Exhibit 1.2

 

ACASTI PHARMA INC.

 

Common Shares

 

Amended and Restated At Market Issuance Sales Agreement

 

June 29, 2020

 

B. Riley FBR, Inc.

299 Park Avenue, 21st Floor

New York, NY 10171

 

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

85 Broad Street, 26th Floor

New York, NY 10004

 

H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC

430 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Acasti Pharma Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of the Province of Québec (the “Company”) and B. Riley FBR, Inc. (“B. Riley FBR”) are parties to that certain At Market Issuance Sales Agreement dated February 14, 2019 (the “Original Agreement”). Together with Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (“Oppenheimer”) and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“Wainwright”; each of B. Riley FBR, Oppenheimer and Wainwright individually an “Agent” and together, the “Agents”), the Company and the Agents desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement as set forth in this agreement (this “Agreement”), and hereby agree as follows:

 

1.              Issuance and Sale of Shares. The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through or to the Agents, as sales agents and/or principals, common shares (the “Placement Shares”) of the Company (the “Common Shares”), provided, however, that in no event shall the Company issue or sell through the Agents such number of Placement Shares (a) that exceeds the amount authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement or (b) for which the aggregate offering price exceeds the aggregate dollar amount of Common Shares registered on the Registration Statement (as defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made (taking into account all current and future prospectus supplements filed with respect to the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto) (the lesser of (a) or (b), the “Maximum Amount”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the number or dollar amount of Placement Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company and that the Agents shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance. The issuance and sale of Placement Shares through the Agents will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) to be filed by the Company and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement to issue Common Shares.

 

 

 

The Company has filed, or shall file, with the Commission, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”), a registration statement on Form S-3, including a base prospectus, relating to certain securities, including the Placement Shares, to be issued from time to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Exchange Act Regulations”). The Company has prepared a prospectus included as part of such registration statement specifically relating to the Placement Shares (the “ATM Prospectus”), and will, if necessary prepare a prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) to the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement specifically relating to the Placement Shares. The Company will furnish to the Agents, for use by the Agents, copies of the prospectus included as part of such registration statement, as supplemented by the ATM Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement, relating to the Placement Shares. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act Regulations or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations, as well as any comparable successor registration statement filed by the Company for sale of the Placement Shares, collectively, are herein called the “Registration Statement.” The base prospectus and ATM Prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by a Prospectus Supplement, in the form in which such base prospectus, ATM Prospectus and/or Prospectus Supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act Regulations are herein collectively called the “Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission deemed to be incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”).

 

For purposes of this Agreement, (a) all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the most recent copy filed with the Commission pursuant to the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”) and (b) all currency amounts appearing in this Agreement are presented in United States dollars, or “$”.

 

The Company and each Agent hereby agree and acknowledge that all sales and solicitations of sales of Placement Shares by the Agents as agents of the Company shall be made solely in the United States and no sales of Placement Shares will be carried out by the Company or the Agents in Canada or on the TSX Venture Exchange.

 

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2.              Placements. Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell Placement Shares through the Agents acting as sales agents or directly to the Agents acting as principal hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will notify an Agent (the “Designated Agent”) by electronic mail (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) of the number of Placement Shares, the time period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation on the number of Placement Shares that may be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made (a “Placement Notice”), the form of which is attached hereto as Schedule 1. The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 3 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from the Designated Agent set forth on Schedule 3, as such Schedule 3 may be amended from time to time. The Placement Notice shall be effective unless and until (i) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in Section 4, the Designated Agent declines to accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole discretion, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares set forth therein have been sold, (iii) the Company suspends or terminates the Placement Notice, (iv) the Company issues a subsequent Placement Notice with parameters superseding those on the earlier dated Placement Notice or (v) the Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 13. The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to the Designated Agent in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 2. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor the Designated Agent will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to the Designated Agent and the Designated Agent does not decline such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice will control.

 

3.              Sale of Placement Shares by Agents. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Designated Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described therein has been suspended or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the NASDAQ Capital Market (the “Exchange”), to sell the Placement Shares up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice. The Designated Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to the Designated Agent pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by the Designated Agent (as set forth in Section 5(b)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the terms of the Placement Notice, the Designated Agent may sell Placement Shares by any method deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act Regulations. “Trading Day” means any day on which Common Shares are purchased and sold on the Exchange.

 

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4.              Suspension of Sales. The Company or the Designated Agent may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other Party set forth on Schedule 3), suspend any sale of Placement Shares; provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair any party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against any other party unless it is made to one of the individuals named on Schedule 3 hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.

 

5.              Sale and Delivery to the Designated Agent; Settlement.

 

(a)            Sale of Placement Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, upon the Designated Agent’s acceptance of the terms of a Placement Notice, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Designated Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Placement Shares up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that the Designated Agent will be successful in selling Placement Shares, (ii) the Designated Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Designated Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the Exchange to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) the Designated Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by the Designated Agent and the Company.

 

(b)           Settlement of Placement Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the second (2nd) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a “Settlement Date”). The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by the Designated Agent, after deduction for (i) the Designated Agent’s commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof, and (ii) any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales.

