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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 2020.

Registration No. 333-            


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549



FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933



AXCELLA HEALTH INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  2836
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  26-3321056
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)



840 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02139
(857) 320-2200

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)



William Hinshaw
Chief Executive Officer
840 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02139
(857) 320-2200

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



Copies of all communications, including communications sent to agent for service, should be sent to:

Kingsley L. Taft
Laurie A. Burlingame
Goodwin Procter LLP
100 Northern Ave.
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 570-1000

 

Peter N. Handrinos
Wesley C. Holmes
Latham & Watkins LLP
200 Clarendon Street
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 948-6000



Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
As soon as practicable after this registration statement becomes effective.

           If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, check the following box.    o

           If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

           If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

           If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

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

Large Accelerated Filer o   Accelerated Filer o   Non-Accelerated Filer ý   Smaller Reporting Company ý

Emerging Growth Company ý

           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 to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. o



CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

       
 
Title of Each Class of Securities
To Be Registered

  Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering
Price(1)

  Amount of
Registration Fee

 

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

  $92,724,500   $12,035.65

 

(1)
Estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Includes offering price of any additional shares of common stock that the underwriters have an option to purchase. Represents an aggregate of 12,650,000 shares of common stock (which includes the additional shares of common stock that the underwriters have an option to purchase) at the assumed public offering price of $7.33 per share, the last reported sale price of the common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Market on May 8, 2020.

           The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

   


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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MAY 11, 2020

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

11,000,000 Shares

LOGO

Axcella Health Inc.

Common Stock

        We are offering 11,000,000 shares of our common stock. Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "AXLA." On May 8, 2020, the last reported sale price of our common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Market was $7.33 per share. The final public offering price will be determined through negotiation between us and the lead underwriters in the offering and the recent market price used throughout the prospectus may not be indicative of the actual offering price.



        Investing in our common stock involves risks. See "Risk Factors" beginning on page 16 of this prospectus and under similar headings in documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

        We are an "emerging growth company" as defined under U.S. federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. See "Prospectus Summary—Implications of being an emerging growth company."

        Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities, or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

       
 
 
  Per Share
  Total
 

Public Offering Price

  $               $            
 

Underwriting Discounts and Commissions(1)

  $               $            
 

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

  $               $            

 

(1)
See "Underwriting" beginning on page 35 of this prospectus for additional information regarding total underwriter compensation.

        We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of up to 30 days to purchase up to 1,650,000 additional shares of our common stock.

        Delivery of the shares of common stock is expected to be made on or about            , 2020.

J.P. MORGAN   SVB LEERINK
WEDBUSH PACGROW   ROTH CAPITAL PARTNERS

Prospectus dated            , 2020


TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

  1

SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

  15

RISK FACTORS

  16

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

  17

USE OF PROCEEDS

  19

CAPITALIZATION

  20

DILUTION

  22

PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

  24

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

  27

CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS

  31

UNDERWRITING

  35

LEGAL MATTERS

  41

EXPERTS

  41

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

  41

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

  42

        We and the underwriters have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectuses we have prepared. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may provide you. We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of the common stock.

        For investors outside the United States: Neither we nor the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the shares of common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States.

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

        This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. Before investing in our common stock, you should carefully read this entire prospectus, including our consolidated financial statements and the related footnotes and the other documents incorporated by reference herein. As used in this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires, references to the "company," "we," "us" and "our" refer to Axcella Health Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries.

        In this prospectus, we use the following defined terms:

        "product candidate" to refer to one of our investigational product candidates.

        "development platform" to refer to our proprietary human-focused development platform.

        "dose" to refer to the exposure amount of a product candidate in Clinical Trials and Clinical Studies.

        "non-drug" to refer to a non-therapeutic use of a product candidate. Such use may be as a food product or dietary supplement.

        "Clinical Trial" to refer to a human clinical study of a drug product candidate subject to the requirements for an effective Investigational New Drug application, or an IND.

        "Clinical Study" to refer to Institutional Review Board-Approved, or IRB-Approved, clinical studies conducted in humans with our product candidates under U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, regulations and guidance supporting research with food outside of an IND (prior to any decision to develop a product candidate as a drug product candidate under an IND or a non-drug product candidate). In these food studies, based on our understanding of FDA regulations and guidance, we evaluate in humans, including individuals with disease, a product candidate for safety, tolerability and effects on the normal structures and functions of the body. These studies are not designed or intended to evaluate a product candidate's ability to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent a disease as these would be evaluated in Clinical Trials if we decide to develop a product candidate as a drug or therapeutic.

Overview

        We are a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on leveraging endogenous metabolic modulators, or EMMs, to pioneer a new approach for treating complex diseases and improving health. Our product candidates are comprised of multiple EMMs that are engineered in distinct combinations and ratios with the goal of simultaneously impacting multiple biological pathways. Our pipeline includes lead therapeutic candidates for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, and the reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy, or OHE, recurrence. Additional muscle- and blood-related programs are in earlier-stage development.

        Using our development platform, we have efficiently designed a pipeline of product candidates that are comprised of amino acids and their derivatives, which have a general history of safe use. These orally administered compositions are designed to have multifactorial effects.

        Once we design a product candidate, we decide whether to initially evaluate it in (i) a non-investigational new drug application, or non-IND, Institutional Review Board, or IRB, approved Clinical Study under U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, regulations and guidance supporting research with food (as noted herein, the term food also includes dietary supplements) or (ii) in a Clinical Trial under an IND. A Clinical Study allows us to evaluate a product candidate's safety, tolerability and permissible secondary endpoints (e.g. impact on normal structures and functions of the body, including metabolic pathways), before we determine the next steps in its development. Our Clinical Studies are conducted at reputable medical centers following Good Clinical Practices, or GCPs, including IRB approval and monitoring, by qualified investigators, including key opinion leaders in their fields. Subsequent development options for a product candidate we initially investigate in a

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Clinical Study include, but are not limited to, conducting future research in a Clinical Trial for an identified therapeutic indication, continuing research in another Clinical Study, out-licensing the product candidate, or terminating development.

        In 2018, we completed three Clinical Studies. In all three studies, our product candidates were found to be generally well tolerated, and we generated structure and function biomarker data suggesting clinically relevant changes in liver and muscle metabolic pathways. We believe our ability to generate these human data at an early stage of development via initial Clinical Studies (i) significantly reduces the translational uncertainty typically seen when transitioning from animal studies to human studies, (ii) enables us to make high-insight, capital-efficient product candidate development decisions and (iii) for product candidates we initially research in Clinical Studies and subsequently decide to investigate for potential therapeutic indications, potentially increases their probability of Clinical Trial success.

        In May 2020, we announced positive top-line data from AXA1125-003, our Clinical Study assessing the impact of AXA1125 and AXA1957 on safety, tolerability and effects on structures and functions of the liver, as measured by a comprehensive panel of imaging and soluble biomarkers related to metabolism, inflammation and fibrosis. Given the strength and consistency of data on AXA1125, we are pursuing future development for AXA1125 under an IND-enabled Clinical Trial, subject to FDA allowance, to study its potential to treat both adult and pediatric NASH. As a result of our decision to focus our NASH development efforts on AXA1125, we have decided against reinitiating our AXA1957-002 pediatric study, which had recently been suspended due to COVID-19. See "—Recent Developments—Clinical Study AXA1125-003."

        We currently have two Clinical Studies underway:

    AXA1665-002: A placebo-controlled, randomized, parallel-arm study assessing the impact of two doses of AXA1665 on safety, tolerability and structure/function secondary endpoints in approximately 60 subjects with mild and moderate hepatic insufficiency; and

    AXA4010-001: A sequential and staged cohort study assessing the impact of AXA4010 on safety, tolerability and blood structure/function secondary endpoints in up to 24 subjects (up to 16 adults and eight adolescents) with sickle cell disease.

        Based in part on our Clinical Study results to date, along with other relevant information, we have decided to pursue future development for AXA1665 under an IND-enabled Clinical Trial to study its potential to modulate key pathogenic pathways associated with OHE, subject to the data readout from our ongoing Clinical Study and FDA allowance of an IND. We have yet to make a development decision for our other product candidates, AXA2678 and AXA4010.

        On March 6, 2019, we had a face-to-face pre-IND meeting with the FDA for AXA1665 during which we discussed clinical endpoints, assessment tools and other matters relating to a potential IND-opening Clinical Trial for AXA1665 in patients with the complications of cirrhosis, including hepatic encephalopathy, or HE, and sarcopenia or muscle wasting in cirrhosis. Based on FDA feedback received at this meeting, we believe that additional toxicology work would not be required prior to commencing a Clinical Trial for AXA1665. Assuming supportive data from our ongoing Clinical Study of AXA1665 and subject to FDA feedback and authorization to proceed under an IND, we plan to initiate a potentially registrational Phase 2b/3 Clinical Trial in the fourth quarter of 2020. We recently had a Type C meeting with FDA where we received key input on our planned Clinical Trial for AXA1665 and anticipate interacting with the FDA again in 2020 prior to a formal IND submission for AXA1665.

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        An overview of our current therapeutic product candidates and their current development status is illustrated below.

GRAPHIC


(1)
Initial Clinical Studies refers to Non-IND Clinical Studies initiated prior to a development path decision.

(2)
Planned Clinical Trial, contingent upon allowance by the FDA. Timing based on current expectations and subject to risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

(3)
Indication expected to be reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy recurrence.

(4)
We believe that this has the potential to serve as a registrational Clinical Trial, subject to final data readout from ongoing Clinical Study and allowance by the FDA.

        We have yet to make a development decision for our other product candidates, AXA2678 and AXA4010.

GRAPHIC


(1)
Initial Clinical Studies refers to non-IND Clinical Studies initiated prior to a development path decision. Timing of planned cohort 1 readout based on current expectations and subject to risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

About Endogenous Metabolic Modulators (EMMs)

        EMMs encompass a broad set of molecular families, including amino acids, bile acids other intermediary substrates and hormones. Together, these molecules can serve as master regulators and signaling agents, driving multiple pathways to elicit multifactorial effects that integrate basic cellular functioning to impact fundamental biologies. Such biologies include cellular bioenergetics (e.g., tricarboxylic acid cycle and electron transport chain), nutrient handling (e.g., de novo lipogenesis, or metabolic formation of fat, gluconeogenesis, or the generation of glucose from certain non-carbohydrate carbon substrates, and proteogenesis, or protein formation), nutrient sensing via master regulators (e.g., via mammalian target of rapamycin, or mTOR, 5' AMP-activated protein kinase, or AMPK, fibroblast growth factor 21, or FGF21, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, or PPARs), immune response and inflammation, reactive oxygen response, vascular function, neurotransmitter signaling, tissue repair, and autophagy.

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Our EMM Composition Design and Nonclinical Research Approach

Design Approach

        Our development platform allows us to efficiently design and test EMM compositions that simultaneously target multiple biologies and metabolic pathways. This platform integrates advanced analytics of metabolic regulation and dysregulation to interrogate data in our proprietary databases, which we refer to as Axcella Database, or AxcellaDB, and Axcella Knowledge Base, or AxcellaKB. Our human primary cell systems also directly test the multiple biologies that are particularly disease-related and/or drive metabolic dysregulation. All of this is supported by what we believe to be the world's leading EMM safety database. The data and learnings generated through this process further inform our design methodology, increasing our development platform's efficiency for the development of subsequent product candidates.

        AxcellaDB, our proprietary database, synthesizes a combination of data from published scientific and medical literature, our in vitro models, and our human Clinical Studies. Through advanced analytics, we investigate novel, causal connections among EMMs, biology, health and/or disease. We believe this enables us to take a systems biology approach to product candidate discovery and development. Ultimately, we envision utilizing AxcellaKB and its internal machine learning capabilities to identify EMM compositions, predict their effects on biology and potentially identify new target areas for our platform.

    Nonclinical Research

        We test EMM compositions and hypothesized synergies in normal and disease-specific human primary cell models. We conduct our model systems in environments that aim to simulate physiological levels of biofluids and nutrients. These models include multiple cell types that we use to deconstruct dysregulated metabolism or disease conditions to isolate effects of EMM compositions on subsets of metabolic pathways. The throughput of these models enables us to test product candidates as well as combinations of the individual constituents to identify and better understand their interactions.

        Pharmacokinetic, or PK, literature, experiments and modeling inform our EMM compositions (i.e. amounts and ratios). We are able to evaluate EMM plasma exposure, supra-physiological exposures, windows of exposure administration amounts, the characterization of critical PK behaviors across molecule classes, and the implications of physiological compartmental distribution. We believe these data can be used to refine product candidate designs.

    Our Clinical Approach and Development Path Decision Making

        Once a product candidate is designed, we then decide whether to evaluate the candidate in a Clinical Study or under a Clinical Trial. To date, we have initially conducted clinical investigations of our product candidates in Clinical Studies. Going forward, we may conduct initial clinical investigations of future product candidates under Clinical Trials.

        We conduct our Clinical Studies under the FDA's September 2013 Guidance for Clinical Investigators, Sponsors, and IRBs entitled "Investigational New Drug Applications (INDs)—Determining Whether Human Research Studies Can Be Conducted Without an IND ," which we believe allows for Clinical Studies to be conducted to assess a food product's safety, tolerability and effect on normal structures or functions in humans in healthy and diseased subjects. Our current product candidates comprise amino acids and their derivatives. We select the amounts of the amino acids and derivatives used in our product candidates based upon doses previously found in third-party clinical studies and third-party clinical trials to be tolerable with no significant safety concerns. Therefore, we believe we can study our product candidates in Clinical Studies as food and dietary supplements.

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        Our Clinical Studies include an assessment of safety and tolerability and a substantial number of biomarkers that may inform biologies relevant to the healthy structures and functions of the body but are not designed or intended to evaluate a product candidate's ability to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent a disease or other health condition. They are conducted at reputable medical centers following GCPs, including IRB approval and monitoring, by qualified investigators, including key opinion leaders in their fields. Using a combination of data from these Clinical Studies and/or other relevant information, we decide whether to advance the product candidate's development in a therapeutic path under a Clinical Trial, further research the product candidate in another Clinical Study, out-license commercialization rights to the product candidate, or terminate its development. We may decide to partner with other companies in the development or commercialization of our product candidates.

        We have determined that our lead compounds, AXA1665 and AXA1125, will be pursued as therapeutic product candidates, meaning that any future assessment of these product candidates will be made in Clinical Trials, subject to FDA allowance of INDs and, for AXA1665, also subject to final data readouts from our ongoing Clinical Study. These IND-enabled Clinical Trials would be designed to evaluate AXA1665's ability to reduce the risk of OHE recurrence and AXA1125's ability to treat patients with NASH.

Recent Developments

Clinical Study AXA1125-003

        On May 6, 2020, we announced positive top-line data from AXA1125-003, a placebo-controlled, randomized, multi-arm Clinical Study assessing the impact of AXA1125 and AXA1957 on safety, tolerability and effects on structures and functions of the liver, as measured by a comprehensive panel of imaging and soluble biomarkers related to metabolism, inflammation and fibrosis. In this non-IND study, 102 adult non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, subjects with presumed NASH, based on inclusion criteria, were enrolled and dosed in a 2:2:2:1 ratio to receive AXA1125, one of two AXA1957 doses, or placebo administered twice daily for 16 weeks. Study subjects were stratified based on the presence or absence of type 2 diabetes.

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    Study design for AXA1125-003. This Clinical Study was initiated prior to determination of AXA1125 as our therapeutic product candidate for NASH.

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    All values are mean (SE) unless otherwise noted.

    ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, alanine transaminase; BMI, body mass index: cT1, corrected T1; HOMA-IR, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; MRI-PDFF, magnectic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction; ProC3, propeptide of type III collagen; SD, standard deviation; SE, standard error.

        Results from the study showed that AXA1125 and AXA1957 were generally well-tolerated, with sustained reductions noted for both product candidates versus placebo in key biomarkers of metabolism, inflammation and fibrosis over 16 weeks. Overall, as compared to placebo, AXA1125 demonstrated larger and more consistent reductions in clinically relevant biomarkers than AXA1957. Additionally, in a majority of subjects with type 2 diabetes receiving AXA1125, clinically relevant thresholds of activity were observed in non-invasive tests that suggest a higher probability of positive histological outcomes. The results from this study are summarized below:

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    *p<0.05 versus placebo.

    ALT, alanine aminotransferase; cT1, correctedT1; FIB-4, fibrosis 4; HOMA-IR, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; MRI-PDFF, magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction; ProC3, propeptide of type III collagen; SE, standard error.

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    FIB-4, fibrosis 4; ProC3, propeptide of type III collagen; SE, standard error.

    GRAPHIC


(1)
Loomba, R. et al. Hepatology, January 2020

(2)
Loomba, R. et al. Gastroenterology, January 2019

    ALT, alanine aminotransferase; cT1, corrected T1; MRI-PDFF, magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction; NASH, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; NAFID, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; SE, standard error.

        AXA1125 and AXA1957 were both generally well tolerated in the study. The adverse events, or AEs, experienced in ³10% of subjects were gastrointestinal (diarrhea, nausea, reduced appetite) and upper respiratory infection. Gastrointestinal AEs were generally mild and transient, self-resolving in two to three weeks on average. Two serious adverse events were reported, both of which were determined to be unrelated to study product administration.

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(1)
Safety based on what subject received on day 1 of dosing. Subjects counted only once if they had more than one event reported during the product administration period.

    AE, adverse event; GI, gastrointestinal; SAE, serious adverse event; PEAEs, product-emergent adverse events

Clinical Study AXA1665-002

        AXA1665-002 is an ongoing 12-week (with a four-week follow-up) randomized, placebo-controlled Clinical Study to assess AXA1665's safety, tolerability and impact on normal liver and muscle structures and functions in approximately 60 adult subjects with mild (Child A) and moderate (Child B) hepatic insufficiency.

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Study design for AXA1665-002. This Clinical Study was initiated prior to determination of AXA1665 as a therapeutic product candidate.

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        The assessments in AXA1665-002 include:

Primary    
Safety & tolerability   Clinical AEs, vital signs, ECGs, clinical laboratory parameters, including standard chemistry and hematology panels, plasma ammonia, albumin, total protein and other liver function tests
Secondary    
PK of AXA1665 constituents and endogenous amino acid levels   FR* and VPR*

 

 

Normal Structure
Physiological assessments  

Body composition via MRI to assess lean and fat mass compartments, including thigh muscle volumes, intramuscular fat


 

 

Normal Function
   

Physical (LFI*; gait speed)

   

Cognitive (Stroop test; PHES; CFF)

   

Health-related questionnaires


*
FR, VPR and LFI are believed to have prognostic significance in subjects with cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease based on emerging scientific literature. PHES = psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score; CFF = critical flicker frequency.

        Enrollment in AXA1665-002 was completed in February 2020, and AXA1665 continued to be generally well tolerated through week 12. Data from this Clinical Study is anticipated in the third quarter of 2020. This timing is based on our current expectations and is subject to risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clinical Study AXA4010-001

        AXA4010-001 is an ongoing Clinical Study that is expected to enroll up to 24 subjects ages 12 and older in a staged sequential design of three separate cohorts each for up to 12 weeks (see study design below).

GRAPHIC

Study design for AXA4010-001

        In addition to safety and tolerability, the study will assess the effects of AXA4010 on normal blood structure and function, including hemolysis, inflammation and vascular physiology. The first cohort will consist of eight adult subjects with sickle cell disease, or SCD, to test whether AXA4010 can impact normal blood and vascular function. Subsequently, additional adult subjects as well as adolescent subjects may be enrolled into the study. SCD is a chronic hemolytic anemia that is associated with inflammation and metabolic derangements that include nitric oxide depletion and oxidative stress. As a result, we believe SCD is an appropriate biological model in which to study AXA4010's potential impact on multiple aspects of blood health. We currently anticipate a data readout from Cohort 1 of this study in the fourth quarter of 2020.

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Corporate history

        We were incorporated in August 2008 under the laws of the state of Delaware under the name Newco LS16, Inc. Our name was changed to Axcella Health Inc. in June 2016. Our principal executive offices are located at 840 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02139, and our phone number is (857) 320-2200. Our website address is https://www.axcellahealth.com. The information contained in or accessible from our website is not incorporated into this prospectus, and you should not consider it part of this prospectus.

        We own various U.S. federal trademark applications and unregistered trademarks, including our company name and our logo. All other trademarks or trade names referred to in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this prospectus are referred to without the symbols ® and ™, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto.

Implications of being an emerging growth company

        We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or the JOBS Act, enacted in April 2012. For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we are permitted and intend to rely on certain exemptions from various public company reporting requirements, including not being required to have our internal control over financial reporting audited by our independent registered public accounting firm pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In particular, in this prospectus, we have provided only two years of audited financial statements and have not included all of the executive compensation related information that would be required if we were not an emerging growth company. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different than the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold stock.

        We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier to occur of (1) December 31, 2024, (2) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of at least $1.07 billion, (3) the last day of the fiscal year in which we are deemed to be a "large accelerated filer," under the rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, which means the market value of our equity securities that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th and (4) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.

        In addition, the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. This provision allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of some accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected not to "opt out" of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we will adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard and will do so until such time that we either (i) irrevocably elect to "opt out" of such extended transition period or (ii) no longer qualify as an emerging growth company.

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THE OFFERING

Common stock offered by us

  11,000,000 shares

Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering

 

34,188,816 shares (or 35,838,816 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full)

Option to purchase additional shares offered by us

 

1,650,000 shares

Use of proceeds

 

We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering of approximately $75.2 million, or $86.6 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, assuming a public offering price of $7.33 per share, the last reported trading price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on May 8, 2020, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, to advance our current liver programs, including our planned IND filing for AXA1665 and ensuing initiation of a Clinical Trial and our planned IND filing for AXA1125 in adults and pediatric patients and ensuing initiation of Clinical Trials; to advance our product candidate AXA4010, including the conclusion of our ongoing Clinical Study; to advance our development platform and discovery efforts; and to support organizational growth and for working capital and other general corporate purposes. For a more complete description of our intended use of the proceeds from this offering, see "Use of Proceeds."

Risk factors

 

You should carefully read the "Risk Factors" section of this prospectus and under similar headings in documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus for a discussion of factors that you should consider before deciding to invest in our common stock.

Nasdaq Global Market symbol

 

"AXLA"

The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 23,188,816 shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2020 and excludes:

    5,443,078 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding as of March 31, 2020 under our 2010 Stock Incentive Plan, or our 2010 Plan, and our 2019 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, or our 2019 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $7.09 per share;

    162,967 shares of common stock reserved for vesting of restricted stock units outstanding as of March 31, 2020 under our 2019 Plan;

    601,721 shares of common stock available for future issuance as of March 31, 2020 under our 2019 Plan; and

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    469,069 shares of our common stock available for future issuance as of March 31, 2020 under our 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or our 2019 ESPP.

Unless otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus reflects or assumes the following:

    no exercise of the outstanding options described above; and

    no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares of common stock in this offering.

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SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

        You should read the following selected consolidated financial data together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" section incorporated by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. We have derived the consolidated statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 from our audited consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have derived the consolidated statements of operations data for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31, 2020 from our unaudited consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected in the future.

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
 
  2020   2019   2019   2018  
 
  (in thousands, except share
and per share data)

  (in thousands, except share
and per share data)

 

Operating expenses:

                         

Research and development

  $ 10,335   $ 7,563   $ 41,658   $ 25,486  

General and administrative

    4,125     3,468     15,781     8,410  

Total operating expenses

    14,460     11,031     57,439     33,896  

Loss from operations

    (14,460 )   (11,031 )   (57,439 )   (33,896 )

Other income (expense), net

    (549 )   (542 )   (1,598 )   (2,173 )

Net loss

  $ (15,009 ) $ (11,573 ) $ (59,037 ) $ (36,069 )

Net loss per share, basic and diluted(1)

  $ (0.65 ) $ (2.43 ) $ (3.55 ) $ (7.97 )

Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted

    23,188,816     4,775,828     16,624,941     4,546,373  

(1)
See Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus for details on the calculation of basic and diluted net loss per share.


 
  As of
March 31,
  As of
December 31,
 
 
  2020   2019   2018  
 
  (in thousands)
 

Balance Sheet Data:

                   

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 75,522   $ 92,053   $ 79,466  

Working capital(1)

    69,781     85,184     73,390  

Total assets

    77,582     94,359     81,844  

Long term debt, net of current portion and discount

    22,820     24,897     24,521  

Other liabilities(2)

    908     882     1,898  

Preferred stock warrant liability

            425  

Redeemable convertible preferred stock

            197,842  

Total stockholders' equity (deficit)

    46,814     60,224     (149,753 )

(1)
We define working capital as current assets less current liabilities.

(2)
As of December 31, 2018, this includes a $1.2 million success fee relating to our loan and security agreement with Solar, which was paid upon the completion of our IPO in May 2019.

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RISK FACTORS

        Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described below, as well as the other information in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including the risks identified under "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, before deciding whether to invest in our common stock. The occurrence of any of the events or developments described therein and below could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. In such an event, the market price of our common stock could decline and you may lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial also may impair our business operations.

Risks related to our common stock and this offering

If you purchase our common stock in this offering, you will incur immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of your shares. In addition, we may issue additional securities in the future, which may result in additional dilution.

        The public offering price will be substantially higher than the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock after this offering. Investors purchasing common stock in this offering will pay a price per share that substantially exceeds the as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering. As a result, investors purchasing common stock in this offering will incur immediate dilution of $3.76 per share, based on an assumed public offering price of $7.33 per share, the last reported trading price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on May 8, 2020, representing the difference between our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this offering and the assumed public offering price. To the extent outstanding stock options are exercised, new stock options are issued or we issue additional shares of common stock in the future, including through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, there will be further dilution to new investors. As a result of the dilution to investors purchasing common stock in this offering, investors may receive significantly less than the purchase price paid in this offering, if anything, in the event of our liquidation. For a further description of the dilution that you will experience immediately after this offering, see "Dilution."

We have broad discretion in the use of our existing cash, cash equivalents and the net proceeds from this offering and may not use them effectively.

        Our management will have broad discretion in the application of our existing cash, cash equivalents and the net proceeds from this offering, including for any of the purposes described in the section entitled "Use of Proceeds," and you will not have the right or opportunity as part of your investment decision to assess whether such proceeds are being used appropriately. Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of our existing cash, cash equivalents and the net proceeds from this offering, their ultimate use may vary substantially from their currently intended use. Our management might not apply our existing cash, cash equivalents and the net proceeds from this offering in ways that ultimately increase the value of your investment. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing securities. These investments may not yield a favorable return to our stockholders. If we do not invest or apply the net proceeds from this offering in ways that enhance stockholder value, we may fail to achieve expected financial results, which could cause our stock price to decline.

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. We make such forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expects", "intends", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "potential", "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:

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        Any forward-looking statements in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus reflect our current views with respect to future events and with respect to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, those described under "Risk Factors" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and elsewhere in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future.

        We may from time to time provide estimates, projections and other information concerning our industry, the general business environment, and the markets for certain diseases, including estimates regarding the potential size of those markets and the estimated incidence and prevalence of certain medical conditions. Information that is based on estimates, forecasts, projections, market research or similar methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties, and actual events, circumstances or numbers, including actual disease prevalence rates and market size, may differ materially from the information reflected in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Unless otherwise expressly stated, we obtained this industry, business information, market data, prevalence information and other data from reports, research surveys, studies and similar data prepared by market research firms and other third parties, industry, medical and general publications, government data, and similar sources, in some cases applying our own assumptions and analysis that may, in the future, prove not to have been accurate.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

        We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering of approximately $75.2 million, or $86.6 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, assuming a public offering price of $7.33 per share, the last reported trading price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on May 8, 2020, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

        A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of $7.33 per share, the last reported trading price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on May 8, 2020, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $10.3 million, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same. Similarly, an increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares offered by us would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $6.9 million, assuming that the assumed public offering price remains the same. We do not expect that a change in the public offering price or the number of shares by these amounts would have a material effect on our uses of the proceeds from this offering, although it may accelerate the time at which we will need to seek additional capital.

        We currently expect to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with our cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2020, to advance our current liver programs, including our planned IND filing for AXA1665 and ensuing initiation of a Clinical Trial and our planned IND filing for AXA1125 in adults and pediatric patients and ensuing initiation of Clinical Trials; to advance our product candidate AXA4010, including the conclusion of our ongoing Clinical Study; to advance our development platform and discovery efforts; and to support organizational growth and for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

        As of March 31, 2020, we had $75.5 million of cash and cash equivalents on hand. Based on our current plans, we believe our cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2020, together with the net proceeds from this offering, will be sufficient to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through the first half of 2023. We have based these estimates on assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect. We may satisfy our future cash needs through the sale of equity securities, debt financings, working capital lines of credit, corporate collaborations or license agreements, grant funding, interest income earned on invested cash balances, or a combination of one or more of these sources.

        We cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering. Due to uncertainties inherent in the development process, it is difficult to estimate the exact amounts of the net proceeds that will be used for any particular purpose. We may use our existing cash, cash equivalents and the future payments, if any, generated from any future collaboration agreements to fund our operations, either of which may alter the amount of net proceeds used for a particular purpose. In addition, the amount, allocation and timing of our actual expenditures will depend upon numerous factors, including the results of our research and development efforts, the timing and success of our Clinical Studies and Clinical Trials and the timing of regulatory submissions. Accordingly, we will have broad discretion in using these proceeds.

        Pending their uses, we plan to invest the net proceeds of this offering in short-term, interest-bearing, investment-grade instruments, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government.

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CAPITALIZATION

        The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and our capitalization as of March 31, 2020:

        You should read the information in this table together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the "Summary Consolidated Financial Data" section of this prospectus.

 
  As of March 31, 2020  
 
  Actual   As Adjusted  
 
  (in thousands, except
share and
per share data)

 

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 75,522   $ 150,764  

Debt, net of discount

    24,987     24,897  

Stockholders' equity (deficit):

             

Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized and no shares issued or outstanding, actual and as adjusted

         

Common stock, $0.001 par value; 150,000,000 shares authorized, actual and as adjusted; 23,607,797 shares issued and 23,188,816 shares outstanding, actual; 34,607,797 shares issued and 34,188,816 shares outstanding, as adjusted

    24     35  

Additional paid-in capital

    277,885     353,116  

Treasury stock, 418,981 shares at cost

         

Accumulated deficit

    (231,095 )   (231,095 )

Total stockholders' equity (deficit)

    46,814     122,056  

Total capitalization

  $ 71,801   $ 147,043  

        A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of $7.33 per share, the last reported trading price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on May 8, 2020, would increase (decrease) the as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total stockholders' equity (deficit) and total capitalization by $10.3 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. An increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total stockholders' equity (deficit) and total capitalization by $6.9 million, assuming no change in the assumed public offering price per share and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The as adjusted information above is illustrative only and will be adjusted based on the actual public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

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        The table above does not include:

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DILUTION

        If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your ownership interest will be diluted immediately to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per share of our common stock and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering.

        Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) as of March 31, 2020 was $46.8 million, or $2.02 per share of our common stock. Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) is the amount of our total tangible assets less our total liabilities. Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share represents historical net tangible book value (deficit) divided by the 23,188,816 shares of our common stock outstanding as March 31, 2020.

        After giving effect to our issuance and sale of 11,000,000 shares of our common stock in this offering at the assumed public offering price of $7.33 per share, the last reported trading price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on May 8, 2020, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of March 31, 2020 would have been $122.1 million, or $3.57 per share. This represents an immediate increase in as adjusted net tangible book value per share of $1.55 to existing stockholders and immediate dilution of $3.76 in as adjusted net tangible book value per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering. Dilution per share to new investors is determined by subtracting as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the public offering price per share paid by new investors. The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis:

Assumed public offering price per share

        $ 7.33  

Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share as of March 31, 2020

  $ 2.02        

Increase in as adjusted net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering

    1.55        

As adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering

          3.57  

Dilution per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering

        $ 3.76  

        If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering would be $3.72, representing an immediate increase in as adjusted net tangible book value per share of $1.70 to existing stockholders and immediate dilution in as adjusted net tangible book value per share of $3.61 to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering, based on the assumed public offering price of $7.33 per share, the last reported trading price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on May 8, 2020, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

        The table and discussion above are based on the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2020, and exclude:

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        To the extent that outstanding stock options are exercised, new stock options are issued or we issue additional shares of common stock in the future, there will be further dilution to new investors. In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital because of market conditions or strategic considerations, even if we believe that we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. If we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.

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PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

        The following table sets forth information, to the extent known by us or ascertainable from public filings, with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock (1) as of March 31, 2020 and (2) as adjusted to reflect the sale of common stock offered by us in this offering, by:

        The percentage ownership information shown in the table prior to this offering is based upon 23,188,816 shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2020. The percentage ownership information shown in the table after this offering is based upon 23,188,816 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2020, as adjusted to reflect the sale of 11,000,000 shares of common stock by us in the offering and assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares. As of March 31, 2020, we had approximately 39 holders of record.

        Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and includes voting or investment power with respect to our common stock. Shares of our common stock subject to options that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020 are considered outstanding and beneficially owned by the person holding the options for the purpose of calculating the percentage ownership of that person but not for the purpose of calculating the percentage ownership of any other person. Except as otherwise noted, the persons and entities in this table have sole voting and investing power with respect to all of the shares of our common stock beneficially owned by them, subject to community property laws, where applicable. Except as otherwise indicated in the table below, addresses of named beneficial owners are in care of Axcella Health Inc., 840 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139.

 
  Shares beneficially
owned prior to the
offering
  Shares beneficially
owned after the
offering
 
Name and address of beneficial owner
  Number   Percentage   Number   Percentage  

5% Stockholders:

                         

Flagship Pioneering Funds(1)

    8,748,414     37.7 %   8,748,414     25.6 %

FMR LLC(2)

    3,211,922     13.9 %   3,211,922     9.4 %

Nestlé Health Sciences US Holdings, Inc.(3)

    2,368,699     10.2 %   2,368,699     6.9 %

Gurnet Point L.P.(4)

    1,293,891     5.6 %   1,293,891     3.8 %

HarbourVest Partners L.P.(5)

    1,229,034     5.3 %   1,229,034     3.6 %

Named executive officers and directors:

                         

David R. Epstein(6)

    602,455     2.5 %   602,455     1.7 %

William Hinshaw(7)

    484,713     2.0 %   484,713     1.4 %

Manu Chakravarthy, M.D., Ph.D.(8)

    163,337     *     163,337     *  

William D. Baird III(9)

    33,324     *     33,324     *  

Grégory Behar, M.B.A.(10)

    11,000     *     11,000     *  

David A. Berry, M.D., Ph.D.(11)

    771,042     3.3 %   771,042     2.3 %

Shreeram Aradhye, M.D.(12)

    61,074     *     61,074     *  

Stephen Hoge, M.D.(13)

    65,288     *     65,288     *  

Gary Pisano, Ph.D.(14)

    92,433     *     92,433     *  

Cristina M. Rondinone, Ph.D.(15)

    31,185     *     31,185     *  

Catherine A. Sohn, PharmD.(16)

    6,499     *     6,499     *  

All executive officers and directors as a group (16 persons)(17)

    2,598,734     10.4 %   2,598,734     7.2 %

*
Represents beneficial ownership of less than one percent.

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(1)
Based solely on a Schedule 13D filed with the SEC on May 23, 2019, consists of (i) 2,035,830 shares of common stock held by Flagship VentureLabs IV, LLC ("VentureLabs IV") (ii) 1,761,029 shares of common stock held by Flagship Ventures Fund 2007, L.P. ("Flagship Fund 2007"), (iii) 3,288,780 shares of common stock held by Flagship Ventures Fund IV, L.P. ("Flagship Fund IV"), (iv) 676,752 shares of common stock held by Flagship Ventures Fund IV Rx, L.P. ("Flagship Fund IV Rx" and, together with VentureLabs IV and Flagship Fund IV, the "Flagship IV Funds") and (v) 986,023 shares of common stock held by Flagship Ventures Opportunities Fund I, L.P ("Flagship Opportunities I"). Noubar B. Afeyan, Ph.D. and Edwin M. Kania are the managers of the general partner of Flagship Fund IV and Flagship Fund 2007, and each of these individuals may be deemed to beneficially own the shares directly held by the Flagship Fund IV Funds and Flagship Fund 2007. While Mr. Kania is retired from Flagship Pioneering, he continues to serve as a manager of Flagship Fund IV GP and Flagship Fund 2007 GP. Dr. Afeyan, as the sole manager of the general partner of Flagship Opportunities I, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares directly held by Flagship Opportunities I. The address of each of the entities and individuals listed above is 55 Cambridge Parkway, Suite 800E, Cambridge, MA 02142.

(2)
Based solely on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 7, 2020, FMR LLC has sole voting power with respect to 950,165 shares and sole dispositive power over 3,211,922 shares and Abigail P. Johnson has sole dispositive power over 3,211,922 shares. Abigail P. Johnson is a Director, the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer of FMR LLC. Members of the Johnson family, including Abigail P. Johnson, are the predominant owners, directly or through trusts, of Series B voting common shares of FMR LLC, representing 49% of the voting power of FMR LLC. The Johnson family group and all other Series B shareholders have entered into a shareholders' voting agreement under which all Series B voting common shares will be voted in accordance with the majority vote of Series B voting common shares. Accordingly, through their ownership of voting common shares and the execution of the shareholders' voting agreement, members of the Johnson family may be deemed, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, to form a controlling group with respect to FMR LLC. Neither FMR LLC nor Abigail P. Johnson has the sole power to vote or direct the voting of the shares owned directly by the various investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act ("Fidelity Funds") advised by Fidelity Management & Research Company ("FMR Co"), a wholly owned subsidiary of FMR LLC, which power resides with the Fidelity Funds' Boards of Trustees. FMR Co carries out the voting of the shares under written guidelines established by the Fidelity Funds' Boards of Trustees. The address of FMR LLC is 245 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

(3)
Based solely on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 13, 2020, (i) Nestlé Health Science US Holdings, Inc. ("NHS"), (ii) NIMCO US, Inc. ("NIMCO"), the parent of NHS, (iii) Nestlé US Holdco, Inc. ("Nestlé US Holdco"), an indirect parent of NHS, (iv) Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. ("SPN"), an indirect parent of NHS, and (v) Nestlé S.A. ("Nestlé"), the ultimate parent of each of NHS, NIMCO, Nestlé US Holdco and SPN, each has shared voting power and shared dispositive power with respect to 2,368,699 shares. The principal executive office of NHS, NIMCO and Nestlé US Holdco is 1812 North Moore Street, Arlington, VA 22209 and the principal executive office of SPN and Nestlé is Avenue Nestlé 55, CH-1800, Vevey Switzerland.

(4)
Based solely on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 7, 2020, Gurnet Point L.P. ("Gurnet Point") and Waypoint International GP LLC ("Waypoint"), the general partner of Gurnet Point, each has shared voting power and shared dispositive power with respect to 1,293,891 shares. The address of Gurnet Point and Waypoint is 55 Cambridge Parkway, Suite 401, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142.

(5)
Based solely on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 5, 2020, consists of 1,229,034 shares common stock owned directly by SMRS-TOPE LLC. HarbourVest Partners, LLC ("HarbourVest") is the General Partner of HarbourVest Partners L.P., which is the Manager of

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(6)
Consists of 68,103 shares of common stock and 534,352 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020.

(7)
Consists of 484,713 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020.

(8)
Consists of 163,337 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020.

(9)
Consists of 33,324 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020.

(10)
Consists of 11,000 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020.

(11)
Consists of 760,042 shares of common stock and 11,000 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020. Mr. Berry, who is currently a Class I director, has not been nominated for re-election to the board of directors at the Annual Meeting, and his term will end as of the close of the Annual Meeting.

(12)
Consists of 61,074 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020.

(13)
Consists of 65,288 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020.

(14)
Consists of 92,433 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020.

(15)
Consists of 31,185 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020.

(16)
Consists of 1,000 shares of common stock and 5,499 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020.

(17)
Also includes an aggregate of 3,665 shares of common stock and 272,719 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2020 held by Laurent Chardonnet, Stephen Mitchener, PharmD., Tony Tramontin, Ph.D., Paul Fehlner, J.D., Ph.D., and Heidy King-Jones, J.D., LL.M.

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

        The summary of the general terms and provisions of our registered securities set forth below does not purport to be complete. It is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, or our Certificate of Incorporation, and our Amended and Restated Bylaws, or our Bylaws, each of which are incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and by applicable law. We encourage you to read our Certificate of Incorporation, our Bylaws and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law for additional information.

Authorized Capital Stock

        Our authorized capital stock consists of 150,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share, all of which are undesignated preferred stock.

Common Stock

        The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders. The holders of our common stock do not have any cumulative voting rights. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably any dividends declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for that purpose, subject to any preferential dividend rights of any outstanding preferred stock. Our common stock has no preemptive rights, conversion rights or other subscription rights, or redemption or sinking fund provisions.

        In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of all debts and other liabilities and any liquidation preference of any outstanding preferred stock. All outstanding shares are fully paid and nonassessable.

Listing

        Our common stock is listed and traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "AXLA."

Transfer Agent and Registrar

        The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Preferred Stock

        Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to designate and issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series. Our board of directors may also designate the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of each such series of preferred stock, any or all of which may be greater than or senior to those granted to the holders of common stock. While, the issuance of preferred stock provides flexibility in connection with possible future financings and acquisitions and other corporate purposes, the rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future. Though the actual effect of any such issuance on the rights of the holders of common stock will not be known until such time as our board of directors determines the specific rights of the holders of preferred stock, the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of restricting dividends on our common stock, diluting the voting power of our common stock, impairing the liquidation rights of our common stock, or delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company, which might harm the market price of our common stock.

        No shares of preferred stock are outstanding as of the date hereof.

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Anti-Takeover Effects of Delaware Law and Provisions of our Charter Documents

        Certain provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law and of our Charter Documents could have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another party from acquiring control of us. These provisions, which are summarized below, are expected to discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and, as a consequence, they might also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions are also designed in part to encourage anyone seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors. These provisions might also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. However, we believe that the advantages gained by protecting our ability to negotiate with any unsolicited and potentially unfriendly acquirer outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging such proposals, including those priced above the then-current market value of our common stock, because, among other reasons, the negotiation of such proposals could improve their terms.

Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute

        We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a "business combination" with an "interested stockholder" for a three-year period following the time that this stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. Under Section 203, a business combination between a corporation and an interested stockholder is prohibited unless it satisfies one of the following conditions:

        Section 203 defines a business combination to include:

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        In general, Section 203 defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by the entity or person.

Charter Documents

        Our Charter Documents include a number of provisions that may have the effect of encouraging persons considering unsolicited tender offers or other unilateral takeover proposals to negotiate with our board of directors rather than pursue non-negotiated takeover attempts. These provisions include the items described below.

        Board Composition and Filling Vacancies.    In accordance with our Certificate of Incorporation, our board is divided into three classes serving three-year terms, with one class being elected each year. Our Certificate of Incorporation also provides that directors may be removed only for cause and then only by the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds (2/3) or more of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors. Furthermore, any vacancy on our board of directors, however occurring, including a vacancy resulting from an increase in the size of our board, may only be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of our directors then in office, even if less than a quorum.

        No Written Consent of Stockholders.    Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that all stockholder actions are required to be taken by a vote of the stockholders at an annual or special meeting, and that stockholders may not take any action by written consent in lieu of a meeting.

        Meetings of Stockholders.    Our by-laws provide that only a majority of the members of our board of directors then in office may call special meetings of stockholders and only those matters set forth in the notice of the special meeting may be considered or acted upon at a special meeting of stockholders. Our by-laws limit the business that may be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders to those matters properly brought before the meeting.

        Advance Notice Requirements.    Our by-laws establish advance notice procedures with regard to stockholder proposals relating to the nomination of candidates for election as directors or new business to be brought before meetings of our stockholders. These procedures provide that notice of stockholder proposals must be timely given in writing to our corporate secretary prior to the meeting at which the action is to be taken. Generally, to be timely, notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days or more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the annual meeting for the preceding year. The notice must contain certain information specified in the by-laws. These provisions may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed. These provisions may also discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer's own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.

        Amendment to By-laws and Certificate of Incorporation.    As required by the Delaware General Corporation Law, any amendment of our Certificate of Incorporation must first be approved by a majority of our board of directors and, if required by law or our Certificate of Incorporation, thereafter be approved by a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, and a majority of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class, except that the amendment of the provisions relating to stockholder action, directors, limitation of liability, exclusive jurisdiction of Delaware Courts and the amendment of our by-laws and Certificate of Incorporation must be approved by not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, and not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class. Our by-laws may be amended by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, subject to

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any limitations set forth in the by-laws; and may also be amended by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, or, if the board of directors recommends that the stockholders approve the amendment, by the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, in each case voting together as a single class.

        Blank Check Preferred Stock.    Our Certificate of Incorporation provides for 10,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock may enable our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. For example, if in the due exercise of its fiduciary obligations, our board of directors were to determine that a takeover proposal is not in the best interests of us or our stockholders, our board of directors could cause shares of preferred stock to be issued without stockholder approval in one or more private offerings or other transactions that might dilute the voting or other rights of the proposed acquirer or insurgent stockholder or stockholder group. In this regard, our Certificate of Incorporation grants our board of directors broad power to establish the rights and preferences of authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock. The issuance of shares of preferred stock could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of shares of common stock. The issuance may also adversely affect the rights and powers, including voting rights, of these holders and may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control of us.

        Choice of Forum.    Our Bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for any state law claim for: (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty or other wrongdoing by any of our directors, officers, employees or agents to us or our stockholders; (3) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law or our Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws; (4) any action to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of our Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or (5) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, which we refer to as the Delaware Forum Provision. The Delaware Forum Provision does not apply to any actions arising under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

        Our Bylaws further provide that, unless we consent in writing to an alternative forum, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act, which we refer to as the Federal Forum Provision. We have chosen the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts as the exclusive forum for such Securities Act causes of action because our principal executive offices are located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition, our Bylaws provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our common stock is deemed to have notice of and consented to the Delaware Forum Provision and the Federal Forum Provision.

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CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS

        The following discussion is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) with respect to their ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock issued pursuant to this offering. For purposes of this discussion, a non-U.S. holder means a beneficial owner of our common stock that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

        This discussion does not address the tax treatment of partnerships or other entities that are pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes or persons that hold their common stock through partnerships or other pass-through entities. A partner in a partnership or an investor in any other pass-through entity that will hold our common stock should consult his, her or its tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of acquiring, holding and disposing of our common stock through a partnership or other pass-through entity, as applicable.

        This discussion is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended, or the Code, existing and proposed U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, current administrative rulings and judicial decisions, all as in effect as of the date of this prospectus and all of which are subject to change or to differing interpretation, possibly with retroactive effect. Any such change or differing interpretation could alter the tax consequences to non-U.S. holders described in this prospectus. There can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, will not challenge one or more of the tax consequences described herein. We assume in this discussion that a non-U.S. holder holds shares of our common stock as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment).

        This discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to a particular non-U.S. holder in light of that non-U.S. holder's individual circumstances including the alternative minimum tax, the Medicare tax on net investment income, and any election to apply Section 1400Z-2 of the Code to gains recognized with respect to shares of our common stock. This discussion also does not address any U.S. state, local or non-U.S. taxes or any other aspect of any U.S. federal tax other than the income tax. This discussion also does not consider any specific facts or circumstances that may apply to a non-U.S. holder and does not address the special tax rules applicable to particular non-U.S. holders, such as:

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        This discussion is for general information only and is not tax advice. Accordingly, all prospective non-U.S. holders of our common stock should consult their tax advisors with respect to the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock.

Distributions on our common stock

        Distributions, if any, on our common stock will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. If a distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a tax-free return of the non-U.S. holder's investment, up to such holder's tax basis in the common stock. Any remaining excess will be treated as capital gain, subject to the tax treatment described below in "Gain on sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock." Any such distributions will also be subject to the discussions below under the sections titled "Backup withholding and information reporting" and "Withholding and information reporting requirements—FATCA."

        Subject to the discussion in the following two paragraphs in this section, dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder generally will be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and such holder's country of residence. If we or another withholding agent apply over-withholding or if a non-U.S. holder does not timely provide us with the required certification, the non-U.S. holder may be entitled to a refund or credit of any excess tax withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim with the IRS.

        Dividends that are treated as effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by a non-U.S. holder within the United States and, if an applicable income tax treaty so provides, that are attributable to a permanent establishment or a fixed base maintained by the non-U.S. holder within the United States, are generally exempt from the 30% withholding tax if the non-U.S. holder satisfies applicable certification and disclosure requirements. However, such U.S. effectively connected income, net of specified deductions and credits, is taxed at the same graduated U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to United States persons (as defined in the Code). Any U.S. effectively connected income

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received by a non-U.S. holder that is a corporation may also, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional "branch profits tax" at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and such holder's country of residence.

        A non-U.S. holder of our common stock who claims the benefit of an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and such holder's country of residence generally will be required to provide a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or successor form) to the applicable withholding agent and satisfy applicable certification and other requirements. Non-U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under a relevant income tax treaty.

Gain on sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock

        Subject to the discussions below under "Backup withholding and information reporting" and "Withholding and information reporting requirements—FATCA," a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to any U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon such holder's sale or other taxable disposition of shares of our common stock unless:

Backup withholding and information reporting

        We must report annually to the IRS and to each non-U.S. holder the gross amount of the distributions on our common stock paid to such holder and the tax withheld, if any, with respect to such distributions. Non-U.S. holders may have to comply with specific certification procedures to

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establish that the holder is not a United States person (as defined in the Code) in order to avoid backup withholding at the applicable rate with respect to dividends on our common stock. Dividends paid to non-U.S. holders subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax, as described above in "Distributions on our common stock," generally will be exempt from U.S. backup withholding.

        Information reporting and backup withholding will generally apply to the proceeds of a disposition of our common stock by a non-U.S. holder effected by or through the U.S. office of any broker, U.S. or foreign, unless the holder certifies its status as a non-U.S. holder and satisfies certain other requirements, or otherwise establishes an exemption. Generally, information reporting and backup withholding will not apply to a payment of disposition proceeds to a non-U.S. holder where the transaction is effected outside the United States through a non-U.S. office of a broker. However, for information reporting purposes, dispositions effected through a non-U.S. office of a broker with substantial U.S. ownership or operations generally will be treated in a manner similar to dispositions effected through a U.S. office of a broker. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the information reporting and backup withholding rules to them. Copies of information returns may be made available to the tax authorities of the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is incorporated under the provisions of a specific treaty or agreement. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a non-U.S. holder can be refunded or credited against the non-U.S. holder's U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided that an appropriate claim is filed with the IRS in a timely manner.

Withholding and information reporting requirements—FATCA

        Provisions of the Code commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, generally impose a U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% on payments of dividends on, or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our common stock paid to a foreign entity unless (i) if the foreign entity is a "foreign financial institution," such foreign entity undertakes certain due diligence, reporting, withholding, and certification obligations, (ii) if the foreign entity is not a "foreign financial institution," such foreign entity identifies certain of its U.S. investors, if any, or (iii) the foreign entity is otherwise exempt under FATCA. Under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations, withholding under FATCA currently applies to payments of dividends on our common stock. Currently proposed U.S. Treasury Regulations provide that FATCA withholding does not apply to gross proceeds from the disposition of property of a type that can produce U.S. source dividends or interest, such as our common stock; however, prior versions of the rules would have made such gross proceeds subject to FATCA withholding. Taxpayers (including withholding agents) can currently rely on the proposed Treasury Regulations. Under certain circumstances, a non-U.S. holder may be eligible for refunds or credits of this withholding tax. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify the requirements described in this paragraph. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of this legislation on their investment in our common stock and the entities through which they hold our common stock, including, without limitation, the process and deadlines for meeting the applicable requirements to prevent the imposition of the 30% withholding tax under FATCA.

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UNDERWRITING

        We are offering the shares of common stock described in this prospectus through a number of underwriters. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and SVB Leerink LLC are acting as joint book-running managers of the offering and as representatives of the underwriters. We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares of common stock listed next to its name in the following table:

Name
  Number of
Shares
 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

                  

SVB Leerink LLC

       

Wedbush Securities Inc. 

       

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

       

Total

    11,000,000  

        The underwriters are committed to purchase all of the shares of common stock offered by us if they purchase any shares. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may also be increased or the offering may be terminated.

        The underwriters propose to initially offer the shares of common stock directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to certain dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $            per share. Any such dealers may resell shares to certain other brokers or dealers at a discount of up to $            per share from the initial public offering price. After the initial offering of the shares to the public, if all of the shares of common stock are not sold at the initial public offering price, the underwriters may change the offering price and the other selling terms. Sales of any shares made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.

        The underwriters have an option to buy up to 1,650,000 additional shares of common stock from us to cover sales of shares by the underwriters which exceed the number of shares specified in the table above. The underwriters have 30 days from the date of this prospectus to exercise this option to purchase additional shares. If any shares are purchased with this option to purchase additional shares, the underwriters will purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as shown in the table above. If any additional shares of common stock are purchased, the underwriters will offer the additional shares on the same terms as those on which the shares are being offered.

        The underwriting fee is equal to the public offering price per share of common stock less the amount paid by the underwriters to us per share of common stock. The underwriting fee is $            per share. The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares.

 
  Without
option to purchase
additional shares
exercise
  With full
option to purchase
additional shares
exercise
 

Per Share

  $            $           

Total

  $     $    

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        We estimate that the total expenses of this offering, including registration, filing and listing fees, printing fees and legal and accounting expenses, but excluding the underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $550,000. We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain of their expenses in an amount up to $25,000.

        A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the web sites maintained by one or more underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in the offering. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of shares to underwriters and selling group members for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the representatives to underwriters and selling group members that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.

        We have agreed that, subject to certain limited exceptions, we will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or submit to, or file with, the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for any shares of our common stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, loan, disposition or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers all or a portion of the economic consequences associated with the ownership of any shares of common stock or any such other securities (regardless of whether any of these transactions are to be settled by the delivery of shares of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise), in each case without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and SVB Leerink LLC for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus, other than, among other things, the shares of our common stock to be sold in this offering and the filing of a registration statement on Form S-3, including in connection with the entry into an "at the market" offering program for up to $50.0 million, and the offering, issuance and sale of sales of common stock pursuant to such "at the market" offering program.

        Our directors, executive officers and certain shareholders (such persons, the "lock-up parties") have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters prior to the commencement of this offering pursuant to which each lock-up party, with limited exceptions, for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus (such period, the "restricted period"), may not, without the prior written consent of the representatives: (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock beneficially owned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC (including without limitation, shares of common stock and other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock, in each case, that are issued or issuable upon exercise of a stock option or warrant so owned), or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common stock or such other securities described in clause (1) above, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.

        The representatives, in their sole discretion, may release the securities subject to any of the lock-up agreements with the underwriters described above, in whole or in part at any time.

        We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933.

        Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "AXLA".

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        In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, which involves making bids for, purchasing and selling shares of common stock in the open market for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock while this offering is in progress. These stabilizing transactions may include making short sales of common stock, which involves the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares of common stock than they are required to purchase in this offering, and purchasing shares of common stock on the open market to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales may be "covered" shorts, which are short positions in an amount not greater than the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares referred to above, or may be "naked" shorts, which are short positions in excess of that amount. The underwriters may close out any covered short position either by exercising their option to purchase additional shares, in whole or in part, or by purchasing shares in the open market. In making this determination, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market compared to the price at which the underwriters may purchase shares through the option to purchase additional shares. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. To the extent that the underwriters create a naked short position, they will purchase shares in the open market to cover the position.

        The underwriters have advised us that, pursuant to Regulation M of the Securities Act of 1933, they may also engage in other activities that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common stock, including the imposition of penalty bids. This means that if the representatives of the underwriters purchase common stock in the open market in stabilizing transactions or to cover short sales, the representatives can require the underwriters that sold those shares as part of this offering to repay the underwriting discount received by them.

        These activities may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock, and, as a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If the underwriters commence these activities, they may discontinue them at any time. The underwriters may carry out these transactions on the Nasdaq Global Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

        In addition, in connection with this offering certain of the underwriters (and selling group members) may engage in passive market making transactions in our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market prior to the pricing and completion of this offering. Passive market making consists of displaying bids on the Nasdaq Global Market no higher than the bid prices of independent market makers and making purchases at prices no higher than these independent bids and effected in response to order flow. Net purchases by a passive market maker on each day are generally limited to a specified percentage of the passive market maker's average daily trading volume in the common stock during a specified period and must be discontinued when such limit is reached. Passive market making may cause the price of our common stock to be higher than the price that otherwise would exist in the open market in the absence of these transactions. If passive market making is commenced, it may be discontinued at any time.

        Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus.

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This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.

        Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates have provided in the past to us and our affiliates and may provide from time to time in the future certain commercial banking, financial advisory, investment banking and other services for us and such affiliates in the ordinary course of their business, for which they have received and may continue to receive customary fees and commissions. In addition, from time to time, certain of the underwriters and their affiliates may effect transactions for their own account or the account of customers, and hold on behalf of themselves or their customers, long or short positions in our debt or equity securities or loans, and may do so in the future.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area and United Kingdom

        In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom (each a "Relevant State"), no shares have been offered or will be offered pursuant to this offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that offers of shares may be made to the public in that Relevant State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:

        provided that no such offer of shares shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation and each person who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with each of the underwriters and the company that it is a "qualified investor" within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in the Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any shares to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant State to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the underwriters have been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.

        For the purposes of this provision, the expression an "offer to the public" in relation to shares in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares, and the expression "Prospectus Regulation" means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom

        In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are "qualified investors" (as defined in the Prospectus Regulation) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") and/or (ii) who are high net worth companies (or

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persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons") or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public of the shares in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

        Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on the information included in this document or use it as basis for taking any action. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity that this document relates to may be made or taken exclusively by relevant persons.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada

        The shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

        Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser's province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser's province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

        Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong

        The shares have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to "professional investors" as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (the "SFO") of Hong Kong and any rules made thereunder; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a "prospectus" as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong) (the "CO") or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the CO. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to "professional investors" as defined in the SFO and any rules made thereunder.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore

        Each underwriter has acknowledged that this prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, each underwriter has represented and agreed that it has not offered or sold any shares or caused the shares to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase and will not offer or sell any shares or cause the shares to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, and has not circulated or distributed, nor will it circulate or distribute, this prospectus or any other document or material in connection with the offer

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or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares, whether directly or indirectly, to any person in Singapore other than:

Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan

        The shares have not been and will not be registered pursuant to Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Accordingly, none of the shares nor any interest therein may be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any "resident" of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan in effect at the relevant time.

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LEGAL MATTERS

        The validity of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Goodwin Procter LLP, Boston, Massachusetts. Certain legal matters related to this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Latham & Watkins LLP.


EXPERTS

        The financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

        We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 (File Number 333-            ) under the Securities Act with respect to the common stock we are offering by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For further information pertaining to us and our common stock, you should refer to the registration statement and to its exhibits. Whenever we make reference in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the references are not necessarily complete, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract, agreement or other document.

        We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. We also maintain a website at https://www.axcellahealth.com/. You may access, free of charge, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendment to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. We do not incorporate the information on our website into this prospectus and you should not consider any information on, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus or any supplement to this prospectus (other than those filings with the SEC that we specifically incorporate by reference into this prospectus).

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

        The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" information from other documents that we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus. Information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus and the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part the information or documents listed below that we have filed with the SEC (File No. 001-38901):

        We also incorporate by reference any future filings (other than current reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits filed on such form that are related to such items) made with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, until the termination of the offering as to which this prospectus relates. Information in such future filings updates and supplements the information provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

        Any information in this prospectus or any of the foregoing documents will automatically be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that information in this prospectus or in a later filed document that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference modifies or replaces such information.

        Notwithstanding the statements in the preceding paragraphs, no document, report or exhibit (or portion of any of the foregoing) or any other information that we have "furnished" to the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act shall be incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

        We will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including exhibits to these documents. You should direct any requests for documents to Axcella Health Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, 840 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02139.

        You also may access these filings on our website at https://www.axcellahealth.com/. We do not incorporate the information on our website into this prospectus and you should not consider any information on, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus or any supplement to this prospectus (other than those filings with the SEC that we specifically incorporate by reference into this prospectus).

        Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus will be deemed modified, superseded or replaced for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus modifies, supersedes or replaces such statement.

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11,000,000 Shares

LOGO

Axcella Health Inc.

Common Stock

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

J.P. MORGAN

SVB LEERINK

WEDBUSH PACGROW

ROTH CAPITAL PARTNERS

   


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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13.    Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

        The following table sets forth the fees and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable in connection with the registration of the common stock hereunder. All amounts are estimates except the SEC registration fee and the FINRA filing fee.

 
  Amount to
be Paid
 

SEC registration fee

  $ 12,035.65  

FINRA filing fee

    14,408.68  

Legal fees and expenses

    405,000  

Accounting fees and expenses

    100,000  

Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses

    4,500  

Miscellaneous

    14,055.67  

Total

  $ 550,000  

Item 14.    Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

        Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, authorizes a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers against liabilities arising out of actions, suits and proceedings to which they are made or threatened to be made a party by reason of the fact that they have served or are currently serving as a director or officer to a corporation. The indemnity may cover expenses (including attorneys' fees) judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the director or officer in connection with any such action, suit or proceeding. Section 145 permits corporations to pay expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by directors and officers in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding. In addition, Section 145 provides that a corporation has the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of its directors and officers against any liability asserted against them and incurred by them in their capacity as a director or officer, or arising out of their status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the director or officer against such liability under Section 145.

        We have adopted provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that limit or eliminate the personal liability of our directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as it now exists or may in the future be amended. Consequently, a director will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages or breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders; any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; any unlawful payments related to dividends or unlawful stock purchases, redemptions or other distributions; or any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

        These limitations of liability do not alter director liability under the federal securities laws and do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as an injunction or rescission.

        In addition, our amended and restated bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors, officers and, in the discretion of our board of directors, certain employees to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as it now exists or may in the future be amended; and we will advance reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees, to our directors and, in the discretion of our board of directors, to our officers and certain employees, in connection with legal proceedings relating to their service for or on behalf of us, subject to limited exceptions.

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        We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and certain of our executive officers. These agreements will provide that we will indemnify each of our directors, certain of our executive officers and, at times, their affiliates to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. We will advance expenses, including attorneys' fees (but excluding judgments, fines and settlement amounts), to each indemnified director, executive officer or affiliate in connection with any proceeding in which indemnification is available and we will indemnify our directors and officers for any action or proceeding arising out of that person's services as a director or officer brought on behalf of us or in furtherance of our rights. Additionally, certain of our directors or officers may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance provided by their affiliates or other third parties, which indemnification relates to and might apply to the same proceedings arising out of such director's or officer's services as a director referenced herein. Nonetheless, we will agree in the indemnification agreements that our obligations to those same directors or officers are primary and any obligation of such affiliates or other third parties to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the expenses or liabilities incurred by those directors are secondary.

        We will maintain general liability insurance which covers certain liabilities of our directors and officers arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act.

        The underwriting agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this registration statement provides for indemnification of us and our directors and officers by the underwriters against certain liabilities under the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Item 15.    Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

        In the three years preceding the filing of this registration statement, we have issued the following securities that were not registered under the Securities Act:

(a)   Issuances of Capital Stock

        In August 2017, we issued and sold to investors in a private placement an aggregate of 2,572,420 shares of our Series C Preferred Stock at a purchase price of $10.08 per share, for aggregate consideration of approximately $25,930,000.

        In November 2018, we issued we issued and sold to investors in a private placement an aggregate of 5,282,002 shares of our Series E Preferred Stock at a purchase price of $11.17 per share, for aggregate consideration of approximately $59,000,000.

        No underwriters were involved in the foregoing sales of securities. The sales of securities described above were deemed to be exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, including Regulation D and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, as transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering. All of the purchasers in these transactions represented to us in connection with their purchase that they were acquiring the securities for investment and not distribution, that they could bear the risks of the investment and could hold the securities for an indefinite period of time. Such purchasers received written disclosures that the securities had not been registered under the Securities Act and that any resale must be made pursuant to a registration or an available exemption from such registration. All of the foregoing securities were deemed restricted securities for the purposes of the Securities Act.

        On May 13, 2019, upon the closing of our initial public offering, all 26,831,246 shares of our then-outstanding redeemable convertible preferred stock automatically converted into 14,641,997 shares of common stock. The issuance of such common stock was exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, pursuant to Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, involving an exchange of securities exchanged by the issuer with its existing security holders exclusively where no commission or

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other remuneration is paid or given directly or indirectly for soliciting such exchange. No underwriters were involved in this issuance of shares.

(b)   Grants and Exercises of Stock Options

        Between April 1, 2017 and the filing of our registration statement on Form S-8 on May 17, 2019, we granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 3,779,269 shares of our common stock, with exercise prices ranging from $6.21 to $13.83 per share, to employees, directors and consultants pursuant to the 2010 Plan, and an aggregate of 8,514 shares of common stock were issued upon the exercise of stock options pursuant to the 2010 Plan.

        The issuances of the securities described above were deemed to be exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act as transactions pursuant to compensatory benefit plans. The shares of common stock issued upon the exercise of options are deemed to be restricted securities for purposes of the Securities Act.

Item 16.    Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

(a)   Exhibits

  1.1 * Form of Underwriting Agreement

 

3.1

 

Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38901) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 13, 2019).

 

3.2

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of Registrant, as amended on May 4, 2020 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 001-38901) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 2020).

 

4.1

 

Specimen Stock Certificate evidencing shares of common stock (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2019).

 

4.2

 

Fifth Amended and Restated Investors' Rights Agreement among the Registrant and certain of its stockholders, dated November 30, 2018 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 12, 2019).

 

5.1

*

Opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP

 

10.1

#

2010 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2019).

 

10.2

#

2019 Stock Option and Incentive Plan and forms of award agreements thereunder (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 2019).

 

10.3

#

2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2019).

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  10.4 # Senior Executive Cash Incentive Bonus Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2019).

 

10.5

#

Amended and Restated Employment Agreement between the Registrant and William Hinshaw, dated December 20, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 2019).

 

10.6

#

Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Shreeram Aradhye, dated January 1, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 12, 2019).

 

10.7

#

Amended and Restated Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Manu Chakravarthy, dated December 29, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 2020).

 

10.8

#

Amended and Restated Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Stephen Mitchener, dated December 29, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 2019).

 

10.9

#

Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Laurent Chardonnet, dated November 11, 2019. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38901) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 25, 2019).

 

10.10

#

Chairman and Consulting Agreement between the Registrant and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, dated August 22, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 12, 2019).

 

10.11

#

Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and each of its directors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 12, 2019).

 

10.12

#

Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and each of its executive officers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 12, 2019).

 

10.13

 

Riverside Technology Center Commercial Lease Agreement between Rivertech Associates II, LLC and the Registrant, dated as of December 28, 2010 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2019).

 

10.14

 

Fifth Lease Extension and Modification Agreement to the Lease Agreement between Rivertech Associates II, LLC and the Registrant, dated as of April 28, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2019).

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  10.15   Loan and Security Agreement among Solar Capital Ltd. and the Lenders thereto and the Registrant, dated as of January 9, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2019).

 

10.16

 

First Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement, dated October 5, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2019).

 

10.17

 

Second Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement, dated November 30, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.14 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-230822) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2019).

 

21.1

 

Subsidiaries of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 21.1 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-38501) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 23, 2020).

 

23.1

*

Consent of Deloitte and Touche LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

23.2

*

Consent of Goodwin Procter LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

 

24.1

*

Power of Attorney (included on signature page to this Registration Statement on Form S-1)

*
Filed herewith

#
Indicates a management contract or any compensatory plan, contract or arrangement.

(b)   Financial Statements Schedules:

        Schedules have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto.

Item 17.    Undertakings.

        Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Act, may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is therefore unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

        The Registrant hereby undertakes that:

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SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, on the 11th day of May, 2020.

  AXCELLA HEALTH INC.

 

By:

 

/s/ WILLIAM HINSHAW


      Name:   William Hinshaw

      Title:   Chief Executive Officer, President and Director


POWER OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES

        Each individual whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints each of William Hinshaw and Laurent Chardonnet as such person's true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person in such person's name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement (or any Registration Statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that any said attorney-in-fact and agent, or any substitute or substitutes of any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement and Power of Attorney has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 
Name
 
Title
 
Date

 

 

 

 

 

 
  /s/ WILLIAM HINSHAW

William Hinshaw
  Chief Executive Officer, President and Director (Principal Executive Officer)   May 11, 2020

 

/s/ LAURENT CHARDONNET

Laurent Chardonnet

 

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

May 11, 2020

 

/s/ DAVID R. EPSTEIN

David R. Epstein

 

Chairman, Director

 

May 11, 2020

 

/s/ GRÉGORY BEHAR

Grégory Behar

 

Director

 

May 11, 2020

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Name
 
Title
 
Date

 

 

 

 

 

 
  /s/ DAVID A. BERRY

David A. Berry, M.D., Ph.D.
  Director   May 11, 2020

 

/s/ WILLIAM D. BAIRD

William D. Baird III

 

Director

 

May 11, 2020

 

/s/ STEPHEN HOGE

Stephen Hoge, M.D.

 

Director

 

May 11, 2020

 

/s/ GARY PISANO

Gary Pisano, Ph.D.

 

Director

 

May 11, 2020

 

/s/ CRISTINA M. RONDINONE

Cristina M. Rondinone, Ph.D.

 

Director

 

May 11, 2020

 

/s/ CATHERINE A. SOHN

Catherine A. Sohn, PharmD.

 

Director

 

May 11, 2020



Exhibit 1.1

 

AXCELLA HEALTH INC.

 

· ] Shares of Common Stock

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

· ], 2020

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

SVB Leerink LLC

 

As Representatives of the
 several Underwriters listed
 in Schedule 1 hereto

 

c/o                               J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10179

 

c/o                               SVB Leerink LLC

1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor

New York, New York 10019

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Axcella Health Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of [ · ] shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, of the Company (the “Underwritten Shares”) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional [ · ] shares of common stock of the Company (the “Option Shares”).  The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the “Shares”.  The shares of common stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are referred to herein as the “Stock”.

 

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:

 

1.                                      Registration Statement.  The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement (File No. 333-[ · ]), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares.  Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each

 


 

prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares.  If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”) to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-1 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Annex A, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated [ · ], 2020 and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.

 

“Applicable Time” means [ · ] [A/P].M., New York City time, on [ · ], 2020.

 

2.                                      Purchase of the Shares.  (a)  The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”), and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase at a price per share of $[ · ] (the “Purchase Price”) from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at the Purchase Price less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Shares but not payable on the Option Shares.  If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.

 

The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus,

 

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by written notice from the Representatives to the Company.  Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof).  Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.

 

(b)                                 The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.

 

(c)                                  Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP, 200 Clarendon Street, Boston, Massachusetts  02116, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on [ · ], 2020, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares.  The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date” and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the “Additional Closing Date.”

 

Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Company.  Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

 

(d)                                 The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Representatives and the other Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person.  Additionally, none of the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction.  The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Representatives nor the Underwriters shall have any responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto.  Any review by the Representatives or the other Underwriters of the Company, the transactions

 

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contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

 

3.                                      Representations and Warranties of the Company.  The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

 

(a)                                 Preliminary Prospectus.  No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

 

(b)                                 Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.  No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package and no statement of material fact included in the Pricing Disclosure Package that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

 

(c)                                  Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.  Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in

 

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writing in advance by the Representatives, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed.  Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, when taken together with any other Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) and the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

 

(d)                                 Emerging Growth Company.  From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).  “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on either Section 5(d) of, or Rule 163B under, the Securities Act.

 

(e)                                  Testing-the-Waters Materials.  The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications.  The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications by virtue of a writing substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.  The Company has not distributed or approved for distribution any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Annex B hereto or otherwise consented to by the Representatives.  “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.  Any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any

 

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untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(f)                                   Registration Statement and Prospectus.  The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission.  No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Shares has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

 

(g)                                  Financial Statements.  The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (together with all rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Exchange Act”), as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, except in the case of unaudited financial statements, which are subject to normal year end adjustment and do not contain certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the Commission, and any supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly

 

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in all material respects the information shown thereby; no “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

 

(h)                                 No Material Adverse Change.  Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of stock options and warrants described as outstanding in, and the grant of options and awards under existing equity incentive plans described in, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in  a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(i)                                     Organization and Good Standing.  The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement (a “Material Adverse Effect”).  The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement.  The subsidiaries listed in Schedule 2 to this Agreement are the only significant subsidiaries of the Company.

 

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(j)                                    Capitalization.  The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization”; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.

 

(k)                                 Stock Options.  With respect to the stock options (the “Stock Options”) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Company Stock Plans”), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in all material respects in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and disclosed in the Company’s filings with the Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws]. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.

 

(l)                                     Due Authorization.  The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken.

 

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(m)                             Underwriting Agreement.  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(n)                                 The Shares.  The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

 

(o)                                 Descriptions of the Underwriting Agreement.  This Agreement conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(p)                                 No Violation or Default.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or bylaws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any property or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(q)                                 No Conflicts.  The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, result in the termination, modification or acceleration of, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property, right or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any property, right or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule  or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(r)                                    No Consents Required.  No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory

 

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authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters.

 

(s)                                   Legal Proceedings.  Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (“Actions”) pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no such Actions are threatened or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending Actions that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(t)                                    Independent Accountants.  Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

 

(u)                                 Title to Real and Personal Property.  The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(v)                                 Intellectual Property.  The Company and its subsidiaries own, have valid and enforceable license to, or otherwise have the right to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, domain names and other source indicators, copyrights and copyrightable works, know-how, trade secrets, systems, procedures,

 

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proprietary or confidential information and all other intellectual property and proprietary rights, including registrations and applications for registration thereof (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) which are necessary for or material to the conduct of their respective businesses, or which are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus as being owned or licensed by them (collectively, “Company Intellectual Property”).  To the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, (i) the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ conduct of their respective businesses does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate any Intellectual Property of any third party; and (ii) the Company Intellectual Property is not being infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated by any third party. There is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or its subsidiaries, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others: (A) challenging the Company’s or its subsidiaries rights in or to any Company Intellectual Property, and the Company and its subsidiaries are unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (B) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Company Intellectual Property, and the Company and its subsidiaries are unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; or (C) asserting that the Company or any of its subsidiaries infringes or otherwise violates, or would, upon the commercialization of any product or service described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as under development, infringe or violate, any Intellectual Property of third parties, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of, and is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim. To the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, the Company and its subsidiaries have complied with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Company Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company or any subsidiary, and all such agreements are in full force and effect. To the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, no technology employed by the Company or its subsidiaries has been obtained or is being used by the Company or its subsidiaries in violation of any contractual or legal obligation binding on the Company, its subsidiaries, or any of their officers, directors, employees, or contractors, which violation relates to the breach of a confidentiality obligation, an obligation to assign Intellectual Property to a previous employer, or an obligation otherwise not to use the Intellectual Property of any third party. The product candidates described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as under development by the Company or any subsidiary fall within the scope of the claims of one or more patents or patent applications owned by, or exclusively licensed to, the Company or any subsidiary.  To the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, (A) there is no patent or published patent application in the U.S. or other jurisdiction that contains claims that interfere with the issued or pending claims of any patent within the Company Intellectual Property; (B) there is no prior art of which the Company is aware that may render any patent within the Company Intellectual Property invalid or any patent application within the Company Intellectual Property unpatentable; (C) there are no material defects in any of the patents or patent applications included in the Company Intellectual Property; and (D) the duty of candor and good faith as required by the United States Patent and Trademark Office during the prosecution of the United States patents and patent applications within the Company Intellectual Property have been complied with, and in all foreign offices having similar requirements, such requirements have been complied with.

 

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(w)          No Undisclosed Relationships.  No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers, suppliers or other affiliates of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Pricing Disclosure Package.

 

(x)           Investment Company Act.  The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

 

(y)           Taxes.  The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof, except where the failure to pay or file any such taxes would not have a Material Adverse Effect; there is no tax deficiency that has been, or would reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets and which could have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(z)           Licenses and Permits.  The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, sub-licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations (collectively, “Permits”) issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with or required by, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities, including without limitation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any component thereof (collectively, “Regulatory Authorities”), that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.  The Company is in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Permits, except where the failure to comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  All of the Permits are valid and in full force and effect.  The Company has fulfilled and performed all of its material obligations with respect to the Permits.  To the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any Permit.  Except as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of, or notice of any proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, any such Permit or has any reason to believe that any such Permit will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where such revocation, modification or nonrenewal would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(aa)         Compliance with Health Care Laws.  The Company, its or its subsidiaries’ directors, officers, and to the knowledge of the Company, its or its subsidiaries’ employees and agents, are, and at all times have been, in compliance with all health care laws applicable to the Company or its product candidates or activities, including, without limitation, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FDCA”) (21 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.), the federal Anti-kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)), the federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7h), the civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§3729 et seq.), all criminal laws relating to health care fraud and abuse, including but not limited to the criminal False Claims Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(a)), 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287, and the health care fraud criminal provisions under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 17921 et seq.), the exclusion laws (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7), the civil monetary penalties law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a), Medicare (Title XVIII of the Social Security Act), Medicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act), the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.), any similar local, state or federal laws, and the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws (collectively, the “Health Care Laws”), except where failure to be so in compliance have not, and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not received any FDA Form 483, notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from any Regulatory Authority or governmental authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Health Care Laws applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries. Neither the Company, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its or its subsidiaries’ employees, officers or directors has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S. federal health care program or human clinical research or, is subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.

 

(bb)         Studies, Tests, and Trials.  The pre-clinical, clinical (as applicable) and other studies, tests, trials and research conducted by or on behalf of or sponsored by the Company are being and have been conducted in compliance with the experimental protocols established for each study, test, trial or research and in accordance, in all material respects, with the Health Care Laws, including, but not limited to, the FDCA and its applicable implementing regulations at 21 C.F.R. Parts 50, 54, 56, 58, 170 and 312.  The published descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and research are accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such studies, tests and research, and the Company does not have any knowledge of any other studies, tests or research the results of which are materially inconsistent with or otherwise reasonably call into question the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.  The Company has not received any notices or other correspondence from any Regulatory Authority with respect to any clinical or pre-clinical studies, tests or research that are, or whose results of which are, described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that require the termination, suspension, or material modification of such studies, tests or research.

 

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(cc)         No Labor Disputes.  No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of cancellation or termination with respect to any collective bargaining agreement to which it is a party.

 

(dd)         Certain Environmental Matters.  (i) The Company and its subsidiaries (x) are in compliance with all, and have not violated any, applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws (including common law), rules, regulations, requirements, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and other legally enforceable requirements relating to pollution or the protection of human health or safety, the environment, natural resources, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (y) have received and are in compliance with all, and have not violated any, permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under any Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (z) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability or obligation under or relating to, or any actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, and (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) except as described in each of the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (x) there is no proceeding that is pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceeding regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (y) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (z) none of the Company or its subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws.

 

(ee)         Compliance with ERISA.  (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA or any entity that would be regarded as a single employer with the Company under Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code) would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance

 

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with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no Plan has failed (whether or not waived), or is reasonably expected to fail, to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) applicable to such Plan; (iv) no Plan is, or is reasonably expected to be, in “at risk status” (within the meaning of Section 303(i) of ERISA) and no Plan that is a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA is in “endangered status” or “critical status” (within the meaning of Sections 304 and 305 of ERISA); (v) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (vi) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (vii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification; (viii) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (ix) none of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (A) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans by the Company or its Controlled Group affiliates in the current fiscal year of the Company and its Controlled Group affiliates compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Company’s and its Controlled Group affiliates’ most recently completed fiscal year; or (B) a material increase in the Company and its subsidiaries’ “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715-60) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year, except in each case with respect to the events or conditions set forth in (i) through (ix) hereof, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ff)          Disclosure Controls.  The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.  The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

 

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(gg)         Accounting Controls.  The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP.  The Company and its subsidiaries maintain internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.  There are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls.  The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

 

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

 

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(ii)           Insurance.  The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as are generally maintained by similarly situated companies and which the Company believes are reasonably adequate to protect the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) knowledge of any events that have occurred, or circumstances that exist, with respect to the Company that would cause it to be unable to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

 

(jj)           No Unlawful Payments.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates (i) has used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) has made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) has violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or has committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) has made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit.  The Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.  Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.

 

(kk)         Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws.  The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements applicable to such entities, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and

 

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any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines applicable to such entities, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(ll)           No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers or employees, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is, or is owned or controlled by one or more Persons that is, (i) currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of  Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.  For the past five years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

(mm)      No Restrictions on Subsidiaries.  No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock or similar ownership interest, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.

 

(nn)         No Broker’s Fees.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

 

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(oo)         No Registration Rights.  No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company, except for any such rights that have been waived.

 

(pp)         No Stabilization.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.

 

(qq)         Margin Rules.  Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

 

(rr)           Forward-Looking Statements.  No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included or incorporated by reference in any of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(ss)          Statistical and Market Data.  Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

 

(tt)           Sarbanes-Oxley Act.  There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

 

(uu)         Status under the Securities Act.  At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

(vv)         No Ratings. There are (and prior to the Closing Date, will be) no debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act.

 

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

 

(xx)         Incorporated Documents.  The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

4.             Further Agreements of the Company.  The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

 

(a)           Required Filings.  The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the second business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

(b)           Delivery of Copies.  Upon request of the Representatives, the Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, five signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representatives may reasonably request.  As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.

 

(c)           Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses.  Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare,

 

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use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably objects.

 

(d)                                 Notice to the Representatives.  The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing (which confirmation may be delivered by electronic mail), (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement in respect of the Shares has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or any amendment to the Prospectus, in each case, in respect of the Shares, has been filed or distributed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information including, but not limited to, any request for information concerning any Testing-the-Waters Communication; (v) of the issuance by the Commission or any other governmental or regulatory authority of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or the initiation or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event or development within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

 

(e)                                  Ongoing Compliance.  (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and

 

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forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with applicable law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with applicable law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with applicable law.

 

(f)                                   Blue Sky Compliance.  The Company will qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(g)                                  Earning Statement.  The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement; provided that the Company will be deemed to have furnished such statements to its security holders and the Representatives to the extent they are filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”) or any successor system.

 

(h)                                 Clear Market.  For a period of 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to

 

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purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with, or submit to, the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition, submission or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, other than (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Stock of the Company issued upon the exercise of options granted under Company Stock Plans described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any options and other awards granted under a Company Stock Plan described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to inducement grant awards of up to 250,000 shares permitted by Nasdaq Stock Market Rule 5635, (D) the filing by the Company of any registration statement on Form S-8 or a successor form thereto relating to a Company Stock Plan described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to inducement grant awards of up to 250,000 shares permitted by Nasdaq Stock Market Rule 5635, (E) shares of Stock or other securities issued in connection with a transaction with an unaffiliated third party that includes a bona fide commercial relationship (including joint ventures, marketing or distribution arrangements, collaboration agreements, intellectual property license agreements, or lending agreements or arrangements) or any acquisition of assets or acquisition of equity of another entity, or (F) the filing by the Company of a registration statement on Form S-3, including in connection with the entry into an “at the market” offering program for up to $50.0 million, and the offering, issuance and sale of shares of Stock pursuant to such “at the market” offering program; provided that the aggregate number of shares issued pursuant to clause (E) shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the total number of outstanding shares of Stock immediately following the issuance and sale of the Underwritten Shares pursuant hereto; provided further that, in the case of clause (E), (x) the Company shall cause each recipient of such shares of Stock or other securities of the Company to execute and deliver, on or prior to the issuance of such shares, a lock-up agreement on substantially the same terms as the lock-up agreements described in Section 6(l) hereof to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer, and (y) the Company shall authorize its transfer agent to decline to make any transfer of such shares in violation of such lock-up agreements.

 

(i)                                     Use of Proceeds.  The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds”.

 

(j)                                    No Stabilization.  The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Stock.

 

(k)                                 Intentionally omitted.

 

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(l)                                     Reports.  For a period of two years from the date of this Agreement, so long as the Shares are outstanding, the Company will furnish to the Representatives, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on EDGAR or any successor.

 

(m)                             Record Retention.  The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

 

(n)                                 Intentionally omitted.

 

(o)                                 Emerging Growth Company.  The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the 90-day restricted period referred to in Section 4(h) hereof.

 

5.                                      Certain Agreements of the Underwriters.  Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

 

(a)                                 It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show approved in advance by the Company), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).

 

(b)                                 It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex C hereto without the consent of the Company; provided further that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.

 

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(c)                                  It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

 

6.                                      Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations.  The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

 

(a)                                 Registration Compliance; No Stop Order.  No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

 

(b)                                 Representations and Warranties.  The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

(c)                                  No Material Adverse Change.  No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(h) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(d)                                 Officer’s Certificate.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, (x) a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations of the Company set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(f) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or

 

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prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a) and (c) above.

 

(e)                                  Comfort Letters [and CFO Certificates].  [(i)] On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, Deloitte & Touche LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than two business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be[; and (ii) on the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, of its chief financial officer with respect to certain financial data contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives].

 

(f)                                   Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company.  Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

 

(g)                                  Opinion of Intellectual Property Counsel for the Company. Lando & Anastasi, LLP, intellectual property counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, its written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

 

(h)                                 Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement, addressed to the Underwriters, of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

(i)                                     No Legal Impediment to Issuance and/or Sale.  No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares by the Company; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign

 

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court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares by the Company.

 

(j)                                    Good Standing.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

 

(k)                                 Exchange Listing.  The Company shall have filed a Listing of Additional Shares Notification with the Nasdaq Market and shall have received no objection thereto from the Nasdaq Market;

 

(l)                                     Lock-up Agreements.  The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit B-1 or Exhibit B-2, as applicable, hereto, between you and certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

(n)                                 Additional Documents.  On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

 

7.                                      Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)                                 Indemnification of the Underwriters.  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonably incurred legal fees and other reasonably incurred expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any road show as defined in

 

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Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”) or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

 

(b)                                 Indemnification of the Company.  Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any road show or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession figures appearing in the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” and the information contained in the sixteenth paragraph related to passive market making under the caption “Underwriting”.

 

(c)                                  Notice and Procedures.  If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7.  If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonably incurred and documented fees and expenses in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonably incurred and documented fees and

 

28


 

expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred.  In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.  It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred.  Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representatives and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company.  The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.  No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

 

(d)                                 Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the

 

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Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares.  The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

(e)                                  Limitation on Liability.  The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to paragraph (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above.  The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any reasonably incurred and documented legal or other reasonably incurred and documented expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (d) and (e), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to paragraphs (d) and (e) are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

 

(f)                                   Non-Exclusive Remedies.  The remedies provided for in paragraphs (a) through (e) are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

 

8.                                      Effectiveness of Agreement.  This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

 

9.                                      Termination.  This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-

 

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counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

10.                               Defaulting Underwriter.

 

(a)                                 If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement.  If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms.  If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes.  As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

 

(b)                                 If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

 

(c)                                  If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise

 

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the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters.  Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

 

(d)                                 Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

 

11.                               Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)                                 Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (iv) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Shares under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters if such fees and expenses are required to be incurred); (v) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (vii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA (including the related reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (viii) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; and (ix) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq Market; provided, however, that the amount payable by the Company pursuant to clauses (iv) and (vii) of this Section 11(a) shall not exceed $25,000 in the aggregate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that except as expressly provided in Section 7 or Section 11(b) of this Agreement, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including without limitation, fees and disbursements of their counsel other than for Blue Sky and FINRA matters to the extent expressly provided for in this Section 11(a), transfer taxes on the resale by them of any of the Shares, the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on their behalf in connection with “road show” presentations to potential investors and any advertising expenses relating to offers of Shares that they make.

 

(b)                                 If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement

 

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and the offering contemplated hereby. For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood that the Company shall not pay or reimburse any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any Underwriter that defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares.

 

12.                               Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof.  Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.  No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

 

13.                               Survival.  The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.

 

14.                               Certain Defined Terms.  For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; and (d) the term “significant subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act.

 

15.                               Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

 

16.                               Miscellaneous.

 

(a)                                 Notices.  All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication.  Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York  10179 (fax: (212) 622-8358); Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk; c/o SVB Leerink LLC, One Federal Street, 37th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts  02110, Attention: Jack Fitzgerald; with a copy to Peter N. Handrinos, Latham & Watkins LLP, 200 Clarendon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.  Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Axcella Health Inc., 840 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts  02139; Attention: William Hinshaw with a copy to Kingsley Taft, Goodwin Procter LLP, 100 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts  02210.

 

33


 

(b)                                 Governing Law.  This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

(c)                                  Waiver of Jury Trial.  Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

 

(d)                                 Counterparts.  This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

(e)                                  Amendments or Waivers.  No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

 

(f)                                   Headings.  The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

(g)                                  Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

 

(i) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

(ii) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

As used in this Section 16(g):

 

“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

 

“Covered Entity” means any of the following:

 

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

 

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

 

34


 

(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

 

“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

 

“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

35


 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

AXCELLA HEALTH INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

36


 

Accepted: As of the date first written above

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

 

SVB LEERINK LLC

 

For themselves and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

SVB LEERINK LLC

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

37


 

Schedule 1

 

Underwriter

 

Number of Underwritten 
Shares

 

Number of Option Shares

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

· ]

 

· ]

SVB Leerink LLC

 

· ]

 

· ]

Wedbush Securities Inc.

 

· ]

 

· ]

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

 

· ]

 

· ]

Total

 

· ]

 

· ]

 

Sch. 1-1


 

Schedule 2

 

Significant Subsidiaries

 

None.

 

 

Sch. 2-1


 

Annex A

 

a.  Pricing Disclosure Package

 

[None.]

 

b.  Pricing Information Provided Orally by Underwriters

 

Public Offering Price Per Share: $[ · ]

 

Number of Underwritten Shares Purchased by the Underwriters: [ · ]

 

Number of Option Shares: [ · ]

 

Annex A-1


 

Annex B

 

Written Testing-the-Waters Communications

 

[Company Presentation dated [ · ] 2020]

 

Annex B-1


 

Annex C

 

Pricing Term Sheet

 

Axcella Health Inc.

Shares of Common Stock

 

Issuer:

Axcella Health Inc.

 

 

Symbol:

AXLA

 

 

Size (Pre-Greenshoe):

$[ · ]

 

 

Total Underwritten Shares Offered by Issuer:

· ] shares of common stock

 

 

Option Shares Offered by Issuer:

· ] shares of common stock

 

 

Price to Public:

$[ · ]

 

 

Trade Date:

· ], 2020

 

 

Closing Date:

· ], 2020

 

 

CUSIP No:

05454B 105

 

 

Underwriters:

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

SVB Leerink LLC

 

Wedbush Securities Inc.

 

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

 

Annex C-1


 

Exhibit A

 

EGC — Testing the waters authorization (to be delivered by the issuer to the Representatives in email or letter form)

 

In reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), Axcella Health Inc. (the “Issuer”) hereby authorizes J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and SVB Leerink LLC (together, the “Representatives”) and their affiliates and their respective employees (collectively, “Authorized Persons”) to engage on behalf of the Issuer in oral and written communications with potential investors that are “qualified institutional buyers,” as defined in Rule 144A under the Act, or institutions that are “accredited investors,” within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Act, to determine whether such investors might have an interest in the Issuer’s contemplated offering (“Testing-the-Waters Communications”).  A “Written Testing-the Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.

 

The Issuer represents that it is an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Act (“Emerging Growth Company”) and agrees to promptly notify the Representatives in writing if the Issuer hereafter ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company while this authorization is in effect.

 

If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Issuer will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

 

Nothing in this authorization is intended to limit or otherwise affect the ability of the Issuer or Authorized Persons to engage in communications in which they could otherwise lawfully engage in the absence of this authorization, including, without limitation, any written communication containing only one or more of the statements specified under Rule 134(a) under the Act. This authorization shall remain in effect until the Issuer has provided to the Representatives a written notice revoking this authorization.  All notices as described herein shall be sent by email to the attention of David Ke at david.ke@jpmorgan.com and Patrick Morley at patrick.morley@svbleerink.com.

 


 

Exhibit B-1

 

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT FOR STOCKHOLDER ENTITIES
AFFILIATED WITH FLAGSHIP PIONEERING, INC.

 

                   , 2020

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

SVB Leerink LLC

 

As Representatives of
the several Underwriters listed in
Schedule 1 to the Underwriting

Agreement referred to below

 

c/o          J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York  10179

 

c/o          SVB Leerink LLC

1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor

New York, New York  10019

 

Re:          Axcella Health Inc. -— Public Offering

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Axcella Health Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of shares (the “Shares”) of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”).  If more than one entity executes this agreement, this agreement shall constitute a separate agreement with respect to each such entity as the “undersigned,” and the rights and obligations of each such entity hereunder shall be several and not joint.  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.  “Representatives” means, collectively, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and SVB Leerink LLC.

 

To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period commencing on the date of the initial public filing of the preliminary prospectus relating

 


 

to the Public Offering and ending 90 days after the date of the final prospectus (the “Restricted Period”) relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) by the undersigned (including without limitation, shares of Common Stock and other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, in each case, that are issued or issuable upon exercise of a stock option or warrant so owned), or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or such other securities described in clause (1) above, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.

 

The foregoing sentence shall not apply to:

 

(a)           transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in the Public Offering or in open market transactions after the pricing of the Public Offering; provided that such transfers are not required to be reported with the SEC on Form 4 in accordance with Section 16 under the Exchange Act and no other public announcement shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Common Stock or other securities acquired in such open market transactions (other than Schedule 13 filings filed with the SEC);

 

(b)           transfers of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock as a bona fide gift, or to a charitable organization or educational institution in a transaction not involving a disposition for value;

 

(c)           transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or other securities to any member of the immediate family of the undersigned or any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned in a transaction not involving a disposition for value;

 

(d)           transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or other securities to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, investment fund or other entity all of the beneficial ownership interests of which are held, controlled or managed by the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned in a transaction not involving a disposition for value;

 

(e)           transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or other securities (x) by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir, beneficiary or a member of the immediate family of the undersigned upon the death of the undersigned, or (y) by operation of law pursuant to orders of a court or regulatory agency, a domestic order or negotiated divorce settlement; or

 

2


 

(f)            if the undersigned is an entity, (x) transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or other securities to another corporation, member, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity that is a direct or indirect affiliate (as defined under Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) of the undersigned, or to an investment fund or other entity that controls or manages, or is under common control with, the undersigned, or (y) distributions of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock to partners, members, stockholders, beneficiaries or other equity holders of the undersigned;

 

provided that in the case of any transfer, disposition or distribution pursuant to clause (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f), (i) each transferee, donee or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this agreement and (ii) such transfer, disposition or distribution is not required to be reported with the SEC on Form 4 in accordance with Section 16 under the Exchange Act and no other public announcement shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period (other than, (1) Schedule 13 filings filed with the SEC, (2) in the case of a transfer or other disposition pursuant to clause (e) above, any Form 4 or Form 5 required to be filed under the Exchange Act if the undersigned is subject to Section 16 reporting with respect to the Company under the Exchange Act and indicating by footnote disclosure or otherwise the nature of the transfer or disposition, and (3) any required filings on Form 13F, or Schedule 13G under the Exchange Act);

 

(g)           transfers or dispositions of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock to the Company pursuant to any contractual arrangement in effect on the date of this agreement that provides for the repurchase of the undersigned’s Common Stock or other securities by the Company or in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s employment with or service to the Company, provided that such transfers or dispositions are not required to be reported with the SEC on Form 4 in accordance with Section 16 under the Exchange Act and no other public announcement shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period in connection with any such transfers or dispositions (other than (1) Schedule 13 filings filed with the SEC, and (2) any Form 4 or Form 5 required to be filed under the Exchange Act if the undersigned is subject to Section 16 reporting with respect to the Company under the Exchange Act and indicating by footnote disclosure or otherwise the nature of the transfer or disposition);

 

(h)           transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or other securities to the Company in connection with the conversion of any convertible security into, or the exercise of any option or warrant for, shares of Common Stock; provided that (i) any such shares of Common Stock received by the undersigned shall be subject to the terms of this agreement and (ii) such transfers or dispositions are not required to be reported with the SEC on Form 4 in accordance with Section 16 under the Exchange Act and no other public announcement shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period (other than Form 13F and Schedule 13 filings filed with the SEC);

 

3


 

(i)            transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or other securities to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (a) through (h) above;

 

(j)            the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) no filing under the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period; or

 

(k)           transfers of shares of Common Stock by the undersigned pursuant to a 10b5-1 Plan established prior to the Restricted Period, which 10b5-1 plan shall not be amended during the Restricted Period but may be terminated during the Restricted Period; provided, that to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding transfers made under the undersigned’s 10b5-1 Plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that such transfers of Common Stock are being made pursuant to the undersigned’s 10b5-1 Plan established prior to the Restricted Period; or

 

(l)            transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or such other securities pursuant to a bona fide tender offer for shares of the Company’s capital stock, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of the Company’s securities involving a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Company (including without limitation, the entering into of any lock-up, voting or similar agreement pursuant to which the undersigned may agree to transfer, sell, tender or otherwise dispose of shares of Common Stock or other securities in connection with such transaction) that has been approved by the board of directors of the Company; provided that, in the event that such Change of Control transaction is not consummated, this clause (k) shall not be applicable and the undersigned’s shares and other securities shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this agreement.

 

For purposes of this agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin, and “Change of Control” shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transactions or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons (other than an Underwriter pursuant to the Public Offering), of the Company’s voting securities if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold at least 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity), provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Public Offering shall not constitute a Change of Control.  In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the Restricted Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock; provided that the undersigned may  make a demand under any registration rights agreement with the Company described in the Prospectus for, and exercise its rights under any such registration

 

4


 

rights agreement with respect to, the registration after the expiration of the Restricted Period of shares of Common Stock that does not require the filing of any registration statement or any public announcement or activity regarding such registration during the Restricted Period (and no such public announcement or activity shall be voluntarily made or taken by the undersigned during the Restricted Period).

 

The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

 

In the event that a release is granted to any Major Holder (as defined below) other than the undersigned relating to the lock-up restrictions set forth above for shares of the Company’s Common Stock, the same percentage of shares of the Company’s Common Stock held by the undersigned (the “Pro-rata Release”) shall be immediately and fully released on the same terms from any remaining lock-up restrictions set forth herein; provided, however, that such Pro-rata Release shall not be applied in the event of releases granted from such lockup restrictions to any individual party or parties (other than shareholders subject to Section 16 reporting with respect to the Company under the Exchange Act) to sell or otherwise transfer or dispose of shares of the Company’s Common Stock or other securities in an amount having a fair market value up to an aggregate of $2,500,000 (whether in one of multiple releases).  In the event that any percentage of such Common Stock released from the lock-up restrictions are subject to any restrictions of the type set forth in clause (1) or (2) of the second paragraph of this agreement, the same restrictions shall be applicable to the release of the same percentage of the Company’s Common Stock held by the undersigned.  In the event that the undersigned is released from any of its obligations under this agreement or, by virtue of this agreement, becomes entitled to offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (or any securities convertible into Common Stock) prior to the date that is 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Representatives shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to provide notification of such to the undersigned within three business days thereof; provided that the failure to provide such notice shall not give rise to any claim or liability against the Representatives or the Underwriters.  For purposes of this agreement, each of the following persons is a “Major Holder”: each officer and director of the Company and each record or beneficial owner, as of the date hereof, of more than 1% of the outstanding shares of securities of the Company (for purposes of determining record or beneficial ownership of a stockholder, all shares of securities held by investment funds affiliated with such stockholder shall be aggregated).

 

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering.  The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

 

Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions.  Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.

 

5


 

The undersigned understands that, if (i) the Representatives, on the one hand, or the Company, on the other hand, informs the other in writing, prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, (ii) the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the securities to be sold thereunder, (iii) the registration statement related to the Public Offering is withdrawn or (iv) the Underwriting Agreement is not executed on or before the earlier of (A) May 30, 2020 and (B) the date that is 15 days after the date of the initial public filing of the preliminary prospectus relating to the Public Offering, then, in each case, this agreement shall automatically, and without any action on the part of any other party, be of no further force and effect, and the undersigned shall be automatically released from all obligations under this agreement.

 

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

6


 

This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

7


 

Exhibit B-2

 

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT FOR DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND STOCKHOLDERS NOT AFFILIATED WITH FLAGSHIP PIONEERING, INC.

 

, 2020

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

SVB Leerink LLC

 

As Representatives of
the several Underwriters listed in
Schedule 1 to the Underwriting

Agreement referred to below

 

c/o          J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York  10179

 

c/o          SVB Leerink LLC

1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor

New York, New York  10019

 

Re:          Axcella Health Inc. -— Public Offering

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Axcella Health Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of shares of common stock of the Company (the “Securities”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Securities, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period beginning on the date of the initial public filing of the preliminary prospectus relating to the Public Offering and ending ninety (90) days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”) (such period, the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option,

 

8


 

right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of common stock, $0.001 per share par value, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant), or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, in each case other than:

 

(A) transfers of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock as a bona fide gift or gifts, or to a charitable organization or educational institution in a transaction not involving a disposition for value;

 

(B) transfers, distributions or dispositions of shares of Common Stock to members or stockholders of the undersigned, any member of the immediate family of the undersigned or any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned in a transaction not involving a disposition for value;

 

(C) transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in the Public Offering or in open market transactions after the pricing of the Public Offering;

 

(D) transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or other securities to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity, in each case, all of the beneficial ownership interests of which are held by the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned in a transaction not involving a disposition for value;

 

(E) transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or other securities (x) by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir, beneficiary or a member of the immediate family of the undersigned upon the death of the undersigned, or (y) by operation of law pursuant to a domestic order or negotiated divorce settlement;

 

provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (A), (B), (D) or (E), each donee, distributee or transferee shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up letter in the form of this letter agreement (“Letter Agreement”); and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer, distribution or transaction pursuant to clauses (A), (B), (C), (D) or (E), no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than (i) a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the Restricted Period referred to above and (ii) in the case of a transfer or other disposition pursuant to clause (E) above, any Form 4 or Form 5 required to be filed under the Exchange Act if the undersigned is subject to Section 16 reporting with respect to

 

9


 

the Company under the Exchange Act and indicating by footnote disclosure or otherwise the nature of the transfer or disposition);

 

(F) transfers or dispositions of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock to the Company pursuant to any contractual arrangement in effect on the date of this agreement that provides for the repurchase of the undersigned’s Common Stock or other securities by the Company or in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s employment with or service to the Company, provided that no filing by any party under the Exchange Act or other public announcement, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period in connection with any such transfers or dispositions (other than any Form 4 or Form 5 required to be filed under the Exchange Act if the undersigned is subject to Section 16 reporting with respect to the Company under the Exchange Act and indicating by footnote disclosure or otherwise the nature of the transfer or disposition);

 

(G) transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or other securities to the Company in connection with the conversion of any convertible preferred stock into, or the exercise of any option or warrant for, shares of Common Stock; provided that (i) any such shares of Common Stock received by the undersigned shall be subject to the terms of this agreement and (ii) no filing by any party under the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily during the Restricted Period (other than a filing on a Form 4 that reports such disposition under the transaction code “F”);

 

(H) transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or other securities to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (A) through (G) above;

 

(I) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) no filing by any party under the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company in connection with the establishment of such plan;

 

(J) transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or such other securities pursuant to a bona fide tender offer for shares of the Company’s capital stock, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of the Company’s securities involving a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Company (including without limitation, the entering into of any lock-up, voting or similar agreement pursuant to which the undersigned may agree to transfer, sell, tender or otherwise dispose of shares of Common Stock or other securities in connection with such transaction) that has been approved by the board of directors of the Company; provided that, in the event that such Change of Control transaction is not consummated, this clause (J) shall not be applicable and the undersigned’s shares and other securities shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this agreement; or

 

(K) sales of Common Stock by the undersigned during the Restricted Period pursuant to a trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act in effect as of the date hereof; provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the

 

10


 

Restricted Period in excess of the number of shares of Common Stock separately identified in writing by the Company to the Representatives and any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act as a result of such sales will contain a footnote disclosing that such sales were pursuant to a trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act.

 

For purposes of this agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin, and “Change of Control” shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transactions or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons (other than an Underwriter pursuant to the Public Offering), of the Company’s voting securities if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold at least 90% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity), provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Public Offering shall not constitute a Change of Control.

 

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

 

The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective by June 30, 2020, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement.  The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 




Exhibit 5.1

 

Goodwin Procter LLP

100 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA 02210

 

goodwinlaw.com

+1 617 570 1000

 

May 11, 2020

 

Axcella Health Inc.

840 Memorial Drive

Cambridge, MA 02139

 

Re: Securities Registered under Registration Statement on Form S-1

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to you in connection with your filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (as amended or supplemented, the “Registration Statement”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the registration of the offering by Axcella Health Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) of up to $92,724,500 of shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, including Shares purchasable by the underwriters upon their exercise of an option granted to the underwriters by the Company. The Shares are being sold to the several underwriters named in, and pursuant to, an underwriting agreement among the Company and such underwriters (the “Underwriting Agreement”).

 

We have reviewed such documents and made such examination of law as we have deemed appropriate to give the opinions set forth below. We have relied, without independent verification, on certificates of public officials and, as to matters of fact material to the opinions set forth below, on certificates of officers of the Company.

 

The opinion set forth below is limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized and, upon issuance and delivery against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

We hereby consent to the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving our consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Goodwin Procter LLP

 

GOODWIN PROCTER LLP

 




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Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

        We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-1 of our report dated March 23, 2020 relating to the financial statements of Axcella Health Inc. and subsidiaries, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Axcella Health Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2019. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Registration Statement.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
May 11, 2020




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CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM