Exhibit 4.2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS
AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement
(this “Agreement” ) is made and entered into as
of June 24, 2005, by and among Valentis, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company” ), and the investors
signatory hereto (each a “Purchaser” and
collectively, the “Purchasers” ).
This Agreement is made pursuant to
the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof
among the Company and the Purchasers (the “Purchase
Agreement” ).
NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of
the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other
good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which
are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Purchasers agree as
follows:
1.
Definitions
.
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are
defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given
such terms in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings
set forth in this Section 1:
“ Effective Date
” means the date that the Registration Statement filed
pursuant to Section 2(a) is first declared effective by
the Commission.
“ Effectiveness Date
” means: (a) with respect to the initial Registration
Statement required to be filed to cover the resale by the Holders
of the Registrable Securities, the earlier of: (i) the 105th
day following the Closing Date and (ii) the fifth Trading Day
following the date on which the Company is notified by the
Commission that the initial Registration Statement will not be
reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments,
and (b) with respect to any additional Registration Statements
that may be required pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, the
earlier of: (i) the 105th day following the date on which the
Company first knows, or reasonably should have known, that such
additional Registration Statement is required under such
Section and (ii) the fifth Trading Day following the date
on which the Company is notified by the Commission that such
additional Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no
longer subject to further review and comments. “
Effectiveness Date ” shall also have the meaning
specified in Section 2(b).
“ Effectiveness Period
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2(a).
“ Exchange Act ”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“ Filing Date ”
means: (a) with respect to the initial Registration Statement
required to be filed to cover the resale by the Holders of the
Registrable Securities, the 30th day following the Closing Date,
and (b) with respect to any additional Registration Statements
that may be required pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, the
30th day following the date on which the Company first knows, or
reasonably should have known, that such additional Registration
Statement is required under such Section.
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“ Holder ” or
“ Holders ” means the holder or holders, as the
case may be, from time to time of Registrable
Securities.
“ Indemnified Party
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5(c).
“ Indemnifying Party
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5(c).
“ Losses ” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
“ Proceeding ”
means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding
(including, without limitation, an investigation or partial
proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or
threatened.
“ Prospectus ”
means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement
(including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any
information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of
an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A
promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented
by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the
offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a
Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to
the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all
material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by
reference in such Prospectus.
“ Registrable
Securities ” means the Shares issued pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement and the Warrant Shares, together with any
securities issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend or
other distribution, recapitalization or similar event, or any
conversion price adjustment with respect thereto.
“ Registration
Statement ” means each of the following:
(i) an initial registration statement which is required to
register the resale of the Registrable Securities, and
(ii) each additional registration statement, if any,
contemplated by Section 2(d), and including, in each case, the
Prospectus, amendments and supplements to each such registration
statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective
amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by
reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such
registration statement.
“ Rule 144 ”
means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the
Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the
Commission having substantially the same effect as such
Rule.
“ Rule 415 ”
means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the
Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the
Commission having substantially the same effect as such
Rule.
“ Rule 424 ”
means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the
Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the
Commission having substantially the same effect as such
Rule.
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“ Securities Act
” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“ Shares ” shall
have the meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
“ Warrant Shares
” shall have the meaning set forth in the Purchase
Agreement.
2.
Registration
.
(a)
On or prior to
each Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and file with the
Commission a Registration Statement covering the resale of all
Registrable Securities not already covered by an existing and
effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a
continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415. The Registration
Statement shall be on Form S-3 (except if the Company is not
then eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities on
Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on another
appropriate form for such purpose) and shall contain (except if
otherwise required pursuant to written comments received from the
Commission upon a review of such Registration Statement) the
“Plan of Distribution” in substantially the form
attached hereto as Annex A . The Company shall cause
the Registration Statement to be declared effective under the
Securities Act as soon as possible but, in any event, no later than
the Effectiveness Date, and shall use its best efforts to keep the
Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities
Act until the date which is two years after the date that the
Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission or
such earlier date when all Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statement have been sold or may be sold without volume
restrictions pursuant to Rule 144(k) as determined by the
counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such
effect, addressed and acceptable to the Company’s transfer
agent and the affected Holders (the “ Effectiveness
Period ”). It is agreed and understood that the Company
shall, from time to time, be obligated to file an additional
Registration Statement to cover any Registrable Securities which
are not registered for resale pursuant to a pre-existing
Registration Statement.
(b)
If for any reason
the Commission does not permit all of the Registrable Securities to
be included in the Registration Statement filed pursuant to
Section 2(a), then the Company shall prepare and file as soon
as possible after the date on which the Commission shall indicate
as being the first date or time that such filing may be made, but
in any event by the 30 th day following such
date, an additional Registration Statement covering the resale of
all Registrable Securities not already covered by an existing and
effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a
continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415, on Form S-3
(except if the Company is not then eligible to register for resale
the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case such
registration shall be on another appropriate form for such
purpose). Each such Registration Statement shall contain
(except if otherwise required pursuant to written comments received
from the Commission upon a review of such Registration Statement)
the “Plan of Distribution” in substantially the form
attached hereto as Annex A . The Company shall cause
each such Registration Statement to be declared effective under the
Securities Act as soon as possible but, in any event, no later than
the 90 th day following the date
on which the Company becomes aware that such Registration Statement
is required to be filed under this Agreement (each such 90
th
day, the
“Effectiveness Date” for such Registration Statement),
and shall use its
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best efforts to keep such
Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities
Act during the entire Effectiveness Period.
(c)
If: (i) a
Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to its Filing Date
(if the Company files a Registration Statement without affording
the Holders the opportunity to review and comment on the same as
required by Section 3(a) hereof, the Company shall not be
deemed to have satisfied this clause (i)), (ii) a Registration
Statement is not declared effective by the Commission on or prior
to its required Effectiveness Date, (iii) the Company fails to file
with the Commission a request for acceleration in accordance with
Rule 461 promulgated under the Securities Act, within seven Trading
Days of the date that the Company is notified (orally or in
writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that a
Registration Statement will not be “reviewed,” or not
subject to further review or (iv) after its Effective Date,
such Registration Statement ceases for any reason to be effective
and available to the Holders as to all Registrable Securities to
which it is required to cover at any time prior to the expiration
of its Effectiveness Period for an aggregate of more than 20
consecutive Trading Days or an aggregate of 40 Trading Days (which
need not be consecutive), (any such failure or breach being
referred to as an “Event,” and for purposes of clauses
(i) or (ii) the date on which such Event occurs, and for
purposes of clause (iii) the date which such 7 Trading Day period
is exceeded, and for purposes of clause (iv) the date which such 20
consecutive or 40 Trading Day-period (as applicable) is exceeded,
being referred to as “Event Date” ), then, in addition to any
other rights available to the Holders: (x) on such Event Date the
Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as liquidated
damages and not as a penalty, equal to 1% of the aggregate purchase
price paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement; and
(y) on each monthly anniversary of each such Event Date thereof (if
the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until
the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder
an amount in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty,
equal to 1.5% of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, provided , that all
periods shall be tolled, with respect to a Holder, by the number of
Trading Days in excess of five (5) during which such Holder
fails to provide the Company with information regarding such Holder
which was requested by the Company in order to effect the
registration of such Holder’s Registrable Securities. It
shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to
pay any liquidated damages pursuant to this Section 2 with
respect to the Registrable Securities of any Holder that such
Holder shall furnish to the Company such information regarding
itself and the Registrable Securities held by it. If the Company
fails to pay any liquidated damages pursuant to this
Section in full within seven days after the date payable, the
Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 12% per annum (or
such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by
applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such
liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such
interest thereon, are paid in full. The liquidated damages
pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a pro rata basis for
any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event.
3.
Registration
Procedures
In connection with the
Company’s registration obligations hereunder, the Company
shall:
(a)
Not less than
four Trading Days prior to the filing of a Registration Statement
or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
the Company shall furnish to the Holders copies of all such
documents proposed to be filed which documents (other than those
incorporated by reference) will be subject to the review of such
Holders. The Company shall not file a Registration Statement or any
such Prospectus or any amendments or
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supplements thereto to which
the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities shall
reasonably object in good faith.
(b)
(i) Prepare
and file with the Commission such amendments, including
post-effective amendments, to each Registration Statement and the
Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep
such Registration Statement continuously effective as to the
applicable Registrable Securities for its Effectiveness Period and
prepare and file with the Commission such additional Registration
Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act
all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related
Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus
supplement, and as so supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant
to Rule 424; (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably
possible, and in any event within ten Trading Days, to any comments
received from the Commission with respect to each Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto and, as promptly as reasonably
possible provide the Holders true and complete copies of all
correspondence from and to the Commission relating to such
Registration Statement that pertains to the Holders as Selling
Stockholders but not any comments that would result in the
disclosure to the Holders of material and non-public information
concerning the Company; and (iv) comply in all material
respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act with respect to the Registration Statements and the disposition
of all Registrable Securities covered by each Registration
Statement.
(c)
Notify the
Holders as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of
(i)(A) below, not less than three Trading Days prior to such
filing) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice
in writing no later than one Trading Day following the day
(i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed to
be filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether
there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement
and whenever the Commission comments in writing on such
Registration Statement (the Company shall provide true and complete
copies thereof and all written responses thereto to each of the
Holders that pertain to the Holders as a Selling Stockholder or to
the Plan of Distribution, but not information which the Company
believes would constitute material and non-public information); and
(C) with respect to each Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective;
(ii) of any request by the Commission or any other Federal or
state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to a
Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information
that pertains to the Holders as Selling Stockholders or the Plan of
Distribution; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any
stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement
covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation
of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by
the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of
the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the
Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the
initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose; and
(v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that
makes the financial statements included in a Registration Statement
ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in such
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any
material respect or that requires any revisions to such
Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in
the case of such Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the
case may be, it will not contain any untrue
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statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(d)
Use its best
efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the
withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of a
Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the
qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the
Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the
earliest practicable moment.
(e)
Furnish to each
Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each
Registration Statement and each amendment thereto and all exhibits
to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously
furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing
of such documents with the Commission; provided, that the Company
shall have no obligation to provide any document pursuant to this
clause that is available on the EDGAR system.
(f)
Promptly deliver
to each Holder, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus
or Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) and each
amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons may reasonably
request. The Company hereby consents to the use of such
Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the
selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the
Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment
or supplement thereto.
(g)
Prior to any
public offering of Registrable Securities, use its best efforts to
register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in
connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption
from such registration or qualification) of such Registrable
Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws
of those jurisdictions within the United States set forth on
Schedule 3(g) hereto to keep each such registration or
qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the
Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things
necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such
jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statements; provided , that the Company shall
not be required to qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or subject the
Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is
not then so subject.
(h)
Cooperate with
the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to
a transferee pursuant to the Registration Statements, which
certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase
Agreement, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such
Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered
in such names as any such Holders may request.
(i)
Upon the
occurrence of any event contemplated by Section&n
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