Securities Registration (section 12(b)) (8-a12b)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-A

FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES

PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Zymeworks Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


British Columbia, Canada		98-1398788
(State of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

Suite 800, 114 East 4th Avenue

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5T 1G4

(Address of principal executive offices including zip code)

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

Title of each class

to be so registered

Name of each exchange on which

each class is to be registered

Preferred Stock Purchase Rights

New York Stock Exchange

If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(c) or (e), check the following box. ☒

If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(d) or (e), check the following box. ☐

If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities concurrently with a Regulation A offering, check the following box. ☐

Securities Act registration statement or Regulation A offering statement file number to which this form relates:

Not applicable

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

None

Item 1. Description of Registrant’s Securities to be Registered

On June 9, 2022, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Zymeworks Inc., a corporation continued under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the “Company”), authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one right (each, a “Right”) for each outstanding common share, no par value (the “Common Shares”), of the Company to shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 21, 2022 (the “Record Date”). Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Share, no par value (the “Preferred Shares”), of the Company at an exercise price of $74.00 (the “Exercise Price”), subject to adjustment. The complete terms of the Rights are set forth in a Preferred Shares Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”), dated as of June 9, 2022, between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent.

The Board adopted the Rights Agreement to protect shareholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics. In general terms, it works by imposing a significant penalty upon any person or group that acquires 10 percent or more (or 20 percent or more in the case of certain institutional investors who report their holdings on Schedule 13G) of the Common Shares without the approval of the Board. As a result, the overall effect of the Rights Agreement and the issuance of the Rights may be to render more difficult or discourage a merger, amalgamation, arrangement, take-over bid, tender or exchange offer or other business combination involving the Company that is not approved by the Board. However, neither the Rights Agreement nor the Rights should interfere with any merger, amalgamation, arrangement, take-over bid, tender or exchange offer or other business combination approved by the Board.

The following is a summary of the terms of the Rights Agreement. The summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.


Distribution and Transfer of Rights; Rights Certificates:		The Board has declared a dividend of one Right for each Common Share outstanding. Prior to the Distribution Date referred to below: • the Rights will be evidenced by and trade with the certificates for Common Shares (or, with respect to any uncertificated Common Shares registered in book entry form, by notation in book entry), and no separate rights certificates will be distributed; • new Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date will contain a legend incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference (for uncertificated Common Shares registered in book entry form, this legend will be contained in a notation in book entry); and • the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares (or the surrender for transfer of any uncertificated Common Shares registered in book entry form) will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such Common Share. Rights will accompany any new Common Shares that are issued after the Record Date.

Distribution Date:		Subject to certain exceptions specified in the Rights Agreement, the Rights will separate from the Common Shares and become exercisable following (1) the 10th business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after the public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (such person or group, an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired beneficial ownership of 10 percent or more (or 20 percent or more in the case of certain institutional investors who report their holdings on Schedule 13G) of the Common Shares or (2) the 10th business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after a person or group announces a tender or exchange offer that would result in ownership by a person or group of 10 percent or more (or 20 percent or more in the case of certain institutional investors who report their holdings on Schedule 13G) of the Common Shares. For purposes of the Rights Agreement, beneficial ownership is defined to include the ownership of derivative securities.


		The date on which the Rights separate from the Common Shares and become exercisable is referred to as the “Distribution Date.”

		After the Distribution Date, the Company will mail Rights certificates to the Company’s shareholders as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and the Rights will become transferable apart from the Common Shares. Thereafter, such Rights certificates alone will represent the Rights.

Preferred Shares Purchasable Upon Exercise of Rights:		After the Distribution Date, each Right will entitle the holder to purchase, for the Exercise Price, one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share having economic and other terms similar to that of one Common Share. This portion of a Preferred Share is intended to give the shareholder approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation rights as would one Common Share, and should approximate the value of one Common Share.

		More specifically, each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, if issued, will:

		• not be redeemable;

		• entitle holders to quarterly dividend payments of $0.001 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, or an amount equal to the dividend paid on one Common Share, whichever is greater;

		• entitle holders upon liquidation either to receive $1 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share or an amount equal to the payment made on one Common Share, whichever is greater;

		• have the same voting power as one Common Share; and

		• entitle holders to a payment per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share equal to the payment made on one Common Share if the Common Share is exchanged via merger, consolidation, amalgamation, arrangement or a similar transaction.

Flip-In Trigger:		If an Acquiring Person obtains beneficial ownership of 10 percent or more (or 20 percent or more in the case of certain institutional investors who report their holdings on Schedule 13G) of the Common Shares, then each Right will entitle the holder thereof to purchase, for the Exercise Price, a number of Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a then-current market value of twice the Exercise Price. However, the Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of the foregoing event until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company, as further described below.

		Following the occurrence of an event set forth in preceding paragraph, all Rights that are or, under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or certain of its transferees will be void.

Flip-Over Trigger:		If, after an Acquiring Person obtains 10 percent or more (or 20 percent or more in the case of certain institutional investors who report their holdings on Schedule 13G) of the Common Shares, (1) the Company merges into, amalgamates with or is otherwise combined with another entity, (2) an acquiring entity merges into, amalgamates with or is otherwise combined with the Company or (3) the Company sells or transfers more than 50 percent of its assets, cash flow or earning power, then each Right (except for Rights that have previously been voided as set forth above) will entitle the holder thereof to purchase, for the Exercise Price, a number of Common Shares of the person engaging in the transaction having a then-current market value of twice the Exercise Price.


Redemption of the Rights:		The Rights will be redeemable at the Company’s option for $0.001 per Right (payable in cash, Common Shares or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board) at any time on or prior to the 10th business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after the public announcement that an Acquiring Person has acquired beneficial ownership of 10 percent or more (or 20 percent or more in the case of certain institutional investors who report their holdings on Schedule 13G) of the Common Shares. Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering redemption, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of the Rights will be to receive the $0.001 redemption price. The redemption price will be adjusted if the Company undertakes a share dividend or a share split.

Exchange Provision:		At any time after the date on which an Acquiring Person beneficially owns 10 percent or more (or 20 percent or more in the case of certain institutional investors who report their holdings on Schedule 13G) of the Common Shares and prior to the acquisition by the Acquiring Person of 50 percent of the Common Shares, the Board may exchange the Rights (except for Rights that have previously been voided as set forth above), in whole or in part, for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right (subject to adjustment). In certain circumstances, the Company may elect to exchange the Rights for cash or other securities of the Company having a value approximately equal to one Common Share.

Expiration of the Rights:		The Rights expire on the earliest of (1) 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 8, 2023 (unless such date is extended) or (2) the redemption or exchange of the Rights as described above.

Amendment of Terms of the Rights Agreement and Rights:		The terms of the Rights and the Rights Agreement may be amended in any respect without the consent of the holders of the Rights on or prior to the Distribution Date. Thereafter, the terms of the Rights and the Rights Agreement may be amended without the consent of the holders of Rights in order to (1) cure any ambiguities, (2) shorten or lengthen any time period pursuant to the Rights Agreement or (3) make changes that do not adversely affect the interests of holders of the Rights.

Voting Rights; Other Shareholder Rights:		The Rights will not have any voting rights. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no separate rights as a shareholder of the Company.

Anti-Dilution Provisions:		The Board may adjust the Exercise Price, the number of Preferred Shares issuable and the number of outstanding Rights to prevent dilution that may occur from a share dividend, a share split or a reclassification of the Preferred Shares or Common Shares. With certain exceptions, no adjustments to the Exercise Price will be made until the cumulative adjustments amount to at least one percent of the Exercise Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the current market price of the Preferred Shares.

Taxes:		The distribution of Rights should not be taxable for federal income tax purposes. However, following an event that renders the Rights exercisable or upon redemption of the Rights, shareholders may recognize taxable income.

Item 2. Exhibits


3.1		Resolutions of the Board of Directors of Zymeworks, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 10, 2022).


4.1		Preferred Shares Rights Agreement, dated as of June 9, 2022, by and between Zymeworks Inc and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 10, 2022).

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.