Subsequent Events |
9 Months Ended | ||
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Sep. 30, 2024 | |||
| Subsequent Events [Abstract] | |||
| Subsequent Events |
Acquisition of Opus Genetics
Summary of Transaction
As described in Note 1, “Nature of Business,” on October 22, 2024, the Company completed the stock purchase of Former Opus. Under
the terms of the Merger Agreement, at the closing of the Opus Acquisition, the Company issued to the security holders of Former Opus 5,237,063
shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share and 14,145.374 shares of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.0001
per share, designated as Series A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”), each share of which is convertible into 1,000 shares of common stock, subject to stockholder approval. Following the closing of the Opus Acquisition, the Company had 31,435,507 shares of common stock and 14,145.374
shares of preferred stock outstanding.
Ancillary Documents
In connection with the execution of the Merger Agreement, the Company and Former Opus entered into stockholder support agreements
(the “Support Agreements”) with certain of the Company’s directors and officers. The Support Agreements provide that, among other things, each of the stockholders has agreed to vote or cause to be voted all of the shares of common stock owned by such stockholder at the next annual meeting of stockholders (the “Stockholders’
Meeting”) in favor of (i) the approval of the conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock into shares of common stock (the “Conversion Proposal”) and (ii) the
approval of one or more adjournments of the Stockholders’ Meeting to solicit additional proxies if there are not sufficient votes cast in favor of the Conversion Proposal.
Concurrently and in connection with the execution of the Merger Agreement, certain of Former Opus security holders and all of the
directors and officers of the Company entered into lock-up agreements, pursuant to which each such stockholder will be subject to a 180-day lock-up on the sale or transfer of shares of common stock held by such stockholder at
Closing, including those shares received by Opus’s security holders in the Opus Acquisition.
In connection with the Merger Agreement, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights
Agreement”) with certain Former Opus security holders (the “Selling Security Holders”). Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a resale registration statement covering the shares of common
stock and shares of common stock underlying the Series A Preferred Stock issued to Former Opus security holders upon the closing of the Opus Acquisition (the “Registrable Securities”) with the SEC within 120 calendar days following
the date of the Merger Agreement or such later date agreed to by the holders of no less than a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities (the “Filing Deadline”). The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to
cause such registration statement to be declared effective by the SEC within 30 calendar days of the Filing Deadline (or within 60 calendar days if the SEC reviews and has written comments to the registration statement).
The Company has also agreed to, among other things, indemnify the Selling Security Holders as well as their officers, directors,
agents, partners, members, managers, stockholders, any person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a person, as such terms are used in and
construed under Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (as amended, the “Securities Act” and each such person, an “Affiliate”), investment advisers and employees of each of them, each person who controls any such Selling Security
Holders (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) and the officers, directors, partners, members, managers, stockholders, agents,
Affiliates, investment advisers and employees of each such controlling person under the registration statement from certain liabilities and pay all fees and expenses incident to the Company’s obligations under the Registration
Rights Agreement.
Certificate of Designation
On October 22, 2024, the Company filed a Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of the Series A
Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Certificate of Designation”) in connection with the Opus
Acquisition. The Certificate of Designation provides for the issuance of shares of Series A Preferred Stock.
Holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to receive dividends on shares of Series A Preferred Stock (on an
as-if-converted-to-Common-Stock basis) equal to and in the same form, and in the same manner, as dividends (other than dividends on shares of our common stock payable in the form of common stock) actually paid on shares of our
common stock when, as and if such dividends (other than dividends payable in the form of common stock) are paid on shares of our common stock. In addition to any dividends payable as described above, commencing on October 15, 2025, holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive when, as and if declared by the Board or a duly
authorized committee of the Board, and the Company will pay, out of funds legally available therefor, cumulative quarterly cash dividends of $26.00 per share of Series A Preferred Stock; provided that for the Series A Dividend Payment Date occurring on October 15, 2025, the amount of such quarterly cash dividend shall be $15.26. Any such
dividends will be payable quarterly in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year, commencing with the first payment on October 15, 2025 (each such date, a “Series A Dividend Payment Date”).
Except as otherwise required by law, the Series A Preferred Stock will have no voting rights. However, as long as any shares of Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Company will not, without the affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority of the then outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Stock: (i) alter or change adversely the powers, preferences or rights given to the Series A Preferred Stock or alter or amend the Certificate of Designation,
amend or repeal any provision of, or add any provision to, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws, or file any articles of amendment, certificate of designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights of any series of
Preferred Stock, if such action would adversely alter or change the preferences, rights, privileges or powers of, or restrictions provided for the benefit of the Series A Preferred Stock, regardless of whether any of the foregoing
actions will be by means of amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation or by merger, consolidation or otherwise, (ii) issue further shares of Series A Preferred Stock or increase or decrease (other than by conversion) the number
of authorized shares of Series A Preferred Stock, (iii) amend, in any manner that would be reasonably likely to prevent, impede or materially delay the stockholder approval of the Conversion Proposal or the Automatic Conversion (as
defined in the Certificate of Designation), or terminate any Support Agreements, or agree to any transfer, sale or disposition of such shares subject to the Support Agreements (except for such transfers, sales or dispositions with
respect to which the approval of the Company is not required pursuant to the applicable Support Agreement), (iv) amend Sections 4.02, 4.03 or 4.07 of the Merger Agreement in any manner that would be reasonably likely to prevent,
impede or materially delay the stockholder approval of the Conversion Proposal or (v) enter into any agreement with respect to any of the foregoing.