 

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(c)            Delivery of Placement Shares. The Designated Agent shall establish at its clearing broker a settlement account for and in the name of the Company, which account shall be entirely controlled and directed by the Company (the “Company Account”). On each Trading Day (“T”) that the Designated Agent makes sales of Placement Shares, the Designated Agent shall advise the Company of the number of Placement Shares sold, the prices at which such Placement Shares were sold, and the net proceeds of such sales that the Company shall receive. On the immediately following Trading Day (“T+1”), the Designated Agent shall advise the Company that the proceeds of sales of Placement Shares on “T” have been received in the Company Account. Once the clearing broker has confirmed the receipt of the sales proceeds, the clearing broker shall, upon direction and instruction of the Company on or before each Settlement Date, instruct the Company’s transfer agent to electronically transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting the Company Account through the Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System of the Depository Trust Company or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto, which Placement Shares in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, the clearing broker shall settle the sale of such Placement Shares on a “delivery-versus-payment” (DVP) basis in accordance with customary practice and rules of the securities industry. The Designated Agent shall, or shall instruct its clearing broker to, deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. The Company agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on a Settlement Date through no fault of the Designated Agent and provided that the Designated Agent has not declined the applicable Placement Notice, the Company agrees that in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 11(a) hereto, it will hold the Designated Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company or its transfer agent (if applicable) and pay to the Designated Agent (without duplication) any commission, discount or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.

 

(d)           Limitations on Offering Size. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares if, after giving effect to the sale of such Placement Shares, the aggregate number of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the lesser of (A)  the Maximum Amount or (B)  the amount authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company’s Board of Directors, and notified to the Designated Agent in writing. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors, and notified to the Designated Agent in writing.

 

(e)            Sales Through Agents. The Company agrees that any offer to sell, any solicitation of an offer to buy, or any sales of Placement Shares or any other equity security of the Company shall only be effected by or through an Agent, and only a single Agent, on any single given date, and in no event shall the Company request that more than one Agent sell Placement Shares on the same day; provided however that (i) the foregoing limitation shall not apply to (A) exercise of any option, warrant, right or any conversion privilege set forth in the instruction governing such securities, (B) sales solely to employees, directors or security holders of the Company or its subsidiaries, or to a trustee or other person acquiring such securities for the accounts of such person, or (C) privately negotiated transactions with vendors, customers, strategic partners or potential strategic partners or other investors conducted in a manner so as not to be integrated with the offering of Placement Shares hereby, and (ii) such limitation shall not apply (A) on any day during which no sales are made pursuant to this Agreement or (B) during a period in which the Company has notified the Agents that it will not sell Common Shares under this Agreement and (1) no Placement Notice is pending or (2) after a Placement Notice has been withdrawn.

 

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6.              Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus (including the Incorporated Documents), the Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with each of the Agents that as of the date of this Agreement and as of each Applicable Time (as defined below), unless such representation, warranty or agreement specifies a different time:

 

(a)            Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company and, assuming no act or omission on the part of the Agents that would make such statement untrue, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements for and comply with the conditions for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission and has been declared effective under the Securities Act. The ATM Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement will name the Agents as the agents in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The Company has not received, and has no notice of, any order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, or threatening or instituting proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of Placement Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act Regulations and comply in all material respects with said rule. Any statutes, regulations, document or contracts of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement have been so described or filed. Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and any such amendments or supplements and all documents incorporated by reference therein that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement have been delivered, or are available through EDGAR, to the Agents and their counsel. The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of each Settlement Date and completion of the distribution of the Placement Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering or sale of the Placement Shares other than the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) to which the Agents have consented. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from the Exchange to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements, other than any such notices that are no longer in effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements, other than compliance with minimum bid or market capitalization requirements, in respect of which the Company makes no representation or warranty. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company is not subject to the limitations contained in General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3.

 

(b)           No Misstatement or Omission. The Registration Statement, when it became effective, conformed in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. The Prospectus conformed, and any amendment or supplement thereto will conform, on the date thereof, in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. At each Settlement Date, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of such date, will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not, and will not, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto, on the date thereof and at each Applicable Time (defined below), did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated in such document or necessary to make the statements in such document, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing shall not apply to statements in, or omissions from, any such document which are made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Company by an Agent specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

 

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(c)            Conformity with Securities Act and Exchange Act. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents were or are filed with the Commission under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, conformed or will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable.

 

(d)           Financial Information. The consolidated financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, together with the related notes, have been prepared in conformity in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect as of the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined below) as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations and cash flows of the Company at the dates and for the periods specified (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments which are not material, either individually or in the aggregate); the other financial data with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, are accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; the Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement (including the exhibits thereto), and the Prospectus which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (including exhibits thereto and Incorporated Documents); and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.

 

(e)            Conformity with EDGAR Filing. The Prospectus delivered to the Agents for use in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement will be identical to the version of the Prospectus transmitted to the Commission for filing via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

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(f)            Organization. The Company and any subsidiary that is a significant subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission) (each, a “Subsidiary,” collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), are, and will be on each Representation Date, duly organized, validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are, and will be on each Representation Date, duly qualified as a foreign corporation for transaction of business and in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all corporate power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except, in each case, where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not or would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the assets, business, operations, earnings, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or prevent or materially interfere with consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

 

(g)           Subsidiaries. The Company’s only Subsidiaries, if any, are set forth, on Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company’s most recently ended fiscal year. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the equity interests of the Subsidiaries free and clear of any lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal or other restriction, and all the equity interests of the Subsidiaries are validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.

