As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 11, 2022

Registration No. 333-

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Marker Therapeutics, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Delaware 45-4497941
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 2500

Houston, Texas

77027
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

 

 

Marker Therapeutics, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

 

 

Peter Hoang

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Marker Therapeutics, Inc.

3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 2500

Houston, Texas 77027

(713) 400-6400

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

Divakar Gupta

Darren DeStefano

Madison A. Jones

Cooley LLP

55 Hudson Yards

New York, NY 10001

Tel: (212) 479-6000

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer ¨ Accelerated filer ¨
       
Non-accelerated filer x Smaller reporting company x
       
    Emerging growth company ¨

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ¨

 

 

 

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 (this “Registration Statement”) is being filed to register an additional 8,500,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”), of Marker Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Registrant”) issuable pursuant to the Registrant’s 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended, the “Plan”). On May 24, 2022, stockholders of the Registrant approved an amendment to the Plan that increased the number of shares of Common Stock issuable thereunder by 8,500,000 shares. The prior registration statement that the Registrant filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 12, 2020 (Registration No. 333-239136) relating to the Plan is incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement. This incorporation is made under General Instruction E of Form S-8 regarding the registration of additional securities of the same class as other securities for which there has been filed a registration statement on Form S-8 relating to the same employee benefit plan.

 

PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

 

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) are incorporated by reference into this registration statement (other than information furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K or other portions of documents filed with the SEC which are furnished, but not filed, pursuant to applicable rules promulgated by the SEC):

 

(a)The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on March 17, 2022 and the information specifically incorporated by reference into the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, from the Registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on April 15, 2022;

 

(b)The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on May 13, 2022, and for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on August 11, 2022;

 

(c)The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 16, 2022, February 18, 2022, April 6, 2022, April 26, 2022 (with respect to Items 1.01 and 9.01 only) and May 27, 2022; and

 

(d)the description of the Registrant’s Common Stock contained in the Registrant’s registration statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-37939), filed with the SEC on November 3, 2016, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

 

All reports and other documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such reports and documents; provided, however, that documents, reports and definitive proxy or information statements, or portions thereof, which are furnished and not filed in accordance with the rules of the SEC shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into this registration statement. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.

 

Item 4. Description of Securities.

 

Not applicable.

 

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Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

The Registrant is incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any persons who were, are, or are threatened to be made, parties to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact that such person is or was an officer, director, employee or agent of such corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as an officer, director, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided that such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was illegal. A Delaware corporation may indemnify any persons who were, are, or are threatened to be made, a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer or director is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him or her against the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred.

 

The Registrant’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws provide for indemnification of the Registrant’s directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by law. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Bylaws and the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.

 

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL provides that a certificate of incorporation may include a provision which eliminates or limits the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the company or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL, relating to prohibited dividends or distributions or the repurchase or redemption of stock or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit. The Registrant’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation includes such a provision. As a result of this provision, the Registrant and its stockholders may be unable to obtain monetary damages from a director for breach of his or her duty of care.

 

As permitted under the DGCL, the Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and certain of its executive officers that require the Registrant to indemnify such persons against any and all expenses (including attorneys’, witness or other professional fees), and, unless in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the Registrant, any and all judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by such persons or on such persons’ behalf in connection with any proceeding, whether actual or threatened, to which any such person may be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or an executive officer of the Registrant or is or was serving at the request of the Registrant as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another enterprise, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Registrant and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. Under these agreements, the Registrant is not required to provide indemnification for certain matters, including:

 

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indemnification beyond that permitted by applicable law;

 

except as provided in the indemnification agreements, an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by such director or executive officer of securities of the Registrant within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law;

 

except as provided in the indemnification agreements, any reimbursement of the Registrant by such director or executive officer of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by such director or executive officer from the sale of securities of the Registrant, as required in each case under the Exchange Act; or

 

except as provided in the indemnification agreements, in connection with any proceeding initiated by such director or executive officer, unless (i) the Registrant’s Board of Directors authorized the proceeding prior to its initiation or (ii) the Registrant provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Registrant under applicable law.

 

The indemnification agreements also set forth certain procedures, presumptions and remedies that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification thereunder.

 

Item 7. Exemption From Registration Claimed.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Exhibits.

 

        Incorporated by Reference
Exhibit
Number
  Description   Schedule
Form
  File
Number
  Exhibit   Filing Date
           
3.1   Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Marker Therapeutics, Inc., as amended through May 24, 2022   8-K   001-37939    3.1   5/27/22
           
3.2   Bylaws of Marker Therapeutics, Inc.   8-K   001-37939   3.6   10/17/18
           
4.1   Marker Therapeutics, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan.   S-8   333-239136   99.1   6/12/20
                     
4.2   Form of Stock Option Grant Notice and Stock Option Agreement under the Marker Therapeutics, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan.   10-Q   001-37939   10.1   11/9/20
                     
4.3   Form of Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice and Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement under the Marker Therapeutics, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan.   10-Q   001-37939   10.2   11/9/20
                     
4.4*   Marker Therapeutics, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended on May 24, 2022                
           
5.1*   Opinion of Cooley LLP                
           
23.1*   Consent of Cooley LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).                
           
23.2*   Consent of Marcum LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm                
           
24.1*   Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this Form S-8).                
           
107*   Exhibit Fee Table                
                     
*   Filed herewith.                

 

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Item 9. Undertakings.

 

(a)   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(1)To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

(i)           To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

 

(ii)          To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

 

(iii)         To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement; and

 

(2)That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(3)To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(b)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(c)   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Houston, State of Texas, on August 11, 2022.

 

  Marker Therapeutics, Inc.

 

  By:

/s/ Peter Hoang

  Peter Hoang
  Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Each of the undersigned officers and directors of Marker Therapeutics, Inc., hereby constitutes and appoints Peter Hoang and Anthony Kim, their true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, for them and in their name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign their name to any and all amendments to this Report on Form 10-K, and other related documents, and to cause the same to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys, full power and authority to do and perform any act and thing necessary and proper to be done in the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned could do if personally present, and the undersigned for himself hereby ratifies and confirms all that said attorney shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature   Title   Date
         
/s/ Peter Hoang   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director   August 11, 2022
Peter Hoang   (Principal Executive Officer)    
         
/s/ Anthony Kim   Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial   August 11, 2022
Anthony Kim   and Accounting Officer)    
         
/s/ Katharine Knobil   Director   August 11, 2022
Katharine Knobil        
         
/s/ David Laskow-Pooley   Director   August 11, 2022
David Laskow-Pooley        
         
/s/ John Wilson   Director   August 11, 2022
John Wilson        
         
/s/ Juan Vera   Director   August 11, 2022
Juan Vera        
         
/s/ N. David Eansor   Director   August 11, 2022
N. David Eansor        
         
/s/ Steve Elms   Director   August 11, 2022
Steve Elms        

 

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