Exhibit 10.1
CONSULTING AGREEMENT
THIS CONSULTING AGREEMENT (the “
Agreement ”) is made and entered into this 24
th day
of August, 2007, between Depomed, Inc., a California corporation
(the “ Company ”) and John W. Fara, Ph.D.
(“ CONSULTANT ”).
THE PARTIES AGREE
AS FOLLOWS:
1.
Consultancy . CONSULTANT shall serve as a Consultant
to the Company for a period commencing on the date of this
Agreement and concluding on the date set forth in Schedule A
hereto. The period during which CONSULTANT shall serve as a
Consultant to the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall
constitute the “ Consulting Period
”.
2.
Duties . CONSULTANT shall serve as a consultant to the
Company in the activities of the Company set forth in Schedule
A , or as otherwise requested by the chief executive officer of
the Company. In the performance of such duties, CONSULTANT
shall consult with the Company up to the number of hours per month
set forth at Schedule A, which consulting will take place at such
places and at such times as the Company and CONSULTANT mutually
agree.
3.
Compensation; Stock Options; Change in Control .
3.1.
Compensation . Subject to the provisions of Section
4.3 below, the Company agrees to pay CONSULTANT, and CONSULTANT
agrees to accept for CONSULTANT’s services under this
Agreement, consulting fees (the “ Consulting Fees
”) as set forth in Schedule A . Through December
31, 2008, CONSULTANT will not be entitled to any additional cash
compensation for his service as a member of the Company’s
Board of Directors while he is receiving fees pursuant to this
Agreement.
3.2.
Stock Options . The parties acknowledge that, subject
to the provisions of Section 4.3 below, any stock options to
purchase the common stock of the Company (“ Company
Options ”) held by CONSULTANT will continue to vest
during the Consulting Period in accordance with the terms of such
Company Options.
3.3.
Change in Control . In the event that a Change in
Control (as defined below) occurs during the Consulting
Period: (a) 100% of CONSULTANT’s unvested options to
purchase shares shall become immediately vested on the date of such
Change in Control; and (b) CONSULTANT shall receive, on the date
the Change in Control occurs and in lieu of any further monthly
payments set forth in Schedule A, a lump sum payment equal to the
remainder of (x) $340,000, minus (y) the sum of all payments
received under this Agreement by CONSULTANT prior to the date of
the Change in Control (if such remainder is a positive
number). For purposes
of
this Agreement, “ Change in Control ” shall mean
any event so determined by the Company’s Board of Directors
pursuant to Section 10.4 of the Company’s 2004 Equity
Incentive Plan.
3.4.
COBRA . Through December 31, 2008, the Company shall
continue to pay (or reimburse Consultant for) its portion of the
health insurance benefits provided to CONSULTANT immediately prior
to the commencement of the Consulting Period pursuant to the terms
of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as
amended (“ COBRA ”) or other applicable law
through the earlier of the end of the Consulting Period, or the
date upon which CONSULTANT is no longer eligible for such COBRA or
other benefits under applicable law.
3.5.
Insurance . Through December 31, 2008, the Company
will reimburse CONSULTANT for premiums paid by CONSULTANT in
respect of a life insurance policy comparable to the life insurance
policy provided to CONSULTANT prior to his retirement from the
Company, with a coverage amount of up to $550,000.
4.
Other Employment .
4.1.
Other Affiliation . CONSULTANT represents that he is
not a party to any existing agreement that would prevent him from
entering into this Agreement, and that CONSULTANT is not a party to
any agreement with third parties which may restrict his consulting
activities on behalf of the Company or obligate CONSULTANT to
assign inventions. The Company understands and agrees that during
the Consulting Period CONSULTANT may be retained by other
companies, corporations, and/or commercial enterprises which are
not engaged in the design, development, manufacture, or marketing
of products in the area of the Company’s business or field of
interest. CONSULTANT agrees to inform the Company of any such
agreement immediately. CONSULTANT agrees to use his best
efforts to segregate work done under this Agreement from all work
done at, or for, any such company, corporation, and/or other
commercial enterprise. In any dealings with any such company,
corporation, and/or other commercial enterprise, CONSULTANT shall
protect and guard the Company Confidential Information in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
4.2.
Conflict of Interest . CONSULTANT warrants that he is
not obligated under any other consulting, employment, or other
agreement which would affect the Company’s rights or
CONSULTANT’s duties under this Agreement other than those
referred to in Section 4.1.
5.
Confidentiality .
5.1.
Protection of Information and Scientific Publications
. CONSULTANT shall hold all the Company Confidential
Information (as defined below) in confidence and shall not disclose
Confidential Information to any unauthorized person. Except
as required in his duties for the Company, CONSULTANT will never
directly or indirectly use, disseminate, disclose, lecture upon, or
publish articles concerning, Confidential Information or remove
Confidential Information from the Company’s
premises.
2
5.2.
Records . CONSULTANT agrees to keep separate and
segregated from other work all documents, records, notebooks and
correspondence which directly relate to his work under this
Agreement.
5.3.
Company Property . All notes, memoranda, reports,
drawings, manuals, materials, files, samples, products, data, and
any papers or records of every kind which are or shall come into
CONSULTANT’s possession at any time during the Consulting
Period related to the business of the Company shall be the sole and
exclusive property of the Company, whether or not such items are
Confidential Information. This property shall be surrendered
to the Company upon termination of the Consulting Period or upon
request of the Company at any time either during or after the
termination of the Consulting Period, and no copies, notes, or
excerpts thereof shall be retained.
5.4.
Information of Others . CONSULTANT will safeguard and
keep confidential the proprietary information of customers,
vendors, consultants, and other parties with which th
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