 

(h)           No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and to the knowledge of the Company no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, no other party under any material contract or other agreement to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is a party is in default in any respect thereunder where such default would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(i)             No Material Adverse Effect. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus prior to each Settlement Date, there has not been (i) any event or condition that has a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any material change in the share capital or outstanding long-term indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, other than such change, dividend or distribution which would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has sustained any material loss or material interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority. For each Placement, from the Applicable Time until the Settlement Date, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary will enter into any transaction or agreement, not in the ordinary course of business, that is material to the Company or incur any liability, obligation, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business, that is material to the Company, in each case to the extent such transaction, agreement, liability or obligation would make the statements in the Registration Statement or Prospectus contain an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

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(j)             Capitalization. The issued and outstanding shares of the capital of the Company have been validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable. The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as of the dates referred to therein (other than the grant of additional options under the Company’s existing stock option plans, or changes in the number of outstanding Common Shares of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Shares outstanding on the date hereof or as a result of the issuance of Placement Shares) and such authorized share capital conforms to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The description of the Common Shares in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus is complete and accurate in all material respects. Except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as of the date referred to therein, the Company did not have reserved or available for issuance any Common Shares in respect of options (other than stock options under the Company’s existing stock option plans), or any rights or warrants to subscribe for, or any securities or obligations convertible into, or exchangeable for, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell, any shares of the capital or other securities of or issued by the Company.

 

(k)           Authorization; Enforceability. The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification and contribution provisions of Section 11 hereof may be limited by federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations in respect thereof.

 

(l)             Authorization of Placement Shares. The Placement Shares, when issued and delivered pursuant to the terms approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, against payment in full therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and nonassessable, and will not be subject to preemptive or similar rights. The rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions attaching to the Placement Shares, when issued, will conform in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in or incorporated into the Prospectus.

 

(m)          No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or any governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale by the Company of the Placement Shares as contemplated hereby, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, exemptions, decisions and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws or by the by-laws and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), the Exchange, the TSX Venture Exchange, and the Québec Autorité des marchés financiers (the “AMF”) in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares by the Agents.

 

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(n)           No Preferential Rights. (i) No person, as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act (each, a “Person”), has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to such Person any Common Shares or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company (other than upon the exercise of options or warrants to purchase Common Shares or upon the exercise of options that may be granted from time to time under the Company’s stock option plans), (ii) no Person has any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal, or any other rights (whether pursuant to a “poison pill” provision or otherwise) to purchase any Common Shares or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company from the Company which have not been duly waived with respect to the offering contemplated hereby, (iii)  except as disclosed in writing to the Agents or their representatives in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, no Person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Common Shares (excluding, for greater certainty, the Agents), and (iv) no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to require the Company to register under the Securities Act any Common Shares or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company, or to include any such shares or other securities in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated thereby or otherwise, except for such rights as have been waived on or prior to the date hereof.

 

(o)           Independent Public Accountant. KPMG LLP (the “Accountant”), whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company is filed with the Commission as part of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission and incorporated into the Registration Statement, is and, during the periods covered by its report, was an independent public accountant within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

 

(p)           No Litigation. There are no legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings pending, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, to which the Company or a Subsidiary is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; to the Company’s knowledge, no actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory, actions, suits, proceedings or, to the Company’s knowledge, investigations that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Prospectus that are not described in the Prospectus.

 

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(q)           Licenses and Permits. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries possess or have obtained, all licenses, certificates, consents, orders, approvals, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (the “Permits”), except where the failure to possess, obtain or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have received written notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such Permit or has any reason to believe that such Permit will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where such revocation, modification or failure to obtain any such renewal would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(r)            No Material Defaults. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the filing of its last Annual Report on Form 10-K indicating that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(s)            Certain Market Activities. Neither the Company, nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective directors, officers or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares.

 

(t)             Broker/Dealer Relationships. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries or any related entities (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning set forth in the FINRA Manual).

 

(u)           No Reliance. The Company has not relied upon any Agent or legal counsel for the Agents for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares.

 

(v)           Taxes. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and paid all taxes shown thereon through the date hereof, to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which has had a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge of any federal, state or other governmental tax deficiency, penalty or assessment which has been or might be asserted or threatened against it which could have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(w)          Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and valid title in fee simple to all items of real property and good and valid title to all personal property (excluding Intellectual Property, which is addressed below) described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being owned by them that are material to the businesses of the Company or such Subsidiary, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims, except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Any real property described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being leased by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries is held by them under valid, existing and enforceable leases, except those that (A) do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) would not be reasonably expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(x)           Intellectual Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries own or have obtained adequate enforceable rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as conducted as of the date hereof, except to the extent that the failure to own or to have obtained adequate rights to use such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; except as disclosed in writing to the Agents, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice of any claim of infringement or conflict which asserted Intellectual Property rights of others, which infringement or conflict, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would result in a Material Adverse Effect; there are no pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened judicial proceedings or interference proceedings against the Company or its Subsidiaries challenging the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ rights in or to or the validity of the scope of any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ material patents, patent applications or proprietary information, except for such proceedings which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; to the Company’s knowledge, no other entity or individual has any right or claim in any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ owned material patents, patent applications or any patent to be issued therefrom by virtue of any contract, license or other agreement entered into between such entity or individual and the Company or a Subsidiary or by any non-contractual obligation of the Company or a Subsidiary, other than by written licenses granted by the Company or a Subsidiary, except for such rights or claims which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its Subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim challenging the rights of the Company or a Subsidiary in or to any Intellectual Property owned, licensed or optioned by the Company or such Subsidiary which claim, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(y)           Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and (iii) have not received written notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except, in the case of any of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, for any such failure to comply or failure to receive required permits, licenses, other approvals or notice or liability as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(z)            Disclosure Controls. The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting (each as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act. The Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Registration Statement or Prospectus). Since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company included in the Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Prospectus). The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently filed with the Commission (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). The Company presented in its Annual Report on Form 10-K most recently filed with the Commission the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date.

 

(aa)         Sarbanes-Oxley. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer of the Company and each former principal financial officer of the Company as applicable) has made all certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

(bb)        Finder’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has incurred any liability for any finder’s fees, brokerage commissions or similar payments in connection with the transactions herein contemplated, except as may otherwise exist with respect to the Agents pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(cc)         Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened, in either case which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect

 

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(dd)        Investment Company Act. The Company, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement Shares, will not be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

(ee)         Operations. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions to which the Company or its Subsidiaries are subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(ff)          Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements. There are no transactions, arrangements and other relationships between and/or among the Company, and/or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structural finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity (each, an “Off Balance Sheet Transaction”) that could reasonably be expected to affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources.

 

(gg)        Underwriter Agreements. Other than with respect to this Agreement, the Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” transaction under Rule 415 of the Securities Act Regulations or any other continuous equity transaction.

 

(hh)        ERISA. To the knowledge of the Company, (i) each material employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than a Multiemployer Plan, within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA) for employees or former employees of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred which would result in material liability to the Company with respect to any such plan (excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption); and (iii) for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) equals or exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions, other than, in the case of (i), (ii) and (iii) above, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(ii)           Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company and each of its Subsidiaries reasonably believe are adequate for the conduct of their businesses and as is customary for companies of similar size engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.

 

(jj)           No Improper Practices. (i) Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective executive officers has, in the past five years, made any unlawful contributions to any candidate for any political office (or failed fully to disclose any contribution in violation of law) or made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state, municipal, or foreign office or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duty in violation of any law; (ii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary, or any affiliate of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers and stockholders of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary, on the other hand, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iii) the Company has not offered, or caused any placement agent to offer, Common Shares to any person with the intent to influence unlawfully (A) a customer or supplier of the Company or any Subsidiary to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or any Subsidiary or (B) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective products or services, and, (iv) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary has made any payment of funds of the Company or any Subsidiary or received or retained any funds in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977.

 

(kk)        Status Under the Securities Act. The Company was not and will not be at any Settlement Date an ineligible issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

(ll)           No Conflicting Statements in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and as of each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 24 below), did not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any incorporated document deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to conflicting information in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agents specifically for use therein.

 

(mm)     No Conflicts. Neither the execution of this Agreement, nor the issuance, offering or sale of the Placement Shares, nor the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms and provisions hereof will conflict with, or will result in a breach of, any of the terms and provisions of, or has constituted or will constitute a default under, or has resulted in or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any contract or other agreement to which the Company may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, except (i) such conflicts, breaches or defaults as may have been waived and (ii) such conflicts, breaches and defaults that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; nor will such action result (x) in any violation of the provisions of the organizational or governing documents of the Company, or (y) in any material violation of the provisions of any statute or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or of any court or of any federal, state or other regulatory authority or other government body having jurisdiction over the Company, except where such violation would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(nn)        Clinical Studies. The clinical, pre-clinical and other studies and tests conducted by or, to the knowledge of the Company, on behalf of the Company were, and, if still pending, are being, conducted in accordance in all material respects with all applicable statutes, laws, rules and regulations (including, without limitation, the U.S. Federal and Drug Administration’s (the “FDA”) Good Laboratory Practices and Good Clinical Practices as well as all other applicable rules, regulations, or requirements of the FDA, Health Canada (“HC”), the European Medicines Agency (the “EMA”) or any other foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA). Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the Company has not received any written notices or other written correspondence from the FDA, HC, EMA or any other foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA requiring the Company to terminate or suspend any ongoing clinical or pre-clinical studies or tests.

 

(oo)        Compliance Program. The Company has established and administers a compliance program applicable to the Company, to assist the Company and the directors, officers and employees of the Company in complying with applicable regulatory guidelines (including, without limitation, those administered by the FDA, HC, EMA and any other foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA) except where such noncompliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(pp)        OFAC. (i) To the knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Entity”), nor any director, officer, employee, agent or representative of the Entity, is an individual or entity (in this paragraph (pp), “Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:

 

(A)  the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the European Union (“EU”) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), or

 

(B)  located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions.

 

    (ii)  The proceeds of the issuance and sale of the Placement Shares will be applied by the Entity in good faith as described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in each Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus, and not with the result that any Person, directly or indirectly, shall have used the proceeds of the offering, or lent, contributed or otherwise made available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

 

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(A)  to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

 

(B)  in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

 

    (iii)   during the past 5 years, the Entity has not knowingly engaged in or is not now knowingly engaged in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

 

(qq)        Stock Transfer Taxes. On each Settlement Date, all stock transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the Placement Shares to be sold hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been fully complied with in all material respects.

 

(rr) Foreign Private Issuer. The Company is not a “foreign private issuer” as such term is defined in Rule 3b-4 under the Exchange Act and in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

(ss)          AMF. The Company has received a valid approval of the AMF pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Act (Québec) with respect to the Registration Statement and the offering of Placement Shares thereunder, and the AMF has not withdrawn or modified such approval.

 

(tt)           IT Systems. (i)(x) To the knowledge of Company, there has been no security breach or other compromise of any of Company’s information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of them), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) except as would not, in the case of this clause (i)(x), individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and (y) the Company has not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company is presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, in the case of this clause (ii), individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) the Company has implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices.

 

Any certificate signed by an authorized officer of the Company and delivered to Agents or to counsel for Agents pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as applicable, to Agents as to the matters set forth therein.

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7.              Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with the Agents that:

 

(a)            Registration Statement Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Agents under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act) (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), (i) the Company will notify the Agents promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference or amendments not related to any Placement, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information related to the Placement, (ii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares unless a copy thereof has been submitted to the Agents within a reasonable period of time before the filing and the Agents have not reasonably objected thereto (provided, however, (A) that the failure of the Agents to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agents’ right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement, (B) that the Company has no obligation to provide the Agents any advance copy of such filing or to provide the Agents an opportunity to object to such filing if such filing does not name the Agents or does not relate to the transactions contemplated hereunder, and (C) that the only remedy the Agents shall have with respect to the failure by the Company to provide Agent with such copy shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to the Agents at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR; and (iii) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act or, in the case of any document to be incorporated therein by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed (the determination to file or not file any amendment or supplement with the Commission under this Section 7(a), based on the Company’s reasonable opinion or reasonable objections, shall be made exclusively by the Company).

 

(b)           Notice of Commission Stop Orders. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will advise the Agents, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and it will promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued. The Company will advise the Agents promptly after it receives any request by the Commission for any amendments to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplements to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information related to the offering of the Placement Shares or for additional information related to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

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(c)            Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its best efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act. If the Company has omitted any information from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, it will use its best efforts to comply with the provisions of and make all requisite filings with the Commission pursuant to said Rule 430A and to notify the Agents promptly of all such filings. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during the Prospectus Delivery Period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Designated Agent to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

 

(d)           Listing of Placement Shares. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the Exchange and to qualify the Placement Shares for sale under the state securities laws in the United States and to continue such qualification in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities or file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.

 

(e)            Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to the Agents and their counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as the Agents may from time to time reasonably request and, at Agents’ request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus) to the Agents to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.

 

(f)            Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement covering a 12-month period that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the Securities Act.

 

(g)           Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”

 

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(h)           Notice of Other Sales. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall provide the Agents with written notice as promptly as reasonably possible before it will, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Shares; provided, however, that such notice will not be required in connection with the Company’s issuance or sale of (i) Common Shares, options to purchase Common Shares or Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of options or other equity awards, pursuant to any employee or director stock option or benefits plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan (but not Common Shares subject to a waiver to exceed plan limits in its dividend reinvestment plan) of the Company whether now in effect or hereafter implemented; (ii) Common Shares issuable in satisfaction of interest payable to the holders of the Company’s convertible debentures disclosed as outstanding in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (iii) Common Shares issuable upon conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or disclosed as outstanding in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and (iv) Common Shares, or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Shares, issued pursuant to consulting arrangements or service provider arrangements the primary purpose of which is not to raise capital. In addition, while this Agreement is in force and shall not have expired, terminated or been terminated, during the period beginning on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to the Agents hereunder and ending on the third (3rd) Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior to the sale of all Placement Shares covered by a Placement Notice, the date of such suspension or termination), the Company will not, directly or indirectly, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Shares in any other “at the market offering” under Rule 415 of the Securities Act Regulations or any other continuous equity transaction.

 

(i)             Change of Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during the pendency of a Placement Notice given hereunder, advise the Agents promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document required to be provided to the Agents pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(j)             Due Diligence Cooperation. The Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agents or their representatives in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices or such other location mutually agreed to by the parties, as the Agents may reasonably request.

 

(k)           Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares. The Company agrees that on such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (each and every date a filing under Rule 424(b) is made, a “Filing Date”), which prospectus supplement will set forth, within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold through the Agents, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the Agents with respect to such Placement Shares (provided that the Company may satisfy its obligation under this Section 7(k)(i) by effecting a filing in accordance with the Exchange Act with respect to such information), and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.

 

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(l)             Representation Dates; Certificate. Each time during the term of this Agreement that the Company:

 

(i) amends or supplements (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Placement Shares) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares;

 

(ii) files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (including any Form 10-K/A that contains restated financial statements);

 

(iii) files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or

 

(iv) files a current report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the Exchange Act;

 

(each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “Representation Date”);

 

the Company shall furnish the Agents (but in the case of clause (iv) above only if any Agent reasonably determines that the information contained in such Form 8-K is material) with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l) within five (5) Trading Days of any Representation Date. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(l) shall be automatically waived for any Representation Date occurring during a fiscal quarter during which the Company does not intend to sell Placement Shares prior to the next occurring Representation Date; provided, however, that such waiver shall not apply for any Representation Date on which the Company files its annual report on Form 10-K. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Agents with a certificate under this Section 7(l), then before the Company delivers the Placement Notice or the Agents sell any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide the Agents with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l), dated the date of the Placement Notice.

 

(m)          Legal Opinions. On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice given hereunder the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agents a written opinion and a negative assurance letter of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (“Company Counsel”), or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents. Thereafter, within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agents a negative assurance letter of Company Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents; provided that, in lieu of such negative assurance for subsequent Representation Dates, counsel may furnish the Agents with a letter (a “Reliance Letter”) to the effect that the Agents may rely on the negative assurance letter previously delivered under this Section 7(m) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of the date of the Reliance Letter).

 

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(n)           Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice given hereunder and within five (5) Trading Days after each subsequent Representation Date, other than pursuant to Section 7(l)(iii), the Company shall cause its independent accountants to furnish the Agents letters (the “Comfort Letters”), dated the date the Comfort Letter is delivered, which shall meet the requirements set forth in this Section 7(n). The Comfort Letter from the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, (i) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the “Initial Comfort Letter”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.

 

 

(o)           Market Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase Common Shares in violation of Regulation M, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than the Agents.

 

(p)           Investment Company Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor any of its Subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.

 

(q)           No Offer to Sell. Other than an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus approved in advance by the Company and the Agents in their capacity as agents hereunder, neither of the Agents nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Agents in their capacity as such) will make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), required to be filed with the Commission, that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Placement Shares hereunder.

 

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(r)            Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company will maintain disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting (each as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act.

 

8.              Representations and Covenants of Agents. Each of the Agents represents, warrants and covenants to the Company that it is duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in which such Agent is exempt from registration or such registration is not otherwise required. Each of the Agents shall continue, for the term of this Agreement, to be duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in which Agent is exempt from registration or such registration is not otherwise required, during the term of this Agreement. Each of the Agents will comply with all applicable law and regulations in connection with the Placement Shares, including but not limited to Regulation M under the Exchange Act;

 

9.              Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)            The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including expenses related to (i) the preparation, filing, including any fees required by the Commission, and printing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment and supplement thereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in such number as the Agents shall reasonably deem necessary, (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates, if any, for the Placement Shares to the Agents, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any capital duties, stamp duties or other duties or taxes (other than income taxes) payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares to the Agents, (iii) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (iv)  the fees and expenses of the transfer agent and registrar for the Common Shares, (v) the filing fees incident to any review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Placement Shares, (vi) the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel to the Agents incurred in connection with (a) entering into the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in an amount not to exceed $50,000 in the aggregate, and (b) ongoing diligence arising from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in an amount not to exceed $2,500 in the aggregate per calendar quarter (other than with respect to any calendar quarter during which the Company does not intend to sell Placement Shares), and (vii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange.

 

10.           Conditions to Agents’ Obligations. The obligations of the Agents hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein, to the due performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by the Agents of a due diligence review satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing satisfaction (or waiver by the Agents in their sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:

 

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(a)            Registration Statement Effective. The Registration Statement shall have become effective and shall be available for the sale of all Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice.

 

(b)           No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; or (iv) the occurrence of any event that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or material documents incorporated therein so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(c)            No Misstatement or Material Omission. The Agents shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in Agents’ reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in Agents’ opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(d)           Material Changes. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)            Company Counsel Legal Opinions. The Agents shall have received the opinions and letters of Company Counsel required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(m) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinions and letters are required pursuant to Section 7(m).

 

(f)            Agents Counsel Legal Opinion. The Agents shall have received from Duane Morris LLP, counsel for the Agents, such opinion or opinions, on or before the date on which the delivery of the Company Counsel legal opinion is required pursuant to Section 7(m), with respect to such matters as the Agents may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for enabling them to pass upon such matters.

 

(g)           Comfort Letter. The Agents shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(n) on or before the date on which such delivery of such letter is required pursuant to Section 7(n).

 

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(h)           Representation Certificate. The Agents shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(l) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(l).

 

(i)             Secretary’s Certificate. On or prior to the first Representation Date, the Agents shall have received a certificate, signed on behalf of the Company by its corporate Secretary, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agents and their counsel.

 

(j)             No Suspension. Trading in the Common Shares shall not have been suspended on the Exchange and the Common Shares shall not have been delisted from the Exchange.

 

(k)           Other Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(l), the Company shall use its reasonable efforts to furnish to the Agents such appropriate further information, certificates and documents as the Agents may reasonably request and which are usually and customarily furnished by an issuer of securities in connection with a securities offering. All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents will be in compliance with the provisions hereof. The Company will furnish the Agents with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as the Agents shall reasonably request.

 

(l)             Securities Act Filings Made. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.

 

(m)          Approval for Listing. The Placement Shares shall either have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of issuance, or the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.

 

(n)           No Termination Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would permit the Agents to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 13(a).

 

11.           Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)       Company Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agents, their partners, members, directors, officers, employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls the Agents within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:

 

(i)          against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

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(ii)         against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 11(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be delayed or withheld; and

 

(iii)       against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above,

 

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made solely in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

(b)       Indemnification by the Agents. Each Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and officers, and each person, if any, who (i) controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 11(a), as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendments thereto) or in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Agent and furnished to the Company in writing by such Agent expressly for use therein.

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(c)       Procedure. Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 11 will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 11, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission to so notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 11 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provisions of this Section 11 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying party. If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable and documented costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict of interest exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly after the indemnifying party receives a written invoice relating to fees, disbursements and other charges in reasonable detail. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 11 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (1) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (2) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

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(d)       Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 11 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable from the Company or an Agent, the Company and such Agent will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the Company from persons other than the Agents, such as persons who control the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the Company and the Agents may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agents on the other hand. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agents on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total Net Proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (net of commissions paid to the Agents but before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by the Agents (before deducting expenses) from the sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company. If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and such Agent, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or such Agent, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and each Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 11(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 11(d) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 11(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 11(c) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11(d), an Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 11(d), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of an Agent, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each officer who signed the Registration Statement and director of the Company will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 11(d), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 11(d) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 11(c) hereof, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 11(c) hereof.

 

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12.           Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 11 of this Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agents, any controlling persons, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.

 

13.           Termination.

 

a.              An Agent may terminate this Agreement with respect to itself, by notice to the Company, as hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect that, in the sole judgment of such Agent, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (2) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of such Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (3) if trading in the Common Shares has been suspended or limited by the Commission or the Exchange, or if trading generally on the Exchange has been suspended or limited, or minimum prices for trading have been fixed on the Exchange, (4) if any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market shall have occurred and be continuing, (5) if a major disruption of securities settlements or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred and be continuing, or (6) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either U.S. Federal or New York authorities. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. If an Agent elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 13(a), such Agent shall provide the required notice as specified in Section 14 (Notices).

 

b.              The Company shall have the right, by giving five (5) days’ notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

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c.              Each Agent shall have the right, by giving five (5) days’ notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement with respect to itself in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

d.              Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 13, this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale of all of the Placement Shares through the Agents on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

e.              This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 13(a), (b), (c), or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) shall remain in full force and effect. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Company shall not have any liability to an Agent for any discount, commission or other compensation with respect to any Placement Shares not otherwise sold by an Agent under this Agreement. To the extent this Agreement is terminated by one Agent or by the Company with respect to one Agent pursuant to Sections 13(a), (b) or (c) above, this Agreement shall terminate only with respect to such Agent and shall remain in full force and effect with respect to the Company and the other Agents, unless and until terminated pursuant to Sections 13(a), (b), (c), or (d) above.

 

f.               Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by an Agent or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

14.           Notices. All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified, and if sent to Agents, shall be delivered to:

 

B. Riley FBR, Inc.

299 Park Avenue, 21st Floor

New York, NY 10171

Attention:    General Counsel
Telephone:  (212) 457-9947

Email:          atmdesk@brileyfbr.com

 

 

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Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

85 Broad Street, 26th Floor

New York, NY 10004

Attention: Peter Vogelsang, OGC

Telephone: (212) 667-8195

Email:         peter.vogelsang@opco.com

 

H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC

430 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Attention:  Head of Investment Banking

E-mail:      atm@hcwco.com

 

 

with a copy to:

 

Duane Morris LLP

1540 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

Attention:    Dean M. Colucci

Telephone:  (973) 424-2020

Email:          dmcolucci@duanemorris.com

 

 

 

And if to the Company, shall be delivered to:

 

Acasti Pharma Inc.

545 Promenade du Centropolis, Suite 100

Laval, Québec, Canada H7T 0A3

Attention: President

Email:       j.dalvise@acastipharma.com

 

With a copy to:

 

C T Corporation System

111 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10011

 

And to:

 

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

620 8th Avenue, New York, New York 10011

 

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Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose. Each such notice or other communication shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally or by verifiable facsimile transmission (with an original to follow) on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid). For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” shall mean any day on which the Exchange and commercial banks in the City of New York are open for business.

 

15.           Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and each Agent and their respective successors and the affiliates, controlling persons, partners, members, officers, directors, employees and agents referred to in Section 11 hereof. References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither the Company nor the Agents may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party.

 

16.           Adjustments for Share Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any share consolidation, share split, share dividend or similar event effected with respect to the Placement Shares.

 

17.           Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability. This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto), constitutes the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and the Agents. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement.

 

18.           GOVERNING LAW AND TIME; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

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19.           CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS SITTING IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, AND HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, AND AGREES NOT TO ASSERT IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, ANY CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT PERSONALLY SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH COURT, THAT SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM OR THAT THE VENUE OF SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS IMPROPER. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF PROCESS AND CONSENTS TO PROCESS BEING SERVED IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY MAILING A COPY THEREOF (CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) TO SUCH PARTY AT THE ADDRESS IN EFFECT FOR NOTICES TO IT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT AND AGREES THAT SUCH SERVICE SHALL CONSTITUTE GOOD AND SUFFICIENT SERVICE OF PROCESS AND NOTICE THEREOF. NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE DEEMED TO LIMIT IN ANY WAY ANY RIGHT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.

 

20.           Use of Information. The Agents may not use any information gained in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including due diligence, to advise any party with respect to transactions not expressly approved by the Company.

 

21.           Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile transmission.

 

22.           Effect of Headings.

 

The section and Exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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23.           Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.

 

Each of the Company and Agents represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the other party, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Placement Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by Agent or by the Company, as the case may be, is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents and warrants that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping.

 

24.           Absence of Fiduciary Relationship.

 

The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

 

(a)            each Agent is acting solely as agent in connection with the public offering of the Placement Shares and in connection with each transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and the Agents, on the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether or not any Agent has advised or is advising the Company on other matters, and the Agents have no obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement;

 

(b)           it is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(c)            the Agents have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and it has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate; and

 

(d)           it is aware that the Agents and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and the Agents have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship or otherwise; provided that the Agents hereby agree not to engage in any such transaction which would cause its interests to be in direct conflict with the best interests of the Company.

 

25.           Definitions.

 

As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:

 

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Applicable Time” means (i) each Representation Date and (ii) the time of each sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Placement Shares.

 

Rule 172,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 424(b),” “Rule 430B,” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Securities Act Regulations.

 

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.

 

All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; all references in this Agreement to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (other than any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that, pursuant to Rule 433, are not required to be filed with the Commission) shall be deemed to include the copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; and all references in this Agreement to “supplements” to the Prospectus shall include, without limitation, any supplements, “wrappers” or similar materials prepared in connection with any offering, sale or private placement of any Placement Shares by the Agents outside of the United States to the extent those materials are reviewed and consented to in advance by the Company.

 

 

 

 

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

 

 

35

 

 

If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and each of the Agents, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and each of the Agents.

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

ACASTI PHARMA INC.

 

 

   
  By: /s/ Janelle D’Alvise
    Name: Janelle D’Alvise
    Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
     

 

 

ACCEPTED as of the date first-above written:

 

 

B. RILEY FBR, INC.

 

   
  By: /s/ Patrice McNicoll
    Name:  Patrice McNicoll
    Title:  Co-Head of Investment Banking
     

 

 

 

OPPENHEIMER & CO. INC.

 

   
  By: /s/ Michael A. Margolis
    Name:  Michael A. Margolis, R.Ph.
    Title:  Co-Head of Healthcare

Investment Banking

 

 

 

H.C. WAINWRIGHT & CO., LLC

 

   
  By: /s/ Mark W. Viklund
    Name:  Mark W. Viklund
    Title:  Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 1

 

 

 

 

 

FORM OF PLACEMENT NOTICE

 

 

 

 

 

 From: Acasti Pharma Inc.
   
To:[B. Riley FBR, Inc.][Oppenheimer & Co. Inc][H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC]

 

Attention:[•]
   
 Subject:At Market Issuance--Placement Notice

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Amended and Restated At Market Issuance Sales Agreement between Acasti Pharma Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of the Province of Québec (the “Company”), and B. Riley FBR, Inc. (“B. Riley FBR”) Oppenheimer & Co. Inc (“Oppenheimer”) and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“Wainwright”), dated June 29, 2020, the Company hereby requests that [identify Designated Agent] sell up to ____________ of the Company’s Common Shares, no par value per share, at a minimum market price of $_______ per share, during the time period beginning [month, day, time] and ending [month, day, time].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 2

 

 

 

 

 

Compensation

 

 

 

The Company shall pay to the Designated Agent in cash, upon each sale of Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement, an amount equal to 3.0% of the gross proceeds from each sale of Placement Shares.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 3

 

 

 

Notice Parties

 

 

 

 

 

The Company  
   
Janelle D’Alvise j.dalvise@acastipharma.com
   
Jean-Francois Boily j-f.boily@acastipharma.com
   
   
B. Riley FBR  
   
Seth Appel sappel@brileyfbr.com
   
Patrice McNicoll pmcnicoll@brileyfbr.com
   
Keith Pompliano kpompliano@brileyfbr.com
   
with a copy to atmdesk@brileyfbr.com  
   
   
Oppenheimer  
   
Michael Margolis MichaelA.Margolis@opco.com
   
Jack Terranova Jack.Terranova@opco.com
   
with a copy to DL-EquityATMOffering@opco.com
   
   
Wainwright  
   
Charles Worthman csworthman@hcwco.com
   
with a copy to atm@hcwco.com  

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 7(l)

 

Form of Representation Date Certificate

 

This Representation Date Certificate (this “Certificate”) is executed and delivered in connection with Section 7(l) of the Amended and Restated At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the “Agreement”), dated June 29, 2020, and entered into between Acasti Pharma Inc. (the “Company”) and B. Riley FBR, Inc, Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC. All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Agreement.

The undersigned has carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any supplements to the Prospectus (each as defined in the Agreement) and the Agreement and hereby certifies that:

 

1.        the representations and warranties of the Company in the Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date hereof and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the date hereof;

 

2.       to the Company’s knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened; and

 

3.       since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto subsequent to the date hereof), there has been no event or condition constituting a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto subsequent to the date hereof).

 

 

 

 

ACASTI PHARMA INC.

 

 

  By:                                                                                            
 

 

Name:                                                                                       

 

 

Title: