to the fourth lowest income tax rate applicable to individuals (which, under current law, is 24%). Backup withholding will not apply, however, if you (i) are a corporation or come within certain exempt categories and demonstrate the fact when so required or (ii) furnish a correct taxpayer identification number and make any other required certification.

 

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be credited against a U.S. Holder’s U.S. tax liability. A U.S. Holder may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules by timely filing the appropriate claim for refund with the IRS, which is generally an annual income tax return.

 

U.S. Holders who are individuals generally will be required to report our name, address and such information relating to an interest in the ADSs or ordinary shares as is necessary to identify the class or issue of which the ADSs or ordinary shares are a part. These requirements are subject to exceptions, including an exception for ADSs or ordinary shares held in accounts maintained by certain financial institutions and an exception applicable if the aggregate value of all “specified foreign financial assets” (as defined in the Code) does not exceed $50,000.

 

U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of these information reporting rules.

 

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UNDERWRITING

 

ThinkEquity, a division of Fordham Financial Management, Inc. (“ThinkEquity”) is acting as representative of the underwriters of the offering. We have entered into an underwriting agreement dated _____, 2019 with the representative. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to sell to each underwriter named below, and each underwriter named below has severally agreed to purchase, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of ADSs listed next to its name in the following table:

 

Underwriter   Number of ADSs  
ThinkEquity, a division of Fordham Financial Management, Inc.                          
Total        

 

The underwriters are committed to purchase all the ADSs offered by us, other than those covered by the over-allotment option to purchase additional ADSs described below, if they purchase any ADSs. 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 ADSs subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their 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.

 

We have granted the underwriters an over-allotment option. This option, which is exercisable for up to 45 days after the date of this prospectus supplement, permits the underwriters to purchase up to an aggregate of _____ additional ADSs at the public offering price per ADS less the underwriting discount, solely to cover over-allotments, if any. If this option is exercised in full, the total price to the public will be $_______ and the total net proceeds, before expenses, to us will be $_______         .

 

Discounts, Commissions and Reimbursement

 

The following table shows the public offering price, underwriting discount and proceeds, before expenses, to us. The information assumes either no exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option.

 

    Per ADS     Total with no
Over-Allotment
    Total with
Over-Allotment
 
Public offering price   $                $                  $                   
Underwriting discount (7.0%)   $       $       $    
Non-accountable expense allowance (1%) (1)   $                    
Proceeds, before expenses, to us   $       $       $    

 

(1) We have agreed to pay a non-accountable expense allowance to the representative equal to 1.0% of the gross proceeds received in this offering.

 

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The underwriters propose to offer the ADSs 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 ADSs to other securities dealers at such price less a concession not in excess of $____ per ADS. After the initial offering, the public offering price and concession to dealers may be changed.

 

We have also agreed to pay certain expenses of the representative relating to the offering, including: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses associated with the review of this offering by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”); (b) fees, expenses and disbursements relating to background checks of our officers and directors, in an amount not to exceed $15,000; (c)  fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of securities offered under the securities laws of such states and foreign jurisdictions designated by the representative; (d)  fees and expenses of the representative’s legal counsel, up to $75,000; (e) the costs associated with bound volumes of the public offering materials as well as commemorative mementos and lucite tombstones, up to $1,000; (f) $29,500 for fees and expenses for the underwriters’ use of book-building, prospectus tracking and compliance software for this offering; (g) fees and expenses for data services and communications expenses, in the amount of $10,000; and (h) up to $20,000 of the representative’s actual accountable road show expenses for the offering.

 

We estimate that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding the total underwriting discount, will be approximately $_____.

 

Underwriter Warrants

 

We have also agreed to issue to the representative or its designees, at the closing of this offering, warrants (the “Underwriter’s Warrants”) to purchase _____ ADSs. The Underwriter’s Warrants will be exercisable at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, during a four and one-half year period commencing six months from the effective date of this offering. The Underwriter’s Warrants will be exercisable at a price equal to $____ per ADS. The Underwriter’s Warrants and the ADSs underlying the Underwriter’s Warrants have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are, therefore, subject to a 180-day lock-up pursuant to Rule 5110(g)(1) of FINRA. The underwriter or its permitted assignees under this Rule 5110(g)(1) shall not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Underwriter’s Warrants or the ADSs underlying the Underwriter’s Warrants, nor engage in any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the Underwriter’s Warrants or the ADSs underlying the Underwriter’s Warrants, for a period of 180 days from the effective date of the offering, except that they may be assigned, in whole or in part, as specifically set forth in the underwriting agreement. The Underwriter’s Warrants will provide for cashless exercise and customary anti-dilution provisions (for share dividends, splits and recapitalizations and the like) consistent with FINRA Rule 5110, and the number of ADSs underlying the Underwriter’s Warrants shall be reduced, or the exercise price increased, if necessary, to comply with FINRA rules or regulations. Further, the Underwriter’s Warrants will provide for a one-time demand registration right and unlimited piggyback rights.

 

Right of First Refusal

 

We have granted the representative a right of first refusal, for a period of 12 months from the consummation of this offering, to act as sole investment banker, book-runner, financial advisor, underwriter and/or placement agent, at the representative’s sole discretion, for each and every future public and private equity offering, including all equity linked financings (each, a “Subject Transaction”), during such 12 month period, of the Company, or any successor to or subsidiary of the Company, on terms and conditions customary to the representative for such Subject Transactions.

 

Discretionary Accounts

 

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

 

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Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Securities

 

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the websites maintained by one or more of the underwriters or selling group members. The representative may agree to allocate a number of securities to underwriters and selling group members for sale to its online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the underwriters and selling group members that will make internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on these websites is not part of, nor incorporated by reference into, this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved or endorsed by us, and should not be relied upon by investors.

 

Listing

 

The ADSs and ADS Warrants are listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols “IMRN” and “IMRNW,” respectively. Our ordinary shares are currently listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the symbol “IMC”.

 

Stabilization

 

In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate-covering transactions, penalty bids and purchases to cover positions created by short sales.

 

Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase ADSs so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum, and are engaged in for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the ADSs while the offering is in progress.

 

Over-allotment transactions involve sales by the underwriters of ADSs in excess of the number of ADSs the underwriters are obligated to purchase. This creates a syndicate short position which may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of ADSs over-allotted by the underwriters is not greater than the number of ADSs that they may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of ADSs involved is greater than the number of ADSs in the over-allotment option. The underwriters may close out any short position by exercising their over-allotment option and/or purchasing ADSs in the open market.

 

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Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of ADSs in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. In determining the source of ADSs to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared with the price at which they may purchase shares through exercise of the over-allotment option. If the underwriters sell more ADSs than could be covered by exercise of the over-allotment option and, therefore, have a naked short position, the position can be closed out only by buying ADSs in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that after pricing there could be downward pressure on the price of the ADSs in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.

 

Penalty bids permit the representative to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the ADSs originally sold by that syndicate member are purchased in stabilizing or syndicate covering transactions to cover syndicate short positions.

 

These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our ADSs or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our ADSs. As a result, the price of our ADSs in the open market may be higher than it would otherwise be in the absence of these transactions. Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our ADSs. These transactions may be effected on the Nasdaq Capital Market or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

 

Passive market making

 

In connection with this offering, underwriters and selling group members may engage in passive market making transactions in our ADSs on the Nasdaq Capital Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of the ADSs and extending through the completion of the distribution. A passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of that security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, then that bid must then be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.

 

Other Relationships

 

Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates have in the past and may in the future provide various investment banking, commercial banking and other financial services for us and our affiliates for which they received or may in the future receive customary fees. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, ThinkEquity acted as the underwriter for our public offering that we completed in May 2019.

 

Offer restrictions 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 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.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

 

Certain legal matters with respect to Australian law with respect to the validity of the offered securities will be passed upon for us by Francis Abourizk Lightowlers, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, New York, New York, will be passing upon matters of United States law for us with respect to securities offered by this prospectus supplement. Sichenzia Ross Ference LLP, New York, New York, is counsel to the underwriter in connection with this offering.