Following stockholder approval of the Conversion Proposal, each share of Series A Preferred Stock will be convertible into shares
of common stock at any time at the option of the holder thereof, into 1,000 shares of common stock, subject to certain
limitations.
Consulting Agreement with Dr. Bennett
In connection with Dr. Jean Bennett’s appointment as a member of the Board, effective October 22, 2024, she and the Company
entered into a consulting agreement (the “Bennett Consulting Agreement”), pursuant to which Dr. Bennett will provide consulting services to the Company for a one-year period. Pursuant to the Bennett Consulting Agreement, Dr. Bennett was granted a restricted stock unit award with respect to 100,000 shares of common stock, which award is scheduled to vest on October 22, 2025, subject to her continued service with the Company through and including
such date; provided, that the award will vest in full if the Bennett Consulting Agreement is terminated by (i) Dr. Bennett due to a breach of the Bennett Consulting Agreement by the Company, or (ii) the Company other than due to Dr.
Bennett’s embezzlement, non-performance, fraud or deceit, or her violation of law or breach of the Bennett Consulting Agreement.
Appointment of President and Employment Agreement
Dr. Yerxa, age 58, has also been appointed to serve as the Company’s President, effective October 22, 2024. Dr. Yerxa has been the
Chief Executive Officer and President of Former Opus since July 2022. In connection with his appointment, on and effective October 22, 2024, Dr. Yerxa and the Company entered into an employment agreement (the “Yerxa Employment
Agreement”). The Yerxa Employment Agreement provides for a one-year employment term expiring on October 21, 2025,
following which Dr. Yerxa will continue to provide consulting services to the Company for a period of three years (the
“Yerxa Consulting Term”). Pursuant to the Yerxa Employment Agreement, Dr. Yerxa will receive an annual base salary of $425,000
and will be eligible for a target annual bonus equal to 35% of his base salary, prorated based on the number of days
that Dr. Yerxa is employed by the Company during the applicable fiscal year and based on the achievement of performance metrics approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”).
As provided in the Yerxa Employment Agreement, as an inducement for Dr. Yerxa to enter into the Yerxa Employment Agreement and
subject to the terms of the Inducement Plan, Dr. Yerxa will be granted a time-based restricted stock unit award with respect to 332,800
shares of common stock, which award is scheduled to vest in four equal annual installments on each of the first anniversaries of the grant date, subject to Dr. Yerxa’s continued service with the Company through each vesting date. During the
Yerxa Consulting Term, Dr. Yerxa will receive an annual payment in the amount of $400,000, which amount may be paid in
cash or, in the Company’s sole discretion with respect to up to 50% of the amount, in shares of common stock (or such
greater amount as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties). The amounts to be paid to Dr. Yerxa during the Yerxa Consulting Term will be accelerated in the event that the Consulting Term is terminated by (i) Dr. Yerxa due to a
breach of the consulting agreement by the Company, or (ii) the Company other than a for cause termination.
In the event of a termination of his employment by the Company without “Cause” or by Dr. Yerxa for “Good Reason” (each as defined
in the Yerxa Employment Agreement and each, a “Qualifying Termination”), in each case, within twelve months following the closing date of the Opus Acquisition, then subject to Dr. Yerxa’s execution of a release of claims in favor of
the Company (a “Release”) and continued compliance with certain restrictive covenants, Dr. Yerxa will be entitled to receive (i) a lump sum payment equal to the sum of 0.5 times (a) his base salary and (b) an amount equal to a prorated portion of his target annual bonus, (ii) continued health coverage for Dr. Yerxa and his covered
dependents at the Company’s expense for up to twelve months, and (iii) all outstanding and unvested equity awards held by Dr. Yerxa will become fully vested and exercisable. In addition, in the event of a Qualifying Termination that
occurs within three months prior to a “Change in Control” (as defined in the Yerxa Employment Agreement), then, in lieu
of the amounts described in clause (i) above, and subject to Dr. Yerxa’s execution of a Release and continued compliance with certain restrictive covenants, Dr. Yerxa will be entitled to receive a lump sum payment equal to the sum
of 0.5 times (x) his base salary and (y) his target annual bonus.
Dr. Yerxa will be subject to certain non-competition and non-solicitation covenants for twelve months following the termination of
his employment with the Company.
Accounting Treatment
Given the timing of the closing of the Opus Acquisition, the purchase accounting is incomplete at this time. As such, it is not
practicable for the Company to disclose the allocation of purchase price to assets acquired and liabilities assumed and pro forma revenues and earnings of the combined entity.
Inducement Plan Amendment
Effective as of October 20, 2024, the Company amended the 2021 Inducement Plan reserve to 2,625,258 shares of its common stock.
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