UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 1, 2024
Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware | 001-38529 | 46-3137900 | ||
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
44 W. Gay St., Suite 400 West Chester, PA |
19380 | |||
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (484) 453-3300
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:
Title of each class |
Trading symbol |
Name of each exchange on which registered |
||
Common Stock | VRCA | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 2.02 | Results of Operations and Financial Condition. |
On November 4, 2024, Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the “Company) issued a press release announcing its financial results for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2024. This press release has been furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
In accordance with General Instruction B.2. of Form 8-K, the information in this Item 2.02, and Exhibit 99.1 hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any of the Company’s filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any incorporation language in such a filing, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
Resignation of Ted White as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
On November 1, 2024, Ted White notified the Company that he will resign from his positions as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) effective as of November 5, 2024 (the “Effective Date”) (such resignation, the “White Resignation”).
In connection with the White Resignation, on November 4, 2024, the Company entered into a Release Agreement (the “Release Agreement”) with Mr. White effective as of the Effective Date, which contains (i) a release of claims against the Company and (ii) the following separation benefits: (a) payment of his current base salary in accordance with normal payroll procedures for 12 months and (b) if elected, payment of continued health coverage for Mr. White and his dependents under COBRA for up to 12 months.
The description of the Release Agreement provided herein is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Release Agreement which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
Appointment of Dr. Jayson Rieger as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
On November 1, 2024, the Board appointed Dr. Jayson Rieger as the Company’s President, Chief Executive Officer, and as member of the Board and designated him as the Company’s principal executive officer, each effective as of the Effective Date. Dr. Rieger will serve in the class of directors whose term will expire at the Company 2027 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
There is no arrangement or understanding between Dr. Rieger and any other person pursuant to which he was selected as an officer or director of the Company. Other than as set forth below, there are no related party transactions between Dr. Rieger and the Company that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. During 2023, Pareto Partners, LLC, of which Dr. Rieger is the sole managing member, provided business consulting services to the Company. The Company paid Pareto Partners, LLC $150,000 during 2023 for such services. There is no family relationship between Dr. Rieger and any of the Company’s other directors or executive officers. Additional biographical information about Dr. Rieger is set forth below:
Dr. Rieger, age 49, has served as Executive Vice President of PBM Capital Group, LLC (“PBM Capital”) since March 2014. He began providing services to PBM Capital as a consultant as of the Effective Date. Dr. Rieger also served as a member of the Board from 2015 to 2018. Prior to joining PBM Capital, Dr. Rieger served as Corporate Senior Vice President and President of the Human Therapeutics Division at Intrexon Corporation from 2012 to 2013, Vice President of Research and Virginia Operations for Clinical Data, Inc. from 2008 to 2011 and Vice President of Lead Development at Adenosine Therapeutics, LLC from 2002 to 2008. Dr. Rieger earned a B.A. in Chemistry from Rollins College, a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.
Offer Letter with Dr. Rieger
In connection with Dr. Rieger’s appointment as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, on November 4, 2024, Dr. Rieger and the Company entered into an offer letter effective as of the Effective Date (the “Offer Letter”). Pursuant to the terms of his Offer Letter, Dr.
Rieger’s employment is at will and may be terminated at any time by the Company or Dr. Rieger. Under the terms of the Offer Letter, Dr. Rieger will receive an annual base salary of $300,000 per year, subject to review and adjustment from time to time by the Board in its sole discretion. Dr. Rieger will be eligible to receive a target annual bonus per calendar year in an amount equal to 40% of his annual base salary, subject to the discretion of the Board. Dr. Rieger is also eligible to participate in the Company’s employee and executive benefit plans and programs as may be maintained by the Company from time to time.
In addition, and pursuant to the terms of the Offer Letter, on November 1, 2024, the Board approved an option grant (the “Rieger Option”) to Dr. Rieger to purchase 2,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Common Stock”) effective as of November 6, 2024 (the “Grant Date”) pursuant to the Inducement Plan (as defined below). The Rieger Option is being granted as an inducement material to the Dr. Rieger’s becoming an employee of the Company in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The Rieger Option will have an exercise price equal to the closing price of the Common Stock on the Grant Date and vests as follows: 1/8th of the total shares subject to the Rieger Option shall vest on the date that is six months following the Effective Date, and 1/48th of the total shares subject to the Rieger Option shall vest each month thereafter on the same day of the month as the Effective Date, subject to Dr. Rieger’s Continuous Service (as defined in the Inducement Plan) as of each such date. In the event that Dr. Rieger’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (as defined in the Offer Letter) or Dr. Rieger resigns for Good Reason (as defined the Offer Letter) within the 12 month period immediately following a Change in Control (as defined in the Inducement Plan), then all unvested shares subject to the Rieger Option will vest in full and be deemed vested and exercisable as of the date of such Change in Control subject to Dr. Rieger’s execution of a standard release of claims.
The description of the Offer Letter provided herein is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Offer Letter which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
In connection with his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company, Dr. Rieger entered into the Company’s standard form of Indemnification Agreement.
Appointment of John J. Kirby as Interim Chief Financial Officer
On November 1, 2024, the Board appointed John J. Kirby as the Company’s Interim Chief Financial Officer and designated him as the Company’s interim principal financial officer and interim principal accounting officer, each effective as of the Effective Date.
There is no arrangement or understanding between Mr. Kirby and any other person pursuant to which he was selected as an officer of the Company. There are no related party transactions between Mr. Kirby and the Company that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, and there is no family relationship between Mr. Kirby and any of the Company’s directors or other executive officers. Additional biographical information about Mr. Kirby is set forth below:
Mr. Kirby, age 52, has served as an independent consulting Chief Financial Officer to publicly traded, development stage life science companies since May 2023. Previously, Mr. Kirby served as the Chief Financial Officer of Aceragen, Inc. (formerly known as Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Idera”)) from September 2022 to April 2023 after serving as Idera’s Chief Financial Officer from July 2019 to September 2022, Vice President of Finance from 2018 to 2019 and Vice President of Corporate Accounting from 2015 to 2018. Prior to joining Idera, Mr. served as Assistant Controller at Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from 2014 to 2015 and Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Controller at ViroPharma Incorporated from 2012 to 2014. Mr. Kirby began his career at KPMG, LLP in its Healthcare and Life Science Practice and served as a Regional Audit Director at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals L.P. prior to joining ViroPharma Incorporated. Mr. Kirby earned his B.S. in Accountancy from Villanova University and is a licensed certified public accountant in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Professional Services Agreement with Mr. Kirby
In connection with Mr. Kirby’s appointment as the Company’s Interim Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Kirby and the Company entered into a Professional Services Agreement effective as of the Effective Date (the “Services Agreement”). Pursuant to the terms of the Services Agreement, Mr. Kirby will receive a monthly fee of $40,000. The term of the Services Agreement begins on the Effective Date and continues until May 4, 2025 (the “Initial Term”), unless earlier terminated. The Company may terminate the Services Agreement without prior notice if Mr. Kirby refuses or is unable to satisfactorily perform, as determined in the Company’s sole discretion, the services under the Services Agreement or is in breach of any material provision of the Services Agreement. In addition, the Company may terminate the Services Agreement for any reason upon 30 days’ written notice. The Company and Mr. Kirby may renew the term of the Services Agreement for an additional six months, and Mr. Kirby is required to provide the Company 90 days’ notices prior to the end of the Initial Term if he does not intend to renew the Services Agreement.
In addition, and pursuant to the terms of the Services Agreement, on November 1, 2024, the Board approved the grant of a number of restricted stock units (the “Kirby RSUs”) equal to $40,500.00 divided by the closing price of the Common Stock on the Grant Date. The Kirby RSUs are being granted pursuant to the Company’s 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and will vest in full on May 4, 2025, subject to Mr. Kirby’s Continuous Service (as defined in the Plan) as of such date.
The description of the Services Agreement provided herein is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Services Agreement which is filed as Exhibit 10.3 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
In connection with Mr. Kirby’s appointment as Interim Chief Financial Officer, he also entered into the Company’s standard form of Indemnification Agreement.
Adoption of 2024 Inducement Plan
On November 1, 2024, the Board adopted the Verrica Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2024 Inducement Plan (the “Inducement Plan”). The Inducement Plan was adopted without stockholder approval pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and will be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Committee”). The Board reserved 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock for issuance under the Inducement Plan.
The only persons eligible to receive grants of Inducement Awards (as defined below) under the Inducement Plan are individuals who satisfy the standards for inducement grants under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The Inducement Plan will be administered by the Board and the Committee. Inducement Awards may only be granted by: (i) the Committee, provided such committee is comprised solely of “independent directors” (as defined by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(a)(2)) or (ii) a majority of the Company’s “independent directors.” An “Inducement Award” means any right to receive the Company’s common stock, cash or other property granted under the Inducement Plan (including nonstatutory stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, stock appreciation rights, performance stock awards, performance cash awards or other stock-based awards). The Board also adopted a form of restricted stock unit award grant notice and award agreement (the “Inducement RSU Grant Package”) and a form of stock option grant notice and stock option agreement (the “Inducement Stock Option Grant Package”) for use under the Inducement Plan.
The descriptions of the Inducement Plan, the Inducement RSU Grant Package and the Inducement Stock Option Grant Package provided herein are not complete and are qualified in the entirety by reference to the Inducement Plan, the Inducement RSU Grant Package and the Inducement Stock Option Grant Package, which are filed as Exhibit 10.4, Exhibit 10.5 and Exhibit 10.6, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit Number |
Exhibit Description | |
10.1 | Release Agreement, dated November 4, 2024, by and between the Company and Ted White | |
10.2 | Offer Letter, dated November 4, 2024, by and between the Company and Jayson Rieger | |
10.3 | Professional Services Agreement, dated November 4, 2024, by and between the Company and John J. Kirby | |
10.4 | Verrica Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2024 Inducement Plan | |
10.5 | Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Grant Notice and Award Agreement under 2024 Inducement Plan | |
10.6 | Form of Stock Option Grant Notice and Stock Option Agreement under 2024 Inducement Plan | |
99.1 | Press Release, dated November 4, 2024 | |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL). |
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 hereunto duly authorized.
Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. | ||||||
Date: November 4, 2024 | /s/ Ted White |
|||||
Ted White | ||||||
President and Chief Executive Officer |
Exhibit 10.1
Release Agreement
This Release Agreement (“Release” or ”Agreement”) is made by and between Ted White (“you”) and Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the ”Company”). A copy of this Release is an attachment to the Amended and Restated Employment Agreement between the Company and you dated January 10, 2020 (the ”Employment Agreement”). Capitalized terms not defined in this Agreement carry the definition found in the Employment Agreement.
1. Resignation; Severance Payments; Other Payments.
a. | In consideration for your execution, return and non-revocation of this Release on or after your Separation Date (as defined below), the Company will provide you with the “Non-CIC Severance Benefits” set forth in Section 6.1(b) of the Employment Agreement; provided, that if a Change in Control (as such term is defined in the Company’s 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”) occurs within thirty (30) days following the Separation Date (as defined below), then in lieu of the Non-CIC Severance Benefits, the Company will provide you with the “CIC Severance Benefits” set forth in Section 6.4(b) of the Employment Agreement, provided, further that you acknowledge that an acquisition of securities of the Company by Paul B. Manning or entities affiliated with Paul B. Manning shall not constitute a Change in Control and, in such event, you would not be eligible to receive the CIC Severance Benefits. Any outstanding equity incentive awards subject to the 2018 Plan shall remain outstanding for the period of time necessary to give effect to the CIC Severance Benefits. |
b. | You hereby tender, and the Company hereby accepts, your resignation effective as of the day after the Company files its Form 10-Q (the “Separation Date”). The Company’s Form 10-Q filing is anticipated to occur on November 4, 2024. In accordance with Section 6.1(c) of the Employment Agreement, you hereby confirm your resignation, effective as of the Separation Date, from your position on the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), including any committee thereof, your position as an officer of the Company, and from any other role or position you hold with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates. Regardless of whether you sign this Agreement, the Company affirms that it will pay the following on the next regularly scheduled date on which payroll is run, as required under Section 6 of the Employment Agreement: all accrued salary earned through the Separation Date, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and all business expenses incurred through the Separation Date, if any, for which you seek reimbursement pursuant to the Company’s regular business practices. |
2. Compliance with Section 409A. The Severance Benefits offered to you by the Company are payable in reliance on Treasury Regulation Section l.409A-l(b)(9) and the short-term deferral exemption in Treasury Regulation Section l.409A-l(b)(4). For purposes of Code Section 409A, your right to receive any installment payments (whether pay in lieu of notice, Severance Benefits, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. All payments and benefits are subject to applicable withholdings and deductions.
3. Release. In exchange for the Severance Benefits and other consideration, to which you would not otherwise be entitled, and except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, you, on behalf of yourself and, to the extent permitted by law, on behalf of your spouse, heirs, executors, administrators, assigns, insurers, attorneys and other persons or entities, acting or purporting to act on your behalf (collectively, the ”Employee Parties”), hereby generally and completely release, acquit and forever discharge the Company, its parents and subsidiaries, and its and their officers, directors, managers, partners, agents, representatives, employees, attorneys, shareholders, predecessors, successors, assigns, insurers and affiliates (the ”Company Parties”) of and from any and all claims, liabilities, demands, contentions, actions, causes of action, suits, costs, expenses, attorneys’ fees, damages, indemnities, debts, judgments, levies, executions and obligations of every kind and nature, in law, equity, or otherwise, both known and unknown, suspected and unsuspected, disclosed and undisclosed, arising out of or in any way related to your employment with the Company and separation therefrom, arising at any time prior to and including the execution date of this Agreement, including but not limited to: all such claims and demands directly or indirectly arising out of or in any way connected with your employment with the Company or the termination of that employment; claims or demands related to salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation pay, the right to receive additional grants of stock, stock options or other ownership interests in the Company, fringe benefits, expense reimbursements, severance pay, or any other form of compensation; claims pursuant to any federal, state or local law, statute, or cause of action; tort law; or contract law (individually a ”Claim” and collectively “Claims”). The Claims you are releasing and waiving in this Agreement include, but are not limited to, any and all Claims that any of the Company Parties:
• | has violated its personnel policies, handbooks, contracts of employment, or covenants of good faith and fair dealing; |
• | has discriminated against you on the basis of age, race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), national origin, ancestry, disability, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, source of income, entitlement to benefits, any union activities or other protected category in violation of any local, state or federal law, constitution, ordinance, or regulation, including but not limited to: the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended (“ADEA”); Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Civil Rights Act of 1991; 42 U.S.C. § 1981, as amended; the Equal Pay Act; the Americans With Disabilities Act; the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act; the Family and Medical Leave Act; the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act; the Pennsylvania Whistleblower Law; the Pennsylvania Equal Pay Law; the Employee Retirement Income Security Act; the Employee Polygraph Protection Act; the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act; the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act; the anti-retaliation provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or any other federal or state law regarding whistleblower retaliation; the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act; the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act; the Fair Credit Reporting Act; and the National Labor Relations Act; and |
• | has violated any statute, public policy or common law (including, but not limited to, Claims for retaliatory discharge; negligent hiring, retention or supervision; defamation; intentional |
or negligent infliction of emotional distress and/or mental anguish; intentional interference with contract; negligence; detrimental reliance; loss of consortium to you or any member of your family and/or promissory estoppel). |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, other than events expressly contemplated by this Agreement you do not waive or release rights or Claims that may arise: (i) from events that occur after the date this Release Agreement is executed; (ii) that relate to a breach of this Agreement; (iii) that relate to any existing ownership interest in the Company or vested equity awards as of the date this Release Agreement is executed; (iv) that relate to your vested benefits or existing rights under any Company benefit plan or any plan or agreement related to equity ownership in the Company that arise after this Release Agreement is executed; (v) in connection with any right of indemnification you may have for any liabilities arising from your actions within the course and scope of your employment with the Company or within the course and scope of your role as an officer of the Company; and (vi) any Claims which cannot be waived by law, including, without limitation, any rights you may have under applicable workers’ compensation laws. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent you from filing, cooperating with, or participating in any proceeding or investigation before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the United States Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal government agency, or similar state or local agency (“Government Agencies”), or exercising any rights pursuant to Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act. You further understand this Agreement does not limit your ability to voluntarily communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company. While this Agreement does not limit your right to receive an award for information provided to the Securities and Exchange Commission, you understand and agree that, you are otherwise waiving, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all rights you may have to individual relief based on any Claims that you have released and any rights you have waived by signing this Agreement. If any Claim is not subject to release, to the extent permitted by law, you waive any right or ability to be a class or collective action representative or to otherwise participate in any putative or certified class, collective or multi-party action or proceeding based on such a Claim in which any of the Company Parties is a party.
4. Your Acknowledgments and Affirmations. You also acknowledge and agree that (i) the consideration given to you in exchange for the waiver and release in this Agreement is in addition to anything of value to which you were already entitled, and (ii) that you have been paid for all time worked, have received all the leave, leaves of absence and leave benefits and protections for which you are eligible, and have not suffered any on-the-job injury for which you have not already filed a Claim. You affirm that all of the decisions of the Company Parties regarding your pay and benefits through the date of your execution of this Agreement were not discriminatory based on age, disability, race, color, sex, religion, national origin or any other classification protected by law. You affirm that you have not filed or caused to be filed, and are not presently a party to, a Claim against any of the Company Parties. You further affirm that you have no known workplace injuries or occupational diseases. You acknowledge and affirm that you have not been retaliated against for reporting any allegation of corporate fraud or other wrongdoing by any of the Company Parties, or for exercising any rights protected by law, including any rights protected by the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family Medical Leave Act or any related statute or local leave or disability accommodation laws, or any applicable state workers’ compensation law. In addition, you acknowledge that you are knowingly and voluntarily waiving and releasing any rights you may have under the ADEA (“ADEA Waiver”). You also acknowledge that the consideration given for the ADEA Waiver is in addition to anything of value to which you were already entitled. You further acknowledge that you have been advised by this writing, as required by the ADEA, that: (a) your release and waiver herein does not apply to any rights or claims that arise after the date you sign this Agreement; (b) you should consult with an attorney prior to signing this Agreement; (c) you have twenty-one (21) days to consider this Agreement (although you may choose to voluntarily sign it sooner); (d) you have seven (7) days following the date you sign this Agreement to revoke it (by sending written revocation directly to Christopher G. Hayes, General Counsel for the Company); and (e) the Agreement will not be effective until the date upon which the revocation period has expired unexercised, which will be the eighth (8th) day after you sign this Agreement.
5. Return of Company Property. By the Separation Date, you agree to return to the Company all Company documents (and all copies thereof) and other Company property that you have had in your possession at any time, including, but not limited to, Company files, notes, drawings, records, business plans and forecasts, financial information, specifications, computer-recorded information, tangible property (including, but not limited to, computers), credit cards, entry cards, identification badges and keys; and, any materials of any kind that contain or embody any proprietary or confidential information of the Company (and all reproductions thereof). Please coordinate return of Company property with Christopher G. Hayes, General Counsel for the Company. Receipt of the Severance Benefits described in Section 1 of this Agreement is expressly conditioned upon return of all Company property.
6. Confidential Information, Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Obligations. Both during and after your employment you acknowledge your continuing obligations under your Employee Confidential Information, Inventions, Non-Solicitation and Non-Competition Agreement not to use or disclose any confidential or proprietary information of the Company and comply with your post-employment non-competition and non-solicitation restrictions. The Company acknowledges that you will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that: (A) is made (i) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. In addition, in the event that you file a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, you may disclose the trade secret to your attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if you: (A) file any document containing the trade secret under seal; and (B) do not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.
7. Non-Disparagement. You and the Company agree not to disparage each other, and the other’s attorneys, directors, managers, partners, employees, agents and affiliates, in any manner likely to be harmful to them or their business, business reputation or personal reputation; provided that you and the Company will respond accurately and fully to any question, inquiry or request for information when required by legal process. For purposes of this Section 7, the obligations of the Company shall apply only to the senior management team and the members of the Board.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement shall limit your right to voluntarily communicate with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the United States Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, other federal government agency or similar state or local agency or to discuss the terms and conditions of your employment with others to the extent expressly permitted by Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act.
8. No Admission. This Agreement does not constitute an admission by you or by the Company of any wrongful action or violation of any federal, state, or local statute, or common law rights, including those relating to the provisions of any law or statute concerning employment actions, or of any other possible or claimed violation of law or rights.
9. Breach. You agree that upon any material breach of this Agreement you will forfeit all amounts paid or owing to you under this Agreement. Further, you acknowledge that it may be impossible to assess the damages caused by your violation of the terms of Sections 5, 6, and 7 of this Agreement and further agree that any threatened or actual violation or breach of those Sections of this Agreement will constitute immediate and irreparable injury to the Company. You therefore agree that, in addition to any and all other damages and remedies available to the Company upon your breach of this Agreement, the Company shall be entitled to an injunction to prevent you from violating or breaching this Agreement.
10. Miscellaneous. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except in a writing signed by both you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. This Agreement will bind the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of both you and the Company, and inure to the benefit of both you and the Company, their heirs, successors and assigns. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, this determination will not affect any other provision of this Agreement and the provision in question will be modified by the court so as to be rendered enforceable. This Agreement will be deemed to have been entered into and will be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as applied to contracts made and to be performed entirely within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
By: |
/s/ Paul B. Manning |
|
Paul B. Manning | ||
Chair, Board of Directors |
/s/ Ted White |
Ted White |
Exhibit 10.2
November 4, 2024
Jayson Rieger
Re: Employment Terms
Dear Jayson:
Verrica Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to offer you employment beginning on November 5, 2024 or such other date as set by the Company in its discretion (the “Start Date”).
Position; Board Role
Your position will be President and Chief Executive Officer (the “CEO”), responsible for performing duties regularly associated with your position and such other duties as are assigned to you from time to time, reporting to the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). During the term of your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company. You will be expected to perform your duties to the Company principally from the Company’s office in West Chester, Pennsylvania and the PBM Capital Group (“PBM Capital”) office in Charlottesville, Virginia, as determined by the Board in its discretion, and will make such business trips to such places as may be necessary or advisable for the efficient operations of the Company. You will also be appointed to serve as a director on the Board; however, if you no longer are serving in the role of CEO, you will resign from your position on the Board if requested by the Board.
Compensation and Benefits
Your initial base salary will be paid at the rate of $300,000 per year (the “Base Salary”), less payroll deductions and withholdings, paid on the Company’s normal payroll schedule, subject to adjustment by the Board from time to time.
You will also be eligible to earn an annual performance bonus with a target amount equal to 40% (the “Target Percentage”) of your Base Salary (“Annual Bonus”). The Annual Bonus will be based upon the Board’s assessment of your performance and the Company’s attainment of targeted goals as set by the Board in its sole discretion. The Annual Bonus, if any, will be subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings. Following the close of each calendar year, the Board will determine whether you have earned the Annual Bonus, and the amount of any Annual Bonus, which can be above or below the Target Percentage, based on the set criteria. No amount of the Annual Bonus is guaranteed, and you must be an employee in good standing on the Annual Bonus payment date to be eligible to receive an Annual Bonus; no partial or prorated bonuses will be provided. The Annual Bonus, if earned, will be paid no later than March 15 of the calendar year immediately following the applicable calendar year for which the Annual Bonus is being measured. Your eligibility for an Annual Bonus is subject to change in the discretion of the Board (or any authorized committee thereof).
During your employment, you will be eligible to participate in the benefits plans offered to similarly-situated employees by the Company from time to time, subject to plan terms and generally applicable Company policies. A full description of current benefits is available for your review.
Equity
Subject to approval by the Board, the Company anticipates granting you an option to purchase 2,000,000 shares of the Company’s outstanding common stock, on the second business day after the Company files its Form 10-Q for the period ending September 30, 2024, with an exercise price equal to the fair market value on the grant date as determined by the Board (the “Option”).
The Option is intended to be a material inducement to your employment by the Company. The Company anticipates granting the Option pursuant to an Inducement Plan (the “Plan”) and a grant agreement. The Option shall vest in accordance with the following schedule: 1/8th of the total shares subject to the Option shall vest on the date that is six months following the Start Date, and 1/48th of the total shares subject to the Option shall vest each month thereafter on the same day of the month as the Start Date (or if there is no corresponding day, on the last day of the month), subject to your Continuous Service (as defined in the Plan) as of each such date. In the event that your employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (as defined below) or you resign for Good Reason (as defined below) within the twelve (12) month period immediately following a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan), then all unvested shares subject to the Option will vest in full and be deemed vested and exercisable as of the date of such Change in Control provided you timely execute and allow to become effective a separation agreement containing a release of claims in favor of the Company and other customary provisions in a form presented by the Company.
For purposes of this letter, “Cause” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following: (i) your conviction of any felony or any crime involving fraud or dishonesty; (ii) your participation in a fraud, act of dishonesty or other act of gross misconduct that adversely affects the Company; (iii) conduct by you that demonstrates your gross unfitness to serve under circumstances that materially and adversely affect the Company; (iv) your violation of any statutory or fiduciary duty, or duty of loyalty, owed to the Company; (v) your breach of any material term of any contract between you and the Company; and/or (vi) your serious violation of a material Company policy. Whether a termination is for Cause shall be decided by the Board in its sole and exclusive judgment and discretion. Prior to termination for Cause pursuant to each event listed in (iii) and (iv) above, the Company shall give you notice of such event(s), which notice shall specify in reasonable detail the circumstances constituting Cause, and an opportunity to explain the circumstances. Prior to any termination for Cause pursuant to each event listed in (v) and (vi) above, to the extent such event(s) is (are) capable of being cured by you, (A) the Company shall give you notice of such event(s), which notice shall specify in reasonable detail the circumstances constituting Cause, and an opportunity to cure, and (B) there shall be no Cause with respect to any such event(s) if the Board determines in good faith that such events have been cured by you within fifteen (15) days after the delivery of such notice.
For purposes of this letter, “Good Reason” shall mean any of following actions are taken by the Company without your prior written consent: (i) a material reduction by the Company of your Base Salary as initially set forth herein or as the same may be increased from time to time, provided, however, that if such reduction occurs in connection with a Company-wide decrease in executive team compensation, such reduction shall not constitute Good Reason; (ii) a material breach of this Agreement by the Company; (iii) the relocation of your principal place of employment, without your consent, by fifty (50) or more miles from Charlottesville, Virginia; (iv) a material reduction in your title, duties, authority, or responsibilities relative to your title, duties, authority, or responsibilities in effect immediately prior to such reduction; or (v) Paul Manning no longer serving in the capacity of Chair of the Board; provided, however, that, any such termination by you shall only be deemed for Good Reason pursuant to this definition if: (1) you give the Company written notice of your intent to terminate for Good Reason within thirty (30) days following the occurrence of the condition(s) that you believe constitute(s) Good Reason, which notice shall describe such condition(s); (2) the Company fails to remedy such condition(s) within thirty (30) days following receipt of the written notice (the “Cure Period”); and (3) you voluntarily terminate your employment within thirty (30) days following the end of the Cure Period.
Confidential Information and Company Policies
As a Company employee, you will be expected to abide by Company rules and policies. As a condition of employment, you must sign and comply with the attached Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement which prohibits unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s proprietary information, among other obligations.
This Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement will be presented to you under separate cover and must be signed before you commence employment with the Company.
By signing this letter you are representing that you have full authority to accept this position and perform the duties of the position without conflict with any other obligations and that you are not involved in any situation that might create, or appear to create, a conflict of interest with respect to your loyalty or duties to the Company. You specifically warrant that you are not subject to an employment agreement or restrictive covenant preventing full performance of your duties to the Company. You agree not to bring to the Company or use in the performance of your responsibilities at the Company any materials or documents of a former employer that are not generally available to the public, unless you have obtained express written authorization from the former employer for their possession and use. You also agree to honor all obligations to former employers during your employment with the Company.
At-Will Employment and Exempt Status
Your employment with the Company will be “at-will.” You may terminate your employment with the Company at any time and for any reason whatsoever simply by notifying the Company. Likewise, the Company may terminate your employment at any time, with or without Cause or advance notice. Your employment at-will status can only be modified in a written agreement signed by you and by an authorized member of the Board.
As a full-time exempt, salaried employee, you will be expected to work the Company’s normal business hours as well as additional hours as required by the nature of your work assignments, and you will not be eligible for overtime compensation.
Except with the prior written consent of the Board, you will not, while employed by the Company, undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise that would interfere with your responsibilities and the performance of your duties hereunder except for: (i) reasonable time devoted to volunteer services for or on behalf of such religious, educational, non-profit and/or other charitable organization as you may wish to serve; (ii) reasonable time devoted to activities in the non-profit and business communities consistent with your duties to the Company; (iii) reasonable time devoted to service on boards of directors of companies that are not competitive with the Company, do not otherwise present a conflict of interest and would not otherwise interfere with your responsibilities and the performance of your duties hereunder, subject to the prior written approval of the Board (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld); (iv) continued consulting services for PBM Capital, provided that any increase in the time spent performing such consulting services (relative to your time commitment as of the Start Date) shall require the prior written approval of the Board; and (v) such other activities that would not interfere with your responsibilities and the performance of your duties hereunder as may be specifically approved by the Board (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld). This restriction shall not, however, preclude you from owning less than one percent (1%) of the total outstanding shares of a publicly traded company.
Conditions, Dispute Resolution, and Complete Agreement
This offer is contingent upon a satisfactory reference check and satisfactory proof of your right to work in the United States. If the Company informs you that you are required to complete a background check, this offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance of such background check. You agree to assist as needed and to complete any documentation at the Company’s request to meet these conditions.
To ensure the rapid and economical resolution of disputes that may arise in connection with your employment with the Company, you and the Company agree that any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action, in law or equity, including but not limited to statutory claims, arising from or relating to the enforcement, breach, performance, or interpretation of this agreement, your employment with the Company, or the termination of your employment, shall be resolved pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C.
§§ 1-16, to the fullest extent permitted by law, by final, binding and confidential arbitration conducted in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by JAMS or its successor, under JAMS’ then applicable rules and procedures for employment disputes before a single arbitrator (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/). You acknowledge that by agreeing to this arbitration procedure, both you and the Company waive the right to resolve any such dispute through a trial by jury or judge or administrative proceeding. In addition, all claims, disputes, or causes of action under this Section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought in an individual capacity, and shall not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The arbitrator may not consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences regarding class claims or proceedings are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class shall proceed in a court of law rather than by arbitration. This paragraph shall not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, sexual harassment claims, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law(s) to be submitted to mandatory arbitration and the applicable law(s) are not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid (collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including one of the Excluded Claims listed above, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory arbitration. You will have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding. Questions of whether a claim is subject to arbitration under this agreement shall be decided by the arbitrator. Likewise, procedural questions which grow out of the dispute and bear on the final disposition are also matters for the arbitrator. The arbitrator shall: (a) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute and to award such relief as would otherwise be permitted by law; and (b) issue a written statement signed by the arbitrator regarding the disposition of each claim and the relief, if any, awarded as to each claim, the reasons for the award, and the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions on which the award is based. The arbitrator shall be authorized to award all relief that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. You and the Company shall equally share all JAMS’ arbitration fees. Each party is responsible for its own attorneys’ fees, except as expressly set forth in your Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement. Nothing in this agreement is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any awards or orders in such arbitrations may be entered and enforced as judgments in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction.
This letter, together with your Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, forms the complete and exclusive statement of your employment agreement with the Company. It supersedes any other agreements or promises made to you by anyone, whether oral or written. You acknowledge and agree that you are not relying on any representations other than the terms set forth in this letter and your Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement. No term or provision of this letter may be amended, waived, released, discharged or modified except in writing, signed by you and an authorized officer of the Board, except that the Board may, in its sole discretion, adjust salaries, incentive compensation, benefits, duties and responsibilities. If any provision of this offer letter agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, this determination shall not affect any other provision of this offer letter agreement and the provision in question shall be modified so as to be rendered enforceable in a manner consistent with the intent of the parties insofar as possible under applicable law. This letter may be executed in counterparts and may be delivered and executed via electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or other applicable law) or other transmission method and shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and executed and be valid and effective for all purposes. Please sign and date this letter and return it to me by November 4, 2024, if you wish to accept employment at the Company under the terms described above.
We look forward to your favorable reply and to a productive and enjoyable work relationship.
Sincerely, |
/s/ Paul B. Manning |
Paul B. Manning |
Chair, Board of Directors |
Understood and Accepted:
/s/ Jayson Rieger | November 4, 2024 | |
Jayson Rieger | Date |
Attachment: Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement
Exhibit 10.3
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
This Professional Services Agreement (the “Agreement”), effective as of November 5, 2024 (the “Effective Date”), is made between Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc., located at 44 W. Gay St., Suite 400, West Chester, PA 19380 (the “Company”) and John J. Kirby (“Kirby”). Company and Kirby, collectively, are the “Parties”, and each a “Party”.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company desires to appoint Kirby on an interim basis as set forth herein to provide certain services as are normally associated with the position of a Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of a publicly traded company and Kirby desires to accept such appointment and provide such services.
AGREEMENT
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein, the Parties agree as follows:
1. | Services |
A. Kirby will be responsible for the overall leadership of the accounting and finance team within the Company and has primary responsibility for, including but not limited to, ensuring the Company’s timely and cost-effective completion of corporate finance and accounting activities, oversight, strategy, and planning for all treasury, finance, investment banking, and investor activities, and risk management. In consultation with the CEO, Kirby will also lead the development and execution of the Company’s financial strategy and play a key role in developing overall corporate strategy, and engage with investors, bankers, and analysts. Kirby shall also perform such services as are reasonably requested of him from time to time by the Company (collectively, the “Services”).
B. During the Term (as defined below) Kirby shall use his commercially reasonable efforts to perform the Services in a professional and competent manner, devote his full time and attention to the Services, and perform the Services timely and in full compliance with the policies and practices of the Company as well as with all applicable laws, rules, standards and regulations.
C. In performing the Services, Kirby shall report directly to the CEO of the Company.
D. Kirby agrees to keep the CEO and the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) fully informed of his actions in performing the Services under the Agreement.
E. Kirby shall perform his duties under this Agreement in the Company’s office in West Chester, Pennsylvania or such other location as assigned. In addition, the Employee shall make business trips to any places as may be necessary, advisable, or directed for the effective delivery of the Services.
2. Compensation. During the Term of this Agreement, and in consideration for and subject to Kirby’s due and timely performance of the Services hereunder, Company shall pay Kirby the sum of Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000) per month (the “Service Fee”).
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Further during the Term of this Agreement, Company shall provide Kirby with the use of a corporate credit card to be used for reasonable business expenses incurred by Kirby on behalf of the Company. Such card shall be used solely for Company business incurred by Kirby directly in performance of the Services hereunder. Kirby shall use such card in accordance with Company policy and all such expenses incurred with the corporate card shall be supported and presented in accordance with Company policy and procedure. Kirby’s use of the card is at Company’s sole discretion and may be revoked by Company at any time, for any reason.
3. Incentive/Performance Award. Kirby shall receive a Restricted Stock Award for a number of shares of the Company’s common stock equal to $40,500.00 divided by the closing price of the Company’s closing stock on November 6, 2024, the date of grant, as set forth in, and subject to the terms of, the Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice attached hereto at Exhibit “A”.
4. Confidentiality. During and after the Term of this Agreement, Kirby will hold in the strictest confidence, and take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s Confidential Information and Kirby will not (i) use the Confidential Information for any purpose whatsoever other than as necessary for the performance of the Services on behalf of the Company, or (ii) disclose the Confidential Information to any third party without the prior written consent of the Chief Legal Officer of Company, except that Kirby may disclose Confidential Information to any third party on a need-to-know basis for the purposes of Kirby performing the Services; provided, however, that Kirby, prior to such third party disclosure, obtains from such third party written non-use and non-disclosure obligations at least as protective of Company and the Confidential Information as this Section 4. Kirby may also disclose Confidential Information to the extent compelled by applicable law; provided however, prior to such disclosure, Kirby shall provide prior written notice to Company and seek a protective order, or such similar confidential protection as may be available under applicable law. Kirby agrees that no ownership of Confidential Information is conveyed to Kirby hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing, Kirby shall not use or disclose any Company property, intellectual property rights, trade secrets or other proprietary know-how of the Company to invent, author, make, develop, design, or otherwise enable others to invent, author, make, develop, or design identical or substantially similar designs or products as those developed under this Agreement for any third party. Kirby agrees that Kirby’s obligations under this Section 4 shall continue after the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
Kirby recognizes that the Company has received and, in the future, will receive from third parties their confidential or proprietary information subject to a duty on the Company’s part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use it only for certain limited purposes. Kirby agrees that at all times during the term of this Agreement and thereafter, Kirby owes the Company and such third parties a duty to hold all such confidential or proprietary information in the strictest confidence and not to use it or to disclose it to any person, firm, corporation, or other third party except as necessary in carrying out the Services for the Company consistent with the Company’s agreement with such third party.
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“Confidential Information” means and includes any and all of the information concerning the business and affairs of the Company, and shall include, but is not limited to, all confidential, proprietary or non-public information (including financial information), trade secrets, ideas, concepts, data, data compilations, research, reports, protocols, techniques, methods, processes, plans, strategies, presentations, financial models, spreadsheets, project plans, proposals, know-how, materials and documents in any form or medium (including oral, written, tangible, intangible or electronic), concerning the science, services, business, business opportunities, activities and/or operations of the Company, including without limitation, information pertaining to current and future (a) products, services and research and development activities, including clinical trials and results, (b) intellectual property (including, without limitation, patent applications, inventions, processes, compounds, discoveries, formulae, technology, computer software, databases and documentation), (c) investors, manufacturers, suppliers, vendors, competitors and customers and (d) legal and regulatory activities, communications and approvals.
5. | Ownership |
Kirby agrees that all right, title, and interest in and to any copyrightable material, notes, records, drawings, designs, inventions, improvements, developments, discoveries, ideas and trade secrets conceived, discovered, authored, invented, developed or reduced to practice by Kirby, solely or in collaboration with others, during the term of this Agreement and arising out of, or in connection with, performing the Services under this Agreement and any copyrights, patents, trade secrets, mask work rights or other intellectual property rights relating to the foregoing (collectively, “Inventions”), are the sole property of the Company. Kirby also agrees to promptly make full written disclosure to the Company of any Inventions and to deliver and assign (or cause to be assigned) and hereby irrevocably assigns fully to the Company all right, title and interest in and to the Inventions.
6. | Representations and Warranties |
A. Kirby represents and warrants that Kirby has no agreements, relationships, or commitments to any other person or entity that conflict with the provisions of this Agreement other than those previously disclosed, Kirby’s obligations to the Company under this Agreement, and/or Kirby’s ability to perform the Services. Kirby will not enter into any such conflicting agreement during the term of this Agreement without prior written consent. Kirby will not disclose to the Company, or induce the Company to use, any proprietary information, knowledge or data belonging to any third party.
B. During the Term of this Agreement, Kirby shall make full disclosure to Company of all business opportunities pertaining to Company and its business and shall not appropriate for Kirby’s benefit any business opportunities concerning Company’s business.
C. Kirby shall perform all Services in a professional manner, consistent with applicable standards and Company expectations and in accordance with all applicable laws, rules, or regulations. Kirby shall provide to the Company, upon the Company’s request, work products and other information to enable the Company to verify that Kirby is proceeding in accordance with this Agreement.
D. Kirby is experienced in the Services to be undertaken on behalf of Company and possesses the skills to complete the Services consistent with industry standards and has not been sanctioned or suspended by any governing authority from providing the Services.
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E. Kirby certifies that Kirby is not aware of any information relating to Kirby that would damage the business or reputation of the Company, its products or services, or its officers, directors, employees, or shareholders. Kirby shall notify the Company immediately upon discovery of any such information.
F. Kirby represents and warrants, during the Term and after the termination and/or expiration of this Agreement, Kirby shall not as an officer, director, employee, owner, partner, or in any other capacity whatsoever, either directly, indirectly, or through others, use any of the Company’s Confidential Information (as defined in this Agreement) to perform, provide, or attempt to provide or perform, or engage in the development, commercialization, manufacture, marketing, distribution, and/or sale of any product for the treatment of skin diseases that competes with any of Company’s products.
G. Kirby represents and warrants that it is not relying on any statement or representation not contained in this Agreement.
H. Kirby represents and warrants that for a period of one (1) year from the termination or expiration of this Agreement, it shall not, and shall cause anyone acting on its behalf, not to, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit or encourage any person to leave the employment of the Company, or (ii) contact, solicit, divert, any customer, or potential customer, of the Company to discontinue, reduce, or adversely alter the amount of such customer’s business with the Company or to otherwise interfere with the Company’s relationship with such customer.
I. Company represents and warrants that it has appropriate levels of Directors and Officers (D&O) Insurance, with Kirby included as part of the D&O coverage for the entirety of his services to the Company.
7. | Record-Keeping; Return of Company Materials |
A. Kirby shall keep adequate records of all Services performed for the Company. Such records shall include any operational documentation pertaining to the Services, including records relevant to any costs, expenses, or payments incurred or made by Kirby on behalf of or reimbursable by the Company, any financial records, procedures, and such other documentation pertaining to Kirby’s performance under this Agreement. During the term of this Agreement, the Company shall have the right to inspect, copy and audit those records identified in this Section 7.A. This right shall include, but not be limited to, the right to inspect, copy and audit any records that may pertain to the representations and warranties in Section 6.
B. Upon the termination of this Agreement, or upon Company’s earlier request, Kirby will immediately deliver to the Company, and will not keep in Service Provider’s possession, recreate, or deliver to anyone else, any and all Company property, including, but not limited to, Confidential Information, tangible embodiments of the Inventions, all devices and equipment belonging to the Company, all electronically-stored information and passwords to access such property and any reproductions of any of the foregoing items that Kirby may have in Kirby’s possession or control.
8. | Term and Termination |
A. Term. The Term of this Agreement will begin on the Effective Date of this Agreement and will continue until May 4, 2025, unless earlier terminated as provided in Section 8.B. below (the “Term”).
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B. Termination.
i. | For Cause. The Company or Kirby may terminate this Agreement immediately and without prior notice if Kirby or the Company refuses to or is unable to satisfactorily perform, as determined in the Company’s or Kirby’s sole discretion, the Services or is in breach of any material provision of this Agreement. |
ii. | For Convenience. The Company may terminate this Agreement upon thirty (30) days written notice to Kirby. |
C. Renewal. Upon mutual agreement, the Parties may renew this Agreement, on the same terms and conditions, for a period not to exceed the initial Term of six (6) months; provided, however, that Kirby shall notify the Company ninety (90) days prior to the end of the initial Term if Kirby does not intend to renew this Agreement.
9. | Independent Contractor Relationship |
It is the express intention of the Company and Kirby that Kirby perform the Services as an independent contractor to the Company. Nothing in this Agreement shall in any way be construed to constitute, designate, and/or appoint Kirby as an agent, employee or representative of the Company or entitle Kirby to any Company- sponsored benefits from the Company. Further, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Kirby is not authorized to bind the Company to any liability or obligation or to represent to anyone that Kirby has any such authority to do so on behalf of the Company without the express written consent of the CEO. Kirby acknowledges and agrees that Kirby is obligated to report as income all compensation received by Kirby pursuant to this Agreement and that Company has no tax, financial, or other obligations to Kirby except those for Compensation for Services as expressly set forth in Section 2 of this Agreement.
10. | Indemnification |
11. | The Company and Kirby shall enter into the Company’s standard form of Indemnification Agreement. Miscellaneous |
A. Governing Law; Consent to Personal Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, without regard to the conflicts of law provisions of any jurisdiction. To the extent that any lawsuit is permitted under this Agreement, the Parties hereby expressly consent to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the Pennsylvania state courts located in Chester County, Pennsylvania and the federal court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
B. Assignability. This Agreement will be binding upon Kirby’s assigns, administrators, and other legal representatives, and will be for the benefit of the Company, its successors, and its assigns. There are no intended third-party beneficiaries to this Agreement. Kirby may not sell, assign, subcontract or delegate any rights or obligations under this Agreement, by operation of law or otherwise (including by merger, consolidation, reorganization, reincorporation, sale of assets or stock or change of control), and any such attempted assignment, delegation, subcontract or transfer shall be null and void. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Company may assign this Agreement and its rights and obligations under this Agreement.
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C. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the Parties with respect to the subject matter herein and supersedes all prior written and oral agreements, discussions, or representations between the Parties.
D. Headings. Headings are used in this Agreement for reference only and shall not be considered when interpreting this Agreement.
E. Severability. If a court or other body of competent jurisdiction finds, or the Parties mutually believe, any provision of this Agreement, or portion thereof, to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible so as to affect the intent of the Parties, and the remainder of this Agreement will continue in full force and effect.
F. Modification, Waiver. No modification of or amendment to this Agreement, nor any rights under this Agreement, will be effective unless in a writing signed by the Parties. Waiver by the Company of a breach of any provision of this Agreement will not operate as a waiver of any other or subsequent breach. No payments made by the Company shall constitute an acceptance of satisfactory performance of Kirby’s obligations under this Agreement.
G. Notices. Any notice or other communication required or permitted by this Agreement to be given to a Party shall be in writing and shall be deemed given (i) if delivered personally or by commercial messenger or courier service, (ii) when sent by confirmed e-mail, or (iii) if mailed by U.S. registered or certified mail (return receipt requested), to the Party at the Party’s address written below or at such other address as the Party may have previously specified by like notice. If by mail, delivery shall be deemed effective three business days after mailing in accordance with this Section 11.G.
i. | If to the Company, to: |
Christopher G. Hayes, Esquire
Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc.
44 W. Gay St, Suite 400
West Chester, PA 19380
ii. | If to the Kirby, to: |
John Kirby
H. Attorneys’ Fees. In any court action at law or equity that is brought by one of the Parties to this Agreement to enforce or interpret the provisions of this Agreement, the prevailing Party will be entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees, in addition to any other relief to which that Party may be entitled.
I. Signatures. This Agreement may be signed in two counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, with the same force and effectiveness as though executed in a single document.
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J. Injunctive Relief. Kirby understands and agrees that the Company will suffer irreparable harm in the event that Kirby breaches any of Kirby’s obligations hereunder and that monetary damages will be inadequate to compensate Company for such breach. Accordingly, Kirby agrees that, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by Kirby of any of the provisions hereunder, the Company, in addition to and not in limitation of any other rights, remedies or damages available to the Company at law or in equity, shall be entitled to a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction and/or permanent injunction in order to prevent or to restrain any such breach by Kirby, or by any or all of Kirby’s partners, co-venturers, employers, employees, servants, agents, representatives and any and all persons directly or indirectly acting for, on behalf of or with Kirby, as appropriately adjudicated.
K. If Company discovers at any time that this Agreement contains an error that was caused by a mistake, calculation error, or similar error that misconstrues the spirit and intent of the Company in entering this Agreement, Kirby agrees, upon notice from Company, to re-execute any documents that are necessary to correct any such error(s). Kirby further agrees that Company will not be liable to Kirby for any damages incurred by Kirby that are directly or indirectly caused by any such error(s).
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Consulting Agreement as of the Effective Date first written above.
JOHN J. KIRBY: | COMPANY: | |||||
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC. | ||||||
/s/ John J. Kirby |
||||||
John J. Kirby | ||||||
By: | /s/ Christopher G. Hayes |
|||||
Christopher G. Hayes | ||||||
Chief Legal Officer |
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EXHIBIT “A”
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT NOTICE
(2018 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN)
Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the “Company”), pursuant to its 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), hereby awards to Participant a Restricted Stock Unit Award for the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock (“Restricted Stock Units”) set forth below (the “Award”). The Award is subject to all the terms and conditions set forth in this notice of grant (this “Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice”), in the Plan, and the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (the “Award Agreement”), both of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. Capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meanings in the Plan or the Award Agreement. In the event of any conflict between the terms in this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice or the Award Agreement and the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall control.
Participant | John Kirby | |||
Date of Grant | 11.06.2024 | |||
Number of Restricted Stock Units | [_]1 |
Vesting Schedule: | The shares subject to the RSU shall vest on May 4, 2025, subject to the Participant’s Continuous Service (as defined in the Plan) as of such date. |
Issuance Schedule: | Subject to any Capitalization Adjustment, one share of Common Stock (or its cash equivalent, at the discretion of the Company) will be issued for each Restricted Stock Unit that vests at the time set forth in the Award Agreement. |
Additional Terms/Acknowledgements: Participant acknowledges receipt of, and understands and agrees to, this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice, the Award Agreement and the Plan. Participant acknowledges and agrees that this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice and the Award Agreement may not be modified, amended, or revised except as provided in the Plan. Participant further acknowledges that as of the Date of Grant, this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice, the Award Agreement and the Plan set forth the entire understanding between Participant and the Company regarding the acquisition of the Common Stock pursuant to the Award specified above and supersede all prior oral and written agreements on the terms of this Award, with the exception, if applicable, of (i) equity awards previously granted and delivered to Participant, (ii) any compensation recovery policy that is adopted by the Company or is otherwise required by applicable law and (iii) any written employment or severance arrangement or other written agreement entered into between the Company and Participant specifying the terms that should govern this Award upon the terms and conditions set forth therein. By accepting this Award, Participant acknowledges having received and read the Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice, the Award Agreement and the Plan and agrees to all of the terms and conditions set forth in these documents. Participant consents to receive Plan and related documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC. | PARTICIPANT | |||
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Jayson Reiger | John J. Kirby | |||
President & Chief Executive Officer | ||||
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Dated | Dated |
1 | Number of shares to be equal to $40,500 divided by the closing price of the Company’s common stock on November 6, 2024. |
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ATTACHMENT I
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
2018 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT
Pursuant to the Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice (the “Grant Notice”) and this Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (the “Agreement”), Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the “Company”) has awarded you (“Participant”) a Restricted Stock Unit Award (the “Award”) pursuant to the Company’s 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) for the number of Restricted Stock Units/shares indicated in the Grant Notice. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Agreement or the Grant Notice shall have the same meanings given to them in the Plan. The terms of your Award, in addition to those set forth in the Grant Notice, are as follows.
1. GRANT OF THE AWARD. This Award represents the right to be issued on a future date one (1) share of Common Stock for each Restricted Stock Unit that vests on the applicable vesting date(s) (subject to any adjustment under Section 3 below) as indicated in the Grant Notice. As of the Date of Grant, the Company will credit to a bookkeeping account maintained by the Company for your benefit (the “Account”) the number of Restricted Stock Units/shares of Common Stock subject to the Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company reserves the right to issue you the cash equivalent of Common Stock, in part or in full satisfaction of the delivery of Common Stock in connection with the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units, and, to the extent applicable, references in this Agreement and the Grant Notice to Common Stock issuable in connection with your Restricted Stock Units will include the potential issuance of its cash equivalent pursuant to such right. This Award was granted in consideration of your services to the Company.
2. VESTING. Subject to the limitations contained herein, your Award will vest, if at all, in accordance with the vesting schedule provided in the Grant Notice. Vesting will cease upon the termination of your Continuous Service and the Restricted Stock Units credited to the Account that were not vested on the date of such termination will be forfeited at no cost to the Company and you will have no further right, title or interest in or to such Award or the shares of Common Stock to be issued in respect of such portion of the Award.
3. NUMBER OF SHARES. The number of Restricted Stock Units subject to your Award may be adjusted from time to time for Capitalization Adjustments, as provided in the Plan. Any additional Restricted Stock Units, shares, cash or other property that becomes subject to the Award pursuant to this Section 3, if any, shall be subject, in a manner determined by the Board, to the same forfeiture restrictions, restrictions on transferability, and time and manner of delivery as applicable to the other Restricted Stock Units and shares covered by your Award. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3, no fractional shares or rights for fractional shares of Common Stock shall be created pursuant to this Section 3. Any fraction of a share will be rounded down to the nearest whole share.
4. SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. You may not be issued any Common Stock under your Award unless the shares of Common Stock underlying the Restricted Stock Units are either (i) then registered under the Securities Act, or (ii) the Company has determined that such issuance would be exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Your Award must also comply with other applicable laws and regulations governing the Award, and you shall not receive such Common Stock if the Company determines that such receipt would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations.
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5. TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS. Prior to the time that shares of Common Stock have been delivered to you, you may not transfer, pledge, sell or otherwise dispose of this Award or the shares issuable in respect of your Award, except as expressly provided in this Section 5. For example, you may not use shares that may be issued in respect of your Restricted Stock Units as security for a loan. The restrictions on transfer set forth herein will lapse upon delivery to you of shares in respect of your vested Restricted Stock Units.
(a) Death. Your Award is transferable by will and by the laws of descent and distribution. At your death, vesting of your Award will cease and your executor or administrator of your estate shall be entitled to receive, on behalf of your estate, any Common Stock or other consideration that vested but was not issued before your death.
(b) Domestic Relations Orders. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, and provided that you and the designated transferee enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company, you may transfer your right to receive the distribution of Common Stock or other consideration hereunder, pursuant to a domestic relations order, marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as permitted by applicable law that contains the information required by the Company to effectuate the transfer. You are encouraged to discuss the proposed terms of any division of this Award with the Company General Counsel prior to finalizing the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement to verify that you may make such transfer, and if so, to help ensure the required information is contained within the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement.
6. DATE OF ISSUANCE.
(a) The issuance of shares in respect of the Restricted Stock Units is intended to comply with Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) and will be construed and administered in such a manner. Subject to the satisfaction of the Withholding Obligation set forth in Section 11 of this Agreement, in the event one or more Restricted Stock Units vests, the Company shall issue to you one (1) share of Common Stock for each Restricted Stock Unit that vests on the applicable vesting date(s) (subject to any adjustment under Section 3 above, and subject to any different provisions in the Grant Notice). Each issuance date determined by this paragraph is referred to as an “Original Issuance Date”.
(b) If the Original Issuance Date falls on a date that is not a business day, delivery shall instead occur on the next following business day. In addition, if:
(i) the Original Issuance Date does not occur (1) during an “open window period” applicable to you, as determined by the Company in accordance with the Company’s then- effective policy on trading in Company securities, or (2) on a date when you are otherwise permitted to sell shares of Common Stock on an established stock exchange or stock market (including but not limited to under a previously established written trading plan that meets the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act and was entered into in compliance with the Company’s policies (a “10b5-1 Arrangement”)), and
(ii) either (1) a Withholding Obligation does not apply, or (2) the Company decides, prior to the Original Issuance Date, (A) not to satisfy the Withholding Obligation by withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares otherwise due, on the Original Issuance Date, to you under this Award, and (B) not to permit you to enter into a “same day sale” commitment with a broker-dealer pursuant to Section 11 of this Agreement (including but not limited to a commitment under a 10b5-1 Arrangement) and (C) not to permit you to pay your Withholding Obligation in cash, then the shares that would otherwise be issued to you on the Original Issuance Date will not be delivered on such Original Issuance Date and will instead be delivered on the first business day when you are not prohibited from selling shares of the Company’s Common Stock in the open public market, but in no event later than December 31 of the calendar year in which the Original Issuance Date occurs (that is, the last day of your taxable year in which the Original Issuance Date occurs), or, if and only if permitted in a manner that complies with Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(4), no later than the date that is the 15th day of the third calendar month of the applicable year following the year in which the shares of Common Stock under this Award are no longer subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(d).
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(c) The form of delivery (e.g., a stock certificate or electronic entry evidencing such shares) shall be determined by the Company.
7. DIVIDENDS. You shall receive no benefit or adjustment to your Award with respect to any cash dividend, stock dividend or other distribution that does not result from a Capitalization Adjustment; provided, however, that this sentence will not apply with respect to any shares of Common Stock that are delivered to you in connection with your Award after such shares have been delivered to you.
8. RESTRICTIVE LEGENDS. The shares of Common Stock issued in respect of your Award shall be endorsed with appropriate legends as determined by the Company.
9. EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS. You hereby acknowledge and agree that the manner selected by the Company by which you indicate your consent to your Grant Notice is also deemed to be your execution of your Grant Notice and of this Agreement. You further agree that such manner of indicating consent may be relied upon as your signature for establishing your execution of any documents to be executed in the future in connection with your Award.
10. AWARD NOT A SERVICE CONTRACT.
(a) Nothing in this Agreement (including, but not limited to, the vesting of your Award or the issuance of the shares in respect of your Award), the Plan or any covenant of good faith and fair dealing that may be found implicit in this Agreement or the Plan shall: (i) confer upon you any right to continue in the employ or service of, or affiliation with, the Company or an Affiliate; (ii) constitute any promise or commitment by the Company or an Affiliate regarding the fact or nature of future positions, future work assignments, future compensation or any other term or condition of employment or affiliation; (iii) confer any right or benefit under this Agreement or the Plan unless such right or benefit has specifically accrued under the terms of this Agreement or Plan; or (iv) deprive the Company of the right to terminate you at will and without regard to any future vesting opportunity that you may have.
(b) By accepting this Award, you acknowledge and agree that the right to continue vesting in the Award pursuant to the vesting schedule provided in the Grant Notice may not be earned unless (in addition to any other conditions described in the Grant Notice and this Agreement) you continue as an employee, director or consultant at the will of the Company and affiliate, as applicable (not through the act of being hired, being granted this Award or any other award or benefit) and that the Company has the right to reorganize, sell, spin-out or otherwise restructure one or more of its businesses or Affiliates at any time or from time to time, as it deems appropriate (a “reorganization”). You acknowledge and agree that such a reorganization could result in the termination of your Continuous Service, or the termination of Affiliate status of your employer and the loss of benefits available to you under this Agreement, including but not limited to, the termination of the right to continue vesting in the Award. You further acknowledge and agree that this Agreement, the Plan, the transactions contemplated hereunder and the vesting schedule set forth herein or any covenant of good faith and fair dealing that
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may be found implicit in any of them do not constitute an express or implied promise of continued engagement as an employee or consultant for the term of this Agreement, for any period, or at all, and shall not interfere in any way with the Company’s right to terminate your Continuous Service at any time, with or without your cause or notice, or to conduct a reorganization.
11. WITHHOLDING OBLIGATION.
(a) On each vesting date, and on or before the time you receive a distribution of the shares of Common Stock in respect of your Restricted Stock Units, and at any other time as reasonably requested by the Company in accordance with applicable tax laws, you hereby authorize any required withholding from the Common Stock issuable to you and/or otherwise agree to make adequate provision, including in cash, for any sums required to satisfy the federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding obligations of the Company or any Affiliate that arise in connection with your Award (the “Withholding Obligation”).
(b) By accepting this Award, you acknowledge and agree that the Company or any Affiliate may, in its sole discretion, satisfy all or any portion of the Withholding Obligation relating to your Restricted Stock Units by any of the following means or by a combination of such means: (i) causing you to pay any portion of the Withholding Obligation in cash; (ii) withholding from any compensation otherwise payable to you by the Company; (iii) withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or otherwise issuable to you in connection with the Award with a Fair Market Value (measured as of the date shares of Common Stock are issued pursuant to Section 6) equal to the amount of such Withholding Obligation; provided, however, that the number of such shares of Common Stock so withheld will not exceed the amount necessary to satisfy the Withholding Obligation using the maximum statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign tax purposes, including payroll taxes, that are applicable to supplemental taxable income; and provided, further, that to the extent necessary to qualify for an exemption from application of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, if applicable, such share withholding procedure will be subject to the express prior approval of the Board or the Company’s Compensation Committee; and/or (iv) permitting or requiring you to enter into a “same day sale” commitment, if applicable, with a broker-dealer that is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (a “FINRA Dealer”), pursuant to this authorization and without further consent, whereby you irrevocably elect to sell a portion of the shares to be delivered in connection with your Restricted Stock Units to satisfy the Withholding Obligation and whereby the FINRA Dealer irrevocably commits to forward the proceeds necessary to satisfy the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company and/or its Affiliates. Unless the Withholding Obligation is satisfied, the Company shall have no obligation to deliver to you any Common Stock or any other consideration pursuant to this Award.
(c) In the event the Withholding Obligation arises prior to the delivery to you of Common Stock or it is determined after the delivery of Common Stock to you that the amount of the Withholding Obligation was greater than the amount withheld by the Company, you agree to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any failure by the Company to withhold the proper amount.
12. TAX CONSEQUENCES. The Company has no duty or obligation to minimize the tax consequences to you of this Award and shall not be liable to you for any adverse tax consequences to you arising in connection with this Award. You are hereby advised to consult with your own personal tax, financial and/or legal advisors regarding the tax consequences of this Award and by signing the Grant Notice, you have agreed that you have done so or knowingly and voluntarily declined to do so. You understand that you (and not the Company) shall be responsible for your own tax liability that may arise as a result of this investment or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
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13. UNSECURED OBLIGATION. Your Award is unfunded, and as a holder of a vested Award, you shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or other property pursuant to this Agreement. You shall not have voting or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement until such shares are issued to you pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement. Upon such issuance, you will obtain full voting and other rights as a stockholder of the Company. Nothing contained in this Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between you and the Company or any other person.
14. NOTICES. Any notice or request required or permitted hereunder shall be given in writing (including electronically) and will be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the case of notices delivered by mail by the Company to you, five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the last address you provided to the Company. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to participation in the Plan and this Award by electronic means or to request your consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. By accepting this Award, you consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on- line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.
15. HEADINGS. The headings of the Sections in this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part of this Agreement or to affect the meaning of this Agreement.
16. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) The rights and obligations of the Company under your Award shall be transferable by the Company to any one or more persons or entities, and all covenants and agreements hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the Company’s successors and assigns.
(b) You agree upon request to execute any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of your Award.
(c) You acknowledge and agree that you have reviewed your Award in its entirety, have had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting your Award and fully understand all provisions of your Award.
(d) This Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required.
(e) All obligations of the Company under the Plan and this Agreement shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.
17. GOVERNING PLAN DOCUMENT. Your Award is subject to all the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of which are hereby made a part of your Award, and is further subject to all interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations which may from time to time be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan. Your Award (and any compensation paid or shares issued under your Award) is subject to recoupment in accordance with The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any implementing regulations thereunder, any clawback policy adopted by the Company and any compensation recovery policy otherwise required by applicable law. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to voluntarily terminate employment upon a resignation for “good reason,” or for a “constructive termination” or any similar term under any plan of or agreement with the Company.
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18. EFFECT ON OTHER EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS. The value of the Award subject to this Agreement shall not be included as compensation, earnings, salaries, or other similar terms used when calculating benefits under any employee benefit plan (other than the Plan) sponsored by the Company or any Affiliate except as such plan otherwise expressly provides. The Company expressly reserves its rights to amend, modify, or terminate any or all of the employee benefit plans of the Company or any Affiliate.
19. SEVERABILITY. If all or any part of this Agreement or the Plan is declared by any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness or invalidity shall not invalidate any portion of this Agreement or the Plan not declared to be unlawful or invalid. Any Section of this Agreement (or part of such a Section) so declared to be unlawful or invalid shall, if possible, be construed in a manner which will give effect to the terms of such Section or part of a Section to the fullest extent possible while remaining lawful and valid.
20. OTHER DOCUMENTS. You hereby acknowledge receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act. In addition, you acknowledge receipt of the Company’s policy permitting certain individuals to sell shares only during certain “window” periods and the Company’s insider trading policy, in effect from time to time.
21. AMENDMENT. This Agreement may not be modified, amended or terminated except by an instrument in writing, signed by you and by a duly authorized representative of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended solely by the Board by a writing which specifically states that it is amending this Agreement, so long as a copy of such amendment is delivered to you, and provided that, except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, no such amendment materially adversely affecting your rights hereunder may be made without your written consent. Without limiting the foregoing, the Board reserves the right to change, by written notice to you, the provisions of this Agreement in any way it may deem necessary or advisable to carry out the purpose of the Award as a result of any change in applicable laws or regulations or any future law, regulation, ruling, or judicial decision, provided that any such change shall be applicable only to rights relating to that portion of the Award which is then subject to restrictions as provided herein.
22. COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 409A OF THE CODE. This Award is intended to be exempt from the application of Section 409A of the Code, including but not limited to by reason of complying with the “short-term deferral” rule set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) and any ambiguities herein shall be interpreted accordingly. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if it is determined that the Award fails to satisfy the requirements of the short-term deferral rule and is otherwise not exempt from, and determined to be deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, this Award shall comply with Section 409A to the extent necessary to avoid adverse personal tax consequences and any ambiguities herein shall be interpreted accordingly. If it is determined that the Award is deferred compensation subject to Section 409A and you are a “Specified Employee” (within the meaning set forth in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code) as of the date of your “Separation from Service” (as defined in Section 409A), then the issuance of any shares that would otherwise be made upon the date of your Separation from Service or within the first six (6) months thereafter will not be made on the originally scheduled date(s) and will instead be issued in a lump sum on the date that is six (6) months and one day after the date of the Separation from Service, with the balance of the shares issued thereafter
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in accordance with the original vesting and issuance schedule set forth above, but if and only if such delay in the issuance of the shares is necessary to avoid the imposition of adverse taxation on you in respect of the shares under Section 409A of the Code. Each installment of shares that vests is intended to constitute a “separate payment” for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2).
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This Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement shall be deemed to be signed by the Company and the Participant upon the signing by the Participant of the Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice to which it is attached.
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Exhibit 10.4
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
2024 INDUCEMENT PLAN
ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: NOVEMBER 1, 2024
1. GENERAL.
(a) Eligible Award Recipients. The only persons eligible to receive grants of Awards under this Plan are individuals who satisfy the standards for inducement grants under Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635(c)(4) or 5635(c)(3), if applicable, and the related guidance under Nasdaq IM 5635-1. A person who previously served as an Employee or Director will not be eligible to receive Awards under the Plan, other than following a bona fide period of non-employment. Persons eligible to receive grants of Awards under this Plan are referred to in this Plan as “Eligible Employees.” These Awards must be approved by either a majority of the Company’s “Independent Directors” (as such term is defined in Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5605(a)(2)) (“Independent Directors”) or the Company’s compensation committee, provided such committee is comprised solely of Independent Directors of the Company (the “Independent Compensation Committee”) in order to comply with the exemption from the stockholder approval requirement for “inducement grants” provided under Rule 5635(c)(4) of the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules. Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635(c)(4) and the related guidance under Nasdaq IM 5635-1 (together with any analogous rules or guidance effective after the date hereof, the “Inducement Award Rules”).
(b) Available Awards. The Plan provides for the grant of the following Awards: (i) Nonstatutory Stock Options, (ii) Stock Appreciation Rights, (iii) Restricted Stock Awards, (iv) Restricted Stock Unit Awards, (v) Performance Stock Awards, and (vii) Other Stock Awards.
(c) Purpose. The Plan, through the granting of Awards, is intended to provide (i) an inducement material for certain individuals to enter into employment with the Company within the meaning of Rule 5635(c)(4) of the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules, (ii) incentives for Eligible Employees to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company and any Affiliate and (iii) a means by which Eligible Employees may benefit from increases in value of the Common Stock.
2. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Administration by Board. The Board will administer the Plan; provided however, that Awards may only be granted by either (i) a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or (ii) the Independent Compensation Committee. Subject to those constraints and the other constraints of the Inducement Award Rules, the Board may delegate some of its powers of administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees, as provided in Section 2(c).
(b) Powers of Board. The Board will have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan and the Inducement Award Rules:
(i) To determine: (A) who will be granted Awards; (B) when and how each Award will be granted; (C) what type of Award will be granted; (D) the provisions of each Award (which need not be identical), including when a person will be permitted to exercise or otherwise receive cash or Common Stock under the Award; (E) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to, or the cash value of, an Award; and (F) the Fair Market Value applicable to a Stock Award; provided, however, that Awards may only be granted by either (i) a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or (ii) the Independent Compensation Committee.
(ii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Awards granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for administration of the Plan and Awards. The Board, in the exercise of these powers, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award Agreement, in a manner and to the extent it will deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan or Award fully effective.
(iii) To settle all controversies regarding the Plan and Awards granted under it.
(iv) To accelerate, in whole or in part, the time at which an Award may be exercised or vest (or the time at which cash or shares of Common Stock may be issued in settlement thereof).
(v) To suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or an Award Agreement, suspension or termination of the Plan will not materially impair a Participant’s rights under the Participant’s then-outstanding Award without the Participant’s written consent, except as provided in subsection (viii) below.
(vi) To amend the Plan in any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable, including, without limitation, by adopting amendments relating to certain nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code and/or ensuring that the Plan and Awards are exempt from or compliant with the requirements for nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, subject to the limitations, if any, of applicable law. The Company will seek stockholder approval of any amendment of the Plan if required by applicable law or listing requirements. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or an Award Agreement, no amendment of the Plan will materially impair a Participant’s rights under an outstanding Award without the Participant’s written consent.
(vii) To submit any amendment to the Plan for stockholder approval if required by applicable law or listing requirements.
(viii) To approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan and to amend the terms of any one or more Awards, including, but not limited to, amendments to provide terms more favorable to the Participant than previously provided in the Award Agreement, subject to any specified limits in the Plan that are not subject to Board discretion; provided, however, that a Participant’s rights under any Award will not be impaired by any such amendment unless (A) the Company requests the consent of the affected Participant, and (B) such Participant consents in writing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) a Participant’s rights will not be deemed to have been impaired by any such amendment if the Board, in its sole discretion, determines that the amendment, taken as a whole, does not materially impair the Participant’s rights, and (2) subject to the limitations of applicable law, if any, the Board may amend the terms of any one or more Awards without the affected Participant’s consent (A) to clarify the manner of exemption from, or to bring the Award into compliance with, Section 409A of the Code; or (B) to comply with other applicable laws or listing requirements.
(ix) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and that are not in conflict with the provisions of the Plan or Awards.
(x) To adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit participation in the Plan by Eligible Employees who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States (provided that Board approval will not be necessary for immaterial modifications to the Plan or any Award Agreement that are required for compliance with the laws of the relevant foreign jurisdiction).
(c) Delegation to Committee.
(i) General. Subject to the terms of Section 4(b), the Board may delegate some or all of the administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees. If administration of the Plan is delegated to a Committee, the Committee will have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board that have been delegated to the Committee, including the power to delegate to a subcommittee of the Committee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board will thereafter be to the Committee or subcommittee, as applicable). Any delegation of administrative powers will be reflected in resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, adopted from time to time by the Board or Committee (as applicable). The Committee may, at any time, abolish the subcommittee and/or revest in the Committee any powers delegated to the subcommittee. The Board may retain the authority to concurrently administer the Plan with the Committee and may, at any time, revest in the Board some or all of the powers previously delegated.
(ii) Rule 16b-3 Compliance. To the extent an Award is intended to qualify for the exemption from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act that is available under Rule 16b-3, the Award will be granted by a Committee that consists solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors, as determined in accordance with Rule 16b-3 and thereafter any action establishing or modifying the terms of the Award will be approved by a Committee meeting such requirements to the extent necessary for such exemption to remain available.
(d) Effect of Board’s Decision. All determinations, interpretations and constructions made by the Board in good faith will not be subject to review by any person and will be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.
(e) No Repricing of Awards. Neither the Board nor any Committee will have the authority to (i) reduce the exercise or strike price of any outstanding Option or SAR or (ii) cancel any outstanding Option or SAR that has an exercise or strike price (per share) greater than the then-current Fair Market Value of the Common Stock in exchange for cash or other Stock Awards under the Plan, unless the stockholders of the Company have approved such an action within 12 months prior to such an event.
3. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.
(a) Share Reserve. Subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 3(b) and any adjustments as necessary to implement any Capitalization Adjustments, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Stock Awards from and after the Effective Date will not exceed 2,000,000 shares (the “Share Reserve”).
For clarity, the Share Reserve in this Section 3(a) is a limitation on the number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the Plan. Accordingly, this Section 3(a) does not limit the granting of Stock Awards except as provided in Section 7(a). Shares may be issued in connection with a merger or acquisition as permitted by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c) or, if applicable, NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.08, AMEX Company Guide Section 711 or other applicable rule, and such issuance will not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan.
(b) Reversion of Shares to the Share Reserve. If a Stock Award or any portion thereof (i) expires or otherwise terminates without all of the shares covered by such Stock Award having been issued or (ii) is settled in cash (i.e., the Participant receives cash rather than stock), such expiration, termination or settlement will not reduce (or otherwise offset) the number of shares of Common Stock that may be available for issuance under the Plan. If any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to a Stock Award are forfeited back to or repurchased by the Company because of the failure to meet a contingency or condition required to vest such shares in the Participant, then the shares that are forfeited or repurchased will revert to and again become available for issuance under the Plan. Any shares reacquired by the Company in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations on a Stock Award or as consideration for the exercise or purchase price of a Stock Award will again become available for issuance under the Plan.
(c) Source of Shares. The stock issuable under the Plan will be shares of authorized but unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares repurchased by the Company on the open market or otherwise.
4. ELIGIBILITY.
(a) Eligible Award Recipients. Awards may only be granted to persons who are Eligible Employees described in Section 1(a) of the Plan, where the Award is an inducement material to the individual’s entering into employment with the Company or an Affiliate within the meaning of Rule 5635(c)(4) of the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules or is otherwise permitted pursuant to Rule 5635(c) of the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules; provided, however, that Stock Awards may not be granted to Eligible Employees who are providing Continuous Service only to any “parent” of the Company, as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, unless (i) the stock underlying such Stock Awards is treated as “service recipient stock” under Section 409A of the Code (for example, because the Stock Awards are granted pursuant to a corporate transaction such as a spin off transaction), (ii) the Company, in consultation with its legal counsel, has determined that such Stock Awards are otherwise exempt from Section 409A of the Code, or (iii) the Company, in consultation with its legal counsel, has determined that such Stock Awards comply with the distribution requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
(b) Approval Requirements. All Awards must be granted either by a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee.
5. PROVISIONS RELATING TO OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.
Each Option or SAR will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate. All Options will be Nonstatutory Stock Options, and, if certificates are issued, a separate certificate or certificates will be issued for shares of Common Stock purchased on exercise. The provisions of separate Options or SARs need not be identical; provided, however, that each Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the applicable Award Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:
(a) Term. No Option or SAR will be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date of its grant or such shorter period specified in the Award Agreement.
(b) Exercise Price. The exercise or strike price of each Option or SAR will be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Option or SAR on the date the Award is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Option or SAR may be granted with an exercise or strike price lower than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Award if such Award is granted pursuant to an assumption of or substitution for another option or stock appreciation right pursuant to a Corporate Transaction and in a manner consistent with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code. Each SAR will be denominated in shares of Common Stock equivalents.
(c) Purchase Price for Options. The purchase price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option may be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable law and as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, by any combination of the methods of payment set forth below. The Board will have the authority to grant Options that do not permit all of the following methods of payment (or otherwise restrict the ability to use certain methods) and to grant Options that require the consent of the Company to use a particular method of payment. The permitted methods of payment are as follows:
(i) by cash, check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company;
(ii) pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of the stock subject to the Option, results in either the receipt of cash (or check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to pay the aggregate exercise price to the Company from the sales proceeds;
(iii) by delivery to the Company (either by actual delivery or attestation) of shares of Common Stock;
(iv) by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price; provided, however, that the Company will accept a cash or other payment from the Participant to the extent of any remaining balance of the aggregate exercise price not satisfied by such reduction in the number of whole shares to be issued. Shares of Common Stock will no longer be subject to an Option and will not be exercisable thereafter to the extent that (A) shares issuable upon exercise are used to pay the exercise price pursuant to the “net exercise,” (B) shares are delivered to the Participant as a result of such exercise, and (C) shares are withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations; or
(v) in any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board and specified in the applicable Award Agreement.
(d) Exercise and Payment of a SAR. To exercise any outstanding SAR, the Participant must provide written notice of exercise to the Company in compliance with the provisions of the Stock Appreciation Right Agreement evidencing such SAR. The appreciation distribution payable on the exercise of a SAR will be not greater than an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate Fair Market Value (on the date of the exercise of the SAR)
of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Common Stock equivalents in which the Participant is vested under such SAR, and with respect to which the Participant is exercising the SAR on such date, over (B) the aggregate strike price of the number of Common Stock equivalents with respect to which the Participant is exercising the SAR on such date. The appreciation distribution may be paid in Common Stock, in cash, in any combination of the two or in any other form of consideration, as determined by the Board and contained in the Award Agreement evidencing such SAR.
(e) Transferability of Options and SARs. The Board may, in its sole discretion, impose such limitations on the transferability of Options and SARs as the Board will determine. In the absence of such a determination by the Board to the contrary, the following restrictions on the transferability of Options and SARs will apply:
(i) Restrictions on Transfer. An Option or SAR will not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution (or pursuant to subsections (ii) and (iii) below) and will be exercisable during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant. The Board may permit transfer of the Option or SAR in a manner that is not prohibited by applicable tax and securities laws. Except as explicitly provided herein, neither an Option nor a SAR may be transferred for consideration.
(ii) Domestic Relations Orders. Subject to the approval of the Board or a duly authorized Officer, an Option or SAR may be transferred pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument.
(iii) Beneficiary Designation. Subject to the approval of the Board or a duly authorized Officer, a Participant may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form approved by the Company (or the designated broker), designate a third party who, on the death of the Participant, will thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option or SAR and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. In the absence of such a designation, upon the death of the Participant, the executor or administrator of the Participant’s estate will be entitled to exercise the Option or SAR and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. However, the Company may prohibit designation of a beneficiary at any time, including due to any conclusion by the Company that such designation would be inconsistent with the provisions of applicable laws.
(f) Vesting Generally. The total number of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option or SAR may vest and become exercisable in periodic installments that may or may not be equal. The Option or SAR may be subject to such other terms and conditions on the time or times when it may or may not be exercised (which may be based on the satisfaction of Performance Goals or other criteria) as the Board may deem appropriate. The vesting provisions of individual Options or SARs may vary. The provisions of this Section 5(f) are subject to any Option or SAR provisions governing the minimum number of shares of Common Stock as to which an Option or SAR may be exercised.
(g) Termination of Continuous Service. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates (other than for Cause and other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability), the Participant may exercise his or her Option or SAR (to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such Award as of the date of termination of Continuous Service) within the period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date that is three (3) months following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in the applicable Award Agreement), and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after termination of Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option or SAR (as applicable) within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR will terminate.
(h) Extension of Termination Date. If the exercise of an Option or SAR following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (other than for Cause and other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability) would be prohibited at any time solely because the issuance of shares of Common Stock would violate the registration requirements under the Securities Act, then the Option or SAR will terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of a total period of time (that need not be consecutive) equal to the applicable post termination exercise period after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service during which the exercise of the Option or SAR would not be in violation of such registration requirements, and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
In addition, unless otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, if the sale of any Common Stock received on exercise of an Option or SAR following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (other than for Cause) would violate the Company’s insider trading policy, then the Option or SAR will terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of a period of months (that need not be consecutive) equal to the applicable post-termination exercise period after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service during which the sale of the Common Stock received upon exercise of the Option or SAR would not be in violation of the Company’s insider trading policy, or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
(i) Disability of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option or SAR (to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option or SAR as of the date of termination of Continuous Service), but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date twelve (12) months following such termination of Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Award Agreement), and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after termination of Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option or SAR within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will terminate.
(j) Death of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if (i) a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s death, or (ii) the Participant dies within the period (if any) specified in the Award Agreement for exercisability after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service for a reason other than death, then the Option or SAR may be exercised (to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option or SAR as of the date of death) by the Participant’s estate, by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option or SAR by bequest or inheritance or by a person designated to exercise the Option or SAR upon the Participant’s death, but only within the period ending on the earlier of (i) the date eighteen (18) months following the date of death (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Award Agreement), and (ii) the expiration of the term of such Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after the Participant’s death, the Option or SAR is not exercised within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will terminate.
(k) Termination for Cause. Except as explicitly provided otherwise in a Participant’s Award Agreement or other individual written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant, if a Participant’s Continuous Service is terminated for Cause, the Option or SAR will terminate immediately upon such Participant’s termination of Continuous Service, and the Participant will be prohibited from exercising his or her Option or SAR from and after the time of such termination of Continuous Service.
(l) Non-Exempt Employees. If an Option or SAR is granted to an Employee who is a non-exempt employee for purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, the Option or SAR will not be first exercisable for any shares of Common Stock until at least six (6) months following the date of grant of the Option or SAR (although the Award may vest prior to such date). Consistent with the provisions of the Worker Economic Opportunity Act, (i) if such non-exempt Employee dies or suffers a Disability, (ii) upon a Corporate Transaction in which such Option or SAR is not assumed, continued, or substituted, (iii) upon a Change in Control, or (iv) upon the Participant’s retirement (as such term may be defined in the Participant’s Award Agreement, in another agreement between the Participant and the Company, or, if no such definition, in accordance with the Company’s then current employment policies and guidelines), the vested portion of any Options and SARs may be exercised earlier than six (6) months following the date of grant. The foregoing provision is intended to operate so that any income derived by a non-exempt employee in connection with the exercise or vesting of an Option or SAR will be exempt from his or her regular rate of pay. To the extent permitted and/or required for compliance with the Worker Economic Opportunity Act to ensure that any income derived by a non-exempt employee in connection with the exercise, vesting or issuance of any shares under any other Stock Award will be exempt from the employee’s regular rate of pay, the provisions of this Section 5(l) will apply to all Stock Awards and are hereby incorporated by reference into such Stock Award Agreements.
6. PROVISIONS OF STOCK AWARDS OTHER THAN OPTIONS AND SARS.
(a) Restricted Stock Awards. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate. To the extent consistent with the Company’s bylaws, at the Board’s election, shares of Common Stock may be (i) held in book entry form subject to the Company’s instructions until any restrictions relating to the Restricted Stock Award lapse; or (ii) evidenced by a certificate, which certificate will be held in such form and manner as determined by the Board. The terms and conditions of Restricted Stock Award Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Restricted Stock Award Agreements need not be identical. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:
(i) Consideration. A Restricted Stock Award may be awarded in consideration for (A) cash, check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company, (B) past or future services to the Company or an Affiliate, or (C) any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee, and permissible under applicable law.
(ii) Vesting. Shares of Common Stock awarded under the Restricted Stock Award Agreement may be subject to forfeiture to the Company in accordance with a vesting schedule to be determined by a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee.
(iii) Termination of Participant’s Continuous Service. If a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, the Company may receive through a forfeiture condition or a repurchase right any or all of the shares of Common Stock held by the Participant that have not vested as of the date of termination of Continuous Service under the terms of the Restricted Stock Award Agreement.
(iv) Transferability. Rights to acquire shares of Common Stock under the Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be transferable by the Participant only upon such terms and conditions as are set forth in the Restricted Stock Award Agreement, as the Board will determine in its sole discretion, so long as Common Stock awarded under the Restricted Stock Award Agreement remains subject to the terms of the Restricted Stock Award Agreement.
(v) Dividends. A Restricted Stock Award Agreement may provide that any dividends paid on Restricted Stock Awards will be subject to the same vesting and forfeiture restrictions as apply to the shares subject to the Restricted Stock Award to which they relate.
(b) Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee will deem appropriate. The terms and conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements need not be identical. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:
(i) Consideration. At the time of grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee will determine the consideration, if any, to be paid by the Participant upon delivery of each share of Common Stock subject to the Restricted Stock Unit Award. The consideration to be paid (if any) by the Participant for each share of Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Unit Award may be paid in any form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee, and permissible under applicable law.
(ii) Vesting. At the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee may impose such restrictions on or conditions to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Unit Award as it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.
(iii) Payment. A Restricted Stock Unit Award may be settled by the delivery of shares of Common Stock, their cash equivalent, any combination thereof or in any other form of consideration, as determined by a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee and contained in the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement.
(iv) Additional Restrictions. At the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee, as it deems appropriate, may impose such restrictions or conditions that delay the delivery of the shares of Common Stock (or their cash equivalent) subject to a Restricted Stock Unit Award to a time after the vesting of such Restricted Stock Unit Award.
(v) Dividend Equivalents. Dividend equivalents may be credited in respect of shares of Common Stock covered by a Restricted Stock Unit Award, as determined by a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee and contained in the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement. At the sole discretion of a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee, such dividend equivalents may be converted into additional shares of Common Stock covered by the Restricted Stock Unit Award in such manner as determined by a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee. Any additional shares covered by the Restricted Stock Unit Award credited by reason of such dividend equivalents will be subject to all of the same terms and conditions of the underlying Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement to which they relate.
(vi) Termination of Participant’s Continuous Service. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, such portion of the Restricted Stock Unit Award that has not vested will be forfeited upon the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service.
(c) Performance Awards.
(i) Performance Stock Awards. A Performance Stock Award is a Stock Award that is payable (including that may be granted, may vest or may be exercised) contingent upon the attainment during a Performance Period of certain Performance Goals. A Performance Stock Award may, but need not, require the Participant’s completion of a specified period of Continuous Service. The length of any Performance Period, the Performance Goals to be achieved during the Performance Period, and the measure of whether and to what degree such Performance Goals have been attained will be conclusively determined by a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee. In addition, to the extent permitted by applicable law and the applicable Award Agreement, a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee may determine that cash may be used in payment of Performance Stock Awards.
(iii) Board Discretion. A majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee retains the discretion to adjust or eliminate the compensation or economic benefit due upon attainment of Performance Goals and to define the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for a Performance Period. Partial achievement of the specified criteria may result in the payment or vesting corresponding to the degree of achievement as specified in the Stock Award Agreement.
(d) Other Stock Awards. Other forms of Stock Awards valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, Common Stock, including the appreciation in value thereof (e.g., options or stock rights with an exercise price or strike price less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock at the time of grant) may be granted either alone or in addition to Stock Awards provided for under Section 5 and the preceding provisions of this Section 6. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee will have sole and complete authority to determine the persons to whom and the time or times at which such Other Stock Awards will be granted, the number of shares of Common Stock (or the cash equivalent thereof) to be granted pursuant to such Other Stock Awards and all other terms and conditions of such Other Stock Awards.
7. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
(a) Availability of Shares. The Company will keep available at all times the number of shares of Common Stock reasonably required to satisfy then-outstanding Stock Awards.
(b) Securities Law Compliance. The Company will seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan, as necessary, such authority as may be required to grant Stock Awards and to issue and sell shares of Common Stock upon exercise or vesting of the Stock Awards; provided, however, that this undertaking will not require the Company to register under the Securities Act or other securities or applicable laws, the Plan, any Stock Award or any Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any such Stock Award. If, after reasonable efforts and at a reasonable cost, the Company is unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority that counsel for the Company deems necessary or advisable for the lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, the Company will be relieved from any liability for failure to issue and sell Common Stock upon exercise or vesting of such Stock Awards unless and until such authority is obtained. A Participant will not be eligible for the grant of an Award or the subsequent issuance of cash or Common Stock pursuant to the Award if such grant or issuance would be in violation of any applicable securities law.
(c) No Obligation to Notify or Minimize Taxes. The Company will have no duty or obligation to any Participant to advise such holder as to the tax treatment or time or manner of exercising such Stock Award. Furthermore, the Company will have no duty or obligation to warn or otherwise advise such holder of a pending termination or expiration of an Award or a possible period in which the Award may not be exercised. The Company has no duty or obligation to minimize the tax consequences of an Award to the holder of such Award.
8. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Use of Proceeds from Sales of Common Stock. Proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock pursuant to Stock Awards will constitute general funds of the Company.
(b) Corporate Action Constituting Grant of Awards. Corporate action constituting a grant by the Company of an Award to any Participant will be deemed completed as of the date of such corporate action, unless otherwise determined by the Board, regardless of when the instrument, certificate, or letter evidencing the Award is communicated to, or actually received or accepted by, the Participant. In the event that the corporate records (e.g., Board consents, resolutions or minutes) documenting the corporate action approving the grant contain terms (e.g., exercise price, vesting schedule or number of shares) that are inconsistent with those in the Award Agreement or related grant documents as a result of a clerical error in the papering of the Award Agreement or related grant documents, the corporate records will control and the Participant will have no legally binding right to the incorrect term in the Award Agreement or related grant documents.
(c) Stockholder Rights. No Participant will be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award unless and until (i) such Participant has satisfied all requirements for exercise of, or the issuance of shares of Common Stock under, the Award pursuant to its terms, and (ii) the issuance of the Common Stock subject to such Award has been entered into the books and records of the Company.
(d) No Employment or Other Service Rights. Nothing in the Plan, any Award Agreement or any other instrument executed thereunder or in connection with any Award granted pursuant thereto will confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve the Company or an Affiliate in the capacity in effect at the time the Award was granted or will affect the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (i) the employment of an Employee with or without notice and with or without cause, (ii) the service of a Consultant pursuant to the terms of such Consultant’s agreement with the Company or an Affiliate, or (iii) the service of a Director pursuant to the bylaws of the Company or an Affiliate, and any applicable provisions of the corporate law of the state or foreign jurisdiction in which the Company or the Affiliate is domiciled or incorporated, as the case may be.
(e) Change in Time Commitment. In the event a Participant’s regular level of time commitment in the performance of his or her services for the Company and any Affiliates is reduced (for example, and without limitation, if the Participant is an Employee of the Company and the Employee has a change in status from a full-time Employee to a part-time Employee or takes an extended leave of absence) after the date of grant of any Award to the Participant, the Board has the right in its sole discretion to (x) make a corresponding reduction in the number of shares or cash amount subject to any portion of such Award that is scheduled to vest or become payable after the date of such change in time commitment, and (y) in lieu of or in combination with such a reduction, extend the vesting or payment schedule applicable to such Award.
In the event of any such reduction, the Participant will have no right with respect to any portion of the Award that is so reduced or extended.
(f) Investment Assurances. The Company may require a Participant, as a condition of exercising or acquiring Common Stock under any Award, (i) to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company as to the Participant’s knowledge and experience in financial and business matters and/or to employ a purchaser representative reasonably satisfactory to the Company who is knowledgeable and experienced in financial and business matters and that such Participant is capable of evaluating, alone or together with the purchaser representative, the merits and risks of exercising the Award; and (ii) to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company stating that the Participant is acquiring Common Stock subject to the Award for the Participant’s own account and not with any present intention of selling or otherwise distributing the Common Stock. The foregoing requirements, and any assurances given pursuant to such requirements, will be inoperative if (A) the issuance of the shares upon the exercise or acquisition of Common Stock under the Stock Award has been registered under a then currently effective registration statement under the Securities Act, or (B) as to any particular requirement, a determination is made by counsel for the Company that such requirement need not be met in the circumstances under the then applicable securities laws. The Company may, upon advice of counsel to the Company, place legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan as such counsel deems necessary or appropriate in order to comply with applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to, legends restricting the transfer of the Common Stock.
(g) Withholding Obligations. Unless prohibited by the terms of an Award Agreement, the Company may, in its sole discretion, satisfy any federal, state or local tax withholding obligation relating to an Award by any of the following means or by a combination of such means: (i) causing the Participant to tender a cash payment; (ii) withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or otherwise issuable to the Participant in connection with the Stock Award; provided, however, that no shares of Common Stock are withheld with a value exceeding the maximum amount of tax required to be withheld by law (or such lesser amount as may be necessary to avoid classification of the Stock Award as a liability for financial accounting purposes); (iii) withholding cash from an Award settled in cash; (iv) withholding payment from any amounts otherwise payable to the Participant; or (v) by such other method as may be set forth in the Award Agreement.
(h) Electronic Delivery. Any reference herein to a “written” agreement or document will include any agreement or document delivered electronically, filed publicly at www.sec.gov (or any successor website thereto) or posted on the Company’s intranet (or other shared electronic medium controlled by the Company to which the Participant has access).
(i) Deferrals. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board, in its sole discretion, may determine that the delivery of Common Stock or the payment of cash, upon the exercise, vesting or settlement of all or a portion of any Award may be deferred and may establish programs and procedures for deferral elections to be made by Participants. Deferrals by Participants will be made in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. Consistent with Section 409A of the Code, the Board may provide for distributions while a Participant is still an employee or otherwise providing services to the Company. The Board is authorized to make deferrals of Awards and determine when, and in what annual percentages, Participants may receive payments, including lump sum payments, following the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service, and implement such other terms and conditions consistent with the provisions of the Plan and in accordance with applicable law.
(j) Clawback/Recovery. All Awards granted under the Plan will be subject to recoupment in accordance with any clawback policy that the Company is required to adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities exchange or association on which the Company’s securities are listed or as is otherwise required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law. In addition, the Board may impose such other clawback, recovery or recoupment provisions in an Award Agreement as the Board determines necessary or appropriate, including but not limited to a reacquisition right in respect of previously acquired shares of Common Stock or other cash or property upon the occurrence of an event constituting Cause. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to voluntary terminate employment upon a “resignation for good reason,” or for a “constructive termination” or any similar term under any plan of or agreement with the Company.
(k) Compliance with Section 409A of the Code. Unless otherwise expressly provided for in an Award Agreement, the Plan and Award Agreements will be interpreted to the greatest extent possible in a manner that makes the Plan and the Awards granted hereunder exempt from Section 409A of the Code, and, to the extent not so exempt, in compliance with Section 409A of the Code. If the Board determines that any Award granted hereunder is not exempt from and is therefore subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award Agreement evidencing such Award will incorporate the terms and conditions necessary to avoid the consequences specified in Section 409A(a)(1) of the Code, and to the extent an Award Agreement is silent on terms necessary for compliance, such terms are hereby incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan (and unless the Award Agreement specifically provides otherwise), if the shares of Common Stock are publicly traded, and if a Participant holding an Award that constitutes “deferred compensation” under Section 409A of the Code is a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, no distribution or payment of any amount that is due because of a “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code without regard to alternative definitions thereunder) will be issued or paid before the date that is six months following the date of such Participant’s “separation from service” or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death, unless such distribution or payment can be made in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code, and any amounts so deferred will be paid in a lump sum on the day after such six month period elapses, with the balance paid thereafter on the original schedule.
9. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK; OTHER CORPORATE EVENTS.
(a) Capitalization Adjustments. In the event of a Capitalization Adjustment, the Board will appropriately and proportionately adjust: (i) the class(es) and maximum number of securities subject to the Plan pursuant to Section 3(a) and (ii) the class(es) and number of securities and price per share of stock subject to outstanding Stock Awards. The Board will make such adjustments, and its determination will be final, binding and conclusive.
(b) Dissolution. Except as otherwise provided in the Stock Award Agreement, in the event of a Dissolution of the Company, all outstanding Stock Awards (other than Stock Awards consisting of vested and outstanding shares of Common Stock not subject to a forfeiture condition or the Company’s right of repurchase) will terminate immediately prior to the completion of such Dissolution, and the shares of Common Stock subject to the Company’s repurchase rights or subject to a forfeiture condition may be repurchased or reacquired by the Company notwithstanding the fact that the holder of such Stock Award is providing Continuous Service; provided, however, that the Board may, in its sole discretion, cause some or all Stock Awards to become fully vested, exercisable and/or no longer subject to repurchase or forfeiture (to the extent such Stock Awards have not previously expired or terminated) before the Dissolution is completed but contingent on its completion.
(c) Transaction. The following provisions will apply to Stock Awards in the event of a Transaction unless otherwise provided in the instrument evidencing the Stock Award or any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant or unless otherwise expressly provided by the Board at the time of grant of a Stock Award. In the event of a Transaction, then, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Board may take one or more of the following actions with respect to Stock Awards, contingent upon the closing or completion of the Transaction:
(i) arrange for the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company) to assume or continue the Stock Award or to substitute a similar stock award for the Stock Award (including, but not limited to, an award to acquire the same consideration paid to the stockholders of the Company pursuant to the Transaction);
(ii) arrange for the assignment of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company in respect of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Stock Award to the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company);
(iii) accelerate the vesting, in whole or in part, of the Stock Award (and, if applicable, the time at which the Stock Award may be exercised) to a date prior to the effective time of such Transaction as the Board determines (or, if the Board does not determine such a date, to the date that is five days prior to the effective date of the Transaction), with such Stock Award terminating if not exercised (if applicable) at or prior to the effective time of the Transaction; provided, however, that the Board may require Participants to complete and deliver to the Company a notice of exercise before the effective date of a Transaction, which exercise is contingent upon the effectiveness of such Transaction;
(iv) arrange for the lapse, in whole or in part, of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to the Stock Award;
(v) cancel or arrange for the cancellation of the Stock Award, to the extent not vested or not exercised prior to the effective time of the Transaction, in exchange for such cash consideration, if any, as the Board, in its sole discretion, may consider appropriate; and
(vi) make a payment, in such form as may be determined by the Board equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the value of the property the Participant would have received upon the exercise of the Stock Award immediately prior to the effective time of the Transaction, over (B) any exercise price payable by such holder in connection with such exercise. For clarity, this payment may be $0 if the value of the property is equal to or less than the exercise price. Payments under this provision may be delayed to the same extent that payment of consideration to the holders of the Company’s Common Stock in connection with the Transaction is delayed as a result of escrows, earn outs, holdbacks or any other contingencies.
The Board need not take the same action or actions with respect to all Stock Awards or portions thereof or with respect to all Participants. The Board may take different actions with respect to the vested and unvested portions of a Stock Award.
(d) Change in Control. A Stock Award may be subject to additional acceleration of vesting and exercisability upon or after a Change in Control as may be provided in the Stock Award Agreement for such Stock Award or as may be provided in any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant, but in the absence of such provision, no such acceleration will occur.
10. PLAN TERM; EARLIER TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN.
The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. No Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.
11. EXISTENCE OF THE PLAN.
The Plan will take effect on the date on which it is adopted by the Board (the “Effective Date”).
12. CHOICE OF LAW.
The laws of the State of Delaware will govern all questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Plan, without regard to that state’s conflict of laws rules.
13. DEFINITIONS. As used in the Plan, the following definitions will apply to the capitalized terms indicated below:
(a) “Affiliate” means, at the time of determination, any “parent” or “subsidiary” of the Company as such terms are defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. The Board will have the authority to determine the time or times at which “parent” or “subsidiary” status is determined within the foregoing definition.
(b) “Award” means a Stock Award.
(c) “Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of an Award.
(d) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(e) “Capital Stock” means each and every class of common stock of the Company, regardless of the number of votes per share.
(f) “Capitalization Adjustment” means any change that is made in, or other events that occur with respect to, the Common Stock subject to the Plan or subject to any Stock Award after the Effective Date without the receipt of consideration by the Company through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, large nonrecurring cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure or any similar equity restructuring transaction, as that term is used in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor thereto). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the conversion of any convertible securities of the Company will not be treated as a Capitalization Adjustment.
(g) “Cause” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in any written agreement between the Participant and the Company defining such term and, in the absence of such agreement, such term means, with respect to a Participant, the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) such Participant’s commission of any felony or any crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude under the laws of the United States or any state thereof; (ii) such Participant’s attempted commission of, or participation in, a fraud or act of dishonesty against the Company; (iii) such Participant’s intentional, material violation of any contract or agreement between the Participant and the Company or of any statutory duty owed to the Company; (iv) such Participant’s unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s confidential information or trade secrets; or (v) such Participant’s gross misconduct. The determination that a termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service is either for Cause or without Cause shall be made by the Company, in its sole discretion. Any determination by the Company that the Continuous Service of a Participant was terminated with or without Cause for the purposes of outstanding Awards held by such Participant shall have no effect upon any determination of the rights or obligations of the Company or such Participant for any other purpose.
(h) “Change in Control” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:
(i) any Exchange Act Person becomes the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities other than by virtue of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control will not be deemed to occur (A) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company directly from the Company, (B) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company by an investor, any affiliate thereof or any other Exchange Act Person that acquires the Company’s securities in a transaction or series of related transactions the primary purpose of which is to obtain financing for the Company through the issuance of equity securities, or (C) solely because the level of Ownership held by any Exchange Act Person (the “Subject Person”) exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities by the Company reducing the number of shares outstanding, provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of voting securities by the Company, and after such share acquisition, the Subject Person becomes the Owner of any additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then outstanding voting securities Owned by the Subject Person over the designated percentage threshold, then a Change in Control will be deemed to occur;
(ii) there is consummated a merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving (directly or indirectly) the Company and, immediately after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior thereto do not Own, directly or indirectly, either (A) outstanding voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (B) more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the parent of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, in each case in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such transaction; or
(iii) there is consummated a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, other than a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries to an Entity, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are Owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such sale, lease, license or other disposition.
Notwithstanding the foregoing definition or any other provision of the Plan, the term Change in Control will not include a sale of assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company and the definition of Change in Control (or any analogous term) in an individual written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant will supersede the foregoing definition with respect to Awards subject to such agreement; provided, however, that if no definition of Change in Control or any analogous term is set forth in such an individual written agreement, the foregoing definition will apply.
(i) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including any applicable regulations and guidance thereunder.
(j) “Committee” means a committee of one or more Independent Directors to whom authority has been delegated by the Board in accordance with Section 2(c) of the Plan.
(k) “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, having one vote per share.
(l) “Company” means Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(m) “Consultant” means any person, including an advisor, who is (i) engaged by the Company or an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services and is compensated for such services, or (ii) serving as a member of the board of directors of an Affiliate and is compensated for such services. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such service, will not cause a Director to be considered a “Consultant” for purposes of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person is treated as a Consultant under this Plan only if a Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act is available to register either the offer or the sale of the Company’s securities to such person. Consultants are not eligible to receive Awards under the Plan with respect to their service in such capacity.
(n) “Continuous Service” means that the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, whether as an Employee, Director or Consultant, is not interrupted or terminated. A change in the capacity in which the Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an Employee, Consultant or Director or a change in the entity for which the Participant renders such service, provided that there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, will not terminate a Participant’s Continuous Service; provided, however, that if the Entity for which a Participant is rendering services ceases to qualify as an Affiliate, as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, such Participant’s Continuous Service will be considered to have terminated on the date such Entity ceases to qualify as an Affiliate. To the extent permitted by law, the Board or the chief executive officer of the Company, in that party’s sole discretion, may determine whether Continuous Service will be considered interrupted in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Board or chief executive officer, including sick leave, military leave or any other personal leave, or (ii) transfers between the Company, an Affiliate, or their successors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a leave of absence will be treated as Continuous Service for purposes of vesting in an Award only to such extent as may be provided in the Company’s leave of absence policy, in the written terms of any leave of absence agreement or policy applicable to the Participant, or as otherwise required by law.
(o) “Corporate Transaction” means the consummation, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:
(i) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all, as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries;
(ii) a sale or other disposition of more than 50% of the outstanding securities of the Company;
(iii) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is not the surviving corporation; or
(iv) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is the surviving corporation but the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger, consolidation or similar transaction are converted or exchanged by virtue of the merger, consolidation or similar transaction into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise.
(p) “Director” means a member of the Board. Directors are not eligible to receive Awards under the Plan with respect to their service in such capacity.
(q) “Disability” means, with respect to a Participant, the inability of such Participant to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or that has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, as provided in Sections 22(e)(3) and 409A(a)(2)(c)(i) of the Code, and will be determined by the Board on the basis of such medical evidence as the Board deems warranted under the circumstances.
(r) “Dissolution” means when the Company, after having executed a certificate of dissolution with the State of Delaware (or other applicable state), has completely wound up its affairs. Conversion of the Company into a Limited Liability Company (or any other pass-through entity) will not be considered a “Dissolution” for purposes of the Plan.
(t) “Employee” means any person employed by the Company or an Affiliate. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such services, will not cause a Director to be considered an “Employee” for purposes of the Plan.
(u) “Entity” means a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity.
(v) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(w) “Exchange Act Person” means any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), except that “Exchange Act Person” will not include (i) the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to a registered public offering of such securities, (iv) an Entity Owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of stock of the Company; or (v) any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act) that, as of the Effective Date, is the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities.
(x) “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows:
(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or traded on any established market, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock will be, unless otherwise determined by the Board, the closing sales price for such stock as quoted on such exchange or market (or the exchange or market with the greatest volume of trading in the Common Stock) on the date of determination, as reported in a source the Board deems reliable.
(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Board, if there is no closing sales price for the Common Stock on the date of determination, then the Fair Market Value will be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.
(iii) In the absence of such markets for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value will be determined by the Board in good faith and in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code.
(y) “Non-Employee Director” means a Director who either (i) is not a current employee or officer of the Company or an Affiliate, does not receive compensation, either directly or indirectly, from the Company or an Affiliate for services rendered as a consultant or in any capacity other than as a Director (except for an amount as to which disclosure would not be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act (“Regulation S-K”)), does not possess an interest in any other transaction for which disclosure would be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, and is not engaged in a business relationship for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Item 404(b) of Regulation S-K; or (ii) is otherwise considered a “non-employee director” for purposes of Rule 16b-3.
(z) “Nonstatutory Stock Option” means any Option granted pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan that does not qualify as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(aa) “Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
(bb) “Option” means a Nonstatutory Stock Option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the Plan.
(cc) “Option Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and an Optionholder evidencing the terms and conditions of an Option grant. Each Option Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(dd) “Optionholder” means a person to whom an Option is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Option.
(ee) “Other Stock Award” means an award based in whole or in part by reference to the Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(d).
(ff) “Other Stock Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of an Other Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of an Other Stock Award grant. Each Other Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(gg) “Own,” “Owned,” “Owner,” “Ownership” means a person or Entity will be deemed to “Own,” to have “Owned,” to be the “Owner” of, or to have acquired “Ownership” of securities if such person or Entity, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting, with respect to such securities.
(hh) “Participant” means an Eligible Employee to whom an Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Stock Award.
(ii) “Performance Criteria” means the one or more criteria that a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee will select for purposes of establishing the Performance Goals for a Performance Period. The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish such Performance Goals may be based on any one of, or combination of, the following as determined by a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee: (i) sales; (ii) revenues; (iii) assets; (iv) expenses; (v) market penetration or expansion; (vi) earnings from operations; (vii) earnings before or after deduction for all or any portion of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, incentives, service fees or extraordinary or special items, whether or not on a continuing operations or an aggregate or per share basis; (viii) net income or net income per common share (basic or diluted); (ix) return on equity, investment, capital or assets; (x) one or more operating ratios; (xi) borrowing levels, leverage ratios or credit rating; (xii) market share; (xiii) capital expenditures; (xiv) cash flow, free cash flow, cash flow return on investment, or net cash provided by operations; (xv) stock price, dividends or total stockholder return; (xvi) development of new technologies or products; (xvii) sales of particular products or services; (xviii) economic value created or added; (xix) operating margin or profit margin; (xx) customer acquisition or retention; (xxi) raising or refinancing of capital; (xxii) successful hiring of key individuals; (xxiii) resolution of significant litigation; (xxiv) acquisitions and divestitures (in whole or in part); (xxv) joint ventures and strategic alliances; (xxvi) spin-offs, split-ups and the like; (xxvii) reorganizations; (xxviii) recapitalizations, restructurings, financings (issuance of debt or equity) or refinancings; or (xxix) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on the following goals: achievement of timely development, design management or enrollment, meeting specified market penetration or value added, payor acceptance, patient adherence, peer reviewed publications, issuance of new patents, establishment of or securing of licenses to intellectual property, product development or introduction (including, without limitation, any clinical trial accomplishments, regulatory or other filings, approvals or milestones, discovery of novel products, maintenance of multiple products in pipeline, product launch or other product development milestones), geographic business expansion, cost targets, cost reductions or savings, customer satisfaction, operating efficiency, acquisition or retention, employee satisfaction, information technology, corporate development (including, without limitation, licenses, innovation, research or establishment of third party collaborations), manufacturing or process development, legal compliance or risk reduction, patent application or issuance goals, or goals relating to acquisitions, divestitures or other business combinations (in whole or in part), joint ventures or strategic alliances; and (xxx) other measures of performance selected by a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee.
(jj) “Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria. Performance Goals may be based on a Company-wide basis, with respect to one or more business units, divisions, Affiliates, or business segments, and in either absolute terms or relative to the performance of one or more comparable companies or the performance of one or more relevant indices. Unless specified otherwise by a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee (i) in the Award Agreement at the time the Award is granted or (ii) in such other document setting forth the Performance Goals at the time the Performance Goals are established, a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee will appropriately make adjustments in the method of calculating the attainment of Performance Goals for a Performance Period as follows: (1) to exclude restructuring and/or other nonrecurring charges; (2) to exclude exchange rate effects; (3) to exclude the effects of changes to generally accepted accounting principles; (4) to exclude the effects of any statutory adjustments to corporate tax rates; (5) to exclude the dilutive effects of acquisitions or joint ventures; (6) to assume that any business divested by the Company achieved performance objectives at targeted levels during the balance of a Performance Period following such divestiture; (7) to exclude the effect of any change in the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company by reason of any stock dividend or split, stock repurchase, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares or other similar corporate change, or any distributions to common stockholders other than regular cash dividends; (8) to exclude the effects of stock based compensation and the award of bonuses under the Company’s bonus plans; (9) to exclude costs incurred in connection with potential acquisitions or divestitures that are required to be expensed under generally accepted accounting principles; (10) to exclude the goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges that are required to be recorded under generally accepted accounting principles; and (11) to exclude the effect of any other unusual, non-recurring gain or loss or other extraordinary item specified in the Award Agreement. In addition, a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee retains the discretion to reduce or eliminate the compensation or economic benefit due upon attainment of Performance Goals and to define the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period. Partial achievement of the specified criteria may result in the payment or vesting corresponding to the degree of achievement as specified in the Award Agreement.
(kk) “Performance Period” means the period of time selected by a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to and the payment of a Stock Award. Performance Periods may be of varying and overlapping duration, at the sole discretion of a majority of the Company’s Independent Directors or the Independent Compensation Committee.
(ll) “Performance Stock Award” means a Stock Award granted under the terms and conditions of Section 6(c)(i).
(mm) “Plan” means this Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. 2024 Inducement Plan, as may be amended from time to time.
(nn) “Restricted Stock Award” means an award of shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(a).
(oo) “Restricted Stock Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Restricted Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Award grant. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(pp) “Restricted Stock Unit Award” means a right to receive shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(b).
(qq) “Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Restricted Stock Unit Award evidencing the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Unit Award grant. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(rr) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect from time to time.
(ss) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(tt) “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right to receive the appreciation on Common Stock that is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 5.
(uu) “Stock Appreciation Right Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Stock Appreciation Right evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Appreciation Right grant. Each Stock Appreciation Right Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(vv) “Stock Award” means any right to receive Common Stock granted under the Plan, including a Nonstatutory Stock Option, a Restricted Stock Award, a Restricted Stock Unit Award, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Performance Stock Award or any Other Stock Award.
(ww) “Stock Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Award grant. Each Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(xx) “Subsidiary” means, with respect to the Company, (i) any corporation of which more than 50% of the outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the time, stock of any other class or classes of such corporation will have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly, Owned by the Company, and (ii) any partnership, limited liability company or other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect interest (whether in the form of voting or participation in profits or capital contribution) of more than 50%.
(yy) “Transaction” means a Corporate Transaction or a Change in Control.
Exhibit 10.5
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT NOTICE
(2024 INDUCEMENT PLAN)
Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the “Company”), pursuant to its 2024 Inducement Plan, as may be amended from time to time (the “Plan”), hereby awards to Participant a Restricted Stock Unit Award for the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock (“Restricted Stock Units”) set forth below (the “Award”) as an inducement material to Participant entering into employment with the Company in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The Award is subject to all of the terms and conditions as set forth in this notice of grant (this “Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice”), and in the Plan and the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (the “Award Agreement”), both of which are attached hereto and incorporated herein in their entirety. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Plan or the Award Agreement. In the event of any conflict between the terms in this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice or the Award Agreement and the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall control.
Participant: | ||||||||
Date of Grant: | ||||||||
Vesting Commencement Date: | ||||||||
Number of Restricted Stock Units: |
Vesting Schedule: | [ , subject to Participant’s Continuous Service through each such vesting date.] | |
Issuance Schedule: | Subject to any Capitalization Adjustment, one share of Common Stock (or its cash equivalent, at the discretion of the Company) will be issued for each Restricted Stock Unit that vests at the time set forth in Section 6 of the Award Agreement. |
Additional Terms/Acknowledgements: Participant acknowledges receipt of, and understands and agrees to, this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice, the Award Agreement and the Plan. Participant acknowledges and agrees that this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice and the Award Agreement may not be modified, amended, or revised except as provided in the Plan. Participant further acknowledges that as of the Date of Grant, this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice, the Award Agreement and the Plan set forth the entire understanding between Participant and the Company regarding the acquisition of the Common Stock pursuant to the Award specified above and supersede all prior oral and written agreements on the terms of this Award, with the exception, if applicable, of (i) equity awards previously granted and delivered to Participant, (ii) any compensation recovery policy that is adopted by the Company or is otherwise required by applicable law and (iii) any written employment or severance arrangement or other written agreement entered into between the Company and Participant specifying the terms that should govern this Award upon the terms and conditions set forth therein.
By accepting this Award, Participant acknowledges having received and read the Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice, the Award Agreement and the Plan and agrees to all of the terms and conditions set forth in these documents. Participant consents to receive Plan and related documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC. | PARTICIPANT | |||||
By: | ||||||
Signature | Signature | |||||
Title: | Date: | |||||
Date: |
ATTACHMENT I
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
2024 INDUCEMENT PLAN
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT
ATTACHMENTS: Award Agreement and 2024 Inducement Plan Pursuant to the Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice (the “Grant Notice”) and this Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (the “Agreement”), Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the “Company”) has awarded you (“Participant”) a Restricted Stock Unit Award (the “Award”) pursuant to the Company’s 2024 Inducement Plan, as may be amended from time to time (the “Plan”) for the number of Restricted Stock Units/shares indicated in the Grant Notice. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Agreement or the Grant Notice shall have the same meanings given to them in the Plan. The terms of your Award, in addition to those set forth in the Grant Notice, are as follows.
1. GRANT OF THE AWARD. This Award represents the right to be issued on a future date one (1) share of Common Stock for each Restricted Stock Unit that vests on the applicable vesting date(s) (subject to any adjustment under Section 3 below) as indicated in the Grant Notice. As of the Date of Grant, the Company will credit to a bookkeeping account maintained by the Company for your benefit (the “Account”) the number of Restricted Stock Units/shares of Common Stock subject to the Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company reserves the right to issue you the cash equivalent of Common Stock, in part or in full satisfaction of the delivery of Common Stock in connection with the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units, and, to the extent applicable, references in this Agreement and the Grant Notice to Common Stock issuable in connection with your Restricted Stock Units will include the potential issuance of its cash equivalent pursuant to such right. This Award is granted in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) as a material inducement to you entering into employment with the Company.
2. VESTING. Subject to the limitations contained herein, your Award will vest, if at all, in accordance with the vesting schedule provided in the Grant Notice. Vesting will cease upon the termination of your Continuous Service and the Restricted Stock Units credited to the Account that were not vested on the date of such termination will be forfeited at no cost to the Company and you will have no further right, title or interest in or to such Award or the shares of Common Stock to be issued in respect of such portion of the Award.
3. NUMBER OF SHARES. The number of Restricted Stock Units subject to your Award may be adjusted from time to time for Capitalization Adjustments, as provided in the Plan. Any additional Restricted Stock Units, shares, cash or other property that becomes subject to the Award pursuant to this Section 3, if any, shall be subject, in a manner determined by the Board, to the same forfeiture restrictions, restrictions on transferability, and time and manner of delivery as applicable to the other Restricted Stock Units and shares covered by your Award. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3, no fractional shares or rights for fractional shares of Common Stock shall be created pursuant to this Section 3. Any fraction of a share will be rounded down to the nearest whole share.
4. SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. You may not be issued any Common Stock under your Award unless the shares of Common Stock underlying the Restricted Stock Units are either (i) then registered under the Securities Act, or (ii) the Company has determined that such issuance would be exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Your Award must also comply with other applicable laws and regulations governing the Award, and you shall not receive such Common Stock if the Company determines that such receipt would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations.
5. TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS. Prior to the time that shares of Common Stock have been delivered to you, you may not transfer, pledge, sell or otherwise dispose of this Award or the shares issuable in respect of your Award, except as expressly provided in this Section 5. For example, you may not use shares that may be issued in respect of your Restricted Stock Units as security for a loan. The restrictions on transfer set forth herein will lapse upon delivery to you of shares in respect of your vested Restricted Stock Units.
(a) Death. Your Award is transferable by will and by the laws of descent and distribution. At your death, vesting of your Award will cease and your executor or administrator of your estate shall be entitled to receive, on behalf of your estate, any Common Stock or other consideration that vested but was not issued before your death.
(b) Domestic Relations Orders. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, and provided that you and the designated transferee enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company, you may transfer your right to receive the distribution of Common Stock or other consideration hereunder, pursuant to a domestic relations order, marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as permitted by applicable law that contains the information required by the Company to effectuate the transfer. You are encouraged to discuss the proposed terms of any division of this Award with the Company General Counsel prior to finalizing the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement to verify that you may make such transfer, and if so, to help ensure the required information is contained within the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement.
6. DATE OF ISSUANCE.
(a) The issuance of shares in respect of the Restricted Stock Units is intended to comply with Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) and will be construed and administered in such a manner. Subject to the satisfaction of the Withholding Obligation set forth in Section 11 of this Agreement, in the event one or more Restricted Stock Units vests, the Company shall issue to you one (1) share of Common Stock for each Restricted Stock Unit that vests on the applicable vesting date(s) (subject to any adjustment under Section 3 above, and subject to any different provisions in the Grant Notice). Each issuance date determined by this paragraph is referred to as an “Original Issuance Date”.
(b) If the Original Issuance Date falls on a date that is not a business day, delivery shall instead occur on the next following business day. In addition, if:
(i) the Original Issuance Date does not occur (1) during an “open window period” applicable to you, as determined by the Company in accordance with the Company’s then-effective policy on trading in Company securities, or (2) on a date when you are otherwise permitted to sell shares of Common Stock on an established stock exchange or stock market (including but not limited to under a previously established written trading plan that meets the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act and was entered into in compliance with the Company’s policies (a “10b5-1 Arrangement”)), and
(ii) either (1) a Withholding Obligation does not apply, or (2) the Company decides, prior to the Original Issuance Date, (A) not to satisfy the Withholding Obligation by withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares otherwise due, on the Original Issuance Date, to you under this Award, and (B) not to permit you to enter into a “same day sale” commitment with a broker-dealer pursuant to Section 11 of this Agreement (including but not limited to a commitment under a 10b5-1 Arrangement) and (C) not to permit you to pay your Withholding Obligation in cash, then the shares that would otherwise be issued to you on the Original Issuance Date will not be delivered on such Original Issuance Date and will instead be delivered on the first business day when you are not prohibited from selling shares of the Company’s Common Stock in the open public market, but in no event later than December 31 of the calendar year in which the Original Issuance Date occurs (that is, the last day of your taxable year in which the Original Issuance Date occurs), or, if and only if permitted in a manner that complies with Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(4), no later than the date that is the 15th day of the third calendar month of the applicable year following the year in which the shares of Common Stock under this Award are no longer subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(d).
(c) The form of delivery (e.g., a stock certificate or electronic entry evidencing such shares) shall be determined by the Company.
7. DIVIDENDS. You shall receive no benefit or adjustment to your Award with respect to any cash dividend, stock dividend or other distribution that does not result from a Capitalization Adjustment; provided, however, that this sentence will not apply with respect to any shares of Common Stock that are delivered to you in connection with your Award after such shares have been delivered to you.
8. RESTRICTIVE LEGENDS. The shares of Common Stock issued in respect of your Award shall be endorsed with appropriate legends as determined by the Company.
9. EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS. You hereby acknowledge and agree that the manner selected by the Company by which you indicate your consent to your Grant Notice is also deemed to be your execution of your Grant Notice and of this Agreement. You further agree that such manner of indicating consent may be relied upon as your signature for establishing your execution of any documents to be executed in the future in connection with your Award.
10. AWARD NOT A SERVICE CONTRACT.
(a) Nothing in this Agreement (including, but not limited to, the vesting of your Award or the issuance of the shares in respect of your Award), the Plan or any covenant of good faith and fair dealing that may be found implicit in this Agreement or the Plan shall: (i) confer upon you any right to continue in the employ or service of, or affiliation with, the Company or an Affiliate; (ii) constitute any promise or commitment by the Company or an Affiliate regarding the fact or nature of future positions, future work assignments, future compensation or any other term or condition of employment or affiliation; (iii) confer any right or benefit under this Agreement or the Plan unless such right or benefit has specifically accrued under the terms of this Agreement or Plan; or (iv) deprive the Company of the right to terminate you at will and without regard to any future vesting opportunity that you may have.
(b) By accepting this Award, you acknowledge and agree that the right to continue vesting in the Award pursuant to the vesting schedule provided in the Grant Notice may not be earned unless (in addition to any other conditions described in the Grant Notice and this Agreement) you continue as an employee, director or consultant at the will of the Company and affiliate, as applicable (not through the act of being hired, being granted this Award or any other award or benefit) and that the Company has the right to reorganize, sell, spin-out or otherwise restructure one or more of its businesses or Affiliates at any time or from time to time, as it deems appropriate (a “reorganization”). You acknowledge and agree that such a reorganization could result in the termination of your Continuous Service, or the termination of Affiliate status of your employer and the loss of benefits available to you under this Agreement, including but not limited to, the termination of the right to continue vesting in the Award. You further acknowledge and agree that this Agreement, the Plan, the transactions contemplated hereunder and the vesting schedule set forth herein or any covenant of good faith and fair dealing that may be found implicit in any of them do
not constitute an express or implied promise of continued engagement as an employee or consultant for the term of this Agreement, for any period, or at all, and shall not interfere in any way with the Company’s right to terminate your Continuous Service at any time, with or without your cause or notice, or to conduct a reorganization.
11. WITHHOLDING OBLIGATION.
(a) On each vesting date, and on or before the time you receive a distribution of the shares of Common Stock in respect of your Restricted Stock Units, and at any other time as reasonably requested by the Company in accordance with applicable tax laws, you hereby authorize any required withholding from the Common Stock issuable to you and/or otherwise agree to make adequate provision, including in cash, for any sums required to satisfy the federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding obligations of the Company or any Affiliate that arise in connection with your Award (the “Withholding Obligation”).
(b) By accepting this Award, you acknowledge and agree that the Company or any Affiliate may, in its sole discretion, satisfy all or any portion of the Withholding Obligation relating to your Restricted Stock Units by any of the following means or by a combination of such means: (i) causing you to pay any portion of the Withholding Obligation in cash; (ii) withholding from any compensation otherwise payable to you by the Company; (iii) withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or otherwise issuable to you in connection with the Award with a Fair Market Value (measured as of the date shares of Common Stock are issued pursuant to Section 6) equal to the amount of such Withholding Obligation; provided, however, that the number of such shares of Common Stock so withheld will not exceed the amount necessary to satisfy the Withholding Obligation using the maximum statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign tax purposes, including payroll taxes, that are applicable to supplemental taxable income; and provided, further, that to the extent necessary to qualify for an exemption from application of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, if applicable, such share withholding procedure will be subject to the express prior approval of the Board or the Company’s Compensation Committee; and/or (iv) permitting or requiring you to enter into a “same day sale” commitment, if applicable, with a broker-dealer that is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (a “FINRA Dealer”), pursuant to this authorization and without further consent, whereby you irrevocably elect to sell a portion of the shares to be delivered in connection with your Restricted Stock Units to satisfy the Withholding Obligation and whereby the FINRA Dealer irrevocably commits to forward the proceeds necessary to satisfy the Withholding Obligation directly to the Company and/or its Affiliates. Unless the Withholding Obligation is satisfied, the Company shall have no obligation to deliver to you any Common Stock or any other consideration pursuant to this Award.
(c) In the event the Withholding Obligation arises prior to the delivery to you of Common Stock or it is determined after the delivery of Common Stock to you that the amount of the Withholding Obligation was greater than the amount withheld by the Company, you agree to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any failure by the Company to withhold the proper amount.
12. TAX CONSEQUENCES. The Company has no duty or obligation to minimize the tax consequences to you of this Award and shall not be liable to you for any adverse tax consequences to you arising in connection with this Award. You are hereby advised to consult with your own personal tax, financial and/or legal advisors regarding the tax consequences of this Award and by signing the Grant Notice, you have agreed that you have done so or knowingly and voluntarily declined to do so. You understand that you (and not the Company) shall be responsible for your own tax liability that may arise as a result of this investment or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
13. UNSECURED OBLIGATION. Your Award is unfunded, and as a holder of a vested Award, you shall be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or other property pursuant to this Agreement. You shall not have voting or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement until such shares are issued to you pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement. Upon such issuance, you will obtain full voting and other rights as a stockholder of the Company. Nothing contained in this Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between you and the Company or any other person.
14. NOTICES. Any notice or request required or permitted hereunder shall be given in writing (including electronically) and will be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the case of notices delivered by mail by the Company to you, five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the last address you provided to the Company. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to participation in the Plan and this Award by electronic means or to request your consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. By accepting this Award, you consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.
15. HEADINGS. The headings of the Sections in this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part of this Agreement or to affect the meaning of this Agreement.
16. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) The rights and obligations of the Company under your Award shall be transferable by the Company to any one or more persons or entities, and all covenants and agreements hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the Company’s successors and assigns.
(b) You agree upon request to execute any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of your Award.
(c) You acknowledge and agree that you have reviewed your Award in its entirety, have had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting your Award and fully understand all provisions of your Award.
(d) This Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required.
(e) All obligations of the Company under the Plan and this Agreement shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.
17. GOVERNING PLAN DOCUMENT. Your Award is subject to all the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of which are hereby made a part of your Award, and is further subject to all interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations which may from time to time be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan. Your Award (and any compensation paid or shares issued under your Award) is subject to recoupment in accordance with The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any implementing regulations thereunder, any clawback policy adopted by the Company and any compensation recovery policy otherwise required by applicable law. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to voluntarily terminate employment upon a resignation for “good reason,” or for a “constructive termination” or any similar term under any plan of or agreement with the Company.
18. EFFECT ON OTHER EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS. The value of the Award subject to this Agreement shall not be included as compensation, earnings, salaries, or other similar terms used when calculating benefits under any employee benefit plan (other than the Plan) sponsored by the Company or any Affiliate except as such plan otherwise expressly provides. The Company expressly reserves its rights to amend, modify, or terminate any or all of the employee benefit plans of the Company or any Affiliate.
19. SEVERABILITY. If all or any part of this Agreement or the Plan is declared by any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness or invalidity shall not invalidate any portion of this Agreement or the Plan not declared to be unlawful or invalid. Any Section of this Agreement (or part of such a Section) so declared to be unlawful or invalid shall, if possible, be construed in a manner which will give effect to the terms of such Section or part of a Section to the fullest extent possible while remaining lawful and valid.
20. OTHER DOCUMENTS. You hereby acknowledge receipt or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act. In addition, you acknowledge receipt of the Company’s policy permitting certain individuals to sell shares only during certain “window” periods and the Company’s insider trading policy, in effect from time to time.
21. AMENDMENT. This Agreement may not be modified, amended or terminated except by an instrument in writing, signed by you and by a duly authorized representative of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended solely by the Board by a writing which specifically states that it is amending this Agreement, so long as a copy of such amendment is delivered to you, and provided that, except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, no such amendment materially adversely affecting your rights hereunder may be made without your written consent. Without limiting the foregoing, the Board reserves the right to change, by written notice to you, the provisions of this Agreement in any way it may deem necessary or advisable to carry out the purpose of the Award as a result of any change in applicable laws or regulations or any future law, regulation, ruling, or judicial decision, provided that any such change shall be applicable only to rights relating to that portion of the Award which is then subject to restrictions as provided herein.
22. COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 409A OF THE CODE. This Award is intended to be exempt from the application of Section 409A of the Code, including but not limited to by reason of complying with the “short-term deferral” rule set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) and any ambiguities herein shall be interpreted accordingly. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if it is determined that the Award fails to satisfy the requirements of the short-term deferral rule and is otherwise not exempt from, and determined to be deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, this Award shall comply with Section 409A to the extent necessary to avoid adverse personal tax consequences and any ambiguities herein shall be interpreted accordingly. If it is determined that the Award is deferred compensation subject to Section 409A and you are a “Specified Employee” (within the meaning set forth in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code) as of the date of your “Separation from Service” (as defined in Section 409A), then the issuance of any shares that would otherwise be made upon the date of your Separation from Service or within the first six (6) months thereafter will not be made on the originally scheduled date(s) and will instead be issued in a lump sum on the date that is six (6) months and one day after the date of the Separation from Service, with the balance of the shares issued thereafter in accordance with the original vesting and issuance schedule set forth above, but if and only if such delay in the issuance of the shares is necessary to avoid the imposition of adverse taxation on you in respect of the shares under Section 409A of the Code. Each installment of shares that vests is intended to constitute a “separate payment” for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2).
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This Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement shall be deemed to be signed by the Company and the Participant upon the signing by the Participant of the Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice to which it is attached.
ATTACHMENT II
2024 INDUCEMENT PLAN
Exhibit 10.6
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
STOCK OPTION GRANT NOTICE
(2024 INDUCEMENT PLAN)
Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the “Company”), pursuant to its 2024 Inducement Plan, as may be amended from time to time (the “Plan”), hereby grants to Optionholder an option to purchase the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock set forth below as an inducement material to Optionholder entering into employment with the Company in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). This option is subject to all of the terms and conditions as set forth in this Stock Option Grant Notice, in the Option Agreement, the Plan and the Notice of Exercise, all of which are attached hereto and incorporated herein in their entirety. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined herein but defined in the Plan or the Option Agreement will have the same definitions as in the Plan or the Option Agreement. If there is any conflict between the terms in this Stock Option Grant Notice and the Plan, the terms of the Plan will control.
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Optionholder: |
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Date of Grant: |
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Vesting Commencement Date: |
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Number of Shares Subject to Option: |
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Exercise Price (Per Share): |
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Total Exercise Price: |
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Expiration Date: |
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Type of Grant: | Nonstatutory Stock Option | |
Exercise Schedule: | Same as Vesting Schedule | |
Vesting Schedule: | [ , subject to Optionholder’s Continuous Service as of each such date.] | |
Payment: | By one or a combination of the following items (described in the Option Agreement):
☐ By cash, check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company ☐ Pursuant to a Regulation T Program if the shares are publicly traded ☐ By delivery of already-owned shares if the shares are publicly traded ☐ Subject to the Company’s consent at the time of exercise, by a “net exercise” arrangement |
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Additional Terms/Acknowledgements: Optionholder acknowledges receipt of, and understands and agrees to, this Stock Option Grant Notice, the Option Agreement and the Plan. Optionholder acknowledges and agrees that this Stock Option Grant Notice and the Option Agreement may not be modified, amended or revised except as provided in the Plan. Optionholder further acknowledges that as of the Date of Grant, this Stock Option Grant Notice, the Option Agreement, and the Plan set forth the entire understanding between Optionholder and the Company regarding this option award and supersede all prior oral and written agreements, promises and/or representations on that subject with the exception of, if applicable, (i) equity awards previously granted and delivered to Optionholder, (ii) any compensation recovery policy that is adopted by the Company or is otherwise required by applicable law and (iii) any written employment or severance arrangement or other written agreement entered into between the Company and Optionholder specifying the terms that should govern this option upon the terms and conditions set forth therein.
By accepting this option, Optionholder acknowledges having received and read the Stock Option Grant Notice, the Option Agreement and the Plan and agrees to all of the terms and conditions set forth in these documents. Optionholder consents to receive Plan and related documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
By: Signature
Title:
Date: |
OPTIONHOLDER:
Signature
Date: |
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ATTACHMENT I
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
OPTION AGREEMENT
(2024 INDUCEMENT PLAN)
(NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION)
ATTACHMENTS: Option Agreement, 2024 Inducement Plan and Notice of Exercise Pursuant to your Stock Option Grant Notice (“Grant Notice”) and this Option Agreement, Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the “Company”) has granted you an option under its 2024 Inducement Plan, as may be amended from time to time (the “Plan”) to purchase the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock indicated in your Grant Notice at the exercise price indicated in your Grant Notice as an inducement material to you entering into employment with the Company in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The option is granted to you effective as of the date of grant set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Date of Grant”). If there is any conflict between the terms in this Option Agreement and the Plan, the terms of the Plan will control. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Option Agreement or in the Grant Notice but defined in the Plan will have the same definitions as in the Plan.
This option is granted in compliance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) as a material inducement to an employee or director of a listed company entering into employment with the Company. This option is subject to all of the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Plan, the Grant Notice and the Notice of Exercise.
The details of your option, in addition to those set forth in the Grant Notice and the Plan, are as follows:
1. VESTING. Subject to the provisions contained herein, your option will vest as provided in your Grant Notice. Vesting will cease upon the termination of your Continuous Service.
2. NUMBER OF SHARES AND EXERCISE PRICE. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to your option and your exercise price per share in your Grant Notice will be adjusted for Capitalization Adjustments.
3. EXERCISE RESTRICTION FOR NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES. If you are an Employee eligible for overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended (that is, a “Non-Exempt Employee”), and except as otherwise provided in the Plan, you may not exercise your option until you have completed at least six (6) months of Continuous Service measured from the Date of Grant, even if you have already been an employee for more than six (6) months. Consistent with the provisions of the Worker Economic Opportunity Act, you may exercise your option as to any vested portion prior to such six (6) month anniversary in the case of (i) your death or disability, (ii) a Corporate Transaction in which your option is not assumed, continued or substituted, (iii) a Change in Control or (iv) your termination of Continuous Service on your “retirement” (as defined in the Company’s benefit plans).
4. METHOD OF PAYMENT. You must pay the full amount of the exercise price for the shares you wish to exercise. You may pay the exercise price in cash or by check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company or in any other manner permitted by your Grant Notice, which may include one or more of the following:
(a) Provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly traded, pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of Common Stock, results in either the receipt of cash (or check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to pay the aggregate exercise price to the Company from the sales proceeds. This manner of payment is also known as a “broker-assisted exercise”, “same day sale”, or “sell to cover”.
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(b) Provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly traded, by delivery to the Company (either by actual delivery or attestation) of already-owned shares of Common Stock that are owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests, and that are valued at Fair Market Value on the date of exercise. “Delivery” for these purposes, in the sole discretion of the Company at the time you exercise your option, will include delivery to the Company of your attestation of ownership of such shares of Common Stock in a form approved by the Company. You may not exercise your option by delivery to the Company of Common Stock if doing so would violate the provisions of any law, regulation or agreement restricting the redemption of the Company’s stock.
(c) Subject to the consent of the Company at the time of exercise, by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of your option by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price. You must pay any remaining balance of the aggregate exercise price not satisfied by the “net exercise” in cash or other permitted form of payment. Shares of Common Stock will no longer be outstanding under your option and will not be exercisable thereafter if those shares (i) are used to pay the exercise price pursuant to the “net exercise,” (ii) are delivered to you as a result of such exercise, and (iii) are withheld to satisfy your tax withholding obligations.
5. WHOLE SHARES. You may exercise your option only for whole shares of Common Stock.
6. SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. In no event may you exercise your option unless the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise are then registered under the Securities Act or, if not registered, the Company has determined that your exercise and the issuance of the shares would be exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The exercise of your option also must comply with all other applicable laws and regulations governing your option, and you may not exercise your option if the Company determines that such exercise would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations (including any restrictions on exercise required for compliance with Treas. Reg. 1.401(k)-1(d)(3), if applicable).
7. TERM. You may not exercise your option before the Date of Grant or after the expiration of the option’s term. The term of your option expires, subject to the provisions of Section 5(h) of the Plan, upon the earliest of the following:
(a) immediately upon the termination of your Continuous Service for Cause;
(b) three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service for any reason other than Cause, your Disability or your death (except as otherwise provided in Section 7(d) below); provided, however, that if during any part of such three (3) month period your option is not exercisable solely because of the condition set forth in the section above regarding “Securities Law Compliance,” your option will not expire until the earlier of the Expiration Date or until it has been exercisable for an aggregate period of three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service; provided further, if during any part of such three (3) month period, the sale of any Common Stock received upon exercise of your option would violate the Company’s insider trading policy, then your option will not expire until the earlier of the Expiration Date or until it has been exercisable for an aggregate period of three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service during which the sale of the Common Stock received upon exercise of your option would not be in violation of the Company’s insider trading policy. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) you are a Non-Exempt Employee, (ii) your Continuous Service terminates within six (6) months after the Date of Grant, and (iii) you have vested in a portion of your option at the time of your termination of Continuous Service, your option will not expire until the earlier of (x) the later of (A) the date that is seven (7) months after the Date of Grant, and (B) the date that is three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service, and (y) the Expiration Date;
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(c) twelve (12) months after the termination of your Continuous Service due to your Disability (except as otherwise provided in Section 7(d) below);
(d) eighteen (18) months after your death if you die either during your Continuous Service or within three (3) months after your Continuous Service terminates for any reason other than Cause;
(e) the Expiration Date indicated in your Grant Notice; or
(f) the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Date of Grant.
8. EXERCISE.
(a) You may exercise the vested portion of your option (and the unvested portion of your option if your Grant Notice so permits) during its term by (i) delivering a Notice of Exercise (in a form designated by the Company) or completing such other documents and/or procedures designated by the Company for exercise and (ii) paying the exercise price and any applicable withholding taxes to the Company’s Secretary, stock plan administrator, or such other person as the Company may designate, together with such additional documents as the Company may then require.
(b) By exercising your option you agree that, as a condition to any exercise of your option, the Company may require you to enter into an arrangement providing for the payment by you to the Company of any tax withholding obligation of the Company arising by reason of (i) the exercise of your option, (ii) the lapse of any substantial risk of forfeiture to which the shares of Common Stock are subject at the time of exercise, or (iii) the disposition of shares of Common Stock acquired upon such exercise.
9. TRANSFERABILITY. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 9, your option is not transferable, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during your life only by you.
(a) Certain Trusts. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, you may transfer your option to a trust if you are considered to be the sole beneficial owner (determined under Section 671 of the Code and applicable state law) while the option is held in the trust. You and the trustee must enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company.
(b) Domestic Relations Orders. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, and provided that you and the designated transferee enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company, you may transfer your option pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as permitted by Treasury Regulation 1.421-1(b)(2) that contains the information required by the Company to effectuate the transfer. You are encouraged to discuss the proposed terms of any division of this option with the Company prior to finalizing the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement to help ensure the required information is contained within the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement.
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(c) Beneficiary Designation. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, you may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form approved by the Company and any broker designated by the Company to handle option exercises, designate a third party who, on your death, will thereafter be entitled to exercise this option and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. In the absence of such a designation, your executor or administrator of your estate will be entitled to exercise this option and receive, on behalf of your estate, the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise.
10. OPTION NOT A SERVICE CONTRACT. Your option is not an employment or service contract, and nothing in your option will be deemed to create in any way whatsoever any obligation on your part to continue in the employ of the Company or an Affiliate, or of the Company or an Affiliate to continue your employment. In addition, nothing in your option will obligate the Company or an Affiliate, their respective stockholders, boards of directors, officers or employees to continue any relationship that you might have an employee of the Company or an Affiliate.
11. WITHHOLDING OBLIGATIONS.
(a) At the time you exercise your option, in whole or in part, and at any time thereafter as requested by the Company, you hereby authorize withholding from payroll and any other amounts payable to you, and otherwise agree to make adequate provision for (including by means of a “same day sale” pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board to the extent permitted by the Company), any sums required to satisfy the federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding obligations of the Company or an Affiliate, if any, which arise in connection with the exercise of your option.
(b) Upon your request and subject to approval by the Company, and compliance with any applicable legal conditions or restrictions, the Company may withhold from fully vested shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to you upon the exercise of your option a number of whole shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value, determined by the Company as of the date of exercise, not in excess of the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld by law (or such lower amount as may be necessary to avoid classification of your option as a liability for financial accounting purposes). Notwithstanding the filing of such election, shares of Common Stock shall be withheld solely from fully vested shares of Common Stock determined as of the date of exercise of your option that are otherwise issuable to you upon such exercise. Any adverse consequences to you arising in connection with such share withholding procedure shall be your sole responsibility.
(c) You may not exercise your option unless the tax withholding obligations of the Company and/or any Affiliate are satisfied. Accordingly, you may not be able to exercise your option when desired even though your option is vested, and the Company will have no obligation to issue a certificate for such shares of Common Stock or release such shares of Common Stock from any escrow provided for herein, if applicable, unless such obligations are satisfied.
12. TAX CONSEQUENCES. You hereby agree that the Company does not have a duty to design or administer the Plan or its other compensation programs in a manner that minimizes your tax liabilities. You will not make any claim against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates related to tax liabilities arising from your option or your other compensation. In particular, you acknowledge that this option is exempt from Section 409A of the Code only if the exercise price per share specified in the Grant Notice is at least equal to the “fair market value” per share of the Common Stock on the Date of Grant and there is no other impermissible deferral of compensation associated with the option.
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13. NOTICES. Any notices provided for in your option or the Plan will be given in writing (including electronically) and will be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the case of notices delivered by mail by the Company to you, five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the last address you provided to the Company. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to participation in the Plan and this option by electronic means or to request your consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. By accepting this option, you consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.
14. GOVERNING PLAN DOCUMENT. Your option is subject to all the provisions of the Plan and is further subject to all interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations, which may from time to time be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan. If there is any conflict between the provisions of your option and those of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will control. In addition, your option (and any compensation paid or shares issued under your option) is subject to recoupment in accordance with The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any implementing regulations thereunder, any clawback policy adopted by the Company and any compensation recovery policy otherwise required by applicable law.
15. OTHER DOCUMENTS. You hereby acknowledge receipt of and the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. In addition, you acknowledge receipt of the Company’s policy permitting certain individuals to sell shares only during certain “window” periods and the Company’s insider trading policy, in effect from time to time.
16. EFFECT ON OTHER EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS. The value of this option will not be included as compensation, earnings, salaries, or other similar terms used when calculating your benefits under any employee benefit plan sponsored by the Company or any Affiliate, except as such plan otherwise expressly provides. The Company expressly reserves its rights to amend, modify, or terminate any of the Company’s or any Affiliate’s employee benefit plans.
17. VOTING RIGHTS. You will not have voting or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the shares to be issued pursuant to this option until such shares are issued to you. Upon such issuance, you will obtain full voting and other rights as a stockholder of the Company. Nothing contained in this option, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, will create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between you and the Company or any other person.
18. SEVERABILITY. If all or any part of this Option Agreement or the Plan is declared by any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness or invalidity will not invalidate any portion of this Option Agreement or the Plan not declared to be unlawful or invalid. Any Section of this Option Agreement (or part of such a Section) so declared to be unlawful or invalid shall, if possible, be construed in a manner which will give effect to the terms of such Section or part of a Section to the fullest extent possible while remaining lawful and valid.
5
19. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) The rights and obligations of the Company under your option will be transferable to any one or more persons or entities, and all covenants and agreements hereunder will inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by the Company’s successors and assigns.
(b) You agree upon request to execute any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of your option.
(c) You acknowledge and agree that you have reviewed your option in its entirety, have had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting your option, and fully understand all provisions of your option.
(d) This Option Agreement will be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required.
(e) All obligations of the Company under the Plan and this Option Agreement will be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.
* * *
This Option Agreement will be deemed to be signed by you upon the signing by you of the Stock Option Grant Notice to which it is attached.
6
ATTACHMENT II
2024 INDUCEMENT PLAN
1
ATTACHMENT III
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC. | ||
10 North High Street, Suite 200 | Date of Exercise: | |
West Chester, PA 19380 |
This constitutes notice to Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the “Company”) under my stock option that I elect to purchase the below number of shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “Shares”) for the price set forth below.
Type of option: | Nonstatutory | |||||
Stock option dated: | ||||||
Number of Shares as to which option is exercised: |
||||||
Certificates to be issued in name of: |
||||||
Total exercise price: | $ | |||||
Cash payment delivered herewith: |
$ | |||||
[Value of Shares delivered herewith1: | $ ] | |||||
[Value of Shares pursuant to net exercise: | $ ] | |||||
[Regulation T Program (cashless exercise2): | $ ] |
1 | Shares must meet the public trading requirements set forth in the option. Shares must be valued in accordance with the terms of the option being exercised, and must be owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests. Certificates must be endorsed or accompanied by an executed assignment separate from certificate. |
2 | Shares must meet the public trading requirements set forth in the option. |
1
By this exercise, I agree (i) to provide such additional documents as you may require pursuant to the terms of the Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. 2024 Inducement Plan and (ii) to provide for the payment by me to you (in the manner designated by you) of your withholding obligation, if any, relating to the exercise of this option.
Very truly yours, |
|
2
Exhibit 99.1
Verrica Pharmaceuticals Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results
and Announces Leadership Transition
– Company reported $0 in product shipments in the third quarter of 2024 and recognized negative net product revenue of $1.9 million, including a provision for product returns of $1.7 million–
– Company expects existing distributor inventory to support most demand for dispensed applicator units into the first quarter of 2025 –
– Company continues to look for ways to manage expenses and expand access to YCANTH® for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum –
– Company announces new senior leadership with appointments of Dr. Jayson Rieger as Chief Executive Officer and John Kirby as Interim Chief Financial Officer –
– Company is exploring strategies to strengthen balance sheet –
– Company has engaged Jefferies as financial advisor –
WEST CHESTER, PA – November 4, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Verrica” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: VRCA), a dermatology therapeutics company developing medications for skin diseases requiring medical interventions, today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024, and provided an update on its restructuring efforts to lower expenses and implementation of its commercial strategy for expanding market access to YCANTH.
“Following the close of the third quarter, we took decisive steps to significantly lower our operating expenses, and these actions are expected to materially reduce Verrica’s cash burn rate in the coming year. We are also exploring strategies to strengthen our balance sheet,” said Paul B. Manning, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Verrica. “Importantly, we expect that this leaner and more efficient operating structure will better complement our refined commercial strategy for YCANTH which, as previously announced, will now focus on driving demand for YCANTH across a set of more targeted territories that have a high prevalence of pediatric molluscum and strong reimbursement. As we focus our efforts on a refined commercial strategy, we continue to receive positive feedback on YCANTH from both patients and healthcare professionals.”
As Verrica is now through the first year of sales of YCANTH since its commercial launch in September 2023, the Company has decided to announce dispensed applicator units in addition to previous financial disclosures.
Dispensed applicator units totaled 7,706 in the third quarter of 2024, compared with 5,975 in the second quarter of 2024. The Company expects existing distributor inventory levels to support most demand for dispensed applicator units into the first quarter of 2025. The Company will continue to assess appropriate metrics for continued transparency of its business.
To oversee and implement these operational changes, the Company announced the appointments of Dr. Jayson Rieger as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a director, and John Kirby as interim Chief Financial Officer, effective November 5, 2024.
Dr. Rieger is a Managing Partner with PBM Capital and has over 20 years of experience in leadership roles spanning business development, operations, drug discovery and product development in the life sciences industry. Mr. Kirby has over 25 years of public company accounting and finance experience, including working with several small to mid-sized public pharmaceutical companies. Prior to joining Verrica, Mr. Kirby served as Aceragen’s Chief Financial Officer, having held the same role at Idera Pharmaceuticals since 2019 after transitioning to the Aceragen team as part of the 2022 merger between the two companies.
Mr. Manning added, “I’d also like to thank Ted White for his service to Verrica. During his tenure with the Company, YCANTH became the first therapy approved by the FDA for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Business Highlights and Recent Developments
CORPORATE
• | In November, the Company engaged Jefferies LLC as financial advisor. |
• | On October 1, 2024, the Company completed a restructuring of its commercial operations to reduce expenses and optimize the efficiency of its field force by reducing the number of sales territories and focusing on those territories that have historically shown a high prevalence of molluscum, a critical mass of previous cantharidin users and strong insurance coverage for YCANTH. The Company also reduced headcount in certain support functions. Total operating expenses after the restructuring are expected to be reduced by approximately fifty percent. The Company incurred a one-time charge related to the restructuring of approximately $0.9 million. |
YCANTH® (VP-102)
• | On July 1, 2024, the Company announced the settlement of litigation with Dormer Laboratories, Inc. (“Dormer Labs”). As part of the settlement, Dormer Labs has discontinued the sale of all cantharidin-containing products into the United States, including Dormer brands Cantharone (Liquid) and Cantharone Plus. |
VP-315
• | On August 14, 2024, the Company reported positive preliminary results from its Phase 2 study evaluating VP-315 for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma. The Phase 2 study is an open label, proof of concept trial designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability, dose regimen, and efficacy of VP-315 in biopsy-confirmed basal cell carcinoma tumors. |
• | Preliminary efficacy data based on 90 out of 93 lesions treated show that treatment with VP-315 resulted in an approximately 51% complete histologic clearance rate of basal cell carcinomas, with more than half of the patients no longer requiring treatment of any kind. |
• | Those subjects with residual carcinomas showed an approximately 71% reduction in tumor size, which is expected to significantly improve treatment outcomes with subsequent surgical treatments, if required. |
• | Overall reduction of tumor size in all subjects (those with no residual tumor and those with residual tumor) was 86%. |
• | No treatment-related serious adverse events were reported in the study; most treatment-related adverse events were classified as mild to moderate as expected, with injection site pain being the most common adverse effect. |
Financial Results
Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results
• | Verrica recognized negative net product revenue of $1.9 million in the third quarter of 2024 which relates to an increase in our return reserve for estimated returns from certain distributors of $1.7 million. The Company determined that it was more than probable that product held by certain distributors will be returned based on the expiration of such product and the lower than previously forecasted sell-through with such distributors. There were no ex-factory sales in the third quarter of 2024 due to slower demand pull through. |
• | Verrica recognized collaboration revenue of $0.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 related to the Collaboration and License Agreement (the “Torii Agreement”) with Torii Pharmaceutical Col, Ltd (“Torii”) for supplies and development activity with Torii. |
• | Selling, general and administrative expenses were $16.1 million in the third quarter of 2024, compared to $20.1 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease of $4.1 million was primarily due to a decrease in stock compensation of $7.0 million due to restricted stock units vested on FDA approval in July 2023 and a decrease in advertising costs of $1.0 million partially offset by increased compensation, benefits and travel due to ramp-up of sales force of $1.6 million, severance costs of $0.4 million, increased legal costs of $0.4 million and loss on disposal of assets of $0.3 million. |
• | Research and development expenses were $2.4 million in the third quarter of 2024, compared to $6.5 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease of $4.1 million was primarily related to decrease in VP-315 clinical trial costs of $2.5 million, a decrease of stock compensation of $0.6 million related to restricted stock units vested on FDA approval in July 2023 and a reduction of costs related to YCANTH (VP-102) pre-launch activity of $0.5 million partially offset by increased headcount related costs of $0.3 million. |
• | Costs of product revenue were $0.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared to $0.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 due to obsolete inventory write off of $0.3 million during the period ended September 30, 2024. |
• | Costs of collaboration revenue were $0.1 million for each of the quarters ended September 30, 2024 and 2023. These costs were related to manufacturing supply required to support development and testing services pursuant to the Torii Clinical Supply Agreement. |
• | Interest income was $0.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $0.8 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease of $0.6 million was primarily due to a lower cash balance. |
• | Interest expense was $2.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to $1.7 million for the three months ended September 30,2023. Interest expense is related to borrowings under the OrbiMed Credit Agreement. |
• | For the quarter ended September 30, 2024, net loss was $22.9 million, or $0.49 per share, compared to a net loss of $24.8 million, or $0.54 per share, for the same period in 2023. |
• | For the quarter ended September 30, 2024, non-GAAP net loss was $20.2 million, or $0.43 per share, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $14.8 million, or $0.32 per share, for the same period in 2023. |
Year-to-Date September 2024 Financial Results
• | Verrica recognized product revenue of $6.3 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to $2.8 million for the same period in 2023. The increase of $3.4 million relates to additional sales of YCANTH (VP-102) to FFF, our primary distribution partner, related to forecasted demand pull through, as well as the expansion of our specialty distribution network to bring-on an additional specialty distributor and the related impact of a one-time stock-in order from that distributor, which represented approximately 32% of net YCANTH (VP-102) ex-factory revenue in the period. Revenue during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was partially offset by an increase in our return reserve of $1.7 million for estimated returns from our wholesalers. YCANTH (VP-102), our first FDA approved product, became available for commercial sale in August 2023 thus we did not recognize any product revenue prior to that point. |
• | Verrica recognized collaboration revenues of $1.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $0.3 million for the same period in 2023, each related to the Clinical Supply Agreement with Torii. |
• | Selling, general and administrative expenses were $48.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $30.3 million for the same period in 2023. The increase of $18.6 million was primarily due to higher expenses related to commercial activities for YCANTH (VP-102), including increased compensation, recruiting fees, benefits and travel due to ramp-up of sales force of $13.8 million, increased marketing and sponsorship costs of $2.5 million, increased other commercial activity costs of $3.3 million, increased legal costs of $1.3 million, severance costs of $0.4 million, the Dormer legal settlement of $0.8 million and increased finance costs of $0.6 million partially offset by decrease in stock compensation costs of $5.0 million due to restricted stock units vested on FDA approval in July 2023. |
• | Research and development expenses were $10.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $15.0 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease of $4.3 million was primarily due to a reduction of costs related to YCANTH (VP-102) pre-launch activity of $3.2 million, a decrease in clinical trial costs for VP-315 of $0.9 million, a decrease in medical affairs costs in research and development of $0.7 million, and a decrease of stock compensation of $0.6 million related to restricted stock units vested on FDA approval in July 2023 partially offset by increased headcount related costs of $1.1 million. |
• | Costs of product revenue were $1.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to $0.1 million for the same period in 2023. The increase of $1.2 million was related to additional product sales and obsolete inventory write-off of $0.6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2024. |
• | Costs of collaboration revenue were $0.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $0.3 million for the same period in 2023. The increase was primarily due to increased manufacturing supply required to support development and testing services pursuant to the Torii Clinical Supply Agreement. |
• | Interest income was $1.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $1.9 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease of $0.7 million was primarily due to a lower cash balance. |
• | Interest expense was $7.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to $1.7 million for the same period in 2023. The higher interest expense of $5.4 million was due to Verrica initially borrowing pursuant to the OrbiMed Credit commencement on July 26, 2023. |
• | For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, net loss on a GAAP basis was $60.4 million, or $1.30 per share, compared to a net loss of $42.4 million, or $0.94 per share, for the same period in 2023. |
• | For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, non-GAAP net loss was $52.4 million, or $1.12 per share, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $29.7 million, or $0.66 per share, for the same period in 2023. |
• | As of September 30, 2024, Verrica had cash and cash equivalents of $23.0 million. Verrica believes that its existing cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2024 will be sufficient to support planned operations into the first quarter of 2025. |
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In evaluating the operating performance of its business, Verrica’s management considers non-GAAP loss from operations, non-GAAP net loss and non-GAAP net loss per share. These non-GAAP financial measures exclude stock-based compensation expense and non-cash interest expense that are required by GAAP. Verrica excludes non-cash stock-based compensation expense from these non-GAAP measures to facilitate comparison to peer companies who also provide similar non-GAAP disclosures and because it reflects how management internally manages the business. In addition, Verrica excludes non-cash interest expense from these non-GAAP measures to facilitate an understanding of the effects of the debt service obligations on the Company’s liquidity and comparisons to peer group companies who also provide similar non-GAAP disclosures and because it is reflective of how management internally manages the business. Non-GAAP loss from operations, non-GAAP net loss and non-GAAP net loss per share should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP results. Non-GAAP loss from operations, non-GAAP net loss and non-GAAP net loss per share have been reconciled to the nearest GAAP measure in the tables following the financial statements in this press release.
Inducement Grant
In connection with the appointment of Dr. Rieger as President and Chief Executive Officer, on November 1, 2024, the independent members of the Company’s Board of Directors granted Dr. Rieger a stock option award to purchase 2,000,000 shares of Verrica’s common stock under the Verrica Inducement Plan, effective as of November 6, 2024. The stock options are being granted as an inducement material to the Dr. Rieger’s becoming an employee of Verrica in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).
The Inducement Plan is used exclusively for the grant of equity awards to individuals who were not previously an employee or non-employee director of Verrica (or following a bona fide period of non-employment), as an inducement material to such individual’s entering into employment with Verrica, pursuant to Rule 5635(c)(4) of the NASDAQ Listing Rules.
The option award will have an exercise price equal to the closing price of Verrica’s common stock on November 6, 2024. The option award will vest, and become exercisable (as applicable), as to 1/8th of the shares on the date that is six months following Dr. Rieger’s start date, and 1/48th of the shares each month thereafter on the same day of the month as the start date, subject to Dr. Rieger’s continuous service with Verrica on such vesting dates. The option award is subject to the terms and conditions of the Inducement Plan, and the terms and conditions of a stock option agreement covering the grant.
About YCANTH® (VP-102)
YCANTH® is a proprietary drug-device combination product that contains a GMP-controlled formulation of cantharidin delivered via a single-use applicator that allows for precise topical dosing and targeted administration for the treatment of molluscum. YCANTH® is the first and only commercially available product approved by the FDA to treat adult and pediatric patients two years of age and older with molluscum contagiosum — a common, highly contagious skin disease that affects an estimated six million people in the United States, primarily children. Approval of YCANTH® was based upon the positive results from two Phase 3 clinical trials in approximately 500 patients which demonstrated that YCANTH® was a safe and effective therapy for the treatment of molluscum. Approximately 228 million lives are eligible to receive YCANTH® covered by insurance. YCANTH® is available to all patients with and without insurance coverage for $25 per treatment, and further financial assistance is available for patients in need. Please visit YCANTHPro.com for additional information.
In addition, Verrica has successfully completed a Phase 2 study of VP-102 for the treatment of common warts and a Phase 2 study of VP-102 for the treatment of external genital warts.
YCANTH® should only be administered by a trained healthcare professional. YCANTH® is not for home use.
About Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Verrica is a dermatology therapeutics company developing medications for skin diseases requiring medical interventions. Verrica’s product YCANTH® (VP-102) (cantharidin), is the first and only commercially available treatment approved by the FDA to treat adult and pediatric patients two years of age and older with molluscum contagiosum, a highly contagious viral skin infection affecting approximately 6 million people in the United States, primarily children. YCANTH® (VP-102) is also in development to treat common warts and external genital warts, two of the largest remaining unmet needs in medical dermatology. Verrica is developing VP-103, its second cantharidin-based product candidate, for the treatment of plantar warts. Verrica has also entered a worldwide license agreement with Lytix Biopharma AS to develop and commercialize VP-315 (formerly LTX-315 and VP-LTX-315) for non-melanoma skin cancers including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. For more information, visit www.verrica.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “will,” and similar expressions, and are based on Verrica’s current beliefs and expectations. These forward-looking statements include expectations regarding the continuing commercial launch of YCANTH™, the clinical development and potential benefits of Verrica’s product candidates, including the timing of reporting data from clinical trials, expected material reductions in Verrica’s cash burn, Verrica’s expectation that existing distributor inventory will support most demand for dispensed applicator units into the first quarter of 2025 and Verrica’s ability to fund its operations into the first quarter of 2025.
These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially include uncertainties inherent in the drug development process and the regulatory approval process, Verrica’s reliance on third parties over which it may not always have full control and uncertainties that are described in Verrica’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 and other filings Verrica makes with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on information available to Verrica as of the date of this release, and Verrica assumes no obligation to, and does not intend to, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Statements of Operations
(in thousands except share and per share data)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||
2024 | 2023 | |||||||
Product revenue, net |
$ | (1,865 | ) | $ | 2792 | |||
Collaboration revenue |
84 | 125 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total revenue |
(1,781 | ) | 2,917 | |||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Operating expenses: |
||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
16,083 | 20,054 | ||||||
Research and development |
2,405 | 6,510 | ||||||
Cost of product revenue |
351 | 145 | ||||||
Cost of collaboration revenue |
84 | 125 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total operating expenses |
18,923 | 26,834 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Loss from operations |
(20,704 | ) | (23,917 | ) | ||||
Interest income |
221 | 822 | ||||||
Interest expense |
(2,376 | ) | (1,657 | ) | ||||
Other expense |
(1 | ) | (50 | ) | ||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net loss |
$ | (22,860 | ) | $ | (24,802 | ) | ||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net loss per share, basic and diluted |
$ | (0.49 | ) | $ | (0.54 | ) | ||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Weighted-average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted |
46,805,427 | 46,073,932 | ||||||
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|
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Statements of Operations
(in thousands except share and per share data)
(unaudited)
Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||
2024 | 2023 | |||||||
Product revenue, net |
$ | 6,259 | $ | 2792 | ||||
Collaboration revenue |
963 | 344 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total revenue |
7,222 | 3,136 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Operating expenses: |
||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
48,943 | 30,310 | ||||||
Research and development |
10,673 | 14,975 | ||||||
Cost of product revenue |
1,257 | 145 | ||||||
Cost of collaboration revenue |
858 | 329 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total operating expenses |
61,731 | 45,759 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Loss from operations |
(54,509 | ) | (42,623 | ) | ||||
Interest income |
1,212 | 1,948 | ||||||
Interest expense |
(7,063 | ) | (1,657 | ) | ||||
Other expense |
(17 | ) | (49 | ) | ||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net loss |
$ | (60,377 | ) | $ | (42,381 | ) | ||
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|
|
|
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Net loss per share, basic and diluted |
$ | (1.30 | ) | $ | (0.94 | ) | ||
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|
|
|||||
Weighted-average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted |
46,597,883 | 45,015,900 | ||||||
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|
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Selected Balance Sheet Data
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
September 30, 2024 |
December 31, 2023 |
|||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 22,959 | $ | 69,547 | ||||
Accts rec., prepaid expenses and inventory |
5,228 | 7,983 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total current assets |
28,187 | 77,530 | ||||||
PP&E, lease right of use asset, other |
4,740 | 4,067 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total assets |
$ | 32,927 | $ | 81,597 | ||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total liabilities |
$ | 66,978 | $ | 61,834 | ||||
Total stockholders’ equity |
(34,051 | ) | 19,763 | |||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity |
$ | 32,927 | $ | 81,597 | ||||
|
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|
VERRICA PHARMACEUTICAS INC.
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (unaudited)
(in thousands except per share data)
Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 | ||||||||||||
Loss from operations |
Net loss | Net loss per share |
||||||||||
GAAP |
$ | (20,704 | ) | $ | (22,860 | ) | $ | (0.49 | ) | |||
Non-GAAP Adjustments: |
||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation – |
1,503 | 1,503 | ||||||||||
Stock-based compensation – |
605 | 605 | ||||||||||
Non-cash interest expense (b) |
— | 571 | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Adjusted |
$ | (18,596 | ) | $ | (20,181 | ) | $ | (0.43 | ) | |||
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|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended September 30, 2023 | ||||||||||||
Loss from operations |
Net loss | Net loss per share |
||||||||||
GAAP |
$ | (23,917 | ) | $ | (24,802 | ) | $ | (0.54 | ) | |||
Non-GAAP Adjustments: |
||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation – |
8,438 | 8,438 | ||||||||||
Stock-based compensation – |
1,225 | 1,225 | ||||||||||
Non-cash interest expense (b) |
— | 338 | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Adjusted |
$ | (14,254 | ) | $ | (14,801 | ) | $ | (0.32 | ) | |||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 | ||||||||||||
Loss from operations |
Net loss | Net loss per share |
||||||||||
GAAP |
$ | (54,509 | ) | $ | (60,377 | ) | $ | (1.30 | ) | |||
Non-GAAP Adjustments: |
||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation – |
4,841 | 4,841 | ||||||||||
Stock-based compensation – |
1,567 | 1,567 | ||||||||||
Non-cash interest expense (b) |
— | 1,571 | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Adjusted |
$ | (48,101 | ) | $ | (52,398 | ) | $ | (1.12 | ) | |||
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Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023 | ||||||||||||
Loss from operations |
Net loss | Net loss per share |
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GAAP |
$ | (42,623 | ) | $ | (42,381 | ) | $ | (0.94 | ) | |||
Non-GAAP Adjustments: |
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Stock-based compensation – |
10,223 | 10,223 | ||||||||||
Stock-based compensation – |
2,078 | 2,078 | ||||||||||
Non-cash interest expense (b) |
— | 338 | ||||||||||
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Adjusted |
$ | (30,322 | ) | $ | (29,742 | ) | $ | (0.66 | ) | |||
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(a) | The effects of non-cash stock-based compensation are excluded because of varying available valuation methodologies and subjective assumptions. Verrica believes this is a useful measure for investors because such exclusion facilitates comparison to peer companies who also provide similar non-GAAP disclosures and is reflective of how management internally manages the business. |
(b) | The effects of non-cash interest charges are excluded because Verrica believes such exclusion facilitates an understanding of the effects of the debt service obligations on the Company’s liquidity and comparisons to peer group companies and is reflective of how management internally manages the business. |
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Investors:
Kevin Gardner
LifeSci Advisors
kgardner@lifesciadvisors.com
Chris Calabrese
LifeSci Advisors
ccalabrese@lifesciadvisors.com