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended June 30, 2018 incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Grant Thornton Audit Pty Ltd., independent registered public accounting firm, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2017 and for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement have been so included in reliance upon the report of Marcum LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are part of the registration statement on Form F-3 we filed with the SEC under the Securities Act, and do not contain all the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules to the registration statement. For further information, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as part of the registration statement. If a document has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, we refer you to the copy of the document that has been filed. Each statement in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to a document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit.

 

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act. Our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ending June 30, 2018 has been filed with the SEC. The Company has also filed periodic reports with the SEC on Form 6-K. Such reports and other information filed with the SEC are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under the Exchange Act from, among other things, the rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our executive officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we are be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.

 

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to other documents which we have filed or will file with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered a part of this prospectus and should be read carefully. Certain information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus. Certain information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

 

We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the following documents, including any amendments to such filings:

 

  our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018;

 

  our Reports on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on November 9, 2018 , November 19, 2018 (2), January 3, 2019 , January 29, 2019 , February 28, 2019 , March 19, 2019 , May 17, 2019 , May 24, 2019 , May 30, 2019 , June 12, 2019 and July 16, 2019 ;

 

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  our Report on Form 6-K/A furnished to the SEC on April 8, 2019; and

 

  the description of ADSs representing our ordinary shares and warrants to purchase ADSs contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-38104) filed with the SEC on May 25, 2017, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

 

We are also incorporating by reference all subsequent Annual Reports on Form 20-F that we file with the SEC and certain reports on Form 6-K that we furnish to the SEC after the date of this prospectus (if they state that they are incorporated by reference into this prospectus) prior to the termination of this offering. In all cases, you should rely on the later information over different information included in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

Unless expressly incorporated by reference, nothing in this prospectus shall be deemed to incorporate by reference information furnished to, but not filed with, the SEC. Copies of all documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to those documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in this prospectus, will be provided at no cost to each person, including any beneficial owner, who receives a copy of this prospectus on the written or oral request of that person made to:

 

Immuron Limited

Level 3, 62 Lygon Street

Carlton South, Victoria, 3053, Australia 3053
Tel: +61 (0) 398 245 254

 

You may also access these documents on our website,   www.immuron.com.au . The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

 

You should rely only on information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We are not making offers to sell the securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.

 

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PROSPECTUS

 

$100,000,000
American Depositary Shares Representing Ordinary Shares
Preference Shares
Warrants
Units

 

 

We may offer, issue and sell from time to time up to $100,000,000, or its equivalent in any other currency, currency units, or composite currency or currencies, of our ordinary shares, in the form of American Depositary Shares, or ADSs, preference shares, warrants to purchase ordinary shares, in the form of ADSs and a combination of such securities, separately or as units, in one or more offerings. Each ADS represents 40 ordinary shares. This prospectus provides a general description of offerings of these securities that we may undertake.

 

We refer to our ADSs, ordinary shares, preference shares, warrants, and units collectively as "securities" in this prospectus.

 

Each time we sell our securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide the specific terms of such offering in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement, together with the additional information described under the heading "Where You Can More Find Information," before you make your investment decision.

 

We may, from time to time, offer to sell the securities, through public or private transactions, directly or through underwriters, agents or dealers, on or off The Nasdaq Capital Market, at prevailing market prices or at privately negotiated prices. If any underwriters, agents or dealers are involved in the sale of any of these securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the names of the underwriter, agent or dealer and any applicable fees, commissions or discounts.

 

Our ADSs and warrants issued in connection with our June 2017 initial public offering in the United States, or ADS Warrants, are listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols "IMRN" and "IMRNW," respectively. On April 5, 2019, the last reported price of our ADSs and ADS Warrants on The Nasdaq Capital Market was $5.49 per ADS and $1.40 per ADS Warrant, respectively.

 

Our ordinary shares are currently listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, or ASX, under the symbol “IMC. On April 5, 2019, the last reported price of our ordinary shares on the ASX was AUD$0.19 per ordinary share.

 

 

 

 

We are an "emerging growth company," as defined by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, and as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for this prospectus and future filings.

 

Investing in these securities involves a high degree of risk. Please carefully consider the risks discussed in this prospectus under "Risk Factors" in this prospectus, in any accompanying prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus for a discussion of the factors you should carefully consider before deciding to purchase these securities.

 

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any U.S. state securities commission, nor any other foreign securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The date of this prospectus is April 17, 2019.

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS 1
   
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS 3
 
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY 4
   
RISK FACTORS 4
 
CAPITALIZATION AND INDEBTEDNESS 5
   
USE OF PROCEEDS 5
   
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL AND CONSTITUTION 5
   
DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES 11
   
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERENCE SHARES 18
   
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS 19
   
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS 20
   
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION 20
   
TAXATION 24
   
EXPENSES 24
   
LEGAL MATTERS 24
   
EXPERTS 24
   
ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES 24
   
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE 25
   
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION 26

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, using a "shelf" registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell our securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $100,000,000. Each time we offer our securities, we will provide you with a supplement to this prospectus that will describe the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities we offer. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus, together with applicable prospectus supplements and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplements, includes all material information relating to this offering. Please read carefully both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described below under "Where You Can Find More Information" and "Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference."

 

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of securities described in this prospectus. 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. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as information we have previously filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference, is accurate as of the date on the front of those documents only. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of our securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

 

Throughout this prospectus, unless otherwise designated, the terms "we", "us", "our", "Immuron", "the Company" and "our Company" refer to Immuron Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. References to "ordinary shares", "ADSs", "preference shares", "warrants" and "share capital" refer to the ordinary shares, ADSs, preference shares, warrants and share capital, respectively, of Immuron.

 

Certain figures included in this prospectus have been subject to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, figures shown as totals in certain tables may not be an arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them.

 

We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different from that contained in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus, or in any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered or made available to you. We 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 not an offer to sell securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy securities, in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of the securities. For investors outside of the United States: We have not taken any action to 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. You are required to inform yourselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus.

 

The industry in which we operate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in the section titled "Risk Factors." These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties and by us.

 

We qualify as an "emerging growth company," as defined in the JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and regulatory requirements in contrast to those otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include, but are not limited to, an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

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We may take advantage of these reduced reporting and other regulatory requirements for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company if we have more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue, become a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act, or issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period. In addition, the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company may delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until those standards apply to private companies.

 

We are a "foreign private issuer" as defined in Rule 3b-4 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. As a result, our proxy solicitations are not subject to the disclosure and procedural requirements of Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act and transactions in our equity securities by our officers and directors are exempt from Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.

 

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS 

 

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements are contained principally in the sections of this prospectus titled "About this Prospectus," "Risk Factors," and "Business." All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this prospectus, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy, prospective products, product approvals, research and development costs, timing and likelihood of success, plans and objectives of management for future operations, and future results of current and anticipated products, are forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which 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. The words "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "contemplate," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "may," "might," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "positioned," "seek," "should," "target," "will," "would," or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our business and the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions, are not guarantees of future performance or development and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors.

 

Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements we make. As a result, any or all of our forward-looking statements in this prospectus may turn out to be inaccurate. We have included important factors in the cautionary statements included in this prospectus, particularly in the section of this prospectus titled "Risk Factors," that we believe could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that we make. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment in which new risks often emerge. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments we may make.

 

You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are made as of the date of this prospectus, and we do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

 

You should read the following summary together with the more detailed information about us, the securities that may be sold from time to time, and our financial statements and the notes thereto, all of which appear elsewhere in this prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

We are a commercial and clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a proprietary technology platform focused on the further development and commercialization of a novel class of immunomodulator and anti-infectious disease polyclonal antibodies that we believe can address significant unmet medical needs. Our oral polyclonal antibodies offer targeted delivery within the gastrointestinal (GI) track but essentially do not cross into the bloodstream, potentially leading to much improved safety and tolerability, without sacrificing efficacy. We believe that our two lead drug candidates, IMM-124E and IMM-529 currently in clinical development, have the potential to transform the existing treatment paradigms for alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and for C. difficile infections, respectively.

 

We currently market an over-the-counter product, Travelan, in Australia for prevention of travelers' diarrhea. We also market Travelan in the U.S. and Canada as a dietary supplement for digestive tract protection. We plan to further develop Travelan as an approved drug to treat travelers’ diarrhea in the U.S. Travelan is essentially the same active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) as our product candidate IMM-124E, and targets 13 strains of E.coli . Global sales for fiscal year 2018 were gross A$2 million (net: A$1.8 million). We recently began to market Protectyn, a health product targeting pathogenic bacteria and the toxins they produce in the gut to prevent gut dysbiosis, in Australia. Sales of Protectyn have not been material to date.  We also plan to expand the clinical program for IMM-529 to treat patients with recurrent C. difficile infections by moving to file an IND with FDA for treatment of patients with C. difficile .

 

Our ADSs and ADS Warrants are listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols “IMRN” and “IMRNW,” respectively. Each ADS represents 40 ordinary shares. Each ADS Warrant has a per ADS exercise price of US$10.00 and expires five years from the date of issuance. Our ordinary shares are also listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the symbol “IMC.”

 

Corporate Information

 

Immuron Limited was incorporated under the laws of Australia in 1994 and has been listed on the ASX since April 30, 1999. Our principal executive office is located at Level 3, 62 Lygon Street, Carlton South, Victoria, Australia 3053 and our telephone number is +61 (0)3 9824 5254. Our website address is www.immuron.com. Information on our website and the websites linked to it do not constitute a part of this prospectus or the registration statement to which this prospectus forms a part. Our agent for service of process in the United States is Puglisi & Associates, 850 Library Avenue, Suite 204, Newark, DE 19711.

 

RISK FACTORS 

 

Investing in our securities involves significant risk. The prospectus supplement applicable to each offering of our securities will contain a discussion of the risks applicable to an investment in the Company. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should carefully consider the specific factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information contained or incorporated by reference in the prospectus supplement or appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You should also consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and any subsequent Annual Reports on Form 20-F we file after the date of this prospectus, and all other information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act and the risk factors and other information contained in any applicable prospectus supplement before acquiring any of our securities. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our operations. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

 

A prospectus supplement or report on Form 6-K incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part will include information on our consolidated capitalization.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS 

 

Except as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include working capital, capital expenditures, research and development expenditures, regulatory affairs expenditures, clinical trial expenditures, acquisitions of new technologies and investments, and the repayment, refinancing, redemption or repurchase of indebtedness or capital stock.

 

The intended application of proceeds from the sale of any particular offering of securities using this prospectus will be described in the accompanying prospectus supplement relating to such offering. The precise amount and timing of the application of these proceeds will depend on our funding requirements and the availability and costs of other funds.

 

DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL AND CONSTITUTION

 

We are a public company limited by shares registered under the Corporations Act by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, or ASIC. Our corporate affairs are principally governed by our Constitution, the Corporations Act 2001, or the Corporations Act, and the ASX Listing Rules. Our ordinary shares trade on the ASX, and our ADSs and warrants trade on Nasdaq.

 

Our Constitution is not significantly different than a U.S. company’s charter documents except we do not have a limit on our authorized share capital, the concept of par value is not recognized under Australian law and as further discussed under “—Our Constitution.”

 

Subject to restrictions on the issue of securities in our Constitution, the Corporations Act and the ASX Listing Rules and any other applicable law, we may at any time issue shares and grant options or warrants on any terms, with the rights and restrictions and for the consideration that our board of directors determine.

 

The rights and restrictions attaching to ordinary and preference shares are derived through a combination of our Constitution, the common law applicable to Australia, the ASX Listing Rules, the Corporations Act and other applicable law. A general summary of some of the rights and restrictions attaching to our ordinary and preference shares are summarized below. Each ordinary shareholder is entitled to receive notice of, and to be present, vote and speak at, general meetings. Each preference shareholder is entitled to receive notice of, and to be present at general meetings, but may only vote on certain resolutions.

 

Our Constitution

 

Our Constitution is similar in nature to the bylaws of a U.S. corporation. It does not provide for or prescribe any specific objectives or purposes of Immuron. Our Constitution is subject to the terms of the ASX Listing Rules and the Corporations Act. It may be amended or repealed and replaced by special resolution of shareholders, which is a resolution passed by at least 75% of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote on the resolution.

 

Under Australian law, a company has the legal capacity and powers of an individual both within and outside Australia. The material provisions of our Constitution are summarized below. This summary is not intended to be complete nor to constitute a definitive statement of the rights and liabilities of our shareholders. Our Constitution is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.

 

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Interested Directors

 

A director may not vote in respect of any contract or arrangement in which the director has, directly or indirectly, any direct or indirect material or lesser interest according to our Constitution. Such director must not be counted in a quorum, must not vote on the matter and must not be present at the meeting while the matter is being considered. However, that director may execute or otherwise act in respect of that contract or arrangement notwithstanding any personal interest.

 

Unless a relevant exception applies, the Corporations Act requires our directors to provide disclosure of certain interests or conflicts of interests and prohibits directors from voting on matters in which they have a material personal interest and from being present at the meeting while the matter is being considered. In addition, the Corporations Act and the ASX Listing Rules require shareholder approval of any provision of related party benefits to our directors.

 

Borrowing Powers Exercisable by Directors

 

Pursuant to our Constitution, the management and control of our business affairs are vested in our board of directors. Our board of directors has the power to raise or borrow money and grant security over any of our property or business or any uncalled capital, and may issue debentures or give any other security for any of our debts, liabilities or obligations or of any other person, in each case, in the manner and on terms it deems fit.

 

Retirement of Directors

 

Pursuant to our Constitution and the ASX Listing Rules, there must be an election of directors at each annual general meeting. The directors, other than the managing director, who are to stand for election at each annual general meeting are: (i) any director required to retire after a period of three years in office, (ii) any director appointed by the other directors in the year preceding the annual general meeting, (iii) any new directors, or (iv) if no person is standing for election for the aforementioned reasons then the director longest in office since last being elected. A director, other than the director who is the managing director, must retire from office at the conclusion of the third annual general meeting after which the director was elected. Retired directors are eligible for a re-election to the board of directors unless disqualified from acting as a director under the Corporations Act or otherwise ineligible for appointment under our Constitution.

 

Rights and Restrictions on Classes of Shares

 

The rights attaching to our ordinary shares are detailed in our Constitution. Our Constitution provides that our directors may issue shares with preferred, deferred or other special rights, whether in relation to dividends, voting, return of share capital, payment of calls or otherwise as our board of directors may determine. Subject to any approval which is required from our shareholders under the Corporations Act and the ASX Listing Rules (see “—Exemptions from Certain NASDAQ Corporate Governance Rules” and “—Change of Control”), any rights and restrictions attached to a class of shares, we may issue further shares on such terms and conditions as our board of directors resolve. Currently, our outstanding share capital consists of only one class of ordinary shares.

 

Specifically, the board of directors may issue preference shares on such terms that the directors determine including:

 

Preference shares will confer the right to receive a preferential dividend, in priority to the payment of a dividend on any other class of shares, at the rate and on the basis determined by the board of directors at the time of issue of the preference shares. The board of directors may determine that the preferential dividend will be cumulative.

 

The board of directors may determine at the time of issue of the preference shares that the preference shares may participate with the shares of capital of the Company in dividends.

 

Preference shares will confer the right to payment in cash in priority to any other class of shares, on a winding up or on redemption, as applicable, of (i) the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid on the preference shares and (ii) the amount equal to any dividend accrued but unpaid on the preference shares.

 

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The board of directors may determine at the time of issue of any preference shares that they will confer the right to participate with shares of capital of the Company in the assets or profits of the Company, to the extent determined by the board of directors.

 

Preference share holders have the right to vote at general meetings (A) on a proposal (i) to wind up the Company, (ii) to reduce the share capital of the Company, (iii) that affects the rights attached to preference shares; or (iv) to dispose of all or substantially all of the Company's property, business and undertaking; (B) on a resolution to approve the terms of any buy-back agreement; (C) while a dividend or part of a dividend in respect of the preference shares is unpaid or (D) any question considered at a meeting held during the winding up of the Company.

 

The board of directors may determine whether preference shares may be redeemable or are convertible into other securities of the Company.

 

The board of directors may issue further preference shares ranking pari passu in all respects with (but not in priority to) other preference shares already issued and the rights of the issued preference shares are not to be taken to have been varied by the further issue of preference shares.

 

Dividend Rights

 

Subject to the Corporations Act, our board of directors may from time to time determine to pay dividends to shareholders. All dividends unclaimed for one year after having been declared may be invested or otherwise made use of by our board of directors for our benefit until claimed or otherwise disposed of in accordance with our Constitution.

 

Voting Rights

 

Under our Constitution, and subject to any voting exclusions imposed under the ASX Listing Rules (which typically exclude parties from voting on resolutions in which they have an interest) and the rights and restrictions attaching to a class of shares, each shareholder has one vote on a show of hands at a meeting of the shareholders unless a poll is demanded under the Constitution or the Corporations Act. On a poll vote, each shareholder shall have one vote for each fully paid share and a fractional vote for each share held by that shareholder that is not fully paid, such fraction being equivalent to the proportion of the amount that has been paid to such date on that share. Shareholders may vote in person or by proxy, attorney or representative. Under Australian law, shareholders of a public company are not permitted to approve corporate matters by written consent. Our Constitution does not provide for cumulative voting.

 

Note that ADS holders may not directly vote at a meeting of the shareholders but may instruct the depositary to vote the number of deposited ordinary shares their ADSs represent.

 

Right to Share in Our Profits

 

Pursuant to our Constitution, our shareholders are entitled to participate in our profits only by payment of dividends. Our board of directors may from time to time determine to pay dividends to the shareholders; however, no dividend is payable except in accordance with the thresholds set out in the Corporations Act.

 

Rights to Share in the Surplus in the Event of Liquidation

 

Our Constitution provides for the right of shareholders to participate in a surplus in the event of our liquidation, subject to the rights attaching to a class of shares.

 

No Redemption Provision for Ordinary Shares

 

There are no redemption provisions in our Constitution in relation to ordinary shares. Under our Constitution, any preference shares may be issued on the terms that they are, or may at our option be, liable to be redeemed. 

 

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Variation or Cancellation of Share Rights

 

Subject to the terms of issue of shares of that class, the rights attached to shares in a class of shares may only be varied or cancelled by either:

 

a special resolution passed at a separate general meeting of members holding shares in the class; or
the written consent of members with at least 75% of the shares in the class.

 

Directors May Make Calls

 

Our Constitution provides that subject to the terms on which the shares have been issued directors may make calls on a shareholder for amounts unpaid on shares held by that shareholder, other than monies payable at fixed times under the conditions of allotment. Securities issued in this offering will be fully paid and will not be subject to calls by directors.

 

General Meetings of Shareholders

 

General meetings of shareholders may be called by our board of directors. Except as permitted under the Corporations Act, shareholders may not convene a meeting. The Corporations Act requires the directors to call and arrange to hold a general meeting on the request of shareholders with at least 5% of the votes that may be cast at a general meeting or at least 100 shareholders who are entitled to vote at the general meeting. Notice of the proposed meeting of our shareholders is required at least 28 clear days prior to such meeting under the Corporations Act.

 

Foreign Ownership Regulation

 

There are no limitations on the rights to own securities imposed by our Constitution. However, acquisitions and proposed acquisitions of securities in Australian companies may be subject to review and approval by the Australian Federal Treasurer under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975, or the FATA, which generally applies to acquisitions or proposed acquisitions:

 

by a foreign person (as defined in the FATA) or associated foreign persons that would result in such persons having an interest in 20% or more of the issued shares of, or control of 20% or more of the voting power in, an Australian company; and
by non-associated foreign persons that would result in such foreign person having an interest in 40% or more of the issued shares of, or control of 40% or more of the voting power in, an Australian company, where the Australian company is valued above the monetary threshold prescribed by FATA.

 

However, no such review or approval under the FATA is required if the foreign acquirer is a U.S. entity and the value of the target is less than AUD$1,154 million.

 

The Australian Federal Treasurer may prevent a proposed acquisition in the above categories or impose conditions on such acquisition if the Treasurer is satisfied that the acquisition would be contrary to the national interest. If a foreign person acquires shares or an interest in shares in an Australian company in contravention of the FATA, the Australian Federal Treasurer may order the divestiture of such person’s shares or interest in shares in that Australian company.

 

Ownership Threshold

 

There are no provisions in our Constitution that require a shareholder to disclose ownership above a certain threshold. The Corporations Act, however, requires a shareholder to notify us and the ASX once it, together with its associates, acquires a 5% interest in our ordinary shares, at which point the shareholder will be considered to be a “substantial” shareholder. Further, once a shareholder owns a 5% interest in us, such shareholder must notify us and the ASX of any increase or decrease of 1% or more in its holding of our ordinary shares, and must also notify us and the ASX on its ceasing to be a “substantial” shareholder. Upon becoming a U.S. public company, our shareholders became subject to disclosure requirements under U.S. securities laws.

 

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Issues of Shares and Change in Capital

 

Subject to our Constitution, the Corporations Act, the ASX Listing Rules and any other applicable law, we may at any time issue shares and grant options or warrants on any terms, with preferred, deferred or other special rights and restrictions and for the consideration and other terms that the directors determine.

 

Subject to the requirements of our Constitution, the Corporations Act, the ASX Listing Rules and any other applicable law, including relevant shareholder approvals, we may consolidate or divide our share capital into a larger or smaller number by resolution, reduce our share capital (provided that the reduction is fair and reasonable to our shareholders as a whole and does not materially prejudice our ability to pay creditors) or buy back our ordinary shares whether under an equal access buy-back or on a selective basis.

 

Change of Control

 

Takeovers of listed Australian public companies, such as our company are regulated by the Corporations Act, which prohibits the acquisition of a “relevant interest” in issued voting shares in a listed company if the acquisition will lead to that person’s or their associate (as defined in the Corporations Act) voting power in our company increasing from 20% or below to more than 20% or increasing from a starting point that is above 20% and below 90%, subject to a range of exceptions.

 

Generally, a person will have a relevant interest in securities if the person:

 

is the holder of the securities;

 

has power to exercise, or control the exercise of, a right to vote attached to the securities; or

 

has the power to dispose of, or control the exercise of a power to dispose of, the securities, including any indirect or direct power or control.

 

If, at a particular time, a person has a relevant interest in issued securities and the person:

 

has entered or enters into an agreement with another person with respect to the securities;

 

has given or gives another person an enforceable right, or has been or is given an enforceable right by another person, in relation to the securities (whether the right is enforceable presently or in the future and whether or not on the fulfillment of a condition);

 

has granted or grants an option to, or has been or is granted an option by, another person with respect to the securities; or

 

the other person would have a relevant interest in the securities if the agreement were performed, the right enforced or the option exercised;

 

the other person is taken to already have a relevant interest in the securities.

 

There are a number of exceptions to the above prohibition on acquiring a relevant interest in issued voting shares above 20%. In general terms, some of the more significant exceptions include:

 

when the acquisition results from the acceptance of an offer under a formal takeover bid;

 

when the acquisition is conducted on market by or on behalf of the bidder under a takeover bid, the acquisition occurs during the bid period, the bid is for all the voting shares in a bid class and the bid is unconditional or only conditioned on prescribed matters set out in the Corporations Act;

 

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when our shareholders approve the takeover by resolution passed at a general meeting;

 

an acquisition by a person if, throughout the six months before the acquisition, that person or any other person has had voting power in our company of at least 19% and, as a result of the acquisition, none of the relevant persons would have voting power in our company more than three percentage points higher than they had six months before the acquisition;

 

when the acquisition results from the issue of securities under a rights issue;

 

when the acquisition results from the issue of securities under dividend reinvestment schemes;

 

when the acquisition results from the issue of securities under underwriting arrangements;

 

when the acquisition results from the issue of securities through operation of law;

 

an acquisition that arises through the acquisition of a relevant interest in another listed company which is listed on a prescribed financial market or a financial market approved by ASIC;

 

an acquisition arising from an auction of forfeited shares conducted on-market; or

 

an acquisition arising through a compromise, arrangement, liquidation or buy-back.

 

Breaches of the takeovers provisions of the Corporations Act are criminal offenses. ASIC and the Australian Takeover Panel have a wide range of powers relating to breaches of takeover provisions, including the ability to make orders canceling contracts, freezing transfers of, and rights attached to, securities, and forcing a party to dispose of securities. There are certain defenses to breaches of the takeover provisions provided in the Corporations Act.

 

Access to and Inspection of Documents

 

Inspection of our records is governed by the Corporations Act. Any member of the public has the right to inspect or obtain copies of our registers on the payment of a prescribed fee. Shareholders are not required to pay a fee for inspection of our registers or minute books of the meetings of shareholders. Other corporate records, including minutes of directors’ meetings, financial records and other documents, are not open for inspection by shareholders. Where a shareholder is acting in good faith and an inspection is deemed to be made for a proper purpose, a shareholder may apply to the court to make an order for inspection of our books.

 

Exemptions from Certain Nasdaq Corporate Governance Rules

 

The Nasdaq listing rules allow for a foreign private issuer, such as our company, to follow our home country practices in lieu of certain of the Nasdaq’s corporate governance standards. We rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance standards that are contrary to the laws, rules, regulations or generally accepted business practices in Australia. These exemptions being sought are described below:

 

We rely on an exemption from the independence requirements for a majority of our board of directors as prescribed by Nasdaq Listing Rules. The ASX Listing Rules do not require us to have a majority of independent directors although ASX Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations do recommend a majority of independent directors. During fiscal 2018, we did not have a majority of directors who were “independent” as defined in the ASX Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations, which definition differs from NASDAQ’s definition. Accordingly, because Australian law and generally accepted business practices in Australia regarding director independence differ to the independence requirements under Nasdaq Listing Rules, we seek to claim this exemption.

 

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We rely on an exemption from the requirement that our independent directors meet regularly in executive sessions under Nasdaq Listing Rules. The ASX Listing Rules and the Corporations Act do not require the independent directors of an Australian company to have such executive sessions and, accordingly, we seek to claim this exemption.

 

We rely on an exemption from the requirement prescribed by Nasdaq Listing Rules that issuers obtain shareholder approval prior to the issuance of securities in connection with certain acquisitions, private placements of securities, or the establishment or amendment of certain stock option, purchase or other compensation plans. Applicable Australian law and the ASX Listing Rules differ from Nasdaq requirements, with the ASX Listing Rules providing generally for prior shareholder approval in numerous circumstances, including (i) issuance of equity securities exceeding 15% of our issued share capital in any 12-month period (but, in determining the 15% limit, securities issued under an exception to the rule or with shareholder approval are not counted), (ii) issuance of equity securities to related parties (as defined in the ASX Listing Rules) and (iii) issuances of securities to directors or their associates under an employee incentive plan. Due to differences between Australian law and rules and the Nasdaq shareholder approval requirements, we seek to claim this exemption.

 

We rely on an exemption from the requirement that issuers must maintain charters for each of the following committees in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rules: audit committee, nomination committee and compensation committee. In addition, we rely on an exemption from the requirement that issuers must maintain a code of conduct in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rules. Applicable Australian law does not require us to maintain any charters for their committees nor does such law require us to maintain a code of conduct.

 

Ordinary Shares Eligible For Future Sale

  

Future sales of substantial amounts of our ordinary shares or ADSs in the public market in the United States or in Australia, including ordinary shares issued upon exercise of outstanding warrants or options, or the possibility of such sales, could negatively affect the market price in the United States of the ADSs and our ability to raise equity capital in the future.

 

DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

 

American Depositary Shares

 

The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, will register and deliver ADSs. Each ADS will represent 40 shares (or a right to receive 40 shares) deposited with the principal Melbourne, Victoria, Australia offices of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd, Hongkong Bank of Australia and National Australia Bank Limited as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS will also represent any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary. The depositary’s office at which the ADSs will be administered is located at 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286. The Bank of New York Mellon’s principal executive office is located at 225 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10286.

 

You may hold ADSs either (A) directly (i) by having an American Depositary Receipt, or ADR, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs, registered in your name, or (ii) by having ADSs registered in your name in the Direct Registration System, or (B) indirectly by holding a security entitlement in ADSs through your broker or other financial institution. If you hold ADSs directly, you are a registered ADS holder, also referred to as an ADS holder. This description assumes you are an ADS holder. If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADS holders described in this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.

 

The Direct Registration System, or DRS, is a system administered by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, under which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership is confirmed by statements sent by the depositary to the registered holders of uncertificated ADSs.

 

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As an ADS holder, we will not treat you as one of our shareholders and you will not have shareholder rights. Australian law governs shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the shares underlying your ADSs. As a registered holder of ADSs, you will have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary, ADS holders and all other persons indirectly or beneficially holding ADSs sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. New York law governs the deposit agreement and the ADSs.

 

The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. Because it is a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of ADR which summarizes certain terms of your ADSs. A copy of the deposit agreement is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You may also obtain a copy of the deposit agreement at the SEC’s Public Reference Room which is located at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-732-0330. You may also find the registration statement and the deposit agreement on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Dividends and Other Distributions

 

How will you receive dividends and other distributions on the shares?

 

The depositary has agreed to pay to ADS holders the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on shares or other deposited securities, after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of shares your ADSs represent.

 

Cash.  The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the shares into U.S. dollars, if it can do so on a reasonable basis and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or if any government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADS holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any interest.

 

Before making a distribution, any withholding taxes, or other governmental charges that must be paid will be deducted. The depository will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole cent. If the exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.

 

Shares.  The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will sell shares which would require it to deliver a fraction of an ADS (or ADSs representing those shares) and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs will also represent the new shares. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed shares sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution (or ADSs representing those shares).

 

Rights to purchase additional shares.  If we offer holders of our securities any rights to subscribe for additional shares or any other rights, the depositary may make these rights available to ADS holders. If the depositary decides it is not legal and practical to make the rights available but that it is practical to sell the rights, the depositary will use reasonable efforts to sell the rights and distribute the proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. The depositary will allow rights that are not distributed or sold to lapse. In that case, you will receive no value for them.

 

If the depositary makes rights available to ADS holders, it will exercise the rights and purchase the shares on your behalf. The depositary will then deposit the shares and deliver ADSs to the persons entitled to them. It will only exercise rights if you pay it the exercise price and any other charges the rights require you to pay together with the depository’s fees and expenses.

 

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U.S. securities laws may restrict transfers and cancellation of the ADSs represented by shares purchased upon exercise of rights. For example, you may not be able to trade these ADSs freely in the United States. In this case, the depositary may deliver restricted depositary shares that have the same terms as the ADSs described in this section except for changes needed to put the necessary restrictions in place.

 

Other Distributions.  The depositary will send to ADS holders anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary (i) may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds, in the same way as it does with cash or (ii) it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to ADS holders unless it receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed securities or property sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.

 

The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that you may not receive the distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to you.

 

Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation

 

How are ADSs issued?

 

The depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposits shares or evidence of rights to receive shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order of the person or persons that made the deposit.

 

How can ADS holders withdraw the deposited securities?

 

You may surrender your ADSs at the depositary’s office. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to the ADS holder or a person the ADS holder designates at the office of the custodian. However, at the request, risk and expense of the ADS holder, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its office, if feasible.

 

How do ADS holders interchange between certificated ADSs and uncertificated ADSs?

 

You may surrender your ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that ADR and will send to the ADS holder a statement confirming that the ADS holder is the registered holder of uncertificated ADSs. Alternatively, upon receipt by the depositary of a proper instruction from a registered holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs, the depositary will execute and deliver to the ADS holder an ADR evidencing those ADSs.

 

Voting Rights

 

How do you vote?

 

The depositary will notify ADS holders of shareholders’ meetings and arrange to deliver our voting materials to them if we ask it to. Those materials will describe the matters to be voted on and explain how ADS holders may instruct the depositary to vote. For instructions to be valid, they much reach the depositary by a date set by the depositary.

 

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The depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to the laws of Australia and of our Constitution or similar documents, to vote or to have its agents vote the shares or other deposited securities as instructed by ADS holders. The depositary will only vote or attempt to vote as instructed. Accordingly, ADS holders must instruct the depositary how to vote the number of deposited shares their ADSs represent otherwise, such holders will not be able to exercise their right to vote unless their withdraw their shares.

 

We cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote your shares. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and there may be nothing you can do if your shares are not voted as you requested.

 

In order to give you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities, if we request the depositary to act, we agree to give the depositary notice of any such meeting and details concerning the matters to be voted upon at least 30 days in advance of the meeting date.

 

Fees and Expenses

 

Persons depositing or withdrawing shares or ADS holders must pay :   For :
     
$5.00 (or less) per 100 ADSs (or portion of 100 ADSs)  

Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property and

cancellation of ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal, including if the deposit agreement terminates

     
$0.05 (or less) per ADS   Any cash distribution to ADS holders
     
A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities distributed to you had been shares and the shares had been deposited for issuance of ADSs   Distribution of securities distributed to holders of deposited securities which are distributed by the depositary to ADS holders
     
$0.05 (or less) per ADS per calendar year   Depositary services
     
Registration or transfer fees   Transfer and registration of shares on our share register to or from the name of the depositary or its agent when you deposit or withdraw shares
     
Expenses of the depositary   Cable, telex and facsimile transmissions (when expressly provided in the deposit agreement) converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars
     
Taxes and other governmental charges the depositary or the custodian has to pay on any ADSs or shares underlying ADSs, such as  stock transfer taxes, stamp duty or withholding taxes   As necessary
     
Any charges incurred by the depositary or its agents for servicing the deposited securities   As necessary

 

The depositary collects its fees for delivery and surrender of ADSs directly from investors depositing shares or surrendering ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal or from intermediaries acting for them. The depositary collects fees for making distributions to investors by deducting those fees from the amounts distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property to pay the fees. The depositary may collect its annual fee for depositary services by deduction from cash dividends or other cash distributions or by directly billing investors or by charging the book-entry system accounts of participants acting for them. The depositary may collect any of its fees by deduction from any cash distribution payable to ADS holders that are obligated to pay those fees.

 

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From time to time, the depositary may make payments to us to reimburse us for costs and expenses generally arising out of establishment and maintenance of the ADS program, waive fees and expenses for services provided to us by the depositary or share revenue from the fees collected from ADS holders. In performing its duties under the deposit agreement, the depositary may use brokers, dealers, foreign currency dealers or other service providers that are owned by or affiliated with the depositary and that may earn or share fees, spreads or commissions.

 

The depositary may convert currency itself or through any of its affiliates and, in those cases, acts as principal for its own account and not as agent, advisor, broker or fiduciary on behalf of any other person and earns revenue, including, without limitation, transaction spreads, that it will retain for its own account. The revenue is based on, among other things, the difference between the exchange rate assigned to the currency conversion made under the deposit agreement and the rate that the depositary or its affiliate receives when buying or selling foreign currency for its own account. The depositary makes no representation that the exchange rate used or obtained in any currency conversion under the deposit agreement will be the most favorable rate that could be obtained at the time or that the method by which that rate will be determined will be the most favorable to ADS holders, subject to the depositary’s obligations under the deposit agreement. The methodology used to determine exchange rates used in currency conversions is available upon request.

 

Payment of Taxes

 

You will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on your ADSs or on the deposited securities represented by any of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities represented by your ADSs until such taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities represented by your American Depositary Shares to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to ADS holders any proceeds, or send to ADS holders any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes.

 

Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and Mergers

 

Upon any change in nominal value, change in par value, split-up, consolidation, or any other reclassification of deposited securities, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or sale of assets affecting us or to which we are a party, or upon the redemption or cancellation by us of the deposited securities, any securities, cash or property which shall be received by the depositary or a custodian in exchange for, in conversion of, in lieu of or in respect of deposited securities shall be treated as new deposited securities under the deposit agreement, and ADSs shall thenceforth represent, in addition to the existing deposited securities, the right to receive the new deposited securities so received, unless additional ADRs are delivered. In any such case the depositary may execute and deliver additional ADRs as in the case of a dividend in ordinary shares, or call for the surrender of outstanding ADRs to be exchanged for new ADRs specifically describing such new deposited securities.

 

Limitations on Obligations and Liability

 

Limits on Our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs

 

The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary. We and the depositary, among other things:

 

are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without negligence or bad faith;

 

are not liable if we are or it is prevented or delayed by law or circumstances beyond our or its control from performing our or its obligations under the deposit agreement;

 

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are not liable if we or it exercises discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;

 

are not liable for the inability of any holder of ADSs to benefit from any distribution on deposited securities that is not made available to holders of ADSs under the terms of the deposit agreement, or for any special, consequential or punitive damages for any breach of the terms of the deposit agreement;

 

have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADSs or the deposit agreement on your behalf or on behalf of any other person;

 

are not liable for the acts or omissions of any securities depository, clearing agency or settlement system; and

 

may rely upon any documents we believe or it believes in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person.

 

In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.

 

Requirements for Depositary Actions

 

Before the depositary will deliver or register a transfer of ADSs, make a distribution on ADSs, or permit withdrawal of shares, the depositary may require, among other things: 

 

payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the transfer of any shares or other deposited securities;

 

satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and

 

compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of transfer documents.

 

The depositary may refuse to deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs when the transfer books of the depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it advisable to do so.

 

Your Right to Receive the Shares Underlying Your ADSs

 

ADS holders have the right to cancel their ADSs and withdraw the underlying shares at any time except:

 

when temporary delays arise because: (i) the depositary, we or the foreign registrar has closed its transfer books; (ii) the transfer of shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting; or (iii) we are paying a dividend on our shares;

 

when you owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges; or

 

when it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the withdrawal of shares or other deposited securities.

 

This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.

 

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Direct Registration System

 

All parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the DRS and Profile Modification System, or Profile, will apply to uncertificated ADSs upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC. DRS is the system administered by DTC under which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership will be confirmed by statements sent by the depositary to the registered holders of uncertificated ADSs. Profile is a required feature of DRS that allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of a registered holder of ADSs, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register that transfer.

 

In connection with and in accordance with the arrangements and procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties to the deposit agreement understand that the depositary will not determine whether the DTC participant that is claiming to be acting on behalf of an ADS holder in requesting registration of transfer and delivery described in the paragraph above has the actual authority to act on behalf of the ADS holder (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). In the deposit agreement, the parties agree that the depositary’s reliance on and compliance with instructions received by the depositary through the DRS/Profile System and in accordance with the deposit agreement will not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the depositary.

 

Shareholder Communications; Inspection of Register of Holders of ADSs

 

The depositary will make available for your inspection at its office all reports and communications that it receives from us as a holder of deposited securities that we make generally available to holders of deposited securities. The depositary will send you copies of those communications that we ask it to send. You have a right to inspect the register of holders of ADSs, but not for the purpose of contacting those holders about a matter unrelated to our business, the deposit agreement or the ADSs.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERENCE SHARES

 

Subject to any limitations under the Corporations Act, ASX Listing Rules or the Constitution, our board of directors may issue preference shares with any preferential rights, privileges or conditions. The rights and restrictions attaching to any preference shares are set out in our Constitution or in a special resolution of shareholders. Our Constitution does not limit the amount of preference shares that we may issue.

 

We do not have any preference shares outstanding as of the date of this prospectus. In the future we may issue preference shares that could be converted into ordinary shares. A prospectus supplement will contain and describe the material terms of any preference shares that we offer to the public in the United States, along with any material U.S. federal or Australian income tax considerations relating to the offer of such preference shares.

 

Consistent with the ASX Listing Rules and our Constitution, any preference shares issued by us must confer on the holders of those preference shares:

 

the same rights as holders of ordinary shares to receive notices of general meetings, other notices, reports and accounts and to attend general meetings;

 

the right to vote in each of the following circumstances and in no others: (i) in a period during which a dividend (or part of a dividend) in respect of the share is in arrears; (ii) on a proposal to reduce our share capital; (iii) on a resolution to approve the terms of a buy-back agreement; (iv) on a proposal that affects rights attached to the shares; (v) on a proposal to wind up our company; (vi) on a proposal for the disposal of the whole of our property, business and undertaking; (vii) during the winding up of our company; (viii) subject to the ASX Listing Rules and Nasdaq, in any additional circumstances specified in the terms of issue of such preference shares by us relating to the shares upon issuance;

 

a dividend in preference to holders of ordinary shares; and

 

a return of capital in preference to holders of ordinary shares if we were to be wound up.

 

The ASX Listing Rules impose certain limitations on the issuance of preference shares by companies such as our company that are listed on ASX, including:

 

any dividends on preference shares must be at a commercial rate; and

 

any anti-dilution rights must be limited to the right to adjust the number of ordinary shares into which preference shares convert in the event of a share split or consolidation ( i.e. , reverse stock split), a bonus or entitlement issue (e .g. , stock dividend), or other capital reconstruction.

 

Further, the Corporations Act places certain limitations on payment of dividends, including preferred dividends. A right to receive dividends on a preference share may be expressed to be cumulative where it cannot be paid due to legal limitations.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

 

We may issue and offer warrants under the material terms and conditions described in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement. The accompanying prospectus supplement may add, update or change the terms and conditions of the warrants as described in this prospectus.

 

We may issue warrants to purchase our ordinary shares represented by ADSs. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any securities and may be attached to or separate from those securities. The warrants may be issued under warrant or subscription agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all of which will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants we are offering. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

 

The particular terms of the warrants, the warrant or subscription agreements relating to the warrants and the warrant certificates representing the warrants will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, including, as applicable:

 

the title of such warrants; 

 

the aggregate number of such warrants; 

 

the price or prices at which such warrants will be issued and exercised; 

 

the currency or currencies in which the price of such warrants will be payable;

 

the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire; 

 

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of such warrants which may be exercised at any one time; 

 

if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which such warrants are issued and the number of such warrants issued with each such security; 

 

if applicable, the date on and after which such warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable;

 

if applicable, any provisions for cashless exercise of the warrants;

 

if applicable; any exercise limitations with respect to the ownership limitations by the holder exercising the warrant; 

 

information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; 

 

any material Australian and United States federal income tax consequences; 

 

the anti-dilution provisions of the warrants, if any; and 

 

any other terms of such warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such warrants.

 

Holders of warrants will not be entitled, solely by virtue of being holders, to vote, to consent, to receive dividends, to receive notice as shareholders with respect to any meeting of shareholders for the election of directors or any other matters, or to exercise any rights whatsoever as a holder of the equity securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants.

 

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any warrants we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable warrant agreement and warrant certificate, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer warrants. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the applicable warrant agreement if we offer warrants, see "Where You Can Find More Information" and "Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference." We urge you to read any applicable prospectus supplement and the applicable warrant agreement and form of warrant certificate in their entirety.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS 

 

We may issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe:

 

the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; 

 

any unit agreement under which the units will be issued; 

 

any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and 

 

whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any units. The preceding description and any description of units in the applicable prospectus supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the unit agreement and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements relating to such units. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the applicable unit agreement if we offer units, see "Where You Can Find More Information" and "Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference." We urge you to read the applicable unit agreement and any applicable prospectus supplement in their entirety.

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

The securities being offered by this prospectus may be sold:

 

through agents; 

 

t o or through one or more underwriters on a firm commitment or agency basis; 

 

through put or call option transactions relating to the securities; 

 

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to or through dealers, who may act as agents or principals, including a block trade (which may involve crosses) in which a broker or dealer so engaged will attempt to sell as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; 

 

through privately negotiated transactions; 

 

purchases by a broker or dealer as principal and resale by such broker or dealer for its own account pursuant to this prospectus; 

 

directly to purchasers, including our affiliates , through a specific bidding or auction process, on a negotiated basis or otherwise; to or through one or more underwriters on a firm commitment or best efforts basis; 

 

exchange distributions and/or secondary distributions; 

 

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchasers; 

 

in "at-the-market" offerings, within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise; 

 

transactions not involving market makers or established trading markets, including direct sales or privately negotiated transactions; 

 

transactions in options, swaps or other derivatives that may or may not be listed on an exchange;

 

through any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law; or 

 

through a combination of any such methods of sale.

 

At any time a particular offer of the securities covered by this prospectus is made, a revised prospectus or prospectus supplement, if required, will be distributed which will set forth the aggregate amount of securities covered by this prospectus being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name or names of any underwriters, dealers, brokers or agents, any discounts, commissions, concessions and other items constituting compensation from us and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers. Such prospectus supplement, and, if necessary, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, will be filed with the SEC to reflect the disclosure of additional information with respect to the distribution of the securities covered by this prospectus. In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the securities sold under this prospectus may only be sold through registered or licensed broker-dealers. In addition, in some states the securities may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from registration or qualification requirements is available and is complied with.

 

The distribution of securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions, including block transactions and transactions on The Nasdaq Capital Market or any other organized market where the securities may be traded. The securities may be sold at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices relating to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The consideration may be cash or another form negotiated by the parties. Agents, underwriters or broker-dealers may be paid compensation for offering and selling the securities. That compensation may be in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions to be received from us or from the purchasers of the securities. Any dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and compensation received by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts. If any such dealers or agents were deemed to be underwriters, they may be subject to statutory liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

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Agents may from time to time solicit offers to purchase the securities. If required, we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities and set forth any compensation payable to the agent. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment. Any agent selling the securities covered by this prospectus may be deemed to be an underwriter, as that term is defined in the Securities Act, of the securities.

 

To the extent that we make sales to or through one or more underwriters or agents in at-the-market offerings, we will do so pursuant to the terms of a distribution agreement between us and the underwriters or agents. If we engage in at-the-market sales pursuant to a distribution agreement, we will sell any of our listed securities to or through one or more underwriters or agents, which may act on an agency basis or on a principal basis. During the term of any such agreement, we may sell any of our listed securities on a daily basis in exchange transactions or otherwise as we agree with the underwriters or agents. The distribution agreement will provide that any of our listed securities which are sold will be sold at prices related to the then prevailing market prices for our listed securities. Therefore, exact figures regarding proceeds that will be raised or commissions to be paid cannot be determined at this time and will be described in a prospectus supplement. Pursuant to the terms of the distribution agreement, we also may agree to sell, and the relevant underwriters or agents may agree to solicit offers to purchase, blocks of our listed securities. The terms of each such distribution agreement will be set forth in more detail in a prospectus supplement to this prospectus.

 

If underwriters are used in a sale, securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or under delayed delivery contracts or other contractual commitments. Securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. If an underwriter or underwriters are used in the sale of securities, an underwriting agreement will be executed with the underwriter or underwriters, as well as any other underwriter or underwriters, with respect to a particular underwritten offering of securities, and will set forth the terms of the transactions, including compensation of the underwriters and dealers and the public offering price, if applicable. The prospectus and prospectus supplement will be used by the underwriters to resell the securities.

 

If a dealer is used in the sale of the securities, we or an underwriter will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale. To the extent required, we will set forth in the prospectus supplement the name of the dealer and the terms of the transactions.

 

We may directly solicit offers to purchase the securities and may make sales of securities directly to institutional investors or others. These persons may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale of the securities. To the extent required, the prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any such sales, including the terms of any bidding or auction process, if used.

 

Agents, underwriters and dealers may be entitled under agreements which may be entered into with us to indemnification by us against specified liabilities, including liabilities incurred under the Securities Act, or to contribution by us to payments they may be required to make in respect of such liabilities. If required, the prospectus supplement will describe the terms and conditions of the indemnification or contribution. Some of the agents, underwriters or dealers, or their affiliates may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us or our subsidiaries.

 

Any person participating in the distribution of securities registered under the registration statement that includes this prospectus will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the applicable SEC rules and regulations, including, among others, Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of our securities by that person. Furthermore, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of our securities to engage in market-making activities with respect to our securities. These restrictions may affect the marketability of our securities and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to our securities.

 

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Certain persons participating in an offering may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions, penalty bids and other transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the offered securities. These activities may maintain the price of the offered securities at levels above those that might otherwise prevail in the open market, including by entering stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate covering transactions or imposing penalty bids, each of which is described below:

 

a stabilizing bid means the placing of any bid, or the effecting of any purchase, for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of a security. 

 

a syndicate covering transaction means the placing of any bid on behalf of the underwriting syndicate or the effecting of any purchase to reduce a short position created in connection with the offering. 

 

a penalty bid means an arrangement that permits the managing underwriter to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member in connection with the offering when offered securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in syndicate covering transactions.

 

These transactions may be effected on an exchange or automated quotation system, if the securities are listed on that exchange or admitted for trading on that automated quotation system, or in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

 

If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase offered securities from us at the public offering price set forth in such prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. Such contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commission payable for solicitation of such contracts.

 

In addition, the securities may be issued upon conversion of or in exchange for debt securities or other securities.

 

Any underwriters to whom offered securities are sold for public offering and sale may make a market in such offered securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. The offered securities may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange. No assurance can be given that there will be a market for the offered securities.

 

Any securities that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 or Regulation S under the Securities Act, may be sold under Rule 144 or Regulation S rather than pursuant to this prospectus.

 

In connection with offerings made through underwriters or agents, we may enter into agreements with such underwriters or agents pursuant to which we receive our outstanding securities in consideration for the securities being offered to the public for cash. In connection with these arrangements, the underwriters or agents may also sell securities covered by this prospectus to hedge their positions in these outstanding securities, including in short sale transactions. If so, the underwriters or agents may use the securities received from us under these arrangements to close out any related open borrowings of securities.

 

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, such third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, such third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of shares, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of shares. The third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) in such sale transactions will be underwriters and will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment).

 

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We may loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities using this prospectus. Such financial institution or third party may transfer its short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a simultaneous offering of other securities offered by this prospectus or in connection with a simultaneous offering of other securities offered by this prospectus.

 

TAXATION 

 

The material Australian and U.S. federal income tax consequences relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of any of the securities offered by this prospectus will be set forth in the prospectus supplement offering those securities.

 

EXPENSES

 

The following is a statement of expenses in connection with the distribution of the securities registered. All amounts shown are estimates except the SEC registration fee and FINRA fee.  The estimates do not include expenses related to offerings of particular securities. Each prospectus supplement describing an offering of securities will reflect the estimated expenses related to the offering of securities under that prospectus supplement. .

 

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee   $ 12,120  
FINRA fee     15,500  
Legal fees and expenses     40,000  
Accounting fees and expenses     38,000  
Printing expenses     5,000  
Depositary fees and expenses     4,000  
Other miscellaneous fees and expenses     3,380  
Total   $ 118,000  

 

LEGAL MATTERS 

 

Certain legal matters with respect to Australian law with respect to the validity of the offered securities will be passed upon for the Company by Francis Abourizk Lightowlers, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, New York, New York, will be passing upon matters of United States law for us with respect to securities offered by this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended June 30, 2018 incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement, have been so incorporated  by reference in reliance upon the report of Grant Thornton Audit Pty Ltd., independent registered public accounting firm, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2017 and for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement, have been so included in reliance upon the report of Marcum LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES 

 

        Certain of our directors and executive officers may be nonresidents of the United States. All or a substantial portion of the assets of such nonresident persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon such persons, or to enforce against such persons judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any State in the United States. We have been advised by Francis Abourizk Lightowlers that there may be significant practical and legal difficulties in enforcing in Australia judgments that are obtained in U.S. courts, against our Company and our executive officers and directors who are non-residents of the United States.

 

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE 

 

The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to other documents which we have filed or will file with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered a part of this prospectus and should be read carefully. Certain information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus. Certain information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

 

We incorporate by reference into this prospectus and the registration statement of which it is a part the following documents, including any amendments to such filings:

 

our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018;

 

our Reports on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on November 9, 2018 , November 19, 2018 (2), January 3, 2019 , January 29, 2019 , February 28, 2019 and March 19, 2019 ;

 

  our Report on Form 6-K/A furnished to the SEC on April 8, 2019; and

 

the description of ADSs representing our ordinary shares and warrants to purchase ADSs contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A  filed with the SEC on May 25, 2017, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

 

We are also incorporating by reference all subsequent Annual Reports on Form 20-F that we file with the SEC and certain reports on Form 6-K that we furnish to the SEC after the date of this prospectus (if they state that they are incorporated by reference into this prospectus) prior to the termination of this offering. In all cases, you should rely on the later information over different information included in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

Unless expressly incorporated by reference, nothing in this prospectus shall be deemed to incorporate by reference information furnished to, but not filed with, the SEC. Copies of all documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to those documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in this prospectus, will be provided at no cost to each person, including any beneficial owner, who receives a copy of this prospectus on the written or oral request of that person made to:

 

Immuron Limited

Level 3, 62 Lygon Street

Carlton South, Victoria, 3053, Australia 3053
Tel: +61 (0) 398 245 254

 

You may also access these documents on our website,  www.immuron.com.au . The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

 

You should rely only on information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We are not making offers to sell the securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION 

 

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement (including amendments and exhibits to the registration statement) on Form F-3 under the Securities Act. This prospectus, which is part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules to the registration statement. For further information, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as part of the registration statement. If a document has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, we refer you to the copy of the document that has been filed. Each statement in this prospectus relating to a document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit.

 

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act. Our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ending June 30, 2018 has been filed with the SEC. The company has also filed periodic reports with the SEC on Form 6-K. You may inspect and copy reports and other information filed with the SEC at the Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet website that contains reports and other information about issuers, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is  www.sec.gov .

 

As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under the Exchange Act from, among other things, the rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our executive officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.

 

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_______ American Depositary Shares Representing ______ Ordinary Shares

 

 

 

 
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
 

 

ThinkEquity

a division of Fordham Financial Management, Inc.

 

_____, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

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