EXHIBIT 4.1
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is made
and entered into as of May 11, 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 DP Clinical, Inc., a Maryland
corporation with offices at 1803 Research Boulevard, Suite 404,
Rockville, Maryland 20850 (“[COMPANY]”).
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A.
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Geron and COMPANY are the parties to that
certain Master Agreement dated as of October 27, 2006 (the “
Master Agreement ”), and related Addendum
Agreements under which Geron and COMPANY have agreed that COMPANY
will perform certain services on behalf of Geron on the terms set
forth therein.
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B.
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Pursuant to the Master Agreement, Geron may pay
for the price of such services by delivery of shares of
Geron’s Common Stock (the “ Shares
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C.
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Geron has elected to make payment for such
services through the delivery of Shares, pursuant to the terms and
conditions of the Master Agreement and this Agreement.
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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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1.1.
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As payment of the price specified in the
Services Agreement Addenda, Geron will issue and deliver
certificates for 205,252 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 COMPANY one or more certificates
representing all of the Shares, which Shares shall be issued in the
name of COMPANY or its designee and in such denominations as
COMPANY 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 COMPANY 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 COMPANY 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
COMPANY 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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COMPANY’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 COMPANY:
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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 COMPANY; 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 any
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. COMPANY 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 COMPANY 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 COMPANY, DATED AS OF MAY 11, 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. COMPANY 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 or Rule 144A compliant transaction. COMPANY further agrees
that it will not engage in short selling with respect to the
Stock.
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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 COMPANY. Geron
agrees to diligently pursue making the Registration Statement
effective. Geron will make commercially reasonable efforts to
notify COMPANY of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
within one (1) business day of receiving notice from the Commission
declaring the Registration Statement effective.
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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 COMPANY receives an
opinion of counsel from Geron, which counsel shall be reasonably
acceptable to COMPANY, that the Shares may be sold under the
provisions of Rule 144 or any similar provision then in effect
under the Act, or (without limitation as to volume, or (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.
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4.3.
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Geron, at its expense, shall furnish to COMPANY
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
COMPANY may reasonably request, in order to facilitate the public
sale or other disposition of all or any of the Shares by COMPANY,
provided, however, that the obligation of Geron to deliver copies
of prospectuses or preliminary prospectuses to COMPANY shall be
subject to the receipt by Geron of reasonable assurances from
COMPANY that COMPANY 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. COMPANY shall bear the cost of all fees and
expenses of COMPANY’s counsel.
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4.5.
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Geron will advise COMPANY 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 as promptly as possible if such
stop order should be issued.
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4.6.
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With a view to making available to COMPANY the
benefits of Rule 144 (or its successor rule) and any other rule or
regulation of the Commission that may at the time permit COMPANY 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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COMPANY 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 COMPANY 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 underwritten
offering, in usual and customary form, with the managing
underwriter or underwriters of such underwritten offering. Nothing
in this Agreement shall obligate COMPANY to consent to be named as
an underwriter in any Registration Statement.
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5.
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INDEMNIFICATION.
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5.1.
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Geron
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless COMPANY (and each person, if
any, who controls COMPANY within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Act, and each officer and director of COMPANY) against any and all
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings
in respect thereof), joint or several, directly or indirectly based
upon or arising out of (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration
Statement, any preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary
prospectus contained therein or used in connection with the
offering of the Shares, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or
(ii) any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading; and Geron will reimburse each such
indemnified party for any legal or any other expenses reasonably
incurred by them in connection with investigating, preparing,
pursuing or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability,
action or proceeding, except insofar as any such loss, claim,
damage,
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