EXHIBIT 4.3
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS COMMON STOCK PURCHASE
AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is made and entered into as of
January 27, 2009 (the “ Effective Date
”), by and between GERON CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation
having its principal place of business at 230 Constitution Drive,
Menlo Park, California 94025 (“Geron”), and Samchully
Pharm. Co., Ltd., having a principal place of business at 947-7,
Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
(“Manufacturer”).
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A.
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Geron and Manufacturer are the parties to that
certain Master Manufacturing Agreement dated as of March 9, 2005
(the “ Manufacturing Agreement ”), and
related Addendum Agreements (“ Addendum
Agreement ”) under which Geron has agreed to purchase
certain products and services from Manufacturer and Manufacturer
has agreed to supply such products and services to Geron on the
terms set forth therein.
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B.
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Pursuant to the Amendment No. 1 to the
Manufacturing Agreement, dated as of May 12, 2008, Geron is
entitled to pay the purchase price of products and services by
delivery of shares of Geron’s Common Stock (the “
Shares ”).
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THE PARTIES AGREE AS
FOLLOWS:
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1.
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ISSUANCE OF SHARES; ADJUSTMENTS
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As payment of the costs for activities to be
performed pursuant to Addendum Agreement No. 10, Geron will issue
and deliver certificates for 30,884 Shares. Upon issuance and
delivery of the certificate(s) for the Shares, all Shares shall be
duly authorized and validly issued and represent fully paid shares
of Geron’s Common Stock.
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2.
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CLOSING; DELIVERY
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2.1
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The consummation of the transaction contemplated
by this Agreement (a “ Closing ”) shall
be held at such time and place as is mutually agreed upon between
the parties, but in any event Geron shall make commercially
reasonable efforts to accomplish the Closing no later than five (5)
business days after the Effective Date hereof (the “
Closing Date ”). At the Closing, Geron shall
deliver to Manufacturer one or more certificates representing all
of the Shares, which Shares shall be issued in the name of
Manufacturer or its designee and in such denominations as
Manufacturer shall specify.
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2.2
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Geron’s obligations to issue and deliver
the stock certificate(s) representing the Shares to Manufacturer at
the Closing shall be subject to the following conditions, which may
be waived by Geron:
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2.2.1
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the covenants and obligations that Manufacturer
is required to perform or to comply with pursuant to this
Agreement, at or prior to the Closing, must have been duly
performed and complied with in all material respects;
and
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2.2.2
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the representations and warranties made by
Manufacturer herein shall be true and correct in all material
respects as of the Closing Date.
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2.3
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Manufacturer’s obligation to accept
delivery of the stock certificate(s) representing the Shares at the
Closing shall be subject to the following conditions, any one or
more of which may be waived by Manufacturer:
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2.3.1
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the covenants and obligations that Geron is
required to perform or to comply with pursuant to this Agreement,
at or prior to the Closing, must have been duly performed and
complied with in all material respects;
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2.3.2
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Geron shall have available under its Certificate
of Incorporation sufficient authorized shares of Common Stock to
issue the Shares to Manufacturer; and
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2.3.3
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the representation and warranties made by Geron
herein shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the
Closing Date.
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3.
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RESTRICTIONS ON RESALE OF SHARES
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3.1
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Legends . Manufacturer understands and acknowledges that
the Shares are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
“Act”), and that under the Act and other applicable
laws Manufacturer may be required to hold such Shares for an
indefinite period of time. Each stock certificate representing
Shares shall bear the following legends:
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“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE
NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED
(THE “ACT”). ANY TRANSFER OF SUCH SECURITIES SHALL BE
INVALID UNLESS A REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT IS IN EFFECT
AS TO SUCH TRANSFER OR, IN THE OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY
ACCEPTABLE TO GERON, SUCH REGISTRATION IS UNNECESSARY FOR SUCH
TRANSFER TO COMPLY WITH THE ACT. THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY
ARE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS OF THE COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT BY
AND BETWEEN GERON AND MANUFACTURER DATED AS OF JANUARY 27, 2009. A
COPY OF THE AGREEMENT CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE SECRETARY OF
GERON.”
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3.2
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Limits on Sales . Manufacturer agrees that if it decides to
resell some or all of the Shares, it will do so only through
orderly sales executed through a top-tier brokerage house, and in
an appropriate manner based upon whether the shares are registered
or unregistered, i.e., on the Nasdaq Global Market or in a Rule 144
compliant transaction. Manufacturer further agrees that it will not
engage in short selling with respect to the Shares.
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3.3
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Further Limitations . Geron shall not be required (i) to transfer on
its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred
in violation of any of the provisions of this Agreement or
applicable securities laws; or (ii) to treat as owner of such
Shares or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any
purchaser or other transferee to whom such Shares shall have been
so transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this
Agreement or applicable securities laws.
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4.
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS
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4.1
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Geron agrees to make commercially reasonable
efforts to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“ Commission ”) within ten (10) business
days after the Closing Date, a registration statement under the Act
(the “ Registration Statement ”), on Form
S-3 or other appropriate form, so as to permit a non-underwritten
public offering and resale of the Shares under the Act by
Manufacturer. Geron agrees to diligently pursue making the
Registration Statement effective. Geron will make commercially
reasonable efforts to notify Manufacturer of the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement within one (1) business day of receiving
notice from the Commission.
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4.2
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Geron will make commercially reasonable efforts
to maintain the Registration Statement and any post-effective
amendment thereto filed under this Section 4 effective under the
Act until the earliest of (i) the date that none of the Shares
covered by such Registration Statement are issued and outstanding,
(ii) the date that all of the Shares have been sold pursuant to
such Registration Statement, (iii) the date Manufacturer receives
an opinion of counsel from Geron, which counsel shall be reasonably
acceptable to Manufacturer, that the Shares may be sold under the
provisions of Rule 144 without limitation as to volume, (iv) the
date that all Shares have been otherwise transferred to persons who
may trade such shares without restriction under the Act, and Geron
has delivered a new certificate or other evidence of ownership for
such securities not bearing a restrictive legend, or (v) the date
all Shares may be sold at any time, without volume or manner of
sale limitations pursuant to Rule 144 or any similar provision then
in effect under the Act in the opinion of counsel to Geron, which
counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to Manufacturer.
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4.3
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Geron, at its expense, shall furnish to
Manufacturer with respect to the Shares registered under the
Registration Statement such reasonable number of copies of the
Registration Statement, prospectuses and preliminary prospectuses
in conformity with the requirements of the Act and such other
documents as Manufacturer may reasonably request, in order to
facilitate the public sale or other disposition of all or any of
the Shares by Manufacturer, provided, however, that the obligation
of Geron to deliver copies of prospectuses or preliminary
prospectuses to Manufacturer shall be subject to the receipt by
Geron of reasonable assurances from Manufacturer that Manufacturer
will comply with the applicable provisions of the Act and of such
other securities or blue sky laws as may be applicable in
connection with any use of such prospectuses or preliminary
prospectuses.
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4.4
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All fees, disbursements and out-of-pocket
expenses and costs incurred by Geron in connection with the
preparation and filing of the Registration Statement under Section
4.1 and in complying with applicable securities and Blue Sky laws
(including, without limitation, all attorneys' fees of Geron) shall
be borne by Geron. Manufacturer shall bear the cost of fees and
expenses of Manufacturer’s counsel.
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4.5
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Geron will advise Manufacturer promptly after it
shall receive notice or obtain knowledge of the issuance of any
stop order by the Commission delaying or suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the initiation of
any proceeding for that purpose, and Geron will use its
commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop
order or to obtain its withdrawal at the earliest possible moment
if such stop order should be issued.
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4.6
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With a view to making available to Manufacturer
the benefits of Rule 144 (or its successor rule) and any other rule
or regulation of the Commission that may at the time permit
Manufacturer to sell the Shares to the public without registration,
Geron covenants and agrees to make commercially reasonable efforts
to: (i) make and keep public information available, as those terms
are understood and defined in Rule 144, until the earliest of (A)
such date as all of the Shares may be resold pursuant to Rule 144
or any other rule of similar effect or (B) such date as all of the
Shares shall have been resold; and (ii) file with the Commission in
a timely manner all reports and other documents required of Geron
under the Act and under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the “ Exchange Act
”).
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4.7
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Manufacturer will cooperate with Geron in all
respects in connection with this Agreement, including timely
supplying all information reasonably requested by Geron (which
shall include all information regarding Manufacturer and proposed
manner of sale of the Shares required to be disclosed in any
Registration Statement) and executing and returning all documents
reasonably requested in connection with the registration and sale
of the Shares and entering into and performing their obligations
under any underwriting agreement, if the offering is an
underwritt
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