UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Form 6-K

 

Report of Foreign Private Issuer

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16

under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

October 2017

 

Commission file number: 001-36288

 

Akari Therapeutics, Plc

(Translation of registrant's name into English)

 

24 West 40th Street, 8th Floor

New York, NY 10018

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 

Form 20-F  x          Form 40-F  ¨

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulations S-T Rule 101(b)(1): _____

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulations S-T Rule 101(b)(7): _____

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONTENTS

 

On October 18, 2017, Akari Therapeutics, Plc (the “Company”) entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., as representative of the several underwriters set forth therein (collectively, the “Underwriters”), relating to an underwritten public offering (the “Offering”) of 3,480,000 of the Company’s American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each representing 100 ordinary shares, nominal value £0.01 per share, of the Company, at an offering price to the public of $5.00 per ADS. Under the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company granted the Underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 522,000 ADSs on the same terms and conditions.

 

The ADSs will be issued pursuant to the Company’s currently effective shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (No. 333-198107) and an accompanying prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), which was declared effective by the Commission on August 20, 2014 (the “Registration Statement”), and a preliminary and final prospectus supplement filed with the Commission in connection with the Offering.

 

A copy of the Underwriting Agreement is attached as Exhibit 1.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibit.

 

McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP, counsel to the Company, has issued a legal opinion with respect to the ordinary shares represented by the ADSs sold in the offering. A copy of the opinion, including the consent therein, is attached as Exhibit 5.1 hereto.

 

The information contained in this report (including the exhibits hereto) is hereby incorporated by reference into all effective registration statements filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

Exhibit No.

   
1.1   Underwriting Agreement between Akari Therapeutics, Inc. and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., as representative of the several underwriters, dated October 18, 2017
5.1   Opinion of McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP
23.1   Consent of McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1)

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

  Akari Therapeutics, Plc  
  (Registrant)  
       
  By: /s/ Robert M. Shaw  
 

Name:   

Robert M. Shaw  
  General Counsel & Secretary  

       

Date: October 19, 2017

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

Akari Therapeutics, PLC

 

(a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales)

 

3,480,000 American Depositary Shares,
Each Representing 100 Ordinary Shares
(nominal value £0.01 Per Ordinary Share)

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

October 18, 2017

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

as Representative of the several Underwriters

 

c/o Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

499 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Akari Therapeutics, PLC, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (“Cantor”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section  10 hereof), for which Cantor is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of ordinary shares, nominal value £0.01 per share, of the Company (“Ordinary Shares”) represented by American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) set forth in Schedule A hereto and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 522,000 additional ADSs. The aforesaid 3,480,000 ADSs (the “Initial ADSs”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the 522,000 ADSs subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option ADSs”) are herein called, collectively, the “Offered ADSs.” The Ordinary Shares represented by the Initial ADSs are hereinafter called the “Initial Shares” and the Ordinary Shares represented by the Option ADSs are hereinafter called the “Option Shares,” and the Initial Shares and the Option Shares are herein collectively called the “Shares.” The Offered ADSs and the Shares representing the Offered ADSs are herein collectively called the “Securities.”

 

The ADSs will be evidenced by American Depositary Receipts (the “ADRs”) to be issued pursuant to the Depositary Agreement, as amended, dated as of December 7, 2012, by and among the Company, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as depositary (the “Depositary”), and the holders from time to time of the ADRs evidencing the ADSs issued thereunder, as amended from time to time (the “Deposit Agreement”). Each ADS represents 100 Ordinary Shares deposited pursuant to the Deposit Agreement.

 

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Offered ADSs representing the Shares as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”) has been executed and delivered.

 

 

 

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form F-3 (No. 333-198107), including the related Preliminary Prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the sale of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A, 430B or 430C (collectively, “Rule 430”) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”) and Rule 424(b) (“Rule 424(b)”) of the 1933 Act Regulations. The information included or incorporated by reference in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430 is herein called the “Rule 430 Information.” Such registration statement, including the amendments thereto, the exhibits thereto and any schedules thereto at the time it became effective, and including the Rule 430 Information, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” and, after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430 Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.” The final prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Offered ADSs is herein called the “Prospectus.” The Company and the Depositary have prepared and filed with the Commission a registration statement relating to ADSs on Form F-6 (No. 333-185197) and a related prospectus for registration under the 1933 Act of ADSs, have filed such amendments thereto and such amended prospectuses as may have been required to the date hereof, and will file such additional amendments thereto and such amended prospectuses as may hereinafter be required. The registration statement on Form F-6 for registration of ADSs, as amended at the time it became effective (including by the filing of any post-effective amendments thereto), and the prospectus included therein, as then amended are hereinafter called the “ADS Registration Statement.” The Form F-6 was declared effective under the 1933 Act on December 7, 2012. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, 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 its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor system (“EDGAR”); all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 6 of Form F-3 under the 1933 Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.

 

As used in this Agreement:

 

“Applicable Time” means 8:30 A.M., New York City time, on October 18, 2017 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representative.

 

“General Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the most recent preliminary prospectus that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time (the “Preliminary Prospectus”) and the information included on Schedule B-1 hereto, all considered together.

 

 2 

 

“Governmental Authority” means (i) any federal, provincial, state, local, municipal, national or international government or governmental authority, regulatory or administrative agency, governmental commission, department, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, court, tribunal, arbitrator or arbitral body (public or private); (ii) any self-regulatory organization; or (iii) any political subdivision of any of the foregoing.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

 

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 (a “Bona Fide Electronic Road Show”)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule B-2 hereto.

 

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

 

SECTION 1.          Representations and Warranties.

 

(a)                Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

 

(i)                 Registration Statement and Prospectuses. Each of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or ADS Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. Each of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. The offering of the Offered ADSs may be made pursuant to General Instruction I.B.1 of Form F-3. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Offered ADSs and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. The Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and the ADS Registration Statement and the filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and the ADS Registration Statement with the Commission have been duly authorized by and on behalf of the Company, and each of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement has been duly executed pursuant to such authorization.

 

 3 

 

(ii)               Accurate Disclosure.   (A) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the 1934 Act and incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the 1934 Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; (B) each part of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement, when such part became effective, did not contain, and each such part, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; (C) each of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement as of the date hereof does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; (D) each of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, comply in all material respects with the 1933 Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; (E) the General Disclosure Package does not, and at the time of each sale of the Offered ADSs in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Time (as defined in Section 2), the General Disclosure Package, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (F) each road show, as defined in Rule 433(h) related to the offering of the Offered ADSs contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, if any, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (G) the Prospectus, as of its date, does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain, as of its date and as of the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery (as defined in Section 2), any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.  As of the time of each sale of the Securities in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, none of (A) the General Disclosure Package and (B) any free writing prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the ADS Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto, including any prospectus wrapper) made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information (as defined in Section 6(b).

 

(iii)             Company Not Ineligible Issuer. The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the 1933 Act.  Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.  Each free

 

 4 

 

writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will, as of the time of such filing, comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.  Except for the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B-2 hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

(iv)              Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the 1933 Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

 

(v)                Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

 

(vi)              Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, comply as to form in all material respects with Regulation S-X under the 1933 Act and present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (as defined below) at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations. The Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the 1934 Act, and Item 10 of Regulation S-K, to the extent applicable.

 

(vii)            Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company, and to the Company’s knowledge, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) currently applicable to it, and the Company is taking steps to ensure that it will be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that are, or will become, applicable to the Company after the date hereof (taking into account all exemptions and phase-in periods provided under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act and otherwise under applicable law).

 

 5 

 

(viii)          No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or its Subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, (C) there have been no material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (D) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its share capital.

 

(ix)              Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a public limited company under the laws of England and Wales (to the extent such concepts are applicable in England and Wales) and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required (to the extent such concepts are applicable in such jurisdictions), whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(x)                Good Standing of the Company’s Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company (collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing (if applicable in such jurisdiction) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing (if applicable in such jurisdiction) in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of share capital of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only Subsidiaries are the entities listed on Exhibit 21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2016 on file with the Commission.

 

(xi)              Capitalization. The issued and allotted share capital of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, (A) pursuant to this Agreement, (B) pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (C) pursuant to the conversion of convertible securities or exercise of options referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The issued and allotted share capital of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the issued and allotted share capital of the

 

 6 

 

Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. The holders of Ordinary Shares, as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are not entitled to preemptive rights, priority rights or other similar rights to acquire the Shares or the Offered ADSs that have not been waived with respect to the offering of the Offered ADSs in accordance with their terms and all applicable laws; there are no outstanding share or securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, or warrants, rights or options to purchase from the Company, or obligations of the Company to issue, Ordinary Shares or any other class of share capital of the Company, except in each case as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus. Subject to the payment of the purchase price for each Share, the Shares, will be validly issued, fully paid and may be freely deposited by the Company with the Depositary against issuance of ADRs evidencing Offered ADSs. The Offered ADSs, when issued and delivered against payment therefor, will be freely transferable by the Company to or for the account of the several Underwriters; and there are no restrictions on subsequent transfers of the Shares or the Offered ADSs under the laws of England and Wales or the United States except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(xii)            Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(xiii)          Authorization and Description of Securities. The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. The Ordinary Shares conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder.

 

(xiv)          Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the 1933 Act pursuant to this Agreement, other than those rights that have been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have been waived.

 

(xv)            Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is (A) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which either of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein

 

 7 

 

and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and deposit with the Depositary of the Shares represented by the Offered ADSs and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, by-laws or similar organizational document of the Company or its Subsidiaries or any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or its Subsidiaries.

 

(xvi)          Listing. The Company’s ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting the ADSs from the Nasdaq Capital Market, nor has the Company received any notification that the Nasdaq Capital Market is contemplating terminating such listing. 

 

(xvii)        Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its Subsidiary’s’ principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xviii)      Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity (including, without limitation, any action, suit proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), the European Commission or the European Medicines Agency (the “EMA”)) now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or its Subsidiaries, which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect their respective properties or assets or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any such Subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xix)          Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required.

 

 8 

 

(xx)            Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Offered ADSs or the issuance and deposit with the Depositary of the Shares hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, state securities laws or the rules of FINRA, or the UK Companies Act of 2006 and except when the lack thereof would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxi)          Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxii)        Title to Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by them and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or its Subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

 

(xxiii)      Title to Intellectual Property. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) the Company owns or has valid, binding and enforceable licenses or other rights under the patents, patent applications, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property necessary for, or used in the conduct, or the proposed conduct, of the business of the Company in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”); to the knowledge of the Company, the patents, trademarks, and copyrights, if any, included within the

 

 9 

 

Intellectual Property are valid, enforceable, and subsisting; other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) the Company is not obligated to pay a royalty, grant a license to, or provide other material consideration to any third party in connection with the Intellectual Property, (B) the Company has not received any notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any asserted rights of others with respect to any of the Company’s drug candidates, services, processes or Intellectual Property, (C) to the knowledge of the Company, neither the sale nor use of any of the discoveries, inventions, drug candidates, services or processes of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus do or will, to the knowledge of the Company, infringe, misappropriate or violate any right or valid patent claim of any third party, (D) none of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in material violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, upon any of its officers, directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons, (E) to the knowledge of the Company, no third party has any ownership right in or to any Intellectual Property that is owned by the Company, other than any co-owner of any patent constituting Intellectual Property who is listed on the records of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”) or the European Patent Office (the “EPO”) and any co-owner of any patent application constituting Intellectual Property who is named in such patent application, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no third party has any ownership right in or to any Intellectual Property in any field of use that is exclusively licensed to the Company, other than any licensor to the Company of such Intellectual Property, (F) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no material infringement by third parties of any Intellectual Property, (G) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property, and (H) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any Intellectual Property. The Company is in compliance with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company, and all such agreements are in full force and effect.

 

(xxiv)      Patents and Patent Applications. All patents and patent applications owned by or licensed to the Company or under which the Company has rights have, to the knowledge of the Company, been duly and properly filed and maintained; to the knowledge of the Company, the parties prosecuting such patent applications have complied with their duty of candor and disclosure to the USPTO and the EPO, as applicable, in connection with such applications; and the Company is not aware of any facts required to be disclosed to the USPTO or the EPO that were not disclosed to the USPTO or the EPO and which would preclude the grant of a patent in connection with any such application or would reasonably be expected to form the basis of a finding of invalidity with respect to any patents that have issued with respect to such applications. To the Company’s knowledge, all patents and patent applications owned by the Company and filed with the USPTO, the EPO or any other foreign or international patent authority (the “Company Patent Rights”) and all patents and patent applications in-licensed by the Company and filed with the USPTO, the EPO or any other foreign or international patent authority (the “In-licensed Patent Rights”) have been duly and properly filed; the Company believes it has complied with its duty of candor and disclosure to the USPTO and the EPO, as applicable, for the Company Patent Rights and, to the Company’s knowledge, the licensors of the In-licensed Patent Rights have complied with their duty of candor and disclosure to the USPTO and the EPO, as applicable, for the In-licensed Patent Rights.

 

(xxv)        FDA Compliance. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company: (A) is and at all times has been in material compliance

 

 10 

 

with all statutes, rules or regulations of the FDA, the EMA and other comparable Governmental Entities applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product under development, manufactured or distributed by the Company (“Applicable Laws”); (B) has not received any FDA Form 483, notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from the FDA or any Governmental Authority alleging or asserting material noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, exemptions, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company is not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from the FDA or any Governmental Authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in material violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that the FDA or any Governmental Authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (E) has not received notice that the FDA or any Governmental Authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any material Authorizations and has no knowledge that the FDA or any Governmental Authority is considering such action; and (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were materially complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission).

 

(xxvi)      Compliance with Health Care Laws. The Company has operated and currently is in compliance with all applicable health care laws, rules and regulations (except where such failure to operate or non-compliance would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), including, without limitation, (i) the Federal, Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq.); (ii) all applicable federal, state, local and all applicable foreign healthcare related fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the federal Anti-kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)), the U.S. Physician Payments Sunshine Act (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7h), the civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 et seq.), the criminal False Claims Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(a)), all criminal laws relating to healthcare fraud and abuse, including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287, the healthcare fraud criminal provisions under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), the exclusion laws (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7), and the civil monetary penalties law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a); (iii) HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.); (iv) the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws; and (v) any other similar local, state, federal, or foreign laws (collectively, the “Health Care Laws”). Neither the Company, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors, employees or agents have engaged in activities which are, as applicable, cause for false claims liability, civil penalties, or mandatory or permissive exclusion from Medicare, Medicaid, or any other state or federal healthcare program. The Company has not received written notice or other correspondence of any claim, action, suit, audit, survey, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action (“Action”) from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Health Care Laws, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action is threatened. The Company is not a party to and does not have any ongoing reporting

 

 11 

 

obligations pursuant to any corporate integrity agreement, deferred prosecution agreement, monitoring agreement, consent decree, settlement order, plan of correction or similar agreement imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority. Additionally, neither the Company, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its employees, officers or directors, has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S. state or federal health care program or human clinical research or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.

 

(xxvii)    Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company threatened, administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any Subsidiary and (D) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Company or any Subsidiary relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

 

(xxviii)  Accounting Controls. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13-a15 and 15d-15 under the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”)) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

(xxix)      Tests and Preclinical and Clinical Trials. The studies, tests and preclinical and clinical trials conducted by or, to the Company’s knowledge, on behalf of the Company were and,

 

 12 

 

if still ongoing, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to accepted professional scientific standards and all Authorizations and Applicable Laws, including, without limitation, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, “FFDCA”) and the rules and regulations of the EMA; the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and trials contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are, to the Company’s knowledge, accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such studies, tests and trials; except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any studies, tests or trials, the results of which the Company believes reasonably call into question the study, test, or trial results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus when viewed in the context in which such results are described and the clinical state of development; and, except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company has not received any notices or correspondence from the FDA or any Governmental Entity requiring the termination or suspension of any studies, tests or preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company, other than ordinary course communications with respect to modifications in connection with the design and implementation of such trials, copies of which communications have been made available to you.

 

(xxx)        Payment of Taxes. All income tax returns of the Company and its Subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments that are (A) being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which the Company has set aside on its books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP or (B) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The United States federal income tax returns of the Company through the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 have been settled and no assessment in connection therewith has been made against the Company. The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its Subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are, in conformity with GAAP, adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxxi)      Insurance. The Company and its Subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or its Subsidiaries will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither of the Company nor its Subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

 

(xxxii)    Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities and the deposit of the Shares with the Depositary as herein

 

 13 

 

contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

 

(xxxiii)  Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act; provided that no representation is made in this subsection with respect to actions of the Underwriters.

 

(xxxiv)   Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. (i) Neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, or, to the Company's knowledge, any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, nor, to the Company's knowledge, any agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary 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 applicable 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 applicable law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus; (ii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any Subsidiary or any affiliate of any of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers and stockholders of the Company or any Subsidiary, on the other hand, that is required by the 1933 Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any Subsidiary or any affiliate of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, or stockholders of the Company or any Subsidiary, on the other hand, that is required by the rules of FINRA to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iv) except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material outstanding loans or advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or any Subsidiary to or for the benefit of any of their respective officers or directors or any of the members of the families of any of them; and (v) the Company has not offered, or caused any placement agent to offer, Common Stock 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, (vi) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor any director, officer or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary has (A) violated or is in violation of any applicable provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law (collectively, “Anti-Corruption Laws”), (B) promised, offered, provided, attempted to provide or authorized the provision of anything of value, directly or indirectly, to any person for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business, influencing any act or decision of the recipient or securing any improper advantage, or (C) made any payment of funds of the Company or any Subsidiary or received or retained any funds in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws.

 

(xxxv)     Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of

 

 14 

 

1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable 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 Authority (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Authority 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.

 

(xxxvi)   Sanctions. (i) The Company represents that, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Entity”) or any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Entity, is a government, individual, or entity (in this Section 1(xxxvi), “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 United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authorities, including, without limitation, designation on OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List or OFAC’s Foreign Sanctions Evaders List (as amended, collectively, “Sanctions”), nor

 

(B)  located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and the Crimea Region of the Ukraine) (the “Sanctioned Countries”).

 

(ii)  The Entity represents and covenants that it will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

 

(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 is a Sanctioned Country; 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)  The Entity represents and covenants that, except as detailed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, for the past 5 years, it has not engaged in, is not now engaging in, and will not engage 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 or is or was a Sanctioned Country.

 

(xxxvii) Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any banking or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.

 

(xxxviii)  Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure

 

 15 

 

Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

 

(xxxix)   Maintenance of Rating. The Company has no debt securities or preferred stock that is rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act).

 

(xl)              No Broker Fees. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the offering of the Securities contemplated hereby.

 

(xli)            Foreign Private Issuer. The Company is a “foreign private issuer” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the 1933 Act

 

(xlii)          XBRL. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

(xliii)        Deposit Agreement. The Deposit Agreement was duly authorized and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforceability, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; upon issuance by the Depositary of ADRs evidencing ADSs and the deposit of Ordinary Shares in respect thereof in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement, such ADSs will be duly and validly issued and the persons in whose names the ADSs are registered will be entitled to the rights specified therein and in the Deposit Agreement; and the Deposit Agreement and the ADRs and ADSs conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(xliv)        Preliminary Prospectuses. Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(xlv)          Unregistered Sales.    Except as described in the General Disclosure Package, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any Ordinary Shares during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the 1933 Act, other than Ordinary Shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, share option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

 

(xlvi)        Disclosure Controls and Procedures. To the extent required under applicable rules, the Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the 1934 Act), that comply with the requirements of the 1934 Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer in

 

 16 

 

accordance with any such applicable requirements; and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in all material respects.

 

(xlvii)      Passive Foreign Investment Company Status. Based on the Company’s current and projected income, assets and activities, the Company does not expect to be a passive foreign investment company within the meaning of Section 1297 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes for its current taxable year or in the foreseeable future. If an investor provides reasonable notice to the Company that it has determined to make a “Qualified Electing Fund” election pursuant to Section 1295 of the Code, the Company shall promptly, and in any event no later than the date that is 75 days after the end of the taxable year of the Company, provide annual financial information to such investor in the “PFIC Annual Information Statement” (within the meaning of Treasury Regulations section 1.1295-1(g)) and shall provide the investor with access to such other Company information as may be reasonably required for purposes of filing United States federal income tax returns in connection with such Qualified Electing Fund election.”

 

(b)                Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or its Subsidiaries delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

 

SECTION 2.          Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

 

(a)                Initial ADSs. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per ADS set forth in Schedule A, that number of Initial ADSs opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial ADSs representing Initial Ordinary Shares which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional ADSs.

 

(b)                Option ADSs. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 522,000 Option ADSs, at the price per ADS set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option ADSs. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option ADSs as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option ADSs. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representative, but any Date of Delivery after the Closing Time shall not be later than seven full business days nor earlier than two full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option ADSs, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option ADSs then being purchased which the number of Initial ADSs set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial ADSs, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

 

(c)                Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of the Initial ADSs shall be made at the offices of Cooley LLP,1114 Avenue of the Americas, 46th Floor, New York, NY 10036, or at

 

 17 

 

such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the second (third, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”). Delivery of the Initial ADSs at the Closing Time shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.

 

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option ADSs are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates or electronic records for, such Option ADSs shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representative to the Company. Delivery of the Option ADSs on each such Date of Delivery shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.

 

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for their accounts, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial ADSs and the Option ADSs, if any, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial ADSs and the Option ADSs, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Cantor, individually and not as a representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial ADSs or the Option ADSs, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

 

(d) Registration. The ADRs evidencing the Initial ADSs and the Option ADSs, if any, shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representative may request not less than one full business day prior to the Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be.

 

SECTION 3.          Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a)                Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below) will notify the Representative as soon as practicable, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or ADS Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period

 

 18 

 

required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof promptly.

 

(b)                Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Offered ADSs as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered ADSs is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Offered ADSs (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement or ADS Registration Statement will not include 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, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or ADS Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

 

(c)                Delivery of Registration Statements. To the extent not available on EDGAR, the Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, each as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement, each as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(d)                Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the

 

 19 

 

Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Offered ADSs is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented), or documents incorporated by reference therein, as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto or documents incorporated by reference therein furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(e)                Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Offered ADSs for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may reasonably designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Offered ADSs; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(f)                 Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earning statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

 

(g)                Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in all material respects in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds.”

 

(h)                Listing. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the ADSs (including the Securities) on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

(i)                 Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any ADSs or Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for ADSs or Ordinary Shares or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing, (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the ADSs or Ordinary Shares, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of ADSs or Ordinary Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (iii) publicly announce an intention to effect any such swap, agreement or other transaction described in clauses (i) and (ii). The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder; (B) any Ordinary Shares or ADSs issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a convertible security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (C) any Ordinary Shares or ADSs issued or options to purchase Ordinary Shares granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided that the Company shall cause each newly appointed director or executive officer that is a recipient of such Ordinary Shares, ADSs or options during the Lock-up Period to execute and deliver to you a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto for the remainder of the Lock-Up Period; (D) any Ordinary Shares or ADSs issued pursuant to any existing non-employee director share

 

 20 

 

plan or dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; or (E) the filing by the Company of any registration statement on Form S-8 or a successor form thereto.

 

(j)                 Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Offered ADSs is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations.

 

(k)                Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not make any offer relating to the Offered ADSs that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representative. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representative as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

(l)                 Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company will promptly notify the Representative if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Offered ADSs within the meaning of the 1933 Act and (ii) completion of the 90-day restricted period referred to in Section 3(i).

 

(m)              Depositary. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a Depositary for the ADSs.

 

(n)                Deposit of Shares. Prior to or on the Closing Time, the Company agrees to deposit or cause to be deposited Shares with the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement and will otherwise comply with the Deposit Agreement so that ADRs evidencing the Offered ADSs will be executed (and if applicable countersigned) and issued by the Depositary against receipt of such Shares and delivered to the Representative at such Closing Time.

 

(o)                Filings with Companies House. The Company will make the appropriate filings with Companies House in England and Wales in relation to the issue and allotment of the Ordinary Shares being purchased by the Underwriters in the form of ADSs pursuant to this Agreement.

 

SECTION 4.          Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)                Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of

 

 21 

 

the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates, if any, for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any share or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Offered ADSs (and, if necessary, the underlying Shares) under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of a “Blue Sky Survey” and any supplement thereto, (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent, registrar and/or depositary for the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Offered ADSs, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged by the Company in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the Representative and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq Capital Market, and (x) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the first sentence of Section 1(a)(ii). Except as provided in this Section 4, Section 6 and Section 7, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses; provided that, the Company will reimburse the Representative for its accountable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $50,000.

 

(b)                Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9(i), 9(vi) or 9(v) or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Offered ADSs is not consummated at the Closing Time because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their reasonably documented out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

 

SECTION 5.          Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or its Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

 

(a)                Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430 Information. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, and the ADS Registration Statement have become effective and, at the Closing Time and any applicable Date of Delivery, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information to the reasonable

 

 22 

 

satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing the Rule 430 Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430.

 

(b)                Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received (i) the opinion, and negative assurance letter, each dated the Closing Time, of McDermott Will & Emery LLP, U.S. counsel for the Company, (ii) the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP, English counsel for the Company, and (iii) the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Carpmaels & Ransford LLP special counsel for the Company with respect to intellectual property matters, each in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(c)                Opinion of Counsel for Depositary. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Ziegler, Ziegler & Associates LLP, counsel for the Depositary, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.

 

(d)                Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, and negative assurance letter, each dated the Closing Time, of Cooley LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters with respect to such matters as the Representative may reasonably request. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and its Subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

 

(e)                Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the principal executive officer of the Company and of the principal financial officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

 

(f)                 Depositary’s Certificate. The Depositary shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Underwriters a certificate satisfactory to the Representative of one of its authorized officers with respect to the deposit with it of the Shares, the issuance of the ADRs evidencing the Shares delivered in the form of the Offered ADSs, the execution, issuance, countersignature and delivery of the ADRs evidencing the Shares delivered in the form of the Offered ADSs pursuant to the Deposit Agreement and such other customary matters related thereto as the Representative may reasonably request.

 

(g)                Accountant’s Comfort Letters. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from each of BDO USA, LLP and BDO AG a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily

 

 23 

 

included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(h)                Bring-down Comfort Letters. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from each of BDO USA, LLP and BDO AG a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

 

(i)              Effective Deposit Agreement. The Company and the Depositary shall have executed and delivered the Deposit Agreement and the Deposit Agreement shall be in full force and effect.

 

(j)              Chief Financial Officer Certificate. At the time of execution of this Agreement and at Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from the chief financial officer of the Company a certificate, dated the Closing Time, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(k)             No Objection. FINRA has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Securities.

 

(l)              Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto signed by all of the Company’s directors, officers and the shareholder affiliated with the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

 

(m)              Conditions to Purchase of Option ADSs. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option ADSs, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company and its Subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representative shall have received:

 

(i)       Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the principal executive officer of the Company and of the principal financial officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

 

(ii)       Opinion of Counsel for Company. If requested by the Representative, (i) the opinion, and negative assurance letter, of McDermott, Will & Emery LLP, U.S. counsel for the Company, (ii) the opinion of McDermott, Will & Emery UK LLP, English counsel for the Company, and (iii) the opinion of Carpmaels & Ransford LLP, special counsel for the Company with respect to intellectual property matters, each in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option ADSs to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinions and negative assurance letter required by Section 5(b) hereof.

 

(iii)       Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. If requested by the Representative, the opinion, and negative assurance letter, of Cooley LLP. counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option ADSs to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion and negative assurance letter required by Section 5(d) hereof.

 

 24 

 

(iv)       Opinion of Counsel for Depositary. If requested by the Representative, the opinion of Ziegler, Ziegler & Associates LLP, counsel for the Depositary, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option ADSs to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion and negative assurance letter required by Section 5(c) hereof.

 

(v)        Bring-down Comfort Letters. If requested by the Representative, a letter from each of BDO USA, LLP and BDO AG, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representative pursuant to subsection (h) of this Section, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

 

(vi)       Depositary’s Certificate. If requested by the Representative, a certificate from the Depositary in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the certificate furnished to the Representative pursuant to Section 5(f).

 

(n)                Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities and the deposit of the Shares with the Depositary as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(o)                Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option ADSs on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option ADSs, may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 6.          Indemnification.

 

(a)                Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and their respective partners, members, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls each Underwriter or any affiliate within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 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 the Preliminary Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, each road show as defined in Rule 433(h) made to investors by the Company in connection with the Offered ADSs, any Isser Free Writing Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the Prospectus, or the omission or

 

 25 

 

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;

 

(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 Authority, 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 6(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 fees and disbursements of counsel), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Authority, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission (whether or not a party), 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 the Underwriter Information (as defined below)

 

(b)                Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and its directors, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 6(a), as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, each road show as defined in Rule 433(h) made to investors by the Company in connection with the Offered ADSs, any free writing prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Underwriter and furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter or Underwriters expressly for use therein. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriter or Underwriters has furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, each road show as defined in Rule 433(h), any free writing prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth in the sixth paragraph, the first sentence of the thirteenth paragraph, and the first sentence of the eighteenth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus (the “Underwriter Information”).

 

(c)                Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 6 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 6, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission so to 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 6 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provision of this Section 6 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

 

 26 

 

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 other legal expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable 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 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 or counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, in each case, within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action; in each of which cases the reasonable 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 fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction (plus local counsel) at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly after the indemnifying party receives a written notice relating to fees, disbursement 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 6 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (1) includes an express and unconditional release of each indemnified party, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such 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.

 

(d)                Settlement Without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for which it is entitled to reimbursement under this Section 6, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (1) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (2) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (3) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

 

SECTION 7.          Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of Section 6 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable or insufficient from the Company or the Underwriters, the Company and the Underwriters 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) to which the Company and the Underwriters may be subject in such

 

 27 

 

proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of the Offered Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by the Underwriters (before deducting expenses) from the sale of Offered 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 the Underwriters, 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 the Underwriters, 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 the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 7 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 7 shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 7, 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 6(c) above. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of Section 6, the Underwriters shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions actually received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 7, any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the 1933 Act, any affiliates of the respective Underwriters and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of the Underwriters or their respective affiliates, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each director of the Company and each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement 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 7, 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 7 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 6(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 6(c) above.

 

SECTION 8.          Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or its Subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

 

SECTION 9.          Termination of Agreement. Prior to the purchase of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters on the First Closing Date, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice given to the Company if at any time: (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities

 

 28 

 

shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the NASDAQ, (ii) trading in securities generally on either the NASDAQ or the NYSE shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges; (iii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal, New York, English authorities; (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Representative is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Offered Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (v) in the judgment of the Representative there shall have occurred any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the business, properties, earnings, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, which is material and adverse and makes it impractical and inadvisable to purchase the Stock; or (vi) the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity of such character as in the judgment of the Representative may interfere materially with the conduct of the business and operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such loss shall have been insured. Any termination pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representative and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 4 hereof or (b) any Underwriter to the Company; provided, however, that the provisions of Section 6 and Section 7 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

 

SECTION 10.      Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representative shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

 

(i)                 if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

 

(ii)               if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Option ADSs to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

 

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

 

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option ADSs, as the case may be, either the (i) Representative or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect

 

 29 

 

any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

 

SECTION 11.      Notices. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:

 

(a)      if to the Representative, on behalf of the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex, facsimile transmission or email to Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., 499 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022 (fax no.: (212) 829-4708); Attention: General Counsel, with a copy to Cooley LLP, 1114 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, Attention: Daniel I. Goldberg, Fax: (212) 479-6275; and

 

(b)      if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail or email to c/o Akari Therapeutics, PLC, 24 West 40th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10018, Attention: Robert Shaw, Esq., email robert.shaw@akaritx.com, with a copy (that shall not constitute notice) to Gary Emmanuel, c/o McDermott Will & Emery LLP, 340 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10173, Fax: (646) 439-9239, email: gemmanuel@mwe.com.

 

provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 9 shall be delivered or sent by mail, or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its acceptance telex to the Underwriter, which address will be supplied to any other party hereto by the Underwriters upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof..

 

SECTION 12.      No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Offered ADSs and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Offered ADSs and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, its Subsidiaries or their respective shareholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Offered ADSs and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

SECTION 13.      Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person,

 

 30 

 

firm or corporation. No purchaser of Offered ADSs from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

 

SECTION 14.      Waiver of Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its shareholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters 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.

 

SECTION 15.      GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

 

SECTION 16.      Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company irrevocably appoints Vcorp Services, LLC as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and County of New York. With respect to any Related Proceeding, each party irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all immunity (whether on the basis of sovereignty or otherwise) from jurisdiction, service of process, attachment (both before and after judgment) and execution to which it might otherwise be entitled in the Specified Courts, and with respect to any Related Judgment, each party waives any such immunity in the Specified Courts or any other court of competent jurisdiction, and will not raise or claim or cause to be pleaded any such immunity at or in respect of any such Related Proceeding or Related Judgment, including, without limitation, any immunity pursuant to the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, as amended.

 

SECTION 17.      Judgment Currency. The obligations of the Company pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any sum due to any Underwriter shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first business day, following receipt by such Underwriter of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency, on which (and only to the extent that) such Underwriter may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency; if the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to such Underwriter hereunder, the Company agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Underwriter against such loss.

 

SECTION 18.      TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

 

     

 

 31 

 

SECTION 19.      Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

SECTION 20.      Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same agreement.

 

SECTION 21.      Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

SECTION 22.      Entire Agreement. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof. For the avoidance of doubt, this Agreement shall not supersede that certain letter agreement entered into between the Company and the Representative, dated October 2, 2017 (the “Letter Agreement”) other than with respect to Sections 2, 8 and 10.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

 32 

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

      Very truly yours,
       
      AKARI THERAPEUTICS, PLC
       
       
      By:  /s/ David Horn Solomon
        Name: David Horn Solomon
Title: CEO
         
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED      
  As of the date first above written:      
         
         
CANTOR FITZGERALD & CO.      
         
         
By: /s/ Sage Kelly      
  Name: Sage Kelly      
  Title: Head of Investment Banking      

 

For themselves and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT]

 

SCHEDULE A

 

The public offering price per ADS shall be $5.00.

 

The purchase price per ADS to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $4.675, being an amount equal to the public offering price set forth above less $0.325 per ADS, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(b) for dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial ADSs but not payable on the Option ADSs.

 

Name of Underwriter   Number of
Initial ADSs
     
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.   1,914,000
William Blair & Company, L.L.C.   870,000
Canaccord Genuity Inc.   696,000
Total   3,480,000

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE B-1

 

Pricing Terms

 

1.       The Company is selling 3,480,000 Initial ADSs (to be delivered in the form of Initial ADSs).

 

2.       The Company has granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 522,000 Option ADSs (to be delivered in the form of Option ADSs).

 

3.       The public offering price per Share (to be delivered in the form of Offered ADSs) shall be $5.00.

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE B-2

 

Free Writing Prospectuses

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A

 

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

, 2017

 

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

as Representative of the several Underwriters

 

c/oCantor Fitzgerald & Co.

499 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

 

Re:Proposed Public Offering by Akari Therapeutics, PLC

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned, a shareholder, officer and/or director of Akari Therapeutics, PLC, a company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “Company”), understands that Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (“Cantor”) proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) of the Company’s ordinary shares, par value  £0.01 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”) represented by American Depositary Shares (the “ADSs”). In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a shareholder, an officer and/or a director of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Underwriting Agreement (collectively, the “Underwriters”) that, during the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the date that is ninety (90) days from the date of the Underwriting Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Cantor, on behalf of the Underwriters, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Ordinary Shares, which includes ADSs, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”), or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any of the Lock-Up Securities, or file or cause to be filed any registration statement in connection therewith, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Ordinary Shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise.

 

The foregoing paragraph shall not apply to: (a) transfers of the Lock-Up Securities as a bona fide gift or gifts, (b) transfers to any trust, corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, (c) transfers by testate succession or intestate succession, (d) transfers to any immediate family member or any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned, (e) transfers to the Company in connection with, and to the extent necessary to fund, the payment of taxes due with respect to the vesting of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance stock units, equity appreciation rights or similar rights to purchase ADSs or Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for ADSs or Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans provided that if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), related thereto during the Lock-Up Period, such report shall include a statement to

 

 

 

the effect that the filing relates to the satisfaction of tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting of such equity awards, (f) transfers of the Lock-Up Securities by operation of law or pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency, or (g) transfers pursuant to a domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree, or separation agreement; provided, however, that it shall be a condition to any transfer pursuant to clauses (a) through (d) that (i) the transferee/donee agrees to be bound by the terms of this letter (including, without limitation, the restrictions set forth in the preceding sentence) to the same extent as if the transferee/donee were a party hereto, and (ii) if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Exchange Act, the undersigned shall include statement in such report to the effect that the filing relates to the sale, transfer, distribution, bona fide gift or other disposition of ADSs or Ordinary Shares, as applicable, or any security convertible into ADSs or Ordinary Shares to one or more affiliates, subsidiaries, trusts, partners (if a partnership), beneficiaries, members (if a limited liability company) or stockholders of the undersigned or to any investment fund or other entity controlled by or under common control with the undersigned or to an immediate family member or entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or any immediate family member, as applicable, or by testate or intestate succession, or to a nominee or custodian; provided further in the case of a transfer pursuant to (f) and (g) if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Exchange Act related thereto during the Lock-Up Period, such report shall disclose that such transfer was pursuant to operation of law, an order of a court or regulatory agency or domestic order. For purposes of this letter, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.

 

Furthermore, no provision in this letter shall be deemed to restrict or prohibit: (1) the transfer of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities to the Company in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s services to the Company, provided that any filing under Section 16 of the Exchange Act made in connection with such transfer shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that the filing relates to the circumstances described in this clause (1); (2) the exercise or exchange by the undersigned of any option or warrant to acquire any Ordinary Shares or ADS or options to purchase Ordinary Shares or ADSs, in each case for cash or on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis, pursuant to any option, bonus or other plan or arrangement; provided, however, that the underlying Ordinary Shares or ADSs shall continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this letter and that any filing under Section 16 of the Exchange Act made in connection with such exercise or exchange shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that (a) the filing relates to the circumstances described in this clause (2) and (b) no shares were sold by the reporting person; (3) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities upon the completion of a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of the Company’s securities involving a change of control of the Company; provided, however, that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, such securities held by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this letter; and (4) the conversion of outstanding preferred shares of the Company into Ordinary Shares, or Ordinary Shares into ADSs, provided that any such Ordinary Shares received upon such conversion shall be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this letter.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing herein shall prevent the undersigned from establishing a 10b5-1 trading plan that complies with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (“10b5-1 Trading Plan”) or from amending an existing 10b5-1 Trading Plan so long as there are no sales of Lock-Up Securities under any such 10b5-1 Trading Plan during the Lock-Up Period; and provided that, the establishment of a 10b5-1 Trading Plan or the amendment of a 10b5-1 Trading Plan shall only be permitted if (i) the establishment or amendment of such plan is not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Securities Exchange Commission, or otherwise and (ii) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding the establishment or amendment of such plan.

 

-2-

 

The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions. This lock-up agreement shall automatically terminate, and the undersigned shall be released from the undersigned’s obligations hereunder, upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (i) prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company advises Cantor in writing that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering or Cantor advises the Company in writing that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, (ii) the Underwriting Agreement is executed but shall terminate or is terminated prior to the closing of the Public Offering (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination), or (iii) October 30, 2017, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by such date.

 

This agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

 

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

 

 

-3-

 

 

Very truly yours,
   
   
 
Name of Security Holder (Print exact name)
   
   
By:           
  Signature
   
   
If not signing in an individual capacity:
   
   
 
Name of Authorized Signatory (Print)
   
   
 
Title of Authorized Signatory (Print)
   
(indicate capacity of person signing if signing as custodian, trustee, or on behalf of an entity)

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

Boston Brussels Chicago Düsseldorf Houston London Los Angeles Miami Milan

Munich New York Orange County Paris Rome Silicon Valley Washington, D.C.

 

Strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices (Shanghai)

 

 

Akari Therapeutics plc

42-50 Hersham Road

Walton-On-Thames

Surrey

United Kingdom

KT12 1RZ

 

19 October 2017

Dear Sirs

 

Akari Therapeutics PLC – Registration Statement on Form F-1 Exhibit 5.1

 

1.Background

 

1.1We have acted for Akari Therapeutics, PLC, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the “Company”), as its legal advisers in England in connection with the offering (the “Offering”) by the Company of 348,000,000 new ordinary shares of £0.01 each in the Company (the “New Shares”). The New Shares are to be offered in the form of 3,480,000 American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”). Each ADS represents 100 ordinary shares of the Company. The underwriters to the Offering have the right to purchase up to an additional 522,000 ADSs, representing 52,200,000 new ordinary shares of £0.01 each in the capital of the Company (the “Further Shares”).

 

1.2This opinion is being furnished in connection with the Registration Statement on Form F-3 (No. 333-198107) (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Rules”), the prospectus dated 20 August 2014 (the “Base Prospectus”), which forms a part of and is included in the Registration Statement, and the prospectus supplement dated 18 October 2017 to be filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules (the “Prospectus Supplement”).

 

1.3In rendering this opinion, we have examined and relied upon originals or copies of such corporate records, agreements, documents and instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purposes of this opinion, including (i) the certificate of incorporation (and change of names) and the articles of association of the Company, (ii) the Prospectus Supplement, (iii) the underwriting agreement dated 18 October 2017 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) and (vi) a certificate of an officer of the Company (“Secretary's Certificate”), the authorisations of the shareholders (“Shareholder Resolutions”) and the actions of the board of directors (and any committees hereof) (“Authorising Resolutions” together with the Shareholder Resolutions being the “Corporate Approvals”).

 

 

 

 

1.4On 19 October 2017 we carried out a search on Companies House Direct, an on-line service provided by Companies House (the “Company Search”), and on 19 October 2017 at 10.27 am (BST) we made a telephone query search of the Central Registry of Winding-Up Petitions at the Companies Court with respect to the Company (the “Winding Up Enquiry” and together with the Company Search being the “Searches”)

 

1.5Those documents and searches set out in paragraphs 1.3 and 1.4 are the only documents or records we have examined and the only searches and enquiries we have carried out for the purposes of this opinion. We have made no further enquiries concerning the Company or any other matter in connection with the giving of this opinion.

 

2.Assumptions

 

2.1We have not been responsible for investigating or verifying the accuracy of any facts or the reasonableness of any statement of opinion or intention contained in or relevant to any document.

 

2.2This opinion applies as at the date of this letter. We expressly disclaim any obligation to update this opinion for changes in law or events occurring after that date.

 

2.3In giving this opinion we have assumed:

 

2.3.1the genuineness of all signatures, seals and stamps;

 

2.3.2that each of the individuals who signs as, or otherwise claims to be, an officer of the Company is the individual whom he or she claims to be and holds the office he or she claims to hold;

 

2.3.3the authenticity and completeness of all documents submitted to us as originals;

 

2.3.4the conformity with the original documents of all documents reviewed by us as drafts, specimens, pro formas or copies and the authenticity and completeness of all such original documents;

 

2.3.5any documents examined by us which are governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than England and Wales are legal, valid and binding under the laws by which they are (and are expressed to be) governed;

 

2.3.6that each of the statements contained in the Secretary's Certificate is true and correct as at the date hereof;

 

2.3.7that the Authorising Resolutions were duly passed at a meeting of the directors duly convened and held and throughout which a valid quorum of directors entitled to vote on the resolutions were present, and are a true record of the proceedings of the relevant meeting and that each resolution recorded in those documents has not been and will not be amended or rescinded and remains in full force and effect;

 

 

 

 

2.3.8that the Shareholders' Resolutions were duly passed at a meeting of the shareholders duly convened and held and throughout which a valid quorum of shareholders entitled to vote on the resolutions were present, and are a true record of the proceedings of the relevant meeting and that each resolution recorded in those documents has not been and will not be amended or rescinded and remains in full force and effect;

 

2.3.9the directors of the Company have exercised, or will exercise their powers in accordance with their duties under all applicable laws and the Articles in respect of the performance of the Underwriting Agreement and any actions contemplated by the Corporate Authorisations;

 

2.3.10that no agreement, document or obligation to or by which the Company (or its assets) is a party or bound and no injunction or other court order against or affecting the Company would be breached or infringed by the matters contemplated by the performance of the actions to be carried out pursuant to, or any other aspect of the transactions contemplated by, the Corporate Approvals;

 

2.3.11that the information disclosed by the Searches is true, accurate, complete and up-to-date and that there is no information which, for any reason, should have been disclosed by those Searches but was not so disclosed;

 

2.3.12that, other than the filing of the return of the allotment to the Registrar of Companies in accordance with Section 555 of the Companies Act 2006 and the registration of the allottee(s) in the Register of Members of the Company (the “Formalities”), all consents, approvals, authorisations, notices, filings, recordations, publications and registrations, and the payment of any stamp duties or documentary taxes, that are necessary under any applicable laws or regulations in order to permit the performance of the actions to be carried out pursuant to the Corporate Approvals have been or will be duly made or obtained and are, or will be, in full force and effect;

 

2.3.13that there are no provisions of the laws of any jurisdiction outside England and Wales that would have any implication for the opinions we express and that, insofar as the laws of any jurisdiction outside England and Wales may be relevant to this opinion letter, such laws have been and will be complied with;

 

2.3.14that on each date on which any New Shares or Further Shares are allotted and issued (each an “Allotment Date”) the Company will have complied with its Articles and all applicable laws relevant to the allotment and issue of those New Shares or Further Shares;

 

2.3.15that as at each Allotment Date the documents examined, and the results of the searches and enquiries made, as set out in paragraph 1 would not be rendered untrue, inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date by reference to subsequent facts, matters, circumstances or events; and

 

 

 

 

2.3.16that there will be no fact or matter (such as bad faith, coercion, duress, undue influence or a mistake or misrepresentation before or at the time any agreement or instrument is entered into, a subsequent breach, release, waiver or variation of any right or provision, an entitlement to rectification or circumstances giving rise to an estoppel) which might affect the allotment and issue of any New Shares or Further Shares and no additional document between any relevant parties which would or might affect this opinion and which was not revealed to us by the documents examined or the searches and enquiries made by us in connection with the giving of this opinion.

 

2.4In relation to paragraph 2.3.12, it should be noted that this information may not be true, accurate, complete or up-to-date. In particular, but without limitation:

 

2.4.1there may be matters which should have been registered but which have not been registered or there may be a delay between the registration of those matters and the relevant entries appearing on the register of the relevant party;

 

2.4.2there is no requirement to register with the Registrar of Companies notice of a petition for the winding-up of, or application for an administration order in respect of, a company. Such a notice or notice of a winding-up or administration order having been made, a resolution having been passed for the winding-up of a company or a receiver, manager, administrative receiver, administrator or liquidator having been appointed may not be filed with the Registrar of Companies immediately and there may be a delay in any notice appearing on the register of the relevant party;

 

2.4.3the results of the Telephone Search relate only to petitions for the compulsory winding up of, or applications for an administration order in respect of, the Company presented prior to the enquiry and entered on the records of the Central Index of Winding Up Petitions. The presentation of such a petition, or the making of such an application, may not have been notified to the Central Index or entered on its records immediately or, if presented to a County Court or Chancery District Registry, at all; and

 

2.4.4in each case, further information might have become available on the relevant register after the Searches were made.

 

3.Opinion

 

3.1On the basis of the examination and enquiries referred to in paragraph 1 (Background) and the assumptions made in paragraph 2 (Assumptions), we are of the opinion that the New Shares and the Further Shares will, when the names of the holders of such New Shares and Further Shares respectively are entered into the register of members of the Company and subject to the receipt by the Company of the aggregate issue price in respect of all the New Shares and the Further Shares respectively in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement and the Prospectus Supplement and completion of the Formalities, be validly issued, fully paid and no further amount may be called thereon.

 

 

 

 

3.2This opinion is strictly limited to the matters expressly stated in this paragraph 4 and is not to be construed as extending by implication to any other matter.

 

4.Law

 

4.1This opinion and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with this opinion shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, English law.

 

4.2This opinion relates only to English law as applied by the English courts as at today’s date, including the laws of the European Union to the extent having the force of law in England.

 

4.3We do not undertake or accept any obligation to update this opinion to reflect subsequent changes in English law or factual matters.

 

4.4We express no opinion as to, and we have not investigated for the purposes of this opinion, the laws of any jurisdiction other than England. It is assumed that no foreign law which may apply to the matters contemplated by the Prospectus Supplement, Offering, the Company, any document or any other matter contemplated by any document would or might affect this opinion.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Prospectus Supplement. In giving such consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules.

 

Yours faithfully

 

/s/ McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP

 

McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP