UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the
Registrant ý
Filed by a Party other than the
Registrant ¨
Check the appropriate box:
¨ Preliminary
Proxy Statement
¨ Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
14a-6(e)(2))
ý Definitive
Proxy Statement
¨ Definitive
Additional Materials
¨ Soliciting
Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12
Sio Gene Therapies Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if Other Than the
Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box)
ý No
fee required.
¨ Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
0-11.
1.Title
of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
2.Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction applies:
3.Per
unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which
the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
determined):
4.Proposed
maximum aggregate value of transaction:
5.Total
fee paid:
¨ Fee
paid previously with preliminary materials.
¨ Check
box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting
fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by
registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date
of its filing.
1.Amount
Previously Paid:
2.Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
3.Filing
Party:
4.Date
Filed:
130 West 42nd
Street, 26th
Floor
New York, New York 10036
Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
To Be Held on September 23, 2021
Dear Stockholder:
You are cordially invited to attend the Sio Gene Therapies Inc.
2021 Annual General Meeting of Stockholders, or the Annual Meeting.
The meeting will be held virtually, via live webcast at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SIOX2021
originating from New York, New York on Thursday, September 23,
2021, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. We believe hosting a virtual
meeting enables participation by more of our stockholders, while
lowering the cost of conducting the meeting. Further, we believe
the virtual meeting format is even more critical in light of
ongoing public health concerns regarding the coronavirus 2019,
or COVID-19, pandemic, as the safety of our employees,
directors, communities and stockholders is our first priority.
Stockholders attending the virtual meeting will be afforded the
same rights and opportunities to participate as they would
at an in-person meeting. We encourage you to
attend online and participate. We recommend that you log in a few
minutes before 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on September 23, 2021 to
ensure you are logged in when the Annual Meeting starts.
You will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in
person.
The meeting will be held for the following purposes:
1.To
elect the Board of Directors’ seven nominees for director named
herein to serve as directors until our 2022 Annual General Meeting
of Stockholders and until their successors are duly
elected.
2.To
ratify the selection by the Audit Committee of the Board of
Directors of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered
public accounting firm for our fiscal year ending March 31,
2022.
3.To
approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation of our
named executive officers.
4.To
approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the frequency of future
advisory votes on executive compensation.
5.To
approve our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, to increase the
total number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under
the plan by 5,000,000 shares of common stock.
6.To
conduct any other business properly brought before the Annual
Meeting.
We will also make available before the Annual Meeting at
http://investors.siogtx.com/investors/proxy-materials
our audited financial statements as of and for our fiscal year
ended March 31, 2021.
These items of business are more fully described in the Proxy
Statement accompanying this Notice. The record date for the Annual
Meeting is Friday, July 30, 2021. Only stockholders of record at
the close of business on that date are entitled to notice of and
may vote at the Annual Meeting or any adjournment
thereof.
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Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for
the Stockholders’ Meeting to Be Held on |
Thursday, September 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern
Time |
Virtually, via webcast at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SIOX2021
originating from New York, New York.
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The Proxy Statement and Annual Report to Stockholders |
are available at
http://investors.siogtx.com/investors/proxy-materials.
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By Order of the Board of Directors
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/s/ David Nassif
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David Nassif
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Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer, General
Counsel
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New York, New York
August 6, 2021
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You are cordially invited to attend the virtual Annual Meeting.
Whether or not you expect to attend the virtual meeting, you are
urged to vote and submit your proxy by following the voting
procedures described in the proxy card. Even if you have voted by
proxy, you may still vote online during the virtual meeting. Please
note, however, that if your shares are held of record by a broker,
bank or other agent and you wish to vote during the virtual
meeting, you must follow the instructions from your broker, bank or
other agent. |
130 West 42nd
Street, 26th
Floor
New York, New York 10036
PROXY STATEMENT
FOR THE 2021 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held On September 23, 2021
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THESE PROXY MATERIALS AND
VOTING
Why am I receiving these materials?
Pursuant to rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission, or the SEC, we have elected to provide access to our
proxy materials over the Internet. Accordingly, we have sent you a
Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, or the Notice,
because our Board is soliciting your proxy to vote at the Annual
Meeting, including at any adjournments or postponements of the
Annual Meeting. You are invited to attend the Annual Meeting to
vote on the proposals described in this proxy statement. However,
you do not need to attend the Annual Meeting to vote your shares.
Instead, you may complete, sign and return the enclosed proxy card.
All stockholders will have the ability to access the proxy
materials on the website referred to in the Notice or request to
receive a printed set of the proxy materials. Instructions on how
to access the proxy materials over the internet or to request a
printed copy may be found in the Notice.
We intend to mail these proxy materials, including the Notice, on
or about August 6, 2021, to all stockholders of record entitled to
vote at the Annual Meeting.
Will I receive any other proxy materials by mail?
No, you will not receive any other proxy materials by mail unless
you request a paper copy of proxy materials. To request that a full
set of the proxy materials be sent to your specified postal
address, please go to www.proxyvote.com or
call 1-800-579-1639. Please have your proxy card in hand
when you access the website or call and follow the instructions
provided.
How do I attend and participate in the Annual Meeting
online?
This year’s Annual Meeting will be a completely virtual meeting of
stockholders and will be webcast live over the Internet. Any
stockholder can attend the virtual meeting live online at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SIOX2021.
The webcast will start at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Stockholders as
of July 30, 2021, or the Record Date, may vote and submit questions
while attending the meeting online. We encourage you to access the
meeting prior to the start time. If you encounter any difficulties
accessing the virtual meeting during the check-in or meeting time,
please refer to the technical support information located at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SIOX2021
or
www.proxyvote.com.
You will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person.
Stockholders attending the Annual Meeting will be afforded the same
rights and opportunities to participate as they would
at an in-person meeting.
In order to enter the Annual Meeting, you will need the control
number, which is included in the Notice or on your proxy card if
you are a stockholder of record of shares of common stock, or
included with your voting instruction card and voting instructions
received from your broker, bank or other agent if you hold your
shares of common stock in a “street name.” Instructions on how to
attend and participate are available at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SIOX2021.
We recommend that you log in a few minutes before 10:00 a.m.
Eastern Time to ensure you are logged in when the Annual Meeting
starts. The webcast will open 15 minutes before the start of the
Annual Meeting.
If you would like to submit a question during the Annual Meeting,
you may log in to
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SIOX2021
using your control number, type your question into the “Ask a
Question” field, and click “Submit.”
To help ensure that we have a productive and efficient meeting, and
in fairness to all stockholders in attendance, you will also find
posted our rules of conduct for the Annual Meeting when you log in
prior to its start. These rules of conduct will include the
following guidelines:
•You
may submit questions and comments electronically through the
meeting portal during the Annual Meeting.
•Only
stockholders of record as of the Record Date for the Annual Meeting
and their proxy holders may submit questions or
comments.
•Please
direct all questions to Pavan Cheruvu, our Chief Executive Officer
and Director.
•Please
include your name and affiliation, if any, when submitting a
question or comment.
•Limit
your remarks to one brief question or comment that is relevant to
the Annual Meeting and/or our business.
•Questions
may be grouped by topic by our management.
•Questions
may also be ruled as out of order if they are, among other things,
irrelevant to our business, related to pending or threatened
litigation, disorderly, repetitious of statements already made, or
in furtherance of the speaker’s own personal, political or business
interests.
•Be
respectful of your fellow stockholders and Annual Meeting
participants.
•No
audio or video recordings of the Annual Meeting are
permitted.
Why a Virtual-Only Online Meeting?
Following last year’s successful implementation of a virtual format
for our annual meeting of stockholders, and in light of ongoing
public health concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we have
decided to hold the Annual Meeting in a virtual format, which will
be conducted via live webcast. We continue to believe that a
virtual format helps to protect the health and safety of our
stockholders, directors and employees and helps to facilitate
stockholder participation by enabling stockholders to participate
fully, and equally, from any location around the world without
person-to-person contact, at no cost (other than any costs
associated with your internet access, such as usage charges from
internet access providers and telephone companies). A virtual
annual meeting makes it possible for more stockholders (regardless
of size, resources or physical location) to have direct access to
information more quickly, while saving us and our stockholders time
and resources. We also designed the virtual format of our Annual
Meeting to ensure that our stockholders who attend the Annual
Meeting will be afforded the same rights and opportunities to
participate as they would at an in-person meeting. Additionally, we
use software that verifies the identity of each participating
stockholder and ensures during the question and answer portion of
the meeting that they are granted the same rights they would have
at an in-person meeting. We may consider a change in our
virtual-only meeting practice in the future. Given the above listed
factors, we feel a virtual-only meeting is the right choice for Sio
and its stockholders at this time.
What happens if there are technical difficulties during the Annual
Meeting?
We will have technicians ready to assist you with any technical
difficulties you may have accessing the virtual Annual Meeting,
voting at the Annual Meeting or submitting questions at the Annual
Meeting. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual
Annual Meeting during the check-in or meeting time, please refer to
the technical support information located at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SIOX2021
or
www.proxyvote.com.
If we experience technical difficulties at the Annual Meeting and
are not able to resolve them within a reasonable amount of time, we
will adjourn the Annual Meeting to a later date and will provide
notice of the date and time of such adjourned meeting at
http://investors.siogtx.com/investors/proxy-materials
and on a Current Report on Form 8-K that we will file with the SEC.
For additional information on how you can attend any postponement
or adjournment of the Annual Meeting, see “What happens if the
Annual Meeting is postponed or adjourned” below.
Will a list of record stockholders as of the Record Date be
available?
A list of our stockholders of record as of the close of business on
the Record Date will be made available to stockholders during the
Annual Meeting at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SIOX2021.
In addition, for the ten days prior to the Annual Meeting, the list
will be available for examination by any stockholder of record for
a legally valid purpose by request. You may email us at
legal@siogtx.com
to coordinate arrangements to view the stockholder list. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, stockholders of record must comply with our
COVID-19 safety protocols.
Who can vote at the Annual Meeting?
Only stockholders of record at the close of business on Friday,
July 30, 2021, will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. On
this record date, there were 72,941,507 shares of common stock
outstanding and entitled to vote.
Stockholder of Record: Shares of Common Stock Registered in Your
Name
If, on Friday, July 30, 2021, your shares of common stock were
registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, then you are a stockholder
of record. As a stockholder of record, you may vote online during
the Annual Meeting or vote by proxy. Whether or not you plan to
attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to fill out and return the
enclosed proxy card to ensure your vote is counted.
Beneficial Owner: Shares of Common Stock Registered in the Name of
a Broker, Bank or Other Agent
If, on Friday, July 30, 2021, your shares of common stock were
held, not in your name, but rather in an account at a brokerage
firm, bank, dealer or other similar organization, then you are the
beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” and these proxy
materials are being forwarded to you by that organization. The
organization holding your account is considered to be the
stockholder of record for purposes of voting at the Annual Meeting.
As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker,
bank or other agent regarding how to vote the shares in your
account. You are also invited to attend the Annual Meeting.
However, since you are not the stockholder of record, you may not
vote your shares online during the meeting unless you request and
obtain a valid proxy from your broker, bank or other
agent.
What am I voting on?
There are five matters scheduled for a vote:
•To
elect the Board of Directors’ seven nominees for director named
herein to serve as directors until our 2022 Annual General Meeting
of Stockholders and until their successors are duly
elected.
•To
ratify the selection by the Audit Committee of the Board of
Directors of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered
public accounting firm for our fiscal year ending March 31,
2022.
•To
approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation of our
named executive officers.
•To
approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the frequency of future
advisory votes on executive compensation.
•To
approve our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, to increase the
total number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under
the plan by 5,000,000 shares of common stock.
What if another matter is properly brought before the Annual
Meeting?
The Board knows of no other matters that will be presented for
consideration at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters are
properly brought before the meeting, it is the intention of the
persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote on those matters in
accordance with their best judgment.
How do I vote?
For Proposal 1, you may vote “For” all seven of the nominees to the
Board, you may vote “Against” any nominee(s) you specify or you may
abstain from voting. For Proposal 2, Proposal 3 and Proposal 5, you
may vote “For” or “Against” or abstain from voting. For Proposal 4,
you may vote for the option of once every “One Year,” “Two Years”
or “Three Years” or you may abstain from voting.
The procedures for voting are described below.
Stockholder of Record: Shares of Common Stock Registered in Your
Name
If you are a stockholder of record, you may vote online during the
Annual Meeting, or you may vote by proxy using the enclosed proxy
card. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge
you to vote by proxy to ensure your vote is counted. You may still
attend the Annual Meeting and vote online, even if you have already
voted by proxy.
•To
vote online during the Annual Meeting follow the provided
instructions to join the meeting at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SIOX2021,
starting at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on September 23, 2021. The
webcast will open 15 minutes before the start of the Annual
Meeting.
•To
vote in advance of the Annual Meeting through the internet, go
to
www.proxyvote.com
to complete an electronic proxy card. You will be asked to provide
the company number and control number from the Notice or the
printed proxy card. Your internet vote must be received by 11:59
p.m., Eastern Time on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 to be
counted.
•To
vote in advance of the Annual Meeting by
telephone, dial 1-800-690-6903 using a touch-tone
phone and follow the recorded instructions. You will be asked to
provide the company number and control number from the Notice or
the printed proxy card. Your telephone vote must be received by
11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 to be
counted.
•To
vote using the enclosed proxy card, complete, sign and date the
enclosed proxy card and return it promptly in the accompanying
postage-paid envelope. If you return your signed proxy card to us
before the Annual Meeting, we will vote your shares as you
direct.
Beneficial Owner: Shares of Common Stock Registered in the Name of
Broker, Bank or Other Agent
If you are a beneficial owner of shares registered in the name of
your broker, bank or other agent, you should have received a voting
instruction form with these proxy materials from that organization
rather than from Sio. Complete and mail the voting instruction form
to ensure that your vote is counted. Alternatively, you may vote by
telephone or over the internet if so instructed by your broker,
bank or other agent. To vote online at the Annual Meeting, you must
obtain a valid proxy from your broker, bank or other agent. Follow
the instructions from your broker, bank or other agent included
with these proxy materials, or contact your broker, bank or other
agent to request a proxy form.
Internet proxy voting may be provided to allow you to vote your
shares online, with procedures designed to ensure the authenticity
and correctness of your proxy vote instructions. However, please be
aware that you must bear any costs associated with your internet
access, such as usage charges from internet access providers and
telephone companies.
How many votes do I have?
Except as just described, on each matter to be voted upon, you have
one vote for each share of common stock you owned as of the close
of business on Friday, July 30, 2021.
What happens if I do not vote?
Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name
If you are a stockholder of record and do not vote online at the
Annual Meeting or do not complete and deliver your proxy card, your
shares will not be voted.
Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of Broker, Bank or
Other Agent
If you are a beneficial owner and do not instruct your broker, bank
or other agent how to vote your shares, the question of whether
your broker, bank or other agent will still be able to vote your
shares depends on whether, pursuant to stock exchange rules, the
particular proposal is deemed a “routine” matter. Brokers, banks
and other agents can use their discretion to vote “uninstructed”
shares with respect to matters that are considered to be “routine,”
but not with respect to “non-routine” matters. “Non-routine”
matters are matters that may substantially affect the rights or
privileges of stockholders, such as mergers, stockholder proposals,
elections of directors (even if not contested), executive
compensation (including any advisory stockholder votes on executive
compensation) and certain corporate governance proposals (even if
management-supported). Accordingly, your broker, bank or other
agent may not vote your shares on Proposal 1 (Election of
Directors), Proposal 3 (Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation),
Proposal 4 (Advisory Vote on the Frequency of Future Advisory Votes
on Executive Compensation) or Proposal 5 (Equity Incentive Plan)
without your instructions, but may vote your shares on Proposal 2
(Ratification of Selection of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm), even in the absence of your
instruction.
What if I return a proxy card or otherwise vote but do not make
specific choices?
If you return a signed and dated proxy card or otherwise vote
without marking voting selections, your shares will be voted, as
applicable:
•“For”
the election of all seven nominees for director;
•“For”
the ratification of the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as our
independent registered public accounting firm for our fiscal year
ending March 31, 2022;
•“For”
the approval, on a non-binding advisory basis, of the compensation
of our named executive officers;
•For
the option of once every “Three Years” as the frequency with which
stockholders are provided a non-binding advisory vote on executive
compensation; and
•“For”
the approval of our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, to
increase the total number of shares of common stock reserved for
issuance under the plan by 5,000,000 shares of common
stock.
If any other matter is properly presented at the meeting, your
proxyholder (one of the individuals named on your proxy card) will
vote your shares using his or her best judgment.
Who is paying for this proxy solicitation?
We will pay for the entire cost of soliciting proxies. In addition
to these proxy materials, our directors and employees may also
solicit proxies in person, by telephone or by other means of
communication. Directors and employees will not be paid any
additional compensation for soliciting proxies. We may also
reimburse brokerage firms, banks and other agents for the cost of
forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners.
What does it mean if I receive more than one set of proxy
materials?
If you receive more than one set of proxy materials, your shares
may be registered in more than one name or in different accounts.
Please follow the voting instructions on the proxy card in each set
of proxy materials to ensure that all of your shares are
voted.
Can I change my vote after submitting my proxy?
Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name
Yes. You can revoke your proxy at any time before the final vote at
the Annual Meeting. If you are the record holder of your shares,
you may revoke your proxy in any one of the following
ways:
•You
may submit another properly completed proxy card with a later
date.
•You
may grant a subsequent proxy by telephone or through the
Internet.
•You
may send a timely written notice that you are revoking your proxy
to Sio Gene Therapies Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, at 130 West
42nd
Street, 26th
Floor, New York, New York 10036.
•You
may attend the Annual Meeting and vote online. Attending the Annual
Meeting will not, by itself, revoke your proxy.
Your most current proxy card is the one that is
counted.
Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of Broker, Bank or
Other Agent
If your shares are held by your broker, bank or agent, you should
follow the instructions provided by your broker, bank or other
agent.
When are stockholder proposals and director nominations due for
next year’s Annual General Meeting of Stockholders?
To be considered for inclusion in next year’s proxy materials, your
proposal must be submitted in writing to, and received at, Sio Gene
Therapies Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, 130 West 42nd Street,
26th Floor, New York, New York 10036 by May 26, 2022. If you wish
to nominate an individual for election at, or bring business other
than through a stockholder proposal before, the 2022 Annual General
Meeting of Stockholders, you must deliver your notice to Sio no
earlier than May 26, 2022, and no later than June 25, 2022, in
accordance with our bylaws. Your notice to Sio must also set forth
the information specified in our bylaws. For more information, and
for the detailed requirements, please refer to our bylaws filed as
Exhibit 3.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K12G3 (File No.
000-56226), filed with the SEC on November 13, 2020.
How are votes counted?
Our Chief Executive Officer and Director will serve as Chairperson
of the meeting and will determine the method by which votes will be
counted. If a poll is demanded, however, in accordance with the
bylaws, every person present at the Annual Meeting will have one
vote for each share of common stock of which such person is the
holder or for which such person holds a proxy. A poll vote will be
taken by electronic ballot if so demanded in accordance with our
bylaws.
With respect to Proposal 1, Proposal 3 and Proposal 5, votes “For”
and “Against,” or in the case of Proposal 4, votes for “One Year,”
“Two Years” or “Three Years,” and abstentions and broker non-votes
will be separately counted. With respect to Proposal 2, votes “For”
and “Against” and abstentions will be separately counted. Because
Proposal 2 is a routine proposal, there are no broker
non-votes.
What are “broker non-votes”?
As discussed above, when a beneficial owner of shares held in
“street name” does not give instructions to the broker, bank or
other agent holding the shares as to how to vote on matters deemed
to be “non-routine” (e.g., election of directors and executive
compensation), the broker, bank or other agent cannot vote the
shares. These unvoted shares are counted as “broker
non-votes.”
How many votes are needed to approve each proposal?
Proposal No. 1
– For the election of directors, each nominee must receive “For”
votes representing a majority of the votes cast on that nominee’s
election to be elected. Abstentions and broker non-votes are not
considered to be votes cast and therefore will have no
effect.
Proposal No. 2
– To ratify the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as our
independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year
ending March 31, 2022, the proposal must receive “For” votes from
the majority of votes cast at the meeting. Abstentions are not
considered to be votes cast and therefore will have no effect.
Because this is a routine proposal, if you hold your shares of
common stock in street name and do not provide voting instructions
to your broker, bank, or other agent that holds your shares, your
broker, bank, or other agent has discretionary authority to vote
your shares on this proposal.
Proposal No. 3
– To approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation of
our named executive officers for the fiscal year ended March 31,
2021, the proposal must receive “For” votes from the majority of
votes cast at the meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes are not
considered to be votes cast and therefore will have no
effect.
Proposal No. 4
– To approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the frequency of
future advisory votes on our executive compensation, the option
that receives the highest number of votes cast in accordance with
our bylaws will be deemed to be the frequency preferred by our
stockholders. Abstentions and broker non-votes are not considered
to be votes cast and therefore will have no effect. This is an
advisory vote and is non-binding on us, but we will give careful
consideration to the voting results on this proposal and expect to
be guided by the frequency that receives a majority of the votes
cast, but if no majority is obtained, we will consider the
frequency that receives the most votes to be the preference of the
stockholders.
Proposal No. 5
– To approve our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, to
increase the total number of shares of common stock reserved for
issuance under the plan by 5,000,000 shares of common stock, the
proposal must receive “For” votes from the majority of votes cast
at the meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes are not considered
to be votes cast and therefore will have no effect.
What is the quorum requirement?
A quorum of stockholders is necessary to hold a valid meeting. A
quorum will be present if the holders of a majority of the voting
power of the outstanding shares entitled to vote are present at the
Annual Meeting or represented by proxy. On the record date, there
were 72,941,507 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to
vote. Therefore, the holders of 36,470,754 shares of common stock
must be present by virtual attendance or represented by proxy at
the Annual Meeting to have a quorum.
Your shares will be counted towards the quorum only if you submit a
valid proxy (or one is submitted on your behalf by your broker,
bank or other agent) or if you vote online at the Annual Meeting.
Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted towards the quorum
requirement. If there is no quorum, the holders of a majority of
shares present at the Annual Meeting or represented by proxy may
adjourn the meeting to another date. Virtual attendance at our
Annual Meeting constitutes presence for purposes of a quorum at the
meeting.
How can I find out the results of the voting at the Annual
Meeting?
Preliminary voting results will be announced at the Annual Meeting.
In addition, final voting results will be published in a Current
Report on Form 8-K that we expect to file within four business days
after the Annual Meeting. If final voting results are not available
to us in time to file a Current Report on Form 8-K within four
business days after the Annual Meeting, we intend to file a Current
Report on Form 8-K to publish preliminary results and, within four
business days after the final results are known to us, file an
additional Current Report on Form 8-K to publish the final
results.
What proxy materials are available on the internet?
The proxy statement and annual report to stockholders are available
at
http://investors.siogtx.com/investors/proxy-materials.
PROPOSAL 1
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Board presently has seven members. Each of our current members
is nominated for election at the Annual Meeting. Each director is
elected to serve a one-year term, with all directors subject to
annual election. Vacancies on the Board may be filled by the Board
or by the stockholders in a general meeting. A director elected to
fill a vacancy, including vacancies created by an increase in the
number of directors, will serve for the remainder of the full
term.
Each of the nominees listed below is a current director previously
elected by our stockholders, other than Dr. Vuori, who was
appointed by the Board in October 2020 to fill an existing vacancy,
based on the recommendation by the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee. All nominees have been recommended for
election at the Annual Meeting by our Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee of the Board. If elected at the Annual
Meeting, each of the nominees listed below would serve until the
2022 Annual General Meeting of Stockholders and until his or her
successor has been duly elected, or, if sooner, until the
director’s death, resignation or removal.
To be elected, a nominee must receive “For” votes representing a
majority of the votes cast on that nominee’s election. As this is
an uncontested election, any nominee who receives a greater number
of votes “Against” than votes “For” such election will not be
elected to the Board, and the position on the Board that would have
been filled by that director nominee will become
vacant.
Shares represented by executed proxies will be voted, if authority
to do so is not withheld, for the election of the seven nominees
named below. If any nominee becomes unavailable for election as a
result of an unexpected occurrence, shares that would have been
voted for that nominee will instead be voted for the election of a
substitute nominee proposed by Sio. Each person nominated for
election has agreed to serve if elected. Sio’s management has no
reason to believe that any nominee will be unable to
serve.
The following table identifies the director nominees for election,
as well as the position they hold at Sio, any committee membership,
and their ages as of July 31, 2021:
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Name |
Age |
Director Since |
Position |
Audit Committee |
Compensation Committee |
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee |
Frank Torti, M.D. |
42 |
2018 |
Chairperson |
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Atul Pande, M.D. |
67 |
2015 |
Lead Independent Director |
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*
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Pavan Cheruvu, M.D. |
39 |
2018 |
Chief Executive Officer and Director |
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Berndt Modig |
62 |
2015 |
Director |
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*
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Senthil Sundaram |
43 |
2019 |
Director |
*
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Eric Venker, M.D., Pharm.D. |
34 |
2020 |
Director |
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Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D. |
53 |
2020 |
Director |
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_____________
*
Chairperson
Below is a brief biography of each director nominee.
Frank Torti, M.D.
Dr. Torti has served as Chairperson of the Board since September
2018. Dr. Torti has served as the Vant Chair of Roivant Sciences,
Inc., or RSI, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of our affiliate,
RSL, since January 2020. In this capacity he is responsible for the
biopharmaceutical companies in the Roivant family and serves as
Chairperson of the boards of directors of those companies. He
previously served as Vant Investment Chair of RSI, from August 2018
to December 2019. Prior to joining RSI, from August 2007 to August
2018, Dr. Torti served as a Partner of New Enterprise Associates,
or NEA, specializing in investments in healthcare. Prior to joining
NEA, Dr. Torti worked for the Duke University Center for Clinical
& Genetic Economics from 2002 to 2005 in various capacities,
where he was involved in clinical trials research and economic
evaluations of multinational clinical trials. Dr. Torti presently
serves as Chairperson of the boards of directors of Arbutus
Biopharma Corp., Immunovant Inc., and several private
biopharmaceutical companies. He has previously served on the boards
of directors of numerous development and commercial stage public
and private healthcare companies, including Annexon Biosciences,
Inc., Eargo Inc., Galera Therapeutics, Inc., Myovant Sciences Ltd.,
NeoTract, Inc., Urovant Sciences Ltd, and others. Dr. Torti earned
an M.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine,
an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.A. from the
University of North Carolina. Our Board of Directors believes that
Dr. Torti’s extensive experience in healthcare investing, as well
as his operational experience and clinical trial background,
qualifies him to serve on the Board.
Atul Pande, M.D.
Dr. Pande has served as a member of the Board since March 2015 and
currently serves as our Lead Independent Director. Dr. Pande has
served as Chief Medical Advisor of PureTech Health plc since
February 2018, and previously served as its Chief Medical Officer
since February 2017 and a Senior Advisor from July 2016 through
February 2017. Dr. Pande has also served as President and Chief
Executive Officer of Verity BioConsulting LLC, a drug development
consulting firm, since 2014. He previously served as Chief Medical
Officer of Tal Medical, Inc., a clinical-stage medical device
company, from December 2014 to December 2017. From 2007 to April
2014, Dr. Pande was Senior Vice President and Senior Advisor,
Pharmaceutical R&D at GlaxoSmithKline plc, a pharmaceutical
company. He has also held senior roles at Pfizer Inc., a
multinational pharmaceutical company, Parke-Davis/Warner-Lambert, a
subsidiary of Pfizer Inc. and Lilly Research Laboratories, a global
pharmaceutical research organization and division of Eli Lilly
& Co., where he was involved in the development of numerous
central nervous system drugs. Dr. Pande is currently a director of
Autifony Therapeutics Limited, a biotechnology company, Karuna
Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, Perception
Neurosciences, a biopharmaceutical company, and Immunovant Inc., a
biopharmaceutical company, and he previously served as a director
of Heptares Therapeutics Ltd., a biotechnology company now a part
of the Sosei Group. He also serves on the Scientific Advisory
Boards of Cennerv Pharma PTE LTD and Centrexion Corporation. Dr.
Pande is a fellow of several professional societies, including the
American Psychiatric Association. He has published over 50
peer-reviewed scientific papers and numerous abstracts, book
chapters and book reviews. Dr. Pande received his MBBS (Bachelor of
Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) and his M.D. from the University of
Lucknow, India and completed his research fellowship training in
psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School and his
postgraduate specialty training and psychiatry residency program at
Western University. We believe that Dr. Pande’s medical background
and significant knowledge of the life sciences industry qualify him
to serve on the Board.
Pavan Cheruvu, M.D.
Dr. Cheruvu has served as our Chief Executive Officer since
November 2020 and as a member of the Board since September 2018,
and served as the Principal Executive Officer of Axovant Gene
Therapies Ltd. from February 2018 until November 2020 and as the
Chief Executive Officer of Axovant Sciences, Inc. from February
2018 until December 2020. Prior to joining us, Dr. Cheruvu worked
at RSI since October 2015, and was appointed to RSI’s executive
leadership team in September 2017. Dr. Cheruvu completed his
residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital and
continued his training in a clinical fellowship in cardiovascular
medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Prior to
his medical training, Dr. Cheruvu worked as a management consultant
at McKinsey & Company from June 2008 through June 2011, where
he focused on biopharmaceutical strategy. Dr. Cheruvu received his
B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering, B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering,
and A.B. in Chemistry from Duke University, his M.Sc. in Computer
Science from Oxford University and his M.D. from Harvard Medical
School. We believe that Dr. Cheruvu’s experience as a life sciences
investor and experience in the biopharmaceutical industry qualify
him to serve on the Board.
Berndt Modig
Mr. Modig has served as a member of the Board since March 2015.
Since March 2016, Mr. Modig has served as Chief Executive Officer
of Pharvaris N.V., a public clinical stage biotechnology company
focusing on rare diseases. He served as Chief Financial Officer of
Prosensa Holding N.V., a pharmaceutical company, from March 2010
until its acquisition by BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. in January
2015. From October 2003 to November 2008, Mr. Modig was Chief
Financial Officer at Jerini AG, a pharmaceutical company, where he
directed private financing rounds, its initial public offering in
2005, and its acquisition by Shire plc, a biopharmaceutical company
acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, in 2008. Before that,
Mr. Modig served as Chief Financial Officer at Surplex AG, a
reseller of used industrial equipment, from 2001 to 2003, and as
Finance Director Europe of U.S.-based Hayward Industrial Products
Inc., a thermoplastic valve manufacturer, from 1999 to 2001. In
previous positions, Mr. Modig was a partner in the Brussels-based
private equity firm Agra Industria from 1994 to 1999 and a Senior
Manager in the Financial Services Industry Group of Price
Waterhouse LLP in New York from 1991 to 1994. Mr. Modig currently
serves as a director of Pharvaris N.V., a public clinical stage
biotechnology company. He also serves as chair of the audit
committee and as a director of Centogene N.V., a public
biopharmaceutical company. He also previously served on (i) the
board of directors of Kiadis Pharma N.V., a public
biopharmaceutical company, from June 2016 to April 2021, (ii) the
board of directors of Auris Medical Holding Ltd., a pharmaceutical
company, from April 2014 to March 2018, and (iii) the board of
directors of Affimed N.V., a public biopharmaceutical company, from
September 2014 to August 2020. Mr. Modig received his bachelor’s
degree in business administration, economics and German from the
University of Lund, Sweden and his M.B.A. from INSEAD,
Fontainebleau, France and is a Certified Public Accountant
(inactive). We believe that Mr. Modig’s extensive international
experience in finance and operations, private equity, and mergers
and acquisitions qualifies him to serve on the Board.
Senthil Sundaram
Mr. Sundaram has served as a member of the Board since June 2019.
In July 2020, Mr. Sundaram became the Chief Executive Officer and a
director of Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly-traded
clinical-stage pharmaceutical company. Mr. Sundaram served as the
Chief Financial Officer of Nightstar Therapeutics plc, a
publicly-traded clinical-stage gene therapy company, from April
2017 to June 2019, when it was acquired by Biogen, Inc., a
multinational biotechnology company. While at Nightstar, Mr.
Sundaram led a number of private and public offerings, including
its initial public offering, and a variety of business development
efforts including the M&A process that resulted in the
acquisition by Biogen. From February 2013 to April 2017, Mr.
Sundaram served in a variety of positions at Intercept
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, including most
recently as its Vice President and head of business development.
Prior to joining Intercept, from 2000 to 2013, Mr. Sundaram worked
in the healthcare investment banking groups at Lehman Brothers
Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and
Lazard Ltd. Mr. Sundaram earned a B.S. in Computer Engineering and
a B.A. in Economics from Brown University. We believe that Mr.
Sundaram’s extensive experience in leadership roles at
biopharmaceutical companies qualifies him to serve on the
Board.
Eric Venker, M.D., Pharm.D.
Dr. Venker has served as a member of the Board since February 2020.
Since February 2021, Dr. Venker has served as President, Chief
Operating Officer of RSI, having previously served as Chief
Operating Officer of RSI since November 2018 and as President of
RSI since January 2021. From October 2017 to October 2018, Dr.
Venker served as Chief of Staff to RSI’s Chief Executive Officer,
and from 2014 to 2015 as an Analyst at RSI. From 2015 to 2017, Dr.
Venker was a physician at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia
University Medical Center, where he trained in internal medicine,
and also served as Chair of the Housestaff Quality Council leading
operational initiatives to improve efficiencies. From 2011 to 2015,
Dr. Venker was a Clinical Pharmacist at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Dr. Venker also serves on the boards of directors of Arbutus
Biopharma Corporation and Immunovant, Inc., each a
biopharmaceutical company, as well as several private
biopharmaceutical companies. Dr. Venker received his Pharm.D. from
St. Louis College of Pharmacy and his M.D. from Yale School of
Medicine. We believe that Dr. Venker’s medical background and
experience in the biopharmaceutical industry qualify him to serve
on the Board.
Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Vuori has served as a member of the Board since October 2020.
Dr. Vuori has served as President of Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical
Discovery Institute, or the Institute, since January 2010. The
Institute is a non-profit research organization focused on
biomedical research and drug discovery in the areas of cancer,
neurodegeneration, diabetes, and infectious, inflammatory, and
childhood diseases. In addition, Dr. Vuori has held the Pauline and
Stanley Foster Presidential Chair since January 2010 and has served
as Professor at the Institute since January 1995. From July 2014 to
September 2017, Dr. Vuori served on the board of directors of WebMD
Health Corp., an online publisher of health news and information,
and since June 2019, has served on the board of directors of
Bionano Genomics, Inc., a life sciences instrumentation company.
She has served on the board of directors of Forian, Inc., a health
data analytics company, since January 2021. Additionally, she
serves or has served in the past five years on the boards of
directors of the American Association for Cancer Research and the
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Vuori earned
her M.D. and Ph.D. from the University of Oulu, Finland. We believe
that that Dr. Vuori’s experience as a physician-scientist in
biomedical research and drug discovery and as an educator of
research scientists, her experience managing a large non-profit
research organization, and her various leadership roles in
non-profit, for-profit and public boards qualify her to serve on
the Board.
The Board of Directors Recommends
A Vote “For”
Each Named Nominee.
Information Regarding the Board of Directors and Corporate
Governance
Independence of the Board of Directors
As required under the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, or Nasdaq, listing
standards, a majority of the members of a listed company’s board of
directors must qualify as “independent,” as affirmatively
determined by the Board. The Board consults with our counsel to
ensure that the Board’s determinations are consistent with relevant
securities and other laws and regulations regarding the definition
of “independent,” including those set forth in pertinent listing
standards of Nasdaq, as in effect from time to time.
Consistent with these considerations, after review of all relevant
identified transactions or relationships between each director, or
any of his or her family members, and Sio, our senior management
and our independent auditors, the Board has affirmatively
determined that the following directors are independent directors
within the meaning of the applicable Nasdaq listing standards: Drs.
Pande and Vuori and Messrs. Modig and Sundaram. In making this
determination, the Board found that none of these directors or
nominees for director had a material or other disqualifying
relationship with Sio.
Board Leadership Structure
Dr. Torti currently serves as Chairperson of the Board. The Board
believes that Dr. Torti’s role as Chairperson helps ensure that
management and the Board act with common purpose and benefit from
the extensive executive leadership and operational experience of
Dr. Torti. The Board believes that Dr. Torti is well-positioned to
act as a bridge between management and the Board, facilitating the
regular flow of information. In addition, the Board believes that,
under current circumstances, the separation of the offices of
Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer will enhance oversight of
management and Board function, allowing Dr. Cheruvu the ability to
focus on his primary responsibilities as Chief Executive Officer,
enhancing stockholder value and expanding and strengthening our
business.
Our corporate governance guidelines provide that the Board will
select its Chairperson in the manner that it determines to be in
the best interests of our stockholders. The same person may hold
the positions of Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson, or the
Board may separate these offices. If the Chairperson is an
independent director, the Board may designate the Chairperson as
the lead independent director. If the Chairperson is not an
independent director, the Board may designate one of the
independent directors as the lead independent director. Dr. Pande
was designated by the Board as our lead independent director in
September 2018. The lead independent director’s duties include
among other things: establishing the agenda for meetings of the
independent directors and meetings of the non-management directors,
as applicable; presiding over meetings of the independent directors
and meetings of the non-management directors, as applicable;
presiding over any portions of meetings of the Board evaluating the
performance of the Board; and coordinating the activities of the
other independent directors and perform such other duties the Board
may establish or delegate.
At the present time, the Board believes that the current Board
members, together with our management, possess the requisite
leadership and industry skills, expertise and experiences to
effectively oversee our business and affairs. Moreover, the Board
prefers to retain the flexibility to select the appropriate
leadership structure based upon the existence of various
conditions, including, but not limited to, business, financial or
other market conditions, affecting us at any given time.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the independent directors of the
Board regularly participate in executive sessions at which only
independent directors are present.
Role of the Board in Risk Oversight
One of the Board’s key functions is informed oversight of our risk
management process. The Board administers this oversight function
directly through the Board as a whole, as well as through various
Board standing committees that address risks inherent in their
respective areas of oversight. The Board believes its current
leadership structure, including the appointment of a lead
independent director and having a majority or equal number of
independent directors on each committee and the Board itself,
supports the risk oversight function of the Board.
In particular, the Board is responsible for reviewing, approving
and monitoring fundamental financial and business strategies and
major corporate actions, assessing major risks facing us and
considering ways to address those risks and overseeing the
establishment and maintenance of processes and conditions to
maintain our integrity. Our Board has received regular updates from
the management team on the evolving COVID-19 situation and is
involved in strategy decisions related to the impact of COVID-19 on
our business. The Audit Committee of the Board has the
responsibility to consider and discuss our major financial risk
exposures and the steps our management has taken to monitor and
control these exposures, including guidelines and policies to
govern the process by which risk assessment and management is
undertaken. The Audit Committee of the Board also monitors
compliance with certain legal and regulatory requirements,
including oversight of related-person transactions, complaint
procedures, certain ethical compliance and regulatory and
accounting initiatives, and is responsible for oversight of the
performance of our internal audit function. The Compensation
Committee of the Board assesses and monitors whether any of our
compensation policies and programs have the potential to encourage
excessive risk-taking. The Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee of the Board monitors the effectiveness of our corporate
governance guidelines, including whether they are successful in
preventing illegal or improper liability-creating conduct, and
monitor compliance with certain regulatory requirements. It is the
responsibility of the committee chairs to report findings regarding
material risk exposures to the Board as quickly as
possible.
The oversight responsibility of the Board and its committees is
informed by reports from our management team that are designed to
provide visibility to Board about the identification and assessment
of key risks and our risk mitigation strategies. At periodic
meetings of the Board and its committees, management reports to and
seeks guidance from the Board and its committees with respect to
the most significant risks that could affect our business, such as
legal risks, information security and privacy risks, and financial,
tax and audit related risks. In addition, among other matters,
management provides the Audit Committee and Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee of the Board periodic reports on our
compliance programs and investment policy and
practices.
Meetings of the Board of Directors; Attendance at Annual Meeting of
Stockholders
During our fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, the Board met seven
times; the Audit Committee met four times; the Compensation
Committee met two times; and the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee met three times. Each Board member attended
75% or more of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board and of
the committees on which he or she served that were held during the
portion of the last fiscal year for which he or she was a director
or committee member.
As required under applicable Nasdaq listing rules, in our fiscal
year ended March 31, 2021, our independent directors met in
regularly scheduled executive sessions at which only independent
directors were present. Dr. Pande and Mr. Modig typically presided
over the executive sessions.
Our policy is that directors are invited to attend the Annual
General Meetings of Stockholders. No members of the Board attended
our 2020 Annual General Meeting of Stockholders.
Information Regarding Committees of the Board of
Directors
The Board has an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Below is a
description of each of these committees. Each committee has the
authority to engage legal counsel or other experts or consultants,
as it deems appropriate to carry out its responsibilities. Copies
of the written charters of such committees are available on our
website at
http://investors.siogtx.com/investors/corporate-governance.
Information contained on or accessible through this website is not
incorporated by reference nor otherwise included in this report,
and any references to this website are intended to be inactive
textual references only.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee of the Board was established by the Board in
accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act to oversee
our corporate accounting and financial reporting processes and
audits of our financial statements. The Board reviews the Nasdaq
listing standards definition of independence for Audit Committee
members on an annual basis and has determined that each member of
the Audit Committee satisfies the independence requirements under
applicable Nasdaq listing rules and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange
Act.
The Audit Committee is composed of Mr. Modig, Dr. Pande and Mr.
Sundaram. The Board has also determined that each of Mr. Modig and
Mr. Sundaram qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as
defined in applicable SEC rules and regulations. The Board made a
qualitative assessment of Mr. Modig’s level of knowledge and
experience based on a number of factors, including his formal
education and experience as a chief financial officer at public
reporting companies. In addition to our Audit Committee, Mr. Modig
also serves on the audit committee of one other public company,
Centogene N.V. Likewise, the Board made a qualitative assessment of
Mr. Sundaram’s level of knowledge and experience based on a number
of factors, including his experience as a chief financial officer
at a public reporting company and investment banker. The Board has
determined that this simultaneous service of Mr. Modig does not
impair his ability to effectively serve on our Audit
Committee.
The principal duties and responsibilities of the Audit Committee
include:
• recommending and retaining an independent
registered public accounting firm to serve as our independent
auditors, overseeing our independent auditors’ work and determining
our independent auditors’ compensation;
• evaluating the performance of and
assessing the qualifications of our independent
auditors;
• approving in advance all audit services
and non-audit services to be provided to us by our independent
auditors;
• monitoring the rotation of partners of
the independent auditors on our audit engagement team as required
by law;
• assessing and taking other appropriate
action to oversee the independence of our independent auditors,
including reviewing written disclosures from the independent
auditors delineating all relationships between the auditors, or
their affiliates, and us, or persons in financial oversight roles
at Sio, that may reasonably be thought to bear on independence (at
least annually, consistent with the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board, or PCAOB, Rule 3526);
• reviewing the financial statements
proposed to be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K to be
filed with the SEC and recommending to the Board whether such
financial statements should be so included;
• reviewing and discussing with management
and our independent auditors the results of the annual audit and
the independent auditor’s review of our quarterly financial
statements, including, as appropriate, a review of our disclosures
under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations” in our periodic reports filed with the
SEC;
• reviewing and discussing with management
and our independent auditors, as appropriate, our guidelines and
policies with respect to risk assessment and management, including
risks related to our accounting matters, financial reporting and
legal and regulatory compliance; and reviewing and discussing with
management, as appropriate, insurance programs;
• conferring with management and our
independent auditors, as appropriate, regarding the scope, adequacy
and effectiveness of our internal control over financial
reporting;
• coordinating the Board’s oversight of the
performance of our internal audit function;
• reviewing and approving or rejecting
transactions between us and any related persons; and
• establishing procedures for the receipt,
retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding
accounting, internal accounting controls, auditing or compliance
matters and the confidential and anonymous submission by our
employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing
matters.
Report of the Audit Committee of the Board of
Directors*
The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited
financial statements for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, with
our management. The Audit Committee has discussed with the
independent registered public accounting firm the matters required
to be discussed by Auditing Standard No. 1301, Communications with
Audit Committees, as adopted by the PCAOB. The Audit Committee has
also received the written disclosures and the letter from the
independent registered public accounting firm required by
applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding the independent
accountants’ communications with the Audit Committee concerning
independence, and has discussed with the independent registered
public accounting firm the accounting firm’s independence. Based on
the foregoing, the Audit Committee has recommended to the Board
that the audited financial statements be included in our Annual
Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended March 31,
2021.
Mr. Senthil Sundaram
Mr. Berndt Modig
Dr. Atul Pande
*
The material in this report is not “soliciting material,” is not
deemed “filed” with the SEC and is not to be incorporated by
reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date
hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language in
any such filing.
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee is composed of Mr. Modig and Dr. Pande.
The Board has determined that Mr. Modig and Dr. Pande are
“independent,” as independence is currently defined in applicable
Nasdaq listing rules. All members of the Compensation Committee are
“non-employee directors,” as defined in Rule 16b-3 under the
Exchange Act.
The Compensation Committee of the Board acts on behalf of the Board
to, among other things, oversee our compensation strategy,
policies, plans and programs and to review and determine the
compensation to be paid to our executive officers. In general, the
Compensation Committee of the Board performs the same policy- and
compensation-setting functions for our subsidiaries and their
executive officers as it does for us, and references herein to our
personnel, policies, plans and programs include those of our
subsidiaries as well. The principal duties and responsibilities of
the Compensation Committee include:
•reviewing,
modifying and approving our overall compensation strategy and
policies, including: (1) reviewing and approving corporate goals
and objectives relevant to the compensation of our executive
officers and other senior management, as appropriate; (2)
evaluating and approving, or recommending to the Board for
approval, compensation plans and programs advisable for us,
including modifications and terminations to those plans and
programs; (3) establishing policies with respect to equity
compensation arrangements; (4) assessing the adequacy and
competitiveness of our executive compensation programs among
comparable companies in our industry; (5) reviewing and approving
the terms of any employment agreements, severance arrangements,
change-of-control protections and any other compensatory
arrangement for our executive officers and other senior management,
as appropriate; (6) reviewing our practices and policies of
employee compensation as they relate to risk management and
risk-taking incentives; (7) considering and establishing share
ownership guidelines for our executive officers and directors, if
deemed appropriate; and (8) evaluating the efficacy of our
compensation policy and strategy in achieving expected benefits to
us and otherwise furthering our policies;
•establishing
and approving individual and corporate goals and objectives of our
Chief Executive Officer and our other executive officers and senior
management and evaluating performance of the Chief Executive
Officer and our other executive officers and senior management, as
appropriate, in light of these stated objectives;
•reviewing
and approving the type and amount of compensation to be paid or
awarded to Board members;
•selecting
and retaining compensation consultants, legal counsel and other
advisers; and
•adopting,
amending, administering, and terminating our equity compensation
plans, pension and profit sharing plans, bonus plans, deferred
compensation plans and similar programs.
Compensation Committee Processes and Procedures
The Compensation Committee meets at least once annually and with
greater frequency if necessary. The agenda for each meeting is
usually developed by the Chairperson of the Compensation Committee,
in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer and the General
Counsel. The Compensation Committee meets regularly in executive
session. From time to time, various members of management and other
employees as well as outside advisors or consultants may be invited
by the Compensation Committee to make presentations, to provide
financial or other background information, to provide advice or to
otherwise participate in Compensation Committee meetings. The Chief
Executive Officer may not participate in, or be present during, the
voting or deliberations of the Compensation Committee regarding his
compensation. The charter of the Compensation Committee grants the
Compensation Committee full access to all books, records,
facilities and personnel of Sio.
In addition, under the charter, the Compensation Committee has the
authority to obtain, at our expense, advice and assistance from
internal or external legal, accounting or other advisors and
consultants that any member of the Compensation Committee deems
necessary or appropriate in the discharge of his or her
responsibilities. If the Compensation Committee chooses to retain
or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, independent
legal counsel, or other advisor, it has the direct responsibility
for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of such
party, and we will provide for appropriate funding, as determined
by the Compensation Committee, for the payment to such party. In
addition, the Compensation Committee has the sole authority to
retain and terminate any compensation consultant to assist in its
evaluation of executive and director compensation, including the
sole authority to approve the consultant’s reasonable fees and
other retention terms, all at our expense. Under the charter, the
Compensation Committee may select a compensation consultant, legal
counsel or other advisor (other than in-house legal counsel and
certain other types of advisors) only after taking into
consideration all factors relevant to that party’s independence
from management, including the six factors prescribed by the SEC
and Nasdaq; however, there is no requirement that any advisor be
independent.
During the past fiscal year, after taking into consideration the
six factors prescribed by the SEC and Nasdaq, the Compensation
Committee engaged Radford, a national compensation consulting firm,
to provide executive compensation advisory services based, in part,
on its reputation and extensive experience in the industry. The
Compensation Committee determined that Radford was independent from
management and had no conflicts of interest in connection with the
advisory services to be provided. Specifically, the Compensation
Committee requested that Radford develop a comparative group of
companies and perform analyses of competitive performance and
compensation levels for that group. Radford has also conducted
interviews with members of the Compensation Committee and senior
management to learn more about our business operations and
strategy, key performance metrics and strategic goals, as well as
the labor markets in which we compete. Radford ultimately developed
recommendations that were presented to the Compensation Committee
for its consideration. Following an active dialogue with Radford,
the Compensation Committee approved the
recommendations.
The Compensation Committee generally makes adjustments to annual
compensation, determines bonuses and equity awards and establishes
new performance objectives at one or more meetings held during the
first quarter of the year. However, the Compensation Committee also
considers matters related to individual compensation, such as
compensation for new executive hires, as well as high-level
strategic issues, such as the efficacy of our compensation
strategy, potential modifications to that strategy and new trends,
plans or approaches to compensation, at various meetings throughout
the year.
Generally, the Compensation Committee’s process comprises two
related elements: the determination of compensation levels and the
establishment of performance objectives for the current year. For
executives other than the Chief Executive Officer, the Compensation
Committee solicits and considers evaluations and recommendations
submitted to the Compensation Committee by the Chief Executive
Officer. The evaluation of the performance of the Chief Executive
Officer is conducted by the Compensation Committee, which
determines any adjustments to his compensation as well as awards to
be granted. For all executives and directors, the Compensation
Committee may review and consider, as appropriate, materials such
as financial reports and projections, operational data, tax and
accounting information, tally sheets that set forth the total
compensation that may become payable to executives in various
hypothetical scenarios, executive and director share ownership
information, company share performance data, analyses of historical
executive compensation levels and current company-wide compensation
levels and recommendations of the Compensation Committee’s
compensation consultant, including analyses of executive and
director compensation paid at other companies identified by the
consultant.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is composed of
Dr. Pande, Mr. Sundaram and Dr. Vuori. The Board has determined
that Dr. Pande, Mr. Sundaram and Dr. Vuori are “independent,” as
independence is currently defined in applicable Nasdaq listing
rules. The principal duties and responsibilities of the Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee include:
•identifying,
reviewing and evaluating candidates to serve as directors,
consistent with criteria approved by the Board;
•reviewing,
evaluating and considering the recommendation for nomination of
incumbent directors for re-election to the Board;
•reviewing,
discussing and assessing the performance of the Board, including
Board committees, such assessment to include evaluation of the
Board’s contribution as a whole and effectiveness in serving the
best interests of Sio and its stockholders, specific areas in which
the Board and/or management believe contributions could be
improved, overall Board composition and makeup, including the
reelection of current Board members, and the independence of
directors;
•overseeing
the Board’s committee structure and operations, evaluating the
performance of the members of the committees of the Board,
reviewing the composition of such committees, and recommending to
the Board the membership of each such committee;
•reviewing,
discussing and assessing our corporate governance
principles;
•reviewing
our policy statements to determine adherence to our Code of
Business Ethics and Conduct; and
•overseeing
and reviewing the processes and procedures we use to provide
accurate, relevant and appropriately detailed information to the
Board and its committees on a timely basis.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee believes that
candidates for director should have certain minimum qualifications,
including the ability to read and understand basic financial
statements, being over 21 years of age and having the highest
personal integrity and ethics. The Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee also intends to consider such factors as
possessing relevant expertise upon which to be able to offer advice
and guidance to management, having sufficient time to devote to the
affairs of Sio, demonstrated excellence in his or her field, having
the ability to exercise sound business judgment, diversity and
having the commitment to rigorously represent the long-term
interests of our stockholders. However, the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee retains the right to modify these
qualifications from time to time. Candidates for director nominees
are reviewed in the context of the current composition of the
Board, our operating requirements and the long-term interests of
our stockholders. In conducting this assessment, the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee typically considers diversity, age,
skills and such other factors as it deems appropriate, given the
current needs of the Board and Sio, to maintain a balance of
knowledge, experience and capability.
In the case of incumbent directors whose terms of office are set to
expire, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee reviews
these directors’ overall service to us during their terms,
including the number of meetings attended, level of participation,
quality of performance and any other relationships and transactions
that might impair the directors’ independence. The Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee also takes into account the results
of the Board’s self-evaluation, conducted annually on a group and
individual basis.
In the case of new director candidates, the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee also determines whether the nominee
is independent for Nasdaq purposes, which determination is based
upon applicable Nasdaq listing standards, applicable SEC rules and
regulations and the advice of counsel, if necessary. The Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee then uses its network of
contacts to compile a list of potential candidates, but may also
engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee conducts any
appropriate and necessary inquiries into the backgrounds and
qualifications of possible candidates after considering the
function and needs of the Board. The Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee meets to discuss and consider the candidates’
qualifications and then selects a nominee for recommendation to the
Board by majority vote.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider
director candidates recommended by stockholders. The Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee does not intend to alter the manner
in which it evaluates candidates, including the minimum criteria
set forth above, based on whether or not the candidate was
recommended by a stockholder. Stockholders who wish to recommend
individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee to become nominees for election to the Board
may do so by delivering a written recommendation to the Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee at the following address: Sio
Gene Therapies Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, at 130 West
42nd
Street, 26th
Floor, New York, New York 10036, at least 90 days, but not more
than 120 days, prior to the anniversary date of the mailing of our
proxy statement for the last Annual General Meeting of
Stockholders. Submissions must include the full name of the
proposed nominee, a description of the proposed nominee’s business
experience for at least the previous five years, complete
biographical information, a description of the proposed nominee’s
qualifications as a director and a representation that the
nominating stockholder is a beneficial or record holder of our
shares of common stock and has been a holder for at least one year.
Any such submission must be accompanied by the written consent of
the proposed nominee to be named as a nominee and to serve as a
director if elected.
Stockholder Communications with the Board of Directors
The Board has adopted a formal process by which stockholders may
communicate with the Board or any of its directors. Stockholders
who wish to communicate with the Board or an individual director
may do so by sending written communications to the Board or such
director at Sio Gene Therapies Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, at
130 West 42nd
Street, 26th
Floor, New York, New York 10036. The Corporate Secretary will
forward each communication to the Legal Department of Sio Gene
Therapies Inc., and the communication will be further forwarded to
the Board or individual directors to whom the communication is
addressed unless the communication contains advertisements or
solicitations or is unduly hostile, threatening or similarly
inappropriate, in which case the communication will be
discarded.
In addition to stockholder communications with directors, any
interested person may communicate directly with the presiding
director of the Board’s executive sessions or the independent or
non-management directors as a group. Persons interested in
communicating directly with the independent or non-management
directors regarding their concerns or issues may do so by
addressing correspondence to a particular director, or to the
independent or non-management directors generally, in care of Sio
Gene Therapies Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, at 130 West
42nd
Street, 26th
Floor, New York, New York 10036. If no particular director is
named, letters will be forwarded, depending upon the subject
matter, to the Chairperson of the Audit, Compensation, or
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
Please note that the foregoing communication procedure does not
apply to (i) stockholder proposals pursuant to Exchange Act Rule
14a-8 and communications made in connection with such proposals or
(ii) service of process or any other notice in a legal
proceeding.
Code of Business Ethics and Conduct
The Board has adopted a Code of Business Ethics and Conduct, or
Code of Conduct, that applies to all of our directors, officers,
employees, consultants and independent contractors. The Code of
Conduct is available on our website at
http://investors.siogtx.com/investors/corporate-governance.
Information contained on or accessible through this website is not
incorporated by reference nor otherwise included in this report,
and any references to this website are intended to be inactive
textual references only. If we make any substantive amendments to
the Code of Conduct or grant any waiver from a provision of the
Code of Conduct to any executive officer or director, we will
promptly disclose the nature of the amendment or waiver on our
website or otherwise as required by applicable law and Nasdaq
listing requirements.
Corporate Governance Guidelines
The Board has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines to establish
the authority and practices to review and evaluate our business
operations as needed and to make decisions that are independent of
our management. The guidelines are also intended to align the
interests of directors and management with those of our
stockholders. The Corporate Governance Guidelines set forth the
practices that the Board intends to follow with respect to a number
of areas, including its composition and selection, role, meetings,
committees, access to management and use of outside advisors, Chief
Executive Officer evaluation and succession planning, and Board
assessment and compensation. The Corporate Governance Guidelines
may be viewed at
http://investors.siogtx.com/investors/corporate-governance.
Information contained on or accessible through this website is not
incorporated by reference nor otherwise included in this report,
and any references to this website are intended to be inactive
textual references only.
PROPOSAL 2
RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Audit Committee has selected Ernst & Young LLP to serve as
our independent registered public accounting firm for our fiscal
year ending March 31, 2022, and we are submitting the selection of
Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public
accounting firm for ratification by the stockholders at the Annual
Meeting.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Fees and
Services
The following table presents aggregate fees billed by Ernst &
Young LLP for our fiscal years ended March 31, 2021 and
2020.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2021 |
|
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2020 |
Audit Fees(1)
|
$ |
752,062 |
|
|
$ |
597,275 |
|
Audit Related Fees |
— |
|
|
— |
|
Tax Fees
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
All Other Fees(2)
|
— |
|
|
2,000 |
|
Total Fees |
$ |
752,062 |
|
|
$ |
599,275 |
|
_____________
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Includes fees for the audit of our annual consolidated financial
statements, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, review of
the unaudited consolidated financial statements included in our
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and for services that are normally
provided by Ernst & Young LLP in connection with statutory and
regulatory filings or engagements, including issuance of
consents. |
(2) |
Represents subscription fees for an online search
engine. |
All of the fees described above were pre-approved by the Audit
Committee.
Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The Audit Committee has adopted a policy and procedures for the
pre-approval of audit and non-audit services rendered by our
independent registered public accounting firm. The policy generally
pre-approves specified services in the defined categories of audit
services, audit-related services and tax services up to specified
amounts. Pre-approval may also be given as part of the Audit
Committee’s approval of the scope of the engagement of the
independent registered public accounting firm or on an individual,
explicit, case-by-case basis before the independent registered
public accounting firm is engaged to provide each service. The
pre-approval of services may be delegated to one or more of the
Audit Committee’s members, but the decision must be reported to the
full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.
Vote Required
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of our shares of
common stock present by virtual attendance or represented by proxy
and voting on the matter at the Annual Meeting will be required to
ratify the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent
registered public accounting firm.
If the stockholders do not approve the appointment of Ernst &
Young LLP, the Audit Committee will consider the appointment of
another auditor to be approved by the stockholders.
We expect that representatives of Ernst & Young LLP will be
present by telephone at the Annual Meeting. They will have an
opportunity to make a statement if so desired and will be available
to respond to appropriate questions.
The Board of Directors Recommends
A Vote
In Favor
of Proposal 2.
PROPOSAL 3
ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of
2010, or the Dodd-Frank Act, enables our stockholders to vote to
approve, on an advisory non-binding basis, the compensation of our
named executive officers as disclosed in this proxy statement in
accordance with the SEC’s rules.
As described in detail under the heading “Executive Compensation,”
our executive compensation programs are designed to attract, retain
and motivate our named executive officers, who are critical to our
success. Under these programs, our named executive officers are
rewarded for the achievement of annual and long-term strategic and
corporate goals, and the realization of increased stockholder
value. Please read the “Executive Compensation” section for
additional details about our executive compensation programs,
including information about the compensation of our named executive
officers for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021.
We are asking our stockholders to indicate their support for our
named executive officer compensation, as described in this proxy
statement. This proposal, commonly known as a “say-on-pay”
proposal, gives our stockholders the opportunity to express their
views on our named executive officers’ compensation. This vote is
not intended to address any specific item of compensation, but
rather the overall compensation of our named executive officers and
the philosophy, policies and practices described in this proxy
statement.
Accordingly, we are asking our stockholders to vote “For” the
following resolution:
RESOLVED,
that the stockholders hereby approve, on an advisory non-binding
basis, the compensation paid to the Company’s named executive
officers, as disclosed in the Company’s proxy statement for the
2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, pursuant to the compensation
disclosure rules of the SEC.
For purposes of this advisory vote, abstentions and broker
non-votes will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect
on the result of the vote. The say-on-pay vote is advisory, and
therefore not binding on us, our Compensation Committee or our
Board of Directors. Our Board of Directors and our Compensation
Committee value the opinions of our stockholders and to the extent
there is any significant vote against the named executive officer
compensation as disclosed in this proxy statement, we will consider
our stockholders’ concerns and the Compensation Committee will
evaluate whether any actions are necessary to address those
concerns.
The Board of Directors Recommends
A Vote
In Favor
of Proposal 3.
PROPOSAL 4
ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY OF
FUTURE ADVISORY VOTES ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The Dodd-Frank Act enables our stockholders to indicate how
frequently we should seek an advisory and non-binding vote on the
compensation of our named executive officers, as disclosed pursuant
to the SEC’s compensation disclosure rules, such as Proposal 3
included in this proxy statement. By voting on this Proposal 4,
stockholders may indicate whether they would prefer an advisory
vote on named executive officer compensation once every one, two or
three years.
After careful consideration, our Board of Directors has determined
that an advisory vote on executive compensation that occurs once
every three years is the most appropriate alternative for us, and
therefore our Board of Directors recommends that you vote for a
three-year interval for the advisory vote on executive
compensation.
You may cast your vote on your preferred voting frequency by
choosing the option of one year, two years, three years or abstain
from voting.
For purposes of this advisory vote, abstentions and non-broker
votes will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on
the result of the vote. The option of one year, two years or three
years that receives the highest number of votes cast by
stockholders will be the frequency for the advisory vote on
executive compensation that has been selected by stockholders. In
the event that no frequency receives a majority of the votes, we
will consider the option that receives the most votes cast to be
the frequency preferred by our stockholders. However, because this
vote is advisory and not binding on the Board of Directors or us in
any way, the Board of Directors may decide that it is in the best
interests of our stockholders and us to hold an advisory vote on
executive compensation more or less frequently than the option
approved by our stockholders.
The Board of Directors Recommends
A Vote for the Option of Once Every
Three Years
for Proposal 4.
PROPOSAL 5
THE EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN PROPOSAL
OVERVIEW
We believe that equity incentives can play an important role in the
success of Sio Gene Therapies by encouraging and enabling key
talent whose judgment, initiative and efforts are critical to our
success to acquire a proprietary interest in Sio Gene Therapies.
The board of directors believes that providing such individuals
with a direct stake creates a closer alignment of their interests
with us and our stockholders, thereby stimulating their efforts on
our behalf and strengthening their desire to remain with
us.
As further described below, our board of directors is requesting
stockholder approval of the Sio Gene Therapies Inc. 2015 Equity
Incentive Plan, or the 2015 Plan, as proposed to be amended in
accordance with this Proposal 5, to increase the total number of
shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2015 Plan by
5,000,000 shares of common stock. The 2015 Plan, as proposed to be
amended in accordance with this Proposal 5, is attached as Appendix
A to this proxy statement and is incorporated herein by reference.
For purposes of this Proposal 5, we refer to the 2015 Plan, as
proposed to be amended in accordance with this Proposal 5, as the
Amended 2015 Plan.
Before the board of directors approved the Amended 2015 Plan, we
proactively contacted and met with stockholders representing
approximately 42% of our outstanding shares of common stock as of
July 30, 2021 to solicit feedback on our equity incentive practices
and the ways in which we were considering amending the 2015 Plan.
Stockholder feedback received during these meetings was supportive
and communicated to our compensation committee and to our board of
directors.
If this Proposal 5 is approved by our stockholders, the Amended
2015 Plan will become effective as of the date of the Annual
Meeting. In the event that our stockholders do not approve this
Proposal 5, the Amended 2015 Plan will not become effective and the
2015 Plan will continue to be effective in accordance with its
terms.
WHY WE BELIEVE OUR STOCKHOLDERS SHOULD APPROVE THE AMENDED 2015
PLAN
Equity Awards Are an Important Part of Our Compensation
Philosophy
Equity incentives are key to recruiting and retaining key talent to
drive our business forward. Our board of directors believes that
equity awards are a key element underlying our ability to recruit,
retain and motivate key personnel who are critical to our ability
to identify, develop and commercialize novel therapies for
neurodegenerative diseases. Equity awards align the interests of
our key personnel with those of our stockholders and are a
substantial contributing factor to our success and the future
growth of our business.
The Amended 2015 Plan is designed to secure and retain the services
of our employees, directors and consultants, provide incentives for
our employees and directors to exert maximum efforts for our
success, and provide a means by which our employees, directors and
consultants may be given an opportunity to benefit from increases
in the value of our common stock. The additional shares that will
become available to us under the Amended 2015 Plan will help us
attract and retain talented employees, directors and consultants.
We believe we must continue to offer competitive equity
compensation packages in order to recruit the talent necessary for
our continued growth and success.
In addition, during the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2021, we
intend to hire a minimum of 27 employees (including replacements
for six former employees). This represents an approximately 50%
increase in our headcount. If we continue to execute on our
clinical development plan for our product candidates, we anticipate
significant additional headcount additions in future years. This
growth and anticipated growth further necessitate the proposed
amendment to the 2015 Plan.
We Manage Our Equity Award Use Carefully
Our compensation philosophy reflects broad-based eligibility for
equity incentive awards, and we grant awards to substantially all
of our employees and non-employee directors. However, we also
recognize that equity incentive awards dilute existing
stockholders, which requires that we responsibly manage the growth
of our equity compensation program. We have managed our long-term
stockholder dilution to date by limiting the number of equity
incentive awards granted. The board of directors and the
compensation committee monitor our burn rate and dilution, among
other factors, in their efforts to maximize stockholders’ value by
granting what, in the compensation committee's judgment, are the
appropriate number of equity incentive awards necessary to attract,
reward, and retain employees, consultants and
directors.
Increased Market Volatility Driving Need for More
Shares
As we continue to develop our product candidates, our stock price
has been negatively impacted in the short term, and this decline
was exacerbated by market-wide impacts due to the COVID-19
pandemic. The decrease in our stock price has resulted in depleting
our share reserve more rapidly than expected and we expect the
increase in the number of shares reserved for future issuance,
together with maintaining the automatic annual increase, will allow
us to continue to use equity compensation to attract and retain
employees and align their interests with those of our
stockholders.
Information Regarding Overhang and Burn Rate
Overhang
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of July 30, 2021 (Record Date)
|
Total number of common shares subject to outstanding stock
options |
|
3,648,404 |
Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding stock
options |
|
$ |
8.00 |
|
Weighted-average remaining term of outstanding stock
options |
|
8.51 years |
Total number of common shares subject to outstanding full value
awards |
|
1,978,077 |
Total number of common shares available for grant under the 2015
Plan(1)
|
|
2,219,230 |
Total number of common shares outstanding |
|
72,941,507 |
Per-share closing price of common stock as reported on the Nasdaq
Global Market |
|
$ |
2.04 |
|
Issued equity overhang(2)
|
|
7.71% |
Total equity overhang(3)
|
|
10.76% |
______________
(1) As of the Record Date, we had no shares of common stock
available for grant under any other equity incentive
plan.
(2) Issued equity overhang is calculated as shares subject to
outstanding equity incentive awards divided by shares of common
stock outstanding as of the Record Date.
(3) Total equity overhang is calculated as: (shares available for
grant, plus shares subject to outstanding equity incentive awards),
divided by shares of common stock outstanding as of the Record
Date.
Based on an assessment by Radford, our issued equity overhang and
total equity overhang presented in the table above, each as of the
Record Date, are both below the 25th percentile within our peer
group, as used by our board of directors. If Proposal 5 is approved
by our stockholders, our total equity overhang is expected to
increase to around the 50th percentile within our peer
group.
Burn Rate
The following table provides detailed information regarding the
activity related to our Amended 2015 Plan for the years ended March
31, 2020 and 2021.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2020 |
2021 |
Total number of shares of common stock subject to stock options
granted |
1,541,672 |
434,775 |
Total number of shares of common stock subject to full value awards
granted |
369,577 |
1,247,850 |
Weighted-average number of shares of common stock
outstanding |
24,812,536 |
52,181,398 |
Burn Rate(1)
|
7.70% |
3.22% |
______________
(1) Burn Rate is calculated as: (shares subject to stock options
granted, plus shares subject to full value awards granted), divided
by weighted-average common shares outstanding.
Important Aspects of the Amended 2015 Plan Designed to Protect Our
Stockholders' Interests
The Amended 2015 Plan contains certain provisions, including those
set forth below, designed to protect our stockholders’ interests
and reflect corporate governance best practices. The descriptions
contained in this Proposal 5 of these provisions and of certain
other features of the Amended 2015 Plan are intended to be
summaries only and are qualified in their entirety by the full text
of the Amended 2015 Plan attached hereto as
Appendix A.
•No
Discounted Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.
All options and stock appreciation rights must have an exercise or
measurement price that is at least equal to the fair market value
of the underlying common stock on the date of grant.
•Vesting
Upon Change in Control.
Awards granted under the Amended 2015 Plan will not automatically
vest solely as a result of a change in control. However, the
Amended 2015 Plan allows individual awards to contain acceleration
provisions in the event of a change in control.
•No
Liberal Change in Control Definition.
The change in control definition in the Amended 2015 Plan is not a
“liberal” definition. A change in control transaction must actually
occur in order for the change in control provisions in the Amended
2015 Plan to be triggered.
•Material
Amendments Require Stockholder Approval.
Consistent with Nasdaq rules, the Amended 2015 Plan requires
stockholder approval of any material revisions to the Amended 2015
Plan.
Vote Required
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of our shares of
common stock present by virtual attendance or represented by proxy
and voting on this proposal at the Annual Meeting will be required
to approve this Proposal 5. Abstentions and broker non-votes are
not considered to be votes cast and therefore will have no effect.
Broker non-votes are counted towards a quorum only.
Description of the Amended 2015 Plan
A summary description of the material features of the Amended 2015
Plan is set forth below. The following summary does not purport to
be a complete description of all the provisions of the Amended 2015
Plan and is qualified by reference to the Amended 2015 Plan, the
form of which is attached to this proxy statement/prospectus
as
Appendix A
and incorporated by reference in its entirety. Our stockholders
should refer to the 2015 Plan for more complete and detailed
information about the terms and conditions of the Amended 2015
Plan.
Eligibility
Any individual who is an employee of Sio Gene Therapies or any of
our affiliates, or any person who provides services to us or our
affiliates, including members of our board of directors, is
eligible to receive awards under the Amended 2015 Plan at the
discretion of the plan administrator. All of our employees,
directors and consultants are eligible to receive awards. As of
June 30, 2021, we had approximately 47 employees and six
non-employee directors who are eligible to receive awards under the
Amended 2015 Plan.
Awards
The Amended 2015 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock
options or “ISOs” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code to
employees, including employees of any parent or subsidiary, and for
the grant of nonstatutory stock options or “NSOs”, stock
appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit
awards, performance awards and other forms of awards our employees,
directors and consultants.
Authorized Shares
As of July 31, 2021, prior to effecting the Plan Amendment, we had
2,219,230 new shares of common stock available for grant under the
Amended 2015 Plan and 5,626,481 shares of common stock underlying
outstanding options and RSUs. Shares issued under the Amended 2015
Plan may be authorized but unissued or reacquired common stock.
Shares subject to stock awards granted under the Amended 2015 Plan
that expire or terminate without being exercised in full, or that
are paid out in cash rather than in shares, will not reduce the
number of shares available for issuance under the Amended 2015
Plan. Additionally, shares issued pursuant to stock awards under
the Amended 2015 Plan that we repurchase or that are forfeited, as
well as shares reacquired by us as consideration for the exercise
or purchase price of a stock award or to satisfy tax withholding
obligations related to a stock award, will become available for
future grant under the Amended 2015 Plan.
Shares subject to stock awards granted under the Amended 2015 Plan
that expire or terminate without being exercised or otherwise
issued in full or that are paid out in cash rather than in shares
do not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under the
Amended 2015 Plan. Shares withheld under a stock award to satisfy
the exercise, strike or purchase price of a stock award or to
satisfy a tax withholding obligation do not reduce the number of
shares available for issuance under the Amended 2015 Plan. If any
shares of common stock issued pursuant to a stock award are
forfeited back to or repurchased or reacquired by us (1) because of
the failure to vest, (2) to satisfy the exercise, strike or
purchase price or (3) to satisfy a tax withholding obligation in
connection with an award, the shares that are forfeited,
repurchased or reacquired will revert to and again become available
for issuance under the Amended 2015 Plan.
Plan Administration
Our board of directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof,
administers the Amended 2015 Plan and is referred to as the “plan
administrator” herein. The board may also delegate to one or more
of our officers the authority to (1) designate employees (other
than officers) to receive specified stock awards and (2) determine
the number of shares subject to such stock awards. Under the
Amended 2015 Plan, the board of directors has the authority to
determine award recipients, grant dates, the numbers and types of
stock awards to be granted, the applicable fair market value, and
the provisions of each stock award, including the period of
exercisability and the vesting schedule applicable to a stock
award.
Under the Amended 2015 Plan, the board also generally has the
authority to effect, without the approval of stockholders but with
the consent of any materially adversely affected participant, (1)
the reduction of the exercise, purchase, or strike price of any
outstanding option or stock appreciation right; (2) the
cancellation of any outstanding option or stock appreciation right
and the grant in substitution therefore of other awards, cash, or
other consideration; or (3) any other action that is treated as a
repricing under generally accepted accounting
principles.
Stock Options
ISOs and NSOs are granted under stock option agreements adopted by
the plan administrator. The plan administrator determines the
exercise price for stock options, within the terms and conditions
of the Amended 2015 Plan, provided that the exercise price of a
stock option generally cannot be less than 100% of the fair market
value of a share of common stock on the date of grant. Options
granted under the Amended 2015 Plan vest at the rate specified in
the stock option agreement as determined by the plan
administrator.
The plan administrator determines the term of stock options granted
under the Amended 2015 Plan, up to a maximum of 10 years. Unless
the terms of an optionholder’s stock option agreement provide
otherwise or as otherwise provided by the plan administrator, if an
optionholder’s service relationship with us or any of our
affiliates ceases for any reason other than disability, death, or
cause, the optionholder may generally exercise any vested options
for a period of three months following the cessation of service.
This period may be extended in the event that exercise of the
option is prohibited by applicable securities laws. Unless the
terms of an optionholder’s stock option agreement provide otherwise
or as otherwise provided by the plan administrator, if an
optionholder’s service relationship with us or any of our
affiliates ceases due to death, or an optionholder dies within a
certain period following cessation of service, the optionholder’s
estate or a beneficiary may generally exercise any vested options
for a period of 18 months following the date of death. Unless the
terms of an optionholder’s stock option agreement provide otherwise
or as otherwise provided by the plan administrator, if an
optionholder’s service relationship with us or any of our
affiliates ceases due to disability, the optionholder may generally
exercise any vested options for a period of 12 months following the
cessation of service. In the event of a termination for cause,
options generally terminate upon the termination date. In no event
may an option be exercised beyond the expiration of its
term.
Acceptable consideration for the purchase of common stock issued
upon the exercise of a stock option will be determined by the plan
administrator and may include (1) cash, check, bank draft or money
order, (2) a broker-assisted cashless exercise, (3) the tender of
shares of common stock previously owned by the optionholder, (4) a
net exercise of the option if it is an NSO or (5) other legal
consideration approved by the plan administrator.
Unless the plan administrator provides otherwise, options and stock
appreciation rights generally are not transferable except by will
or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to approval of the
plan administrator or a duly authorized officer, an option may be
transferred pursuant to a domestic relations order.
Tax Limitations on ISOs
The aggregate fair market value, determined at the time of grant,
of common stock with respect to ISOs that are exercisable for the
first time by an award holder during any calendar year under all of
our stock plans may not exceed $100,000. Options or portions
thereof that exceed such limit will generally be treated as NSOs.
No ISO may be granted to any person who, at the time of the grant,
owns or is deemed to own stock possessing more than 10% of our
total combined voting power or that of any of our parent or
subsidiary corporations unless (1) the option exercise price is at
least 110% of the fair market value of the stock subject to the
option on the date of grant and (2) the term of the ISO does not
exceed five years from the date of grant.
Restricted Stock Unit Awards
Restricted stock unit awards are granted under restricted stock
unit award agreements adopted by the plan administrator. Restricted
stock unit awards may be granted in consideration for any form of
legal consideration that may be acceptable to the plan
administrator and permissible under applicable law. A restricted
stock unit award may be settled by cash, delivery of shares of
common stock, a combination of cash and shares of common stock as
determined by the plan administrator, or in any other form of
consideration set forth in the restricted stock unit award
agreement. Additionally, dividend equivalents may be credited in
respect of shares covered by a restricted stock unit award. Except
as otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement or by the
plan administrator, restricted stock unit awards that have not
vested will be forfeited once the participant’s continuous service
ends for any reason.
Restricted Stock Awards
Restricted stock awards are granted under restricted stock award
agreements adopted by the plan administrator. A restricted stock
award may be awarded in consideration for cash, check, bank draft
or money order, services to us, or any other form of legal
consideration that may be acceptable to the plan administrator and
permissible under applicable law. The plan administrator determines
the terms and conditions of restricted stock awards, including
vesting and forfeiture terms. If a participant’s service
relationship with us ends for any reason, we may receive any or all
of the shares of common stock held by the participant that have not
vested as of the date the participant terminates service with us
through a forfeiture condition or a repurchase right.
Stock Appreciation Rights
Stock appreciation rights are granted under stock appreciation
right agreements adopted by the plan administrator. The plan
administrator determines the strike price for a stock appreciation
right, which generally cannot be less than 100% of the fair market
value of a share of common stock on the date of grant. A stock
appreciation right granted under the Amended 2015 Plan vests at the
rate specified in the stock appreciation right agreement as
determined by the plan administrator. Stock appreciation rights may
be settled in cash or shares of common stock or in any other form
of payment, as determined by the plan administrator and specified
in the stock appreciation right agreement.
The plan administrator determines the term of stock appreciation
rights granted under the Amended 2015 Plan, up to a maximum of 10
years. Unless the terms of a participant’s stock appreciation
rights agreement provide otherwise or as otherwise provided by the
plan administrator, if a participant’s service relationship with us
or any of our affiliates ceases for any reason other than cause,
disability, or death, the participant may generally exercise any
vested stock appreciation right for a period of three months
following the cessation of service. This period may be further
extended in the event that exercise of the stock appreciation right
following such a termination of service is prohibited by applicable
securities laws. Unless the terms of a participant’s stock
appreciation rights agreement provide otherwise or as otherwise
provided by the plan administrator, if a participant’s service
relationship with us or any of our affiliates ceases due to
disability or death, or a participant dies within a certain period
following cessation of service, the participant, the participant’s
estate or a beneficiary may generally exercise any vested stock
appreciation right for a period of 12 months in the event of
disability and 18 months in the event of death. In the event of a
termination for cause, stock appreciation rights generally
terminate immediately upon the occurrence of the event giving rise
to the termination of the individual for cause. In no event may a
stock appreciation right be exercised beyond the expiration of its
term.
Performance Awards
The Amended 2015 Plan permits the grant of performance awards that
may be settled in stock, cash or other property. Performance awards
may be structured so that the stock or cash will be issued or paid
only following the achievement of certain pre-established
performance goals during a designated performance period.
Performance awards that are settled in cash or other property are
not required to be valued in whole or in part by reference to, or
otherwise based on, common stock.
The performance goals may be based on any measure of performance
selected by the plan administrator. The performance goals may be
based on company-wide performance or performance of one or more
business units, divisions, affiliates or segments, and may be
either absolute or relative to the performance of one or more
comparable companies or the performance of one or more relevant
indices. Unless specified otherwise by the plan administrator when
the performance award is granted, the plan administrator will
appropriately make adjustments in the method of calculating the
attainment of performance goals as follows: (1) to exclude
restructuring and/or other nonrecurring charges; (2) to exclude
exchange rate effects; (3) to exclude the effects of changes to
generally accepted accounting principles; (4) to exclude the
effects of any statutory adjustments to corporate tax rates; (5) to
exclude the effects of items that are “unusual” in nature or occur
“infrequently” as determined under generally accepted accounting
principles; (6) to exclude the dilutive effects of acquisitions or
joint ventures; (7) to assume that any portion of our business
which is divested achieved performance objectives at targeted
levels during the balance of a performance period following such
divestiture; (8) to exclude the effect of any change in the
outstanding shares of common stock by reason of any stock dividend
or split, stock repurchase, reorganization, recapitalization,
merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares
or other similar corporate change, or any distributions to holders
of common stock other than regular cash dividends; (9) to exclude
the effects of stock based compensation and the award of bonuses
under our bonus plans; (10) to exclude costs incurred in connection
with potential acquisitions or divestitures that are required to be
expensed under generally accepted accounting principles; and (11)
to exclude the goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges
that are required to be recorded under generally accepted
accounting principles. In addition, board of directors may
establish or provide for other adjustment items in the award
agreement at the time the award is granted or in such other
document setting forth the performance goals at the time the
performance goals are established.
Other Stock Awards
The plan administrator may grant other awards based in whole or in
part by reference to common stock. The plan administrator will set
the number of shares under the stock award (or cash equivalent) and
all other terms and conditions of such awards.
Changes to Capital Structure
In the event there is a specified type of change in the capital
structure of Sio Gene Therapies, such as a stock split, reverse
stock split or recapitalization, appropriate adjustments will be
made to (1) the class and maximum number of shares reserved for
issuance under the Amended 2015 Plan, (2) the class of shares used
to determine the number of shares by which the share reserve may
increase automatically each year, (3) the class and maximum number
of shares that may be issued on the exercise of ISOs and (4) the
class and number of shares and exercise price, strike price or
purchase price, if applicable, of all outstanding stock
awards.
Corporate Transactions
The following applies to stock awards under the Amended 2015 Plan
in the event of a corporate transaction (as defined in the Amended
2015 Plan), unless otherwise provided in a participant’s stock
award agreement or other written agreement with us or one of our
affiliates or unless otherwise expressly provided by the plan
administrator at the time of grant.
The Amended 2015 Plan provides that in the event of a specified
corporate transaction, including without limitation a
consolidation, merger, or similar transaction involving our
company, the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of our
company, the direct or indirect acquisition by a person or persons
acting as a group of ownership of shares representing a majority of
the then outstanding share capital of our company, the board of
directors will determine how to treat each outstanding stock award.
The board of directors may:
•arrange
for the assumption, continuation or substitution of a stock award
by a successor corporation;
•arrange
for the assignment of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held
by us to a successor corporation;
•accelerate
the vesting of the stock award and provide for its termination
prior to the effective time of the corporate
transaction;
•arrange
for the lapse, in whole or in part, of any reacquisition or
repurchase right held by us;
•cancel
the stock award prior to the transaction in exchange for a cash
payment, which may be reduced by the exercise price payable in
connection with the stock award; or
•make
a payment, in such form as determined by the administrator, equal
to the excess, if any, of the value of the property that would have
been received if such award was exercised immediately prior to the
effective time of the corporate transaction over any exercise price
payable.
The board of directors is not obligated to treat all stock awards
or portions of stock awards, even those that are of the same type,
in the same manner. The board of directors may take different
actions with respect to the vested and unvested portions of a stock
award.
Plan Amendment or Termination
The board of directors has the authority to amend, suspend, or
terminate the Amended 2015 Plan at any time, provided that such
action does not materially impair the existing rights of any
participant without such participant’s written consent. Certain
material amendments also require approval of our stockholders. No
ISOs may be granted after the tenth anniversary of the initial
approval of the Amended 2015 Plan by our board of directors. No
stock awards may be granted under the Amended 2015 Plan while it is
suspended or after it is terminated.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following is a summary of the principal U.S. federal income tax
consequences to participants and with respect to participation in
the Amended 2015 Plan. This summary is not intended to be
exhaustive and does not discuss the income tax laws of any local,
state or foreign jurisdiction in which a participant may reside.
The information is based upon current U.S. federal income tax rules
and therefore is subject to change when those rules change. Because
the tax consequences to any participant may depend on such
participant’s particular situation, each participant should consult
the participant’s tax adviser regarding the federal, state, local
and other tax consequences of the grant or exercise of an award or
the disposition of stock acquired under the Amended 2015 Plan. The
Amended 2015 Plan is not qualified under the provisions of Section
401(a) of the Code and is not subject to any of the provisions of
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
Our ability to realize the benefit of any tax deductions described
below depends on our generation of taxable income as well as the
requirement of reasonableness and the satisfaction of our tax
reporting obligations.
Nonstatutory Stock Options
Generally, there is no taxation upon the grant of a NSO. Upon
exercise, a participant will recognize ordinary income equal to the
excess, if any, of the fair market value of the underlying stock on
the date of exercise of the stock option over the exercise price.
If the participant is employed by us or one of our affiliates, that
income will be subject to withholding taxes. The participant’s tax
basis in those shares will be equal to their fair market value on
the date of exercise of the stock option, and the participant’s
capital gain holding period for those shares will begin on the day
after they are transferred to the participant. Subject to the
requirement of reasonableness, the deduction limits under Section
162(m) of the Code and the satisfaction of a tax reporting
obligation, we will generally be entitled to a tax deduction equal
to the taxable ordinary income realized by the
participant.
Incentive Stock Options
The Amended 2015 Plan provides for the grant of stock options that
are intended to qualify as “incentive stock options,” as defined in
Section 422 of the Code. Under the Code, a participant generally is
not subject to ordinary income tax upon the grant or exercise of an
ISO. If the participant holds a share received upon exercise of an
ISO for more than two years from the date the stock option was
granted and more than one year from the date the stock option was
exercised, which is referred to as the required holding period, the
difference, if any, between the amount realized on a sale or other
taxable disposition of that share and the participant’s tax basis
in that share will be long-term capital gain or loss. If, however,
a participant disposes of a share acquired upon exercise of an ISO
before the end of the required holding period, which is referred to
as a disqualifying disposition, the participant generally will
recognize ordinary income in the year of the disqualifying
disposition equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value
of the share on the date of exercise of the stock option over the
exercise price. However, if the sales proceeds are less than the
fair market value of the share on the date of exercise of the stock
option, the amount of ordinary income recognized by the participant
will not exceed the gain, if any, realized on the sale. If the
amount realized on a disqualifying disposition exceeds the fair
market value of the share on the date of exercise of the stock
option, that excess will be short-term or long-term capital gain,
depending on whether the holding period for the share exceeds one
year. For purposes of the alternative minimum tax, the amount by
which the fair market value of a share of stock acquired upon
exercise of an ISO exceeds the exercise price of the stock option
generally will be an adjustment included in the participant’s
alternative minimum taxable income for the year in which the stock
option is exercised. If, however, there is a disqualifying
disposition of the share in the year in which the stock option is
exercised, there will be no adjustment for alternative minimum tax
purposes with respect to that share. In computing alternative
minimum taxable income, the tax basis of a share acquired upon
exercise of an ISO is increased by the amount of the adjustment
taken into account with respect to that share for alternative
minimum tax purposes in the year the stock option is exercised. We
are not allowed a tax deduction with respect to the grant or
exercise of an ISO or the disposition of a share acquired upon
exercise of an ISO after the required holding period. If there is a
disqualifying disposition of a share, however, we will generally be
entitled to a tax deduction equal to the taxable ordinary income
realized by the participant, subject to the requirement of
reasonableness, the deduction limits under Section 162(m) of the
Code and provided that either the employee includes that amount in
income or we timely satisfy our reporting requirements with respect
to that amount.
Restricted Stock Awards
Generally, the recipient of a restricted stock award will recognize
ordinary income at the time the stock is received equal to the
excess, if any, of the fair market value of the stock received over
any amount paid by the recipient in exchange for the stock. If,
however, the stock is subject to restrictions constituting a
substantial risk of forfeiture when it is received (for example, if
the employee is required to work for a period of time in order to
have the right to transfer or sell the stock), the recipient
generally will not recognize income until the restrictions
constituting a substantial risk of forfeiture lapse, at which time
the recipient will recognize ordinary income equal to the excess,
if any, of the fair market value of the stock on the date it
becomes vested over any amount paid by the recipient in exchange
for the stock. A recipient may, however, file an election with the
Internal Revenue Service, within 30 days following the date of
grant, to recognize ordinary income, as of the date of grant, equal
to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the stock on the
date the award is granted over any amount paid by the recipient for
the stock. The recipient’s basis for the determination of gain or
loss upon the subsequent disposition of shares acquired from a
restricted stock award will be the amount paid for such shares plus
any ordinary income recognized either when the stock is received or
when the restrictions constituting a substantial risk of forfeiture
lapse. Subject to the requirement of reasonableness, the deduction
limits under Section 162(m) of the Code and the satisfaction of a
tax reporting obligation, we will generally be entitled to a tax
deduction equal to the taxable ordinary income realized by the
recipient of the restricted stock award.
Restricted Stock Unit Awards
Generally, the recipient of a restricted stock unit award will
recognize ordinary income at the time the stock is delivered equal
to the excess, if any, of (i) the fair market value of the stock
received over any amount paid by the recipient in exchange for the
stock or (ii) the amount of cash paid to the participant. The
recipient’s basis for the determination of gain or loss upon the
subsequent disposition of shares acquired from a restricted stock
unit award will be the amount paid for such shares plus any
ordinary income recognized when the stock is delivered, and the
participant’s capital gain holding period for those shares will
begin on the day after they are transferred to the participant.
Subject to the requirement of reasonableness, the deduction limits
under Section 162(m) of the Code and the satisfaction of a tax
reporting obligation, we will generally be entitled to a tax
deduction equal to the taxable ordinary income realized by the
recipient of the restricted stock unit award.
Stock Appreciation Rights
Generally, the recipient of a stock appreciation right will
recognize ordinary income equal to the fair market value of the
stock or cash received upon such exercise. Subject to the
requirement of reasonableness, the deduction limits under Section
162(m) of the Code and the satisfaction of a tax reporting
obligation, we will generally be entitled to a tax deduction equal
to the taxable ordinary income realized by the recipient of the
stock appreciation right.
Tax Consequences to Sio Gene Therapies
Compensation of Covered Employees
Our ability to obtain a deduction for amounts paid under the
Amended 2015 Plan could be limited by Section 162(m) of the Code.
Section 162(m) of the Code limits our ability to deduct
compensation paid during any year to a “covered employee” (within
the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code) in excess of $1 million.
The Amended 2015 Plan contains provisions that were originally
included to qualify for the “performance-based exemption” under
Section 162(m) of the Code (including maximum annual per-person
grant limits of 7,000,000 options and stock appreciation rights,
7,000,000 performance stock awards and $7,000,000 in performance
cash awards). However, in connection with the U.S. Tax Cuts and
Jobs Act enacted in December 2017, the exemption from the deduction
limit under Section 162(m) for “performance-based compensation” has
been repealed and will no longer be available for compensation paid
under the Amended 2015 Plan.
Golden Parachute Payments
Our ability (or the ability of one of our subsidiaries) to obtain a
deduction for future payments under the Amended 2015 Plan could
also be limited by the golden parachute rules of Section 280G of
the Code, which prevent the deductibility of certain “excess
parachute payments” made in connection with a change in control of
an employer-corporation.
Registration with the SEC
If the Amended 2015 Plan is approved by our stockholders, we intend
to file a registration statement on Form S-8 registering the shares
reserved for issuance under the Amended 2015 Plan as soon as
reasonably practicable after the annual meeting of
stockholders.
NEW PLAN BENEFITS UNDER THE AMENDED 2015 PLAN
All awards under the Amended 2015 Plan are made in the discretion
of the plan administrator, and no Awards have been granted under
the Amended 2015 Plan subject to stockholder approval of this
Proposal 5. Therefore, the benefits and amounts that may be
received or allocated under the Amended 2015 Plan are not
determinable at this time.
PLAN BENEFITS UNDER THE 2015 PLAN
The following table sets forth, for each of the individuals and the
various groups indicated, the total number of shares of our common
stock subject to awards that have been granted (even if not
currently outstanding) under the 2015 Plan as of the Record
Date.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name and Position |
Number of Shares |
Pavan Cheruvu, M.D. |
1,663,104 |
Chief Executive Officer |
|
David Nassif, J.D.
|
625,620 |
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and General
Counsel
|
|
Gavin Corcoran, M.D. |
559,528 |
Chief R&D Officer
|
|
All current executive officers as a group |
2,848,252 |
All current directors who are not executive officers as a
group |
505,375 |
Each nominee for election as a director |
|
Frank Torti, M.D. |
110,125 |
Atul Pande, M.D. |
119,375 |
Pavan Cheruvu, M.D. |
1,663,104 |
Berndt Modig |
120,625 |
Senthil Sundaram |
78,250 |
Eric Venker, M.D., Pharm.D. |
— |
Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D. |
77,000 |
Recommendation of Board of Directors
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS
VOTE "FOR" THE APPROVAL OF THE EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
PROPOSAL.
Executive Officers
The following table sets forth information concerning our executive
officers and other senior management, including their ages, as of
July 31, 2021:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
|
Age |
|
Position
|
Executive Officers |
|
|
|
|
Pavan Cheruvu, M.D. |
|
39 |
|
Chief Executive Officer |
David Nassif, J.D. |
|
67 |
|
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer, General
Counsel |
Gavin Corcoran, M.D. |
|
58 |
|
Chief R&D Officer |
Executive Officers
Pavan Cheruvu, M.D.
See "Proposal 1: Election of Directors—Pavan Cheruvu,
M.D."
David Nassif, J.D.
Mr. Nassif served as the Principal Financial and Accounting
Officer, General Counsel of Axovant Gene Therapies Ltd. from July
2019 until November 2020 and as the Chief Financial Officer of
Axovant Sciences, Inc. from July 2019 through December 2020, and
has served as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting
Officer, General Counsel of Sio Gene Therapies Inc. since November
2020. He served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer of SteadyMed, Ltd., a specialty pharmaceutical company,
from March 2013 (first as a financial consultant and commencing
March 2015 on a full-time basis) until June 2019. From May 2011
through September 2014, Mr. Nassif served as the President and
Chief Financial Officer of Histogen, Inc., a regenerative medicine
company. From May 2007 to February 2010, Mr. Nassif served as the
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Zogenix,
Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company. Mr. Nassif received a
B.Sc. in Finance and Management Information Systems from the
University of Virginia with honors and a J.D. from the University
of Virginia School of Law.
Gavin Corcoran, M.D.
Dr. Corcoran has served as our Chief R&D Officer since November
2020 and served as the Chief R&D Officer of Axovant Sciences,
Inc. from July 2018 until December 2020. Prior to joining Axovant,
he served as Chief Medical Officer of Allergan plc from March 2015
to June 2018 and of Actavis plc from July 2014 to March 2015. Dr.
Corcoran served as Executive Vice President for Global Medicines
Development at Forest Laboratories from December 2011 to June 2014,
prior to the acquisition of Forest Laboratories, Inc. by Actavis in
2014. Earlier in his career, Dr. Corcoran also served as Head of
Late Stage Clinical Development for Inflammation and Immunology at
Celgene Corporation, Chief Scientific Officer and head of R&D
at Stiefel Laboratories and he held various leadership roles in
clinical development and regulatory affairs at Amgen Inc.,
Schering-Plough Corporation, and Bayer AG. He received his
M.B.B.Ch. from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa
and completed his clinical training in internal medicine and
infectious diseases at the University of Texas Health Science
Center at San Antonio.
Security Ownership of
Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the
ownership of our shares of common stock as of July 31, 2021,
by:
•all
those known by us to be beneficial owners of more than five percent
of our shares of common stock;
•each
of the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation
Table;
•each
of our directors; and
•all
of our executive officers and directors of as a group.
This table is based upon information supplied by officers,
directors and principal stockholders and filings with the SEC.
Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes to this table and
subject to community property laws where applicable, we believe
that each of the stockholders named in this table has sole voting
and dispositive power with respect to the shares indicated as
beneficially owned. We have deemed shares of common stock subject
to options and restricted stock units that are currently
exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of July 31, 2021, to be
outstanding and to be beneficially owned by the person holding the
option for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of
that person but have not treated them as outstanding for the
purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other
person.
Applicable percentages are based on 72,941,507 shares outstanding
on July 31, 2021, adjusted as required by rules promulgated by the
SEC. Except as set forth below, the principal business address of
each such person or entity is c/o Sio Gene Therapies Inc., 130 West
42nd
Street, 26th
Floor, New York, New York 10036. All figures reflect a 1-for-8
reverse stock split effected in May 2019.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beneficial Owner |
|
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned |
|
Percent of Shares Beneficially Owned |
5% Stockholder: |
|
|
|
|
Roivant Sciences Ltd.
(1)
|
|
18,577,380 |
|
|
25.47 |
% |
Consonance Capital Management LP
(2)
|
|
6,488,333 |
|
|
8.90 |
% |
Suvretta Capital Management, LLC
(3)
|
|
5,489,000 |
|
|
7.53 |
% |
Named Executive Officers and Directors: |
|
|
|
|
Pavan Cheruvu, M.D.
(4)
|
|
1,289,867 |
|
|
1.74 |
% |
David Nassif, J.D.
(5)
|
|
390,194 |
|
|
* |
Gavin Corcoran, M.D.
(6)
|
|
381,511 |
|
|
* |
Atul Pande, M.D.
(7)
|
|
152,745 |
|
|
* |
Berndt Modig
(8)
|
|
120,624 |
|
|
* |
Frank Torti, M.D.
(9)
|
|
110,125 |
|
|
* |
Senthil Sundaram
(10)
|
|
72,000 |
|
|
* |
Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D.
(11)
|
|
42,000 |
|
|
* |
Eric Venker, M.D., Pharm.D. |
|
— |
|
— |
All executive officers and directors as a group (9
persons) |
|
2,559,066 |
|
|
3.40 |
% |
_____________
* Represents beneficial ownership of less than one
percent
(1) As reported on a Schedule 13D/A filed by RSL on February 28,
2020, RSL directly owns and has sole voting power over 18,577,380
shares of common stock. Sakshi Chhabra, Andrew Lo, Patrick Machado,
Keith Manchester, M.D., Daniel Gold, Ilan Oren, Masayo Tada and
Vivek Ramaswamy are the members of the board of directors of RSL
and may be deemed to have shared voting, investment and dispositive
power with respect to the shares held by this entity. These
individuals disclaim beneficial ownership with respect to such
shares except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein.
The principal business address of RSL is c/o Roivant Sciences Ltd.,
Suite 1, 3rd Floor, 11-12 St. James’s Square, London, SW1Y 4LB,
United Kingdom.
(2) As reported on a Schedule 13F-HR filed by Consonance Capital
Management LP on May 17, 2021, Consonance Capital Management LP
directly owns and has sole voting power over 6,488,333 shares of
common stock. The address of Consonance Capital Management LP is
1370 Avenue of the Americas Suite 3301 New York NY
10019.
(3) As reported on a Schedule 13F-HR filed by Suvretta Capital
Management, LLC on May 17, 2021. Suvretta Capital Management, LLC
holds 5,489,000 shares of common stock. The address of Suvretta
Capital Management, LLC is 540 Madison Avenue, 7th Floor, New York
NY 10022.
(4) Represents (i) 180,426 shares of common stock; (ii) 37,567
vested restricted stock units and (iii) 1,071,874 shares of common
stock issuable pursuant to immediately exercisable options,
including 682,100 shares issuable following exercise of such
options that remain unvested within 60 days after July 31,
2021.
(5) Represents (i) 34,004 shares of common stock; (ii) 17,534
vested restricted stock units and (iii) 338,656 shares of common
stock issuable pursuant to immediately exercisable options,
including 239,000 shares issuable following exercise of such
options that remain unvested within 60 days after July 31,
2021.
(6) Represents (i) 25,792 shares of common stock; (ii) 14,134
vested restricted stock units and (iii) 341,585 shares of common
stock issuable pursuant to immediately exercisable options,
including 244,300 shares issuable following exercise of such
options that remain unvested within 60 days after July 31,
2021.
(7) Represents (i) 33,370 shares of common stock and (ii) 119,375
shares of common stock issuable pursuant to immediately exercisable
options, including 42,000 shares issuable following exercise of
such options that remain unvested within 60 days after July 31,
2021.
(8) Represents (i) 9,739 shares of common stock and (ii) 110,885
shares of common stock issuable pursuant to immediately exercisable
options, including 42,000 shares issuable following exercise of
such options that remain unvested within 60 days after July 31,
2021.
(9) Represents 110,125 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to
immediately exercisable options, including 42,000 shares issuable
following exercise of such options that remain unvested within 60
days after July 31, 2021.
(10) Represents 72,000 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to
immediately exercisable options, including 42,000 shares issuable
following exercise of such options that remain unvested within 60
days after July 31, 2021.
(11) Represents 42,000 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to
immediately exercisable options, which are issuable following
exercise of such options that remain unvested within 60 days after
July 31, 2021.
Executive Compensation
Summary Compensation Table
The following table sets forth, for our fiscal years ended March
31, 2021 and 2020, compensation awarded or paid to, or earned by,
our Chief Executive Officer and our two next most highly
compensated executive officers as of March 31, 2021. These
executive officers are referred to herein as our named executive
officers.
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|
|
|
|
Name and Principal Position |
Fiscal Year |
Salary |
Stock Awards
(1)
|
Option Awards(1)
|
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation(2)
|
Other |
|
Total |
Pavan Cheruvu, M.D. |
2020 |
$ |
517,500 |
|
$ |
388,815 |
|
$ |
483,113 |
|
$ |
298,080 |
|
$ |
19,191 |
|
(3)
|
$ |
1,706,699 |
|
Chief Executive Officer |
2019 |
500,000 |
|
351,056 |
|
1,784,077 |
|
225,000 |
|
8,616 |
|
(4)
|
2,868,749 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David Nassif, J.D.
(5)
|
2020 |
414,000 |
|
181,470 |
|
225,415 |
|
213,728 |
|
43,485 |
|
(6)
|
1,078,098 |
|
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer, General
Counsel |
2019 |
300,000 |
|
234,032 |
|
970,828 |
|
175,000 |
|
81,350 |
|
(7)
|
1,761,210 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gavin Corcoran, M.D. |
2020 |
433,500 |
|
146,280 |
|
181,989 |
|
204,769 |
|
17,410 |
|
(8)
|
983,948 |
|
Chief R&D Officer |
2019 |
425,000 |
|
248,663 |
|
628,885 |
|
146,094 |
|
8,616 |
|
|
1,457,258 |
|
(1)
Amounts reported in this column do not reflect the amounts actually
received by our named executive officers. Instead, these amounts
reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of each stock option
and stock award granted to the named executive officers during the
indicated fiscal year, as computed in accordance with Financial
Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards
Codification ("ASC") 718. Assumptions used in the calculation of
these amounts are included in Note 10 to our consolidated financial
statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended March 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on June 9, 2021. As
required by SEC rules, the amounts shown exclude the impact of
estimated forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions.
In March 2020, RSL forfeited all of Dr. Cheruvu’s RSL restricted
stock units ("RSL RSUs") and granted him newly issued RSL equity
instruments: RSL performance options and RSL capped value
appreciation rights ("RSL CVARs"). The vesting of the RSL
performance options and RSL CVARs is not deemed probable as of
March 31, 2021. These two instruments will vest only to the extent
certain RSL liquidity conditions and vesting requirements (a mix of
time-based and market conditions) are achieved by a specified date
in the future, and provided, for the time-based vesting
requirements, that Dr. Cheruvu has provided continued service to
RSL or an affiliate of RSL, such as Sio. As a result, as of the
grant date the RSL performance options and RSL CVARs performance
criteria were deemed not probable of occurring, therefore no
stock-based compensation expense has been recorded related to these
newly awarded RSL instruments and no value has been ascribed to
such instruments in the table above. Assuming that the vesting
conditions to the RSL performance options and RSL CVARs were met
and the performance criteria was deemed probable, the value of such
awards as of the grant date would have been $7.7
million.
(2)
See "—Annual Cash Bonus".
(3)
Amount includes $18,975 in 401(k) matching
contributions.
(4)
Amount excludes $1,011,993 in stock-based compensation expense
allocated to Sio from RSL for RSL equity instruments granted to Dr.
Cheruvu.
(5)
Mr. Nassif joined Sio in July 2019.
(6)
Amount includes (a) $25,173 for reimbursed temporary housing
expenses, as a result of the Company requiring Mr. Nassif to reside
in New York City for one year as a condition to his employment; and
(b) $18,172 in 401(k) matching contributions.
(7)
Amount includes $78,206 for reimbursed temporary housing
expenses.
(8)
Amount includes $17,194 in 401(k) matching
contributions.
Narrative to Summary Compensation Table
We review compensation annually for all employees, including our
named executive officers. In setting executive base salaries and
bonuses and granting equity incentive awards, we consider
compensation for comparable positions in the market, the historical
compensation levels of our executives, individual performance as
compared to our expectations and objectives, our desire to motivate
our employees to achieve short- and long-term results that are in
the best interests of our stockholders and a long-term commitment
to Sio. We do not target a specific competitive position or a
specific mix of compensation among base salary, bonus or long-term
incentives.
The Compensation Committee of the Board has historically determined
compensation for our named executive officers. The Compensation
Committee typically reviews and discusses management’s proposed
compensation with the Chief Executive Officer for all named
executive officers other than the Chief Executive Officer. Based on
those discussions and its discretion, the Compensation Committee
then recommends the compensation for each named executive officer.
The Compensation Committee, without members of management present,
discusses and ultimately approves the compensation of our named
executive officers. For our fiscal years ended March 31, 2021 and
2020, the Compensation Committee retained Radford, a compensation
consulting firm, to evaluate and make recommendations with respect
to our executive compensation program.
Annual Cash Bonus
We seek to motivate and reward our executives for achievements
relative to our corporate goals and expectations for each fiscal
year. For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, the target cash
bonus for Dr. Cheruvu is 60% of his base salary, subject to the
achievement of overall company performance criteria, and the target
cash bonus for each of Mr. Nassif and Mr. Corcoran is 50% of their
respective base salaries, subject to the achievement of individual
performance criteria to be determined by the Board or the
Compensation Committee, as well as overall company performance
criteria.
Additionally, on March 30, 2021, the Compensation Committee of the
Board approved a one-time cash performance incentive for Dr.
Corcoran, or the Performance Incentive. Under the terms of the
Performance Incentive, Dr. Corcoran shall be paid a bonus of
$35,000 upon completion of patient enrollment in the
dose-escalation Stage 1 of our AXO-AAV-GM1 gene therapy program for
the treatment of GM1 gangliosidosis, including both Type 1 (early
infantile) and Type 2 (late infantile and juvenile) patients if
such enrollment occurs on or before March 31, 2022. Additionally,
Dr. Corcoran shall be paid a bonus of $35,000 upon dosing of the
first patient in our AXO-Lenti-PD gene therapy program for the
treatment of Parkinson’s disease using clinical trial material from
a suspension-based manufacturing process if such dosing occurs on
or before March 31, 2022.
For the years ended March 31, 2021 and March 31, 2020, bonuses were
awarded based on our achievement of specified corporate goals,
including creating value with our gene therapy pipeline and finance
goals, as well as individual goals for the named executive
officers. Dr. Cheruvu’s bonuses were weighted 100% based on the
achievement of corporate goals. For each other named executive
officer, the bonuses were weighted 75% based on the achievement of
the corporate goals and 25% based on the achievement of individual
objectives established for each such officer. In March 2020, the
Compensation Committee awarded each named executive officer a bonus
for the year ended March 31, 2020, based on each named executive
officer’s achievement of corporate goals at the 75% level and
individual goals at levels ranging from 50% to 125%. In March 2021,
the Compensation Committee awarded each named executive officer a
bonus for the year ended March 31, 2021, based on each executive
officer’s achievement of corporate goals at the 96% level and
individual goals at levels ranging from 90% to 125%.
Outstanding Equity Awards as of March 31, 2021
The following table shows certain information regarding outstanding
equity awards held by our named executive officers as of March 31,
2021, as adjusted to reflect the 1-for-8 reverse stock split
effected in May 2019. All option awards were granted under our
Amended and Restated 2015 Equity Incentive Plan.
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|
|
Option Awards |
|
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) |
Name |
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options
Exercisable
(1)
|
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options
Unexercisable
(2)(3)
|
|
Option Exercise Price |
Option Expiration Date |
|
Number of Vested Securities Underlying |
Number of Unvested Securities Underlying
(4)
|
Market Value of Outstanding RSUs
(5)
|
Pavan Cheruvu, M.D.(6)
|
6,250 |
|
— |
|
|
$ |
127.92 |
|
11/15/2025 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
6,250 |
|
— |
|
|
193.92 |
|
4/27/2027 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
181,894 |
|
60,629 |
|
|
14.48 |
|
2/12/2028 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
199,500 |
|
(7)
|
8.48 |
|
4/14/2029 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
87,282 |
|
112,218 |
|
|
8.48 |
|
4/14/2029 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
169,100 |
|
|
3.45 |
|
4/14/2030 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
112,700 |
|
$ |
294,147 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David Nassif, J.D. |
— |
|
75,000 |
|
(8)
|
6.42 |
|
6/30/2029 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
56,250 |
|
93,750 |
|
|
6.42 |
|
6/30/2029 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
78,900 |
|
|
3.45 |
|
4/14/2030 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
52,600 |
|
137,286 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gavin Corcoran, M.D. |
— |
|
25,000 |
|
(9)
|
19.68 |
|
7/15/2028 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
19,537 |
|
11,713 |
|
|
19.68 |
|
7/15/2028 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
25,000 |
|
(7)
|
8.48 |
|
4/14/2029 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
41,948 |
|
53,927 |
|
|
8.48 |
|
4/14/2029 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
63,700 |
|
|
3.45 |
|
4/14/2030 |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
42,400 |
|
110,664 |
|
(1)
This column reflects the number of options held by the named
executive officers that were exercisable and vested as of March 31,
2021.
(2)
This column reflects the number of options held by the named
executive officers that were unexercisable and unvested as of March
31, 2021.
(3)
Except as otherwise noted, each of these options vests as to 25% of
the underlying shares of common stock one year from the date of
grant, with the remaining shares of common stock vesting in 12
equal quarterly installments thereafter, provided the named
executive officer has provided continuous service to us through
each such date. All shares of common stock underlying each of these
options will become fully vested upon a change in control, as that
term is defined in our Amended and Restated 2015 Equity Incentive
Plan.
(4)
These unvested restricted shares are scheduled to vest in three
equal annual installments on the first, second and third
anniversaries of the date of grant, provided the named executive
officer has provided continuous service to us through that
date.
(5)
The market value is equal to the product of $2.61, which is the
closing price of our common stock on March 31, 2021, and the sum of
the number of vested and unvested RSUs.
(6)
Excludes all RSL equity instruments. RSL granted RSL awards, RSL
vanilla options and RSL RSUs to Dr. Cheruvu while he was employed
by RSL’s subsidiary, Roivant Sciences, Inc., prior to his
commencement of employment as our Chief Executive Officer. In March
2020, RSL purchased a portion of Dr. Cheruvu’s RSL awards and RSL
vanilla options, and all of Dr. Cheruvu’s RSL RSUs were forfeited,
in exchange for $1.2 million in cash and two newly issued RSL
equity instruments. The vesting of these two RSL equity
instruments, RSL performance options and RSL CVARs, is not deemed
probable as of March 31, 2021. These two instruments will vest only
to the extent certain RSL liquidity conditions and vesting
requirements (a mix of time-based and market conditions) are
achieved by a specified date in the future, and provided, for the
time-based vesting requirements, that Dr. Cheruvu has provided
continued service to RSL or an affiliate of RSL, such as Sio. The
RSL vanilla options are subject to specified time-based vesting
schedules and requirements, provided that Dr. Cheruvu has provided
continuous service to RSL or an affiliate of RSL, such as Sio,
through such date. The RSL awards are fully vested as of March 31,
2021. The aggregate fair value of the RSL equity instruments held
by Dr. Cheruvu was $3.6 million at March 31, 2021. Significant
judgment and estimates were used to estimate the fair value of
these RSL equity instruments, as they are not publicly
traded.
(7)
One-third of the option will vest at such time as our stock price
is equal to or greater than $16.96 per share, one-third of the
option will vest at such time as our stock price is equal to or
greater than $33.92 per share, and one-third of the option will
vest at such time as our stock price is equal to or greater than
$50.88 per share, provided the named executive officer has provided
continuous service to us through each such date.
(8)
One-third of the option will vest at such time as our stock price
is equal to or greater than $12.84 per share, one-third of the
option will vest at such time as our stock price is equal to or
greater than $25.68 per share, and one-third of the option will
vest at such time as our stock price is equal to or greater than
$38.52 per share, provided the named executive officer has provided
continuous service to us through each such date.
(9)
One-third of the option will vest at such time as our stock price
is equal to or greater than $59.04 per share, one-third of the
option will vest at such time as our stock price is equal to or
greater than $98.40 per share, and one-third of the option will
vest at such time as our stock price is equal to or greater than
$137.76 per share, provided the named executive officer has
provided continuous service to us through each such
date.
Employment, Severance and Change in Control
Arrangements
The employment agreement or offer letter for each of our named
executive officers sets forth the initial terms and conditions of
his employment. These agreements provide for at-will employment and
set forth the officer’s annual base salary, performance bonus
target opportunity, initial equity incentive grant, terms of
severance and eligibility for employee benefits. Each of them
provided services to us pursuant to one or more inter-company
services agreements between Axovant Gene Therapies Ltd. and its
wholly owned subsidiaries until August 2020. For the purposes of
this discussion, references to "we," "us" and "our" will be deemed
to refer to Sio Gene Therapies Inc., Axovant Gene Therapies Ltd. or
Axovant Sciences, Inc., as the context requires.
Pavan Cheruvu, M.D., David Nassif, J.D. and Gavin Corcoran,
M.D.
Under each of Dr. Cheruvu’s, Mr. Nassif’s and Dr. Corcoran’s
employment agreements, such executive officer is eligible for the
following severance and change in control benefits, conditioned
upon delivering a release of claims in our favor:
• If we terminate the officer’s employment
without cause or the officer resigns for good reason, in either
case, prior to a change in control or more than 12 months following
a change in control, then we will pay to the officer a one-time
cash payment equal to the sum of his annual base salary, the
pro-rated amount of the his annual target bonus in respect of the
fiscal year in which the termination of employment occurs, and any
unpaid annual bonus amount with respect to the fiscal year ended
prior to the termination of his employment. We will also reimburse
the officer for continued medical coverage for one year if he
timely elects such continued coverage.
• If we terminate the officer’s employment
without cause or the officer resigns for good reason, in either
case, upon or on or before the twelve-month anniversary of a change
in control, but not before a change in control, then we will pay to
Mr. Nassif or Dr. Corcoran a one-time cash payment equal to 1.5
times, and to Dr. Cheruvu a one-time cash payment equal to two
times, the sum of his annual base salary, the pro-rated amount of
the his annual target bonus in respect of the fiscal year in which
the termination of employment occurs, and any unpaid annual bonus
amount with respect to the fiscal year ended prior to the
termination of his employment. We will also reimburse the officer
for continued medical coverage for 18 months if he timely elects
such continued coverage.
• If the officer is subjected to excise tax
pursuant to Sections 280G and 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code, he
will either have his payments cut back so that the excise tax does
not apply, or he will receive the full payments and benefits and be
subject to the excise tax, whichever puts him in a better after-tax
position.
The definitions of “cause,” “good reason” and “change in control”
are set forth in the individual employment agreements.
Further, pursuant to the terms of the stock award agreements for
stock option awards granted prior to April 2021 under the terms of
our Amended and Restated 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, if Dr.
Cheruvu, Mr. Nassif or Dr. Corcoran are employed by us immediately
prior to a change in control, then all remaining shares of common
stock underlying the officer’s outstanding options will
vest.
We consider the severance and change in control benefits described
above to be critical to attracting and retaining high caliber
executives. We believe that appropriately structured severance and
change in control benefits, including accelerated vesting
provisions, minimize the distractions and reduce the risk that an
executive voluntarily terminates his employment with us during
times of uncertainty, such as before an acquisition is completed.
We believe that our existing arrangements allow each named
executive officer to focus on continuing normal business operations
and, in the event of a change in control, on the success of a
potential business combination, rather than on how business
decisions that may be in the best interest of our stockholders will
impact his own financial security.
2015 Equity Incentive Plan
In March 2015, our board of directors and our sole shareholder
adopted our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, or the 2015 Plan. In May
2015, our board of directors amended the 2015 Plan and our sole
shareholder ratified such amendments. The description of the 2015
Plan set forth below reflects the 2015 Plan, as amended. Our 2015
Plan provides for the grant of incentive options within the meaning
of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code, or the Code, to our
employees and our subsidiary corporations' employees, and for the
grant of nonstatutory options, restricted stock awards, restricted
stock unit awards, stock appreciation rights, performance stock
awards and other forms of stock compensation to our employees,
including officers, consultants and directors. The 2015 Plan also
provides for the grant of performance cash awards to our employees,
consultants and directors.
Shares issued under the 2015 Plan may be authorized but unissued or
reacquired shares of common stock. Shares subject to stock awards
granted under the 2015 Plan that expire or terminate without being
exercised in full, or that are paid out in cash rather than in
shares, will not reduce the number of shares available for issuance
under the 2015 Plan. Additionally, shares issued pursuant to stock
awards under the 2015 Plan that we repurchase or that are
forfeited, as well as shares reacquired by us as consideration for
the exercise or purchase price of a stock award or to satisfy tax
withholding obligations related to a stock award, will become
available for future grant under the 2015 Plan.
Our board of directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof,
will have the authority to administer the 2015 Plan. Our board of
directors will delegate its authority to administer the 2015 Plan
to our compensation committee under the terms of the compensation
committee's charter. Our board of directors may also delegate to
one or more of our officers the authority to (i) designate
employees other than officers to receive specified stock awards and
(ii) determine the number of our shares of common stock to be
subject to such stock awards. Subject to the terms of the 2015
Plan, the administrator has the authority to determine the terms of
awards, including recipients, the exercise price or strike price of
stock awards, if any, the number of shares subject to each stock
award, the fair market value of a share of common stock, the
vesting schedule applicable to the awards, together with any
vesting acceleration, the form of consideration, if any, payable
upon exercise or settlement of the stock award and the terms and
conditions of the award agreements for use under the 2015
Plan.
The administrator has the power to modify outstanding awards under
our 2015 Plan. Subject to the terms of the 2015 Plan, the
administrator has the authority to reprice any outstanding option
or stock appreciation right, cancel and re-grant any outstanding
option or stock appreciation right in exchange for new stock
awards, cash or other consideration, or take any other action that
is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting
principles, with the consent of any adversely affected
participant.
The administrator may provide, in an individual award agreement or
in any other written agreement between us and the participant, that
the stock award will be subject to additional acceleration of
vesting and exercisability in the event of a change in control. In
the absence of such a provision, no such acceleration of the stock
award will occur.
Our board has the authority to amend, suspend, or terminate the
2015 Plan, provided that such action does not materially impair the
existing rights of any participant without such participant's
written consent. No incentive options may be granted after the
tenth anniversary of the date our board of directors adopted the
2015 Plan.
Director Compensation
Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy
Non-employee directors are compensated for service on the Board and
its committees through a combination of cash retainers and equity
grants. We also reimburse directors for expenses incurred in
serving as a director. Directors who are also employed by us are
not separately compensated for their service on the Board.
Additionally, Dr. Venker does not receive a cash retainer or equity
grants.
For our fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, each non-employee
director (other than Mr. Oren and Dr. Venker) was paid the
following annual amounts quarterly in arrears:
• Board retainer of $40,000
• Audit committee retainer of $9,000
($20,000 for the Chairperson)
• Compensation Committee retainer of $6,000
($12,000 for the Chairperson)
• Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee retainer of $5,000 ($8,000 for the
Chairperson)
The Chairperson of the Board receives an annual retainer of
$30,000, and the lead independent director receives an annual
retainer of $20,000. For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, we
anticipate that each new non-employee director will receive an
initial option grant to purchase 84,000 shares of common stock. In
addition, on an annual basis, typically in April, each continuing
non-employee director will receive an additional option grant.
Option grants have an exercise price equal to the closing price of
our common stock on Nasdaq on the grant date. Initial grants vest
in three equal annual installments, and annual grants vest in full
on the first anniversary of the grant date, in each case subject to
the non-employee director’s continuous service through the vesting
date. Option grants to non-employee directors expire on the
ten-year anniversary of the grant date. In April 2019, the
Compensation Committee adopted a policy that all directors serving
as of an annual grant date shall be eligible for equity awards
regardless of the date of their appointment to the
Board.
Director Compensation for Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
2021
The following table shows, for our fiscal year ended March 31,
2021, certain information with respect to the compensation of our
non-employee directors:
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Name |
Fee Earned or Paid in Cash |
|
Option Awards(1)
|
|
Total |
Current Directors |
|
|
|
|
|
Frank Torti, M.D. |
$ |
75,500 |
|
|
$ |
49,254 |
|
|
$ |
124,754 |
|
Atul Pande, M.D. |
83,000 |
|
|
49,254 |
|
|
132,254 |
|
Berndt Modig |
61,000 |
|
|
49,254 |
|
|
110,254 |
|
Senthil Sundaram
|
64,694 |
|
|
49,254 |
|
|
113,948 |
|
Eric Venker, M.D., Pharm.D.
(3)
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D.
(4)
|
22,011 |
|
|
162,556 |
|
(5)
|
184,567 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Former Directors |
|
|
|
|
|
Ilan Oren
(6)
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
(1)
Amounts reported in this column do not reflect the amounts actually
received by the director. Instead, these amounts reflect the
aggregate grant date fair value of each stock option granted during
the fiscal year, as computed in accordance with FASB ASC
718.
(2)
In April 2020, each of Dr. Torti, Dr. Pande, Mr. Modig and Mr.
Sundaram were granted an option to purchase 17,500 shares of common
stock with an exercise price of $3.45 per share. The shares subject
to the options will vest on the first anniversary of the date of
the grant.
(3)
Dr. Venker was appointed to our Board in February 2019 and has
declined to receive any cash or equity compensation for his service
as a director.
(4)
Dr. Vuori was appointed to our Board in October 2020.
(5)
In October 2020, Dr. Vuori was granted an option to purchase 35,000
shares of common stock with an exercise price of $5.63 per share.
The shares subject to the options will vest in three equal
installments on the annual anniversary of the date of
appointment.
(6)
Mr. Oren, since his re-appointment to the Board in June 2018, has
declined to receive any cash or equity compensation for his service
as a director. Mr. Oren was not nominated to stand for re-election
at our annual meeting of stockholders for 2020. Effective September
24, 2020, the date of such meeting, Mr. Oren is no longer a member
of our Board.
The following table provides information regarding the aggregate
number of stock options held by each of our non-employee directors
as of March 31, 2021, as adjusted to reflect a 1-for-8 reverse
stock split effected in May 2019:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
|
Outstanding Stock Options
(1)
|
Frank Torti, M.D. |
|
68,125 |
|
Atul Pande, M.D. |
|
77,375 |
|
Berndt Modig |
|
68,885 |
|
Senthil Sundaram |
|
36,250 |
|
Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D. |
|
35,000 |
|
(1)
All shares of common stock underlying options held by our directors
will become fully vested upon a change in control, as that term is
defined in our Amended and Restated 2015 Equity Incentive
Plan.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table shows information regarding our equity
compensation plan as of March 31, 2021:
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plan Category |
Number of shares of common stock to be issued upon exercise of
outstanding options and rights (a) |
|
Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options and rights
(b) |
|
Number of shares of common stock available for future issuance
under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in
column (a)) (c) |
|
Equity compensation plans approved by stockholders |
3,121,759 |
|
(1)
|
$ |
12.26 |
|
|
2,031,392 |
|
(2)
|
Equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders |
— |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|
Total |
3,121,759 |
|
|
$ |
12.26 |
|
|
2,031,392 |
|
|
(1)
Includes RSUs representing 1,026,216 shares of our common stock,
which have no exercise price.
(2)
Pursuant to the terms of our Amended and Restated 2015 Equity
Incentive Plan, an additional 2,775,102 shares were added to the
number of available shares effective April 1, 2021.
Transactions With Related Persons
Related-Person Transactions Policy and Procedures
We have adopted a written Related-Person Transactions Policy that
sets forth our policies and procedures regarding the
identification, review, consideration and approval or ratification
of “related-person transactions.” For purposes of our policy only,
a “related-person transaction” is a transaction, arrangement or
relationship (or any series of similar transactions, arrangements
or relationships) in which we and any “related person” are
participants involving an amount that exceeds $120,000.
Transactions involving compensation for services provided to us as
an employee, director, consultant or similar capacity by a related
person are not covered by this policy. A related person is any
executive officer, director, or more than 5% stockholder of Sio
Gene Therapies Inc., including any of their immediate family
members, and any entity owned or controlled by such
persons.
Under the policy, where a transaction has been identified as a
related-person transaction, management must present information
regarding the proposed related-person transaction to the Audit
Committee (or, where Audit Committee approval would be
inappropriate, to another independent body of the Board) for
consideration and approval or ratification. The presentation must
include a description of, among other things, the material facts,
the interests, direct and indirect, of the related persons, the
benefits to us of the transaction and whether any alternative
transactions were available. To identify related-person
transactions in advance, we rely on information supplied by our
executive officers, directors and certain significant stockholders.
In considering related-person transactions, the Audit Committee
takes into account the relevant available facts and circumstances
including, but not limited to:
• the risks, costs and benefits to
us;
• the impact on a director’s independence
in the event the related person is a director, immediate family
member of a director or an entity with which a director is
affiliated;
• the terms of the
transaction;
• the availability of other sources for
comparable services or products; and
• the terms available to or from, as the
case may be, unrelated third parties or to or from employees
generally. In the event a director has an interest in the proposed
transaction, the director must recuse himself or herself from the
deliberations and approval.
The policy requires that, in determining whether to approve, ratify
or reject a related-person transaction, the Audit Committee
considers, in light of known circumstances, whether the transaction
is in, or is not inconsistent with, the best interests of Sio and
its stockholders, as the Audit Committee determines in the good
faith exercise of its discretion.
Related-Person Transactions
The following is a description of transactions since April 1, 2019,
or any currently proposed transaction, in which we were or are to
be a participant and the amount involved exceeded or will exceed
$120,000, and in which any of our directors, executive officers or
holders of more than 5% of our share capital, or any members of
their immediate family, had or will have a direct or indirect
material interest. The share and per share amounts set forth in
this section have been adjusted for our 1-for-8 reverse stock split
effected in May 2019.
RSL Financing Participation
In February 2020, we issued and sold 16,631,336 shares of common
stock and pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 3,301,998 shares of
common stock in a follow-on public offering, including 2,600,000
shares of common stock sold pursuant to the exercise of the
underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares and also
including 5,333,333 shares of common stock issued and sold to RSL,
at an offering price of $3.75 per share of common stock and
$3.74999 per pre-funded warrant.
Affiliate Services Agreements
We have entered into services agreements with RSI and Roivant
Sciences GmbH, collectively, the Service Providers, each a wholly
owned subsidiary of RSL, pursuant to which the Service Providers
provide us with services in relation to the identification of
potential product candidates and project management of clinical
trials, as well as other services related to our development,
administrative and financial functions, or the Services Agreements.
Under the terms of the Services Agreements, we are obligated to pay
or reimburse the Service Providers for the costs they, or third
parties acting on their behalf, incur in providing services to us,
including administrative and support services as well as research
and development services. In addition, we are obligated to pay to
the Service Providers at a predetermined mark-up on any general and
administrative and research and development services incurred
directly by the Service Providers. For the years ended March 31,
2021 and 2020, we incurred expenses of $0.1 million and $0.1
million, respectively, under the Services Agreements, inclusive of
the mark-up, which have been treated as capital contributions.
Going forward, the costs allocated to us under the Services
Agreements with the Service Providers are expected to continue to
be insignificant.
Indemnification Agreements
We have entered into indemnity agreements with our officers and
directors which provide, among other things, that we will indemnify
such officer or director, under the circumstances and to the extent
provided for therein, for expenses, damages, judgments, fines and
settlements he or she may be required to pay in actions or
proceedings which he or she is or may be made a party by reason of
his or her position as a director, officer or other agent of
ours.
Householding of Proxy Materials
The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries
(e.g., brokers) to satisfy the delivery requirements for Annual
Meeting materials with respect to two or more stockholders sharing
the same address by delivering a single set of Annual Meeting
materials addressed to those stockholders. This process, which is
commonly referred to as “householding,” potentially means extra
convenience for stockholders and cost savings for
companies.
This year, a number of brokers with account holders who are Sio
stockholders will be “householding” our proxy materials. A single
set of Annual Meeting materials will be delivered to multiple
stockholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have
been received from the affected stockholders. Once you have
received notice from your broker that they will be “householding”
communications to your address, “householding” will continue until
you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at
any time, you no longer wish to participate in “householding” and
would prefer to receive a separate set of Annual Meeting materials,
please notify your broker or Sio. Direct your written request to
Sio Gene Therapies Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, at 130 West
42nd
Street, 26th
Floor, New York, New York 10036. Stockholders who currently receive
multiple copies of the Annual Meeting materials at their addresses
and would like to request “householding” of their communications
should contact their brokers.
Other Matters
The Board knows of no other matters that will be presented for
consideration at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters are
properly brought before the meeting, it is the intention of the
persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote on such matters in
accordance with their best judgment.
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August 6, 2021 |
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By Order of the Board of Directors
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A copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
March 31, 2021 is available without charge upon written request to:
Corporate Secretary, 130 West 42nd Street, 26th Floor, New York,
New York 10036.
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/s/ David Nassif
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David Nassif
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Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer, General
Counsel
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APPENDIX A
SIO GENE THERAPIES INC.
2015 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: MARCH 18, 2015
APPROVED BY THE SOLE MEMBER: MARCH 18, 2015
AMENDED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: MAY 19, 2015
APPROVED BY THE SHAREHOLDERS: MAY 19, 2015
AMENDED AND RESTATED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: JUNE 1,
2017
APPROVED BY THE SHAREHOLDERS: AUGUST 18, 2017
AMENDED AND RESTATED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: OCTOBER 1,
2020
AMENDED AND RESTATED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: AUGUST 2,
2021
APPROVED BY THE SHAREHOLDERS: [ ], 2021
TERMINATION DATE: MARCH 17, 2025
1.GENERAL.
(a)Eligible
Award Recipients.
Employees, Directors and Consultants are eligible to receive
Awards.
(b)Available
Awards.
The Plan provides for the grant of the following types of Awards:
(i) Incentive Stock Options, (ii) Nonstatutory Stock Options, (iii)
Stock Appreciation Rights, (iv) Restricted Stock Awards, (v)
Restricted Stock Unit Awards, (vi) Performance Stock Awards, (vii)
Performance Cash Awards, and (viii) Other Stock
Awards.
(c)Purpose.
The Plan, through the granting of Awards, is intended to help the
Company secure and retain the services of eligible award
recipients, provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum
efforts for the success of the Company and any Affiliate and
provide a means by which the eligible recipients may benefit from
increases in value of the Common Stock.
2.ADMINISTRATION.
(a)Administration
by Board.
The Board will administer the Plan. The Board may delegate
administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees, as
provided in Section 2(c).
(b)Powers
of Board.
The Board will have the power, subject to, and within the
limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:
(i)To
determine (A) who will be granted Awards; (B) when and how each
Award will be granted; (C) what type of Award will be granted; (D)
the provisions of each Award (which need not be identical),
including when a person will be permitted to exercise or otherwise
receive cash or Common Stock under the Award; (E) the number of
shares of Common Stock subject to, or the cash value of, an Award;
and (F) the Fair Market Value applicable to an Award.
(ii)To
construe and interpret the Plan and Awards granted under it, and to
establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for
administration of the Plan and Awards. The Board, in the exercise
of these powers, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency
in the Plan or in any Award Agreement or in the written terms of a
Performance Cash Award, in a manner and to the extent it will deem
necessary or expedient to make the Plan or Award fully
effective.
(iii)To
settle all controversies regarding the Plan and Awards granted
under it.
(iv)To
accelerate, in whole or in part, the time at which an Award may be
exercised or vest (or at which cash or shares of Common Stock may
be issued).
(v)To
suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. Except as otherwise
provided in the Plan or an Award Agreement, suspension or
termination of the Plan will not impair a Participant’s rights
under his or her then-outstanding Award without his or her written
consent except as provided in subsection (viii) below.
(vi)To
amend the Plan in any respect the Board deems necessary or
advisable, including, without limitation, by adopting amendments
relating to Incentive Stock Options and certain nonqualified
deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code and/or to make
the Plan or Awards granted under the Plan compliant with the
requirements for Incentive Stock Options or exempt from or
compliant with the requirements for nonqualified deferred
compensation under Section 409A of the Code, subject to the
limitations, if any, of applicable law. However, if required by
applicable law, and except as provided in Section 9(a) relating to
Capitalization Adjustments, the Company will seek stockholder
approval of any amendment of the Plan that (A) materially increases
the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under
the Plan, (B) materially expands the class of individuals eligible
to receive Awards under the Plan, (C) materially increases the
benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan, (D) materially
reduces the price at which shares of Common Stock may be issued or
purchased under the Plan, (E) materially extends the term of the
Plan, or (F) materially expands the types of Awards available for
issuance under the Plan. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan
or an Award Agreement, no amendment of the Plan will materially
impair a Participant’s rights under an outstanding Award unless (1)
the Company requests the consent of the affected Participant, and
(2) such Participant consents in writing.
(vii)To
submit any amendment to the Plan for stockholder approval,
including, but not limited to, amendments to the Plan intended to
satisfy the requirements of (A) Section 162(m) of the Code
regarding the exclusion of performance-based compensation from the
limit on corporate deductibility of compensation paid to Covered
Employees, (B) Section 422 of the Code regarding Incentive Stock
Options, or (C) Rule 16b-3.
(viii)To
approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan and to
amend the terms of any one or more Awards, including, but not
limited to, amendments to provide terms more favorable to the
Participant than previously provided in the Award Agreement,
subject to any specified limits in the Plan that are not subject to
Board discretion; provided however, that a Participant’s rights
under any Award will not be impaired by any such amendment unless
(A) the Company requests the consent of the affected Participant,
and (B) such Participant consents in writing. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, (1) a Participant’s rights will not be deemed to have
been impaired by any such amendment if the Board, in its sole
discretion, determines that the amendment, taken as a whole, does
not materially impair the Participant’s rights, and (2) subject to
the limitations of applicable law, if any, the Board may amend the
terms of any one or more Awards without the affected Participant’s
consent (A) to maintain the qualified status of the Award as an
Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code; (B) to change
the terms of an Incentive Stock Option, if such change results in
impairment of the Stock Award solely because it impairs the
qualified status of the Stock Award as an Incentive Stock Option
under Section 422 of the Code; (C) to clarify the manner of
exemption from, or to bring the Award into compliance with, Section
409A of the Code; or (D) to comply with other applicable laws or
listing requirements.
(ix)Generally,
to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the Board deems
necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company
and that are not in conflict with the provisions of the Plan or
Awards.
(x)To
adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate
to permit participation in the Plan by Employees, Directors or
Consultants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the
United States (provided that Board approval will not be necessary
for immaterial modifications to the Plan or any Award Agreement
that are required for compliance with the laws of the relevant
foreign jurisdiction).
(xi)To
effect, with the consent of any adversely affected Participant, (A)
the reduction of the exercise, purchase or strike price of any
outstanding Award; (B) the cancellation of any outstanding Stock
Award and the grant in substitution therefor of a new (1) Option or
SAR, (2) Restricted Stock Award, (3) Restricted Stock Unit Award,
(4) Other Stock Award, (5) cash and/or (6) other valuable
consideration determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, with
any such substituted award (x) covering the same or a different
number of shares of Common Stock as the cancelled Stock Award and
(y) granted under the Plan or another equity or compensatory plan
of the Company; or (C) any other action that is treated as a
repricing under generally accepted accounting
principles.
(c)Delegation
to Committee.
(i)General.
The Board may delegate some or all of the administration of the
Plan to a Committee or Committees. If administration of the Plan is
delegated to a Committee, the Committee will have, in connection
with the administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore
possessed by the Board that have been delegated to the Committee,
including the power to delegate to a subcommittee of the Committee
any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to
exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board will thereafter
be to the Committee or subcommittee, as applicable). Any delegation
of administrative powers will be reflected in resolutions, not
inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, adopted from time to
time by the Board or Committee (as applicable). The Board may
retain the authority to concurrently administer the Plan with the
Committee and may, at any time, revest in the Board some or all of
the powers previously delegated.
(ii)Section
162(m) and Rule 16b-3 Compliance. The Committee may consist solely
of two or more Outside Directors, in accordance with Section 162(m)
of the Code, or solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors, in
accordance with Rule 16b-3.
(d)Delegation
to an Officer.
The Board may delegate to one (1) or more Officers the authority to
do one or both of the following: (i) designate Employees who are
not Officers to be recipients of Options and SARs (and, to the
extent permitted by applicable law, other Stock Awards) and, to the
extent permitted by applicable law, the terms of such Stock Awards,
and (ii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be
subject to such Stock Awards granted to such Employees;
provided, however,
that the Board resolutions regarding such delegation will specify
the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be subject to
the Stock Awards granted by such Officer and that such Officer may
not grant a Stock Award to himself or herself. Any such Stock
Awards will be granted on the form of Stock Award Agreement most
recently approved for use by the Committee or the Board, unless
otherwise provided in the resolutions approving the delegation
authority. The Board may not delegate authority to an Officer who
is acting solely in the capacity of an Officer (and not also as a
Director) to determine the Fair Market Value pursuant to Section
14(w)(iii) below.
(e)Effect
of Board’s Decision.
All determinations, interpretations and constructions made by the
Board in good faith will not be subject to review by any person and
will be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.
3.SHARES
SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.
(a)Share
Reserve.
(i)Subject
to Section 9(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments and the
following sentence regarding the annual increase, the aggregate
number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to
Stock Awards from and after the Effective Date will not exceed
25,466,000 shares (the “Share Reserve”). In addition, the Share
Reserve will automatically increase on April 1st of each year, for
the period commencing on (and including) April 1, 2018 and ending
on (and including) April 1, 2025, in an amount equal to four
percent (4%) of the total number of shares of Capital Stock
outstanding on March 31st of the preceding fiscal year.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may act prior to March
31st of a given fiscal year to provide that there will be no April
1st increase in the Share Reserve for such year or that the
increase in the Share Reserve for such year will be a lesser number
of shares of Common Stock than would otherwise occur pursuant to
the preceding sentence.
(ii)For
clarity, the Share Reserve in this Section 3(a) is a limitation on
the number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to
the Plan. Accordingly, this Section 3(a) does not limit the
granting of Stock Awards except as provided in Section
7(a).
(iii)Shares
may be issued in connection with a merger or acquisition as
permitted by NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c) or, if applicable, NYSE
Listed Company Manual Section 303A.08, AMEX Company Guide Section
711 or other applicable rule, and such issuance will not reduce the
number of shares available for issuance under the
Plan.
(b)Reversion
of Shares to the Share Reserve.
If a Stock Award or any portion thereof (i) expires or otherwise
terminates without all of the shares covered by such Stock Award
having been issued or (ii) is settled in cash (i.e., the
Participant receives cash rather than stock), such expiration,
termination or settlement will not reduce (or otherwise offset) the
number of shares of Common Stock that may be available for issuance
under the Plan. If any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to a
Stock Award are forfeited back to or repurchased by the Company
because of the failure to meet a contingency or condition required
to vest such shares in the Participant, then the shares that are
forfeited or repurchased will revert to and again become available
for issuance under the Plan. Any shares reacquired by the Company
in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations on a Stock Award or
as consideration for the exercise or purchase price of a Stock
Award will again become available for issuance under the
Plan.
(c)Incentive
Stock Option Limit.
Subject to the provisions of Section 9(a) relating to
Capitalization Adjustments, the aggregate maximum number of shares
of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of
Incentive Stock Options will be 47,500,000 shares of Common
Stock.
(d)Section
162(m) Limitations.
Subject to the provisions of Section 9(a) relating to
Capitalization Adjustments, at such time as the Company may be
subject to the applicable provisions of Section 162(m) of the Code,
the following limitations shall apply.
(i)A
maximum of 7,000,000 shares of Common Stock subject to Options,
SARs and Other Stock Awards whose value is determined by reference
to an increase over an exercise or strike price of at least 100% of
the Fair Market Value on the date the Stock Award is granted may be
granted to any one Participant during any one fiscal year of the
Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any additional Options,
SARs or Other Stock Awards whose value is determined by reference
to an increase over an exercise or strike price of at least 100% of
the Fair Market Value on the date the Stock Award are granted to
any Participant during any one fiscal year, compensation
attributable to the exercise of such additional Stock Awards will
not satisfy the requirements to be considered “qualified
performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code
unless such additional Stock Award is approved by the Company’s
stockholders.
(ii)A
maximum of 7,000,000 shares of Common Stock subject to Performance
Stock Awards may be granted to any one Participant during any one
fiscal year of the Company (whether the grant, vesting or exercise
is contingent upon the attainment during the Performance Period of
the Performance Goals).
(iii)A
maximum of $7,000,000 may be granted as a Performance Cash Award to
any one Participant during any one fiscal year of the
Company.
(e)Source
of Shares.
The stock issuable under the Plan will be shares of authorized but
unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares repurchased
by the Company on the open market or otherwise.
4.ELIGIBILITY.
(a)Eligibility
for Specific Stock Awards.
Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to employees of the
Company or a “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation”
thereof (as such terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of
the Code). Stock Awards other than Incentive Stock Options may be
granted to Employees, Directors and Consultants;
provided, however,
that Stock Awards may not be granted to Employees, Directors and
Consultants who are providing Continuous Service only to any
“parent” of the Company, as such term is defined in Rule 405,
unless (i) the stock underlying such Stock Awards is treated as
“service recipient stock” under Section 409A of the Code (for
example, because the Stock Awards are granted pursuant to a
corporate transaction such as a spin off transaction), or (ii) the
Company, in consultation with its legal counsel, has determined
that such Stock Awards are otherwise exempt from Section 409A of
the Code, or (iii) the Company, in consultation with its legal
counsel, has determined that such Stock Awards comply with the
distribution requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
(b)Ten
Percent Stockholders.
A Ten Percent Stockholder will not be granted an Incentive Stock
Option unless the exercise price of such Option is at least one
hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value on the date of
grant and the Option is not exercisable after the expiration of
five (5) years from the date of grant.
5.PROVISIONS
RELATING TO OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION
RIGHTS.
Each Option or SAR will be in such form and will contain such terms
and conditions as the Board deems appropriate. All Options will be
separately designated Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock
Options at the time of grant, and, if certificates are issued, a
separate certificate or certificates will be issued for shares of
Common Stock purchased on exercise of each type of Option. If an
Option is not specifically designated as an Incentive Stock Option,
or if an Option is designated as an Incentive Stock Option but some
portion or all of the Option fails to qualify as an Incentive Stock
Option under the applicable rules, then the Option (or portion
thereof) will be a Nonstatutory Stock Option. The provisions of
separate Options or SARs need not be identical;
provided, however,
that each Stock Award Agreement will conform to (through
incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the applicable
Stock Award Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the
following provisions:
(a)Term.
Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b) regarding Ten Percent
Stockholders, no Option or SAR will be exercisable after the
expiration of ten (10) years from the date of its grant or such
shorter period specified in the Stock Award Agreement.
(b)Exercise
Price.
Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b) regarding Ten Percent
Stockholders, the exercise or strike price of each Option or SAR
will be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market
Value of the Common Stock subject to the Option or SAR on the date
the Stock Award is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an
Option or SAR may be granted with an exercise or strike price lower
than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the
Common Stock subject to the Stock Award if such Stock Award is
granted pursuant to an assumption of or substitution for another
option or stock appreciation right pursuant to a Corporate
Transaction and in a manner consistent with the provisions of
Section 409A of the Code and, if applicable, Section 424(a) of the
Code. Each SAR will be denominated in shares of Common Stock
equivalents.
(c)Purchase
Price for Options.
The purchase price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the
exercise of an Option may be paid, to the extent permitted by
applicable law and as determined by the Board in its sole
discretion, by any combination of the methods of payment set forth
below. The Board will have the authority to grant Options that do
not permit all of the following methods of payment (or otherwise
restrict the ability to use certain methods) and to grant Options
that require the consent of the Company to use a particular method
of payment. The permitted methods of payment are as
follows:
(i)by
cash, check, bank draft or money order payable to the
Company;
(ii)pursuant
to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the
Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of the stock
subject to the Option, results in either the receipt of cash (or
check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to
pay the aggregate exercise price to the Company from the sales
proceeds;
(iii)by
delivery to the Company (either by actual delivery or attestation)
of shares of Common Stock;
(iv)if
an Option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, by a “net exercise”
arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of
shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise by the largest whole
number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the
aggregate exercise price; provided, however, that the Company will
accept a cash or other payment from the Participant to the extent
of any remaining balance of the aggregate exercise price not
satisfied by such reduction in the number of whole shares to be
issued. Shares of Common Stock will no longer be subject to an
Option and will not be exercisable thereafter to the extent that
(A) shares issuable upon exercise are used to pay the exercise
price pursuant to the “net exercise,” (B) shares are delivered to
the Participant as a result of such exercise, and (C) shares are
withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations; or
(v)in
any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the
Board and specified in the applicable Stock Award
Agreement.
(d)Exercise
and Payment of a SAR.
To exercise any outstanding SAR, the Participant must provide
written notice of exercise to the Company in compliance with the
provisions of the Stock Appreciation Right Agreement evidencing
such SAR. The appreciation distribution payable on the exercise of
a SAR will be not greater than an amount equal to the excess of (A)
the aggregate Fair Market Value (on the date of the exercise of the
SAR) of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of
Common Stock equivalents in which the Participant is vested under
such SAR, and with respect to which the Participant is exercising
the SAR on such date, over (B) the aggregate strike price of the
number of Common Stock equivalents with respect to which the
Participant is exercising the SAR on such date. The appreciation
distribution may be paid in Common Stock, in cash, in any
combination of the two or in any other form of consideration, as
determined by the Board and contained in the Stock Award Agreement
evidencing such SAR.
(e)Transferability
of Options and SARs.
The Board may, in its sole discretion, impose such limitations on
the transferability of Options and SARs as the Board will
determine. In the absence of such a determination by the Board to
the contrary, the following restrictions on the transferability of
Options and SARs will apply:
(i)Restrictions
on Transfer. An Option or SAR will not be transferable except by
will or by the laws of descent and distribution (or pursuant to
subsections (ii) and (iii) below), and will be exercisable during
the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant. The Board
may permit transfer of the Option or SAR in a manner that is not
prohibited by applicable tax and securities laws. Except as
explicitly provided herein, neither an Option nor a SAR may be
transferred for consideration.
(ii)Domestic
Relations Orders. Subject to the approval of the Board or a duly
authorized Officer, an Option or SAR may be transferred pursuant to
the terms of a domestic relations order, official marital
settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as
permitted by Treasury Regulation 1.421-1(b)(2). If an Option is an
Incentive Stock Option, such Option may be deemed to be a
Nonstatutory Stock Option as a result of such
transfer.
(iii)Beneficiary
Designation. Subject to the approval of the Board or a duly
authorized Officer, a Participant may, by delivering written notice
to the Company, in a form approved by the Company (or the
designated broker), designate a third party who, upon the death of
the Participant, will thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option
or SAR and receive the Common Stock or other consideration
resulting from such exercise. In the absence of such a designation,
upon the death of the Participant, the executor or administrator of
the Participant’s estate will be entitled to exercise the Option or
SAR and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting
from such exercise. However, the Company may prohibit designation
of a beneficiary at any time, including due to any conclusion by
the Company that such designation would be inconsistent with the
provisions of applicable laws.
(f)Vesting
Generally.
The total number of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option or
SAR may vest and become exercisable in periodic installments that
may or may not be equal. The Option or SAR may be subject to such
other terms and conditions on the time or times when it may or may
not be exercised (which may be based on the satisfaction of
Performance Goals or other criteria) as the Board may deem
appropriate. The vesting provisions of individual Options or SARs
may vary. The provisions of this Section 5(f) are subject to any
Option or SAR provisions governing the minimum number of shares of
Common Stock as to which an Option or SAR may be
exercised.
(g)Termination
of Continuous Service.
Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Stock Award
Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the
Company, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates (other
than for Cause and other than upon the Participant’s death or
Disability), the Participant may exercise his or her Option or SAR
(to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such
Stock Award as of the date of termination of Continuous Service)
within the period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date
three (3) months following the termination of the Participant’s
Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in
the applicable Stock Award Agreement, and (ii) the expiration of
the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the Stock Award
Agreement. If, after termination of Continuous Service, the
Participant does not exercise his or her Option or SAR within the
applicable time frame, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will
terminate.
(h)Extension
of Termination Date.
If the exercise of an Option or SAR following the termination of
the Participant’s Continuous Service (other than for Cause and
other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability) would be
prohibited at any time solely because the issuance of shares of
Common Stock would violate the registration requirements under the
Securities Act, then the Option or SAR will terminate on the
earlier of (i) the expiration of a total period of time (that need
not be consecutive) equal to the applicable post termination
exercise period after the termination of the Participant’s
Continuous Service during which the exercise of the Option or SAR
would not be in violation of such registration requirements, or
(ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth
in the applicable Stock Award Agreement. In addition, unless
otherwise provided in a Participant’s Stock Award Agreement, if the
sale of any Common Stock received upon exercise of an Option or SAR
following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service
(other than for Cause) would violate the Company’s insider trading
policy, then the Option or SAR will terminate on the earlier of (i)
the expiration of a period of time (that need not be consecutive)
equal to the applicable post-termination exercise period after the
termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service during which
the sale of the Common Stock received upon exercise of the Option
or SAR would not be in violation of the Company’s insider trading
policy, or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as
set forth in the applicable Stock Award Agreement.
(i)Disability
of Participant.
Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Stock Award
Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the
Company, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a
result of the Participant’s Disability, the Participant may
exercise his or her Option or SAR (to the extent that the
Participant was entitled to exercise such Option or SAR as of the
date of termination of Continuous Service), but only within such
period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date twelve (12)
months following such termination of Continuous Service (or such
longer or shorter period specified in the Stock Award Agreement),
and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set
forth in the Stock Award Agreement. If, after termination of
Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her
Option or SAR within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR
(as applicable) will terminate.
(j)Death
of Participant.
Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Stock Award
Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the
Company, if (i) a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a
result of the Participant’s death, or (ii) the Participant dies
within the period (if any) specified in the Stock Award Agreement
for exercisability after the termination of the Participant’s
Continuous Service (for a reason other than death), then the Option
or SAR may be exercised (to the extent the Participant was entitled
to exercise such Option or SAR as of the date of death) by the
Participant’s estate, by a person who acquired the right to
exercise the Option or SAR by bequest or inheritance or by a person
designated to exercise the Option or SAR upon the Participant’s
death, but only within the period ending on the earlier of (i) the
date eighteen (18) months following the date of death (or such
longer or shorter period specified in the Stock Award Agreement),
and (ii) the expiration of the term of such Option or SAR as set
forth in the Stock Award Agreement. If, after the Participant’s
death, the Option or SAR is not exercised within the applicable
time frame, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will
terminate.
(k)Termination
for Cause.
Except as explicitly provided otherwise in a Participant’s Stock
Award Agreement or other individual written agreement between the
Company or any Affiliate and the Participant, if a Participant’s
Continuous Service is terminated for Cause, the Option or SAR will
terminate immediately upon such Participant’s termination of
Continuous Service, and the Participant will be prohibited from
exercising his or her Option or SAR from and after the time of such
termination of Continuous Service.
(l)Non-Exempt
Employees.
If an Option or SAR is granted to an Employee who is a non-exempt
employee for purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as
amended, the Option or SAR will not be first exercisable for any
shares of Common Stock until at least six (6) months following the
date of grant of the Option or SAR (although the Stock Award may
vest prior to such date). Consistent with the provisions of the
Worker Economic Opportunity Act, (i) if such non-exempt Employee
dies or suffers a Disability, (ii) upon a Corporate Transaction in
which such Option or SAR is not assumed, continued, or substituted,
(iii) upon a Change in Control, or (iv) upon the Participant’s
retirement (as such term may be defined in the Participant’s Stock
Award Agreement, in another agreement between the Participant and
the Company, or, if no such definition, in accordance with the
Company’s then current employment policies and guidelines), the
vested portion of any Options and SARs may be exercised earlier
than six (6) months following the date of grant. The foregoing
provision is intended to operate so that any income derived by a
non-exempt employee in connection with the exercise or vesting of
an Option or SAR will be exempt from his or her regular rate of
pay. To the extent permitted and/or required for compliance with
the Worker Economic Opportunity Act to ensure that any income
derived by a non-exempt employee in connection with the exercise,
vesting or issuance of any shares under any other Stock Award will
be exempt from the employee’s regular rate of pay, the provisions
of this Section 5(l) will apply to all Stock Awards and are hereby
incorporated by reference into such Stock Award
Agreements.
6.PROVISIONS
OF STOCK AWARDS OTHER THAN OPTIONS AND SARS.
(a)Restricted
Stock Awards.
Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be in such form and will
contain such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate.
To the extent consistent with the Company’s bylaws, at the Board’s
election, shares of Common Stock underlying a Restricted Stock
Award may be (i) held in book entry form subject to the Company’s
instructions until any restrictions relating to the Restricted
Stock Award lapse; or (ii) evidenced by a certificate, which
certificate will be held in such form and manner as determined by
the Board. The terms and conditions of Restricted Stock Award
Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and
conditions of separate Restricted Stock Award Agreements need not
be identical. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will conform to
(through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the
agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following
provisions:
(i)Consideration.
A Restricted Stock Award may be awarded in consideration for (A)
cash, check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company, (B)
past services to the Company or an Affiliate, or (C) any other form
of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board, in its
sole discretion, and permissible under applicable law.
(ii)Vesting.
Shares of Common Stock awarded under the Restricted Stock Award
Agreement may be subject to forfeiture to the Company in accordance
with a vesting schedule to be determined by the Board.
(iii)Termination
of Participant’s Continuous Service.
If a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, the Company may
receive through a forfeiture condition or a repurchase right, any
or all of the shares of Common Stock held by the Participant as of
the date of termination of Continuous Service under the terms of
the Restricted Stock Award Agreement.
(iv)Transferability.
Rights to acquire shares of Common Stock under the Restricted Stock
Award Agreement will be transferable by the Participant only upon
such terms and conditions as are set forth in the Restricted Stock
Award Agreement, as the Board will determine in its sole
discretion, so long as Common Stock awarded under the Restricted
Stock Award Agreement remains subject to the terms of the
Restricted Stock Award Agreement.
(v)Dividends.
A Restricted Stock Award Agreement may provide that any dividends
paid on Restricted Stock will be subject to the same vesting and
forfeiture restrictions as apply to the shares subject to the
Restricted Stock Award to which they relate.
(b)Restricted
Stock Unit Awards.
Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will be in such form and
will contain such terms and conditions as the Board deems
appropriate. The terms and conditions of Restricted Stock Unit
Award Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and
conditions of separate Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements need
not be identical. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will
conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by
reference in the Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of
the following provisions:
(i)Consideration.
At the time of grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the Board
will determine the consideration, if any, to be paid by the
Participant upon delivery of each share of Common Stock subject to
the Restricted Stock Unit Award. The consideration to be paid (if
any) by the Participant for each share of Common Stock subject to a
Restricted Stock Unit Award may be paid in any form of legal
consideration that may be acceptable to the Board, in its sole
discretion, and permissible under applicable law.
(ii)Vesting.
At the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the
Board may impose such restrictions on or conditions to the vesting
of the Restricted Stock Unit Award as it, in its sole discretion,
deems appropriate.
(iii)Payment.
A Restricted Stock Unit Award may be settled by the delivery of
shares of Common Stock, their cash equivalent, any combination
thereof or in any other form of consideration, as determined by the
Board and contained in the Restricted Stock Unit Award
Agreement.
(iv)Additional
Restrictions.
At the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the
Board, as it deems appropriate, may impose such restrictions or
conditions that delay the delivery of the shares of Common Stock
(or their cash equivalent) subject to a Restricted Stock Unit Award
to a time after the vesting of such Restricted Stock Unit
Award.
(v)Dividend
Equivalents.
Dividend equivalents may be credited in respect of shares of Common
Stock covered by a Restricted Stock Unit Award, as determined by
the Board and contained in the Restricted Stock Unit Award
Agreement. At the sole discretion of the Board, such dividend
equivalents may be converted into additional shares of Common Stock
covered by the Restricted Stock Unit Award in such manner as
determined by the Board. Any additional shares covered by the
Restricted Stock Unit Award credited by reason of such dividend
equivalents will be subject to all of the same terms and conditions
of the underlying Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement to which
they relate.
(vi)Termination
of Participant’s Continuous Service.
Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Restricted Stock
Unit Award Agreement, such portion of the Restricted Stock Unit
Award that has not vested will be forfeited upon the Participant’s
termination of Continuous Service.
(c)Performance
Awards.
(i)Performance
Stock Awards.
A Performance Stock Award is a Stock Award (covering a number of
shares not in excess of that set forth in Section 3(d) above) that
is payable or that may be granted, may vest or may be exercised,
contingent upon the attainment during a Performance Period of
certain Performance Goals. A Performance Stock Award may, but need
not, require the Participant’s completion of a specified period of
Continuous Service. The length of any Performance Period, the
Performance Goals to be achieved during the Performance Period, and
the measure of whether and to what degree such Performance Goals
have been attained will be conclusively determined by the Committee
(or, if not required for compliance with Section 162(m) of the
Code, the Board), in its sole discretion. In addition, to the
extent permitted by applicable law and the applicable Award
Agreement, the Board may determine that cash may be used in payment
of Performance Stock Awards.
(ii)Performance
Cash Awards.
A Performance Cash Award is a cash award (for a dollar value not in
excess of that set forth in Section 3(d) above) that is payable
contingent upon the attainment during a Performance Period of
certain Performance Goals. A Performance Cash Award may also
require the completion of a specified period of Continuous Service.
At the time of grant of a Performance Cash Award, the length of any
Performance Period, the Performance Goals to be achieved during the
Performance Period, and the measure of whether and to what degree
such Performance Goals have been attained will be conclusively
determined by the Committee (or, if not required for compliance
with Section 162(m) of the Code, the Board), in its sole
discretion. The Board may specify the form of payment of
Performance Cash Awards, which may be cash or other property, or
may provide for a Participant to have the option for his or her
Performance Cash Award, or such portion thereof as the Board may
specify, to be paid in whole or in part in cash or other
property.
(iii)Board
Discretion.
The Board retains the discretion to reduce or eliminate the
compensation or economic benefit due upon attainment of Performance
Goals and to define the manner of calculating the Performance
Criteria it selects to use for a Performance Period. Partial
achievement of the specified criteria may result in the payment or
vesting corresponding to the degree of achievement as specified in
the Stock Award Agreement or the written terms of a Performance
Cash Award.
(iv)Section
162(m) Compliance.
Unless otherwise permitted in compliance with the requirements of
Section 162(m) of the Code with respect to an Award intended to
qualify as “performance-based compensation” thereunder, the
Committee will establish the Performance Goals applicable to, and
the formula for calculating the amount payable under, the Award no
later than the earlier of (a) the date 90 days after the
commencement of the applicable Performance Period, and (b) the date
on which 25% of the Performance Period has elapsed, and in any
event at a time when the achievement of the applicable Performance
Goals remains substantially uncertain. Prior to the payment of any
compensation under an Award intended to qualify as
“performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code,
the Committee will certify the extent to which any Performance
Goals and any other material terms under such Award have been
satisfied (other than in cases where such Performance Goals relate
solely to the increase in the value of the Common Stock).
Notwithstanding satisfaction of, or completion of any Performance
Goals, the number of shares of Common Stock, Options, cash or other
benefits granted, issued, retainable and/or vested under an Award
on account of satisfaction of such Performance Goals may be reduced
by the Committee on the basis of such further considerations as the
Committee, in its sole discretion, will determine.
(d)Other
Stock Awards.
Other forms of Stock Awards valued in whole or in part by reference
to, or otherwise based on, Common Stock, including the appreciation
in value thereof (e.g., options or stock rights with an exercise
price or strike price less than one hundred percent (100%) of the
Fair Market Value of the Common Stock at the time of grant) may be
granted either alone or in addition to Stock Awards provided for
under Section 5 and the preceding provisions of this Section 6.
Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board will have sole and
complete authority to determine the persons to whom and the time or
times at which such Other Stock Awards will be granted, the number
of shares of Common Stock (or the cash equivalent thereof) to be
granted pursuant to such Other Stock Awards and all other terms and
conditions of such Other Stock Awards.
7.COVENANTS
OF THE COMPANY.
(a)Availability
of Shares.
The Company will keep available at all times the number of shares
of Common Stock reasonably required to satisfy then-outstanding
Stock Awards.
(b)Securities
Law Compliance.
The Company will seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or
agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be
required to grant Stock Awards and to issue and sell shares of
Common Stock upon exercise of the Stock Awards;
provided, however,
that this undertaking will not require the Company to register
under the Securities Act the Plan, any Stock Award or any Common
Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any such Stock Award. If,
after reasonable efforts and at a reasonable cost, the Company is
unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the
authority that counsel for the Company deems necessary for the
lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, the
Company will be relieved from any liability for failure to issue
and sell Common Stock upon exercise of such Stock Awards unless and
until such authority is obtained. A Participant will not be
eligible for the grant of an Award or the subsequent issuance of
cash or Common Stock pursuant to the Award if such grant or
issuance would be in violation of any applicable securities
law.
(c)No
Obligation to Notify or Minimize Taxes.
The Company will have no duty or obligation to any Participant to
advise such holder as to the time or manner of exercising such
Stock Award. Furthermore, the Company will have no duty or
obligation to warn or otherwise advise such holder of a pending
termination or expiration of an Award or a possible period in which
the Award may not be exercised. The Company has no duty or
obligation to minimize the tax consequences of an Award to the
holder of such Award.
8.MISCELLANEOUS.
(a)Use
of Proceeds from Sales of Common Stock.
Proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock pursuant to Stock
Awards will constitute general funds of the Company.
(b)Corporate
Action Constituting Grant of Awards.
Corporate action constituting a grant by the Company of an Award to
any Participant will be deemed completed as of the date of such
corporate action, unless otherwise determined by the Board,
regardless of when the instrument, certificate, or letter
evidencing the Award is communicated to, or actually received or
accepted by, the Participant. In the event that the corporate
records (e.g., Board consents, resolutions or minutes) documenting
the corporate action constituting the grant contain terms (e.g.,
exercise price, vesting schedule or number of shares) that are
inconsistent with those in the Award Agreement as a result of a
clerical error in the papering of the Award Agreement, the
corporate records will control and the Participant will have no
legally binding right to the incorrect term in the Award
Agreement.
(c)Stockholder
Rights.
No Participant will be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any
of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Common
Stock subject to an Award unless and until (i) such Participant has
satisfied all requirements for exercise of, or the issuance of
shares of Common Stock under, the Award pursuant to its terms, and
(ii) the issuance of the Common Stock subject to the Award has been
entered into the books and records of the Company.
(d)No
Employment or Other Service Rights.
Nothing in the Plan, any Award Agreement or any other instrument
executed thereunder or in connection with any Stock Award granted
pursuant thereto will confer upon any Participant any right to
continue to serve the Company or an Affiliate in the capacity in
effect at the time the Award was granted or will affect the right
of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (i) the employment of
an Employee with or without notice and with or without cause, (ii)
the service of a Consultant pursuant to the terms of such
Consultant’s agreement with the Company or an Affiliate, or (iii)
the service of a Director pursuant to the bylaws of the Company or
an Affiliate, and any applicable provisions of the corporate law of
the state in which the Company or the Affiliate is incorporated, as
the case may be.
(e)Change
in Time Commitment.
In the event a Participant’s regular level of time commitment in
the performance of his or her services for the Company and any
Affiliates is reduced (for example, and without limitation, if the
Participant is an Employee of the Company and the Employee has a
change in status from a full-time Employee to a part-time Employee)
after the date of grant of any Award to the Participant, the Board
has the right in its sole discretion to (x) make a corresponding
reduction in the number of shares subject to any portion of such
Award that is scheduled to vest or become payable after the date of
such change in time commitment, and (y) in lieu of or in
combination with such a reduction, extend the vesting or payment
schedule applicable to such Award. In the event of any such
reduction, the Participant will have no right with respect to any
portion of the Award that is so reduced or extended.
(f)Incentive
Stock Option Limitations.
To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at
the time of grant) of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive
Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any
Optionholder during any calendar year (under all plans of the
Company and any Affiliates) exceeds one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000) (or such other limit established in the Code) or
otherwise does not comply with the rules governing Incentive Stock
Options, the Options or portions thereof that exceed such limit
(according to the order in which they were granted) or otherwise do
not comply with such rules will be treated as Nonstatutory Stock
Options, notwithstanding any contrary provision of the applicable
Option Agreement(s).
(g)Investment
Assurances.
The Company may require a Participant, as a condition of exercising
or acquiring Common Stock under any Award, (i) to give written
assurances satisfactory to the Company as to the Participant’s
knowledge and experience in financial and business matters and/or
to employ a purchaser representative reasonably satisfactory to the
Company who is knowledgeable and experienced in financial and
business matters and that he or she is capable of evaluating, alone
or together with the purchaser representative, the merits and risks
of exercising the Award; and (ii) to give written assurances
satisfactory to the Company stating that the Participant is
acquiring Common Stock subject to the Award for the Participant’s
own account and not with any present intention of selling or
otherwise distributing the Common Stock. The foregoing
requirements, and any assurances given pursuant to such
requirements, will be inoperative if (A) the issuance of the shares
upon the exercise or acquisition of Common Stock under the Award
has been registered under a then currently effective registration
statement under the Securities Act, or (B) as to any particular
requirement, a determination is made by counsel for the Company
that such requirement need not be met in the circumstances under
the then applicable securities laws. The Company may, upon advice
of counsel to the Company, place legends on stock certificates
issued under the Plan as such counsel deems necessary or
appropriate in order to comply with applicable securities laws,
including, but not limited to, legends restricting the transfer of
the Common Stock.
(h)Withholding
Obligations.
Unless prohibited by the terms of an Award Agreement, the Company
may, in its sole discretion, satisfy any federal, state or local
tax withholding obligation relating to an Award by any of the
following means or by a combination of such means: (i) causing the
Participant to tender a cash payment; (ii) withholding shares of
Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or otherwise
issuable to the Participant in connection with the Award;
provided, however,
that no shares of Common Stock are withheld with a value exceeding
the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld by law (or such
lesser amount as may be necessary to avoid classification of the
Award as a liability for financial accounting purposes); (iii)
withholding cash from an Award settled in cash; (iv) withholding
payment from any amounts otherwise payable to the Participant; or
(v) by such other method as may be set forth in the Award
Agreement.
(i)Electronic
Delivery.
Any reference herein to a “written” agreement or document will
include any agreement or document delivered electronically, filed
publicly at www.sec.gov (or any successor website thereto) or
posted on the Company’s intranet (or other shared electronic medium
controlled by the Company to which the Participant has
access).
(j)Deferrals.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board, in its sole
discretion, may determine that the delivery of Common Stock or the
payment of cash, upon the exercise, vesting or settlement of all or
a portion of any Stock Award may be deferred and may establish
programs and procedures for deferral elections to be made by
Participants. Deferrals by Participants will be made in accordance
with Section 409A of the Code. Consistent with Section 409A of the
Code, the Board may provide for distributions while a Participant
is still an employee or otherwise providing services to the
Company. The Board is authorized to make deferrals of Stock Awards
and determine when, and in what annual percentages, Participants
may receive payments, including lump sum payments, following the
Participant’s termination of Continuous Service, and implement such
other terms and conditions consistent with the provisions of the
Plan and in accordance with applicable law.
(k)Compliance
with Section 409A of the Code.
Unless otherwise expressly provided for in an Award Agreement, the
Plan and Award Agreements will be interpreted to the greatest
extent possible in a manner that makes the Plan and the Awards
granted hereunder exempt from Section 409A of the Code, and, to the
extent not so exempt, in compliance with Section 409A of the Code.
If the Board determines that any Award granted hereunder is not
exempt from and is therefore subject to Section 409A of the Code,
the Award Agreement evidencing such Award will incorporate the
terms and conditions necessary to avoid the consequences specified
in Section 409A(a)(1) of the Code, and to the extent an Award
Agreement is silent on terms necessary for compliance, such terms
are hereby incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan (and unless
the Award Agreement specifically provides otherwise), if the shares
of Common Stock are publicly traded, and if a Participant holding
an Award that constitutes “deferred compensation” under Section
409A of the Code is a “specified employee” for purposes of Section
409A of the Code, no distribution or payment of any amount that is
due because of a “separation from service” (as defined in Section
409A of the Code without regard to alternative definitions
thereunder) will be issued or paid before the date that is six (6)
months following the date of such Participant’s “separation from
service” or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death,
unless such distribution or payment can be made in a manner that
complies with Section 409A of the Code, and any amounts so deferred
will be paid in a lump sum on the day after such six (6) month
period elapses, with the balance paid thereafter on the original
schedule.
(l)Clawback/Recovery.
All Awards granted under the Plan will be subject to recoupment in
accordance with any clawback policy that the Company is required to
adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities
exchange or association on which the Company’s securities are
listed or as is otherwise required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street
Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law. In
addition, the Board may impose such other clawback, recovery or
recoupment provisions in an Award Agreement as the Board determines
necessary or appropriate, including but not limited to a
reacquisition right in respect of previously acquired shares of
Common Stock or other cash or property upon the occurrence of an
event constituting Cause. No recovery of compensation under such a
clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to resign
for “good reason” or “constructive termination” (or similar term)
under any agreement with the Company or an Affiliate.
9.ADJUSTMENTS
UPON CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK; OTHER CORPORATE
EVENTS.
(a)Capitalization
Adjustments.
In the event of a Capitalization Adjustment, the Board will
appropriately and proportionately adjust: (i) the class(es) and
maximum number of securities subject to the Plan pursuant to
Section 3(a), (ii) the class(es) and maximum number of securities
that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock
Options pursuant to Section 3(c), (iii) the class(es) and maximum
number of securities that may be awarded to any person pursuant to
Sections 3(d), and (iv) the class(es) and number of securities and
price per share of stock subject to outstanding Stock Awards. The
Board will make such adjustments, and its determination will be
final, binding and conclusive.
(b)Dissolution
or Liquidation.
Except as otherwise provided in the Stock Award Agreement, in the
event of a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, all
outstanding Stock Awards (other than Stock Awards consisting of
vested and outstanding shares of Common Stock not subject to a
forfeiture condition or the Company’s right of repurchase) will
terminate immediately prior to the completion of such dissolution
or liquidation, and the shares of Common Stock subject to the
Company’s repurchase rights or subject to a forfeiture condition
may be repurchased or reacquired by the Company notwithstanding the
fact that the holder of such Stock Award is providing Continuous
Service,
provided, however,
that the Board may, in its sole discretion, cause some or all Stock
Awards to become fully vested, exercisable and/or no longer subject
to repurchase or forfeiture (to the extent such Stock Awards have
not previously expired or terminated) before the dissolution or
liquidation is completed but contingent on its
completion.
(c)Corporate
Transactions.
The following provisions will apply to Stock Awards in the event of
a Transaction unless otherwise provided in the Stock Award
Agreement or any other written agreement between the Company or any
Affiliate and the Participant or unless otherwise expressly
provided by the Board at the time of grant of a Stock Award. In the
event of a Transaction, then, notwithstanding any other provision
of the Plan, the Board may take one or more of the following
actions with respect to Stock Awards, contingent upon the closing
or completion of the Transaction:
(i)arrange
for the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the
surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company) to assume or
continue the Stock Award or to substitute a similar stock award for
the Stock Award (including, but not limited to, an award to acquire
the same consideration paid to the stockholders of the Company
pursuant to the Transaction);
(ii)arrange
for the assignment of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held
by the Company in respect of Common Stock issued pursuant to the
Stock Award to the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation
(or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent
company);
(iii)accelerate
the vesting, in whole or in part, of the Stock Award (and, if
applicable, the time at which the Stock Award may be exercised) to
a date prior to the effective time of such Transaction as the Board
determines (or, if the Board does not determine such a date, to the
date that is five (5) days prior to the effective date of the
Transaction), with such Stock Award terminating if not exercised
(if applicable) at or prior to the effective time of the
Transaction; provided, however, that the Board may require
Participants to complete and deliver to the Company a notice of
exercise before the effective date of a Transaction, which exercise
is contingent upon the effectiveness of such
Transaction;
(iv)arrange
for the lapse, in whole or in part, of any reacquisition or
repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to the Stock
Award;
(v)cancel
or arrange for the cancellation of the Stock Award, to the extent
not vested or not exercised prior to the effective time of the
Transaction, in exchange for such cash consideration, if any, as
the Board, in its sole discretion, may consider appropriate;
and
(vi)make
a payment, in such form as may be determined by the Board equal to
the excess, if any, of (A) the value of the property the
Participant would have received upon the exercise of the Stock
Award immediately prior to the effective time of the Transaction,
over (B) any exercise price payable by such holder in connection
with such exercise. For clarity, this payment may be zero ($0) if
the value of the property is equal to or less than the exercise
price. Payments under this provision may be delayed to the same
extent that payment of consideration to the holders of the
Company’s Common Stock in connection with the Transaction is
delayed as a result of escrows, earn outs, holdbacks or any other
contingencies.
The Board need not take the same action or actions with respect to
all Stock Awards or portions thereof or with respect to all
Participants. The Board may take different actions with respect to
the vested and unvested portions of a Stock Award.
(d)Change
in Control.
A Stock Award may be subject to additional acceleration of vesting
and exercisability upon or after a Change in Control as may be
provided in the Stock Award Agreement for such Stock Award or as
may be provided in any other written agreement between the Company
or any Affiliate and the Participant, but in the absence of such
provision, no such acceleration will occur.
10.PLAN
TERM; EARLIER TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE
PLAN.
The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. Unless
terminated sooner by the Board, the Plan will automatically
terminate on the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the
earlier of (i) the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, or (ii)
the date the Plan is approved by the stockholders of the Company.
No Stock Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is
suspended or after it is terminated.
11.EFFECTIVE
DATE OF PLAN.
This Plan will become effective on the Effective Date.
12.CHOICE
OF LAW.
To the extent that United States federal laws do not otherwise
control, this Plan and all determinations made and actions taken
pursuant to this Plan shall be governed by the internal laws of the
State of New York, and construed accordingly.
13.CHANGE
OF DOMICILE.
This Plan has been amended and restated to give effect to the
Company’s change of its jurisdiction of incorporation from Bermuda
to Delaware (the “Domestication”),
effective November 12, 2020 (the “Domestication
Effective Date”). To
the extent that shares of Common Stock are required to, or may, be
issued pursuant to a Stock Award, shares of Common Stock of Sio
Gene Therapies Inc., a Delaware corporation, will be issued upon
exercise or payment of any such Stock Award previously or hereafter
granted under this Plan, including Stock Awards that were
outstanding prior to the Domestication Effective
Date. Until surrendered and exchanged, each certificate
delivered to a Participant pursuant to this Plan and evidencing
outstanding shares of Common Stock immediately prior to the
Domestication Effective Date shall, for all purposes of this Plan
and the shares of Common Stock, continue to evidence the identical
amount and number of outstanding shares of Common Stock at and
after the Domestication Effective Date. After the
Domestication Effective Date, the Company may make such
modifications in the certificates evidencing (and the form of) the
shares of Common Stock as it deems necessary to reflect the
substance of the changes to this Plan relating to the
Domestication, but no such modifications shall be necessary to
reflect the substance thereof.
14.DEFINITIONS.
As used in the Plan, the following definitions will apply to the
capitalized terms indicated below:
(a)“Affiliate”
means, at the time of determination, each of the following: (i) any
“parent” of the Company, as such term is defined in Rule 405; (ii)
any “subsidiary” of the Company, as such term is defined in Rule
405; and (iii) any other entity in which the Company or any of its
Affiliates has a material equity interest or control relationship
unless otherwise designated by the Board. An entity will be deemed
an Affiliate of the Company for purposes of this definition only
for such periods as the requisite ownership or control relationship
is maintained. The Board will have the authority to determine the
time or times at which “parent” or “majority-owned subsidiary”
status is determined within the definitions set forth in Rule
405.
(b)“Award”
means a Stock Award or a Performance Cash Award.
(c)“Award
Agreement”
means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant
evidencing the terms and conditions of an Award.
(d)“Board”
means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(e)“Capitalization
Adjustment”
means any change that is made in, or other events that occur with
respect to, the Common Stock subject to the Plan or subject to any
Stock Award after the Effective Date without the receipt of
consideration by the Company through merger, consolidation,
reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend,
dividend in property other than cash, large nonrecurring cash
dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, liquidating dividend,
combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate
structure, or any similar equity restructuring transaction, as that
term is used in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Board
Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor
thereto). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the conversion of any
convertible securities of the Company will not be treated as a
Capitalization Adjustment.
(f)“Cause”
will have the meaning ascribed to such term in any written
agreement between the Participant and the Company defining such
term and, in the absence of such agreement, such term means, with
respect to a Participant, the occurrence of any of the following
events: (i) such Participant’s willful failure substantially to
perform his or her duties and responsibilities to the Company or
deliberate violation of a Company policy; (ii) such Participant’s
commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement, dishonesty or any
other willful misconduct that has caused or is reasonably expected
to result in material injury to the Company; (iii) unauthorized use
or disclosure by such Participant of any proprietary information or
trade secrets of the Company or any other party to whom the
Participant owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of his
or her relationship with the Company; or (iv) such Participant’s
willful breach of any of his or her obligations under any written
agreement or covenant with the Company. The determination that a
termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service is either for
Cause or without Cause will be made by the Company, in its sole
discretion. Any determination by the Company that the Continuous
Service of a Participant was terminated with or without Cause for
the purposes of outstanding Stock Awards held by such Participant
will have no effect upon any determination of the rights or
obligations of the Company or such Participant for any other
purpose.
(g)“Change
in Control”
means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of
related transactions, of any one or more of the following
events:
(i)any
Exchange Act Person becomes the Owner, directly or indirectly, of
securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent
(50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then
outstanding securities other than by virtue of a merger,
consolidation or similar transaction. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, a Change in Control will not be deemed to occur (A) on
account of the acquisition of securities of the Company directly
from the Company, (B) on account of the acquisition of securities
of the Company by an investor, any affiliate thereof or any other
Exchange Act Person that acquires the Company’s securities in a
transaction or series of related transactions the primary purpose
of which is to obtain financing for the Company through the
issuance of equity securities, (C) on account of the acquisition of
securities of the Company by any individual who is, on the IPO
Date, either an executive officer or a Director (either, an “IPO
Investor”) and/or any entity in which an IPO Investor has a direct
or indirect interest (whether in the form of voting rights or
participation in profits or capital contributions) of more than 50%
(collectively, the “IPO Entities”) or on account of the IPO
Entities continuing to hold shares that come to represent more than
50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding
securities as a result of the conversion of any class of the
Company’s securities into another class of the Company’s securities
having a different number of votes per share pursuant to the
conversion provisions set forth in the Company’s Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation; or (D) solely because the
level of Ownership held by any Exchange Act Person (the “Subject
Person”) exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the
outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other
acquisition of voting securities by the Company reducing the number
of shares outstanding, provided that if a Change in Control would
occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the
acquisition of voting securities by the Company, and after such
share acquisition, the Subject Person becomes the Owner of any
additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other
acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then
outstanding voting securities Owned by the Subject Person over the
designated percentage threshold, then a Change in Control will be
deemed to occur;
(ii)there
is consummated a merger, consolidation or similar transaction
involving (directly or indirectly) the Company and, immediately
after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or similar
transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior
thereto do not Own, directly or indirectly, either (A) outstanding
voting securities representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the
combined outstanding voting power of the surviving Entity in such
merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (B) more than fifty
percent (50%) of the combined outstanding voting power of the
parent of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or
similar transaction, in each case in substantially the same
proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities
of the Company immediately prior to such transaction; provided,
however, that a merger, consolidation or similar transaction will
not constitute a Change in Control under this prong of the
definition if the outstanding voting securities representing more
than 50% of the combined voting power of the surviving Entity or
its parent are owned by the IPO Entities;
(iii)there
is consummated a sale, lease, exclusive license or other
disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets
of the Company and its Subsidiaries, other than a sale, lease,
license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the
consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries to an
Entity, more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power
of the voting securities of which are Owned by stockholders of the
Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of
the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior
to such sale, lease, license or other disposition; provided,
however, that a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition
of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the
Company and its Subsidiaries will not constitute a Change in
Control under this prong of the definition if the outstanding
voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined voting
power of the acquiring Entity or its parent are owned by the IPO
Entities; or
(iv)individuals
who, on the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, are members of
the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to
constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
provided, however, that if the appointment or election (or
nomination for election) of any new Board member was approved or
recommended by a majority vote of the members of the Incumbent
Board then still in office, such new member will, for purposes of
this Plan, be considered as a member of the Incumbent
Board.
Notwithstanding the foregoing definition or any other provision of
the Plan, (A) the term Change in Control will not include a sale of
assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the
purpose of changing the domicile of the Company, and (B) the
definition of Change in Control (or any analogous term) in an
individual written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate
and the Participant will supersede the foregoing definition with
respect to Awards subject to such agreement;
provided, however,
that if no definition of Change in Control or any analogous term is
set forth in such an individual written agreement, the foregoing
definition will apply.
(h)“Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including any
applicable regulations and guidance thereunder.
(i)“Committee”
means a committee of two (2) or more Directors to whom authority
has been delegated by the Board in accordance with Section
2(c).
(j)“Common
Stock”
means the shares of common stock of the Company.
(k)“Company”
means Sio Gene Therapies Inc., a Delaware corporation, with its
registered office at 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, Delaware
19808, or any successor to all or substantially all of its
businesses by merger, amalgamation, consolidation, purchase of
assets, or otherwise.
(l)“Consultant”
means any person, including an advisor, who is (i) engaged by the
Company or an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services
and is compensated for such services, or (ii) serving as a member
of the board of directors of an Affiliate and is compensated for
such services. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of
a fee for such service, will not cause a Director to be considered
a “Consultant”
for purposes of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person
is treated as a Consultant under this Plan only if a Form S-8
Registration Statement under the Securities Act is available to
register either the offer or the sale of the Company’s securities
to such person.
(m)“Continuous
Service”
means that the Participant’s service with the Company or an
Affiliate, whether as an Employee, Director or Consultant, is not
interrupted or terminated. A change in the capacity in which the
Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an
Employee, Director or Consultant or a change in the Entity for
which the Participant renders such service, provided that there is
no interruption or termination of the Participant’s service with
the Company or an Affiliate, will not terminate a Participant’s
Continuous Service;
provided, however,
that if the Entity for which a Participant is rendering services
ceases to qualify as an Affiliate, as determined by the Board in
its sole discretion, such Participant’s Continuous Service will be
considered to have terminated on the date such Entity ceases to
qualify as an Affiliate. For example, a change in status from an
Employee of the Company to a Consultant of an Affiliate or to a
Director will not constitute an interruption of Continuous Service.
To the extent permitted by law, the Board or the chief executive
officer of the Company, in that party’s sole discretion, may
determine whether Continuous Service will be considered interrupted
in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Board or
chief executive officer, including sick leave, military leave or
any other personal leave, or (ii) transfers between the Company, an
Affiliate, or their successors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a
leave of absence will be treated as Continuous Service for purposes
of vesting in an Award only to such extent as may be provided in
the Company’s leave of absence policy, in the written terms of any
leave of absence agreement or policy applicable to the Participant,
or as otherwise required by law.
(n)“Corporate
Transaction”
means a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets,
or a merger, consolidation or other capital reorganization or
business combination transaction of the Company with or into
another corporation, entity or person, or the direct or indirect
acquisition (including by way of a tender or exchange offer) by any
person, or persons acting as a group, of beneficial ownership or a
right to acquire beneficial ownership of shares representing a
majority of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of
capital stock of the Company.
(o)“Covered
Employee”
will have the meaning provided in Section 162(m)(3) of the
Code.
(p)“Director”
means a member of the Board.
(q)“Disability”
means, with respect to a Participant, the inability of such
Participant to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason
of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that
can be expected to result in death or that has lasted or can be
expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve
(12) months as provided in Sections 22(e)(3) and 409A(a)(2)(c)(i)
of the Code, and will be determined by the Board on the basis of
such medical evidence as the Board deems warranted under the
circumstances.
(r)“Effective
Date”
means the effective date of this Plan, which is the earlier of (i)
the date that this Plan is first approved by the Company’s
stockholders, and (ii) the date this Plan is adopted by the
Board.
(s)“Employee”
means any person employed by the Company or an Affiliate. However,
service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such
services, will not cause a Director to be considered an
“Employee”
for purposes of the Plan.
(t)“Entity”
means a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or
other entity.
(u)“Exchange
Act”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(v)“Exchange
Act Person”
means any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of
Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), except that “Exchange
Act Person” will not include (i) the Company or any Subsidiary of
the Company, (ii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company or any trustee or other fiduciary holding
securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding
securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, (iv) an
Entity Owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the
Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of
stock of the Company; or (v) any natural person, Entity or “group”
(within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act)
that, as of the Effective Date, is the Owner, directly or
indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than
fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s
then outstanding securities.
(w)“Fair
Market Value”
means, as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as
follows:
(i)If
the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or
traded on any established market, the Fair Market Value of a share
of Common Stock will be, unless otherwise determined by the Board,
the closing sales price for such stock as quoted on such exchange
or market (or the exchange or market with the greatest volume of
trading in the Common Stock) on the date of determination, as
reported in a source the Board deems reliable.
(ii)Unless
otherwise provided by the Board, if there is no closing sales price
for the Common Stock on the date of determination, then the Fair
Market Value will be the closing selling price on the last
preceding date for which such quotation exists.
(iii)In
the absence of such markets for the Common Stock, the Fair Market
Value will be determined by the Board in good faith and in a manner
that complies with Sections 409A and 422 of the Code.
(x)“Incentive
Stock Option”
means an option granted pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan that is
intended to be, and that qualifies as, an “incentive stock option”
within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(y)“IPO
Date”
means the date and time of execution of the underwriting agreement
between the Company and the underwriter(s) managing the initial
public offering of the Common Stock, pursuant to which the Common
Stock is priced for the initial public offering.
(z)“Non-Employee
Director”
means a Director who either (i) is not a current employee or
officer of the Company or an Affiliate, does not receive
compensation, either directly or indirectly, from the Company or an
Affiliate for services rendered as a consultant or in any capacity
other than as a Director (except for an amount as to which
disclosure would not be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation
S-K promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act
(“Regulation
S-K”)),
does not possess an interest in any other transaction for which
disclosure would be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K,
and is not engaged in a business relationship for which disclosure
would be required pursuant to Item 404(b) of Regulation S-K; or
(ii) is otherwise considered a “non-employee director” for purposes
of Rule 16b-3.
(aa) “Nonstatutory
Stock Option”
means any option granted pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan that
does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
(bb) “Officer”
means a person who is an officer within the meaning of Section 16
of the Exchange Act.
(cc) “Option”
means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option to
purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the
Plan.
(dd) “Option
Agreement”
means a written agreement between the Company and an Optionholder
evidencing the terms and conditions of an Option grant. Each Option
Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the
Plan.
(ee) “Optionholder”
means a person to whom an Option is granted pursuant to the Plan
or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding
Option.
(ff) “Other
Stock Award”
means an award based in whole or in part by reference to the Common
Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of
Section 6(c).
(gg) “Other
Stock Award Agreement”
means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of an
Other Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of an Other
Stock Award grant. Each Other Stock Award Agreement will be subject
to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(hh) “Outside
Director”
means a Director who either (i) is not a current employee of the
Company or an “affiliated corporation” (within the meaning of
Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 162(m) of the Code),
is not a former employee of the Company or an “affiliated
corporation” who receives compensation for prior services (other
than benefits under a tax-qualified retirement plan) during the
taxable year, has not been an officer of the Company or an
“affiliated corporation,” and does not receive remuneration from
the Company or an “affiliated corporation,” either directly or
indirectly, in any capacity other than as a Director, or (ii) is
otherwise considered an “outside director” for purposes of Section
162(m) of the Code.
(ii) “Own,”
“Owned,”
“Owner,”
“Ownership”
A person or Entity will be deemed to “Own,” to have “Owned,” to be
the “Owner” of, or to have acquired “Ownership” of securities if
such person or Entity, directly or indirectly, through any
contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise,
has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to
direct the voting, with respect to such securities.
(jj) “Participant”
means a person to whom an Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or,
if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding
Award.
(kk) “Performance
Cash Award”
means an award of cash granted pursuant to the terms and conditions
of Section 6(c)(ii).
(ll) “Performance
Criteria”
means the one or more criteria that the Board will select for
purposes of establishing the Performance Goals for a Performance
Period. The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish
such Performance Goals may be based on any one of, or combination
of, the following as determined by the Board: (i) earnings
(including earnings per share and net earnings); (ii) earnings
before interest, taxes and depreciation; (iii) earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; (iv) earnings
before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and legal
settlements; (v) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation,
amortization, legal settlements and other income (expense); (vi)
earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, legal
settlements, other income (expense) and stock-based compensation;
(vii) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization,
legal settlements, other income (expense), stock-based compensation
and changes in deferred revenue; (viii) total stockholder return;
(ix) return on equity or average stockholder’s equity; (x) return
on assets, investment, or capital employed; (xi) stock price; (xii)
margin (including gross margin); (xiii) income (before or after
taxes); (xiv) operating income; (xv) operating income after taxes;
(xvi) pre-tax profit; (xvii) operating cash flow; (xviii) sales or
revenue targets; (xix) increases in revenue or product revenue;
(xx) expenses and cost reduction goals; (xxi) improvement in or
attainment of working capital levels; (xxii) economic value added
(or an equivalent metric); (xxiii) market share; (xxiv) cash flow;
(xxv) cash flow per share; (xxvi) share price performance; (xxvii)
debt reduction; (xxviii) implementation or completion of projects
or processes; (xxix) employee retention; (xxx) stockholders’
equity; (xxxi) capital expenditures; (xxxii) debt levels; (xxxiii)
operating profit or net operating profit; (xxxiv) workforce
diversity; (xxxv) growth of net income or operating income; (xxxvi)
billings; (xxxvii) bookings; (xxxviii) initiation or completion of
phases of clinical trials and/or studies by specified dates;
(xxxix) patient enrollment rates, (xxxx) budget management; (xxxxi)
regulatory body and/or pricing approval with respect to products,
studies and/or trials; (xxxxii) commercial launch of products;
(xxxxiii) progress of partnered programs; (xxxxix) strategic
partnerships or transactions; and (xxxxx) to the extent that an
Award is not intended to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code,
other measures of performance selected by the Board.
(mm) “Performance
Goals”
means, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established
by the Board for the Performance Period based upon the Performance
Criteria. Performance Goals may be based on a Company-wide basis,
with respect to one or more business units, divisions, Affiliates,
or business segments, and in either absolute terms or relative to
the performance of one or more comparable companies or the
performance of one or more relevant indices. Unless specified
otherwise by the Board (i) in the Award Agreement at the time the
Award is granted or (ii) in such other document setting forth the
Performance Goals at the time the Performance Goals are
established, the Board will appropriately make adjustments in the
method of calculating the attainment of Performance Goals for a
Performance Period as follows: (1) to exclude restructuring and/or
other nonrecurring charges; (2) to exclude exchange rate effects;
(3) to exclude the effects of changes to generally accepted
accounting principles; (4) to exclude the effects of any statutory
adjustments to corporate tax rates; (5) to exclude the effects of
any “extraordinary items” as determined under generally accepted
accounting principles; (6) to exclude the dilutive effects of
acquisitions or joint ventures; (7) to assume that any business
divested by the Company achieved performance objectives at targeted
levels during the balance of a Performance Period following such
divestiture; (8) to exclude the effect of any change in the
outstanding shares of common stock of the Company by reason of any
stock dividend or split, stock repurchase, reorganization,
recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination or
exchange of shares or other similar corporate change, or any
distributions to common stockholders other than regular cash
dividends; (9) to exclude the effects of stock based compensation
and the award of bonuses under the Company’s bonus plans; (10) to
exclude costs incurred in connection with potential acquisitions or
divestitures that are required to expensed under generally accepted
accounting principles; (11) to exclude the goodwill and intangible
asset impairment charges that are required to be recorded under
generally accepted accounting principles; (12) to exclude the
effect of any other unusual, non-recurring gain or loss or other
extraordinary item; (13) to exclude the effects of the timing of
acceptance for review and/or approval of submissions to the Food
and Drug Administration or any other regulatory body and (14) to
exclude the effects of entering into or achieving milestones
involved in licensing, collaboration, or other business development
transactions. In addition, the Board retains the discretion to
reduce or eliminate the compensation or economic benefit due upon
attainment of Performance Goals and to define the manner of
calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such
Performance Period. Partial achievement of the specified criteria
may result in the payment or vesting corresponding to the degree of
achievement as specified in the Stock Award Agreement or the
written terms of a Performance Cash Award.
(nn) “Performance
Period”
means the period of time selected by the Board over which the
attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for
the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to and the payment
of a Stock Award or a Performance Cash Award. Performance Periods
may be of varying and overlapping duration, at the sole discretion
of the Board.
(oo) “Performance
Stock Award”
means a Stock Award granted under the terms and conditions of
Section 6(c)(i).
(pp) “Plan”
means this Sio Gene Therapies Inc. 2015 Equity Incentive
Plan.
(qq) “Restricted
Stock Award”
means an award of shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant
to the terms and conditions of Section 6(a).
(rr) “Restricted
Stock Award Agreement”
means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a
Restricted Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of a
Restricted Stock Award grant. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement
will be subject to the terms and conditions of the
Plan.
(ss) “Restricted
Stock Unit Award”
means a right to receive shares of Common Stock which is granted
pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(b).
(tt) “Restricted
Stock Unit Award Agreement”
means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a
Restricted Stock Unit Award evidencing the terms and conditions of
a Restricted Stock Unit Award grant. Each Restricted Stock Unit
Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the
Plan.
(uu) “Rule
16b-3”
means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any
successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect from time to
time.
(vv) “Rule
405”
means Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act.
(ww) “Securities
Act”
means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(xx) “Stock
Appreciation Right”
or “SAR”
means a right to receive the appreciation on Common Stock that is
granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section
5.
(yy) “Stock
Appreciation Right Agreement”
means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a
Stock Appreciation Right evidencing the terms and conditions of a
Stock Appreciation Right grant. Each Stock Appreciation Right
Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the
Plan.
(zz) “Stock
Award”
means any right to receive Common Stock granted under the Plan,
including an Incentive Stock Option, a Nonstatutory Stock Option, a
Restricted Stock Award, a Restricted Stock Unit Award, a Stock
Appreciation Right, a Performance Stock Award, or any Other Stock
Award.
(aaa) “Stock
Award Agreement”
means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant
evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Award grant. Each
Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions
of the Plan.
(bbb) “Subsidiary”
means, with respect to the Company, (i) any corporation of which
more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding capital stock
having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of
directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the
time, stock of any other class or classes of such corporation will
have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any
contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly, Owned by the
Company, and (ii) any partnership, limited liability company or
other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect interest
(whether in the form of voting or participation in profits or
capital contribution) of more than fifty percent (50%)
.
(ccc) “Ten
Percent Stockholder”
means a person who Owns (or is deemed to Own pursuant to Section
424(d) of the Code) shares possessing more than ten percent (10%)
of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the
Company or any Affiliate.
(ddd) “Transaction”
means a Corporate Transaction or a Change in Control.
Axovant Gene Therapies (NASDAQ:AXGT)
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