EXHIBIT 4.1
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
(“Agreement”) is made and entered into as of July 6,
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 Lonza Walkersville,
Inc., a Delaware corporation having its principal place of business
at 8830 Biggs Ford Road, Walkersville, Maryland 21793
(“Lonza”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined
herein shall have the meaning set forth in the MSA and Project
Order No. 1.
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A.
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Geron and Cambrex Bio Science
Walkersville, Inc. (“CBSW”) entered that certain Master
Services Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2005 (the “
MSA ”), pursuant to which CBSW agreed to
perform certain services on behalf of Geron related to the
manufacture of a product containing human cells intended for
therapeutic use in humans on the terms set forth
therein.
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B.
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Geron and CBSW entered into
Project Order No. 1 to the MSA (the “Project Order No.
1”) effective September 1, 2005, pursuant to which Geron is
entitled, subject to certain conditions, to pay any compensation
owed to CBSW for Services performed under Project Order No. 1
either in cash or in Geron’s common stock (the “
Common Stock ”).
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C.
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Subject to the terms and
conditions of the Second Amendment to Project Order No.1, dated as
of March 1, 2006 (“Amendment No. 2”), Geron and CBSW
agreed that Geron shall, subject to certain conditions, be entitled
to pay up to US$4,500,000 for Services under Project Order No. 1 by
delivery of Shares.
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D.
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Effective February 6, 2007, Lonza
completed its acquisition of CBSW, and assumed all rights and
obligations of CBSW under the MSA and Project Order No. 1, as
amended.
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E.
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Subject to the terms and
conditions of the Eighth Amendment to Project Order No.1, dated as
of May 28, 2009, Geron and Lonza have agreed that Geron shall,
subject to certain conditions, be entitled to pay for Services
under Project Order No. 1 by delivery of Shares, for an aggregate
total of up to US $9,500,000 payable in Stock.
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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 ninth
Installment Payment specified in Project Order No. 1, Geron will
issue and deliver certificates for 137,363 shares of Common Stock
(the “ 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 no later
than five (5) business days after the Effective Date of this
Agreement (the “Closing Date”). At the Closing, Geron
shall deliver to Lonza one or more certificates representing all of
the Shares, which Shares shall be issued in the name of Lonza or
its designee and in such denominations as Lonza 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 Lonza 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 Lonza 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 Lonza 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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Lonza’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
Lonza:
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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 Lonza;
and
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2.3.3
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the
representations 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 . Lonza 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 Lonza may be required to hold such Shares for
an indefinite period of time. Each stock certificate representing
Shares shall bear the following legend:
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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 LONZA,
DATED JULY 6, 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. Lonza agrees that
if it decides to resell some or all of the Shares, it will do so
only in an appropriate manner through orderly sales executed
through a top-tier brokerage firm, and based upon whether the
shares are registered or unregistered, i.e., on the Nasdaq Global
Market or in a Rule 144A or Rule 144 compliant
transaction.
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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 Lonza. Geron
agrees to diligently pursue making the Registration Statement
effective. Geron will make commercially reasonable efforts to
notify Lonza of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
within one (1) business day of receiving notice from the Commission
declaring the Registration Statement effective, but no later than
the close of business (Pacific Time) of the second business day
after receipt of such notice from the Commission.
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4.2
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Geron shall
notify Lonza as promptly as possible of any review initiated by the
Commission with respect to any such Registration
Statement.
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4.3
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Geron will
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 Lonza receives an
opinion of counsel to Geron, which counsel shall be reasonably
acceptable to Lonza, that the Shares may be sold under the
provisions of Rule 144 or any similar provision then in effect
under the Act, 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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4.4
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Geron, at its
expense, shall furnish to Lonza 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 Lonza may reasonably request, in
order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of all or
any of the Shares by Lonza, provided, however, that the obligation
of Geron to deliver copies of prospectuses or preliminary
prospectuses to Lonza shall be subject to the receipt by Geron of
reasonable assurances from Lonza that Lonza 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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4.5
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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. Lonza shall bear the cost of all
fees and expenses of Lonza’s counsel.
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4.6
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Geron will
advise Lonza 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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4.7
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With a view to
making available to Lonza the benefits of Rule 144 (or its
successor rule) and any other rule or regulation of the Commission
that may at the time permit Lonza to sell the Shares to the public
without registration, Geron covenants and agrees 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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4.8
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Lonza will
cooperate with Geron in all respects in connecti
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