Exhibit 1.1
CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
6,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Dated: December 5, 2025
CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
6,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
December 5, 2025
PIPER SANDLER & CO.
OPPENHEIMER & CO. INC.
as Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o PIPER SANDLER & CO.
350 North 5th Street, Suite 1000
Minneapolis, MN 55401
c/o OPPENHEIMER & CO. INC.
85 Broad Street, 25th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Capricor Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Piper Sandler & Co., Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Piper Sandler & Co. and Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), with respect to the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of (i) the respective numbers of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) set forth in Schedule A hereto (the “Firm Shares”) and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 900,000 additional shares of Common Stock (the “Option Shares” and, together with the Firm Shares, the “Shares”).
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Shares as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-290179) covering the public offering and sale of certain securities, including the Shares, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”), which shelf registration statement was declared effective by the Commission on September 23, 2025. Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto to such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement;” provided, however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Shares, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of such registration statement with respect to the Shares within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B, including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to the Rule 430B. Any preliminary prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Shares, including the base prospectus included in the Registration Statement (the “Base Prospectus”), including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the
Company will prepare and file a final prospectus relating to the Shares in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The term “Prospectus” means the final prospectus, in the form first furnished or made available to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Shares, any preliminary prospectus and any amendments or further supplements to the Base Prospectus, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into the foregoing pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act.
For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system) (“EDGAR”).
As used in this Agreement:
“Applicable Time” means 6:15 A.M., New York City time, on December 5, 2025 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.
“General Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time (including any documents incorporated therein by reference), that is made available to investors prior to the Applicable Time and the information included on Schedule B-1 hereto, all considered together.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Shares that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Shares or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule B-2 hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “1934 Act”), incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
SECTION 1.Representations and Warranties.
Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness, each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the 1933 Act Regulations, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time and any Date of Delivery complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, and, in each case, at the Applicable Time, the Closing Time and any Date of Delivery complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act Regulations and any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”).
The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the fourth sentence of the third paragraph and the ninth paragraph under “Underwriting” in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).
SECTION 2.Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates or security entitlements for the Shares to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for their accounts, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price, for the Shares which they have agreed to purchase. The Representatives, individually and not as representatives of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
SECTION 3.Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(d)Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of any preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e)Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
(f)Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(g)Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”
(h)Listing. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
(i)Restriction on Sale of Shares. During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (D) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (E) the filing by the Company of a registration statement with the Commission on Form S-8 in respect of any shares or other equity instruments issued pursuant to any plans or programs described in (C) or (D) above, or (F) the sale or issuance of or entry into an agreement to sell or issue Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock in connection with any (1) mergers, (2) acquisition of securities, businesses, property or other assets, (3) joint ventures or (4) strategic alliances or relationships; provided, that the aggregate number of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock (on an as-converted or as-exercised basis, as the case may be) that the Company may sell or issue or agree to sell or issue pursuant to this clause (G) shall not exceed 5% of the total number of the Company’s Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately following the completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and provided further, that each recipient of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock pursuant to this clause (G) shall execute a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.
(j)Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the 1933 Act.
(k)Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representatives will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representatives. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representatives as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement which has not been superseded or modified, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
(l)Internal Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries will maintain such controls and other procedures, including without limitation those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the applicable regulations thereunder, that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission's rules and forms, including without limitation, controls and
procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including its principal executive officer and its principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure, to ensure that material information relating to Company, including its subsidiaries, is made known to them by others within those entities.
SECTION 4.Payment of Expenses.
(a)Expenses. The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, will pay or cause to be paid (A) all expenses (including transfer taxes allocated to the respective transferees) incurred in connection with the delivery to the Underwriters of the Shares, (B) all expenses and fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and counsel) in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, delivery, and shipping of the Registration Statement (including the financial statements therein and all amendments, schedules, and exhibits thereto), the Shares, each preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus and any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, and the printing, delivery, and shipping of this Agreement and other underwriting documents, including Blue Sky Memoranda (covering the states and other applicable jurisdictions), (C) all filing fees and fees and disbursements of the Underwriters’ counsel incurred in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale by the Underwriters or by dealers under the securities or blue sky laws of the states and other jurisdictions which you shall designate, (D) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar, (E) the filing fees and fees and disbursements of Underwriters’ counsel incident to any required review and approval by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Shares, (F) listing fees, if any, (G) the cost and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations or any “roadshow” undertaken in connection with marketing of the Shares, (H) the fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters in an amount not to exceed $90,000 in the aggregate, (I) all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incident to the offering and the performance of the obligations of the Representatives under this Agreement (aside from the fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters) in an amount not to exceed $10,000 in the aggregate, and (J) all other costs and expenses of the Company incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder that are not otherwise specifically provided for herein. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 9 hereof or if the sale of the Shares provided for herein is not consummated by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company to perform any agreement on its or their part to be performed, or because any other condition of the Underwriters’ obligations hereunder required to be fulfilled by the Company is not fulfilled, the Company will reimburse the several Underwriters for all out of pocket accountable disbursements (including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with their investigation, preparing to market and marketing the Shares or in contemplation of performing their obligations hereunder.
(b)Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or (iii) or Section 10 hereof, in lieu of reimbursement pursuant to clauses (H) and (I) of Sections 4(a), the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for (A) the fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters in an amount not to exceed $45,000 in the aggregate and (B) all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incident to the offering and the performance of the obligations of the Representatives under this Agreement (aside from the fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters) in an amount not to exceed $5,000 in the aggregate.
SECTION 5.Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a)Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has become effective and, at the Closing Time, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
(b)Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received (i) the opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Time, of Sidley Austin LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.
(c)Intellectual Property Opinion. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received an opinion related to the Company’s intellectual property, dated the Closing Time, of the Company’s intellectual property counsel, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such opinion for each of the other Underwriters.
(d)Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Time, of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., counsel for the Underwriters.
(e)Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.
(f)Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Rose, Snyder & Jacobs LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(g)Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Rose, Snyder & Jacobs LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.
(h)CFO Certificate. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from the Company’s chief financial officer a certificate, dated such date, including “management comfort” with respect to certain financial data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.
(i)Bringdown CFO Certificate. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from the Company’s chief financial officer a certificate, dated as of the Closing Time, including “management comfort” with respect to certain financial data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.
(j)Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(k)Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule C hereto.
(l)Rating. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have any debt securities or preferred stock that are rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the 1934 Act).
(m)Conditions to Purchase of Option Shares. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Shares, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:
(i)Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii)Opinion of Counsel for Company. If requested by the Representatives, the favorable opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, previously agreed upon by the Representatives and such counsel, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Shares to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.
(iii)Intellectual Property Opinion. An opinion related to the Company’s intellectual property, dated such Date of Delivery, of the Company’s intellectual property counsel, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters and otherwise to the same effect as the certificate required by Section 5(c) hereof.
(iv)Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. If requested by the Representatives, the favorable opinion of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Shares to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof.
(v)Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from Rose, Snyder & Jacobs LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(g) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(vi)Bring-down CFO Certificate. If requested by the Representatives, a certificate from the Company’s chief financial officer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof.
(n)Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any), counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
(o)Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Shares on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Shares, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any
party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16 and 17 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6.Indemnification.
(a)Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i)against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Prospectus or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii)against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;
(iii)against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement set forth in Section 6(a)(i) through (iii) above shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(b)Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(c)Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d)Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement unless such amounts are being contested by indemnifying party in good faith and with advice from counsel.
SECTION 7.Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Shares as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.
The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
SECTION 8.Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors, any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Shares.
SECTION 9.Termination of Agreement.
(a)Termination. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the Nasdaq Capital Market, or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE MKT or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Capital Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b)Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16 and 17 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10.Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Shares which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(i)if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Shares to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(ii)if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Shares to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Shares to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to the purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Shares, as the case may be, either the (i) Representatives or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION 11.Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Representatives shall be directed to Piper Sandler & Co., 350 North 5th Street, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, MN 55401, Attention: Equity Capital Markets, with a copy to Piper Sandler General Counsel at 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402 and LegalCapMarkets@pjc.com, and to Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. at 85 Broad Street, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10004, Attention: Peter Vogelsang, Telephone: (212) 667-8195, Email: IBLegal@opco.com, with copies to Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111, Attention: John T. Rudy. Notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 10865 Road to the Cure, Suite 150, San Diego, CA 92121, Attention: Chief Executive Officer, with copies to Sidley Austin LLP, 1001 Page Mill Road, Building 1, Palo Alto, CA 94304, Attention: Rob R. Carlson.
SECTION 12.No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Shares and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, and does not constitute a recommendation, investment advice, or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters, (b) in connection with the offering of the Shares and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its subsidiaries, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Shares or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company, any of its subsidiaries on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Shares except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory, investment or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Shares and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate, and (f) none of the activities of the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated herein constitutes a recommendation, investment advice or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters with respect to any entity or natural person.
SECTION 13.Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a)In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the
U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(b)In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
For purposes of this Section 13, a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
SECTION 14.Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 15.Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
SECTION 16.GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.
SECTION 17.Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
SECTION 18.TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 19.Counterparts and Electronic Signatures. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement. Electronic signatures complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law will be deemed original signatures for purposes of this Agreement. Transmission by telecopy, electronic mail or other transmission method of an executed counterpart of this Agreement will constitute due and sufficient delivery of such counterpart.
SECTION 20.Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By: /s/ Anthony Bergmann
Name: Anthony Bergmann, M.B.A.
Title: Chief Financial Officer
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
PIPER SANDLER & CO.
By: /s/ David Stadinski
Name: David Stadinski
Title: Managing Director
OPPENHEIMER & CO. INC.
By: /s/ Michael Margolis
Name: Michael Margolis, R.Ph.
Title: Senior Managing Director, Head of Healthcare Investment Banking
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
SCHEDULE A
The public offering price per Share shall be $25.00.
The purchase price per share for the Shares to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $23.50, being an amount equal to the public offering price set forth above less $1.50 per share.
Name of Underwriter | | Number of Firm Shares |
Piper Sandler & Co. | | 4,050,000 |
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. | | 1,650,000 |
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC | | 300,000 |
Total | | 6,000,000 |
SCHEDULE B-1
Pricing Terms
1.The Company is selling 6,000,000 Firm Shares.
2.The public offering price per Share shall be $25.00.
3. | The Company has granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 900,000 Option Shares. |
SCHEDULE B-2
Free Writing Prospectuses
None.
SCHEDULE C
List of Persons and Entities Subject to Lock-up
Linda Marbán, Ph.D.
Frank Litvack, M.D.
David B. Musket
George W. Dunbar Jr., M.B.A.
Karimah Es Sabar
Paul Auwaerter, M.D., M.B.A.
Philip Gotwals, Ph.D.
Michael Kelliher
Anthony Bergmann, M.B.A.
Karen G. Krasney, J.D.
Exhibit A
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
_____________, 2025
Re: | Underwriting Agreement, dated as of December 5, 2025 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) and Piper Sandler & Co. (“Piper Sandler”), as Representative of the several underwriters named in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement. |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Defined terms not otherwise defined in this letter agreement (the “Letter Agreement”) shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement. Pursuant to Section 5(i) of the Underwriting Agreement and in satisfaction of a condition of the Company’s obligations under the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned irrevocably agrees with Piper Sandler that, without the prior written consent of Piper Sandler, from the date hereof until ninety (90) days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement (such period, the “Restricted Period”), the undersigned will not offer, sell, contract to sell, lend, hypothecate, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition, whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise, by the undersigned or any affiliate, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (an “Affiliate”) of the undersigned or any person in privity with the undersigned or any Affiliate of the undersigned), directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), with respect to, any shares of Common Stock of the Company or securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable into, shares of Common Stock of the Company beneficially owned, held or hereafter acquired by the undersigned (the “Securities”). Beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act. In order to enforce this covenant, the Company shall impose irrevocable stop-transfer instructions preventing the transfer agent of the Company from effecting any actions in violation of this Letter Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer the Securities without the prior written consent of Piper Sandler, provided that (i) the Company receives a signed lock-up letter agreement (in the form of this Letter Agreement) for the balance of the Restricted Period from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be, prior to such transfer (ii) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (iii) such transfer is not required to be reported with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act and no report of such transfer shall be made voluntarily, and (iv) neither the undersigned nor any donee, trustee, distributee or transferee, as the case may be, otherwise voluntarily effects any public filing or report regarding such transfers, with respect to transfer:
i)as a bona fide gift or gifts;
ii) | to any immediate family member or to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this Letter Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); |
iii) | to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other business entity, all of the equity holders of which consist of the undersigned and/or the immediate family of the undersigned; |
iv) | if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (a) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an Affiliate of the undersigned; (b) in the form of a distribution to limited partners, limited liability company members or stockholders of the undersigned; or (c) in connection with the sale or other bona fide transfer in a single transaction of all or substantially all of the undersigned’s |
capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests or other similar equity interests, as the case may be, or all or substantially all of the undersigned’s assets, in any such case not undertaken for the purpose of avoiding the restrictions imposed by this Letter Agreement;
v)if the undersigned is a trust, to the beneficiary of such trust;
vi) | by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir, beneficiary or a member of the immediate family of the undersigned; |
vii) | of securities purchased in open market transactions after the Closing Time or Securities acquired in the offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement (the “Offering”); |
viii) | pursuant to a merger, consolidation, bona fide tender offer or other similar transaction made to all holders of Common Stock involving a change of control and approved by the Company’s board of directors; provided that in the event that such merger, consolidation, bona fide tender offer or other similar transaction is not completed, such securities held by the undersigned shall remain subject to the provisions of this agreement; |
ix) | of Securities by operation of law, including pursuant to a court or regulatory agency order, a settlement agreement, a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement; |
x) | in connection with the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (a “Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan”) for the transfer of Securities, provided that (a) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Securities during the Restricted Period, (b) no public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act shall be voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company during the Restricted Period regarding the establishment of such plan, and (c) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of a Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan during the Restricted Period, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Securities may be made under such Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan during the Restricted Period; or |
xi) | in connection with sales of Securities made pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan that has been entered into by the undersigned prior to the date of this Letter Agreement; provided that (a) such Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan was established by the undersigned prior to the execution of this Letter Agreement, a copy of such Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan was provided to Piper Sandler prior to the execution of this Letter Agreement, (b) such Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan will not be amended or otherwise modified during the Restricted Period, and (c) no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Securities, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period, unless such filing indicates in the footnotes thereto that the Securities were sold pursuant to such Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan. |
In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, this Letter Agreement shall not restrict the delivery of shares of Common Stock to the undersigned upon (a) exercise any options granted under any employee benefit plan of the Company; provided that any shares of Common Stock or Securities acquired in connection with any such exercise will be subject to the restrictions set forth in this Letter Agreement, (b) the exercise of warrants; provided that such shares of Common Stock delivered to the undersigned in connection with such exercise are subject to the restrictions set forth in this Letter Agreement; (c) the receipt of restricted stock awards from the Company. This Letter Agreement shall also not restrict the disposition of shares of Common Stock to the Company pursuant to the terms of any such plan, arrangement or awards specified in clauses (a), (b) and (c) to satisfy tax withholding obligations or the payment of taxes or any exercise price due with respect to the vesting of restricted stock awards or the cashless exercise or net exercise of stock options or upon termination of employment with the Company.
The undersigned acknowledges that the execution, delivery and performance of this Letter Agreement is a material inducement to the Underwriters to complete the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and the Company shall be entitled to specific performance of the undersigned’s obligations hereunder. The undersigned hereby represents that the undersigned has the power and authority to execute, deliver and perform this Letter
Agreement, that the undersigned has received adequate consideration therefor and that the undersigned will indirectly benefit from the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement.
This Letter Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified in any respect without the written consent of each of the Company and the undersigned. This Letter Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to the principles of conflict of laws. The undersigned hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States District Court sitting in the Southern District of New York and the courts of the State of New York located in Manhattan, for the purposes of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Letter Agreement, and hereby waives, and agrees not to assert in any such suit, action or proceeding, any claim that (i) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such court, (ii) the suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (iii) the venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. The undersigned hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by receiving a copy thereof sent to the Company at the address in effect for notices to it under the Underwriting Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. The undersigned hereby waives any right to a trial by jury. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. The undersigned agrees and understands that this Letter Agreement does not intend to create any relationship between the undersigned and the Underwriters, but that the Underwriters are third-party beneficiaries of this Letter Agreement.
This Letter Agreement shall automatically terminate and the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this agreement upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (a) either the Company, on the one hand, or Piper Sandler, on the other hand, advising the other in writing, prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that they have determined not to proceed with the Offering, (b) termination of the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) prior to the closing of the Offering, and (c) the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the Offering is withdrawn.
This Letter Agreement shall be binding on successors and assigns of the undersigned with respect to the Securities and any such successor or assign shall enter into a similar agreement for the benefit of the Underwriters
***SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS***
This Letter Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together may be considered one and the same agreement.
_________________________
Signature
__________________________
Print Name
__________________________
Position in Company, if any
Address for Notice:
__________________________
__________________________
By signing below, the Company agrees to enforce the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Letter Agreement.
CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By: _________________________________
Name:
Title: