As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2024
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
PASSAGE BIO, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
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82-2729751
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
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One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, 39th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(267) 866-0311
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
William Chou, M.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Passage Bio, Inc.
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, 39th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(267) 866-0311
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
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Robert A. Freedman, Esq.
Effie Toshav, Esq.
Ryan Mitteness, Esq.
Fenwick & West LLP
401 Union Street, 5th Floor
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 389-4510
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Edgar B. Cale, Esq.
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Passage Bio, Inc.
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, 39th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(267) 866-0311
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Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering: ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earliest effective registration statement for the same offering: ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I. D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
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Large accelerated filer
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Non-accelerated filer
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Smaller reporting company
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Emerging growth company
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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This registration statement contains two prospectuses:
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a base prospectus, which covers the offering, issuance and sale by the Company of up to $200,000,000 of the Company’s common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants to purchase the Company’s common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights to purchase the Company’s common stock, preferred stock or debt securities and/or units consisting of some or all of these securities; and
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a sales agreement prospectus covering the offering, issuance and sale by us of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $50,000,000 of the Company’s common stock that may be issued and sold under a sales agreement dated March 5, 2021 with Cowen and Company, LLC.
The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory note. The specific terms of any securities to be offered pursuant to the base prospectus will be specified in a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus. The sales agreement prospectus immediately follows the base prospectus. The specific terms of the securities to be issued and sold under the sales agreement with Cowen and Company, LLC are specified in the sales agreement prospectus that immediately follows the base prospectus.
The $50,000,000 of common stock that may be offered, issued and sold under the sales agreement prospectus is included in the $200,000,000 of securities that may be offered, issued and sold by us under the base prospectus. Upon termination of the sales agreement with Cowen and Company, LLC, any portion of the $50,000,000 included in the sales agreement prospectus supplement that is not sold pursuant to the sales agreement will be available for sale in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus and a corresponding prospectus supplement, and if no shares are sold under the sales agreement, the full $50,000,000 of securities may be sold in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus and a corresponding prospectus supplement.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission declares our registration statement effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and we are not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any state or jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MARCH 4, 2024
PROSPECTUS
$200,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Subscription Rights
Units
From time to time, we may offer up to $200,000,000 aggregate dollar amount of shares of our common stock or preferred stock, debt securities, warrants to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities and/or units consisting of some or all of these securities, in any combination, together or separately, in one or more offerings, in amounts, at prices and on the terms that we will determine at the time of the offering and which will be set forth in a prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. The total amount of these securities will have an initial aggregate offering price of up to $200,000,000.
You should read this prospectus, the information incorporated, or deemed to be incorporated, by reference in this prospectus, and any applicable prospectus supplement and related free writing prospectus carefully before you invest.
Our common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “PASG.” On February 29, 2024, the last reported sales price for our common stock was $1.71 per share. None of the other securities we may offer are currently traded on any securities exchange. The applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing on The Nasdaq Stock Market or any securities market or exchange of the securities covered by the prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus.
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the information under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 3 as well as those included in any accompanying prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus before investing in our securities.
Common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, subscription rights and/or units may be sold by us to or through underwriters or dealers, directly to purchasers or through agents designated from time to time. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus. If any underwriters, dealers or agents are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters or agents and any applicable fees, discounts or commissions, details regarding over-allotment options, if any, and the net proceeds to us will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.
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.
The date of this prospectus is , 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, from time to time, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $200,000,000.
We have provided to you in this prospectus a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities under this shelf registration process, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of the offering. We may also add, update or change in the prospectus supplement any of the information contained in this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus and the prospectus supplement, 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 — for example, a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement — the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement. This prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplements and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, includes all material information relating to this offering. You should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Information by Reference” before buying any of our securities in this offering.
Neither we, nor any agent, underwriter or dealer have authorized anyone to give you any information or to make any representation other than the information and representations contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement. We and any agent, underwriter or dealer take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information others may give you. You may not imply from the delivery of this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, nor from a sale made under this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, that our affairs are unchanged since the date of this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement or that the information contained in any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement or any sale of a security. This prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement may only be used where it is legal to sell the securities.
In this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Passage,” “Passage Bio,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Passage Bio, Inc., a Delaware corporation. “PASSAGE BIO” is a registered trademark, and the PASSAGE BIO mark, the Passage Bio logo and all product names are our common law trademarks. This prospectus, also contains or incorporates by reference documents that contain references to trademarks, trade names and service marks belonging to other entities. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, these other companies. Solely for convenience, trademarks, trade names and service marks referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ® or TM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we or the applicable licensor will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our or its rights to these trademarks and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies. All trademarks, service marks and trade names included in this document are the property of their respective owners.
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights information contained in other parts of this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus from our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and our other filings with the SEC listed below under the heading “Incorporation of Information by Reference.” This summary may not contain all the information that you should consider before investing in securities. You should read the entire prospectus and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus carefully, including “Risk Factors” and the financial data and related notes and other information incorporated by reference, before making an investment decision. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Our Company
We are a clinical stage genetic medicines company on a mission to improve the lives of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Our primary focus is the development and advancement of cutting-edge, one-time gene therapies designed to target the underlying pathology of these conditions. We believe we have developed a differentiated approach to developing treatments for central nervous system, or CNS, disorders that allows us to select and advance product candidates with a higher probability of technical and regulatory success.
Our lead clinical product candidate, PBFT02, seeks to elevate progranulin levels to restore lysosomal function and slow disease progression across a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. PBFT02 utilizes an adeno-associated virus, or AAV1, capsid to deliver a functional granulin gene, or GRN, encoding progranulin, or PGRN, to the brain via intra cisterna magna, or ICM, administration. The lead indication for PBFT02 is frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, caused by progranulin deficiency, or FTD-GRN. We believe this clinical product candidate has the potential to provide patients with significantly improved outcomes given the rigorous capsid and transgene selection process, and our chosen route of ICM administration, which provides the potential for enhanced benefits due to widespread vector delivery to the brain and spinal cord, and an improved safety profile compared with systemic administration due to the lower doses required.
We are currently studying PBFT02 in FTD-GRN, for which there are currently no approved disease-modifying therapies. In addition to the continued clinical development of PBFT02 to treat FTD-GRN, we intend to pursue PBFT02 in additional adult neurodegenerative diseases where we believe increasing PGRN levels could provide benefit. Third-party preclinical studies have shown that increased PGRN levels reduce the pathologic accumulation of TAR DNA binding protein 43, or TDP-43. TDP-43 pathology is a hallmark of multiple neurodegenerative conditions, including FTD due to mutations in the C9orf72 gene, or FTD-C9orf72, approximately 95% of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, and approximately 50% of sporadic FTD. Additionally, we believe restoration of PGRN has the potential to modulate Alzheimer’s disease, or AD, in patients that are carriers of the GRN rs5848 single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNP. Individuals with this polymorphism have reduced PGRN levels and are at an increased risk for AD. In the second half of 2024, we expect to obtain regulatory feedback on the clinical pathway to treating FTD-C9orf72 and ALS patients with PBFT02.
We have a research collaboration with the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania’s, or Penn’s, Gene Therapy Program, or GTP, headed by Dr. James Wilson, a leader in the genetic medicines field. Our research collaboration with GTP provides us with access to one of the premier research institutions in the world for the discovery and preclinical development of genetic medicine product candidates. We are purposefully focusing on neurodegenerative diseases for which we believe our genetic medicine approach provides distinct technical advantages based on decades of research by GTP. GTP conducts rigorous discovery and preclinical studies to identify promising product candidates. Under our research collaboration, we have exclusive development and global commercial rights to product candidates for certain rare monogenic and certain non-rare, non-monogenic, or large, CNS disorders, subject to certain limitations. We also have access to platform technologies related to development of novel capsids, toxicity reduction technologies, and optimization approaches for delivery and formulation for product candidates in the CNS indications that we select. We have progressed four product candidates sourced from our research collaboration with GTP to the clinical stage of development and have eight remaining options to license additional programs from GTP until August 2026.
The Securities We May Offer
With this prospectus, we may offer common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, and/or units consisting of some or all of these securities in any combination. Each time we offer securities with this prospectus, we will provide offerees with a prospectus supplement that will contain the specific terms of the securities being offered. The following is a summary of the securities we may offer with this prospectus.
Common Stock
We may offer shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share.
Preferred Stock
We may offer shares of our preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, in one or more series. Our board of directors or a committee designated by the board will determine the dividend, voting, conversion and other rights of the series of shares of preferred stock being offered. Each series of preferred stock will be more fully described in the particular prospectus supplement that will accompany this prospectus, including redemption provisions, rights in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or the winding up, voting rights and rights to convert into common stock.
Debt Securities
We may offer general obligations, which may be secured or unsecured, senior or subordinated and convertible into shares of our common stock or preferred stock. In this prospectus, we refer to the senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities together as the “debt securities.” Our board of directors will determine the terms of each series of debt securities being offered.
We will issue the debt securities under an indenture between us and a trustee. In this document, we have summarized general features of the debt securities from the indenture. We encourage you to read the indenture, which is an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Warrants
We may offer warrants for the purchase of debt securities, shares of preferred stock or shares of common stock. We may issue warrants independently or together with other securities. Our board of directors will determine the terms of the warrants.
Subscription Rights
We may offer subscription rights for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock or debt securities. We may issue subscription rights independently or together with other securities. Our board of directors will determine the terms of the subscription rights.
Units
We may offer units consisting of some or all of the securities described above, in any combination, including common stock, preferred stock, warrants and/or debt securities. The terms of these units will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The description of the terms of these units in the related prospectus supplement will not be complete. You should refer to the applicable form of unit and unit agreement for complete information with respect to these units.
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We were incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in July 2017 under the name Passage Bio, Inc. Our principal executive office is located at One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, 39th Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, and our telephone number is (267) 866-0311. Our website address is www.passagebio.com. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this prospectus. Investors should not rely on any such information in deciding whether to purchase our securities.
RISK FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. The prospectus supplement applicable to each offering of securities will contain a discussion of the risks applicable to an investment in our securities. 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 Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and any updates to those risk factors in subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are incorporated herein by reference, and may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file (not furnish) with the SEC in the future. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our operations.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and documents incorporated herein by reference contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained or incorporated herein by reference are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “aim,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “forecast,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained or incorporated herein by reference, including without limitation statements regarding our plans to develop and commercialize our product candidates, the timing and results of our ongoing or planned preclinical studies and clinical trials, risks associated with clinical trials, including our ability to adequately manage clinical activities, unexpected concerns that may arise from additional data or analysis obtained during clinical trials, the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals, the clinical utility of our product candidates, our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy, our expectations about the willingness of healthcare professionals to use our product candidates, the sufficiency of our cash and cash equivalents, general economic, industry and market conditions, including interest rates and inflation, and instability in the global banking system, our activities to evaluate and pursue potential out-licensing opportunities following our determination to discontinue the advancement of certain product candidates, and the plans and objectives of management for future operations and capital expenditures are forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements in this prospectus and documents incorporated herein by reference are only predictions and are based largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described under the sections of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” as well as those described elsewhere in this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any free writing prospectus.
Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond our control, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. We intend the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus and documents incorporated herein by reference to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in 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.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, the exhibits filed therewith or the documents incorporated by reference therein. For further information about us and the securities offered hereby, reference is made to the registration statement, the exhibits filed therewith and the documents incorporated by reference therein. Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and in each instance, we refer you to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act and are required to file annual, quarterly and other reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains an Internet site (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and various other information about us. You may also inspect the documents described herein at our principal executive offices, One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, 39th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, during normal business hours.
Information about us is also available at our website at www.passagebio.com. However, the information on our website is not a part of this prospectus and is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.
INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those other documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and information we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. A Current Report (or portion thereof) furnished, but not filed, on Form 8-K shall not be incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of any offering of securities made by this prospectus:
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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 4, 2024; and
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the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on February 18, 2020 under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, as updated by Exhibit 4.3 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
All reports and other documents we subsequently file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act with the SEC after the date of the registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, but excluding any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated by reference in this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.
We will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of such documents that has been incorporated herein by reference (other than exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into the documents that this prospectus incorporates). Written or oral requests for copies should be directed to Passage Bio, Inc., Attn: Investor Relations, One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, 39th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, and our telephone number is (267) 866-0311. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” for information concerning how to obtain copies of materials that we file with the SEC.
Any statement contained in this prospectus, or in a document, all or a portion of which is incorporated by reference, shall be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not, except as so modified or superseded, constitute a part of this prospectus.
USE OF PROCEEDS
We will retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds to us from the sale of our securities under this prospectus. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities under this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include funding research, clinical development, process development and manufacturing of our product candidates, increasing our working capital, reducing indebtedness, acquisitions or investments in businesses, products or technologies that are complementary to our own and capital expenditures. We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement our intended use for the net proceeds received from the sale of any securities. Pending the application of the net proceeds, we intend to invest the net proceeds in short-term or long-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing securities.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell the securities covered by this prospectus to one or more underwriters for public offering and sale by them, and may also sell the securities to investors directly or through agents. We will name any underwriter or agent involved in the offer and sale of securities in the applicable prospectus supplement. We have reserved the right to sell or exchange securities directly to investors on our own behalf in jurisdictions where we are authorized to do so. We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions:
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at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed;
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at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;
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at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or
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at negotiated prices.
We may directly solicit offers to purchase the securities being offered by this prospectus. We may also designate agents to solicit offers to purchase the securities from time to time. We will name in a prospectus supplement any agent involved in the offer or sale of our securities. Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, an agent will be acting on a best efforts basis, and a dealer will purchase securities as a principal for resale at varying prices to be determined by the dealer.
If we utilize an underwriter in the sale of the securities being offered by this prospectus, we will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriter at the time of sale and we will provide the name of any underwriter in the prospectus supplement that the underwriter will use to make resales of the securities to the public. In connection with the sale of the securities, we, or the purchasers of securities for whom the underwriter may act as agent, may compensate the underwriter in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions. The underwriter may sell the securities to or through dealers, and those dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent.
We will provide in the applicable prospectus supplement any compensation we pay to underwriters, dealers, or agents in connection with the offering of the securities, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers. Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions. In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), the aggregate maximum discount, commission or agency fees or other items constituting underwriting compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer shall be fair and reasonable. We may enter into agreements to indemnify underwriters, dealers and agents against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to reimburse them for certain expenses. We may grant underwriters who participate in the distribution of our securities under this prospectus an option to purchase additional securities in connection with the distribution.
The securities we offer under this prospectus may or may not be listed through The Nasdaq Stock Market or any other securities exchange. To facilitate the offering of securities, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities. This may include short sales of the securities, which involves the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than we sold to them. In these circumstances, these persons would cover such short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their option to purchase additional securities. In addition, these persons may stabilize or maintain the price of the securities by bidding for or purchasing securities in the open market or by imposing penalty bids, whereby selling concessions allowed to dealers participating in the offering may be reclaimed if securities sold by them are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.
We may engage in at the market offerings into an existing trading market in accordance with Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act. In addition, 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, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including short sale transactions. If so, the third party 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 stock, and they may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in these sale transactions will be an underwriter and will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. In addition, we may otherwise loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities short using this prospectus. The financial institution or other third party may transfer its economic short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a concurrent offering of other securities.
We will file a prospectus supplement to describe the terms of any offering of our securities covered by this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will disclose:
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the terms of the offer;
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the names of any underwriters, including any managing underwriters, as well as any dealers or agents;
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the purchase price of the securities from us;
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the net proceeds to us from the sale of the securities;
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any delayed delivery arrangements;
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any options under which underwriters, if any, may purchase additional securities from us;
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any underwriting discounts, commissions or other items constituting underwriters’ compensation, and any commissions paid to agents;
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in a subscription rights offering, whether we have engaged dealer-managers to facilitate the offering or subscription, including their name or names and compensation;
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any public offering price; and
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other facts material to the transaction.
We will bear all or substantially all of the costs, expenses and fees in connection with the registration of our securities under this prospectus. The underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with us, or perform services for us, in the ordinary course of business.
Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle (a) in two business days, prior to May 28, 2024 and (b) in one business day starting on May 28, 2024, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise or the securities are sold by us to an underwriter in a firm commitment underwritten offering. The applicable prospectus supplement may provide that the original issue date for your securities may be more than two scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities. Accordingly, in such a case, if you wish to trade securities on any date prior to the second business day before the original issue date for your securities, you will be required, by virtue of the fact that your securities initially are expected to settle in more than two scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities, to make alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
General
The following description summarizes the most important terms of our capital stock. Because it is only a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. For a complete description, you should refer to our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws, which are included as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and to the applicable provisions of Delaware law.
Our authorized capital stock consists of 300,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share.
As of December 31, 2023, there were 54,944,130 shares of our common stock outstanding, and no shares of preferred stock outstanding.
Common Stock
Dividend rights
Subject to preferences that may apply to any shares of preferred stock outstanding at the time, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends out of funds legally available if our board of directors, in its discretion, determines to issue dividends and then only at the times and in the amounts that our board of directors may determine. For more information about our dividend policy, see the section entitled “Dividend Policy” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 4, 2024, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
Voting rights
Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. We have not provided for cumulative voting for the election of directors in our restated certificate of incorporation, which means that holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock are able to elect all of our directors. Our restated certificate of incorporation establishes a classified board of directors, divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms. Only one class of directors will be elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms.
No preemptive or similar rights
Our common stock is not entitled to preemptive rights, and is not subject to conversion, redemption or sinking fund provisions.
Right to receive liquidation distributions
Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders would be distributable ratably among the holders of our common stock and any participating preferred stock outstanding at that time, subject to prior satisfaction of all outstanding debt and liabilities and the preferential rights of and the payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Preferred Stock
We had no shares of preferred stock outstanding as of December 31, 2023.
Our board of directors is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by Delaware law, to issue preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each series and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each series and any of their qualifications, limitations or restrictions, in each case without further vote or action by our stockholders. Our board of directors is also able to increase or decrease the number of shares of any series
of preferred stock, but not below the number of shares of that series then outstanding, without any further vote or action by our stockholders. Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company, and might adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock. We have no current plan to issue any shares of preferred stock.
Stock Options
As of December 31, 2023, we had outstanding options to purchase an aggregate 9,290,308 shares of our common stock, with a weighted-average exercise price of $5.63 per share.
Restricted Stock Units
As of December 31, 2023, we had 927,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of outstanding restricted stock units.
Warrants
We had no outstanding warrants to purchase our securities as of December 31, 2023.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
The provisions of Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, our restated certificate of incorporation and our restated bylaws could have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another person from acquiring control of our company. These provisions, which are summarized below, may have the effect of discouraging takeover bids. They are also designed, in part, to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with an unfriendly or unsolicited acquirer outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging a proposal to acquire us because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Delaware Law
We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL regulating corporate takeovers. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the date on which the person became an interested stockholder unless:
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prior to the date of the transaction, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;
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the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder, (i) shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) shares owned by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or
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at or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by the board of directors of the corporation and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66.67% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.
Generally, a business combination includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction or series of transactions together resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An interested stockholder
is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns or, within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, did own 15% or more of a corporation’s outstanding voting stock. We expect the existence of this provision to have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions our board of directors does not approve in advance. We also anticipate that Section 203 may also discourage attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.
Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Restated Bylaws Provisions
Our restated certificate of incorporation and our restated bylaws include a number of provisions that could deter hostile takeovers or delay or prevent changes in control of our company, including the following:
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Board of directors vacancies. Our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws authorize only our board of directors to fill vacant directorships, including newly created seats. In addition, the number of directors constituting our board of directors is permitted to be set only by a resolution adopted by a majority vote of our entire board of directors. These provisions prevent a stockholder from increasing the size of our board of directors and then gaining control of our board of directors by filling the resulting vacancies with its own nominees. This makes it more difficult to change the composition of our board of directors but promotes continuity of management.
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Classified board. Our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws provide that our board of directors is classified into three classes of directors, each with staggered three-year terms. A third party may be discouraged from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us as it is more difficult and time consuming for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors on a classified board of directors.
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Stockholder action; special meetings of stockholders. Our restated certificate of incorporation provides that our stockholders may not take action by written consent, but may only take action at annual or special meetings of our stockholders. As a result, a holder controlling a majority of our capital stock would not be able to amend our restated bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of our stockholders called in accordance with our restated bylaws. Further, our restated bylaws provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by a majority of our board of directors, the chairperson of our board of directors, our Chief Executive Officer or our President, thus prohibiting a stockholder from calling a special meeting. These provisions might delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for stockholders controlling a majority of our capital stock to take any action, including the removal of directors.
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Advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and director nominations. Our restated bylaws provide advance notice procedures for stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders. Our restated bylaws also specify certain requirements regarding the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions might preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders if the proper procedures are not followed. We expect that these provisions might also discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.
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No cumulative voting. The DGCL provides that stockholders are not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws do not provide for cumulative voting.
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Directors removed only for cause. Our restated certificate of incorporation provides that stockholders may remove directors only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of our outstanding common stock.
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Amendment of charter provisions. Any amendment of the above provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation requires approval by holders of at least two-thirds of our outstanding common stock.
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Issuance of undesignated preferred stock. Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock with rights and preferences, including voting rights, designated from time to time by our board of directors. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock enables our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by merger, tender offer, proxy contest or other means.
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Choice of forum. Our restated certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty; any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the DGCL, our restated certificate of incorporation or our restated bylaws; or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that a court could find these types of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable. This exclusive forum provision does not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. It could apply, however, to a suit that falls within one or more of the categories enumerated in the exclusive forum provision and asserts claims under the Securities Act, inasmuch as Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. To the extent that any such claims may be based upon federal law claims, Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. In addition, our amended and restated bylaws also provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provision with respect to claims under the Securities Act, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
The Nasdaq Stock Market Listing
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “PASG.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The transfer agent’s address is 250 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021, and its telephone number is (800) 962-4284.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
General
We may issue the debt securities offered by this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement under an indenture to be entered into between us and the trustee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of the debt securities will include those stated in the indenture and those made part of the indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as in effect on the date of the indenture. We have filed a copy of the form of indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement in which this prospectus is included. The indenture will be subject to and governed by the terms of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will represent our direct, unsecured obligations and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured indebtedness.
We may offer under this prospectus up to an aggregate principal amount of $200,000,000 in debt securities, or if debt securities are issued at a discount, or in a foreign currency, foreign currency units or composite currency, the principal amount as may be sold for an aggregate public offering price of up to $200,000,000. We may issue the debt securities in one or more series with the same or various maturities, at par, at a premium, or at a discount. We will describe the particular terms of each series of debt securities in a prospectus supplement relating to that series, which we will file with the SEC. The prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of debt securities being offered will specify the particular amounts, prices and terms of those debt securities. These terms may include:
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the title of the series;
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the aggregate principal amount, and, if a series, the total amount authorized and the total amount outstanding;
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the issue price or prices, expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;
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any limit on the aggregate principal amount;
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the date or dates on which principal is payable;
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the interest rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates;
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the date or dates from which interest, if any, will be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable;
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the place or places where principal and, if applicable, premium and interest, is payable;
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the terms and conditions upon which we may, or the holders may require us to, redeem or repurchase the debt securities;
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the denominations in which such debt securities may be issuable, if other than denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple of that number;
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whether the debt securities are to be issuable in the form of certificated securities (as described below) or global securities (as described below);
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the portion of principal amount that will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date if other than the principal amount of the debt securities;
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the currency of denomination;
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the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of principal and, if applicable, premium and interest, will be made;
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if payments of principal and, if applicable, premium or interest, on the debt securities are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than the currency of denomination, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;
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if amounts of principal and, if applicable, premium and interest may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index, then the manner in which such amounts will be determined;
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the provisions, if any, relating to any collateral provided for such debt securities;
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any addition to or change in the covenants and/or the acceleration provisions described in this prospectus or in the indenture;
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any events of default, if not otherwise described below under “Events of Default”;
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the terms and conditions, if any, for conversion into or exchange for shares of our common stock or preferred stock;
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any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents; and
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the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the debt securities shall be subordinated in right of payment to our other indebtedness.
We may issue discount debt securities that provide for an amount less than the stated principal amount to be due and payable upon acceleration of the maturity of such debt securities in accordance with the terms of the indenture. We may also issue debt securities in bearer form, with or without coupons. If we issue discount debt securities or debt securities in bearer form, we will describe material U.S. federal income tax considerations and other material special considerations which apply to these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.
We may issue debt securities denominated in or payable in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units. If we do, we will describe the restrictions, elections, and general tax considerations relating to the debt securities and the foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Debt securities offered under this prospectus and any prospectus supplement will be subordinated in right of payment to certain of our outstanding senior indebtedness. In addition, we will seek the consent of the holders of any such senior indebtedness prior to issuing any debt securities under this prospectus to the extent required by the agreements evidencing such senior indebtedness.
Registrar and Paying Agent
The debt securities may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange at the corporate trust office of the security registrar or at any other office or agency that we maintain for those purposes. In addition, the debt securities may be presented for payment of principal, interest and any premium at the office of the paying agent or at any office or agency that we maintain for those purposes.
Conversion or Exchange Rights
Debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our common stock. The terms and conditions of conversion or exchange will be stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms will include, among others, the following:
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the conversion or exchange price;
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the conversion or exchange period;
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provisions regarding the convertibility or exchangeability of the debt securities, including who may convert or exchange;
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events requiring adjustment to the conversion or exchange price;
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provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of our redemption of the debt securities; and
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any antidilution provisions, if applicable.
Registered Global Securities
If we decide to issue debt securities in the form of one or more global securities, then we will register the global securities in the name of the depositary for the global securities or the nominee of the depositary, and the global securities will be delivered by the trustee to the depositary for credit to the accounts of the holders of beneficial interests in the debt securities.
The prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the depositary arrangement for debt securities of a series that are issued in global form. None of us, the trustee, any payment agent or the security registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a global debt security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to these beneficial ownership interests.
No Protection in the Event of Change of Control
The indenture does not have any covenants or other provisions providing for a put or increased interest or otherwise that would afford holders of our debt securities additional protection in the event of a recapitalization transaction, a change of control or a highly leveraged transaction. If we offer any covenants or provisions of this type with respect to any debt securities covered by this prospectus, we will describe them in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Covenants
Unless otherwise indicated in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement, our debt securities will not have the benefit of any covenants that limit or restrict our business or operations, the pledging of our assets or the incurrence by us of indebtedness. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement any material covenants in respect of a series of debt securities.
Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets
The form of indenture provides that we will not consolidate with or merge into any other person or convey, transfer, sell or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person, unless:
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we are the surviving person of such merger or consolidation, or if we are not the surviving person, the person formed by the consolidation or into or with which we are merged or the person to which our properties and assets are conveyed, transferred, sold or leased, is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the U.S., any state or the District of Columbia or a corporation or comparable legal entity organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and has expressly assumed all of our obligations, including the payment of the principal of and, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities and the performance of the other covenants under the indenture; and
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immediately before and immediately after giving effect to the transaction on a pro forma basis, no event of default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an event of default, has occurred and is continuing under the indenture.
Events of Default
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Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the following events will be events of default under the indenture with respect to debt securities of any series:
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we fail to pay any principal or premium, if any, when it becomes due;
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we fail to pay any interest within 30 days after it becomes due;
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we fail to observe or perform any other covenant in the debt securities or the indenture for 90 days after written notice specifying the failure from the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series; and
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certain events involving bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of us or any of our significant subsidiaries.
The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of the debt securities of any series of any default, except in payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities of a series, if the trustee considers it to be in the best interest of the holders of the debt securities of that series to do so.
If an event of default (other than an event of default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) occurs, and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may accelerate the maturity of the debt securities. If this happens, the entire principal amount, plus the premium, if any, of all the outstanding debt securities of the affected series plus accrued interest to the date of acceleration will be immediately due and payable. At any time after the acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on such acceleration is obtained by the trustee, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of such series may rescind and annul such acceleration if:
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all events of default (other than nonpayment of accelerated principal, premium or interest) have been cured or waived;
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all lawful interest on overdue interest and overdue principal has been paid; and
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the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree.
In addition, if the acceleration occurs at any time when we have outstanding indebtedness that is senior to the debt securities, the payment of the principal amount of outstanding debt securities may be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment of any amounts due under the senior indebtedness, in which case the holders of debt securities will be entitled to payment under the terms prescribed in the instruments evidencing the senior indebtedness and the indenture.
If an event of default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occurs, the principal, premium and interest amount with respect to all of the debt securities of any series will be due and payable immediately without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or the holders of the debt securities of that series.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series will have the right to waive any existing default or compliance with any provision of the indenture or the debt securities of that series and to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, subject to certain limitations specified in the indenture.
No holder of any debt security of a series will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the indenture or for any remedy under the indenture, unless:
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the holder gives to the trustee written notice of a continuing event of default;
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the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the affected series make a written request and offer reasonable indemnity to the trustee to institute a proceeding as trustee;
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the trustee fails to institute a proceeding within 60 days after such request; and
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the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the affected series do not give the trustee a direction inconsistent with such request during such 60-day period.
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These limitations do not, however, apply to a suit instituted for payment on debt securities of any series on or after the due dates expressed in the debt securities.
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We will periodically deliver certificates to the trustee regarding our compliance with our obligations under the indenture.
Modification and Waiver
From time to time, we and the trustee may, without the consent of holders of the debt securities of one or more series, amend the indenture or the debt securities of one or more series, or supplement the indenture, for certain specified purposes, including:
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to provide that the surviving entity following a change of control permitted under the indenture will assume all of our obligations under the indenture and debt securities;
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to provide for certificated debt securities in addition to uncertificated debt securities;
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to comply with any requirements of the SEC under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939;
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to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of debt securities of any series as permitted by the indenture;
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to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, or make any other change that does not materially and adversely affect the rights of any holder; and
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to appoint a successor trustee under the indenture with respect to one or more series.
From time to time we and the trustee may, with the consent of holders of at least a majority in principal amount of an outstanding series of debt securities, amend or supplement the indenture or the debt securities series, or waive compliance in a particular instance by us with any provision of the indenture or the debt securities. We may not, however, without the consent of each holder affected by such action, modify or supplement the indenture or the debt securities or waive compliance with any provision of the indenture or the debt securities in order to:
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reduce the amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement, or waiver to the indenture or such debt security;
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reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest or reduce the amount of or postpone the date for payment of sinking fund or analogous obligations;
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reduce the principal of or change the stated maturity of the debt securities;
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make any debt security payable in money other than that stated in the debt security;
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change the amount or time of any payment required or reduce the premium payable upon any redemption, or change the time before which no such redemption may be made;
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waive a default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities or a redemption payment;
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waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt securities or change any provision with respect to redemption of debt securities; or
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take any other action otherwise prohibited by the indenture to be taken without the consent of each holder affected by the action.
Defeasance of Debt Securities and Certain Covenants in Certain Circumstances
The indenture permits us, at any time, to elect to discharge our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities by following certain procedures described in the indenture. These procedures will allow us either:
to defease and be discharged from any and all of our obligations with respect to any debt securities except for the following obligations (which discharge is referred to as “legal defeasance”):
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to register the transfer or exchange of such debt securities;
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to replace temporary or mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities;
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to compensate and indemnify the trustee; or
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to maintain an office or agency in respect of the debt securities and to hold monies for payment in trust; or
to be released from our obligations with respect to the debt securities under certain covenants contained in the indenture, as well as any additional covenants which may be contained in the applicable supplemental indenture (which release is referred to as “covenant defeasance”).
In order to exercise either defeasance option, we must irrevocably deposit with the trustee or other qualifying trustee, in trust for that purpose:
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money;
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U.S. Government Obligations (as described below) or Foreign Government Obligations (as described below) that through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money; or
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a combination of money and/or U.S. Government Obligations and/or Foreign Government Obligations sufficient in the written opinion of a nationally-recognized firm of independent accountants to provide money;
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that, in each case specified above, provides a sufficient amount to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the debt securities of the series, on the scheduled due dates or on a selected date of redemption in accordance with the terms of the indenture.
In addition, defeasance may be effected only if, among other things:
•
in the case of either legal or covenant defeasance, we deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel, as specified in the indenture, stating that as a result of the defeasance neither the trust nor the trustee will be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940;
•
in the case of legal defeasance, we deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that we have received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling to the effect that, or there has been a change in any applicable federal income tax law with the effect that (and the opinion shall confirm that), the holders of outstanding debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes solely as a result of such legal defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner, including as a result of prepayment, and at the same times as would have been the case if legal defeasance had not occurred;
•
in the case of covenant defeasance, we deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the outstanding debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of covenant defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if covenant defeasance had not occurred; and
•
certain other conditions described in the indenture are satisfied.
If we fail to comply with our remaining obligations under the indenture and applicable supplemental indenture after a covenant defeasance of the indenture and applicable supplemental indenture, and the debt securities are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any undefeased event of default, the amount of money and/or U.S. Government Obligations and/or Foreign Government Obligations on deposit with the trustee could be insufficient to pay amounts due under the debt securities of the affected series at the time of acceleration. We will, however, remain liable in respect of these payments.
The term “U.S. Government Obligations” as used in the above discussion means securities that are direct obligations of or non-callable obligations guaranteed by the United States of America for the payment of which obligation or guarantee the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged.
The term “Foreign Government Obligations” as used in the above discussion means, with respect to debt securities of any series that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, (1) direct obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged or (2) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by or acting as an agent or instrumentality of such government the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by that government, which in either case under clauses (1) or (2), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer.
Regarding the Trustee
We will identify the trustee with respect to any series of debt securities in the prospectus supplement relating to the applicable debt securities. You should note that if the trustee becomes a creditor of ours, the indenture and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 limit the rights of the trustee to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim, as security or otherwise. The trustee and its affiliates may engage in, and will be permitted to continue to engage in, other transactions with us and our affiliates. If, however, the trustee acquires any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, it must eliminate such conflict or resign.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of any series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the trustee. If an event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee, in the exercise of its rights and powers, must use the degree of care and skill of a prudent person in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to that provision, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request of any of the holders of the debt securities, unless they have offered to the trustee reasonable indemnity or security.
No Individual Liability of Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers or Directors
Each indenture provides that no incorporator and no past, present or future stockholder, officer or director of our company or any successor corporation in those capacities will have any individual liability for any of our obligations, covenants or agreements under the debt securities or such indenture.
Governing Law
The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
General
We may issue warrants for the purchase of our debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, or any combination thereof. Warrants may be issued independently or together with our debt securities, preferred stock or common stock and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants. The warrant agent will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants. This summary of certain provisions of the warrants is not complete. For the terms of a particular series of warrants, you should refer to the prospectus supplement for that series of warrants and the warrant agreement for that particular series.
Debt Warrants
The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants to purchase debt securities will describe the terms of the debt warrants, including the following:
•
the title of the debt warrants;
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the offering price for the debt warrants, if any;
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the aggregate number of the debt warrants;
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the designation and terms of the debt securities, including any conversion rights, purchasable upon exercise of the debt warrants;
•
if applicable, the date from and after which the debt warrants and any debt securities issued with them will be separately transferable;
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the principal amount of debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of a debt warrant and the exercise price for the warrants, which may be payable in cash, securities or other property;
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the dates on which the right to exercise the debt warrants will commence and expire;
•
if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the debt warrants that may be exercised at any one time;
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whether the debt warrants represented by the debt warrant certificates or debt securities that may be issued upon exercise of the debt warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form;
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information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;
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the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;
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if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations;
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the antidilution provisions of the debt warrants, if any;
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the redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the debt warrants;
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any provisions with respect to the holder’s right to require us to repurchase the debt warrants upon a change in control or similar event; and
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any additional terms of the debt warrants, including procedures and limitations relating to the exchange, exercise, and settlement of the debt warrants.
Debt warrant certificates will be exchangeable for new debt warrant certificates of different denominations. Debt warrants may be exercised at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement. Prior to the exercise of their debt warrants, holders of debt warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities purchasable upon exercise and will not be entitled to payment of principal or any premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities purchasable upon exercise.
Equity Warrants
The prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of warrants to purchase our common stock or preferred stock will describe the terms of the warrants, including the following:
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the title of the warrants;
•
the offering price for the warrants, if any;
•
the aggregate number of warrants;
•
the designation and terms of the common stock or preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants;
•
if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each security;
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if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any securities issued with the warrants will be separately transferable;
•
the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the exercise price for the warrants;
•
the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants shall commence and expire;
•
if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;
•
the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;
•
if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations;
•
the antidilution provisions of the warrants, if any;
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the redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants;
•
any provisions with respect to a holder’s right to require us to repurchase the warrants upon a change in control or similar event; and
•
any additional terms of the warrants, including procedures and limitations relating to the exchange, exercise and settlement of the warrants.
Holders of equity warrants will not be entitled:
•
to vote, consent, or receive dividends;
•
receive notice as stockholders with respect to any meeting of stockholders for the election of our directors or any other matter; or
•
exercise any rights as stockholders.
DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS
We may issue subscription rights to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities. These subscription rights may be offered independently or together with any other security offered hereby and may or may not be transferable by the stockholder receiving the subscription rights in such offering. In connection with any offering of subscription rights, we may enter into a standby arrangement with one or more underwriters or other purchasers pursuant to which the underwriters or other purchasers may be required to purchase any securities remaining unsubscribed for after such offering.
The prospectus supplement relating to any subscription rights we offer, if any, will, to the extent applicable, include specific terms relating to the offering, including some or all of the following:
•
the price, if any, for the subscription rights;
•
the exercise price payable for our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities upon the exercise of the subscription rights;
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the number of subscription rights to be issued to each stockholder;
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the number and terms of our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities which may be purchased per each subscription right;
•
the extent to which the subscription rights are transferable;
•
any other terms of the subscription rights, including the terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the subscription rights;
•
the date on which the right to exercise the subscription rights shall commence, and the date on which the subscription rights shall expire;
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the extent to which the subscription rights may include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities or an over-allotment privilege to the extent the securities are fully subscribed; and
•
if applicable, the material terms of any standby underwriting or purchase arrangement which may be entered into by us in connection with the offering of subscription rights.
The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any subscription rights we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable subscription rights certificate, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer subscription rights. We urge you to read the applicable subscription rights certificate and any applicable prospectus supplement in their entirety.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
We may issue units consisting of some or all of the securities described above, in any combination, including common stock, preferred stock, warrants and/or debt securities. The terms of these units will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The description of the terms of these units in the related prospectus supplement will not be complete. You should refer to the applicable form of unit and unit agreement for complete information with respect to these units.
LEGAL MATTERS
Fenwick & West LLP, Seattle, Washington, will issue an opinion about certain legal matters with respect to the securities. Any underwriters or agents will be advised about legal matters relating to any offering by their own counsel.
EXPERTS
The financial statements of Passage Bio, Inc. as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for the years then ended, have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
Up to $200,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Subscription Rights
Units
The date of this prospectus is , 2024
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities, in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
PROSPECTUSSUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MARCH 4, 2024
$50,000,000
Common Stock
We previously entered into a sales agreement, or the sales agreement, with Cowen and Company, LLC or TD Cowen, relating to shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001, offered by this prospectus and the accompanying base prospectus. In accordance with the terms of the sales agreement, we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $125.0 million from time to time through TD Cowen acting as our agent or principal. This prospectus is offering of up to an aggregate of $50,000,000 in shares of our common stock. We will be required to file another prospectus or a prospectus supplement in the event we want to offer more than $50,000,000 in shares of our common stock in accordance with the Sales Agreement.
Our common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “PASG.” The last reported sales price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Stock Market on February 29, 2024 was $1.71 per share.
Sales of our common stock, if any, under this prospectus and the accompanying base prospectus may be made in sales deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. TD Cowen is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of securities, but will act as a sales agent using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices, on mutually agreed terms between TD Cowen and us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
Under the sales agreement, we may also sell shares of common stock to TD Cowen as principal for its own account, at a price to be agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell shares to a TD Cowen as principal, we will enter into a separate terms agreement with TD Cowen, and we will describe the agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or pricing supplement.
The compensation to TD Cowen for sales of common stock sold pursuant to the sales agreement will be up to 3.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds of any shares of common stock sold under the sales agreement. In connection with the sale of the common stock on our behalf, TD Cowen will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of TD Cowen will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have also agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to TD Cowen with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should review carefully the risks and uncertainties referenced under the heading “Risk Factors” on page 5 of this prospectus as well as those contained in any accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus or prospectus supplement we prepare or authorize in connection with this offering, and in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus.
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.
TD Cowen
The date of this prospectus is , 2024.
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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 the SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may from time to time sell shares of our common stock. Under this prospectus, we may from time to time sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $50,000,000, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of the offering. The $50,000,000 of shares of common stock that may be sold under this prospectus are included in the $200,000,000 of securities that may be sold under our shelf registration statement.
We provide information to you about this offering of shares of our common stock in two separate documents: (1) this prospectus, which describes the specific details regarding this offering; and (2) the base prospectus referred to on the cover page of this prospectus, which provides general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. Generally, when we refer to the “prospectus,” we are referring to both documents combined. You should read both this prospectus and the base prospectus as well as the additional information described in this prospectus under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information; Incorporation by Reference” before investing in our common stock. This prospectus describes the terms of this offering of common stock and also adds to and updates information contained in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus, on the one hand, and the information contained in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus that was filed with the SEC before the date of this prospectus, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date – for example, a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus – the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
We have not, and TD Cowen has not, authorized anyone to provide you with any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement or related free writing prospectus to which we have referred you. Neither we nor TD Cowen take any responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information others may give you. We are not, and TD Cowen is not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or in which the person making that offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, the accompanying base prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, is accurate only as of the date of those respective documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. You should read this prospectus, the accompanying base prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, in their entirety before making an investment decision.
When we refer to “Passage,” “Passage Bio,” “we,” “our,” “us,” the “Registrant,” the “Company” and “our company” in this prospectus, we mean Passage Bio, Inc., a Delaware corporation, unless otherwise specified.
“PASSAGE BIO” is a registered trademark, and the PASSAGE BIO mark, the Passage Bio logo and all product names are our common law trademarks. All other service marks, trademarks and tradenames appearing in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and tradenames referred to in this prospectus appear without the® and ™ symbols, but those references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights, or the right of the applicable licensor to these trademarks and tradenames.
We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our common stock only in jurisdictions where such offers and sales are permitted. The distribution of this prospectus and the offering of our common stock in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of our common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States. This prospectus does not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities offered by this prospectus by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION; INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
Available Information
We file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information about issuers, such as us, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is www.sec.gov.
Our web site address is www.passagebio.com. The information on our web site, however, is not, and should not be deemed to be, a part of this prospectus.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC and does not contain all of the information in the registration statement. The full registration statement may be obtained from the SEC or us, as provided below. Documents establishing the terms of the offered securities are or may be filed as exhibits to the registration statement. Statements in this prospectus about these documents are summaries and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. You should refer to the actual documents for a more complete description of the relevant matters. You may inspect a copy of the registration statement through the SEC’s website, as provided above, or at our principal executive offices, One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, 39th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, during normal business hours.
Incorporation by Reference
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those other documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and information we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. A Current Report (or portion thereof) furnished, but not filed, on Form 8-K shall not be incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of any offering of securities made by this prospectus:
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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 4, 2024; and
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the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on February 18, 2020 under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, as updated by Exhibit 4.3 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
All reports and other documents we subsequently file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of this offering, including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, but excluding any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated by reference in this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.
We will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of such documents that has been incorporated herein by reference (other than exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into the documents that this prospectus incorporates). Written or oral requests for copies should be directed to Passage Bio, Inc., Attn: Investor Relations, One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, 39th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, and our telephone number is (267) 866-0311.
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights information contained in other parts of this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus from our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and our other filings with the SEC listed below under the heading “Incorporation of Information by Reference.” This summary may not contain all the information that you should consider before investing in securities. You should read the entire prospectus and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus carefully, including “Risk Factors” and the financial data and related notes and other information incorporated by reference, before making an investment decision. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Our Company
We are a clinical stage genetic medicines company on a mission to improve the lives of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Our primary focus is the development and advancement of cutting-edge, one-time gene therapies designed to target the underlying pathology of these conditions. We believe we have developed a differentiated approach to developing treatments for central nervous system, or CNS, disorders that allows us to select and advance product candidates with a higher probability of technical and regulatory success.
Our lead clinical product candidate, PBFT02, seeks to elevate progranulin levels to restore lysosomal function and slow disease progression across a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. PBFT02 utilizes an adeno-associated virus, or AAV1, capsid to deliver a functional granulin gene, or GRN, encoding progranulin, or PGRN, to the brain via intra cisterna magna, or ICM, administration. The lead indication for PBFT02 is frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, caused by progranulin deficiency, or FTD-GRN. We believe this clinical product candidate has the potential to provide patients with significantly improved outcomes given the rigorous capsid and transgene selection process, and our chosen route of ICM administration, which provides the potential for enhanced benefits due to widespread vector delivery to the brain and spinal cord, and an improved safety profile compared with systemic administration due to the lower doses required.
We are currently studying PBFT02 in FTD-GRN, for which there are currently no approved disease-modifying therapies. In addition to the continued clinical development of PBFT02 to treat FTD-GRN, we intend to pursue PBFT02 in additional adult neurodegenerative diseases where we believe increasing PGRN levels could provide benefit. Third-party preclinical studies have shown that increased PGRN levels reduce the pathologic accumulation of TAR DNA binding protein 43, or TDP-43. TDP-43 pathology is a hallmark of multiple neurodegenerative conditions, including FTD due to mutations in the C9orf72 gene, or FTD-C9orf72, approximately 95% of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, and approximately 50% of sporadic FTD. Additionally, we believe restoration of PGRN has the potential to modulate Alzheimer’s disease, or AD, in patients that are carriers of the GRN rs5848 single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNP. Individuals with this polymorphism have reduced PGRN levels and are at an increased risk for AD. In the second half of 2024, we expect to obtain regulatory feedback on the clinical pathway to treating FTD-C9orf72 and ALS patients with PBFT02.
We have a research collaboration with the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania’s, or Penn’s, Gene Therapy Program, or GTP, headed by Dr. James Wilson, a leader in the genetic medicines field. Our research collaboration with GTP provides us with access to one of the premier research institutions in the world for the discovery and preclinical development of genetic medicine product candidates. We are purposefully focusing on neurodegenerative diseases for which we believe our genetic medicine approach provides distinct technical advantages based on decades of research by GTP. GTP conducts rigorous discovery and preclinical studies to identify promising product candidates. Under our research collaboration, we have exclusive development and global commercial rights to product candidates for certain rare monogenic and certain non-rare, non-monogenic, or large, CNS disorders, subject to certain limitations. We also have access to platform technologies related to development of novel capsids, toxicity reduction technologies, and optimization approaches for delivery and formulation for product candidates in the CNS indications that we select. We have progressed four product candidates sourced from our research collaboration with GTP to the clinical stage of development and have eight remaining options to license additional programs from GTP until August 2026.
Company Information
We were incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in July 2017 under the name Passage Bio, Inc. Our principal executive office is located at One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, 39th Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, and our telephone number is (267) 866-0311. Our website address is www.passagebio.com. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this prospectus. Investors should not rely on any such information in deciding whether to purchase our common stock.
THE OFFERING
Common stock offered by us
Shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $50,000,000.
Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering
Up to 84,183,896 shares (as more fully described in the notes following this table), assuming sales of 29,239,766 shares of our common stock in this offering at an offering price of $1.71 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common shares on The Nasdaq Stock Market on February 29, 2024. The actual number of shares issued will vary depending on the sales price under this offering.
“At the market offering” that may be made from time to time through our sales agent, TD Cowen. See “Plan of Distribution.”
We currently intend to use the net proceeds of this offering primarily for general corporate purposes, which may include funding research, clinical development, process development and manufacturing of our product candidates, increasing our working capital, reducing indebtedness, acquisitions or investments in businesses, products or technologies that are complementary to our own and capital expenditures. See “Use of Proceeds.”
Investing in our common stock involves significant risks. See the disclosure under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and under similar headings in other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Nasdaq Stock Market symbol
PASG
The number of shares of our common stock shown above to be outstanding after this offering is based on 54,944,130 shares of our common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2023, and excludes:
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9,290,308 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding as of December 31, 2023 under our 2018 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan, or the 2018 Plan, our 2020 Equity Incentive Plan, or the 2020 Plan, and our 2021 Equity Inducement Plan, or the 2021 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $5.63 per share;
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144,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options granted between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024, under our 2020 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $1.09 per share;
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318,218 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options forfeited or otherwise cancelled between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024, under our 2020 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $9.33 per share;
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91,100 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options forfeited or otherwise cancelled between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024, under our 2021 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $9.17 per share;
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927,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units outstanding as of December 31, 2023, under our 2020 Plan and our 2021 Plan;
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60,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units granted between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024, under our 2020 Plan;
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654,666 shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units vested between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024, under our 2020 Plan; and
■
11,254,981 additional shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our stock-based compensation plans as of December 31, 2023, consisting of (i) 8,666,526 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2020 Plan after the issuance of the awards
described above, (ii) 1,478,155 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and (iii) 1,110,300 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Plan.
Except as otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus does not assume or give effect to any exercise of outstanding options after December 31, 2023.
RISK FACTORS
Investment in any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and the accompanying base prospectus involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors described below and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any amendment or update thereto reflected in subsequent filings with the SEC, including in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and all other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities.
RISKS RELATING TO THIS OFFERING
If you purchase shares of our common stock sold in this offering, you may experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of your shares. In addition, we may issue additional equity or convertible debt securities in the future, which may result in additional dilution to you.
The price per share of our common stock being offered may be higher than the net tangible book value per share of our outstanding common stock prior to this offering. Assuming that an aggregate of 29,239,766 shares of our common stock are sold at a price of $1.71 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Stock Market on February 29, 2024, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $50,000,000, and after deducting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, new investors would not suffer any immediate dilution. However, if a new investor purchases shares to be sold in this offering at a per share price above the adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock, you could suffer immediate and substantial dilution. Such dilution would equal the difference between the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock and the offering price. For a more detailed discussion of the foregoing, see the section entitled “Dilution” below. To the extent outstanding stock options or warrants are exercised, there will be further dilution to new investors. In addition, to the extent we need to raise additional capital in the future and we issue additional shares of common stock or securities convertible or exchangeable for our common stock, our then existing stockholders may experience dilution and the new securities may have rights senior to those of our common stock offered in this offering.
We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may not use them effectively.
Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering, including for any of the purposes described in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds,” and you will not have the opportunity as part of your investment decision to assess whether the net proceeds are being used appropriately. Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of the net proceeds from this offering, their ultimate use may vary substantially from their currently intended use. Our management might not apply our net proceeds in ways that ultimately increase the value of your investment. We expect to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund research, clinical development, process development and manufacturing of our product candidates, working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes.
The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business. Pending their use, we plan to invest the net proceeds from this offering in short-term or long-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing securities. These investments may not yield a favorable return to our stockholders. If we do not invest or apply the net proceeds from this offering in ways that enhance stockholder value, we may fail to achieve expected financial results, which could cause our stock price to decline.
The actual number of shares we will issue under the sales agreement, at any one time or in total, is uncertain.
Subject to certain limitations in the sales agreement and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver a placement notice to TD Cowen at any time throughout the term of the sales
agreement. The number of shares that are sold by TD Cowen after delivering a placement notice will fluctuate based on the market price of the common shares during the sales period and limits we set with TD Cowen. Because the price per share of each share sold will fluctuate based on the market price of our common stock during the sales period, it is not possible at this stage to predict the number of shares that will be ultimately issued.
The common stock offered hereby will be sold in “at the market offerings”, and investors who buy shares at different times will likely pay different prices.
Investors who purchase shares in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and so may experience different outcomes in their investment results. We will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices, and numbers of shares sold, and there is no minimum or maximum sales price. Investors may experience a decline in the value of their shares as a result of share sales made at prices lower than the prices they paid.
You may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings.
In order to raise additional capital, we expect to in the future offer additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock. We cannot assure you that we will be able to sell shares or other securities in any other offering at a price per share that is equal to or greater than the price per share paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders. The price per share at which we sell additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock in future transactions may be higher or lower than the price per share in this offering.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and documents incorporated herein by reference contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained or incorporated herein by reference are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “aim,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “forecast,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained or incorporated herein by reference, including without limitation statements regarding our plans to develop and commercialize our product candidates, the timing and results of our ongoing or planned preclinical studies and clinical trials, risks associated with clinical trials, including our ability to adequately manage clinical activities, unexpected concerns that may arise from additional data or analysis obtained during clinical trials, the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals, the clinical utility of our product candidates, our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy, our expectations about the willingness of healthcare professionals to use our product candidates, the sufficiency of our cash and cash equivalents, general economic, industry and market conditions, including interest rates and inflation, and instability in the global banking system, our activities to evaluate and pursue strategic alternatives following our determination to discontinue the advancement of certain product candidates, and the plans and objectives of management for future operations and capital expenditures are forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements in this prospectus and documents incorporated herein by reference are only predictions and are based largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described under the sections of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” as well as those described elsewhere in this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any free writing prospectus.
Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond our control, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. We intend the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus and documents incorporated herein by reference to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in 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.
USE OF PROCEEDS
We may issue and sell shares of our common stock having aggregate sales proceeds of up to $50,000,000 from time to time. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. There can be no assurance that we will sell any shares under or fully utilize the sales agreement with TD Cowen as a source of financing.
We currently intend to use any net proceeds from the sale of securities under this prospectus primarily to fund research, clinical development, process development and manufacturing of our product candidates, working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes. Additionally, we may use a portion of the net proceeds from this offering to expand our current business by in-licensing or acquiring, as the case may be, commercial products, product candidates, technologies, compounds, other assets or complementary businesses, using cash or shares of our common stock. However, we have no current commitments or obligations to do so.
The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures will depend on numerous factors, including the progress of our clinical trials and other development efforts and other factors described under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, the accompanying base prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, as well as the amount of cash used in our operations. We may find it necessary or advisable to use the net proceeds for other purposes, and we will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds. Pending the uses described above, we plan to invest the net proceeds from this offering in short-term or long-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing securities.
DILUTION
If you invest in our common stock, your interest may be diluted to the extent of the difference between the price per share you pay in this offering and the net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering.
Our net tangible book value of our common stock as of December 31, 2023 was $111.3 million, or $2.03 per share of common stock based upon 54,944,130 shares outstanding. Net tangible book value per share is equal to our total tangible assets, less our total liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding as of December 31, 2023.
After giving effect to the sale of our common stock in the aggregate amount of $50,000,000 at an assumed offering price of $1.71 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Stock Market on February 29, 2024, and after deducting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of December 31, 2023 would have been $159.6 million, or $1.90 per share of common stock. This represents an immediate decrease in net tangible book value of $0.13 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $0.19 per share to new investors in this offering.
The following table illustrates this calculation on a per share basis. The as-adjusted information is illustrative only and will adjust based on the actual price to the public, the actual number of shares sold and other terms of the offering determined at the time shares of our common stock are sold pursuant to this prospectus. The as-adjusted information assumes that all of our common stock in the aggregate amount of $50,000,000 is sold at the assumed offering price of $1.71 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Stock Market on February 29, 2024. The shares sold in this offering, if any, will be sold from time to time at various prices.
|
Assumed public offering price per share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
1.71 |
|
|
|
Historical net tangible book value per share as of December 31, 2023
|
|
|
|
$ |
2.03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Decrease in net tangible book value per share attributable to the offering
|
|
|
|
|
(0.13) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to the offering
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.90 |
|
|
|
Increase in net tangible book value per share to new investors participating in the offering
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
0.19 |
|
|
The number of shares of our common stock shown above to be outstanding after this offering is based on 54,944,130 shares of our common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2023, and excludes:
■
9,290,308 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding as of December 31, 2023 under the 2018 Plan, the 2020 Plan, and the 2021 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $5.63 per share;
■
144,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options granted between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024, under our 2020 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $1.09 per share;
■
318,218 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options forfeited or otherwise cancelled between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024, under our 2020 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $9.33 per share;
■
91,100 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options forfeited or otherwise cancelled between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024, under our 2021 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $9.17 per share;
■
927,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units outstanding as of December 31, 2023, under our 2020 Plan and our 2021 Plan;
■
60,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units granted between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024, under our 2020 Plan;
■
654,666 shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units vested between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024, under our 2020 Plan; and
■
11,254,981 additional shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our stock-based compensation plans as of December 31, 2023, consisting of (i) 8,666,526 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2020 Plan after the issuance of the awards described above, (ii) 1,478,155 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and (iii) 1,110,300 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Plan.
Except as otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus does not assume or give effect to any exercise of outstanding options after December 31, 2023.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We previously entered into a sales agreement with TD Cowen, under which we may issue and sell from time to time up to $125,000,000 of our common stock through or to TD Cowen as our sales agent or principal. Sales of our common stock, if any, will be made at market prices by any method that is deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act. A copy of the sales agreement that we entered into with Cowen and Company, LLC is filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
TD Cowen will offer our common stock subject to the terms and conditions of the sales agreement on a daily basis or as otherwise agreed upon by us and TD Cowen. We will designate the maximum amount of common stock to be sold through TD Cowen on a daily basis or otherwise determine such maximum amount together with TD Cowen. Subject to the terms and conditions of the sales agreement, TD Cowen will use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the shares of common stock requested to be sold by us. We may instruct TD Cowen not to sell common stock if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us in any such instruction. TD Cowen or we may suspend the offering of our common stock being made through TD Cowen under the sales agreement upon proper notice to the other party. TD Cowen and we each have the right, by giving written notice as specified in the sales agreement, to terminate the sales agreement in each party’s sole discretion at any time.
The aggregate compensation payable to TD Cowen as sales agent will be up to 3.0% of the gross sales price of the shares sold through it pursuant to the sales agreement. We have also agreed to reimburse TD Cowen up to $50,000 of TD Cowen’s actual outside legal expenses incurred by TD Cowen in connection with this offering, and for certain other expenses, including TD Cowen’s FINRA counsel fees in an amount up to $10,000. We estimate that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding commissions payable to TD Cowen under the sales agreement, will be approximately $430,000.
The remaining sales proceeds, after deducting any expenses payable by us and any transaction fees imposed by any governmental, regulatory, or self-regulatory organization in connection with the sales, will equal our net proceeds for the sale of such common stock.
TD Cowen will provide written confirmation to us following the close of trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market on each day in which common stock is sold through it as sales agent under the sales agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares of common stock sold through it as sales agent on that day, the volume weighted average price of the shares sold, the percentage of the daily trading volume and the net proceeds to us.
We will report at least quarterly the number of shares of common stock sold through TD Cowen under the sales agreement, the net proceeds to us and the compensation paid by us to TD Cowen in connection with the sales of common stock.
Settlement for sales of common stock will occur, unless the parties agree otherwise, on the second business day that is also a trading day following the date on which any sales were made in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. Pursuant to recent amendments to Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, settlement for any securities offered under this prospectus supplement on or after May 28, 2024, may occur on the first business day that is also a trading day following the date on which any sales were made in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
Under the sales agreement, we may also sell shares of common stock to TD Cowen as principal for its own account, at a price to be agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell shares to a TD Cowen as principal, we will enter into a separate terms agreement with TD Cowen, and we will describe the agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or pricing supplement.
In connection with the sales of our common stock on our behalf, TD Cowen will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation paid to TD Cowen will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed in the sales agreement to
provide indemnification and contribution to TD Cowen against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. As sales agent, TD Cowen will not engage in any transactions that stabilizes our common stock.
Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market and trades under the symbol “PASG.” The transfer agent of our common stock is Computershare Trust Share Company, N.A.
TD Cowen and/or its affiliates have provided, and may in the future provide, various investment banking and other financial services for us for which services they have received and, may in the future receive, customary fees.
LEGAL MATTERS
Fenwick & West LLP, Seattle, Washington, will pass upon certain legal matters relating to the issuance and sale of the securities offered hereby on behalf of Passage Bio, Inc. Cowen and Company, LLC is being represented in connection with this offering by Cooley LLP, New York, New York.
EXPERTS
The financial statements of Passage Bio, Inc. as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for the years then ended, have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
$50,000,000
Common Stock
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
TD Cowen
, 2024
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14.
Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The following table sets forth estimated expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered hereby. Each item listed is estimated, except for the SEC registration fee and FINRA filing fee.
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SEC registration fee
|
|
|
|
$ |
27,595 |
|
|
|
FINRA filing fee
|
|
|
|
|
30,500 |
|
|
|
Printing and engraving*
|
|
|
|
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*
|
|
|
|
Legal fees and expenses*
|
|
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|
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*
|
|
|
|
Accounting fees and expenses*
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses*
|
|
|
|
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*
|
|
|
|
Miscellaneous expenses*
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
Total*
|
|
|
|
$ |
*
|
|
|
*
These fees and expenses depend on the type of securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly, cannot be estimated at this time.
Item 15.
Indemnification of Officers and Directors
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a court to award, or a corporation’s board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors and officers under certain circumstances and subject to certain limitations. The terms of Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law are sufficiently broad to permit indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities, including reimbursement of expenses incurred, arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act.
As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Registrant’s restated certificate of incorporation contains provisions that eliminate the personal liability of its directors and officers for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as a director or officer, except liability for the following:
•
any breach of the director’s or officer’s duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its stockholders;
•
acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
•
with respect to directors, under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (regarding unlawful dividends or stock purchases); or
•
any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit.
As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Registrant’s restated bylaws provide that:
•
the Registrant is required to indemnify its directors and executive officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to limited exceptions;
•
the Registrant may indemnify its other employees and agents as set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law;
•
the Registrant is required to advance expenses, as incurred, to its directors and executive officers in connection with a legal proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to limited exceptions; and
•
the rights conferred in the restated bylaws are not exclusive.
The Registrant has entered, and intends to continue to enter, into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers to provide these directors and executive officers additional contractual assurances regarding the scope of the indemnification set forth in the Registrant’s restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws and to provide additional procedural protections. At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving a director or executive officer of the Registrant for which indemnification is sought. The indemnification provisions in the Registrant’s restated certificate of incorporation, restated bylaws and the indemnification agreements entered into or to be entered into between the Registrant and each of its directors and executive officers may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of the Registrant’s directors and executive officers for liabilities arising under the Securities Act.
The Registrant currently carries liability insurance for its directors and officers.
Item 16.
Exhibits
The exhibits listed below are filed (except where otherwise indicated) as part of this Registration Statement.
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Incorporated by Reference
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Exhibit
Number
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Exhibit Description
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Form
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File No.
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Exhibit
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Filing Date
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Filed
Herewith
|
|
1.1*
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Form of Underwriting Agreement
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1.2
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S-3ASR
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333-253955
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1.2
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3/05/2021
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3.1
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10-Q
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001-39231
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3.1
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8/07/2023
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3.2
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8-K
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001-39231
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3.1
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12/02/2022
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4.1
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S-1/A
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333-236214
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4.1
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2/18/2020
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4.3
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X
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4.4
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X
|
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4.5*
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Form of Warrant
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4.6*
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Form of Warrant Agreement
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4.7*
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Form of Preferred Stock Certificate
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4.8*
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Form of Subscription Rights Certificate
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4.9*
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Form of Unit
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4.10*
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Form of Unit Agreement
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5.1
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|
X
|
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23.1
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Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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X
|
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23.2
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X
|
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24.1
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|
X
|
|
25.1**
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Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for Senior Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
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25.2**
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Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for Subordinated Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
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107
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|
X
|
|
*
To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and incorporated herein by reference.
**
To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Rule 5b-3 thereunder.
Item 17.
(a)
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
(1)
To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i)
to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
(ii)
to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii)
to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that subparagraphs (i), (ii), and (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
(2)
That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3)
To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4)
That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
(i)
Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(ii)
Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the
registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
(5)
That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i)
any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii)
any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;
(iii)
the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and
(iv)
any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.
(b)
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c)
If and when applicable, the Registrant hereby further undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.
(d)
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Philadelphia, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on March 4, 2024.
PASSAGE BIO, INC.
By:
/s/ William Chou
Name: William Chou, M.D.
Title: Chief Executive Officer and President
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Each person whose individual signature appears below hereby authorizes and appoints William Chou, M.D., Kathleen Borthwick and Edgar B. Cale, and each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to act in his or her name, place and stead and to execute in the name and on behalf of each person, individually and in each capacity stated below, and to file any and all amendments to this registration statement (including post-effective amendments or any abbreviated registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) increasing the number of securities for which registration is sought) and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing, ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agents or his substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
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Signature
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Title
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Date
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/s/ William Chou
William Chou, M.D.
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Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
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March 4, 2024
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/s/ Kathleen Borthwick
Kathleen Borthwick
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Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Accounting Officer and Principal Financial Officer)
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March 4, 2024
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/s/ Maxine Gowen
Maxine Gowen, Ph.D.
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Chair of the Board of Directors
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March 4, 2024
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/s/ Athena Countouriotis
Athena Countouriotis, M.D.
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Director
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March 4, 2024
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/s/ Saqib Islam
Saqib Islam
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Director
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March 4, 2024
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/s/ Sandip Kapadia
Sandip Kapadia
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Director
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March 4, 2024
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/s/ Derrell Porter
Derrell Porter, M.D.
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Director
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March 4, 2024
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/s/ Dolan Sondhi
Dolan Sondhi, Ph.D.
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Director
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March 4, 2024
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Exhibit 4.3
FORM OF DEBT SECURITY
[Face of Security]
PASSAGE BIO, INC.
[If applicable, insert—FOR PURPOSES OF THE
ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT PROVISIONS OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, THE ISSUE PRICE OF THIS SECURITY IS %
OF ITS PRINCIPAL AMOUNT AT STATED MATURITY SET FORTH BELOW (ITS “PRINCIPAL AMOUNT”), THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT
IS % OF ITS PRINCIPAL AMOUNT, THE YIELD TO MATURITY IS %
AND THE ISSUE DATE IS ]
[IF THE SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY, INSERT—THIS
NOTE IS A GLOBAL SECURITY. IT IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR NOTES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY (AS HEREINAFTER DEFINED)
OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES HEREINAFTER DESCRIBED AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY
TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY
OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO A SUCCESSOR OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.]
Passage Bio, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to on the reverse
hereof), for value received, hereby promises to pay to, or registered assigns, the principal sum of
Dollars on [if Security is to bear interest
prior to maturity, insert—, and to pay interest thereon from
or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on
and in each year, commencing ,
at the rate of % per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment
[if applicable, insert—, provided that any principal and premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear
interest at the rate of % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such
amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment, and such interest shall be payable on demand]]. The interest so payable,
and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose
name this Security (or one or more predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the record date for such interest,
which shall be the or
(whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid
or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such record date and may either be paid to the Person at the
time this Security (or one or more predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment
of such defaulted interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less
than 10 days prior to such special record date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements
of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange,
all as more fully provided in said Indenture. [If the Security is not to bear interest prior to maturity, insert—The principal of
this Security shall not bear interest except in the case of a default in payment of principal upon acceleration, upon redemption or at
Stated Maturity and in such case the overdue principal and any overdue premium shall bear interest at the rate of %
per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they
are paid or made available for payment. Interest on any overdue principal or premium shall be payable on demand. [Any such interest on
overdue principal or premium which is not paid on demand shall bear interest at the rate of %
per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest on interest shall be legally enforceable), from the date of such demand until
the amount so demanded is paid or made available for payment. Interest on any overdue interest shall be payable on demand.]].
Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any,
on) and [any such] interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in
in such coin or currency of [the United States of America] as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private
debts[; provided, however, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person
entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the register of the Security maintained by the Registrar].
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions
of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth
at this place.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon
has been manually executed by or on behalf of the Trustee under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof, this Security shall not
be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this
instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.
Dated: |
Passage Bio, Inc. |
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By |
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[Title] |
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Attest and Countersign |
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Secretary |
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[Reverse of Security.]
PASSAGE BIO, INC.
This Security is one of a duly authorized issue
of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture
dated as of , (herein called the “Indenture,”
which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), between the Company and ,
as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which the Indenture
and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations or rights, duties
and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are,
and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof [, limited in aggregate principal
amount to $ ].
[If the Security is to be subordinated, insert—The
indebtedness evidenced by this Security is, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the Indenture, expressly subordinated and subject
in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all senior Indebtedness of the Company. This Security is issued subject to such provisions
of the Indenture, and each Holder of this Security, by accepting the same, agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions and authorizes
and directs the Trustee on the Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to acknowledge or effectuate
such subordination as provided in the Indenture and appoints the Trustee such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.]
The Securities of this series are subject to redemption
upon not less than 30 days’, and no more than 60 days, notice provided in the manner set forth in the Indenture, [(1) on in
any year commencing with the year and ending with the year at the Redemption Price (as indicated below) equal to 100% of the principal
amount, and (2)] at any time [on or after], as a whole or in part, at the election of the principal the following Redemption Prices (expressed
as percentages of the principal amount, as indicated below): If redeemed [on or before , %,
and if redeemed] during the 12-month period beginning of the years indicated,
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Redemption Price |
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Year |
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Redemption Price |
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and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to % of the principal amount
together in the case of any such redemption with accrued interest to the Redemption Date, but interest installments whose Stated Maturity
is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities of record at the close of business on the relevant
record dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.
[If the Security is to be redeemable in part,
insert—In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series for the unredeemed
portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.]
[If the Security is to be subject to repayment
at the option of the Holder, insert—To be repaid at the option of the Holder, the Company must receive this Security, with the form
of “Option to Elect Repayment” hereon duly completed, at an office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in
(or at such other place of which the Company shall from time to time notify the Holder of this Security) not less than nor more than days
prior to the Repayment Date (as defined therein). The exercise of the repayment option by the Holder shall be irrevocable.]
[If the Security is not to be subject to redemption
at the option of the Company, insert—The Securities are not redeemable at the option of the Company prior to Maturity.]
[If the Security is not to be an Original Issue
Discount Security, insert—If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal
of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.]
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions
as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders
of the Securities of each Series under the Indenture to be affected at any time by the Company with the consent of the Holders of
not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities then outstanding of each Series to be affected.
The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a
majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series then outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such
series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past Defaults or Events of Default with
respect to such Series under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall
be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration
of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent of waiver is made upon this Security.
As provided in and subject to the provisions of
the indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the
appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written
notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal
amount of the Securities of this series then outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect
of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, and the Trustee shall not
have received from the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series then outstanding a direction inconsistent
with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer
of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of
principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision
of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay
the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein
prescribed.
[If the Security is to be in registered form,
insert—As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable
in the register of the Registrar, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company
in any place where the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied
by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney
duly authorized in writing, and, thereupon one or more new Securities of this series, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate
principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.]
[The Securities of this series are issuable only
in registered form in denominations of $ [and any integral multiple] [or increments of $ in excess] thereof. As provided in
the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal
amount of Securities of this series of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.]
[No service charge shall be made for any such
registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge
payable in connection therewith.]
[Prior to due presentment of this Security for
registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this
Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee
nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.]
[If the Security is a Global Security, insert—“Global
Security” and “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities evidencing all or a part of a series of Securities,
issued to the Depositary (as hereinafter defined) for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depositary or
its nominee. “Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the
form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as the Depositary by the Company.
No holder of any beneficial interest in this Security
held on its behalf by a Depositary or a nominee of such Depositary shall have any rights under the Indenture with respect to such Global
Security, and such Depositary or nominee may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the
owner of such Global Security for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall impair, as between a Depositary
and such holders of beneficial interests, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of the Depositary
as Holder of any Security.
This Security is exchangeable, in whole but not
in part, for Securities registered in the names of Persons other than the Depositary or its nominee or in the name of a successor to the
Depositary or a nominee of such successor depositary only if (i) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable
to continue as Depositary for this Note or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, in either case, a successor depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days, (ii) the
Company in its discretion at any time determines not to have all of the Securities of this series represented by one or more Global Security
or Securities and notifies the Trustee thereof, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities
of this series. If this Security is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence, it shall be exchangeable for Securities issuable
in authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Depositary holding this Security shall direct. Subject to the foregoing,
this Security is not exchangeable, except for a Security or Securities of the same aggregate denominations to be registered in the name
of such Depositary or its nominee or in the name of a successor to the Depositary or a nominee of such successor depositary.]
[The Indenture entitles Holders to receive annual
reports with respect to the Trustee’s eligibility and qualifications to serve as Trustee by filing their names and addresses with
the Trustee for that purpose within two years preceding and mailing of any such annual report.]
No recourse shall be had for the payment of the
principal of (and premium, if any, on) or interest on this Security, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof, or
based on or in respect of the Indenture of any indenture supplemental thereto, against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director,
as such, past, present or future, of the Company or any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of
law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of
the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.
All terms used in this Security which are defined
in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
This Security, including without limitation the
obligation of the Company contained herein to pay the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest on this Security in accordance
with the terms hereof and of the Indenture, shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York.
[Trustee’s Certificate of
Authentication.]
This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred
to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
, as
[Authenticating Agent for] the Trustee |
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By |
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Authorized Officer |
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Exhibit 4.4
PASSAGE BIO, INC.
And
, as Trustee
INDENTURE
Dated as of ,
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE 1 – DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE |
1 |
1.1 DEFINITIONS |
1 |
1.2. OTHER DEFINITIONS |
4 |
1.3. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF TRUST INDENTURE ACT |
4 |
1.4. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION |
4 |
ARTICLE 2 – THE SECURITIES |
5 |
2.1. ISSUABLE IN SERIES |
5 |
2.2. ESTABLISHMENT OF TERMS OF SERIES OF SECURITIES |
5 |
2.3. EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATION |
6 |
2.4. REGISTRAR AND PAYING AGENT |
7 |
2.5. PAYING AGENT TO HOLD ASSETS IN TRUST |
7 |
2.6. SECURITYHOLDER LISTS |
8 |
2.7. TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE |
8 |
2.8. REPLACEMENT SECURITIES |
8 |
2.9. OUTSTANDING SECURITIES |
8 |
2.10. WHEN TREASURY SECURITIES DISREGARDED; DETERMINATION OF HOLDERS’ ACTION |
9 |
2.11. TEMPORARY SECURITIES |
9 |
2.12. CANCELLATION |
9 |
2.13. PAYMENT OF INTEREST; DEFAULTED INTEREST; COMPUTATION OF INTEREST |
9 |
2.14. CUSIP NUMBER |
10 |
2.15. PROVISIONS FOR GLOBAL SECURITIES |
10 |
2.16. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS |
10 |
ARTICLE 3 – REDEMPTION |
11 |
3.1. NOTICES TO TRUSTEE |
11 |
3.2. SELECTION BY TRUSTEE OF SECURITIES TO BE REDEEMED |
11 |
3.3. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION |
11 |
3.4. EFFECT OF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION |
12 |
3.5. DEPOSIT OF REDEMPTION PRICE |
12 |
3.6. SECURITIES REDEEMED IN PART |
12 |
ARTICLE 4 – COVENANTS |
12 |
4.1. PAYMENT OF SECURITIES |
12 |
4.2. SEC REPORTS |
12 |
4.3. WAIVER OF STAY, EXTENSION OR USURY LAWS |
13 |
4.4. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE |
13 |
4.5. CORPORATE EXISTENCE |
13 |
ARTICLE 5 – SUCCESSOR CORPORATION |
13 |
5.1. LIMITATION ON CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALE OF ASSETS |
13 |
5.2. SUCCESSOR PERSON SUBSTITUTED |
14 |
ARTICLE 6 – DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES |
14 |
6.1. EVENTS OF DEFAULT |
14 |
6.2. ACCELERATION |
15 |
6.3. REMEDIES |
15 |
6.4. WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS AND EVENTS OF DEFAULT |
15 |
6.5. CONTROL BY MAJORITY |
15 |
6.6. LIMITATION ON SUITS |
15 |
6.7. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS TO RECEIVE PAYMENT |
16 |
6.8. COLLECTION SUIT BY TRUSTEE |
16 |
6.9. TRUSTEE MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM |
16 |
6.10. PRIORITIES |
16 |
6.11. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS |
17 |
ARTICLE 7 – TRUSTEE |
17 |
7.1. DUTIES OF TRUSTEE |
17 |
7.2. RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE |
18 |
7.3. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE |
18 |
7.4. TRUSTEE’S DISCLAIMER |
18 |
7.5. NOTICE OF DEFAULT |
18 |
7.6. REPORTS BY TRUSTEE TO HOLDERS |
19 |
7.7. COMPENSATION AND INDEMNITY |
19 |
7.8. REPLACEMENT OF TRUSTEE |
19 |
7.9. SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE BY CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR CONVERSION |
20 |
7.10. ELIGIBILITY; DISQUALIFICATION |
20 |
7.11. PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST COMPANY |
20 |
7.12. PAYING AGENTS |
20 |
ARTICLE 8 – AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS |
20 |
8.1. WITHOUT CONSENT OF HOLDERS |
20 |
8.2. WITH CONSENT OF HOLDERS |
21 |
8.3. COMPLIANCE WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT |
21 |
8.4. REVOCATION AND EFFECT OF CONSENTS |
22 |
8.5. NOTATION ON OR EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES |
22 |
8.6. TRUSTEE TO SIGN AMENDMENTS, ETC. |
22 |
ARTICLE 9 – DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE |
22 |
9.1. DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE |
22 |
9.2. LEGAL DEFEASANCE |
23 |
9.3. COVENANT DEFEASANCE |
23 |
9.4. CONDITIONS TO LEGAL DEFEASANCE OR COVENANT DEFEASANCE |
23 |
9.5. DEPOSITED MONEY AND U.S. AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS TO BE HELD IN TRUST; OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS |
24 |
9.6. REINSTATEMENT |
24 |
9.7. MONEYS HELD BY PAYING AGENT |
24 |
9.8. MONEYS HELD BY TRUSTEE |
24 |
ARTICLE 10 – MISCELLANEOUS |
25 |
10.1. TRUST INDENTURE ACT CONTROLS |
25 |
10.2. NOTICES |
25 |
10.3. COMMUNICATIONS BY HOLDERS WITH OTHER HOLDERS |
26 |
10.4. CERTIFICATE AND OPINION AS TO CONDITIONS PRECEDENT |
26 |
10.5. STATEMENT REQUIRED IN CERTIFICATE AND OPINION |
26 |
10.6. RULES BY TRUSTEE AND AGENTS |
26 |
10.7. BUSINESS DAYS; LEGAL HOLIDAYS; PLACE OF PAYMENT |
26 |
10.8. GOVERNING LAW |
26 |
10.9. NO ADVERSE INTERPRETATION OF OTHER AGREEMENTS |
26 |
10.10. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS |
27 |
10.11. SUCCESSORS |
27 |
10.12. MULTIPLE COUNTERPARTS |
27 |
10.13. TABLE OF CONTENTS, HEADINGS, ETC. |
27 |
10.14. SEVERABILITY |
27 |
10.15. SECURITIES IN A FOREIGN CURRENCY OR IN EUROS |
27 |
10.16. JUDGMENT CURRENCY |
28 |
INDENTURE, dated as of ,
, by and between Passage Bio, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation, as Issuer (the “Company”) and ,
a organized under the laws of ,
as Trustee (the “Trustee”).
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY
The Company has duly authorized the execution
and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness
to be issued in one or more series (the “Securities”), as herein provided, up to such principal amount as may from time to
time be authorized in or pursuant to one or more resolutions of the Board of Directors or by supplemental indenture.
All things necessary to make this Indenture a
valid agreement of the Company in accordance with its terms have been done, and the execution and delivery thereof have been in all respects
duly authorized by the parties hereto.
NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
For and in consideration of the premises and the
purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the
Securities of a Series thereof, as follows:
ARTICLE 1 –
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
1.1 DEFINITIONS.
“Affiliate” of any specified Person
means any other Person which, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by or is under common
control with, such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings,
the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to
any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies
of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise.
“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying
Agent, co-registrar or agent for service of notices and demands.
“Board of Directors” means the Board
of Directors of the Company or any committee duly authorized to act therefor.
“Board Resolution” means a copy of
a resolution certified pursuant to an Officers’ Certificate to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company and
to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification which has been delivered to the Trustee.
“Capital Stock” means, with respect
to any Person, any and all shares or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock, partnership interests or any other participation,
right or other interest in the nature of an equity interest in such Person or any option, warrant or other security convertible into any
of the foregoing.
“Company” means the party named as
such in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor replaces such party pursuant to Article 5 of this Indenture, and
thereafter means the successor and any other primary obligor on the Securities.
“Company Order” means a written order
signed in the name of the Company by two Officers, one of whom must be its Chief Executive Officer or its Chief Financial Officer.
“Company Request” means any written
request signed in the name of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any Vice President, its Chief Financial Officer
or its Treasurer and attested to by its Secretary or any Assistant Secretary.
“Corporate Trust Office” means the
office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered.
“Default” means any event that is,
or that with the passing of time or giving of notice or both would be, an Event of Default.
“Depository” means, with respect to
the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the Person designated
as Depository for such Series by the Company, which Depository shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, until
a successor Depository shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depository”
shall mean each Person who is then a Depository hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, such Persons.
“Dollars” means the currency of the
United States of America.
“Euro” means the single currency of
participating member states of the economic and monetary union as contemplated in the Treaty on European Union.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Foreign Currency” means any currency
or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of the United States of America.
“Foreign Government Obligations” means,
with respect to Securities that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, (i) direct obligations of the government that issued or caused
to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person
controlled or supervised by, or acting as an agency or instrumentality of, such government, the timely payment of which is unconditionally
guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by such government, which, in either case under clauses (i) and (ii), are not callable
or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting
principles consistently applied as in effect in the United States of America from time to time.
“Global Security” or “Global
Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.2, evidencing
all or part of a Series of Securities issued to the Depository for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of
such Depository or nominee, and bearing the legend set forth in Section 2.15(c) (or such other legend(s) as may be applied
to such Securities in accordance with Section 2.2(24)).
“Holder” or “Securityholder”
means the Person in whose name a Security is registered on the Registrar’s books.
“Indebtedness” means (without duplication),
with respect to any Person, any indebtedness at any time outstanding, secured or unsecured, contingent or otherwise, which is for borrowed
money (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such Person or only to a portion thereof), or evidenced
by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments, or representing the balance, deferred and unpaid, of the purchase price of any property
(excluding any balances that constitute accounts payable or trade payables, and other accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course
of business), if and to the extent any of the foregoing indebtedness would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of such Person prepared
in accordance with GAAP.
“Indenture” means this Indenture as
amended, restated or supplemented from time to time.
“Interest Payment Date,” when used
with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.
“Lien” means, with respect to any
property or assets of any Person, any mortgage or deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, security interest,
lien, charge, easement, encumbrance, preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature
whatsoever on or with respect to such property or assets (including, without limitation, any capitalized lease obligation, conditional
sales or other title retention agreement having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).
“Maturity,” when used with respect
to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security, or an installment of principal, becomes due and payable as therein
or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption, notice of option to elect payment
or otherwise.
“Officer” means the Chief Executive
Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company, or any other officer
designated by the Board of Directors, as the case may be.
“Officers’ Certificate” means,
with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President, any Vice President or Secretary
and the Chief Financial Officer or any Treasurer of such Person, that shall comply with applicable provisions of this Indenture.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written
opinion from legal counsel, which counsel is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or outside counsel
to the Company.
“Person” means any individual, corporation,
limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government
(including any agency or political subdivision thereof).
“Redemption Date,” when used with
respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption pursuant to this Indenture.
“Responsible Officer,” when used with
respect to the Trustee, means any officer within the corporate trust department or division of the Trustee (or any successor group of
the Trustee) or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated
officers, and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because
of his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
“SEC” means the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission as constituted from time to time, or any successor performing substantially the same functions.
“Securities” means the securities
that are issued under this Indenture, as amended, restated or supplemented from time to time pursuant to this Indenture.
“Securities Act” means the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended.
“Series” or “Series of
Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.1
and 2.2.
“Significant Subsidiary” means (i) any
direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02
of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such regulation is in effect on the date hereof, or (ii) any
group of direct or indirect Subsidiaries of the Company that, taken together as a group, would be a “significant subsidiary”
as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such regulation is
in effect on the date hereof.
“Stated Maturity,” when used with
respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security as the
fixed date on which the principal of such Security and the interest thereon, or such installment of principal or interest, is due and
payable, and when used with respect to any other Indebtedness, means the date specified in the instrument governing such Indebtedness
as the fixed date on which the principal of such Indebtedness, or any installment of interest thereon, is due and payable.
“Subsidiary” of any specified Person
means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association or other business entity, whether now existing
or hereafter organized or acquired, (i) in the case of a corporation, of which more than 50% of the total voting power of the Capital
Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors thereof is held, directly or
indirectly, by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries; or (ii) in the case of a partnership, joint venture, association or other
business entity, with respect to which such Person or any of its Subsidiaries has the power to direct or cause the direction of the management
and policies of such entity by contract or otherwise, or if in accordance with GAAP such entity is consolidated with such Person for financial
statement purposes.
“TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act
of 1939 (15 U.S. Code Section 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture (except as provided in Section 8.3).
“Trustee” means the party named as
such in this Indenture until a successor replaces it pursuant to this Indenture, and thereafter means the successor, and if at any time
there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee
with respect to Securities of that Series.
“U.S. Government Obligations” means
direct non-callable obligations of, or non-callable obligations guaranteed by, the United States of America for the payment of which obligation
or guarantee the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged.
1.2. OTHER DEFINITIONS.
The definitions of the following terms may be
found in the sections indicated as follows:
TERM |
|
DEFINED IN SECTION |
|
“Bankruptcy Law” |
|
|
6.1 |
|
“Business Day” |
|
|
10.7 |
|
“Covenant Defeasance” |
|
|
9.3 |
|
“Custodian” |
|
|
6.1 |
|
“Event of Default” |
|
|
6.1 |
|
“Journal” |
|
|
10.15 |
|
“Judgment Currency” |
|
|
10.16 |
|
“Legal Defeasance” |
|
|
9.2 |
|
“Legal Holiday” |
|
|
10.7 |
|
“Market Exchange Rate” |
|
|
10.15 |
|
“New York Paying Agent” |
|
|
2.4 |
|
“Paying Agent” |
|
|
2.4 |
|
“Place of Payment” |
|
|
10.7 |
|
“Registrar” |
|
|
2.4 |
|
“Required Currency” |
|
|
10.16 |
|
“Service Agent” |
|
|
2.4 |
|
1.3. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF TRUST INDENTURE ACT.
Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision
of the TIA, the portion of such provision required to be incorporated herein in order for this Indenture to be qualified under the TIA
is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:
“Commission” means the SEC.
“Indenture securities” means the Securities.
“Indenture securityholder” means a
Holder or Securityholder.
“Indenture to be qualified” means
this Indenture.
“Indenture trustee” or “institutional
trustee” means the Trustee.
“Obligor on the indenture securities”
means the Company or any other obligor on the Securities.
All other terms used in this Indenture that are
defined by the TIA, defined in the TIA by reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule have the meanings therein assigned
to them.
1.4. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) a term has the meaning assigned to it
herein, whether defined expressly or by reference;
(2) unless otherwise specified herein, all
accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all accounting determinations hereunder shall be made, and all financial statements
required to be delivered hereunder shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP;
(3) “or” is not exclusive;
(4) words in the singular include the plural,
and in the plural include the singular;
(5) words used herein implying any gender
shall apply to each gender;
(6) the words “herein”, “hereof”
and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or
other subdivision; and
(7) “$,” refers to Dollars, or
such other money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.
ARTICLE 2 –
THE SECURITIES
2.1. ISSUABLE IN SERIES.
The aggregate principal amount of Securities that
may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is $ ,
, .
The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth in a
Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to the
authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution,
Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, Stated
Maturity, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect
of any matters, PROVIDED, that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
2.2. ESTABLISHMENT OF TERMS OF SERIES OF SECURITIES.
At or prior to the issuance of any Securities
within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.2(1) and either
as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.2(2) through 2.2(24))
by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate, in each case, pursuant to authority granted under a
Board Resolution:
(1) the title of the Series (which shall
distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series);
(2) any limit upon the aggregate principal
amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated
and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.7,
2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 8.5);
(3) the price or prices (expressed as a percentage
of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;
(4) the date or dates on which the principal
of the Securities of the Series is payable;
(5) the rate or rates (which may be fixed
or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity,
commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the
date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be
payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date;
(6) the place or places where the principal
of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities of the Series shall be payable, or the method of such payment, if by wire
transfer, mail or other means;
(7) if applicable, the period or periods
within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed,
in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;
(8) the obligation, if any, of the Company
to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder
thereof, and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the
Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
(9) the dates, if any, on which and the price
or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof, and other
detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;
(10) if other than denominations of $1,000
and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;
(11) the forms of the Securities of the Series in
bearer (if to be issued outside of the United States of America) or fully registered form (and, if in fully registered form, whether the
Securities will be issuable as Global Securities);
(12) if other than the principal amount thereof,
the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the
Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2;
(13) the currency of denomination of the Securities
of the Series, which may be Dollars or any Foreign Currency, including, but not limited to, the Euro, and, if such currency of denomination
is a composite currency other than the Euro, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;
(14) the designation of the currency, currencies
or currency units in which payment of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities of the Series will be
made;
(15) if payments of principal of, or interest
or premium, if any, on, the Securities of the Series are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or
those in which such Securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;
(16) the manner in which the amounts of payment
of principal of, or interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities of the Series will be determined, if such amounts may be determined
by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial
index;
(17) the provisions, if any, relating to any collateral
provided for the Securities of the Series;
(18) any addition to or change in the covenants
set forth in Articles 4 or 5 that applies to Securities of the Series;
(19) any addition to or change in the Events of
Default which applies to any Securities of the Series, any provision for the payment of additional interest or liquidated damages in connection
with any Event of Default, and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal
amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.2;
(20) the terms and conditions, if any, for conversion
of the Securities into or exchange of the Securities for shares of common stock, preferred stock, other debt securities, or warrants,
subscription rights or units for common stock, preferred stock or other securities of any kind of the Company that apply to Securities
of the Series;
(21) any Trustees, depositories, interest rate
calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those
appointed herein;
(22) the terms and conditions, if any, upon which
the Securities shall be subordinated in right of payment to other Indebtedness of the Company;
(23) if applicable, that the Securities of the
Series, in whole or any specified part, shall be defeasible pursuant to Article 9; and
(24) any other terms of the Securities of the
Series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 8.1, but
which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series).
All Securities of any one Series need not
be issued at the same time, and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant
to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate referred to above, however, the authorized principal amount
of any Series may not be increased to provide for issuances of additional Securities of such Series, unless otherwise provided in
such Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate.
2.3. EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATION.
The Securities shall be executed on behalf of
the Company by two Officers of the Company or an Officer and an Assistant Secretary of the Company. Each such signature may be either
manual or facsimile. The Company’s seal may be impressed, affixed, imprinted or reproduced on the Securities and may be in facsimile
form.
If an Officer whose signature is on a Security
no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.
A Security shall not be valid until authenticated
by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been
authenticated under this Indenture. The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in
the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate, upon receipt by the
Trustee of a Company Order. Such Company Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from
the Company or its duly authorized agent or agents, which oral instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. Each Security shall
be dated the date of its authentication.
The aggregate principal amount of Securities of
any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the
Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2, except as provided
in Section 2.8.
Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series,
the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.1) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution,
supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities
within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officers’
Certificate complying with Section 10.4, and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.4.
The Trustee shall have the right to decline to
authenticate and deliver any Securities of any Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised in writing by outside counsel, determines
that such action may not lawfully be taken; or (b) if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or trustees, executive
committee or a trust committee of directors and/or vice-presidents shall reasonably determine that such action would expose the Trustee
to personal liability, or cause it to have a conflict of interest with respect to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent
acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do
so. Any appointment shall be evidenced by an instrument signed by an authorized officer of the Trustee, a copy of which shall be furnished
to the Company. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating
agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.
2.4. REGISTRAR AND PAYING AGENT.
The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment
for any Series of Securities (i) an office or agency where such Securities may be presented for registration of transfer or
for exchange (“Registrar”), (ii) an office or agency where such Securities may be presented for payment (“Paying
Agent”), and PROVIDED, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person
entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the register for the Securities maintained by the Registrar), and (iii) an office
or agency where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities and this Indenture may be served (“Service
Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Securities and of their transfer and exchange. The Company may have one or more
co-Registrars and Service Agents and one or more additional Paying Agents. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee
of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such
required office, or to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or
served at the address of the Trustee as set forth in Section 10.2. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may also act as Paying
Agent. If the Company acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate the money held by it for the payment of principal of, and interest and
premium, if any, on, the Securities and hold it as a separate trust fund. The Company may change any Paying Agent, Registrar, co-registrar,
Service Agent or any other Agent without notice to any Securityholder.
The Company may also from time to time designate
one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes, and may from
time to time rescind such designations; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company
of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company
hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as such office of the Company. The Company shall give prompt written
notice to the Trustee of such designation or rescission, and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.
The Company shall enter into an appropriate agency
agreement with any Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the provisions
of this Indenture that relate to such Agent. The Company shall notify the Trustee of the name and address of any such Agent. If the Company
fails to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent, or Service Agent and demands, or fails to give the foregoing notice, the Trustee shall act
as such. The Company hereby appoints the Trustee as the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent for each Series unless
another Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are
first issued. The Company designates, as the New York Paying Agent, with offices at: .
2.5. PAYING AGENT TO HOLD ASSETS IN TRUST.
The Trustee as Paying Agent shall, and the Company
shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that each Paying Agent shall, hold in trust for the benefit
of the Holders of any Series of Securities or the Trustee all assets held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of, or
interest or premium, if any, on, such Series of Securities (whether such assets have been distributed to it by the Company or any
other obligor on such Series of Securities), and the Company and the Paying Agent shall notify the Trustee in writing of any Default
by the Company (or any other obligor on such Series of Securities) in making any such payment. The Company at any time may require
a Paying Agent to distribute all assets held by it to the Trustee and account for any assets disbursed, and the Trustee may, at any time
during the continuance of any payment default with respect to any Series of Securities, upon written request to a Paying Agent, require
such Paying Agent to distribute all assets held by it to the Trustee and to account for any assets distributed. Upon distribution to the
Trustee of all assets that shall have been delivered by the Company to the Paying Agent, the Paying Agent shall have no further liability
for such assets.
2.6. SECURITYHOLDER LISTS.
The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form
as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of
Securities. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee as of each regular record date for the payment
of interest on the Securities of a Series and before each related Interest Payment Date, and at such other times as the Trustee may
request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of Securityholders
of each Series of Securities.
2.7. TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE.
When Securities of a Series are presented
by the Holder to the Registrar with a request to register the transfer thereof, the Registrar shall register the transfer as requested
if the requirements of applicable law are met, and when such Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar with a request
to exchange them for an equal principal amount of other authorized denominations of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall
make the exchange as requested. To permit transfers and exchanges, upon surrender of any Security for registration of transfer at the
office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 2.4, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the
Registrar’s request.
If Securities are issued as Global Securities,
the provisions of Section 2.15 shall apply.
All Securities issued upon any registration of
transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits
under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
Every Security presented or surrendered for registration
of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company or the Registrar or a co-registrar) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied
by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar or a co-registrar, duly executed by the Holder
thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
Any exchange or transfer shall be without charge,
except that the Company may require payment by the Holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be
imposed in relation to a transfer or exchange, but this provision shall not apply to any exchange pursuant to Section 2.11, 3.6 or
8.5. The Trustee shall not be required to register transfers of Securities of any Series, or to exchange Securities of any Series, for
a period of 15 days before the record date for selection for redemption of such Securities. The Trustee shall not be required to
exchange or register transfers of Securities of any Series called or being called for redemption in whole or in part, except the
unredeemed portion of such Security being redeemed in part.
2.8. REPLACEMENT SECURITIES.
If a mutilated Security is surrendered to the
Trustee, or if the Holder of a Security presents evidence to the satisfaction of the Company and the Trustee that the Security has been
lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a replacement Security of the same Series and
of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding. An indemnity bond may be required by the Company
or the Trustee that is sufficient in the reasonable judgment of the Company or the Trustee, as the case may be, to protect the Company,
the Trustee or any Agent from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Security is replaced. The Company may charge such Holder for
the Company’s out-of-pocket expenses in replacing a Security, including the fees and expenses of the Trustee. Every replacement
Security shall constitute an original additional obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall
be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any
and all other Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder.
2.9. OUTSTANDING SECURITIES.
Securities outstanding at any time are all Securities
authenticated by the Trustee, except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section 2.9
as not outstanding.
If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.8
(other than a mutilated Security surrendered for replacement), it ceases to be outstanding until the Company and the Trustee receive proof
satisfactory to each of them that the replaced Security is held by a bona fide purchaser. A mutilated Security ceases to be outstanding
upon surrender of such Security and replacement thereof pursuant to Section 2.8.
If a Paying Agent holds on a Redemption Date or
the Stated Maturity money sufficient to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on, Securities payable on that date,
and is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders thereof pursuant to the terms of this Indenture (PROVIDED, that if such Securities
are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the
Trustee has been made), then on and after that date and upon payment of such money to the Holder, such Securities will be cancelled and
cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.
A Security does not cease to be outstanding solely
because the Company or an Affiliate holds the Security.
2.10. WHEN TREASURY SECURITIES DISREGARDED; DETERMINATION OF
HOLDERS’ ACTION.
In determining whether the Holders of the required
aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any Series have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, the Securities of
any Series owned by the Company or any other obligor on such Securities, or by any Affiliate of any of them, shall be disregarded,
except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent,
only Securities of such Series which the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities of such Series so
owned which have been pledged in good faith shall not be disregarded if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the
pledgee’s right so to act with respect to the Securities of such Series and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other
obligor on the Securities of such Series, or an Affiliate of any of them.
2.11. TEMPORARY SECURITIES.
Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery,
the Company may prepare and execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate, temporary Securities. Temporary Securities shall be substantially
in the form, and shall carry all rights, of definitive Securities, but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for
temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate, definitive
Securities in exchange for temporary Securities without charge to the Holder.
2.12. CANCELLATION.
All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption
or registration of transfer or exchange, or for credit against any sinking fund payment, shall, if surrendered to any Person other than
the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities
previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the
Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which
the Company has not issued and sold. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them
for transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee or, at the direction of the Trustee, the Registrar or the Paying Agent, and no one else,
shall cancel, and at the written request of the Company shall dispose of, all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment or
cancellation. If the Company shall acquire any of the Securities, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of
the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation pursuant to
this Section 2.12. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this
Section 2.12, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture.
2.13. PAYMENT OF INTEREST; DEFAULTED INTEREST; COMPUTATION OF INTEREST.
Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by
Section 2.2 with respect to any Series of Securities, interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly
provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security is registered at the close of business
on the regular record date for such interest, as provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate
establishing the terms of such Series.
If the Company defaults in a payment of interest
on the Securities, it shall pay the defaulted amounts, plus any interest payable on defaulted amounts pursuant to Section 4.1, to
the Persons who are Securityholders on a subsequent special record date, which date shall be the 15th day next preceding the date fixed
by the Company for the payment of defaulted interest, or the next succeeding Business Day if such date is not a Business Day. At least
15 days before the special record date, the Company shall mail or cause to be mailed to each Securityholder, with a copy to the Trustee,
a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted interest, and interest payable on such defaulted
interest, if any, to be paid.
Except as otherwise specified as contemplated
by Section 2.2 for Securities of any Series, interest on the Securities of each Series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day
year of twelve 30-day months.
2.14. CUSIP NUMBER.
The Company in issuing the Securities may use
one or more “CUSIP” numbers, and, if the Company does so, the Trustee shall use the CUSIP number(s) in notices of redemption
or exchange as a convenience to Holders, PROVIDED, that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness
or accuracy of the CUSIP number(s) printed in the notice or on the Securities, and that reliance may be placed only on the other
identification numbers printed on the Securities, and that any such redemption or exchange shall not be affected by any defect in or omission
of any such numbers.
2.15. PROVISIONS FOR GLOBAL SECURITIES.
(a) A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture
hereto or an Officers’ Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in
the form of one or more Global Securities, and the Depository for such Global Securities or Securities.
(b) Notwithstanding any provisions to the
contrary contained in Section 2.7 and in addition thereto, if, and only if the Depository (i) at any time is unwilling or unable
to continue as Depository for such Global Security or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and (ii) a
successor Depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the date the Company is so informed in writing or becomes
aware of the same, the Company promptly will execute and deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities, and the Trustee, upon receipt of
a Company Request for the authentication and delivery of such definitive Securities (which the Company will promptly execute and deliver
to the Trustee) and an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable, will authenticate
and deliver definitive Securities, without charge, registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depository shall
direct in writing (pursuant to instructions from its direct and indirect participants or otherwise) in an aggregate principal amount equal
to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms. Upon the exchange of a Global Security for definitive Securities,
such Global Security shall be canceled by the Trustee. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for definitive Securities,
as provided in this Section 2.15(b), a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository with respect to
such Global Security to a nominee of such Depository, by a nominee of such Depository to such Depository or another nominee of such Depository
or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.
(c) Any Global Security issued hereunder
shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
“This Security is a Global Security within the meaning
of the Indenture hereinafter referred to, and is registered in the name of the Depository or a nominee of the Depository. This Security
is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a Person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances
described in the Indenture, and may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository, by a nominee
of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository
or a nominee of such a successor Depository.”
(d) The Depository, as a Holder, may appoint
agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or
other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.
(e) Notwithstanding the other provisions
of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2, payment of the principal of, and interest and premium,
if any, on, any Global Security shall be made to the Depository or its nominee in its capacity as the Holder thereof.
(f) Except as provided in Section 2.15(e) above,
the Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a Person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of any Series represented
by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depository (which may be in the form of a participants’
list for such Series) with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions
required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture, PROVIDED, that until the Trustee is so provided with a written statement,
it may treat the Depository or any other Person in whose name a Global Security is registered as the owner of such Global Security for
the purpose of receiving payment of the principal of, and any premium and (subject to Section 2.13) any interest on, such Global
Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall
be affected by notice to the contrary.
2.16. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS.
Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration
of transfer, the Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and any agent of the Company, the Registrar or the Trustee may treat the Person in
whose name such Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of the principal of, and any
premium and (subject to Section 2.13) any interest on, such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, and none of the Company,
the Trustee, the Registrar or any agent of the Company, the Trustee or the Registrar shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
ARTICLE 3 –
REDEMPTION
3.1. NOTICES TO TRUSTEE.
The Company may, with respect to any Series of
Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities, or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities
or any part thereof, prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities or the related
Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company
elects to redeem all or part of such Series of Securities, it shall notify the Trustee of the Redemption Date and the principal amount
of Securities to be redeemed at least 45 days (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) before the Redemption
Date. Any such notice may be canceled at any time prior to notice of such redemption being mailed to any Holder, and shall thereby be
void and of no effect.
3.2. SELECTION BY TRUSTEE OF SECURITIES TO BE REDEEMED.
Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series of
Securities by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate, if fewer than all of the Securities of a
Series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Securities of a Series to be redeemed pro rata, by lot or by any other
method that the Trustee considers fair and appropriate (unless the Company specifically directs the Trustee otherwise) and, if such Securities
are listed on any securities exchange, by a method that complies with the requirements of such exchange.
The Trustee shall make the selection from Securities
of a Series outstanding and not previously called for redemption, and shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities
selected for redemption and, in the case of any Security selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed
at least 35 but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date. Securities of a Series in denominations of $1,000 may be redeemed
only in whole. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of Securities of a Series that have denominations
larger than $1,000. Securities of a Series and portions of them it selects shall be in amounts of $1,000 or, with respect to Securities
of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.2(10), the minimum principal denomination for each Series and
integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities
called for redemption.
3.3. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by
Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, at least 30 days, and no more than 60 days,
before a Redemption Date, the Company shall mail, or cause to be mailed, a notice of redemption by first-class mail to each Holder of
Securities to be redeemed at his or her last address as the same appears on the registry books maintained by the Registrar. The notice
shall identify the Securities to be redeemed and shall state:
(1) the Redemption Date;
(2) the redemption price, and that such redemption
price shall become due and payable on the Redemption Date;
(3) if any Security of a Series is being
redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Security of a Series to be redeemed and that, after the Redemption
Date and upon surrender of such Security of a Series, a new Security or Securities in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion
will be issued;
(4) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(5) that Securities of a Series called
for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price, and the place or places where each such Security
is to be surrendered for such payment;
(6) that, unless the Company defaults in
making the redemption payment, interest on the Securities of a Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on the Redemption Date,
and the only remaining right of the Holders of such Securities is to receive payment of the redemption price upon surrender to the Paying
Agent of the Securities redeemed;
(7) if fewer than all of the Securities of
a Series are to be redeemed, the identification of the particular Securities of a Series (or portion thereof) to be redeemed,
as well as the aggregate principal amount of Securities of a Series to be redeemed and the aggregate principal amount of Securities
of a Series to be outstanding after such partial redemption.
(8) the CUSIP number, if any, printed on
the Securities being redeemed; and
(9) that no representation is made as to
the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Securities.
At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall
give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at the Company’s sole expense.
3.4. EFFECT OF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
Once the notice of redemption described in Section 3.3
is mailed, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the Redemption Date and at the redemption price,
plus interest, if any, accrued to the Redemption Date. Upon surrender to the Trustee or Paying Agent, such Securities of a Series shall
be paid at the redemption price, plus accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; PROVIDED, that if the Redemption Date is after
a regular interest payment record date and on or prior to the next Interest Payment Date, the accrued interest shall be payable to the
Holder of the redeemed Securities registered on the relevant record date, as specified by the Company in the notice to the Trustee pursuant
to Section 3.1.
3.5. DEPOSIT OF REDEMPTION PRICE.
On or prior to the Redemption Date (but no later
than 11:00 A.M. Eastern Time on such date), the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption
price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date other than Securities or portions thereof called
for redemption on that date which have been delivered by the Company to the Trustee for cancellation.
On and after any Redemption Date, if money sufficient
to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest on, Securities called for redemption shall have been made available in accordance
with the preceding paragraph and the Company and the Paying Agent are not prohibited from paying such moneys to Holders, the Securities
called for redemption will cease to accrue interest and the only right of the Holders of such Securities will be to receive payment of
the redemption price of and, subject to the proviso in Section 3.4, accrued and unpaid interest on such Securities to the Redemption
Date. If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid, interest will be paid, from the Redemption Date until such redemption
payment is made, on the unpaid principal of the Security and any interest or premium, if any, not paid on such unpaid principal, in each
case, at the rate and in the manner provided in the Securities.
3.6. SECURITIES REDEEMED IN PART.
Upon surrender of a Security of a Series that
is redeemed in part, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate, for a Holder a new Security of the same Series equal
in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.
ARTICLE 4 –
COVENANTS
4.1. PAYMENT OF SECURITIES.
The Company shall pay the principal of, and interest
and premium, if any, on, each Series of Securities on the dates and in the manner provided in such Securities and this Indenture.
An installment of principal or interest shall
be considered paid on the date it is due if the Trustee or Paying Agent holds on that date money designated for and sufficient to pay
such installment and is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders pursuant to the terms of this Indenture or otherwise.
The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal,
and overdue interest, to the extent lawful, at the rate specified in the Series of Securities.
4.2. SEC REPORTS.
The Company will deliver to the Trustee within
15 days after the filing of the same with the SEC, copies of the quarterly and annual reports and of the information, documents and
other reports, if any, which the Company is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that each such report or document will be deemed to be so delivered to the Trustee if the Company files such report
or document with the SEC through the SEC’s EDGAR database no later than the time such report or document is required to be filed
with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act. Notwithstanding that the Company may not be subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company will file with the SEC, to the extent permitted, and provide the Trustee with, such quarterly
and annual reports and such information, documents and other reports specified in Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
The Company will also comply with the other provisions of TIA Section 314(a).
4.3. WAIVER OF STAY, EXTENSION OR USURY LAWS.
The Company covenants (to the extent that it may
lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead (as a defense or otherwise) or in any manner whatsoever claim or take
the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension, usury or other law which would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any
portion of the principal of, and/or interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or
at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company hereby expressly
waives (to the extent that they may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay
or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though
no such law had been enacted.
4.4. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE.
(a) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee,
within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officers’ Certificate which complies with TIA Section 314(a)(4) stating
that a review of the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries during such fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the
signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this
Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his or her knowledge the Company
has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and that there is no default in the performance
or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing
all such Defaults or Events of Default of which he or she may have knowledge and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take
with respect thereto) and that to the best of his or her knowledge no event has occurred and remains in existence by reason of which payments
on account of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the Securities is prohibited, or if such event has occurred, a description
of the event and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.
(b)(i) If any Default or Event of Default
has occurred and is continuing or (ii) if any Holder seeks to exercise any remedy hereunder with respect to a claimed Default under
this Indenture or the Securities, within five Business Days after the Company becoming aware of such occurrence the Company shall deliver
to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying such event, notice or other action and what action the Company is taking or proposes
to take with respect thereto.
4.5. CORPORATE EXISTENCE.
Subject to Article 5, the Company shall do
or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence, in accordance with the
organizational documents (as the same may be amended from time to time) of the Company and the rights (charter and statutory), licenses
and franchises of the Company; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise,
or its corporate existence, if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct
of the business of the Company and that the loss thereof is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders.
ARTICLE 5 –
SUCCESSOR CORPORATION
5.1. LIMITATION ON CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALE OF ASSETS.
(a) The Company will not, in any transaction
or series of transactions, merge or consolidate with or into, or sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or
substantially all of its properties and assets (as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in one transaction or a series of related
transactions), to any Person or Persons, unless at the time of and after giving effect thereto (i) either (A) if the transaction
or series of transactions is a merger or consolidation, the Company shall be the surviving Person of such merger or consolidation, or
(B) the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which the properties and assets of the Company
are transferred (any such surviving Person or transferee Person being the “Surviving Entity”) shall be a corporation organized
and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, or a corporation or comparable
legal entity organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and shall expressly assume by a supplemental indenture executed and delivered
to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Company (including, without limitation,
the obligation to pay the principal of, and premium and interest, if any, on, the Securities and the performance of the other covenants)
under the Securities of each Series and this Indenture, and in each case, this Indenture shall remain in full force and effect; and
(ii) immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such transaction or series of transactions on a pro forma basis (including,
without limitation, any Indebtedness incurred or anticipated to be incurred in connection with or in respect of such transaction or series
of transactions), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
(b) In connection with any
consolidation, merger or transfer of assets contemplated by this Section 5.1, the Company shall deliver, or cause to be
delivered, to the Trustee, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, an Officers’ Certificate and an
Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer, and the supplemental indenture in respect thereto,
comply with this Section 5.1, and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction or
transactions have been complied with.
5.2. SUCCESSOR PERSON SUBSTITUTED.
Upon any consolidation, merger or transfer of
all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.1 above, the successor corporation formed by such
consolidation, or into which the Company is merged or to which such transfer is made, shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may
exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor corporation had been named
as the Company herein, and thereafter (except with respect to any such transfer which is a lease) the predecessor corporation shall be
relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.
ARTICLE 6 –
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
6.1. EVENTS OF DEFAULT.
An “Event of Default,” wherever used
herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental
indenture or Officers’ Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:
(1) there is a default in the payment of
any principal of, or premium, if any, on, the Securities when the same becomes due and payable at Maturity, upon acceleration, redemption
or otherwise;
(2) there is a default in the payment of
any interest on any Security of a Series when the same becomes due and payable, and the Default continues for a period of 30 days;
(3) the Company defaults in the observance
or performance of any other covenant in the Securities of a Series or in this Indenture for 90 days after written notice from
the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such Series then outstanding,
which notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that the notice is a “Notice of Default”;
(4) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary
pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(A) commences a voluntary case,
(B) consents to the entry of an
order for relief against it in an involuntary case,
(C) consents to the appointment
of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,
(D) makes a general assignment
for the benefit of its creditors, or
(E) generally is not paying its
debts as they become due;
(5) a court of competent jurisdiction enters
an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(A) is for relief against the
Company or any Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case;
(B) appoints a Custodian of the
Company or any Significant Subsidiary, or for all or substantially all of the property of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary; or
(C) orders the liquidation of
the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90 consecutive days; or
(6) any other Event of Default provided with
respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’
Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2(19).
The term “Bankruptcy Law” means Title
11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee,
assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
The Trustee may withhold notice of any Default
(except in the payment of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the Securities) to the Holders of the Securities of any
Series in accordance with Section 7.5. When a Default is cured, it ceases to exist.
6.2. ACCELERATION.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities
of any Series at the time outstanding (other than an Event of Default arising under Section 6.1(4) or (5)) occurs
and is continuing, the Trustee by written notice to the Company, or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of
the Securities of that Series then outstanding by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may declare that the entire principal
amount of all the Securities of that Series then outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of acceleration are immediately
due and payable, in which case such amounts shall become immediately due and payable; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that after such acceleration
but before a judgment or decree based on such acceleration is obtained by the Trustee, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may rescind and annul such acceleration and its consequences if (i) all
existing Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of accelerated principal, interest or premium, if any, that has become due solely
because of the acceleration, have been cured or waived, (ii) to the extent the payment of such interest is lawful, interest on overdue
installments of interest and overdue principal, which has become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration, has been paid
and (iii) the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or
impair any right consequent thereto. In case an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(4) or (5) with respect to the
Company occurs, such principal, premium, if any, and interest amount with respect to all of the Securities of that Series shall be
due and payable immediately without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or the Holders of the Securities of that Series.
6.3. REMEDIES.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities
of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy by proceeding at law
or in equity to collect the payment of the principal of, or interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities of that Series, or to enforce
the performance of any provision of the Securities of that Series or this Indenture.
The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if
it does not possess any of the Securities of that Series or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or omission by
the Trustee or any Securityholder in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy
or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. No remedy is exclusive of any other remedy. All available remedies
are cumulative to the extent permitted by law.
6.4. WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS AND EVENTS OF DEFAULT.
Subject to Sections 6.2, 6.7 and 8.2, the
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series then outstanding have the right to waive any existing Default
or Event of Default with respect to such Series or compliance with any provision of this Indenture (with respect to such Series)
or the Securities of such Series. Upon any such waiver, such Default with respect to such Series shall cease to exist, and any Event
of Default with respect to such Series arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture;
but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereto. This Section 6.4
shall be in lieu of TIA Section 316(a)(1)(B), and TIA Section 316(a)(1)(B) is hereby expressly excluded from this Indenture
and Section as permitted by the TIA.
6.5. CONTROL BY MAJORITY.
Subject to Sections 6.2, 6.7 and 8.2, the
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series then outstanding may direct the time, method and place
of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee by this
Indenture with respect to such Series. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture,
or that the Trustee determines may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of another Securityholder, or that may involve the Trustee in personal
liability; PROVIDED, that the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.
This Section 6.5 shall be in lieu of TIA Section 316(a)(1)(A), and TIA Section 316(a)(1)(A) is hereby expressly excluded
from this Indenture and Section as permitted by the TIA.
6.6. LIMITATION ON SUITS.
Subject to Section 6.7, a Securityholder
may not institute any proceeding or pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Securities of a Series unless:
(1) the Holder gives to the Trustee written
notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series;
(2) the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate
principal amount of the Securities of such Series then outstanding make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;
(3) such Holder or Holders offer to the Trustee
indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense to be incurred in compliance with such request;
(4) the Trustee does not comply with the
request within 60 days after receipt of the request and the offer of indemnity; and
(5) no direction inconsistent with such written
request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities
of such Series then outstanding.
A Securityholder may not use this Indenture to
prejudice the rights of another Securityholder, or to obtain a preference or priority over another Securityholder.
6.7. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS TO RECEIVE PAYMENT.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture,
the right of any Holder of a Security of a Series to receive payment of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the
Security of such Series on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Security of such Series, or to bring suit for the enforcement
of any such payment on or after such respective dates, is absolute and unconditional, and shall not be impaired or affected without the
consent of the Holder.
6.8. COLLECTION SUIT BY TRUSTEE.
If an Event of Default in payment of principal,
interest or premium, if any, specified in Section 6.1(1) or (2) with respect to Securities of any Series at the time
outstanding occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the
Company (or any other obligor on the Securities of that Series) for the whole amount of unpaid principal and premium, if any, and accrued
interest remaining unpaid, together with interest on overdue principal and premium, if any, and, to the extent that payment of such interest
is lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest, in each case at the rate then borne by the Securities of that Series, and such
further amounts as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses,
disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, as set forth in Section 7.7.
6.9. TRUSTEE MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM.
The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and
other papers or documents, and take other actions (including sitting on a committee of creditors), as may be necessary or advisable in
order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of
the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Securityholders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company (or any other
obligor on the Securities), any of their respective creditors or any of their respective property, and the Trustee shall be entitled and
empowered to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute the same after
deduction of its charges and expenses to the extent that any such charges and expenses are not paid out of the estate in any such proceedings,
and any custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Securityholder to make such payments to the Trustee, and
in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee any
amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any
other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize
the Trustee to authorize or consent to, or accept or adopt on behalf of any Securityholder, any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment
or composition affecting the Securities of a Series or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect
of the claim of any Securityholder in any such proceedings.
6.10. PRIORITIES.
If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to
this Article 6, it shall pay out the money in the following order:
FIRST: to the Trustee for amounts due under
Section 7.7;
SECOND: to Securityholders for amounts then
due and unpaid for the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities in respect of which, or for the benefit of which,
such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities;
for principal and any premium and interest, respectively; and
THIRD: to the Company.
The Trustee may fix a record date and payment
date for any payment to Securityholders pursuant to this Section 6.10. At least 15 days before such record date, the Trustee
shall mail to each Securityholder a notice that states the record date, the payment date and amount to be paid.
6.11. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS.
In any suit for the enforcement of any right or
remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court in its discretion
may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion
may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to
the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section 6.11 does not apply to a suit by the
Trustee, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.7 or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the Securities of
a Series then outstanding.
ARTICLE 7 –
TRUSTEE
7.1. DUTIES OF TRUSTEE.
(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and
is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care
and skill in their exercise as a prudent Person would exercise or use under the same circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event
of Default:
(1) The Trustee need perform only those duties
that are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no covenants or obligations shall be implied in this Indenture against the Trustee.
(2) In the absence of bad faith on its part,
the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates
or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture, but, in the case of any such certificates or
opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to
examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.
(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from
liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(1) This paragraph does not limit the effect
of paragraph (b) of this Section 7.1.
(2) The Trustee shall not be liable for any
error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the
pertinent facts.
(3) The Trustee shall not be liable with
respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Sections 6.2
and 6.5.
(d) No provision of this Indenture shall
require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds, or otherwise incur any financial liability, in the performance of any of its rights
or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity satisfactory to it against
such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(e) Whether or not therein expressly so provided,
paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this Section 7.1 shall govern every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates
to the Trustee.
(f) The Trustee and Paying Agent shall not
be liable for interest on any money received by either of them, except as the Trustee and Paying Agent may agree in writing with the Company.
Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by the law.
(g) The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any
authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections, immunities and standard of care set forth in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d) and
(f) of this Section 7.1 and in Section 7.2 with respect to the Trustee.
7.2. RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE.
(a) Subject to Section 7.1:
(1) The Trustee may rely on, and shall be
protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented
by the proper Person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(2) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from
acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel, or both, which shall conform to the provisions of Section 10.5.
The Trustee shall be protected and shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such certificate
or opinion.
(3) The Trustee may act through agents and
attorneys, and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed by it with due care.
(4) The Trustee shall not be liable for any
action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it reasonably believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers.
(5) The Trustee may consult with counsel
reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, which may be counsel to the Company, and the advice or opinion of such counsel as to matters of
law shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder
in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.
(6) The Trustee shall be under no obligation
to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the Holders pursuant
to the provisions of this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the
costs, expenses and liabilities which may be incurred therein or thereby.
(7) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any fact or matter (including, without limitation, a Default or Event of Default) unless such fact or matter is known to
a Responsible Officer of the Trustee.
(8) Unless otherwise expressly provided herein
or in the Securities of a Series or the related Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate, the Trustee
shall not have any responsibility with respect to reports, notices, certificates or other documents filed with it hereunder, except to
make them available for inspection, at reasonable times, by Securityholders, it being understood that delivery of such reports, information
and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive
notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance
with any of its covenants hereunder (except as set forth in Section 4.4).
7.3. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE.
The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity
may become the owner or pledgee of Securities, and may make loans to, accept deposits from, perform services for or otherwise deal with
the Company, or any Affiliate thereof, with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like
rights. The Trustee, however, shall be subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.
7.4. TRUSTEE’S DISCLAIMER.
The Trustee makes no representation as to the
validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities (except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and
deliver this Indenture and authenticate the Securities and perform its obligations hereunder), and the Trustee shall not be accountable
for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the sale of Securities or any money paid to the Company pursuant to the terms of this
Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities other than its certificates of authentication.
7.5. NOTICE OF DEFAULT.
If a Default or an Event of Default occurs and
is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series, and if it is known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Securityholder
of the Securities of that Series notice of the Default or the Event of Default, as the case may be, within 90 days after it
occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default (except if such Default
or Event of Default has been validly cured or waived before the giving of such notice). Except in the case of a Default or an Event of
Default in payment of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice
if and so long as the Board of Directors of the Trustee, the executive committee or any trust committee of such board and/or its Responsible
Officers in good faith determine(s) that withholding the notice is in the interests of the Securityholders of that Series.
7.6. REPORTS BY TRUSTEE TO HOLDERS.
If and to the extent required by the TIA, within
60 days after April 1 of each year, commencing the April 1 following the date of this Indenture, the Trustee shall mail
to each Securityholder a brief report dated as of such April 1 that complies with TIA Section 313(a). The Trustee also shall
comply with TIA Sections 313(b) and 313(c).
A copy of each report at the time of its mailing
to Securityholders shall be filed with the SEC and any stock exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company
shall promptly notify the Trustee when the Securities of any Series are listed on any stock exchange or any delisting thereof, and
the Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 313(d).
7.7. COMPENSATION AND INDEMNITY.
The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time
to time reasonable compensation for its services. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law on compensation
of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee within 45 days after receipt of request for all reasonable
out-of-pocket disbursements and expenses incurred or made by it in connection with its duties under this Indenture, including the reasonable
compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.
The Company shall indemnify the Trustee for, and
hold it harmless against, any and all loss or liability incurred by it in connection with the acceptance or performance of its duties
under this Indenture including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with
the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim asserted
against the Trustee for which it may seek indemnity.
The failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company
shall not however relieve the Company of its obligations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company need not reimburse the Trustee for
any expense or indemnify it against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee through its negligence or bad faith. To secure the payment
obligations of the Company in this Section 7.7, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money
or property held or collected by the Trustee except such money or property held in trust to pay the principal of, interest and premium,
if any, on particular Securities of that Series.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services
after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(4) or (5) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services
are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.
For purposes of this Section 7.7, the term
“Trustee” shall include any trustee appointed pursuant to this Article 7.
7.8. REPLACEMENT OF TRUSTEE.
The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities
of one or more Series by so notifying the Company in writing at least 90 days in advance of such resignation.
The Holders of a majority in principal amount
of the outstanding Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by notifying the removed Trustee
in writing and may appoint a successor Trustee with respect to that Series with the consent of the Company, which consent shall not
be unreasonably withheld. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series at its election if:
(1) the Trustee fails to comply with, or
ceases to be eligible under, Section 7.10;
(2) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or
an insolvent, or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee, under any Bankruptcy Law;
(3) a Custodian or other public officer takes
charge of the Trustee or its property; or
(4) the Trustee otherwise becomes incapable
of acting.
(5) If the Trustee resigns or is removed,
or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee, with respect to any Series of Securities for any reason, the Company shall promptly
appoint, by Board Resolution, a successor Trustee.
If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities
of one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee,
the Company or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of the applicable Series may petition
any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
If the Trustee with respect to the Securities
of one or more Series fails to comply with Section 7.10, any Securityholder of the applicable Series may petition any court
of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance
of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately following such delivery, (i) the retiring Trustee with
respect to one or more Series shall, subject to its rights under Section 7.7, transfer all property held by it as Trustee with
respect to such Series to the successor Trustee, (ii) the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective
and (iii) the successor Trustee with respect to such Series shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under
this Indenture. A successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series shall mail notice of its succession to each
Securityholder of such Series.
7.9. SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE BY CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR CONVERSION.
If the Trustee, or any Agent, consolidates with,
merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust assets to, another corporation, subject to Section 7.10,
the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee or Agent, as the case may be.
7.10. ELIGIBILITY; DISQUALIFICATION.
This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who
satisfies the requirements of TIA Sections 310(a)(1), (2) and (5) in every respect. The Trustee (or in the case of a Trustee
that is a Person included in a bank holding company system, the related bank holding company) shall have a combined capital and surplus
of at least $100,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 310(b),
including the provision in Section 310(b)(1). In addition, if the Trustee is a Person included in a bank holding company system,
the Trustee, independently of such bank holding company, shall meet the capital requirements of TIA Section 310(a)(2). If at any
time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.10, it shall resign immediately in
the manner and with the effect specified in this Article 7.
7.11. PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST COMPANY.
The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 311(a),
excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA Section 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to
TIA Section 311(a) to the extent indicated therein.
7.12. PAYING AGENTS.
The Company shall cause each Paying Agent other
than the Trustee to execute and deliver to it and the Trustee an instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject
to the provisions of this Section 7.12:
(1) that it will hold all sums held by it
as agent for the payment of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the Securities (whether such sums have been paid to
it by the Company or by any obligor on the Securities) in trust for the benefit of Holders of the Securities or the Trustee;
(2) that it will at any time during the continuance
of any Event of Default, upon written request from the Trustee, deliver to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by it together with a
full accounting thereof; and
(3) that it will give the Trustee written
notice within three Business Days after any failure of the Company (or by any obligor on the Securities) in the payment of any installment
of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the Securities when the same shall be due and payable.
ARTICLE 8 –
AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS
8.1. WITHOUT CONSENT OF HOLDERS.
The Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution,
and the Trustee may amend, restate or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without notice to or consent
of any Securityholder:
(1) to comply with Section 5.1;
(2) to provide for certificated Securities
in addition to uncertificated Securities;
(3) to comply with any requirements of the
SEC under the TIA;
(4) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency,
or to make any other change herein or in the Securities that does not materially and adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder;
(5) to provide for the issuance of, and establish
the form and terms and conditions of, Securities of any Series as permitted by this Indenture; or
(6) to evidence and provide for the acceptance
of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series, and to add to or change any of the
provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than
one Trustee.
The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with
the Company in the execution of any supplemental indenture authorized or permitted by the terms of this Indenture, and to make any further
appropriate agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to enter into any such
supplemental indenture which adversely affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture.
8.2. WITH CONSENT OF HOLDERS.
(a) The Company, when authorized by a Board
Resolution, and the Trustee may amend, restate or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series with the written
consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series affected
by such amendment, restatement or supplement without notice to any Securityholder. The Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each such Series affected by such amendment, restatement or supplement may waive
compliance by the Company in a particular instance with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities of such Series without
notice to any Securityholder. Subject to Section 8.4, without the consent of each Securityholder affected, however, an amendment,
supplement or waiver may not:
(1) reduce the amount of Securities whose
Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver to this Indenture or the Securities;
(2) reduce the rate of, or change the time
for payment of, interest on any Security;
(3) reduce the principal, or change the Stated
Maturity, of any Security, or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;
(4) make any Security payable in a currency
other than that stated in the Security;
(5) change the amount or time of any payment
required by the Securities, or reduce the premium payable upon any redemption of the Securities, or change the time before which no such
redemption may be made;
(6) waive a Default or Event of Default in
the payment of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities
of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver
of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
(7) waive a redemption payment with respect
to any Security, or change any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of any Securities;
(8) make any changes in Section 6.6
or this Section 8.2, except to increase any percentage of Securities the Holders of which must consent to any matter; or
(9) take any other action otherwise prohibited
by this Indenture to be taken without the consent of each Holder affected thereby.
(b) Upon the request of the Company, accompanied
by a Board Resolution authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the receipt by the Trustee of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to the Trustee of the consent of the Securityholders as aforesaid and of the documents described in Section 8.6, the
Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture, unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s
own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to,
enter into such supplemental indenture.
(c) It shall not be necessary for the consent
of the Holders under this section to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, restatement, supplement or waiver, but it
shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.
After an amendment, restatement or supplement
under this Section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to Securityholders a notice briefly describing the amendment, restatement
or supplement. Any failure of the Company to mail any such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect
the validity of any supplemental indenture.
8.3. COMPLIANCE WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT.
Every amendment to, or supplement of, this Indenture
or the Securities shall comply with the TIA as then in effect.
8.4. REVOCATION AND EFFECT OF CONSENTS.
Until an amendment, restatement, supplement, waiver
or other action becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent conclusive and binding upon such
Holder and every subsequent Holder of the same Security or portion thereof, and of any Security issued upon the transfer thereof or in
exchange therefor or in place thereof, even if notation of the consent is not made on any such Security. Any such Holder or subsequent
Holder, however, may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security, if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation
before the date the amendment, restatement, supplement, waiver or other action becomes effective.
The Company may, but shall not be obligated to,
fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to consent to any amendment, restatement, supplement or waiver,
which record date shall be at least 30 days prior to the first solicitation of such consent. If a record date is fixed, then, notwithstanding
the preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only such Persons,
shall be entitled to consent to such amendment, restatement, supplement or waiver, or to revoke any consent previously given, whether
or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date.
After an amendment, restatement, supplement, waiver
or other action becomes effective, it shall bind every Securityholder, unless it makes a change described in any of clauses (1) through
(9) of Section 8.2. In that case, the amendment, restatement, supplement, waiver or other action shall bind each Holder of a
Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the
consenting Holder’s Security; PROVIDED, that any such waiver shall not impair or affect the right of any Holder to receive payment
of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, a Security, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Security,
or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates without the consent of such Holder.
8.5. NOTATION ON OR EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES.
If an amendment, restatement, supplement or waiver
changes the terms of a Security of any Series, the Trustee may request the Holder of such Security to deliver it to the Trustee. In such
case, the Trustee shall place an appropriate notation on such Security about the changed terms and return it to the Holder. Alternatively,
the Company, in exchange for such Security, may issue, and the Trustee shall authenticate, a new security that reflects the changed terms.
Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Security shall not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, restatement,
supplement or waiver.
8.6. TRUSTEE TO SIGN AMENDMENTS, ETC.
The Trustee shall sign any amendment, restatement,
supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article 8 if the amendment, restatement, supplement or waiver does not adversely
affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. If it does, the Trustee may, but need not, sign it. In signing or
refusing to sign such amendment, restatement, supplement or waiver the Trustee shall be entitled to receive and, subject to Section 7.1,
shall be fully protected in relying upon an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that such amendment, restatement,
supplement or waiver is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Company may not sign an amendment, restatement or supplement until
the Board of Directors of the Company approves it.
ARTICLE 9 –
DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE
9.1. DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE.
The Company may terminate its obligations under
the Securities of any Series and this Indenture with respect to such Series, except the obligations referred to in the last paragraph
of this Section 9.1, if there shall have been canceled by the Trustee, or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, all Securities
of such Series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than any Securities of such Series that are asserted to have been
destroyed, lost or stolen and that shall have been replaced as provided in Section 2.8) and the Company has paid all sums payable
by it hereunder or deposited all required sums with the Trustee.
After such delivery the Trustee upon request shall
acknowledge in a writing prepared by or on behalf of the Company the discharge of the Company’s obligations under the Securities
of such Series and this Indenture, except for those surviving obligations specified below.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge
of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company in Sections 7.7, 9.5 and 9.6 shall survive.
9.2. LEGAL DEFEASANCE.
The Company may at its option, by Board Resolution,
be discharged from its obligations with respect to the Securities of any Series on the date upon which the conditions set forth in
Section 9.4 below are satisfied (hereinafter, “Legal Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Legal Defeasance means that
the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the Securities of such Series and
to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Securities and this Indenture insofar as such Securities are concerned (and the
Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, subject to Section 9.6, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same, as are
delivered to it by the Company), except for the following, which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (A) the
rights of Holders of outstanding Securities of such Series to receive solely from the trust funds described in Section 9.4 and
as more fully set forth in such section, payments in respect of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities
of such Series when such payments are due, (B) the Company’s obligations with respect to the Securities of such Series under
Sections 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8 and 2.9, (C) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder (including
claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 7.7) and (D) this Article 9. Subject to compliance
with this Article 9, the Company may exercise its option under this Section 9.2 with respect to the Securities of any Series notwithstanding
the prior exercise of its option under Section 9.3 below with respect to the Securities of such Series.
9.3. COVENANT DEFEASANCE.
At the option of the Company, pursuant to a Board
Resolution, the Company shall be released from its obligations with respect to the outstanding Securities of any Series under Sections 4.2
through 4.5, inclusive, and Section 5.1, with respect to the outstanding Securities of such Series, on and after the date the conditions
set forth in Section 9.4 are satisfied (hereinafter, “Covenant Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance
means that the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in
any such specified section or portion thereof, whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such
specified Section or portion thereof or by reason of any reference in any such specified section or portion thereof to any other
provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and the Securities of any Series shall be unaffected
thereby.
9.4. CONDITIONS TO LEGAL DEFEASANCE OR COVENANT DEFEASANCE.
The following shall be the conditions to application
of Section 9.2 or Section 9.3 to the outstanding Securities of a Series:
(1) the Company shall irrevocably have deposited
or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 7.10 who shall agree to comply
with the provisions of this Article 9 applicable to it) as funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically
pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities, (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S.
Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof
in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (C) a combination
thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification
thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay
and discharge, the principal of, and accrued interest and premium, if any, on, the outstanding Securities of such Series at the Stated
Maturity of such principal, interest or premium, if any, or on dates for payment and redemption of such principal, interest and premium,
if any, selected in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of the Securities of such Series;
(2) no Event of Default or Default with respect
to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit, or shall have occurred and be
continuing at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit or, if longer, ending on the day following
the expiration of the longest preference period under any Bankruptcy Law applicable to the Company in respect of such deposit as specified
in the Opinion of Counsel identified in paragraph (8) below (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied
until the expiration of such period);
(3) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance
shall not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest for purposes of the TIA with respect to any securities of the Company;
(4) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance
shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute default under, any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a
party or by which it is bound;
(5) the Company shall have delivered to the
Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that, as a result of such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, neither the trust nor the Trustee
will be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;
(6) in the case of an election under Section 9.2,
the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (i) the Company has received from, or there has
been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling to the effect that or (ii) there has been a change in any applicable Federal
income tax law with the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the outstanding Securities of such Series or
Persons in their positions will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes solely as a result of such Legal Defeasance
and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner, including as a result of prepayment, and at the same
times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;
(7) in the case of an election under Section 9.3,
the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of the outstanding Securities of
such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance, and
will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such
Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;
(8) the Company shall have delivered to the
Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Article 9
relating to either the Legal Defeasance under Section 9.2 or the Covenant Defeasance under Section 9.3 (as the case may be)
have been complied with;
(9) the Company shall have delivered to the
Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit under clause (1) was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating,
hindering, delaying or defrauding any creditors of the Company or others; and
(10) the Company shall have paid, or duly
provided for payment under terms mutually satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee, all amounts then due to the Trustee pursuant to
Section 7.7.
9.5. DEPOSITED MONEY AND U.S. AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS
TO BE HELD IN TRUST; OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
All money, U.S. Government Obligations and Foreign
Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 9.4 in respect of the outstanding
Securities shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture,
to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities, of all sums
due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, accrued interest and premium, if any, but such money need not be segregated from
other funds except to the extent required by law.
The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee
against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the U.S. Government Obligations and Foreign Government Obligations
deposited pursuant to Section 9.4 or the principal, interest and premium, if any, received in respect thereof other than any such
tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the outstanding Securities.
Anything in this Article 9 to the contrary
notwithstanding, but subject to payment of any of its outstanding fees and expenses, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from
time to time upon Company Request any money, U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held by the Trustee as provided
in Section 9.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally-recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification
thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent
Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.
9.6. REINSTATEMENT.
If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply
any money, U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations in accordance with Section 9.1, 9.2, 9.3 or 9.4 by reason
of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise
prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities shall be revived and reinstated
as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article 9 until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply
all such money, U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations, as the case may be, in accordance with Section 9.1,
9.2, 9.3 or 9.4; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the Company has made any payment of principal of, or accrued interest or premium, if any,
on, any Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such
Securities to receive such payment from the money, U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held by the Trustee or
Paying Agent.
9.7. MONEYS HELD BY PAYING AGENT.
In connection with the satisfaction and discharge
of this Indenture, all moneys then held by any Paying Agent under the provisions of this Indenture shall, upon demand of the Company,
be paid to the Trustee, or, if sufficient moneys have been deposited pursuant to Section 9.1, be paid to the Company, and thereupon
such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.
9.8. MONEYS HELD BY TRUSTEE.
Any moneys deposited with the Trustee or any Paying
Agent or then held by the Company in trust for the payment of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, any Security that
are not applied but remain unclaimed by the Holder of such Security for two years after the date upon which the principal of, or interest
or premium, if any, on, such Security shall have respectively become due and payable shall be repaid to the Company upon Company Request,
or if such moneys are then held by the Company in trust, such moneys shall be released from such trust; and the Holder of such Security
entitled to receive such payment shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for the payment thereof,
and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money shall thereupon cease. After payment to the Company
or the release of any money held in trust by the Company, Securityholders entitled to the money must look only to the Company for payment
as general creditors, unless applicable abandoned property law designates another Person.
ARTICLE 10 –
MISCELLANEOUS
10.1. TRUST INDENTURE ACT CONTROLS.
If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies
or conflicts with another provision which is required to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, the required TIA provision shall control.
If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the TIA which may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision
shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to be excluded, as the case may be.
10.2. NOTICES.
Any notice or communication shall be given in
writing and delivered in Person, sent by facsimile (and receipt confirmed by telephone or electronic transmission report), delivered by
commercial courier service or mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If to the Company:
Passage Bio, Inc.
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, 39th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Copy to:
Fenwick & West LLP
401 Union Street, 5th Floor
Seattle, WA 98101
“Attention: Robert Freedman
If to the Trustee:
The Company or the Trustee by written notice to
the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications. Any notice or communication to the
Company or the Trustee shall be deemed to have been given or made as of the date so delivered if personally delivered; when receipt is
confirmed by telephone or electronic transmission report, if sent by facsimile; and three Business Days after mailing if sent by registered
or certified mail, postage prepaid (except that a notice of change of address shall not be deemed to have been given until actually received
by the addressee).
Any notice or communication mailed to a Securityholder
shall be mailed to such Securityholder by first-class mail, postage prepaid, at such Securityholder’s address shown on the register
kept by the Registrar.
Failure to mail, or any defect in, a notice or
communication to a Securityholder shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Securityholders. If a notice or communication
to a Securityholder is mailed in the manner provided above, it shall be deemed duly given, three Business Days after such mailing, whether
or not the addressee receives it.
In case by reason of the suspension of regular
mail service, or by reason of any other cause, it shall be impossible to mail any notice as required by this Indenture, then such method
of notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient mailing of such notice.
In the case of Global Securities, notices or communications
to be given to Securityholders shall be given to the Depository, in accordance with its applicable policies as in effect from time to
time.
In addition to the manner provided for in the
foregoing provisions, notices or communications to Securityholders may be given by the Company by release made to Reuters Economic Services
and Bloomberg Business News.
10.3. COMMUNICATIONS BY HOLDERS WITH OTHER HOLDERS.
Securityholders of any Series may communicate
pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other Securityholders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their
rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or any other Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and any
other Person shall have the protection of TIA Section 312(c).
10.4. CERTIFICATE AND OPINION AS TO CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.
Upon any request or application by the Company
to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:
(1) an Officers’ Certificate (which
shall include the statements set forth in Section 10.5 below) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent,
if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(2) an Opinion of Counsel (which shall include
the statements set forth in Section 10.5 below) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have
been complied with.
10.5. STATEMENT REQUIRED IN CERTIFICATE AND OPINION.
Each certificate and opinion with respect to compliance
with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than pursuant to Section 4.4) shall include:
(1) a statement that the Person making such
certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and
scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(3) a statement that, in the opinion of such
Person, it or he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable it or him to express an informed opinion as to whether
or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(4) a statement as to whether or not, in
the opinion of such Person, such covenant or condition has been complied with.
10.6. RULES BY TRUSTEE AND AGENTS.
The Trustee may make reasonable rules for
action by or at meetings of Securityholders. The Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent may make reasonable rules for their functions.
10.7. BUSINESS DAYS; LEGAL HOLIDAYS; PLACE OF PAYMENT.
A “Business Day” is a day that is
not a Legal Holiday. A “Legal Holiday” is a Saturday, a Sunday, a federally-recognized holiday or a day on which banking institutions
are not authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to be open in the State of New York.
If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a Place
of Payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for
the intervening period. “Place of Payment” means the place or places where the principal of, and interest and premium, if
any, on, the Securities of a Series are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 2.2. If the regular record date is a
Legal Holiday, the record date shall not be affected.
10.8. GOVERNING LAW.
THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AS APPLIED TO CONTRACTS MADE AND PERFORMED WITHIN THE
STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW.
10.9. NO ADVERSE INTERPRETATION OF OTHER AGREEMENTS.
This Indenture may not be used to interpret another
indenture, loan, security or debt agreement of the Company or any Subsidiary thereof. No such indenture, loan, security or debt agreement
may be used to interpret this Indenture.
10.10. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS.
A director, officer, employee, stockholder or
incorporator, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture.
Each Securityholder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. Such waiver and release are part of the consideration
for the issuance of the Securities.
10.11. SUCCESSORS.
All covenants and agreements of the Company in
this Indenture and the Securities shall bind the Company’s successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not. All agreements of
the Trustee, any additional trustee and any Paying Agents in this Indenture shall bind their respective successors and assigns.
10.12. MULTIPLE COUNTERPARTS.
The
parties may sign multiple counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication) of this Indenture.
Each signed counterpart shall be deemed an original, but all of them together represent one and the same agreement. Counterparts may be
delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic
Transactions Act, the Electronics Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission
method and any counterparty so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
10.13. TABLE OF CONTENTS, HEADINGS, ETC.
The table of contents, cross-reference sheet and
headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered
a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
10.14. SEVERABILITY.
Each provision of this Indenture shall be considered
separable, and if for any reason any provision which is not essential to the effectuation of the basic purpose of this Indenture or the
Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not
in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and a Holder shall have no claim therefor against any party hereto.
10.15. SECURITIES IN A FOREIGN CURRENCY OR IN EUROS.
Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution,
a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 with respect to a particular
Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in
aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding
and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in a coin or currency other than Dollars
(including Euros), then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose
of taking such action shall be that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount at the Market Exchange Rate at such time.
For purposes of this Section 10.15, “Market Exchange Rate” shall mean the noon Dollar buying rate in New York City for
cable transfers of that currency as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, in the case of Euros, Market
Exchange Rate shall mean the rate of exchange determined by the Commission of the European Union (or any successor thereto) as published
in the Official Journal of the European Union (such publication or any successor publication, the “Journal”). If such Market
Exchange Rate is not available for any reason with respect to such currency, the Trustee shall use, in its sole discretion and without
liability on its part, such quotation of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or, in the case of Euros, the rate of exchange as published
in the Journal, as of the most recent available date, or quotations or, in the case of Euros, rates of exchange from one or more major
banks in New York City or in the country of issue of the currency in question or, in the case of Euros, in Luxembourg or such other quotations
or, in the case of Euros, rates of exchange as the Trustee, upon consultation with the Company, shall deem appropriate. The provisions
of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in
currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.
All decisions and determinations of the Trustee
regarding the Market Exchange Rate or any alternative determination provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be in the Trustee’s
sole discretion, and shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive to the extent permitted by law for all purposes and irrevocably
binding upon the Company and all Holders.
10.16. JUDGMENT CURRENCY.
The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that
it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to
convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, or other amount on, the Securities of any Series (the
“Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate
of exchange used shall be the rate at which, in accordance with normal banking procedures, the Trustee could purchase in The City of New
York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not
a Business Day, in which instance, the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which, in accordance with normal banking procedures,
the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the Business Day preceding the
day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required
Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered
in accordance with subsection (a)) in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery
shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such
payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required
Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to
be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture.
[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused
this Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year
first above written.
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Exhibit 5.1
![](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1787297/000110465924030481/tm247713d2_ex5-1img002.jpg)
March 4, 2024
Passage Bio, Inc.
2005 Market Street, 39th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
As
counsel to Passage Bio, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
we have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3 to be filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) on or about March 4, 2024 (the “Registration Statement”) in connection
with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the offering and
sale from time to time of up to $200,000,000 aggregate offering amount of (i) shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.0001
par value per share (the “Common Stock”), (ii) shares of the Company’s preferred stock, $0.0001 par
value per share (the “Preferred Stock”), (iii) one or more series of debt securities (the “Debt
Securities”) issuable pursuant to an indenture (the “Indenture”) by and between the Company and
a financial institution to be identified therein as trustee (the “Trustee”), (iv) warrants to purchase
Common Stock, Preferred Stock and/or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”), (v) subscription rights to purchase
Common Stock, Preferred Stock and/or Debt Securities (the “Subscription Rights”), and/or (vi) units consisting
of any combination of such foregoing securities described in clauses (i) through (v) above (the “Units”).
The Common Stock, the Preferred Stock, the Debt Securities, the Warrants, the Subscription Rights and the Units are collectively referred
to herein as the “Securities.” The Securities may be sold from time to time by the Company as set forth in the
Registration Statement, the base prospectus contained within the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”) and
supplements to the Prospectus. The Company has informed us that the Company intends to issue the Securities from time to time on a delayed
or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act.
As to matters of fact relevant
to the opinions rendered herein, we have examined such documents, certificates and other instruments which we have deemed necessary or
advisable, including a certificate addressed to us and dated the date hereof executed by the Company. We have not undertaken any independent
investigation to verify the accuracy of any such information, representations or warranties or to determine the existence or absence of
any fact, and no inference as to our knowledge of the existence or absence of any fact should be drawn from our representation of the
Company or the rendering of the opinions set forth below. We have not considered parol evidence in connection with any of the agreements
or instruments reviewed by us in connection with this letter.
In our examination of documents
for purposes of this letter, we have assumed, and express no opinion as to, the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures on original
documents, the authenticity and completeness of all documents submitted to us as originals, that each document is what it purports to
be, the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies or facsimile copies, the absence of any termination, modification
or waiver of or amendment to any document reviewed by us (other than as has been disclosed to us), the legal competence or capacity of
all persons or entities (other than the Company) executing the same and (other than the Company) the due authorization, execution and
delivery of all documents by each party thereto. We have also assumed the conformity of the documents filed with the Commission via the
Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”), except for required EDGAR formatting changes,
to physical copies submitted for our examination.
Passage Bio, Inc.
March 4, 2024
Page 2
We advise you that we have
also examined (i) the sales agreement prospectus supplement contained within the Registration Statement (together with the Prospectus,
the “Sales Agreement Prospectus”) relating to the sale by the Company through Cowen and Company, LLC, as the
sales agent (the “Sales Agent”), from time to time of shares of Common Stock (the “Placement Shares”)
having an aggregate maximum offering price of up to $50,000,000 pursuant to the Registration Statement and the Sales Agreement Prospectus,
and (ii) that certain Sales Agreement, dated as of March 5, 2021, by and between the Company and the Sales Agent (the “Sales
Agreement”).
The opinions in this letter
are limited to the existing General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware now in effect and, as to the Debt Securities, Warrants, Subscription
Rights and Units constituting valid and binding obligations of the Company, the existing internal laws of the State of New York now in
effect (the “Applicable Laws”). We express no opinion with respect to any other laws.
In connection with our opinions
expressed below, we have assumed that, (i) at or prior to the time of the delivery of any of the Securities, including the Placement
Shares, there will not have occurred any change in the law or the facts affecting the validity of the Securities, (ii) the Registration
Statement and any amendments (including any necessary post-effective amendments) will have been declared effective under the Securities
Act, (iii) at the time of the offer, issuance and sale of any Securities, including the Placement Shares, no stop order suspending
the Registration Statement’s effectiveness will have been issued and remain in effect, (iv) no future amendments will be made
to the Company’s current certificate of incorporation (as amended from time to time, the “Certificate of Incorporation”),
or the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws” and, together with the Certificate of Incorporation,
the “Charter Documents”) that would be in conflict with or inconsistent with the Company’s right and ability
to issue the Securities, including without limitation the Placement Shares, (v) at the time of the issuance and sale of the Securities,
the Company will be validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware; and (vi) at the
time of each offer, issuance and sale of any Securities, including without limitation the Placement Shares, the Company will have a sufficient
number of authorized and unissued and unreserved shares of the applicable class or series of its capital stock included in (or purchasable
upon exercise or conversion of) the Securities, including without limitation the Placement Shares, so issued and sold (after taking into
account all other outstanding securities of the Company which may require the Company to issue shares of such applicable class or series)
to be able to issue all such shares.
Passage Bio, Inc.
March 4, 2024
Page 3
This opinion is qualified
by, and is subject to, and we render no opinion with respect to, the following limitations and exceptions to the enforceability of the
Debt Securities, the Warrants, the Subscription Rights and the Units:
| (1) | The effect of the laws of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, moratorium, fraudulent
conveyance, assignment for the benefit of creditors, and other similar laws now or hereinafter in effect relating to or affecting the
rights and remedies of creditors, including the effect of statutory or other laws regarding fraudulent transfers or preferential transfers. |
| (2) | The effect of general principles of equity and similar principles, including, without limitation, concepts
of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, public policy and unconscionability, and the possible unavailability of specific
performance, injunctive relief, or other equitable remedies, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law. |
| (3) | In the case of the Debt Securities, the effect of laws relating to usury or permissible rates of interest
for loans, forbearances or the use of money. |
We express no opinion regarding
the effectiveness of any waiver or stay, extension or of unknown future rights. Further, we express no opinion regarding the effect of
provisions relating to indemnification, exculpation or contribution to the extent such provisions may be held unenforceable as contrary
to federal or state securities laws or public policy.
Based upon the foregoing,
and subject to the qualifications and exceptions contained herein, we are of the following opinion:
1.
With respect to the shares of Common Stock registered pursuant to the Registration Statement (other than the Placement Shares),
when (a) the issuance of and the terms of the offering of such shares of Common Stock and related matters have been duly authorized
by all required corporate action of the Company’s Board of Directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof (the “Board”),
and, if required, of the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the Charter Documents and Applicable Laws and (b) if required,
certificates representing the shares of Common Stock have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered in accordance with
the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, or upon the conversion or exercise of any
Security offered under the Registration Statement, and upon payment of the consideration therefor (in an amount not less than the par
value of the Common Stock) provided for therein, then such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
2.
With respect to any particular series of shares of Preferred Stock registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, when (a) the
issuance and terms of such shares of Preferred Stock, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters, including the adoption of
a certificate of designation (a “Certificate”) relating to such Preferred Stock conforming to the Charter Documents
and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and the filing of such Certificate with the Secretary of State of the State
of Delaware (or the filing of an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to similar effect), have been duly authorized by all required
corporate action of the Board and, if required, of the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the Charter Documents and Applicable
Laws and (b) if required, certificates representing the shares of Preferred Stock have been duly executed, countersigned, registered
and delivered in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, or upon
conversion or exercise of any other Security offered under the Registration Statement, and upon payment of the consideration therefor
(in an amount not less than the par value per share of such Preferred Stock) provided for therein, then such shares of Preferred Stock
will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
Passage Bio, Inc.
March 4, 2024
Page 4
3.
With respect to any Debt Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, when (a) the issuance of such Debt
Securities has been duly authorized by all required corporate action of the Board and, if required, of the stockholders of the Company
in accordance with the Charter Documents and Applicable Laws, (b) an Indenture relating to such Debt Securities in the form filed
with the Registration Statement as an exhibit has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by each of the Company and the
Trustee, (c) the specific form and terms of the Debt Securities have been duly established in accordance with the Indenture, duly
authorized pursuant to resolutions duly adopted by the Board, and validly executed, authenticated, issued, and delivered in accordance
with the Indenture and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement, in the manner and for the consideration
approved by the Board and stated in the prospectus supplement relating thereto (as amended as of the date of such issuance, sale and delivery),
or upon the exercise of Warrants to purchase Debt Securities, upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein, then such
Debt Securities will be validly issued and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
4.
With respect to any Warrants registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, when (a) the issuance and terms of such Warrants,
the terms, execution and delivery of any warrant agreement relating to the Warrants (“Warrant Agreement”), the
terms of the offering thereof and related matters have been duly authorized by all required corporate action of the Board and, if required,
of the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the Charter Documents and Applicable Laws, (b) the Warrant Agreement has been
duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company, and (c) such Warrants have been duly executed, issued and delivered
by the Company in accordance with the provisions of the Warrant Agreement and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar
agreement approved by the Board, upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein, then such Warrants will constitute valid
and binding obligations of the Company.
5.
With respect to any Subscription Rights registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, when (a) the issuance and terms
of such Subscription Rights, the terms, execution and delivery of the subscription rights agreement relating to the Subscription Rights
(“Subscription Rights Agreement”), the terms of the offering thereof and related matters have been duly authorized
by all required corporate action of the Board and, if required, the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the Charter Documents
and Applicable Laws, (b) the Subscription Rights Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company,
and (c) such Subscription Rights have been duly executed, issued and delivered by the Company in accordance with the provisions of
the Subscription Rights Agreement and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, upon
payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein, then such Subscription Rights will constitute valid and binding obligations
of the Company.
Passage Bio, Inc.
March 4, 2024
Page 5
6.
With respect to any Units registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, when (a) the conditions outlined in the immediately
preceding paragraphs (1) through (5) that apply to the Securities that make up such Units are all met, (b) the issuance
and terms of such Units, the terms, execution and delivery of the unit purchase agreement relating to such Units (“Unit Agreement”),
the terms of the offering thereof and related matters have been duly authorized by all required corporate action of the Board and, if
required, of the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the Charter Documents and Applicable Laws, (c) the Unit Agreement
has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company, and (d) such Units have been duly executed, issued and
delivered by the Company in accordance with the provisions of the Unit Agreement and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting
or similar agreement approved by the Board, upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein, then such Units will constitute
valid and binding obligations of the Company.
7.
The Placement Shares, to be issued and sold by the Company, have been duly authorized for issuance and, when issued, sold and delivered
in the manner of and for consideration (of not less than par value per share of the Common Stock) in the manner contemplated by the Sales
Agreement and the Sales Agreement Prospectus and in accordance with the resolutions duly adopted and to be duly adopted by the Board and/or
any committee thereof with respect to the offer, sale and issuance of the Placement Shares, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
In connection with the opinions
expressed above, we have assumed that each of the Debt Securities and the Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Subscription Rights Agreement
and Unit Agreement governing such Securities are legally valid and binding obligations of each party thereto other than the Company.
We consent to the use of this
opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and further consent to all references to us, if any, in the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus and Sales Agreement Prospectus constituting parts thereof and any amendments thereto. In giving this consent we do not
thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
[Concluding Paragraph Follows on Next Page]
Passage Bio, Inc.
March 4, 2024
Page 6
This opinion is intended solely
for use in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities subject to the Registration Statement and is not to be relied upon
for any other purpose. In providing this letter, we are opining only as to the specific legal issues expressly set forth above, and no
opinion shall be inferred as to any other matter or matters. This opinion is rendered on, and speaks only as of, the date of this letter
first written above, is based solely on our understanding of facts in existence as of such date after the aforementioned examination and
does not address any potential changes in facts, circumstance or law that may occur after the date of this opinion letter. We assume no
obligation to advise you of any fact, circumstance, event or change in the law or the facts that may hereafter be brought to our attention,
whether or not such occurrence would affect or modify any of the opinions expressed herein.
|
Very truly yours, |
|
|
|
/s/ Fenwick & West LLP |
|
|
|
FENWICK & WEST LLP |
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm
We consent to the use of our report dated March 4,
2024, with respect to the financial statements of Passage Bio, Inc., incorporated herein by reference, and to the reference to our firm
under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.
/s/ KPMG LLP |
|
|
|
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
|
March 4, 2024 |
|
Exhibit 107
Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
Form S-3
(Form Type)
Passage Bio, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward
Securities
|
Security
Type |
Security
Class Title |
Fee
Calculation
or Carry
Forward
Rule |
Amount
Registered(1) |
Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per
Unit (2) |
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price |
Fee
Rate |
Amount
of
Registration Fee |
Carry
Forward
Form
Type |
Carry
Forward
File
Number |
Carry
Forward
Initial
effective
date |
Filing
Fee
Previously
Paid
In
Connection
with
Unsold
Securities
to
be
Carried
Forward |
Newly
Registered Securities |
Fees
to Be Paid
|
Equity |
Common
Stock, $0.0001 par value per share |
457(o) |
$— |
$— |
$— |
— |
$— |
|
|
|
|
Equity |
Preferred
Stock, $0.0001 par value per share |
457(o) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
|
|
Debt |
Debt
Securities |
457(o) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
|
|
Other |
Warrants |
457(o) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
|
|
Other |
Subscription
Rights |
457(o) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
|
|
Other |
Units |
457(o) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
|
|
Unallocated
(Universal) Shelf |
— |
457(o) |
$150,000,000(1) |
N/A |
$150,000,000 |
$0.0001476 |
$22,140 |
|
|
|
|
Carry
Forward Securities |
Carry
Forward Securities |
Equity |
Common
Stock, $0.0001 par value per share |
Rule 415(a)
(6) |
$50,000,000(1) |
N/A |
$50,000,000 |
$
0.0001091 |
$5,455 |
S-3 |
333-253955 |
March 5,
2021 |
$5,455 |
|
Total
Offering Amounts |
|
$200,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Fees Previously Paid |
|
$5,455(3) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Fee Offsets |
|
$22,140(4) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Fee Due |
|
— |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
There is being registered hereunder
an indeterminate number of shares of (a) common stock, (b) preferred stock, (c) debt securities, (d) warrants
to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities of the Registrant, (e) subscription rights to purchase common stock,
preferred stock or debt securities of the Registrant, and (f) units, consisting of some or all of these securities in any combination,
as may be sold from time to time by the Registrant. Any securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or as units with other
securities registered hereunder. There is also being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of shares of common stock, preferred
stock and debt securities as shall be issuable upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any securities that provide for such issuance.
In no event will the aggregate offering price of all types of securities issued by the Registrant pursuant to this registration statement
exceed $200,000,000. Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, this
registration statement also covers any additional securities that may be offered or issued in connection with any stock split, stock
dividend or similar transaction. |
(2) |
The proposed maximum offering price per security will be determined from time to time by the registrant
in connection with the issuance by the registrant of the securities registered hereunder and is not specified as to each class of
security pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. |
(3) |
Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities
Act, the securities registered pursuant to this registration statement represent $50,000,000 of unsold securities (the “Unsold
Securities”) previously registered pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-253955), filed on
March 5, 2021 (the “2021 Registration Statement”). In connection with the filing of the 2021 Registration
Statement, the registrant previously paid a filing fee of $5,455 related to $50,000,000 of the registrant’s securities
(based on the filing fee rate in effect at the time of the filing of the 2021 Registration Statement). Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under
the Securities Act, the Unsold Securities are being carried forward and the filing fee previously paid in connection with the Unsold
Securities will continue to be applied to the Unsold Securities registered hereunder, and no additional filing fee is due with respect
to the Unsold Securities in connection with the filing of this registration statement.To the extent that, after the filing date hereof
and prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement, the registrant sells any Unsold Securities pursuant to the 2021 Registration
Statement, the Registrant will identify in a pre-effective amendment to this registration statement the updated number of Unsold
Securities from the 2021 Registration Statement to be included in this registration statement pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6). Pursuant
to Rule 415(a)(6), the offering of securities under the 2021 Registration Statement will be deemed terminated as of the date
of effectiveness of this registration statement. |
|
|
(4) |
See Table 2, below |
Table 2: Fee Offset Claims and Sources
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registrant
or
Filer Name |
Form or
Filing Type |
File
Number |
Initial
Filing Date |
Filing
Date |
Fee
Offset
Claimed |
Security Type
Associated with
Fee Offset
Claimed |
Security Title
Associated with
Fee Offset
Claimed |
Unsold
Securities
Associated with
Fee Offset
Claimed |
Unsold Aggregate
Offering Amount
Associated with
Fee Offset
Claimed |
Fee
Paid with
Fee Offset Source |
Rule 457(p) |
Fee
Offset Claims |
Passage
Bio, Inc. |
S-3ASR
(5) |
333-253955 |
March 5,
2021 |
|
$8,182.50 |
Common
Stock, $0.0001 par value per share |
(6) |
(6) |
$75,000,000 |
|
Fees
Offset Sources |
Passage
Bio, Inc. |
S-3ASR(5) |
333-253955 |
|
March 5,
2021 |
|
|
|
|
|
$8,182.50 |
Fee
Offset Claims |
Passage
Bio, Inc. |
POSASR(5) |
333-253955 |
March 3,
2022 |
|
$13,957.50 |
Unallocated
(Universal)
Shelf |
(7) |
(7) |
$175,000,000 |
|
Fees
Offset Sources |
Passage
Bio, Inc. |
POSASR(5) |
333-253955 |
|
March 3,
2022 |
|
|
|
|
|
$13,957.50 |
(5) |
The registrant
has terminated or completed any offering that included the unsold securities set forth in this Table 2 under the prior registration statement. |
|
|
(6) |
Attributable to $75,000,000 of
unsold shares of common stock previously registered pursuant to a sales agreement prospectus included in the Registration Statement on
Form S-3ASR (No. 333-253955) filed by the Registrant on March 5, 2021 that have not yet been issued or sold and are not
being carried over to this Registration Statement. |
|
|
(7) |
Attributable to $175,000,000 of an indeterminate number of securities previously registered pursuant
to a post-effectivement amendment to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-253955), filed on March 3, 2022. All
such registered securitiesremain unsold. |
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