EXHIBIT 10.1
FORM OF VOTING
AGREEMENT
THIS VOTING AGREEMENT (this “
Agreement ”) is made and entered into as of October
30, 2006 by and between Merck & Co., Inc., a New Jersey
corporation (“ Acquiror ”), and the undersigned
securityholder (“ Stockholder ”) of Sirna
Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Sirna
”).
RECITALS:
A. Acquiror,
Sirna and Merger Sub (as defined below) are concurrently entering
into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “ Merger
Agreement ”), which provides for the merger (the “
Merger ”) of Spinnaker Acquisition Corp., a Delaware
corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Acquiror (“
Merger Sub ”), with and into Sirna, pursuant to which
all outstanding capital stock of Sirna will be converted into the
right to receive the consideration set forth in the Merger
Agreement.
B. Stockholder
is the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “
Exchange Act ”)) of such number of shares of the
outstanding capital stock of Sirna, and such number of shares of
capital stock of Sirna issuable upon the exercise of outstanding
options and warrants, as set forth on the signature page
hereof.
C. As an
inducement and a condition to entering into the Merger Agreement by
Acquiror, Acquiror has requested that Stockholder agree, and
Stockholder has agreed (in Stockholder’s capacity as such,
and not in any other capacity, including as a director or officer
of Sirna, as applicable), to enter into this Agreement in order to
facilitate the consummation of the Merger.
NOW,
THEREFORE ,
intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
1.
Definitions . For the purposes of this Agreement,
capitalized terms that are used but not defined herein shall have
the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Merger
Agreement.
(a) “
Expiration Date ” shall mean the earliest to occur of
(i) the date and time as the Merger Agreement shall have been
validly terminated according to its terms and (ii) the date
and time as the Merger shall become effective in accordance with
the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger
Agreement.
(b) “
Person ” shall mean any individual, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association,
trust, unincorporated organization or other entity.
(c) “
Shares ” shall mean: (i) all securities of Sirna
(including all shares of capital stock of Sirna and all options,
warrants and other rights to acquire shares of capital stock of
Sirna) owned by Stockholder as of the date of this Agreement, and
(ii) all additional securities of Sirna (including all
additional shares of capital stock of Sirna and all additional
options, warrants and other rights to acquire shares of capital
stock of Sirna) which Stockholder acquires beneficial
ownership
during the period commencing with
the execution and delivery of this Agreement until the Expiration
Date.
(d) “
Transfer ” shall mean, with respect to
any security, the direct or indirect assignment, sale, transfer,
tender, pledge, hypothecation, or the gift, placement in trust, or
other disposition of such security (excluding transfers by
testamentary or intestate succession or otherwise by operation of
law) or any right, title or interest therein (including, but not
limited to, any right or power to vote to which the holder thereof
may be entitled, whether such right or power is granted by proxy or
otherwise), or the record or beneficial ownership thereof, the
offer to make such a sale, transfer, or other disposition, and each
agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing,
to effect any of the foregoing; provided , however ,
the exercise of any Warrant shall not be deemed to constitute the
Transfer of such Warrant or the underlying Shares.
2.
Restriction on Transfer, Proxies and Non-Interference
. At all times during the period commencing with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and continuing until the
Expiration Date, Stockholder shall not, directly or indirectly,
(A) cause or permit the Transfer of any of the Shares to be
effected or enter into any contract, option or other agreement with
respect to, or consent to, a Transfer of, any of the Shares or
Stockholder’s voting or economic interest therein,
(B) grant any proxies or powers of attorney with respect to
any of the Shares, deposit any of the Shares into a voting trust or
enter into a voting agreement or other similar commitment or
arrangement with respect to any of the Shares in contravention of
the obligations of Stockholder under this Agreement,
(C) request that Sirna register the Transfer in contravention
of this Agreement of any certificate or uncertificated interest
representing any of the Shares or (D) permit any such Shares to be,
or become subject to, any pledges, liens, preemptive rights,
security interests, claims, charges or other encumbrances or
arrangements (each, an “ Encumbrance
”).
3.
Agreement to Vote Shares . During the period commencing on
the date hereof and continuing until the Expiration Date, at every
meeting of stockholders of Sirna called with respect to any of the
following, and at every adjournment or postponement thereof, and on
every action or approval by written consent of stockholders of
Sirna with respect to any of the following, Stockholder shall vote,
to the extent not voted by the Person(s) appointed as proxies under
Section 4, or shall cause the record holder of any Shares on
the applicable record date to appear (in Person or by proxy) and
vote the Shares entitled to vote thereon:
(a) in favor of
adoption and approval of the Merger Agreement and the Merger
contemplated thereby, including each other action, agreement and
transaction contemplated by or in furtherance of the Merger
Agreement, the Merger and this Agreement;
(b) against
approval of any proposal made in opposition to, or in competition
with, consummation of the Merger and the transactions contemplated
by the Merger Agreement;
(c) except as
otherwise agreed to in writing in advance by Acquiror, against any
other action, proposal, transaction or agreement that would compete
with or serve to interfere with, delay, discourage, adversely
affect or inhibit the timely consummation of the Merger;
and
(d) against any
Acquisition Proposal (other than the Acquisition Proposal
contemplated by the Merger Agreement).
4.
Irrevocable Proxy . Stockholder hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally revokes any and all previous proxies granted with
respect to the Shares. By entering into this Agreement, Stockholder
hereby irrevocably and unconditionally grants a proxy appointing
Richard Kender and John Mustillo of Acquiror as such
Stockholder’s attorneys-in-fact and proxies, with full power
of substitution, for and in such Stockholder’s name, to vote,
express, consent or dissent, or otherwise to utilize such voting
power solely as specifically set forth in Section 3 as to the
matters specified in Section 3. The proxy granted by Stockholder
pursuant to this Section 4 is coupled with an interest and is
irrevocable and is granted in consideration of Acquiror entering
into this Agreement and incurring certain related fees and
expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the proxy granted by
Stockholder shall be revoked upon termination of this Agreement in
accordance with its terms. Such irrevocable proxy is executed and
intended to be irrevocable in accordance with Section 212(e) of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “
DGCL ”). Acquiror covenants and agrees that Richard
Kender and John Mustillo of Acquiror shall attend any stockholder
meeting called with respect to the matters in Section 3 either in
person or by proxy, and shall vote all the Shares as contemplated
by Section 3 at any such meeting, including any adjournment or
postponement thereof.
5. No
Solicitations . From the date hereof until the Expiration Date,
Stockholder agrees neither Stockholder nor any of its Affiliates
(it being agreed that the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be
considered Affiliates of Stockholder for purposes of this Section
5), officers or directors shall, and Stockholder shall not permit
the employees, agents or representatives, including any investment
banker, attorney, consultant or accountant of the Stockholder or
any of its Affiliates on its behalf to, take any action prohibited
by Section 7.2 or Section 7.3 of the Merger Agreement (assuming,
for purposes of this Section 5, that Stockholder is a
“Representative” of the Company as defined in the
Merger Agreement).
6.
Alternative Transaction Payment .
(a) If (i) the
Merger Agreement shall have been terminated (A) by Sirna pursuant
to Section 9.3(a) thereof or Acquiror pursuant to Section 9.4(a) or
(b) thereof or (B) by Sirna or Acquiror pursuant to Section 9.2(a)
or 9.2(b) thereof, and, in either case, a proposal for an
Alternative Transaction shall have been made public and not been
withdrawn prior to the time of the Stockholders’ Meeting (or
at any adjournment thereof) and (ii) Sirna enters into a definitive
agreement with respect to an Alternative Transaction within twelve
(12) months after the termination of the Merger Agreement or an
Alternative Transaction is consummated within twelve (12) months
after the date of such termination, then Stockholder shall pay to
Acquiror, within two business days after receipt, an amount equal
to 50% of the Profit (as defined in Section 6(d) below), if any,
(x) received by Stockholder or (y) that would have received by
Stockholder as a result of Shares held by Stockholder on the date
hereof in connection with consummation of such Alternative
Transaction. Any payment to Acquiror hereunder shall be made in the
same form as the consideration received from such transaction (and,
if the consideration so received was in more than one form, then in
the same proportion as the forms of consideration so
received).
(b) If Acquiror
shall have increased the Merger Consideration to an amount per
share greater than $13.00 and the Merger shall have been
consummated, then each Stockholder shall pay to Acquiror, within
two business days after receipt, an amount equal to 50% of the
Profit received by
such Stockholder in connection with
consummation of the Merger. Any payment to Acquiror hereunder shall
be made in the same form as the consideration received from the
Merger (and, if the consideration so received was in more than one
form, then in the same proportion as the forms of consideration so
received).
(c) Any payment
to be made hereunder on account of Profit (i) received in cash,
shall be paid by wire transfer of same day funds to an account
designated by Acquiror and (ii) received in the form of securities
or other property, shall be paid through delivery to Acquiror of
the securities or property, suitably endorsed for transfer free and
clear of all liens, charges, encumbrances, voting agreements, and
commitments of every kind (other than those imposed by, through or
under the Alternative Transaction or as required by
law).
(d) (i)
For purposes of this Section 6, “Profit” of a
Stockholder in connection with the consummation of an Alternative
Transaction (or, in the case of Section 6(b) above, the Merger)
shall equal the aggregate consideration that such Stockholder
received or would have received as
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