Form S-1/A CinCor Pharma, Inc.

January 3, 2022 6:34 AM EST
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 3, 2022.

Registration No. 333-261738

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

AMENDMENT NO.2

TO

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   2834   36-4931245
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

200 Clarendon Street, 6th Floor

Boston, MA 02116

(844) 531-1834

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Marc de Garidel

Chief Executive Officer

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

200 Clarendon Street, 6th Floor

Boston, MA 02116

(844) 531-1834

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

Ryan Sansom

Divakar Gupta

Courtney T. Thorne

Cooley LLP

500 Boylston Street

Boston, MA 02116

(617) 937-2300

 

Lisa Firenze

Ryan S. Brewer

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP

7 World Trade Center

250 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10007

(212) 230-8800

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement is declared effective.

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  ☐

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer

 

☐

  

Accelerated filer

 

☐

Non-accelerated filer

 

☒

  

Smaller reporting company

 

☒

    

Emerging growth company

 

☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of
Securities To Be Registered
  Amount to be
registered (1)
  Proposed maximum
offering price per
share
  Proposed maximum
aggregate
offering Price(2)
  Amount of
registration Fee(3)

Common stock, $0.00001 par value per share

  12,650,000   $17.00   $215,050,000   $19,936

 

 

(1)

Includes 1,650,000 shares that the underwriters have the option to purchase.

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(3)

Of this amount, the registrant previously paid $9,270 in connection with the prior filing of this Registration Statement.

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED January 3, 2022

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

11,000,000 Shares

 

 

LOGO

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

COMMON STOCK

 

 

CinCor Pharma, Inc. is offering 11,000,000 shares of common stock. This is our initial public offering and no public market exists for our common stock. We anticipate that the initial public offering price will be between $15.00 and $17.00 per share.

 

 

We have applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market under the trading symbol “CINC.”

 

 

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under U.S. federal securities laws and, as such, will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements for this prospectus and future filings. See “Prospectus Summary—Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company.” Investing in our common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 14 of this prospectus.

 

 

 

      

Per Share

      

Total

 

Initial Public Offering Price

       $                  $          

Underwriting Discounts and Commissions(1)

       $                      $              

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

       $                          $                  

 

(1)

We refer you to “Underwriting” for additional information regarding total underwriter compensation.

 

 

At our request, the underwriters have reserved up to 5% of the shares offered by this prospectus, for sale at the initial public offering price in a directed share program, to our directors, officers, employees and business associates and other parties related to us. See the section titled “Underwriters—Directed Share Program.”

We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 30 days to purchase up to an additional 1,650,000 shares of our common stock.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of common stock against payment in New York, New York on or about                , 2022.

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

MORGAN STANLEY   JEFFERIES        EVERCORE ISI

 

Lead Manager

 

OPPENHEIMER & CO.

The date of this prospectus is                 , 2022


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

Prospectus Summary

     1  

Risk Factors

     14  

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     72  

Market and Industry Data

     74  

Use of Proceeds

     75  

Dividend Policy

     76  

Capitalization

     77  

Dilution

     79  

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

     82  

Business

     97  

Management

     134  
 

 

 

Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectuses we have prepared. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may provide you. We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of the common stock.

For investors outside of the United States: we have not, and the underwriters have not, done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than the United States. Persons outside of the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the shares of common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside of the United States.

All trademarks, trade names and service marks appearing in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this prospectus may be referred to without the ® and ™ symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert their rights thereto.

 

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights, and is qualified in its entirety by, information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in our common stock. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, especially the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, before making an investment decision. As used in this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires, references to “we,” “us,” “our,” “the company,” and “CinCor” and similar references in this prospectus refer to CinCor Pharma, Inc.

OVERVIEW

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing our lead clinical candidate, CIN-107, for the treatment of hypertension and other cardio-renal diseases. CIN-107 is a highly selective, oral small molecule inhibitor of aldosterone synthase, the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of aldosterone in the adrenal gland. CIN-107 has been designed to use a differentiated mechanism of action, direct inhibition of aldosterone synthase production, with the goal of providing an improved treatment for patients suffering from hypertension, or high blood pressure. Despite the widespread availability of multiple antihypertensive agents, there remains a significant unmet medical need as more than half of the 108 million hypertensive patients in the United States do not achieve blood pressure control. We are evaluating the efficacy and safety profile of CIN-107 as a potential treatment for the broader hypertensive population, including different subpopulations of hypertensive patients who have not achieved blood pressure control despite treatment. We are conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial, which we refer to as our BrigHtn trial, of CIN-107 in patients whose blood pressure is not controlled despite treatment with three antihypertensive agents, including a diuretic, which is referred to as treatment resistant hypertension, or rHTN, and have recently initiated a separate Phase 2 clinical trial, which we refer to as our HALO trial, in patients with elevated aldosterone levels whose blood pressure is not controlled despite treatment with one antihypertensive agent, which is referred to as uncontrolled hypertension, or uHTN. In addition to hypertension, we are developing CIN-107 for the treatment of primary aldosteronism, or PA, and exploring its utility in ameliorating complications of chronic kidney disease, or CKD. Earlier this year, we initiated a Phase 2 clinical trial of CIN-107 in patients with confirmed PA, which we refer to as our spark-PA trial, and plan to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with CKD who have uncontrolled blood pressure in the first half of 2022.

In August 2021, we conducted a review of blinded, preliminary safety data from our ongoing BrigHtn trial and reviewed data of 124 patients who had either completed 12 weeks of treatment or withdrew from the trial. The purpose of this blinded data review was to enable an assessment of the overall management and conduct of the trial, without unblinding any individual patient data. Due to the preliminary and blinded nature of the data, this interim data set was not subject to the standard quality control measures typically associated with final clinical trial results. The mean systolic blood pressure, or SBP, at baseline was 147 mm Hg and, following 12 weeks, SBP levels declined to a mean of 132 mm Hg for the 124 patients included in the review, including patients in the placebo cohort. Due to the blinded nature of the BrigHtn trial, we currently do not know if participants receiving CIN-107 experienced any decrease in blood pressure, or if the decreases in blood pressure, if any, differed from participants receiving a placebo. In addition, the BrigHtn trial is ongoing, and we will not know whether treatment with CIN-107 lowers blood pressure in a clinically meaningful manner until all clinical trials we intend to complete prior to submitting a request for marketing authorization have been conducted and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, makes its efficacy determination. Furthermore, this preliminary data is not subject to the same quality control measures as final data, which creates a risk that the final results could be materially different from the preliminary results observed in this blinded data review. We expect to announce top-line data from the final results of this trial in the second half of 2022.

 

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Aldosterone is a steroid hormone synthesized in the adrenal gland that regulates water and salt balance in the human body. It causes retention of water and salt by the kidney, a genomic effect that contributes to the pathogenesis of hypertension. In addition to this genomic effect, aldosterone induces certain indirect, non-genomic effects, including pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic effects, increases in oxidative stress, as well as cardiac muscle cell hypertrophy and remodeling. Increasing evidence shows a correlation between these non-genomic effects of aldosterone and a worsening of patient outcomes, particularly in patients who have heart disease or kidney disease. Given these potentially deleterious effects of aldosterone, inhibiting its effects is a well understood mechanism of action for the treatment of hypertension and other cardio-renal diseases, such as PA and CKD.

Hypertension is one of the world’s leading causes of mortality. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the U.S. CDC, approximately 500,000 people still die every year in the United States with uncontrolled blood pressure listed as a primary or secondary cause of death. Despite decades of understanding the importance of controlling hypertension and the widespread availability of multiple approved therapies, only 43.7% of the 108 million U.S. adults with hypertension achieve blood pressure levels of less than 140/90 mm Hg, despite the recommended target blood pressure goal being less than 130/80 mm Hg. Additionally, of those patients taking one or more antihypertensive agents, it is estimated that approximately 35% have uncontrolled blood pressure. Although the evidence for the benefits of reducing blood pressure is overwhelming and has been consistently supported by the medical community’s recommendations to drive blood pressure to lower levels, the current standard-of-care has not meaningfully changed in more than a decade, with no new classes of antihypertensive agents approved during that period.

There are multiple standard-of-care antihypertensive agents currently available, including angiotensin converting enzyme, or ACE, inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers, or ARBs, which are designed to inhibit the production of aldosterone at different points along the renin angiotensin-aldosterone system, or RAAS, axis, as well as mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, or MRAs, which block the effects of aldosterone at the mineralocorticoid receptor. Despite the widespread availability and use of these antihypertensive agents, many of which are available as generic products, each class of drugs currently available is associated with significant limitations. For example, a significant proportion of patients taking ACE inhibitors and ARBs for prolonged periods of time experience aldosterone breakthrough, where plasma aldosterone levels return to or exceed baseline levels. In addition, the extent of aldosterone reduction achieved with ACE inhibitors and ARBs is less than what could be achieved with aldosterone synthase inhibitors that directly inhibit aldosterone synthesis. In the case of MRAs, blocking the effects of aldosterone at the mineralocorticoid receptor level often leads to increases in aldosterone synthesis, which ultimately requires higher doses of the MRA agent to compensate for these effects. The MRAs that are currently available, particularly spironolactone, are also associated with multiple side effects that prevent their widespread use, including a variety of anti-androgenic effects such as breast tenderness and enlargement in men, decreased libido in men and menstrual irregularities in women. In addition, spironolactone treatment can lead to potentially harmful increases in blood potassium levels. Given both the importance of reducing aldosterone and the limitations of currently available therapies, we believe that CIN-107 has the potential to have a significant impact on the treatment paradigm for hypertension and other cardio-renal diseases.

 

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OUR PIPELINE

We are developing CIN-107 for the treatment of multiple diseases where aldosterone plays a significant role in disease pathophysiology, including hypertension and PA. We are also exploring its utility in ameliorating complications of CKD. To support the advancement of this “pipeline-in-a-product” opportunity, we are currently conducting and plan to initiate additional Phase 2 clinical trials of CIN-107 for different indications and patient populations. The following table summarizes our CIN-107 pipeline across multiple indications.

 

 

LOGO

*

We plan to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CIN-107 in patients with CKD who have uncontrolled blood pressure. As we explore the utility of CIN-107 in treating hypertension in patient with CKD, we will evaluate the best path for maximizing the value of CIN-107, including as a monotherapy or in combination with other treatments for the treatment of CKD.

 

CIN-107 Overview

Directly inhibiting aldosterone synthesis has long been a goal in therapeutic drug development as the relationship between elevated levels of aldosterone and the progression of multiple diseases is well understood. However, the challenge has been developing a molecule with the ability to safely inhibit aldosterone production without negatively impacting cortisol synthesis. The major enzymes responsible for the synthesis of aldosterone and cortisol share approximately 93% amino acid sequence similarity, and therefore, a highly selective aldosterone synthesis inhibitor is required. Multiple programs in development by others have been discontinued over the past several years due to, what we believe is, their product candidates’ lack of selectivity, which resulted in the simultaneous inhibition of both aldosterone and cortisol. Off-target suppression of cortisol leads to compromised stress and immunologic responses, adverse impact on metabolic functions and increased risk of mortality.

CIN-107 was designed with high selectivity to specifically overcome this challenge. In particular, CIN-107 selectively targets aldosterone synthase, which is encoded by the CYP11B2 gene. Importantly, it has low affinity for 11ß-hydroxylase, the enzyme responsible for cortisol synthesis, which is encoded by the CYP11B1 gene. In multiple preclinical in vivo studies, CIN-107 significantly lowered aldosterone levels without affecting cortisol levels, across a wide range of doses. Similar observations were made in multiple Phase 1 clinical trials in healthy volunteers. We observed a dose-dependent reduction of plasma aldosterone levels with patients receiving a 10 mg dose demonstrating an approximately 85% to 90% reduction in the single ascending dose trial, and with patients receiving a 1.5 mg to 5 mg dose range demonstrating a 65% to 71% reduction in the multiple ascending

 

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dose trial. These reductions were compared to baseline levels measured the day prior to initial dosing and were not observed in individuals receiving a placebo. Importantly, no effects on cortisol levels were observed at doses up to 360 mg, the highest dose evaluated. In the multiple ascending dose trial, for doses up to 5 mg once-daily administered for 10 days, there was no observed suppression of cortisol synthesis.

To date, multiple Phase 1 clinical trials of CIN-107 have been conducted in healthy volunteers to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of CIN-107. CIN-107 was well tolerated in healthy volunteers across all Phase 1 clinical trials conducted to date, with no serious adverse events, or SAEs, or treatment-emergent adverse events, or TEAEs, leading to treatment withdrawal associated with CIN-107.

In addition, a Phase 1 clinical trial was conducted in subjects with varying degrees of renal function. In this trial, one SAE not related to CIN-107 was observed.

Based on the preclinical and clinical data available to date, we are developing CIN-107 in multiple diseases where aldosterone plays a significant role in disease pathophysiology, including hypertension and PA. We are also exploring its utility in ameliorating complications of CKD.

Hypertension

The first indication we are pursuing for CIN-107 is hypertension, with an initial focus on the subpopulation of patients with rHTN. Hypertension, which is defined by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association as resting blood pressure above 130/80 mm Hg, is generally acknowledged to be the most common preventable risk factor for premature death worldwide. Though often asymptomatic, hypertension significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, amongst other diseases. It is estimated that as much as 20% of the global population suffers from hypertension, and the U.S. CDC estimated that as many as 108 million Americans could be hypertensive and that hypertension costs the United States approximately $131 billion per year. Patients who fail to maintain blood pressure levels of 130/80 mm Hg or less, despite being compliant with at least three antihypertensive agents, of which one is a diuretic, are considered to have rHTN. The rHTN patient population represents an estimated 17% to 20% of the total hypertensive population in the United States, or approximately 12-15 million individuals. For these patients, treatment options are limited and the current standard-of-care is to introduce an MRA agent to their antihypertensive regimen. Patients with rHTN have approximately five times the number of cardiovascular events per 100 patient-years than hypertensive patients with blood pressure control.

We are currently conducting our BrigHtn trial, in hypertensive patients who failed to achieve blood pressure control on three antihypertensive agents, including a diuretic, at their maximally tolerated doses. In addition, we recently initiated our HALO trial in hypertensive patients with elevated aldosterone levels who have failed to achieve blood pressure control on one antihypertensive agent.

Primary Aldosteronism (PA)

PA is a hormonal disorder that is caused by the autonomous production of aldosterone by the adrenal gland and often leads to hypertension that can be difficult to treat. Although previously considered a rare disease, PA is now understood to be one of the more common causes of secondary hypertension, accounting for 5% to 10% of all hypertensive patients and approximately 20% to 30% of patients with rHTN, or approximately 5 to 11 million individuals in the United States. Compared to primary hypertension, PA causes more end-organ damage and is associated with higher risks of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and can result in heart failure or stroke. Therefore, it is now increasingly recognized that it is important to diagnose these patients early in their disease progression. However, PA continues to be underdiagnosed due to the complexity of the current diagnostic guidelines recommended by the Endocrine Society and the inherent variability in plasma aldosterone measurements.

The overall treatment goal in patients with PA is to prevent the morbidity and mortality associated with hypertension, hypokalemia, renal toxicity and cardiovascular damage. In addition to antihypertensive agents,

 

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such as ACE inhibitors and ARBs, PA patients are often treated with an MRA agent, such as spironolactone, or in some rare cases, by surgical resection of the adrenal gland. However, MRAs, including spironolactone, are associated with multiple adverse effects, including a variety of anti-androgenic effects.

In light of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics profile observed in Phase 1 trials, we are evaluating the potential of CIN-107 as a treatment for PA in our recently initiated Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with confirmed PA.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

CKD is a condition characterized by a gradual degradation of renal function over time as measured by glomerular filtration rate, or GFR, which measures how much blood the kidneys filter each minute, and by proteinuria levels. According to the CDC, CKD afflicts approximately 15% of the U.S. adult population, or approximately 37 million people. Hypertension, diabetes and glomerulonephritis, or inflammation of the tiny filters in the kidneys, are considered to be the leading contributing factors to the development and progression of CKD. CKD has no cure, and currently available therapeutic options are designed to delay the onset of the more severe manifestations of the disease, most notably kidney failure. Patients with early-stage CKD are recommended to undertake dietary and lifestyle changes in order to improve overall health and reduce renal stress. Given the role of hypertension in CKD, many of the therapeutics prescribed to treat hypertension are also used for the treatment of CKD.

Aldosterone plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of CKD through its hypertensive effect and its non-genomic effects, which are known to enhance oxidative stress and promote inflammation and fibrosis. All of these deleterious effects are known to exert pressure on kidney function, especially over the multi-year course of disease progression. Multiple third-party studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated that inhibiting the effect of aldosterone reduces proteinuria, as measured by the level of albumin in the urine, and ultimately delays the progression of CKD. Reductions in systemic aldosterone levels are associated with a blood pressure lowering effect, as well as a direct effect on the progression of CKD. We plan to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CIN-107 in patients with CKD who have uncontrolled blood pressure in the first half of 2022. As we explore the utility of CIN-107 in ameliorating the complications of CKD, we will evaluate the best path for maximizing the value of CIN-107, including as a monotherapy or in combination with other treatments.

OUR STRATEGY

Our strategy is focused on developing and commercializing CIN-107 for the treatment of multiple cardio-renal diseases in which aldosterone is known to play a significant role in the disease pathophysiology, including hypertension and PA. We are also exploring its utility in ameliorating complications of CKD. Key elements of our strategy include the following:

 

  •  

Advance CIN-107 through clinical development for the treatment of rHTN. We are currently conducting our BrigHtn trial in patients with rHTN, and expect topline data in the second half of 2022. While we expect the FDA to provide a label for hypertension broadly, if CIN-107 is approved, we plan to focus our initial commercial efforts on patients with rHTN, which represents a patient population of approximately 12-15 million individuals in the United States who have limited treatment options and significant unmet medical need.

 

  •  

Expand the hypertension opportunity for CIN-107 to include patients with uHTN and use as an earlier line of therapy. Despite the widespread availability of multiple, generic antihypertensive agents, which are often used in combination, an overwhelming number of patients are considered to have uHTN because they continue to fail to reach target blood pressure goals. There is growing evidence in scientific literature demonstrating that elevated aldosterone levels play a direct role in the pathogenesis of hypertension in the broader hypertensive population. Therefore, we believe a highly selective aldosterone synthase inhibitor, like CIN-107, that is designed to specifically target aldosterone production may address one of the primary underlying causes of hypertension, thereby

 

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allowing more patients to achieve their target blood pressure goal with fewer antihypertensive agents. We believe CIN-107 may provide clinical benefit for patients at an earlier point in their course of treatment than currently available treatments, as opposed to waiting until the patient fails to achieve blood pressure control with three or more antihypertensive agents. To evaluate the potential of CIN-107 as an earlier line of therapy and in a broader patient population, we recently initiated our HALO trial in patients with elevated aldosterone levels who failed to achieve blood pressure control on one antihypertensive agent.

 

  •  

Leverage the clinical development of CIN-107 in hypertension, if successful, to efficiently develop CIN-107 for the treatment of PA. PA results from the autonomous production of excess aldosterone and affects approximately 5-10% of the total hypertensive population in the United States. This population is associated with worse outcomes and higher risks of cardiovascular events than the general hypertensive population. Therefore, it is important to identify these patients at an early stage of their disease progression in order to control their blood pressure and reduce the secondary effects of the disease. However, PA is currently underdiagnosed due to the complexity of the diagnostic guidelines and the inherent variability in plasma aldosterone measurements. We initiated our spark-PA trial to evaluate the potential of CIN-107 as a treatment for hypertension in patients with PA earlier this year. Based on recent literature, we are using the measurement of 24-hour urine aldosterone levels in addition to plasma aldosterone levels to assess aldosterone status in patients participating in the trial. We believe the adoption of a 24-hour urine aldosterone measurement could improve PA diagnosis rates and provide an improved approach to identifying the patients who are most likely to benefit from treatment with CIN-107.

 

  •  

Develop CIN-107 as a potentially differentiated treatment for CKD by modifying disease progression. Multiple third-party clinical trials and meta-analyses have demonstrated that blocking the effect of aldosterone reduces proteinuria and delays the progression of CKD. Long-term use of current standard-of-care agents for CKD are associated with aldosterone breakthrough, where patients experience aldosterone levels reverting back to or exceeding baseline, and can lead to poor patient outcomes. Based on the results of our preclinical and Phase 1 clinical trials of CIN-107, we plan to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CIN-107 in patients with CKD who have uncontrolled blood pressure in the first half of 2022.

 

  •  

Opportunistically evaluate strategic partnerships to maximize the value of CIN-107. We acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to CIN-107 from F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Hoffmann La-Roche Inc., whom we collectively refer to in this prospectus as Roche. As we advance the development of CIN-107 across multiple diseases and continue to generate additional non-clinical and clinical data, we will evaluate the best path for maximizing the value of CIN-107, including in combination with other treatments for certain indications, such as CKD. For certain geographies, we may opportunistically enter into strategic partnerships to accelerate the development and maximize the commercial potential of CIN-107. In addition, there are several diseases where aldosterone plays a significant role, such as heart failure, that we do not currently plan to pursue on our own, but may seek to opportunistically partner with one or more third parties in order to further expand the commercial potential of CIN-107.

OUR CORPORATE HISTORY AND TEAM

We were incorporated in March 2018 and founded as a subsidiary of CinRx Pharma, LLC, or CinRx, a biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics. In May 2019, we entered into an agreement with Roche for an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license to certain Roche technology to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize a novel aldosterone synthase inhibitor compound, CIN-107, for any and all diseases and conditions. In connection with the closing of our Series A preferred stock financing and the execution of our in-licensing transaction with Roche, we were spun out as an independent company. We continued to rely on CinRx for the development of CIN-107 until the fall of 2021 when we closed our Series B preferred stock financing and hired our own management team and operational personnel. For further

 

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information, please see the sections titled “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Dependence on Third Parties—We have delivered notice to terminate our Management Services Agreement with CinRx, a related party we have relied on to provide us with services since our inception, and we may not be able to effectively replace those services.” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC” elsewhere in this prospectus.

Our co-founders and senior management team have extensive leadership and scientific experience in cardiovascular and specialty drug discovery and development. Our Chief Executive Officer, Marc de Garidel, has over 35 years of leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and is currently the chairman of the board of directors of Ipsen S.A. Prior to joining us, Mr. de Garidel served as chief executive officer of Corvidia Therapeutics, which was sold to Novo Nordisk in July 2020 for up to $2.1 billion, and prior to that, he served as chief executive officer of Ipsen S.A. Our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer, Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A., has an accomplished track record as a leader across finance, business development and operations for public biopharmaceutical and other publicly traded and private companies. Our Executive Vice President, Clinical Development, Mason Freeman, M.D., has been deeply involved in the development of multiple, novel medicines that are now approved for commercial sale in the United States to treat lipid disorders, heart failure, hyperkalemia, Cushing’s disease, and diabetes. Our Chief Operating Officer and co-founder, Catherine Pearce, M.B.A., D.H.Sc., has over 20 years of clinical and business development experience, and previously held the position of vice president of research at Teva Pharmaceuticals. Since our inception, we have raised an aggregate of approximately $192.9 million from leading life sciences investors, including General Atlantic, Sofinnova Investments, Sofinnova Partners and 5AM Ventures.

RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR BUSINESS

 

  •  

We have incurred significant operating losses since our inception. We expect to incur substantial operating losses for the foreseeable future and may never achieve or maintain profitability.

 

  •  

We have a limited operating history and no history of commercializing products, which may make it difficult for you to evaluate the success of our business to date and to assess our future viability.

 

  •  

Even if this offering is successful, we will require substantial additional funding to finance our operations. If we are unable to raise capital when needed, we could be forced to delay, reduce or terminate our development of CIN-107 or other operations.

 

  •  

Our history of recurring losses and anticipated expenditures raises substantial doubts about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our ability to continue as a going concern requires that we obtain sufficient funding to finance our operations.

 

  •  

Our business is entirely dependent on the success of one clinical development program, CIN-107, for which we are currently pursuing clinical development in various clinical trials. Our future success is substantially dependent on the successful clinical development and regulatory approval of CIN-107. If we are not able to obtain required regulatory approvals for CIN-107 or any future product candidates, we will not be able to commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidates and our ability to generate revenue will be adversely affected.

 

  •  

Interim, “top-line” and preliminary data from our clinical trials that we announce or publish from time to time may change as more patient data become available and are subject to audit and verification procedures that could result in material changes in the final data.

 

  •  

We may not be successful in our efforts to expand our pipeline beyond CIN-107 for hypertension, PA and CKD.

 

  •  

Success in preclinical studies or earlier clinical trials may not be indicative of results in future clinical trials and we cannot assure you that any ongoing, planned or future clinical trials will lead to results sufficient for the necessary regulatory approvals.

 

  •  

Enrollment and retention of patients in clinical trials is an expensive and time-consuming process and could be delayed, made more difficult or rendered impossible by multiple factors outside our control. We may find it difficult to enroll patients in our Phase 2 clinical trial of CIN-107 in PA.

 

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  •  

We have, and intend to continue to, rely on third parties to conduct, supervise and monitor our existing clinical trials and potential future clinical trials for product candidates, and those third parties may not perform satisfactorily, including failing to meet deadlines for the completion of such trials.

 

  •  

We have, and intend to continue to, rely on third parties to produce clinical and commercial supplies of CIN-107 and any future product candidates.

 

  •  

We have delivered notice to terminate our Management Services Agreement with CinRx, a related party we have relied on to provide us with services since our inception, and we may not be able to effectively replace those services.

 

  •  

Our business, operations and clinical development timelines and plans may be adversely affected by the evolving and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

 

  •  

We may face substantial competition, which may result in others developing or commercializing drugs before or more successfully than us.

 

  •  

Even if we complete the necessary preclinical studies and clinical trials, the regulatory approval process is expensive, time-consuming and uncertain and may prevent us from obtaining approvals for the commercialization of CIN-107 or any future product candidates. If we or any future collaborators are not able to obtain, or if there are delays in obtaining, required regulatory approvals, we or they will not be able to commercialize our product candidates, and our ability to generate revenue will be materially impaired.

 

  •  

Our success depends in part on our ability to protect our intellectual property. It is difficult and costly to protect our proprietary rights and technology, and we may not be able to ensure their protection.

CORPORATE INFORMATION

We were incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in March 2018 as a subsidiary of CinRx and spun out as an independent company in May 2019. Our principal executive offices are located at 200 Clarendon Street, 6th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02116 and our telephone number is (844) 531-1834. Our website address is www.cincor.com. The information contained on, or accessible through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider any information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus or in deciding whether to purchase our common stock. We have included our website in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

 

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THE OFFERING

 

Common stock offered by us

  

11,000,000 shares.

Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this
offering

  


35,419,099 shares (or 37,069,099 shares if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares).

Option to purchase additional shares offered by us

  

We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 30 days to purchase up to 1,650,000 additional shares of common stock.

Directed Share Program

  

At our request, the underwriters have reserved up to 5% of the shares offered by this prospectus, for sale at the initial public offering price through a directed share program to certain of our directors, officers, employees and business associates and other parties related to us. If purchased by these persons, these shares will be subject to a 180-day lock-up restriction.

 

The number of shares available for sale to the general public will be reduced to the extent that such persons purchase such reserved shares. Any reserved shares not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same basis as the other shares offered by this prospectus. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC will administer our directed share program. See the sections titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” and “Underwriting—Directed Share Program.”

Use of proceeds

  

We estimate that the net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $160.7 million, or approximately $185.2 million if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares of common stock, assuming an initial public offering price of $ 16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, plus cash and cash equivalents on hand, as follows:

 

•   approximately $90 million to fund the clinical development of CIN-107 for the treatment of hypertension through the completion of our ongoing Phase 2 BrigHtn clinical trial, our ongoing Phase 2 HALO clinical trial and commencement of our planned Phase 3 clinical trials in

 

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hypertension, as well as initial preparations for commercialization, if approved;

 

•   approximately $37 million to fund the clinical development of CIN-107 for the treatment of PA through completion of our Phase 2 spark-PA clinical trial, and to explore its utility in ameliorating complications of CKD through the completion of our planned Phase 2 clinical trial;

 

•   approximately $39 million to fund the manufacture of clinical supply, non-clinical studies and related activities; and

 

•   the remaining proceeds for working capital and general corporate purposes.

 

See the section titled “Use of Proceeds” beginning for additional information.

Risk factors

  

You should read the section titled “Risk Factors” for a discussion of factors you should consider carefully, together with all the other information included in this prospectus, before deciding to invest in our common stock.

Proposed Nasdaq Global Market symbol

  

“CINC”

The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 24,419,099 shares of our common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2021, after giving effect to (i) the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock, including 2,013,749 shares of our Series B preferred stock issued in a subsequent closing on October 5, 2021, into an aggregate of 21,008,970 shares of common stock upon the closing of this offering; and (ii) the automatic net exercise of the three outstanding warrants held by Roche Finance Ltd., or the Roche Warrants, for an aggregate of 852,788 shares of our common stock immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus); (iii) the issuance of 764,705 shares of our common stock under the settlement agreement and release with CinRx, for further information on our relationship with CinRx, please see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC;” and (iv) the issuance of 14,302 shares of our common stock upon the exercise of options under our 2019 Stock Option Plan, or the 2019 Plan, subsequent to September 30, 2021, and excludes:

 

  •  

1,487,538 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options under the 2019 Plan outstanding as of September 30, 2021, at a weighted-average exercise price of $4.55 per share;

 

  •  

1,344,077 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options under the 2019 Plan granted subsequent to September 30, 2021, at a weighted-average exercise price of $8.41 per share;

 

  •  

294,089 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2019 Plan, which shares will cease to be available for issuance at the time our 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, or the 2022 Plan, becomes effective and will be added to, and become available for issuance under, the 2022 Plan;

 

  •  

3,905,911 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2022 Plan (under which 30,148 restricted stock units will be granted contingent and effective upon the execution of the

 

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underwriting agreement for this offering), which will become effective in connection with this offering, as well as any automatic increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2022 Plan; and

 

  •  

355,000 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or the ESPP, which will become effective in connection with this offering, as well as any automatic increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the ESPP.

Unless otherwise indicated, all information contained in this prospectus, including the number of shares of common stock that will be outstanding after this offering, assumes or gives effect to:

 

  •  

the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock, including 2,013,749 shares of our Series B preferred stock issued in a subsequent closing on October 5, 2021, into an aggregate of 21,008,970 shares of our common stock, which will occur upon the closing of this offering;

 

  •  

a 3.4-for-1 reverse stock split of our common stock effected prior to the closing of this offering;

 

  •  

the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the adoption of our amended and restated bylaws upon the closing of this offering;

 

  •  

the automatic net exercise of the Roche Warrants into an aggregate of 852,788 shares of our common stock immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus);

 

  •  

the issuance of 764,705 shares of our common stock under the settlement agreement and release with CinRx, for further information on our relationship with CinRx, please see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC”;

 

  •  

the issuance of 14,302 shares of our common stock upon the exercise of options under the 2019 Plan subsequent to September 30, 2021;

 

  •  

no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock; and

 

  •  

no purchase of shares through our directed share program described under “Underwriting—Directed Share Program.”

 

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SUMMARY FINANCIAL DATA

The following tables set forth our summary financial data for the periods indicated. We have derived the statements of operations and comprehensive loss data for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 from our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss data for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021 and the condensed balance sheet data as of September 30, 2021, have been derived from our unaudited condensed financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and have been prepared on the same basis as the audited financial statements. In the opinion of management, the unaudited data reflects all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial information in those unaudited condensed financial statements. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that should be expected in the future and our operating results for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year ended December 31, 2021, or any other interim periods or any future year or period.

You should read the following summary financial data together with our financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus and the section of this prospectus titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” The summary financial data in this section are not intended to replace our financial statements and are qualified in their entirety by our financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

     Year Ended     Nine Months Ended  
     December 31,
2019
    December 31,
2020
    September 30,
2020
    September 30,
2021
 
                 (unaudited)     (unaudited)  
     (in thousands, except share and per share data)  

Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss Data:

      

Operating expenses:

        

Research and development

   $ 3,926     $ 17,952     $ 12,829     $ 10,131  

General and administrative

     1,211       3,173       2,783       7,147  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     5,137       21,125       15,612       17,278  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss from operations

     5,137       21,125       15,612       17,278  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other (income) expense:

        

Interest income

     (102 )      (37 )      (30 )      (8 ) 

Change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities

     —         1,210       907       3,756  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other (income) expense

     (102 )      1,173       877       3,748  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

     5,035     $ 22,298       16,489       21,026  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share, basic and diluted(1)

   $ 4.03     $ 17.84     $ 13.19     $ 14.00  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Shares used to compute net loss per share, basic and diluted(1)

     1,250,000       1,250,000       1,250,000       1,502,022  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Pro forma net loss per share, basic and diluted

     $ 0.95       $ 0.61  
    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Weighted average shares used to compute pro forma net loss per share, basic and diluted

       23,493,662         34,363,779  
    

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

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(1)

See Note 8 of the notes to our audited financial statements and Note 8 of the notes to our unaudited condensed financial statements appearing at the end of this prospectus for further details on the calculation of basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders.

 

     AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2021  
     ACTUAL     PRO
FORMA(1)
    PRO FORMA
AS ADJUSTED(2) 
 
     (unaudited)     (unaudited)     (unaudited)  
           (in thousands)  

Balance Sheet Data:

      

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 141,708     $ 141,744     $ 302,435  

Working capital(3)

     135,720       142,268       301,628  

Total assets

     147,264       147,300       306,660  

Redeemable convertible preferred stock

     180,526       —       —  

Accumulated deficit

     (48,360 )      (59,360 )      (59,360 ) 

Total stockholders’ (deficit) equity

     (48,806 )      142,268       301,948  

 

(1)

The pro forma column reflects (i) the conversion of all of the outstanding shares of our preferred stock, including 2,013,749 shares of our Series B preferred stock issued in a subsequent closing on October 5, 2021, into an aggregate of 21,008,970 shares of common stock upon completion of this offering, (ii) the automatic net exercise of the three outstanding warrants held by Roche Finance Ltd., or the Roche Warrants, for an aggregate of 852,788 shares of our common stock immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus), (iii) the issuance of 764,705 shares of our common stock under the settlement agreement and release with CinRx, for further information on our relationship with CinRx, please see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC,” and (iv) the issuance of 14,302 shares of our common stock upon the exercise of options under our 2019 Stock Option Plan, or the 2019 Plan, subsequent to September 30, 2021.

(2)

The pro forma as adjusted column reflects (i) the pro forma adjustments set forth above, (ii) the sale of 11,000,000 shares of common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting underwriting fees and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

(3)

We define working capital as current assets less current liabilities.

The pro forma as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only and will depend on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease each of cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total stockholders’ (deficit) equity by $10.2 million, assuming that the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions. We may also increase or decrease the number of shares of common stock we are offering. Each increase or decrease of 1.0 million in the number of shares of common stock offered by us would increase or decrease each of cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total stockholders’ (deficit) equity by $14.9 million, assuming that the assumed initial public offering price remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our shares of common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described below, as well as the other information in this prospectus, including our financial statements and the related notes and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” before deciding whether to invest in our common stock. The occurrence of any of the events or developments described below could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. In such an event, the market price of our common stock could decline and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Financial Position and Capital Needs

We have incurred significant operating losses since our inception. We expect to incur substantial operating losses for the foreseeable future and may never achieve or maintain profitability.

Investment in biopharmaceutical product development is highly speculative because it entails substantial upfront capital expenditures and significant risk that any potential product candidate will fail to demonstrate adequate effect or an acceptable safety profile, gain regulatory approval and become commercially viable. We have no products approved for commercial sale and have not generated any revenue from product sales to date, and we will continue to incur significant research and development and other expenses related to our clinical development and ongoing operations. Since inception in 2018, we have incurred significant operating losses. Our net loss was $5.0 million and $22.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, and $16.5 million and $21.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021, respectively. As of September 30, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of $48.4 million. We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and increasing operating losses for the foreseeable future. Since our inception, we have focused primarily on raising capital, organizing and staffing our company, business planning, and acquiring and progressing our lead product candidate, CIN-107, through clinical development after in-licensing the compound from F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Hoffmann La-Roche Inc., whom we collectively refer to in this prospectus as Roche, in 2019. It could be several years, if ever, before we have a commercialized drug. The net losses we incur may fluctuate significantly from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year. We anticipate that our expenses will increase substantially if, and as, we:

 

  •  

continue our ongoing and planned development of CIN-107, including our Phase 2 clinical trials evaluating the effects of CIN-107 on treatment-resistant hypertension, or rHTN, uncontrolled hypertension, or uHTN, and primary aldosteronism, or PA;

 

  •  

initiate clinical trials for CIN-107 for any additional cardio-renal indications we may pursue, including our planned Phase 2 clinical trial exploring the utility of CIN-107 in ameliorating complications of chronic kidney diseases, or CKD;

 

  •  

seek marketing approvals for CIN-107 for the treatment of hypertension, PA and any future product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials;

 

  •  

maintain, protect and expand our intellectual property portfolio;

 

  •  

hire additional clinical, regulatory and scientific personnel;

 

  •  

add operational, financial and management information systems and personnel, including personnel to support our product development and planned future commercialization efforts;

 

  •  

incur additional legal, accounting and other expenses associated with operating as a public company;

 

  •  

establish a sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution capability to commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidate for which we may obtain marketing approval; and

 

  •  

build a portfolio of product candidates through development, or the acquisition or in-license of drugs, product candidates or technologies.

 

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To become and remain profitable, we must succeed in developing and eventually commercializing drugs that generate significant revenue. This will require us to be successful in a range of challenging activities, including completing clinical trials of CIN-107 for the treatment of hypertension, PA and any future indications, or product candidates that way may pursue, obtaining regulatory approval, procuring commercial-scale manufacturing, marketing and selling CIN-107 and any future products for which we may obtain regulatory approval, as well as discovering or acquiring and then developing additional product candidates. We are only in the preliminary stages of some of these activities. We may never succeed in these activities and, even if we do, may never generate revenues that are significant enough to achieve profitability.

Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with drug development, we are unable to accurately predict the timing or amount of expenses or when, or if, we will be able to achieve profitability.

Our expenses could increase beyond our expectations if we are required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, or other regulatory authorities to perform studies in addition to those we currently expect, or if there are any delays in the initiation and completion of our clinical trials or the development of CIN-107 or any future product candidates.

Even if we do achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain or increase profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. Our failure to become and remain profitable would decrease the value of our company and could impair our ability to raise capital, maintain our research and development efforts, expand our business or continue our operations. A decline in the value of our common stock could also cause you to lose all or part of your investment.

We have a limited operating history and no history of commercializing products, which may make it difficult for you to evaluate the success of our business to date and to assess our future viability.

We are a clinical-stage company founded in 2018 and spun-out as a separate company from CinRx Pharma, LLC, or CinRx, in 2019. Our operations to date have been largely focused on raising capital, organizing and staffing our company, business planning, and acquiring and progressing our lead product candidate, CIN-107, through clinical development after in-licensing the compound from Roche in 2019. As an organization, we have not yet demonstrated an ability to successfully complete clinical development, obtain regulatory approvals, manufacture a commercial-scale product or arrange for a third party to do so on our behalf, or conduct sales and marketing activities necessary for successful commercialization. Accordingly, you should consider our prospects in light of the costs, uncertainties, delays and difficulties frequently encountered by companies in clinical development, especially clinical-stage biopharmaceutical companies such as ours. Any predictions you make about our future success or viability may not be as accurate as they could be if we had a longer operating history or a history of successfully developing and commercializing pharmaceutical products.

We may encounter additional and unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, delays and other known or unknown factors in achieving our business objectives. We may also face additional costs of building out internal accounting, legal, compliance and other operational and administrative functions, including as a result of our termination of the management services agreement with CinRx, or the Management Services Agreement. For further information on our termination of the Management Services Agreement, please see “We delivered notice to terminate our Management Services Agreement with CinRx, a related party we have relied on to provide us with services since our inception, and we may not be able to effectively replace those services.” elsewhere in this section. We will need to transition at some point from a company with a research and development focus to a company capable of supporting commercial activities. We may not be successful in such a transition.

Additionally, we expect our financial condition and operating results to continue to fluctuate from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year due to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, you should not rely upon the results of any quarterly or annual periods as indications of future operating performance.

 

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Even if this offering is successful, we will require substantial additional funding to finance our operations. If we are unable to raise capital when needed, we could be forced to delay, reduce or terminate our development of CIN-107 or other operations.

Based on our research and development plans, we expect that the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, will be sufficient to fund our operations through 2024. However, we will need to obtain substantial additional funding in connection with our continuing operations and planned activities, including to complete the clinical development of, and seek regulatory approval for, CIN-107 in any indication. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including:

 

  •  

the timing, progress and results of our ongoing and planned clinical trials of CIN-107 for the treatment of hypertension, PA and any additional cardio-renal indications;

 

  •  

the scope, progress, results and costs of preclinical development, laboratory testing and clinical trials of CIN-107 for additional indications or any future product candidates that we may pursue;

 

  •  

our ability to establish collaborations on favorable terms, if at all;

 

  •  

the costs, timing and outcome of the regulatory review of CIN-107 and any future product candidates;

 

  •  

the costs and timing of future commercialization activities, including product manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution, for CIN-107 and any future product candidates for which we receive marketing approval;

 

  •  

the revenue, if any, received from commercial sales of CIN-107 and any future product candidates for which we receive marketing approval;

 

  •  

the costs and timing of preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications, maintaining and enforcing our intellectual property rights and defending any intellectual property-related claims;

 

  •  

the extent to which we acquire or in-license other product candidates and technologies; and

 

  •  

the costs of operating as a public company.

Conducting preclinical testing and clinical trials is a time-consuming, expensive and uncertain process that takes years to complete, and we may never generate the necessary data or results required to obtain regulatory approval and achieve product sales. In addition, CIN-107 and any future product candidates, if approved, may not achieve commercial success. Our commercial revenues, if any, will be derived from sales of drugs that we do not expect to be commercially available for several years, if at all. Accordingly, we will need to continue to rely on additional financing to achieve our business objectives. Adequate additional financing may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. In addition, we may seek additional capital due to favorable market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. If we are unable to raise capital when needed or on attractive terms, we could be forced to delay, reduce or altogether terminate our research and development programs or future commercialization efforts. We may also need to seek collaborators for CIN-107 and any future product candidates at an earlier stage than otherwise would be desirable or on terms that are less favorable than might otherwise be available or relinquish or license on unfavorable terms our rights to CIN-107 and any future product candidates in markets where we otherwise would seek to pursue development or commercialization ourselves. Any of the above events could significantly harm our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations and cause the price of our common stock to decline. Further, our ability to raise additional capital may be adversely impacted by potential worsening global economic conditions and the continued disruptions to and volatility in the credit and financial markets in the United States and worldwide resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. If we are unable to raise sufficient additional capital, we could be forced to curtail our planned operations and the pursuit of our growth strategy.

 

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Our history of recurring losses and anticipated expenditures raises substantial doubts about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our ability to continue as a going concern requires that we obtain sufficient funding to finance our operations.

We have incurred operating losses to date and it is possible we may never generate a profit. Our financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the ordinary course of business. If we are unable to raise sufficient capital in this offering or otherwise as and when needed, our business, financial condition and results of operations will be materially and adversely affected, and we will need to significantly modify our operational plans to continue as a going concern. If we are unable to continue as a going concern, we may have to liquidate our assets, and the values we receive for our assets in liquidation or dissolution could be significantly lower than the values reflected in our financial statements. Our lack of cash resources and our potential inability to continue as a going concern may materially adversely affect our share price and our ability to raise new capital, enter into critical contractual relations with third parties and otherwise execute our development strategy.

Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our stockholders, including purchasers of shares of our common stock in this offering, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to CIN-107 or any future product candidates.

We expect our expenses to increase in connection with our planned operations. Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial revenue from CIN-107 or any future product candidates, we expect to finance our cash needs through public or private equity or debt financings, third-party funding, marketing and distribution arrangements, as well as other collaborations, strategic alliances and licensing arrangements, or any combination of these approaches. We do not have any committed external source of funds. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, your ownership interest may be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect your rights as a stockholder. Debt and equity financings, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as redeeming our shares, making investments, incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures, declaring dividends or placing limitations on our ability to acquire, sell or license intellectual property rights. In addition, securing financing could require a substantial amount of time and attention from our management and may divert a disproportionate amount of their attention away from day-to-day activities, which may adversely affect our management’s ability to oversee the development of CIN-107 or any future product candidates.

If we raise additional capital through future collaborations, strategic alliances or third-party licensing arrangements, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our intellectual property, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates, or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If we are unable to raise additional capital when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our drug development or future commercialization efforts, or grant rights to develop and market CIN-107 or any future product candidates that we would otherwise develop and market ourselves.

Risks Related to the Clinical Development of CIN-107 or Future Product Candidates

Our business is entirely dependent on the success of one clinical development program, CIN-107, for which we are currently pursuing clinical development in various clinical trials. Our future success is substantially dependent on the successful clinical development and regulatory approval of CIN-107. If we are not able to obtain required regulatory approvals for CIN-107 or any future product candidates, we will not be able to commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidates and our ability to generate revenue will be adversely affected.

CIN-107 is currently our only product candidate and we have not licensed, acquired, or invented any other product candidates for preclinical or clinical evaluation. This may make an investment in our company riskier

 

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than similar companies that have multiple product candidates in active development and that therefore may be able to better sustain a failure of a lead candidate. The success of our business, including our ability to finance our company and generate any revenue in the future, will, at this point, depend entirely on the successful development, regulatory approval and commercialization of CIN-107, which may never occur. Neither we nor any future collaborator is permitted to market any drug product candidates in the United States or abroad until we receive regulatory approval from the FDA or applicable foreign regulatory agency. The time required to obtain approval or other marketing authorizations by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities is unpredictable but typically takes many years following the commencement of clinical trials and depends upon numerous factors, including the substantial discretion of the regulatory authorities. In addition, approval policies, regulations or the type and amount of clinical data necessary to gain approval may change during the course of a product candidate’s clinical development and may vary among jurisdictions.

Prior to obtaining approval to commercialize CIN-107 and any other product candidate in the United States or abroad, we must demonstrate with substantial evidence from well controlled clinical trials, and to the satisfaction of the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities, that such product candidates are safe and effective for their intended uses. Results from nonclinical studies and clinical trials can be interpreted in different ways. Even if we believe the nonclinical or clinical data for CIN-107 is promising, such data may not be sufficient to support approval by the FDA and other regulatory authorities. The FDA may also require us to conduct additional nonclinical studies, including human factor studies, or clinical trials for CIN-107 either prior to or post-approval, or it may object to elements of our clinical development program. In addition, the FDA typically refers applications for novel drugs, like CIN-107 and potentially any future product candidates, to an advisory committee composed of outside experts. The FDA is not bound by the recommendation of the advisory committee, but it considers such recommendation when making its decision.

Of the large number of products in development, only a small percentage successfully complete the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities’ approval processes and are commercialized. The lengthy approval or marketing authorization process as well as the unpredictability of future clinical trial results may result in our failing to obtain regulatory approval or marketing authorization to market CIN-107 or any future product candidates, which would significantly harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We have invested a significant portion of our time and financial resources in the development of CIN-107. Our business is dependent on our ability to successfully complete development of, obtain regulatory approval for, and, if approved, successfully commercialize CIN-107 and any future product candidates in a timely manner.

Even if we eventually complete clinical testing and receive approval of a new drug application, or NDA, or foreign marketing application for CIN-107 and any future product candidates, the FDA or the comparable foreign regulatory authorities may grant approval or other marketing authorization contingent on the performance of costly additional clinical trials, including post-market clinical trials. The FDA or the comparable foreign regulatory authorities also may approve or authorize for marketing a product candidate for a more limited indication or patient population that we originally request, and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may not approve or authorize the labeling that we believe is necessary or desirable for the successful commercialization of CIN-107 or any future product candidate. Any delay in obtaining, or inability to obtain, applicable regulatory approval or other marketing authorization would delay or prevent commercialization of that product candidate and would materially adversely impact our business and prospects.

In addition, the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities may change their policies, adopt additional regulations or revise existing regulations or take other actions, which may prevent or delay approval of our future products under development on a timely basis. Such policy or regulatory changes could impose additional requirements upon us that could delay our ability to obtain approvals, increase the costs of compliance or restrict our ability to maintain any marketing authorizations we may have obtained.

 

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Interim, “top-line” and preliminary data from our clinical trials that we announce or publish from time to time may change as more patient data become available and are subject to audit and verification procedures that could result in material changes in the final data.

From time to time, we may publish interim, “top-line” or preliminary data from our clinical trials. Interim data from ongoing clinical trials are subject to the risk that one or more of the clinical outcomes may materially change as patient enrollment continues and more patient data become available. For example, the only Phase 2 clinical data we have is from the preliminary safety data review of 124 patients who had either completed 12 weeks of treatment in, or withdrew from, our ongoing BrigHtn trial, which represents a small sample size relative to our targeted enrollment for the overall clinical trial, may not be indicative of the clinical trial’s final results. Preliminary or “top-line” data also remain subject to that audit and verification procedures that may result in the final data being materially different from the preliminary data we previously published. As a result, interim and preliminary data should be viewed with caution until the final data are available. Differences between preliminary or interim data and final data could significantly harm our business prospects and may cause the trading price of our common stock to fluctuate significantly.

Additionally, we may utilize an “open-label” clinical trial design. For example, our HALO trial includes a four week “open-label” extension during which patients will continue to receive doses of CIN-107 but discontinue background antihypertensive therapy. An “open-label” clinical trial is one where both the patient and investigator know whether the patient is receiving the investigational product candidate or either an existing approved drug or placebo. Most open-label clinical trials test only the investigational product candidate and sometimes may do so at different dose levels. Open label clinical trials are subject to various limitations that may exaggerate any therapeutic effect as patients in open-label clinical trials are aware when they are receiving treatment. Open-label clinical trials may be subject to a “patient bias” where patients perceive their symptoms to have improved merely due to their awareness of receiving an experimental treatment. In addition, open-label clinical trials may be subject to an “investigator bias” where those assessing and reviewing the physiological outcomes of the clinical trials are aware of which patients have received treatment and may interpret the information of the treated group more favorably given this knowledge. The results from an open label trial may not be predictive of future clinical trial results with CIN-107 or any future product candidates for which we include an open-label clinical trial when studied in a controlled environment with a placebo or active control.

We may not be successful in our efforts to expand our pipeline beyond CIN-107 for hypertension, PA and CKD.

We intend to advance the development of CIN-107 across multiple cardio-renal indications and progress these indications through clinical development. We may not be able to expand the scope of cardio-renal indications for CIN-107 beyond hypertension, PA and CKD, or leverage our expertise and experience with hypertension and PA to other cardio-renal indications. We may not be able to develop CIN-107 for other indications in a manner that is safe and effective. Even if we are successful in continuing to expand CIN-107 to other indications and further build our pipeline, the potential indications that we identify may not be suitable for clinical development, including as a result of safety, tolerability, efficacy or other characteristics that indicate that they are unlikely to receive marketing approval, achieve market acceptance or obtain reimbursements from third-party payors. If we do not successfully execute on our strategy of expanding our product pipeline, it could significantly harm our financial position and adversely affect the trading price of our common stock.

Success in preclinical studies or earlier clinical trials may not be indicative of results in future clinical trials and we cannot assure you that any ongoing, planned or future clinical trials will lead to results sufficient for the necessary regulatory approvals.

Success in preclinical testing and earlier clinical trials does not ensure that later clinical trials will generate the same results or otherwise provide adequate data to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of a product candidate. Preclinical tests and Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials are primarily designed to test safety, to study

 

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pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and to understand the side effects of product candidates at various doses and schedules. Success in preclinical studies and earlier clinical trials does not ensure that later efficacy trials will be successful, nor does it predict final results. For example, we have not completed a Phase 2 or Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of CIN-107 in any indication. CIN-107 and any future product candidates may fail to show the desired safety and efficacy in clinical development despite positive results in preclinical studies or having successfully advanced through earlier clinical trials.

In addition, the design of a clinical trial can determine whether its results will support approval of a product, and flaws in the design of a clinical trial may not become apparent until the clinical trial is well advanced. As an organization, we have limited experience designing clinical trials and may be unable to design and execute a clinical trial to support regulatory approval. Many companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have suffered significant setbacks in late-stage clinical trials even after achieving promising results in preclinical testing and earlier clinical trials. Data obtained from preclinical and clinical activities are subject to varying interpretations, which may delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. In addition, we may experience regulatory delays or rejections as a result of many factors, including changes in regulatory policy during the period of our product candidate development. Any such delays could negatively impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We may encounter substantial delays or difficulties in our clinical trials.

We may not commercialize, market, promote or sell any product candidate without obtaining marketing approval from the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities, and we may never receive such approvals. It is impossible to predict when or if CIN-107 or any future product candidates will prove effective or safe in humans and will receive regulatory approval. Before obtaining marketing approval from regulatory authorities for the sale of CIN-107 or any future product candidate, we must complete preclinical development and then conduct extensive clinical trials to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of our product candidate in humans. Clinical testing is expensive, difficult to design and implement, can take many years to complete and is uncertain as to outcome. A failure of one or more clinical trials can occur at any stage of testing. Moreover, preclinical and clinical data are often susceptible to varying interpretations and analyses, and many companies that have believed their product candidates performed satisfactorily in preclinical studies and clinical trials have nonetheless failed to obtain marketing approval of their products.

We may experience numerous unforeseen events prior to, during, or as a result of, clinical trials that could delay or prevent our ability to receive marketing approval or commercialize CIN-107 and any future product candidates, including:

 

  •  

delays in reaching a consensus with regulatory authorities on design or implementation of our clinical trials;

 

  •  

regulators or institutional review boards, or IRBs, may not authorize us or our investigators to commence a clinical trial or conduct a clinical trial at a prospective trial site;

 

  •  

delays in reaching agreement on acceptable terms with prospective clinical research organizations, or CROs, and clinical trial sites;

 

  •  

the number of patients required for clinical trials of CIN-107 or any future product candidates may be larger than we anticipate, enrollment in these clinical trials may be slower than we anticipate, patients may drop out of these clinical trials at a higher rate than we anticipate or fail to return for post-treatment follow-up or we may fail to recruit suitable patients to participate in a trial;

 

  •  

clinical trials of CIN-107 or any future product candidates may produce negative or inconclusive results;

 

  •  

imposition of a clinical hold by regulatory authorities as a result of a serious adverse event, concerns with a CIN-107 or any future product candidates or after an inspection of our clinical trial operations, trial sites or manufacturing facilities;

 

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  •  

occurrence of serious adverse events associated with CIN-107 or any future product candidate that are viewed to outweigh its potential benefits;

 

  •  

changes in regulatory requirements and guidance that require amending or submitting new clinical protocols;

 

  •  

interruptions resulting from public health emergencies, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic; or

 

  •  

we may decide, or regulators may require us, to conduct additional clinical trials or abandon product development programs.

Any inability to successfully complete preclinical and clinical development could result in additional costs to us or impair our ability to generate revenue from future drug sales or other sources. In addition, if we make manufacturing or formulation changes to our product candidates, we may need to conduct additional testing to bridge our modified product candidate to earlier versions. Clinical trial delays could shorten any periods during which we may have the exclusive right to commercialize our product candidates, if approved, or allow our competitors to bring competing drugs to market before we do, which could impair our ability to successfully commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidates and may harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Additionally, if the results of our clinical trials are inconclusive or if there are safety concerns or serious adverse events associated with our product candidates, we may:

 

  •  

be delayed in obtaining marketing approval, if at all;

 

  •  

obtain approval for indications or patient populations that are not as broad as intended or desired;

 

  •  

obtain approval with labeling that includes significant use or distribution restrictions or safety warnings;

 

  •  

be subject to additional post-marketing testing requirements;

 

  •  

be required to perform additional clinical trials to support approval or be subject to additional post-marketing testing requirements;

 

  •  

have regulatory authorities withdraw, or suspend, their approval of the drug or impose restrictions on its distribution in the form of a modified risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, or REMS;

 

  •  

be subject to the addition of labeling statements, such as warnings or contraindications;

 

  •  

be sued; or

 

  •  

experience damage to our reputation.

Our product development costs will also increase if we experience delays in testing or obtaining marketing approvals. We do not know whether any of our preclinical studies or clinical trials will begin as planned, need to be restructured or be completed on schedule, if at all.

Further, we, the FDA or an IRB may suspend our clinical trials at any time if it appears that we or our collaborators are failing to conduct a trial in accordance with regulatory requirements, including the FDA’s current Good Clinical Practice, or GCP, regulations, that we are exposing participants to unacceptable health risks, or if the FDA finds deficiencies in our investigational new drug applications, or INDs, or the conduct of these trials. Therefore, we cannot predict with any certainty the schedule for commencement and completion of future clinical trials. If we experience delays in the commencement or completion of our clinical trials, or if we terminate a clinical trial prior to completion, the commercial prospects of CIN-107 or any future product

 

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candidates could be negatively impacted, and our ability to generate revenues from CIN-107 or any future product candidates may be delayed.

Clinical trials are very expensive, time consuming and difficult to design and implement.

CIN-107 and any future product candidates we may decide to pursue will require clinical testing before we are prepared to submit an NDA for regulatory approval. We cannot predict with any certainty if or when we might submit an NDA for regulatory approval for CIN-107 or any future product candidate or whether any such NDA will be approved by the FDA. Human clinical trials are very expensive and difficult to design and implement, in part because they are subject to rigorous regulatory requirements. For instance, the FDA may not agree with our proposed endpoints for any future clinical trial of CIN-107 or any future product candidates, which may delay the commencement of our clinical trials. The clinical trial process is also time consuming. We estimate that the successful completion of clinical trials for CIN-107 and any future product candidates will take several years to complete. Furthermore, failure can occur at any stage, and we could encounter problems that cause us to abandon or repeat clinical trials.

Certain of the indications we seek to treat are often underdiagnosed and it may be difficult to identify and enroll patients with these indications. If we experience delays or difficulties in the enrollment and/or maintenance of patients in clinical trials, our receipt of necessary regulatory approvals could be delayed or prevented.

Successful and timely completion of clinical trials will require that we enroll a sufficient number of patients. Patient enrollment, a significant factor in the timing of clinical trials, is affected by many factors, including the size and nature of the patient population and competition for patients with other trials. Certain of the indications we are pursuing are often underdiagnosed, which may further limit the number of patients available to participate in our clinical trials. For example, despite being one of the more common causes of secondary hypertension, PA continues to be underdiagnosed due to the complexity of the current diagnostic guidelines recommended by the Endocrine Society.

Clinical trials may be subject to delays as a result of patient enrollment taking longer than anticipated or patient withdrawal. We may not be able to initiate or continue clinical trials for our product candidates if we are unable to locate and enroll a sufficient number of eligible patients to participate in these trials as required by the FDA, EMA or foreign regulatory authorities. We cannot predict how successful we will be at enrolling subjects in future clinical trials. Subject enrollment is affected by other factors including:

 

  •  

the eligibility criteria for the trial in question;

 

  •  

the size of the patient population and process for identifying patients;

 

  •  

the perceived risks and benefits of the product candidate in the trial;

 

  •  

the availability of competing commercially available therapies and other competing therapeutic candidates’ clinical trials;

 

  •  

the willingness of patients to be enrolled in our clinical trials;

 

  •  

the efforts to facilitate timely enrollment in clinical trials;

 

  •  

potential disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including difficulties in initiating clinical sites, enrolling and retaining participants, diversion of healthcare resources away from clinical trials, travel or quarantine policies that may be implemented, and other factors;

 

  •  

the patient referral practices of physicians;

 

  •  

the ability to monitor patients adequately during and after treatment; and

 

  •  

the proximity and availability of clinical trial sites for prospective patients.

 

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Our inability to enroll a sufficient number of patients for clinical trials would result in significant delays and could require us to abandon one or more clinical trials altogether. Enrollment delays in these clinical trials may result in increased development costs for our product candidates, which would cause the value of our company to decline and limit our ability to obtain additional financing. Furthermore, we currently rely and expect to rely in the future on CROs and clinical trial sites to ensure the proper and timely conduct of our clinical trials and we will have limited influence over their performance.

Furthermore, even if we are able to enroll a sufficient number of patients for our clinical trials, we may have difficulty maintaining enrollment of such patients in our clinical trials.

Enrollment and retention of patients in clinical trials is an expensive and time-consuming process and could be delayed, made more difficult or rendered impossible by multiple factors outside our control. We may find it difficult to enroll patients in our Phase 2 spark-PA clinical trial of CIN-107 in PA.

Identifying and qualifying patients to participate in our clinical trials is critical to our success. If the actual number of patients with rHTN, uHTN, PA, CKD, or any other indications that we may pursue for CIN-107 or future product candidates, is smaller than we anticipate, we may encounter difficulties in enrolling patients in our clinical trials, thereby delaying or preventing development and approval of CIN-107 and any future product candidates. Furthermore, certain of the indications we are pursuing may be underdiagnosed, which may further limit the number of patients available to participate in our clinical trials. For example, despite being one of the more common causes of secondary hypertension, PA continues to be underdiagnosed due to the complexity of the current diagnostic guidelines recommended by the Endocrine Society. Even once enrolled we may be unable to retain a sufficient number of patients to complete any of our trials. Patient enrollment and retention in clinical trials depends on many factors, including the size of the patient population, the nature of the trial protocol, the existing body of safety and efficacy data, the number and nature of competing treatments and ongoing clinical trials of competing therapies for the same indication, the proximity of patients to clinical sites, the experience and capabilities of the clinical sites to recruit the correct patients, and the eligibility criteria for the trial. Patient enrollment may also continue to be affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which could be due to the prioritization of hospitalization resources toward this pandemic, exposure of healthcare providers to COVID-19 and difficulties for patients to access clinical trial sites and comply with clinical trial protocols.

Furthermore, our efforts to build relationships with patient communities may not succeed, which could result in delays in patient enrollment in our clinical trials. In addition, any negative results we may report in clinical trials of CIN-107 and any future product candidate may make it difficult or impossible to recruit and retain patients in other clinical trials of that same product candidate. Delays or failures in planned patient enrollment or retention may result in increased costs, program delays or both, which could have a harmful effect on our ability to develop CIN-107 or any future product candidates or could render further development impossible. In addition, we expect to rely on CROs and clinical trial sites to ensure proper and timely conduct of our future clinical trials and, while we intend to enter into agreements governing their services, we will be limited in our ability to compel their actual performance.

Changes in methods of product candidate manufacturing or formulation may result in additional costs or delay.

As product candidates proceed through preclinical studies to late-stage clinical trials towards potential approval and commercialization, it is common that various aspects of the development activities, such as manufacturing methods and formulation, are altered along the way in an effort to optimize processes and results. Any of these changes could cause CIN-107 or any future product candidates to perform differently and affect the results of planned clinical trials or other future clinical trials conducted with the materials manufactured using altered processes. Such changes may also require additional testing, including comparability testing to bridge earlier clinical data obtained from CIN-107 produced under earlier manufacturing methods or formulations, and regulatory authorities may disagree on the interpretation of results from this testing. This could delay completion

 

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of clinical trials, require the conduct of bridging clinical trials or the repetition of one or more clinical trials, increase clinical trial costs, delay approval of CIN-107 or any future product candidates and jeopardize our ability to commence sales and generate revenue.

Our business, operations and clinical development timelines and plans may be adversely affected by the evolving and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Our business and operations may be adversely affected by the effects of the recent and evolving COVID-19 virus, which was declared by the World Health Organization as a global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in travel and other restrictions in order to reduce the spread of the disease, including public health directives and orders in the United States and the European Union that, among other things and for various periods of time, directed individuals to shelter at their places of residence, directed businesses and governmental agencies to cease non-essential operations at physical locations, prohibited certain non-essential gatherings and events and ordered cessation of non-essential travel. Future remote work policies and similar government orders or other restrictions on the conduct of business operations related to the COVID-19 pandemic may negatively impact productivity and may disrupt our ongoing research and development activities and our clinical programs and timelines, the magnitude of which will depend, in part, on the length and severity of the restrictions and other limitations on our ability to conduct our business in the ordinary course. Further, such orders also may impact the availability or cost of materials, which would disrupt our supply chain and manufacturing efforts and could affect our ability to conduct ongoing and planned clinical trials and preparatory activities.

Although our current and planned clinical trials have not been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to date, we may experience related disruptions in the future that could severely impact our clinical trials, including:

 

  •  

delays, difficulties or a suspension in clinical site initiation, including difficulties in recruiting clinical site investigators and clinical site staff;

 

  •  

interruptions in our ability to manufacture and deliver drug supply for trials;

 

  •  

diversion of healthcare resources away from the conduct of clinical trials, including the diversion of hospitals serving as our clinical trial sites and hospital staff supporting the conduct of our clinical trials;

 

  •  

changes in local regulations as part of a response to the COVID-19 pandemic that may require us to change the ways in which our clinical trials are conducted, which may result in unexpected costs, or to discontinue the clinical trials altogether;

 

  •  

interruption of key clinical trial activities, such as clinical trial site monitoring, and the ability or willingness of subjects to travel to trial sites due to limitations on travel imposed or recommended by federal or state governments, employers and others;

 

  •  

limitations in employee resources that would otherwise be focused on the conduct of our clinical trials, including because of sickness of employees or their families or the desire of employees to avoid contact with large groups of people;

 

  •  

delays in necessary interactions with local regulators, ethics committees and other important agencies and contractors due to limitations in employee resources or forced furlough of government employees; and

 

  •  

refusal of the FDA to accept data from clinical trials in these affected geographies.

The spread of COVID-19, which has caused a broad impact globally, may materially affect us economically. While the potential economic impact brought by, and the duration of, COVID-19 may be difficult to assess or predict, it could result in significant disruption of global financial markets, reducing our ability to access capital, which could in the future negatively affect our liquidity. In addition, a recession or market correction resulting from the spread of COVID-19 could materially affect our business and the value of our common stock.

 

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The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rapidly evolve. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacts our business and operations, including our clinical development and regulatory efforts, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence at the time of this prospectus, such as the duration of the outbreak, the duration and effect of business disruptions and the short-term effects and ultimate effectiveness of the travel restrictions, quarantines, social distancing requirements and business closures in the United States and other countries to contain and treat the disease and the availability, timing and effectiveness of a vaccine, both domestically and globally. Accordingly, we do not yet know the full extent of potential delays or impacts on our business, our clinical and regulatory activities, healthcare systems or the global economy as a whole. However, these impacts could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.

In addition, to the extent the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our business and results of operations, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks and uncertainties described in this “Risk Factors” section.

CIN-107 or any future product candidate may cause undesirable side effects or have other properties that could delay or prevent their regulatory approval, limit the commercial potential or result in significant negative consequences following any potential marketing approval.

During the conduct of clinical trials, patients report changes in their health, including illnesses, injuries and discomforts, to their doctor. Often, it is not possible to determine whether or not the product candidate being studied caused these conditions. Regulatory authorities may draw different conclusions or require additional testing to confirm these determinations, if they occur. For example, patients participating in our clinical trials have reported urinary tract infection, fatigue, hyperkalemia, headache, renal impairment, hyponatremia, nausea, and dizziness.

In addition, it is possible that as we test CIN-107 or any future product candidates in larger, longer and more extensive clinical trials on larger more diverse groups of patients, or as use of CIN-107 or any future product candidates becomes more widespread if they receive regulatory approval, illnesses, injuries, discomforts and other adverse events that were observed in earlier trials, as well as conditions that did not occur or went undetected in previous trials, will be reported by subjects or patients. Many times, side effects are only detectable after investigational drugs are tested in large-scale pivotal trials, which we as an organization have never conducted, or in some cases, after they are made available to patients on a commercial scale after approval. Any adverse effects encountered in our preclinical studies or clinical trials, whether or not drug-related, could affect patient recruitment or the ability of enrolled patients to complete the trial or result in potential product liability claims. If additional clinical experience indicates that CIN-107 or any future product candidates have side effects or causes serious or life-threatening side effects, the development of the product candidate may fail or be delayed, or, if the product candidate has received regulatory approval, such approval may be revoked, which would harm our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition.

As an organization, we have never completed pivotal clinical trials, and we may be unable to do so for CIN-107 or any product candidates we may develop.

We will need to successfully complete pivotal clinical trials in order to obtain the approval of the FDA and other regulatory agencies to market CIN-107 or any future product candidates. Carrying out later-stage clinical trials and the submission of a successful NDA is a complicated process. As an organization, we have not previously completed any later stage or pivotal clinical trials and have limited experience in preparing, submitting and prosecuting regulatory filings. Consequently, we may be unable to successfully and efficiently execute and complete necessary clinical trials in a way that leads to NDA submission and approval of CIN-107 for treatment resistant hypertension. We may require more time and incur greater costs than our competitors and may not succeed in obtaining regulatory approvals of product candidates that we develop. Failure to commence or complete, or delays in, our planned clinical trials could prevent us from or delay us in commercializing CIN-107.

 

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We may explore strategic collaborations that may never materialize, or we may be required to relinquish important rights to and control over the development of CIN-107 or any future product candidate to any future collaborators.

We intend to periodically explore a variety of possible strategic collaborations in an effort to gain access to additional product candidates or resources. At the current time, we cannot predict what form such a strategic collaboration might take. We are likely to face significant competition in seeking appropriate strategic collaborators, and strategic collaborations can be complicated and time consuming to negotiate and document. We may not be able to negotiate strategic collaborations on acceptable terms, or at all. We are unable to predict when, if ever, we will enter into any strategic collaborations because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with establishing them.

Future collaborations could subject us to a number of risks, including:

 

  •  

we may be required to undertake the expenditure of substantial operational, financial and management resources;

 

  •  

we may be required to issue equity securities that would dilute our stockholders’ percentage ownership of our company;

 

  •  

we may be required to assume substantial actual or contingent liabilities;

 

  •  

we may not be able to control the amount and timing of resources that our strategic collaborators devote to the development or commercialization of our product candidates;

 

  •  

strategic collaborators may select indications or design clinical trials in a way that may be less successful than if we were doing so;

 

  •  

strategic collaborators may delay clinical trials, provide insufficient funding, terminate a clinical trial or abandon a product candidate, repeat or conduct new clinical trials or require a new version of a product candidate for clinical testing;

 

  •  

strategic collaborators may not pursue further development of products resulting from the strategic collaboration arrangement or may elect to discontinue research and development programs;

 

  •  

strategic collaborators may not commit adequate resources to the marketing and distribution of CIN-107 or any future product candidates, limiting our potential revenues from these products;

 

  •  

disputes may arise between us and our strategic collaborators that result in the delay or termination of the research or development of CIN-107 or any future product candidates or that result in costly litigation or arbitration that diverts management’s attention and consumes resources;

 

  •  

strategic collaborators may experience financial difficulties;

 

  •  

strategic collaborators may not properly maintain or defend our intellectual property rights or may use our proprietary information in a manner that could jeopardize or invalidate our proprietary information or expose us to potential litigation;

 

  •  

business combinations or significant changes in a strategic collaborator’s business strategy may adversely affect a strategic collaborator’s willingness or ability to complete its obligations under any arrangement;

 

  •  

strategic collaborators could decide to move forward with a competing product candidate developed either independently or in collaboration with others, including our competitors; and

 

  •  

strategic collaborators could terminate the arrangement or allow it to expire, which would delay the development and may increase the cost of developing our product candidates.

 

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Risks Related to Our Dependence on Third Parties

We have, and intend to continue to, rely on third parties to conduct, supervise and monitor our existing clinical trials and potential future clinical trials for product candidates, and those third parties may not perform satisfactorily, including failing to meet deadlines for the completion of such trials.

We have engaged CROs to conduct all three of our Phase 2 clinical trials in patients with rHTN, uHTN and PA, and we expect to engage CROs for future clinical trials of CIN-107 and any future product candidates. We expect to continue to rely on third parties, including clinical data management organizations, medical institutions and clinical investigators, to conduct those clinical trials, and we do not currently have the ability to independently conduct any clinical trials ourselves. Any of these third parties may terminate their engagements with us, some in the event of an uncured material breach and some at any time for convenience. If any of our relationships with these third parties terminate, we may not be able to timely enter into arrangements with alternative third parties or to do so on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. Switching or adding CROs involves substantial cost and requires management time and focus. In addition, there is a natural transition period when a new CRO commences work. As a result, delays occur, which can materially impact our ability to meet our desired clinical development timelines. Though we intend to carefully manage our relationships with our CROs, there can be no assurance that we will not encounter challenges or delays in the future or that these delays or challenges will not have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and prospects. Further, the performance of our CROs may also be interrupted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including due to travel or quarantine policies, heightened exposure of CRO staff who are healthcare providers to COVID-19 or prioritization of resources toward the COVID-19 pandemic.

We rely on CROs and clinical trial sites to ensure the proper and timely conduct of our clinical trials, and we expect to have limited influence over their actual performance. We rely upon CROs to monitor and manage data for our clinical programs. We expect to control only certain aspects of the activities of our CROs. Nevertheless, we will be responsible for ensuring that each of our preclinical studies and clinical trials is conducted in accordance with the applicable protocol, legal, regulatory and scientific standards, and our reliance on the CROs does not relieve us of our regulatory responsibilities.

We and our CROs are required to comply with the good laboratory practices, or GLPs, and GCPs, which are regulations and guidelines enforced by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities in the form of International Conference on Harmonization guidelines for CIN-107 or any future product candidates that are in preclinical and clinical development. The regulatory authorities enforce GCPs through periodic inspections of trial sponsors, principal investigators and clinical trial sites. Although we rely on CROs to conduct GCP-compliant clinical trials, we remain responsible for ensuring that each of our GLP preclinical studies and clinical trials is conducted in accordance with its investigational plan and protocol and applicable laws and regulations, and our reliance on the CROs does not relieve us of our regulatory responsibilities. If we or our CROs fail to comply with GCPs, the clinical data generated in our clinical trials may be deemed unreliable, and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may require us to perform additional clinical trials before approving our marketing applications. Accordingly, if our CROs fail to comply with these regulations or fail to recruit a sufficient number of subjects, we may be required to repeat clinical trials, which would delay the regulatory approval process. We are also required to register certain clinical trials and post the results of completed clinical trials on a government-sponsored database, ClinicalTrials.gov, within certain timeframes. Failure to do so can result in fines, adverse publicity and civil and criminal sanctions.

Our reliance on third parties to conduct clinical trials will result in less direct control over the management of data developed through clinical trials than would be the case if we were relying entirely upon our own staff. Communicating with CROs and other third parties can be challenging, potentially leading to mistakes as well as difficulties in coordinating activities. Such parties may:

 

  •  

have staffing difficulties;

 

  •  

fail to comply with contractual obligations;

 

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  •  

experience regulatory compliance issues;

 

  •  

experience business disruptions from public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and accompanying shelter in place orders; or

 

  •  

undergo changes in priorities or become financially distressed.

These factors may materially adversely affect the willingness or ability of third parties to conduct our clinical trials and may subject us to unexpected cost increases that are beyond our control. If our CROs do not successfully carry out their contractual duties or obligations, fail to meet expected deadlines, fail to comply with regulatory requirements, or if the quality or accuracy of the clinical data they obtain is compromised due to the failure to adhere to our clinical protocols or regulatory requirements or for any other reasons, our clinical trials may be extended, delayed or terminated, and we may not be able to obtain regulatory approval for, or successfully commercialize, any product candidate that we develop. As a result, our financial results and the commercial prospects for any product candidate that we develop would be harmed, our costs could increase, and our ability to generate revenue could be delayed.

While we will have agreements governing their activities, our CROs will not be our employees, and we will not control whether or not they devote sufficient time and resources to our clinical programs. These CROs may also have relationships with other commercial entities, including our competitors, for whom they may also be conducting clinical trials, or other drug development activities. If these CROs, do not successfully carry out their contractual duties, meet expected deadlines or conduct our clinical trials in accordance with regulatory requirements or our stated protocols, we may not be able to obtain, or may be delayed in obtaining, regulatory approvals for CIN-107 or any future product candidates. If that occurs, we will not be able to, or may be delayed in our efforts to, successfully commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidates. In such an event, our financial results and the commercial prospects for CIN-107 or any future product candidates that we seek to develop could be harmed, our costs could increase and our ability to generate revenues could be delayed, impaired or foreclosed.

In addition, quarantines, shelter-in-place, and similar government orders, or the perception that such orders, shutdowns or other restrictions on the conduct of business operations could occur, related to the COVID-19 pandemic or other infectious diseases could impact personnel at our CROs, which could disrupt our clinical timelines, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations.

We face the risk of potential unauthorized disclosure or misappropriation of our intellectual property by CROs, which may reduce our trade secret protection and allow our potential competitors to access and exploit our proprietary technology.

In addition, principal investigators for our clinical trials may serve as scientific advisors or consultants to us from time to time and receive compensation in connection with such services. Under certain circumstances, we may be required to report some of these relationships to the FDA. The FDA may conclude that a financial relationship between us and a principal investigator has created a conflict of interest or otherwise affected interpretation of the trial. The FDA may therefore question the integrity of the data generated at the applicable clinical trial site and the utility of the clinical trial itself may be jeopardized. This could result in a delay in approval, or rejection, of our marketing applications by the FDA and may ultimately lead to the denial of marketing approval of CIN-107 and any future product candidates.

We have, and intend to continue to, rely on third parties to produce clinical and commercial supplies of CIN-107 and any future product candidates.

We do not own or operate facilities for drug manufacturing, storage and distribution, or testing. We are, and will continue to be, dependent on third parties to manufacture the clinical supplies of CIN-107 and any future

 

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product candidates. The facilities used by our CMOs to manufacture CIN-107 and any future product candidates must be approved by the FDA pursuant to inspections that will be conducted after we submit our NDA to the FDA. We do not control the manufacturing process of, and are completely dependent on, our contract manufacturing partners for compliance with the regulatory requirements, known as cGMPs for manufacture of active drug substances and finished product candidates. If our contract manufacturers cannot successfully manufacture material that conforms to our specifications and the strict regulatory requirements of the FDA or others, we will not be able to secure and/or maintain regulatory approval for CIN-107 or any future product candidates. In addition, we have no control over the ability of our contract manufacturers to maintain adequate quality control, quality assurance and qualified personnel. We intend to use multiple third parties to produce, store and distribute clinical and commercial supply of our drug product and drug substance. As such, we will need to demonstrate to the FDA that the drug product and drug substance from these contract manufacturers are comparable, which may include conducting additional equivalence studies. If the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority does not approve these facilities for the manufacture of CIN-107 or if it withdraws any such approval in the future, we may need to find alternative manufacturing facilities, which would significantly impact our ability to develop, obtain regulatory approval for or market CIN-107, if approved. Any significant delay in the supply of a product candidate, or the raw material components thereof, for an ongoing clinical trial due to the need to replace a third-party manufacturer could considerably delay completion of our clinical trials, product testing and potential regulatory approval of CIN-107 or any future product candidates.

Further, we also will rely on third-party manufacturers to supply us with sufficient quantities of CIN-107 and any future product candidates, if approved, for commercialization. We do not yet have a commercial supply agreement for commercial quantities of drug substance or drug product. If we are not able to meet market demand for any approved product, it would negatively affect our ability to generate revenue, harm our reputation, and could have a material and adverse effect on our business and financial condition. Increasing the scale of production inherently creates increased risk of manufacturing errors, and we may not be able to adequately inspect every device that is produced, and it is possible that individual devices may fail to perform as designed. Manufacturing errors could negatively impact market acceptance of any of CIN-107 or any future product candidates that receive approval, result in negative press coverage, or increase our liability.

Further, our reliance on third-party manufacturers entails risks to which we would not be subject if we manufactured CIN-107 ourselves, including:

 

  •  

inability to meet our product specifications and quality requirements consistently;

 

  •  

delay or inability to procure or expand sufficient manufacturing capacity;

 

  •  

issues related to scale-up of manufacturing;

 

  •  

costs and validation of new equipment and facilities required for scale-up;

 

  •  

our third-party manufacturers may not be able to execute our manufacturing procedures and other logistical support requirements appropriately;

 

  •  

our third-party manufacturers may fail to comply with cGMP-compliance and other inspections by the FDA or other comparable regulatory authorities;

 

  •  

our inability to negotiate manufacturing agreements with third parties under commercially reasonable terms, if at all;

 

  •  

breach, termination or nonrenewal of manufacturing agreements with third parties in a manner or at a time that is costly or damaging to us;

 

  •  

our third-party manufacturers may not devote sufficient resources to our product candidate;

 

  •  

we may not own, or may have to share, the intellectual property rights to any improvements made by our third-party manufacturers in the manufacturing process for our product candidate;

 

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  •  

operations of our third-party manufacturers or suppliers could be disrupted by conditions unrelated to our business or operations, including the bankruptcy of the manufacturer or supplier; and

 

  •  

carrier disruptions or increased costs that are beyond our control.

In addition, if we enter into a strategic collaboration with a third party for the commercialization of CIN-107 or any future product candidate, we will not be able to control the amount of time or resources that they devote to such efforts. If any strategic collaborator does not commit adequate resources to the marketing and distribution of CIN-107 or any future product candidate, it could limit our potential revenues.

Any of these events could lead to clinical trial delays, failure to obtain regulatory approval or affect our ability to successfully commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidates once approved. Some of these events could be the basis for FDA action, including injunction, request for recall, seizure, or total or partial suspension of production.

We are subject to a multitude of manufacturing risks, any of which could substantially increase our costs, delay our programs or limit supply of CIN-107.

Developing commercially viable manufacturing processes for CIN-107 is a difficult and uncertain task and requires significant expertise and capital investment. We are still in the early stages of developing and implementing manufacturing processes for CIN-107. Our ability to consistently and reliably manufacture CIN-107 is essential to our success, and there are risks associated with scaling to the level required for advanced clinical trials or commercialization, including cost overruns, potential problems with process scale-up, process reproducibility, stability issues, consistency and timely availability of reagents or raw materials. Furthermore, we have significant dependence on CMOs for our manufacturing processes, which adds additional risks to our manufacturing capabilities. Additionally, we do not yet have sufficient information to reliably estimate the cost of the commercial manufacturing and processing of our product candidate, and the actual cost to manufacture and process our product candidate could materially and adversely affect the commercial viability of our product candidate. As a result, we may never be able to develop a commercially viable product.

The process of successfully manufacturing products for clinical testing and commercialization may be particularly challenging, even if such products otherwise prove to be safe and effective. The manufacture of our product candidates involves complex processes. Some of these processes require specialized equipment and highly skilled and trained personnel. For example, one of the raw materials we use in the manufacture of our clinical supply requires the use of a high pressure reactor which is a very specialized piece of equipment, and limits our choice of a supplier or suppliers.

Any adverse developments affecting manufacturing operations for our product candidate may result in lot failures, inventory shortages, shipment delays, product withdrawals or recalls or other interruptions in supply which could delay the development of our product candidate. If we are unable to obtain sufficient supply of our product candidate, whether due to production shortages or other supply interruptions resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise, our clinical trials or regulatory approval may be delayed. We may also have to write off inventory, incur other charges and expenses for supply of product that fails to meet specifications, undertake costly remediation efforts, or seek more costly manufacturing alternatives. In addition, parts of the supply chain may have long lead times or may come from a small number of suppliers. If we are not able to appropriately manage our supply chain our ability to successfully produce our product candidate could be delayed or harmed. Inability to meet the demand for our product candidate could damage our reputation and the reputation of our product candidate among physicians, healthcare payors, patients or the medical community that supports our product candidate development efforts, including hospitals and outpatient clinics.

Furthermore, the manufacturing facilities in which our product candidate will be made could be adversely affected by earthquakes and other natural disasters, equipment failures, labor shortages, power failures, health epidemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic and numerous other factors. If any of these events were to occur and impact our manufacturing facilities, our business would be materially and adversely affected.

 

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We have delivered notice to terminate our Management Services Agreement with CinRx, a related party we have relied on to provide us with services since our inception, and we may not be able to effectively replace those services.

We were spun out of CinRx in May 2019. Since our spinout from CinRx, we have relied on the services provided by CinRx pursuant to the terms of the Management Services Agreement, as described in “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC.” With the support of August J. Troendle, M.D., M.B.A., we provided notice to terminate the Management Services Agreement on November 4, 2021. Pursuant to the terms of the Master Services Agreement, the termination shall become effective no later than February 2, 2022.

The transition away from relying upon the services provided by CinRx has resulted in some disruption to the operations of our company. We, two of our employees (including Catherine Pearce, M.B.A., D.H.Sc., our Chief Operating Officer) and certain of our investors were involved in a dispute with CinRx, and two former members of our board of directors, August J. Troendle, M.D., M.B.A. and Jonathan Isaacsohn, M.D., FACC. Dr. Troendle is the majority owner and the chairman of the board of managers of CinRx, and also serves as the president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors of Medpace Holdings, Inc., a related party we have engaged to assist us with certain of our clinical trials, as described in “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Medpace Holdings, Inc.” Dr. Isaacsohn is CinRx’s chief executive officer and previously served as our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer. This dispute has resulted in significant expense and management distraction.

On December 22, 2021, we entered into a settlement agreement and release, or the Settlement Agreement, with CinRx, Dr. Troendle, Dr. Isaacsohn, other employees of CinRx, two of our employees (including Ms. Pearce), and certain investors in our Series A preferred stock financing relating to, among other things, the release of claims asserted in proceedings brought by CinRx against certain of our employees (including Ms. Pearce) in Ohio state court and against us and certain of our Series A preferred stock investors in Superior Court of the State of Delaware. Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, we agreed to, among other things, issue 764,705 shares of our common stock to CinRx. We also agreed to reimburse CinRx’s legal fees relating to the dispute for up to an aggregate total of $500,000. CinRx, under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, has agreed to dismiss with prejudice all litigation against us, two of our employees (including Ms. Pearce) and certain investors in our Series A preferred stock financing, and to enter into a voting agreement and proxy, or the Voting Agreement and Proxy, regarding the voting of shares of our capital stock held by CinRx, including any vote concerning matters related to this offering, any merger, sale or change of control, adoption of equity incentive or similar plans, debt financings and certain equity financings, that terminates upon the earlier to occur of 15 months after the date of the Settlement Agreement and expiration of the lockup agreement related to this offering. For further information on our relationship with CinRx, including the Settlement Agreement and Voting Agreement and Proxy, please see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC.”

In the past months we have made several new hires, including Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A. as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer and Mason Freeman, M.D. as our Executive Vice President, Clinical Development. However, these employees are new to our company, and there can be no guarantee that we will be able to effectively replace the services provided by CinRx. We have no history of operating our business without the services provided by CinRx pursuant to the terms of the Management Services Agreement, and the termination of our relationship with CinRx, including our relationship with Dr. Isaacsohn, could make it difficult for us to operate our business, including the management of our clinical trials and associated timelines. Any failure by us to successfully integrate our new employees and effectively replace the services CinRx previously provided to us under the Management Services Agreement could materially harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Additionally, if we do not have adequate financial resources or personnel and systems in place by the time the Management Services Agreement is fully terminated, which will become effective no later than February 2, 2022, we may not be successful in effectively or efficiently assuming these services from CinRx, which could

 

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disrupt our business and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Even if we are able to successfully assume these services, there may be increased transition and other costs or reduced efficiency levels of when compared with the services we previously received from CinRx.

We have engaged Medpace Holdings, Inc., a related party, to assist us with certain of our clinical trials which may expose us to significant regulatory risks. If there are any data integrity issues, we may be required to repeat such studies or required to contract with other CROs, and our clinical development plans will be significantly delayed.

Dr. Troendle a former member of our board of directors, is the president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors of Medpace Holdings, Inc., or Medpace, and Jonathan Isaacsohn, M.D., FACC, our former Chief Scientific Officer and former member of our board of directors, is an officer of Medpace. We have engaged Medpace to provide us with certain clinical trial related services pursuant to a master services agreement, as described in “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Medpace Holdings, Inc.” Relying on a related party CRO to assist us with our clinical development plans and with the development of data that is used as the basis to support regulatory approval can expose us to significant regulatory risks.

If we are unable to continue receiving clinical trial services from Medpace on acceptable terms, or should we or Medpace cease to continue to work together for any reason, a transition to an alternative CRO could result in delays and increased costs, and may impact our clinical development timelines during such a transition period, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may seek collaborations with third parties for the development or commercialization of CIN-107 and any future product candidates. If those collaborations are not successful, we may not be able to capitalize on the market potential of these product candidates.

We may seek third-party collaborators for the development and commercialization of CIN-107 or any future product candidates, including for the commercialization of any of our product candidates that are approved for marketing outside the United States. Our likely collaborators for any such arrangements include regional and national pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies. If we enter into any additional such arrangements with any third parties, we will likely have limited control over the amount and timing of resources that our collaborators dedicate to the development or commercialization of our product candidates. Our ability to generate revenue from these arrangements will depend on our collaborators’ abilities to successfully perform the functions assigned to them in these arrangements.

Collaborations involving our product candidates would pose the following risks to us:

 

  •  

collaborators have significant discretion in determining the efforts and resources that they will apply to these collaborations;

 

  •  

collaborators may not perform their obligations as expected;

 

  •  

collaborators may not pursue development and commercialization of any product candidates that achieve regulatory approval or may elect not to continue or renew development or commercialization programs based on clinical trial results, changes in the collaborators’ strategic focus or available funding, or external factors, such as an acquisition, that divert resources or create competing priorities;

 

  •  

collaborators may delay clinical trials, provide insufficient funding for a clinical trial program, stop a clinical trial or abandon a product candidate, repeat or conduct new clinical trials or require a new formulation of a product candidate for clinical testing;

 

  •  

collaborators could independently develop, or develop with third parties, products that compete directly or indirectly with our product candidates if the collaborators believe that competitive products are more likely to be successfully developed or can be commercialized under terms that are more economically attractive than ours;

 

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  •  

we could grant exclusive rights to our collaborators that would prevent us from collaborating with others;

 

  •  

product candidates discovered in collaboration with us may be viewed by our collaborators as competitive with their own product candidates or drugs, which may cause collaborators to cease to devote resources to the commercialization of our product candidates;

 

  •  

a collaborator with marketing and distribution rights to one or more of our product candidates that achieve regulatory approval may not commit sufficient resources to the marketing and distribution of such products;

 

  •  

disagreements with collaborators, including disagreements over proprietary rights, contract interpretation or the preferred course of development, might cause delays or termination of the research, development or commercialization of product candidates, might lead to additional responsibilities for us with respect to product candidates, or might result in litigation or arbitration, any of which would be time-consuming and expensive;

 

  •  

collaborators may not properly maintain or defend our or their intellectual property rights or may use our or their proprietary information in such a way as to invite litigation that could jeopardize or invalidate such intellectual property or proprietary information or expose us to potential litigation;

 

  •  

collaborators may infringe the intellectual property rights of third parties, which may expose us to litigation and potential liability; and

 

  •  

collaborations may be terminated for the convenience of the collaborator and, if terminated, we could be required to raise additional capital to pursue further development or commercialization of the applicable product candidates.

Collaboration agreements may not lead to development or commercialization of product candidates in the most efficient manner or at all. If any future collaborator of ours were to be involved in a business combination, the continued pursuit and emphasis on our product development or commercialization program could be delayed, diminished or terminated.

We face significant competition in seeking appropriate collaborators. Whether we reach a definitive agreement for any collaboration will depend, among other things, upon our assessment of the collaborator’s resources and expertise, the terms and conditions of the proposed collaboration and the proposed collaborator’s evaluation of a number of factors. Those factors may include the design or results of clinical trials, the likelihood of approval by the FDA or similar regulatory authorities outside the United States, the potential market for the subject product candidate, the costs and complexities of manufacturing and delivering such product candidate to patients, the potential of competing products, the existence of uncertainty with respect to our ownership of technology, which can exist if there is a challenge to such ownership without regard to the merits of the challenge and industry and market conditions generally. The collaborator may also consider alternative product candidates or technologies for similar indications that may be available to collaborate on and whether such a collaboration could be more attractive than the one with us for our product candidate. Collaborations are complex and time-consuming to negotiate and document. In addition, there have been a significant number of recent business combinations among large pharmaceutical companies that have resulted in a reduced number of potential future collaborators.

We may not be able to negotiate additional collaborations on a timely basis, on acceptable terms, or at all. If we are unable to do so, we may have to curtail the development of such product candidate, reduce or delay its development program or one or more of our other development programs, delay its potential commercialization or reduce the scope of any sales or marketing activities, or increase our expenditures and undertake development or commercialization activities at our own expense. If we elect to increase our expenditures to fund development or commercialization activities on our own, we may need to obtain additional capital, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. If we do not have sufficient funds, we may not be able to further develop our product candidates or bring them to market and generate revenue.

 

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Risks Related to the Commercialization of CIN-107 or Future Product Candidates

If we are unable to establish sales and marketing capabilities or enter into agreements with third parties to market and sell CIN-107 or any future product candidates, we may not be successful in commercializing CIN-107 or any future product candidates, if and when they are approved.

To successfully commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidate that may result from our development programs, we will need to build out our sales and marketing capabilities, either on our own or with others. The establishment and development of our own commercial team or the establishment of a contract field force to market any product candidate we may develop will be expensive and time-consuming and could delay any drug launch. Moreover, we cannot be certain that we will be able to successfully develop this capability. We may seek to enter into collaborations with other entities to use their established marketing and distribution capabilities, but we may be unable to enter into such agreements on favorable terms, if at all. If any current or future collaborators do not commit sufficient resources to commercialize CIN-107, or we are unable to develop the necessary capabilities on our own, we may be unable to generate sufficient revenue to sustain our business. We may compete with many companies that currently have extensive, experienced and well-funded marketing and sales operations to recruit, hire, train and retain marketing and sales personnel. We will likely also face competition if we seek third parties to assist us with the sales and marketing efforts of CIN-107 and any future product candidates. Without an internal team or the support of a third party to perform marketing and sales functions, we may be unable to compete successfully against these more established companies.

Even if CIN-107 or any future product candidates receive marketing approval, they may fail to achieve market acceptance by physicians, patients, third-party payors or others in the medical community necessary for commercial success.

Even if CIN-107 or any future product candidates receive marketing approval, they may fail to gain market acceptance by physicians, patients, third-party payors and others in the medical community. If such product candidates do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance, we may not generate significant drug revenue and may not become profitable. The degree of market acceptance of CIN-107 or any future product candidates, if approved for commercial sale, will depend on a number of factors, including but not limited to:

 

  •  

the convenience and ease of administration compared to alternative treatments and therapies;

 

  •  

the willingness of the target patient population to try new therapies and of physicians to prescribe these therapies;

 

  •  

the efficacy and potential advantages compared to alternative treatments and therapies;

 

  •  

the effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts;

 

  •  

the prevalence and severity of any side effects;

 

  •  

the strength of our relationships with patient communities;

 

  •  

the cost of treatment in relation to alternative treatments and therapies, including any similar generic treatments;

 

  •  

our ability to offer such drug for sale at competitive prices;

 

  •  

the strength of marketing and distribution support;

 

  •  

the availability of third-party coverage and adequate reimbursement;

 

  •  

any restrictions on the use of the drug together with other medications; and

 

  •  

the awareness and support from key opinion leaders in cardiology.

Our efforts to educate physicians, patients, third-party payors and others in the medical community on the benefits of CIN-107 or any future product candidates may require significant resources and may never be

 

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successful. Because we expect sales of CIN-107 or any future product candidates, if approved, to generate substantially all of our revenues for the foreseeable future, the failure of these product candidates to find market acceptance would harm our business.

If the market opportunities for CIN-107 are smaller than we estimate, our business may suffer.

Our eligible patient population may differ significantly from the actual market addressable by CIN-107. Our projections of both the number of people who have these conditions, as well as the subset of people with these diseases who have the potential to benefit from treatment with CIN-107, are based on our beliefs and estimates. These estimates have been derived from a variety of sources, including the scientific literature, insurance claims databases or market research, and may prove to be incorrect. Further, new studies may change the estimated incidence or prevalence of these diseases. The number of patients may turn out to be lower than expected. Furthermore, certain of the indications we are pursuing may be underdiagnosed, which may further limit the eligible patient population. For example, PA continues to be underdiagnosed despite being one of the more common causes of secondary hypertension due to the complexity of the current diagnostic guidelines recommended by the Endocrine Society. Likewise, the potentially addressable patient population for CIN-107 may be limited or may not be amenable to treatment with CIN-107, and new patients may become increasingly difficult to identify or access. If the market opportunities for CIN-107 are smaller than we estimate, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.

We may face substantial competition, which may result in others developing or commercializing drugs before or more successfully than us.

The development and commercialization of new drugs is highly competitive. We may face competition from major pharmaceutical companies, specialty pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies worldwide. Potential competitors also include academic institutions, government agencies and other public and private research organizations that conduct research, seek patent protection and establish collaborative arrangements for research, development, manufacturing and commercialization.

In particular, we face competition from companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other related markets that are pursuing the development of treatments for hypertension, PA and CKD. Our competitors include Mineralys Therapeutics, Damian Pharma AG, Idorsia Ltd., Quantum Genomics, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sihuan Pharmaceutical and KBP BioSciences. More established companies may have a competitive advantage over us due to their greater size, resources and institutional experience. In particular, these companies have greater experience and expertise in securing reimbursement, government contracts and relationships with key opinion leaders, conducting testing and clinical trials, obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals and distribution relationships to market products and marketing approved drugs. These companies also have significantly greater research and marketing capabilities than we do. If we are not able to compete effectively against existing and potential competitors, our business and financial condition may be harmed.

As a result of these factors, our competitors may obtain regulatory approval of their drugs before we are able to, which may limit our ability to develop or commercialize CIN-107 and any future product candidates. Our competitors may also develop therapies that are safer, more effective, more widely accepted or less expensive than ours, and may also be more successful than we in manufacturing and marketing their drugs. These advantages could render CIN-107 obsolete or non-competitive before we can recover the costs of such product candidates’ development and commercialization.

Mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries may result in even more resources being concentrated among a smaller number of our competitors. Smaller and early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies. These third parties compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific, management and commercial personnel, establishing clinical trial sites and subject registration for clinical trials, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.

 

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If we commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidates outside of the United States, a variety of risks associated with international operations could harm our business.

We intend to seek approval to market CIN-107 outside of the United States, and may do so for future product candidates. If we market approved products outside of the United States, we expect that we will be subject to additional risks in commercialization including:

 

  •  

different regulatory requirements for approval of therapies in foreign countries;

 

  •  

reduced protection for intellectual property rights;

 

  •  

unexpected changes in tariffs, trade barriers and regulatory requirements;

 

  •  

economic weakness, including inflation, or political instability in particular foreign economies and markets;

 

  •  

compliance with tax, employment, immigration and labor laws for employees living or traveling abroad;

 

  •  

foreign currency fluctuations, which could result in increased operating expenses and reduced revenues, and other obligations incident to doing business in another country;

 

  •  

foreign reimbursement, pricing and insurance regimes;

 

  •  

workforce uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is more common than in the United States;

 

  •  

production shortages resulting from any events affecting raw material supply or manufacturing capabilities abroad; and

 

  •  

business interruptions resulting from pandemics and public health emergencies, including those related to COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical actions, including war and terrorism or natural disasters including earthquakes, typhoons, floods and fires.

We have no prior experience in these areas. In addition, there are complex regulatory, tax, labor and other legal requirements imposed by many of the individual countries in and outside of Europe with which we will need to comply. Many biopharmaceutical companies have found the process of marketing their own products in foreign countries to be very challenging.

Healthcare insurance coverage and adequate reimbursement may not be available for CIN-107 or any future product candidates, which could make it difficult for us to gain market acceptance.

Market acceptance and sales of CIN-107 or any product candidates that we commercialize, if approved, will depend in part on the extent to which reimbursement for these drugs and related treatments will be available from third-party payors, including government health administration authorities, managed care organizations and other private health insurers. Third-party payors decide for which therapies reimbursement is available, and establish reimbursement levels. While no uniform policy for coverage and reimbursement exists in the United States, third-party payors often rely upon Medicare coverage policy and payment limitations in setting their own coverage and reimbursement policies. However, decisions regarding the extent of coverage and amount of reimbursement to be provided for any product candidates that we develop will be made on a payor-by-payor basis. Therefore, one payor’s determination to provide coverage for a drug does not assure that other payors will also provide coverage, and adequate reimbursement, for the drug. Additionally, a third-party payor’s decision to provide coverage for a therapy does not imply that an adequate reimbursement rate will be approved. Each payor determines whether or not it will provide coverage for a therapy, what amount it will pay the manufacturer for the therapy, and on what tier of its formulary it will be placed. The position on a payor’s list of covered drugs, or formulary, generally determines the co-payment that a patient will need to make to obtain the therapy and can strongly influence the adoption of such therapy by patients and physicians. Patients who are prescribed treatments for their conditions and providers prescribing such services generally rely on third-party payors to reimburse all or part of the associated healthcare costs. Patients are unlikely to use our products unless coverage is provided and reimbursement is adequate to cover a significant portion of the cost of our products.

 

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Third-party payors have attempted to control costs by limiting coverage and the amount of reimbursement for particular medications. Increasingly, third-party payors are requiring that drug manufacturers provide them with predetermined discounts from list prices and are challenging the prices charged for medical products. Further, such payors are increasingly challenging the price, examining the medical necessity, and reviewing the cost effectiveness of medical product candidates. There may be especially significant delays in obtaining coverage and reimbursement for newly approved drugs. Third-party payors may limit coverage to specific product candidates on a formulary, which might not include all FDA-approved drugs for a particular indication. We may need to conduct expensive pharmaco-economic studies to demonstrate the medical necessity and cost effectiveness of our products. Nonetheless, CIN-107 or any future product candidates may not be considered medically necessary or cost effective. We cannot be sure that coverage and reimbursement will be available for any drug that we commercialize and, if reimbursement is available, what the level of reimbursement will be. Inadequate coverage and reimbursement may impact the demand for, or the price of, any drug for which we obtain marketing approval. If coverage and adequate reimbursement are not available, or are available only to limited levels, we may not be able to successfully commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidates that we develop.

Outside the United States, the commercialization of therapeutics is generally subject to extensive governmental price controls and other market regulations, and we believe the increasing emphasis on cost containment initiatives in Europe, Canada and other countries has and will continue to put pressure on the pricing and usage of therapeutics such as CIN-107. In many countries, particularly the countries of the European Union, medical product prices are subject to varying price control mechanisms as part of national health systems. In these countries, pricing negotiations with governmental authorities can take considerable time after a product receives marketing approval. To obtain reimbursement or pricing approval in some countries, we may be required to conduct a clinical trial that compares the cost-effectiveness of our product candidate to other available therapies. In general, product prices under such systems are substantially lower than in the United States. Other countries allow companies to fix their own prices for products but monitor and control company profits. Additional foreign price controls or other changes in pricing regulation could restrict the amount that we are able to charge for CIN-107 or any future product candidates. Accordingly, in markets outside the United States, the reimbursement for our products may be reduced compared with the United States and may be insufficient to generate commercially reasonable revenue and profits.

Product liability lawsuits against us could cause us to incur substantial liabilities and could limit commercialization of CIN-107.

We face an inherent risk of product liability exposure related to the testing of CIN-107 or any future product candidates in clinical trials and may face an even greater risk if we commercialize any product candidate that we may develop. If we cannot successfully defend ourselves against claims that any such product candidates caused injuries, we could incur substantial liabilities. Regardless of merit or eventual outcome, liability claims may result in:

 

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decreased demand for any product candidate that we may develop;

 

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loss of revenue;

 

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substantial monetary awards to trial participants or patients;

 

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significant time and costs to defend the related litigation;

 

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withdrawal of clinical trial participants;

 

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increased insurance costs;

 

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the inability to commercialize any product candidate that we may develop; and

 

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injury to our reputation and significant negative media attention.

 

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Although we maintain product liability insurance coverage with maximum coverage of $5.0 million per incident and an aggregate loss limit of $5.0 million, such insurance may not be adequate to cover all liabilities that we may incur. We anticipate that we will need to increase our insurance coverage each time we commence a clinical trial and if we successfully commercialize any product candidate. Insurance coverage is increasingly expensive. We may not be able to maintain insurance coverage at a reasonable cost or in an amount adequate to satisfy any liability that may arise.

Risks Related to Regulatory Matters

Even if we complete the necessary preclinical studies and clinical trials, the regulatory approval process is expensive, time-consuming and uncertain and may prevent us from obtaining approvals for the commercialization of CIN-107 or any future product candidates. If we or any future collaborators are not able to obtain, or if there are delays in obtaining, required regulatory approvals, we or they will not be able to commercialize our product candidates, and our ability to generate revenue will be materially impaired.

The activities associated with its development and commercialization, including its design, testing, manufacture, safety, efficacy, record keeping, labeling, storage, approval, advertising, promotion, sale and distribution, export and import, are subject to comprehensive regulation by the FDA and other regulatory agencies in the United States and by comparable regulatory authorities in other countries. Failure to obtain marketing approval for CIN-107 or any future product candidates will prevent us from commercializing them. We have not received approval to market any product candidates from regulatory authorities in any jurisdiction. We have only limited experience in filing and supporting the applications necessary to gain marketing approvals and expect to rely on third-party CROs to assist us in this process.

Securing marketing approval requires the submission of extensive preclinical and clinical data and supporting information, including manufacturing information, to the various regulatory authorities for each therapeutic indication to establish the product candidate’s safety and efficacy. CIN-107 or any future product candidates may not be effective, may be only moderately effective or may prove to have undesirable or unintended side effects, toxicities or other characteristics that may preclude our obtaining marketing approval or prevent or limit commercial use.

The process of obtaining marketing approvals, both in the United States and abroad, is expensive, may take many years if additional clinical trials are required, if approval is obtained at all, and can vary substantially based upon a variety of factors, including the type, complexity and novelty of the product candidates involved. Changes in marketing approval policies during the development period, changes in or the enactment of additional statutes or regulations, or changes in regulatory review for each submitted product application, may cause delays in the approval or rejection of an application. The FDA and comparable authorities in other countries have substantial discretion in the approval process and may refuse to accept any application or may decide that our data is insufficient for approval and require additional preclinical, clinical or other studies. In addition, varying interpretations of the data obtained from preclinical and clinical testing could delay, limit or prevent marketing approval of CIN-107 or any future product candidates. Any marketing approval we or our collaborators ultimately obtain may be limited or subject to restrictions or post-approval commitments that render the approved product not commercially viable.

Finally, disruptions at the FDA and other agencies may prolong the time necessary for new drugs to be reviewed and/or approved by necessary government agencies, which would adversely affect our business. For example, over the last several years, the United States government has shut down several times and certain regulatory agencies, such as the FDA, have had to furlough critical employees and stop critical activities. If a prolonged government shutdown occurs, it could significantly impact the ability of the FDA to timely review and process our regulatory submissions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Accordingly, if we or any future collaborators experience delays in obtaining approval or if we or they fail to obtain approval of CIN-107 or any future product candidates, the commercial prospects for them may be harmed, and our ability to generate revenues will be materially impaired.

 

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Even if we obtain regulatory approval for CIN-107 or any future product candidates, they will remain subject to ongoing regulatory oversight.

Even if we obtain regulatory approvals for CIN-107 or any future product candidates, such approvals will be subject to ongoing regulatory requirements for manufacturing, labeling, packaging, storage, advertising, promotion, sampling, record-keeping and submission of safety and other post-market information. Any regulatory approvals that we receive for CIN-107 or any future product candidates may also be subject to a REMS, limitations on the approved indicated uses for which the drug may be marketed or to the conditions of approval, or contain requirements for potentially costly post-marketing testing, including Phase 4 trials, and surveillance to monitor the quality, safety and efficacy of the drug. Such regulatory requirements may differ from country to country depending on where we have received regulatory approval.

In addition, drug manufacturers and their facilities are subject to payment of user fees and continual review and periodic inspections by the FDA and other regulatory authorities for compliance with cGMP requirements and adherence to commitments made in the NDA or foreign marketing application. If we, or a regulatory authority, discover previously unknown problems with a drug, such as adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or problems with the facility where the drug is manufactured or if a regulatory authority disagrees with the promotion, marketing or labeling of that drug, a regulatory authority may impose restrictions relative to that drug, the manufacturing facility or us, including requesting a recall or requiring withdrawal of the drug from the market or suspension of manufacturing.

CIN-107 or any future product candidates could be subject to restrictions or withdrawal from the market, and we may be subject to substantial penalties, if we or our collaborators fail to comply with regulatory requirements or if we or they experience unanticipated problems with such product candidates, when and if it is approved.

CIN-107 or any future product candidate for which we or our collaborators obtain marketing approval, along with the manufacturing processes, post-approval clinical data, labeling, advertising and promotional activities for such product, will be subject to continual requirements of and review by the FDA and other regulatory authorities. These requirements include submissions of safety and other post-marketing information and reports, registration and listing requirements, cGMP requirements relating to quality control and manufacturing, quality assurance and corresponding maintenance of records and documents, and requirements regarding the distribution of samples to physicians and recordkeeping. Even if marketing approval of a product candidate is granted, the approval may be subject to limitations on the indicated uses for which the product may be marketed or to the conditions of approval, or contain requirements for costly post-marketing testing and surveillance to monitor the safety or efficacy of the medicine, including the requirement to implement a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy.

The FDA and other agencies, including the Department of Justice, or the DOJ, closely regulate and monitor the post-approval marketing and promotion of products to ensure that they are marketed and distributed only for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of the approved labeling. The FDA and DOJ impose stringent restrictions on manufacturers’ communications regarding off-label use and if we do not market our products for their approved indications, we may be subject to enforcement action for off-label marketing. Violations of the FDCA and other statutes, including the False Claims Act, relating to the promotion and advertising of prescription drugs may lead to investigations and enforcement actions alleging violations of federal and state healthcare fraud and abuse laws, as well as state consumer protection laws.

In addition, later discovery of previously unknown adverse events or other problems with our products, manufacturers or manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may yield various results, including:

 

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restrictions on such products, manufacturers or manufacturing processes;

 

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restrictions on the labeling or marketing of a product;

 

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  •  

restrictions on distribution or use of a product;

 

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requirements to conduct post-marketing studies or clinical trials;

 

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warning letters or untitled letters;

 

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withdrawal of the products from the market;

 

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refusal to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications that we submit;

 

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recall of products;

 

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damage to relationships with any potential collaborators;

 

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unfavorable press coverage and damage to our reputation;

 

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fines, restitution or disgorgement of profits or revenues;

 

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suspension or withdrawal of marketing approvals;

 

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refusal to permit the import or export of our products;

 

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product seizure;

 

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injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties; and

 

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litigation involving patients using our products.

Non-compliance with European Union requirements regarding safety monitoring or pharmacovigilance, and with requirements related to the development of products for the pediatric population, can also result in significant financial penalties. Similarly, failure to comply with the European Union’s requirements regarding the protection of personal information can also lead to significant penalties and sanctions.

Failure to obtain marketing approval in foreign jurisdictions would prevent CIN-107 or any future product candidate product candidates from being marketed in such jurisdictions.

In order to market and sell our medicines in the European Union and many other jurisdictions, we or our third-party collaborators must obtain separate marketing approvals and comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements. The approval procedure varies among countries and can involve additional testing. The time required to obtain approval may differ substantially from that required to obtain FDA approval. The regulatory approval process outside the United States generally includes all of the risks associated with obtaining FDA approval. In addition, in many countries outside the United States, a product must be approved for reimbursement before the product can be approved for sale in that country. We or any future third-party collaborators may not obtain approvals from regulatory authorities outside the United States on a timely basis, if at all. Approval by the FDA does not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in other countries or jurisdictions, and approval by one regulatory authority outside the United States does not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in other countries or jurisdictions or by the FDA. We may not be able to file for marketing approvals and may not receive necessary approvals to commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidate in any market.

Additionally, we could face heightened risks with respect to seeking marketing approval in the United Kingdom, should we choose to do so, as a result of the recent withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, commonly referred to as Brexit. Pursuant to the formal withdrawal arrangements agreed between the United Kingdom and the European Union, the United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union, effective December 31, 2020. On December 24, 2020, the United Kingdom and European Union entered into a Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The agreement sets out certain procedures for approval and recognition of medical products in each jurisdiction. Since the regulatory framework for pharmaceutical products in the United Kingdom covering the quality, safety, and efficacy of pharmaceutical products, clinical trials, marketing

 

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authorization, commercial sales, and distribution of pharmaceutical products is derived from European Union directives and regulations, Brexit could materially impact the future regulatory regime that applies to products and the approval of product candidates in the United Kingdom. Any delay in obtaining, or an inability to obtain, any marketing approvals, as a result of Brexit or otherwise, would prevent us from commercializing any product candidates in the United Kingdom and/or the European Union and restrict our ability to generate revenue and achieve and sustain profitability. If any of these outcomes occur, we may be forced to restrict or delay efforts to seek regulatory approval in the United Kingdom and/or European Union for any product candidates, which could significantly and materially harm our business

Our relationships with customers, physicians, and third-party payors are subject, directly or indirectly, to federal and state healthcare fraud and abuse laws, false claims laws, health information privacy and security laws, and other healthcare laws and regulations. If we are unable to comply, or have not fully complied, with such laws, we could face substantial penalties.

Healthcare providers, physicians and third-party payors in the United States and elsewhere will play a primary role in the recommendation and prescription of any product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval. Our current and future arrangements with healthcare professionals, principal investigators, consultants, customers and third-party payors subject us to various federal and state fraud and abuse laws, data privacy and security laws, transparency laws and other healthcare laws that may constrain the business or financial arrangements and relationships through which we research, sell, market, and distribute our products, if we obtain marketing approval. We will also be subject to healthcare regulation and enforcement by the U.S. federal government and the states and any other countries in which we conduct our business, including our research, and the sales, marketing and distribution of CIN-107 or any future products once they have obtained marketing authorization. For additional information on the healthcare laws and regulations that we may be subject to, see “Business—Government Regulation and Product Approval.”

Ensuring that our business arrangements with third parties comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations will likely be costly. It is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices may not comply with current or future statutes, regulations or case law involving applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of these laws or any other governmental regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, imprisonment, exclusion from participating in government funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, contractual damages, reputational harm and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations.

If the physicians or other providers or entities with whom we expect to do business are found not to be in compliance with applicable laws, they may be subject to significant criminal, civil or administrative sanctions, including exclusions from government funded healthcare programs. Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings relating to healthcare laws and regulations may cause us to incur significant expenses and could distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. In addition, there could be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments. If securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have a substantial adverse effect on the price of our common stock. Such litigation or proceedings could substantially increase our operating losses and reduce the resources available for development, manufacturing, sales, marketing or distribution activities. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of litigation or other proceedings relating to applicable healthcare laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete in the marketplace.

 

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Healthcare legislative reform measures may have a negative impact on our business and results of operations.

In the United States and some foreign jurisdictions, there have been, and continue to be, several legislative and regulatory changes and proposed changes regarding the healthcare system that could prevent or delay marketing approval of product candidates, restrict or regulate post-approval activities, and affect our ability to profitably sell any product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval. In particular, there have been and continue to be a number of initiatives at the U.S. federal and state levels that seek to reduce healthcare costs and improve the quality of healthcare. For example, on June 17, 2021 the United States Supreme Court dismissed a challenge on procedural grounds that argued the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, or collectively the PPACA, is unconstitutional in its entirety because the “individual mandate” was repealed by Congress. Thus, the PPACA will remain in effect in its current form.

Further, in the United States there has been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products, which has resulted in several Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to drug pricing, reduce the cost of prescription drugs under government payor programs, and review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs. At the federal level, the Trump administration used several means to propose or implement drug pricing reform, including through federal budget proposals, executive orders, and policy initiatives. It is unclear whether the Biden administration will work to reverse these measures or pursue similar policy initiatives. Nonetheless, we expect that additional U.S. federal healthcare reform measures will be adopted in the future, any of which could limit the amounts that the U.S. federal government will pay for healthcare products and services, which could result in reduced demand for CIN-107 or any future product candidates or additional pricing pressures.

We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action in the United States or any other jurisdiction. If we or any third parties we may engage are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing or new requirements or policies, or if we or such third parties are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, CIN-107 or any future product candidates we may develop may lose any regulatory approval that may have been obtained and we may not achieve or sustain profitability. For additional information on the healthcare reform, see “Business—Government Regulation and Product Approval.”

The prices of prescription pharmaceuticals in the United States and foreign jurisdictions is subject to considerable legislative and executive actions and could impact the prices we obtain for our products, if and when licensed.

The prices of prescription pharmaceuticals have also been the subject of considerable discussion in the United States. To date, there have been several recent U.S. congressional inquiries, as well as proposed and enacted state and federal legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to drug pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, reduce the costs of drugs under Medicare and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for products. To those ends, President Trump issued several executive orders intended to lower the costs of prescription drug products. Certain of these orders are reflected in recently promulgated regulations, including an interim final rule implementing President Trump’s most favored nation model, but such final rule is currently subject to a nationwide preliminary injunction. It remains to be seen whether these orders and resulting regulations will remain in force during the Biden Administration. Further, on September 24, 2020, the Trump Administration finalized a rulemaking allowing states or certain other non-federal government entities to submit importation program proposals to the FDA for review and approval. Applicants are required to demonstrate that their importation plans pose no additional risk to public health and safety and will result in significant cost savings for consumers. The FDA has issued draft guidance that would allow manufacturers to import their own FDA-approved drugs that are authorized for sale in other countries (multi-market approved products).

 

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At the state level, individual states are increasingly aggressive in passing legislation and implementing regulations designed to control pharmaceutical and biological product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. In addition, regional health care organizations and individual hospitals are increasingly using bidding procedures to determine what pharmaceutical products and which suppliers will be included in their prescription drug and other health care programs. These measures could reduce the ultimate demand for CIN-107 or any future product candidates, once approved, or put pressure on our product pricing. We expect that additional state and federal healthcare reform measures will be adopted in the future, any of which could limit the amounts that federal and state governments will pay for healthcare products and services, which could result in reduced demand for CIN-107 or any future product candidates or additional pricing pressures.

In markets outside of the United States, reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary significantly by country, and many countries have instituted price ceilings on specific products and therapies. In some countries, particularly the countries of the European Union, the pricing of prescription pharmaceuticals is subject to governmental control. In these countries, pricing negotiations with governmental authorities can take considerable time after the receipt of marketing approval for a product. To obtain reimbursement or pricing approval in some countries, we may be required to conduct a clinical trial that compares the cost-effectiveness of CIN-107 or any future product candidates to other available therapies. If reimbursement of our products is unavailable or limited in scope or amount, or if pricing is set at unsatisfactory levels, our business could be harmed, possibly materially.

Even if we obtain and maintain approval for CIN-107 or any future product candidates from the FDA, we may never obtain approval of CIN-107 or any future product candidates outside of the United States, which would limit our market opportunities and could harm our business.

Approval of a product candidate in the United States by the FDA does not ensure approval of such product candidate by regulatory authorities in other countries or jurisdictions, and approval by one foreign regulatory authority does not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in other foreign countries or by the FDA. Sales of CIN-107 or any future product candidates outside of the United States will be subject to foreign regulatory requirements governing clinical trials and marketing approval. Even if the FDA grants marketing approval for a product candidate, comparable foreign regulatory authorities also must approve the manufacturing and marketing of the product candidate in those countries. Approval procedures vary among jurisdictions and can involve requirements and administrative review periods different from, and more onerous than, those in the United States, including additional preclinical studies or clinical trials. In many countries outside the United States, a product candidate must be approved for reimbursement before it can be approved for sale in that country. In some cases, the price that we intend to charge for any product candidates, if approved, is also subject to approval. Obtaining approval for CIN-107 or any future product candidates in the European Union from the European Commission following the opinion of the European Medicines Agency, if we choose to submit a marketing authorization application there, would be a lengthy and expensive process. Even if a product candidate is approved, the FDA or the European Commission, as the case may be, may limit the indications for which the drug may be marketed, require extensive warnings on the drug labeling or require expensive and time-consuming additional clinical trials or reporting as conditions of approval. Obtaining foreign regulatory approvals and compliance with foreign regulatory requirements could result in significant delays, difficulties and costs for us and could delay or prevent the introduction of CIN-107 or any future product candidates in certain countries.

Further, clinical trials conducted in one country may not be accepted by regulatory authorities in other countries. Also, regulatory approval for CIN-107 may be withdrawn. If we fail to comply with the regulatory requirements, our target market will be reduced and our ability to realize the full market potential of CIN-107 or any future product candidates will be harmed and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be harmed.

 

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We, any future collaborators and our service providers may be subject to a variety of privacy and data security laws and contractual obligations, which could increase compliance costs and our failure to comply with them could subject us to potentially significant fines or penalties and otherwise harm our business.

We may maintain a large quantity of sensitive information, including confidential business, patient health and other personally identifiable information in connection with our preclinical studies, and we may be subject to laws, orders, regulations, or regulatory guidance governing the privacy and security of such information. The regulatory framework for privacy, information security, data protection and data processing worldwide is, and is likely to remain, uncertain for the foreseeable future, and it is possible that these or other actual or alleged obligations may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other rules or our practices. Any significant change in data protection laws or data protection obligations could increase our costs and could require us to modify our products or operations, possibly in a material manner, and may limit our ability to develop CIN-107 or any future product candidates.

In the United States, there are numerous federal and state privacy and data security laws and regulations governing the collection, use, disclosure and protection of personal information, including federal and state health information privacy laws, security breach notification laws and consumer protection laws. Each of these laws is subject to varying interpretations and constantly evolving. By way of example, HIPAA imposes privacy and security requirements and breach reporting obligations with respect to individually identifiable health information upon “covered entities” (health plans, health care clearinghouses and certain health care providers), and their respective business associates, individuals or entities that create, receive, maintain or transmit protected health information in connection with providing a service for or on behalf of a covered entity, and their covered subcontractors. HIPAA mandates the reporting of certain breaches of health information to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, affected individuals and if the breach is large enough, the media. Entities that are found to be in violation of HIPAA as the result of a breach of unsecured protected health information, a complaint about privacy practices or an audit by HHS, may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative fines and penalties and/or additional reporting and oversight obligations if required to enter into a resolution agreement and corrective action plan with HHS to settle allegations of HIPAA non-compliance. When HIPAA is not applicable, failing to take appropriate steps to keep consumers’ personal information secure may constitute unfair acts or practices in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, or FTCA, 15 U.S.C § 45(a). The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, expects a company’s data security measures to be reasonable and appropriate in light of the sensitivity and volume of consumer information it holds, the size and complexity of its business and the cost of available tools to improve security and reduce vulnerabilities. Individually identifiable health information is considered sensitive data that may merit stronger safeguards.

In addition, and when applicable, certain state laws govern the privacy and security of health and other personal information, some of which are more stringent than HIPAA. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, which went into effect on January 1, 2020, gives California residents expanded rights to access and delete their personal information, opt out of certain personal information sharing, and receive detailed information about how their personal information is used. The CCPA provides for civil penalties for violations, as well as a private right of action for data breaches that is expected to increase data breach litigation. If applicable to our operations, the CCPA may increase our compliance costs and potential liability. Some observers have noted that the CCPA could mark the beginning of a trend toward more stringent privacy legislation in the United States, which could increase our potential liability and adversely affect our business.

In the European Union, in May 2018, a new privacy regime, the General Data Protection Regulation, the GDPR, took effect in the European Economic Area, or the EEA. We may elect to conduct other Phase 1 or Phase 2 clinical trials for CIN-107 in countries outside of the United States, including in the European Union, which could subject us to European data protection laws, including GDPR. We may also elect to do so for future product candidates. When applicable, the GDPR governs the collection, use, disclosure, transfer or other

 

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processing of personal data of European persons. Among other things, the GDPR may impose new requirements regarding the security of personal data. We may be subject to new requirements related to the notification of data processing obligations, the lawful bases on which personal data can be processed, expanded definitions of personal data, informed consent practices, and notices for clinical trial subjects and investigators. In addition, the GDPR may increase the scrutiny of transfers of personal data from clinical trial sites located in the EEA to the United States and other jurisdictions that the European Commission does not recognize as having “adequate” data protection laws, and imposes substantial fines for breaches and violations (up to the greater of €20 million or 4% of our consolidated annual worldwide gross revenue). The GDPR also confers a private right of action on data subjects and consumer associations to lodge complaints with supervisory authorities, seek judicial remedies and obtain compensation for damages resulting from violations of the GDPR. Further, the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union has created uncertainty with regard to data protection regulation in the United Kingdom. In particular, while the Data Protection Act of 2018, which “implements” and complements the GDPR, achieved Royal Assent on May 23, 2018 and is now effective in the United Kingdom, the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union in relation to certain aspects of data protection law remains unclear, for example, how data transfers between EU member states and the United Kingdom will be treated and the role of the United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner’s Office with respect to the European Union. Compliance with these and any other applicable privacy and data security laws and regulations is a rigorous and time-intensive process, and we may be required to put in place additional mechanisms ensuring compliance with new data protection rules. If we fail to comply with any applicable laws or regulations, we may face significant fines and penalties that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We strive to comply with applicable data protection laws to the extent possible, but we may at times fail, or may be perceived to have failed, to do so. Data protection laws and data protection worldwide are, and are likely to remain, uncertain for the foreseeable future, and our actual or perceived failure to address or comply with these laws could: increase our compliance and operational costs; limit our ability to produce our products; expose us to regulatory scrutiny, actions, investigations, fines and penalties; result in reputational harm; result in litigation and liability, including class action litigation; cause to incur significant costs, expenses and fees (including attorney fees); cause a material adverse impact to business operations or financial results, and; otherwise result in other material harm to our business. In addition, any such failure or perceived failure could result in public statements against us by consumer advocacy groups, the media or others, which may cause us material reputational harm.

We are subject to U.S. and foreign anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws with respect to our operations and non-compliance with such laws can subject us to criminal and/or civil liability and harm our business.

We are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or the FCPA, the U.S. domestic bribery statute contained in 18 U.S.C. § 201, the U.S. Travel Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, and possibly other state and national anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in countries in which we conduct activities. Anti-corruption laws are interpreted broadly and prohibit companies and their employees, agents, third-party intermediaries, joint venture partners and collaborators from authorizing, promising, offering, or providing, directly or indirectly, improper payments or benefits to recipients in the public or private sector. We may have direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies or government-affiliated hospitals, universities, and other organizations. In addition, we may engage third-party intermediaries to promote our clinical research activities abroad and/or to obtain necessary permits, licenses, and other regulatory approvals. We can be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of these third-party intermediaries, our employees, representatives, contractors, partners, and agents, even if we do not explicitly authorize or have actual knowledge of such activities.

Compliance with the FCPA is expensive and difficult, particularly in countries in which corruption is a recognized problem. The FCPA presents particular challenges in the pharmaceutical industry, because, in many

 

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countries, hospitals are operated by the government, and doctors and other hospital employees are considered foreign officials. Certain payments to hospitals in connection with clinical trials and other work have been deemed to be improper payments to government officials and have led to FCPA enforcement actions.

We cannot ensure that our employees and third-party intermediaries will comply with such anti-corruption laws. Noncompliance with anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws could subject us to whistleblower complaints, investigations, sanctions, settlements, prosecution, other enforcement actions, disgorgement of profits, significant fines, damages, other civil and criminal penalties or injunctions, suspension and/or debarment from contracting with certain persons, the loss of export privileges, reputational harm, adverse media coverage, and other collateral consequences. If any subpoenas, investigations, or other enforcement actions are launched, or governmental or other sanctions are imposed, or if we do not prevail in any possible civil or criminal litigation, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially harmed. In addition, responding to any action will likely result in a materially significant diversion of management’s attention and resources and significant defense and compliance costs and other professional fees. In certain cases, enforcement authorities may even cause us to appoint an independent compliance monitor which can result in added costs and administrative burdens.

Further, the provision of benefits or advantages to physicians to induce or encourage the prescription, recommendation, endorsement, purchase, supply, order, or use of medicinal products is prohibited in the European Union. The provision of benefits or advantages to physicians is also governed by the national anti-bribery laws of European Union Member States, such as the UK Bribery Act 2010. Infringement of these laws could result in substantial fines and imprisonment. Payments made to physicians in certain European Union Member States must be publicly disclosed. Moreover, agreements with physicians often must be the subject of prior notification and approval by the physician’s employer, his or her competent professional organization, and/or the regulatory authorities of the individual European Union Member States. These requirements are provided in the national laws, industry codes, or professional codes of conduct applicable in the European Union Member States. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in reputational risk, public reprimands, administrative penalties, fines, or imprisonment.

Our business involves the use of hazardous materials and we and our third-party manufacturers and suppliers must comply with environmental laws and regulations, which can be expensive and restrict how we do business.

Our research and development activities and our third-party manufacturers’ and suppliers’ activities involve the controlled storage, use and disposal of hazardous materials owned by us, including the components of CIN-107 and any future product candidates and other hazardous compounds. We and our manufacturers and suppliers are subject to laws and regulations governing the use, manufacture, storage, handling and disposal of these hazardous materials. In some cases, these hazardous materials and various wastes resulting from their use are stored at our and our manufacturers’ facilities pending their use and disposal. We cannot eliminate the risk of contamination, which could cause an interruption of our commercialization efforts, research and development efforts and business operations, environmental damage resulting in costly clean-up and liabilities under applicable laws and regulations governing the use, storage, handling and disposal of these materials and specified waste products. Although we believe that the safety procedures utilized by our third-party manufacturers for handling and disposing of these materials generally comply with the standards prescribed by these laws and regulations, we cannot guarantee that this is the case or eliminate the risk of accidental contamination or injury from these materials. In such an event, we may be held liable for any resulting damages and such liability could exceed our resources and state or federal or other applicable authorities may curtail our use of certain materials and/or interrupt our business operations. Furthermore, environmental laws and regulations are complex, change frequently and have tended to become more stringent. We cannot predict the impact of such changes and cannot be certain of our future compliance. We do not currently carry hazardous waste insurance coverage.

 

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We may seek and fail to obtain Breakthrough Therapy Designation or Fast Track Designation from the FDA for CIN-107 for the treatment of PA or future product candidates. Even if granted for any of our current or future product candidates, these programs may not lead to a faster development, regulatory review or approval process, and such designations do not increase the likelihood that any of our product candidates will receive marketing approval in the United States.

We may seek a Breakthrough Therapy Designation for CIN-107 for the treatment of PA or one or more of our or future product candidates. A breakthrough therapy is defined as a drug that is intended, alone or in combination with one or more other drugs, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. For drugs that have been designated as breakthrough therapies, interaction and communication between the FDA and the sponsor of the trial can help to identify the most efficient path for clinical development while minimizing the number of patients placed in ineffective control regimens. Product candidates designated as breakthrough therapies by the FDA may also be eligible for priority review and accelerated approval. Designation as a breakthrough therapy is within the discretion of the FDA. Accordingly, even if we believe one of our current or future product candidates meets the criteria for designation as a breakthrough therapy, the FDA may disagree and instead determine not to make such designation. In any event, the receipt of a Breakthrough Therapy Designation for CIN-107 or a future product candidate may not result in a faster development process, review or approval compared to drugs considered for approval under conventional FDA procedures and does not assure ultimate approval by the FDA. In addition, even if CIN-107 or one or more of our future product candidates qualify as breakthrough therapies, the FDA may later decide that such product candidates no longer meet the conditions for qualification and rescind the designation or decide that the time period for FDA review or approval will not be shortened.

We may also seek Fast Track Designation for CIN-107 for the treatment of PA or for future product candidates. If a product candidate is intended for the treatment of a serious or life-threatening condition and preclinical or clinical data demonstrate the potential to address an unmet medical need for this condition, the product sponsor may apply for Fast Track Designation. The sponsor of a product candidate with Fast Track Designation has opportunities for more frequent interactions with the applicable FDA review team during product development and, once an NDA is submitted, the product candidate may be eligible for priority review. Such product candidate may also be eligible for rolling review, where the FDA may consider to review sections of the NDA on a rolling basis before the complete application is submitted, if the sponsor provides a schedule for the submission of the sections of the NDA, the FDA agrees to accept sections of the NDA and determines that the schedule is acceptable, and the sponsor pays any required user fees upon submission of the first section of the NDA. The FDA has broad discretion whether or not to grant this designation, so even if we believe a particular current or future product candidate is eligible for this designation, we cannot assure you that the FDA would decide to grant it. Even if we do receive Fast Track Designation for CIN-107 for the treatment of PA or future product candidates, we may not experience a faster development process, review or approval compared to conventional FDA procedures. The FDA may rescind Fast Track Designation if it believes that the designation is no longer supported by data from our clinical development program. Fast Track Designation alone does not guarantee qualification for the FDA’s priority review procedures.

We are subject to U.S. export and import controls, and sanctions laws and regulations. Compliance with these legal standards could impair our ability to compete in domestic and international markets. We could face criminal liability and other serious consequences for violations, which could harm our business.

We are subject to export control and import laws and regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations, U.S. Customs regulations, and various economic and trade sanctions regulations administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Controls. Compliance with applicable regulatory requirements regarding the export of our products may create delays in the introduction of our products in

 

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international markets or, in some cases, prevent the export of our products to some countries altogether. Furthermore, U.S. export control laws and economic sanctions prohibit the shipment of certain products and services to countries, governments, and persons targeted by U.S. sanctions.

Any violations of the laws and regulations described above may result in substantial civil and criminal fines and penalties, imprisonment, the loss of export or import privileges, debarment, tax reassessments, breach of contract and fraud litigation, reputational harm and other consequences

Risks Related to Intellectual Property Matters

Our success depends in part on our ability to protect our intellectual property. It is difficult and costly to protect our proprietary rights and technology, and we may not be able to ensure their protection.

Our commercial success will depend in large part on obtaining and maintaining patent protection of our proprietary technologies and CIN-107 or any future product candidates, their respective components, formulations, combination therapies, methods used to manufacture them, methods of treatment, and any other proprietary technologies we develop, as well as successfully defending these patents against third-party challenges. Our ability to stop unauthorized third parties from making, using, selling, offering to sell or importing CIN-107 and any future product candidates is dependent upon the extent to which we have rights under valid and enforceable patents that cover these activities. If we are unable to secure and maintain patent protection for any product or technology we develop, or if the scope of the patent protection secured is not sufficiently broad, our competitors could develop and commercialize products and technology similar or identical to ours, and our ability to commercialize any product candidates may be adversely affected.

The patenting process is expensive and time-consuming, and we may not be able to file and prosecute all necessary or desirable patent applications at a reasonable cost or in a timely manner. In addition, we may not pursue or obtain patent protection in all relevant markets. It is also possible that we will fail to identify patentable aspects of our research and development output before it is too late to obtain patent protection. Moreover, in some circumstances, we may not have the right to control the preparation, filing and prosecution of patent applications, or to maintain the patents, covering technology that we license from third parties and are reliant on our licensors.

The strength of patents in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical field involves complex legal and scientific questions and can be uncertain. The patent applications that we own or in-license may fail to result in issued patents with claims that cover CIN-107 or any future product candidates or uses thereof in the United States or in other foreign countries. Even if the patents do issue, third parties may challenge the validity, enforceability or scope thereof, which may result in such patents being narrowed, invalidated or held unenforceable. Furthermore, even if they are unchallenged, our patents and patent applications may not adequately protect our intellectual property or prevent others from designing around our issued patent claims. If the breadth or strength of protection provided by the patent applications we hold with respect to CIN-107 or any future product candidates is threatened, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to develop, and threaten our ability to commercialize, CIN-107 or any future product candidates. Further, if we encounter delays in our clinical trials, the period of time during which we could market CIN-107 or any future product candidates under patent protection would be reduced.

Because patent applications in the United States and most other countries are confidential for a period of time after filing, we cannot be certain that we or our licensor was the first to file any patent applications related to CIN-107 or any future product candidates. Furthermore, publications of discoveries in the scientific literature often lag behind the actual discoveries, and patent applications in the United States and other jurisdictions are typically not published until 18 months after filing, or in some cases not at all.

We may be required to disclaim part or all of the term of certain patents or all of the term of certain patent applications. There may be prior art of which we are not aware that may affect the validity or enforceability of a

 

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patent claim. There also may be prior art of which we are aware, but which we do not believe affects the validity or enforceability of a claim, which may, nonetheless, ultimately be found to affect the validity or enforceability of a claim. No assurance can be given that if challenged, our patents would be declared by a court to be valid or enforceable or that even if found valid and enforceable, a competitor’s technology or product would be found by a court to infringe our patents. We may analyze the claims of issued patents or pending patent applications of our competitors that we believe are relevant to our commercial activities, and consider that we are free to operate in relation to CIN-107 or any future product candidates, but our competitors may achieve issued claims, including in patents we consider to be unrelated, which block our commercial efforts or may potentially result in CIN-107 or our future product candidates infringing such claims. The possibility exists that others will develop products which have the same effect as our products on an independent basis which do not infringe our patents or other intellectual property rights, or will design around the claims of patents that we have had issued that cover our products.

Recent or future patent reform legislation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of our patent applications and the enforcement or defense of our issued patents. Under the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, or America Invents Act, enacted in 2013, the United States moved from a “first to invent” to a “first-to-file” system. Under a “first-to-file” system, assuming the other requirements for patentability are met, the first inventor to file a patent application generally will be entitled to a patent on the invention regardless of whether another inventor had made the invention earlier. A third party that files a patent application in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or the USPTO, after March 2013, but before us, could therefore be awarded a patent covering an invention of ours even if we had made the invention before it was made by such third party. This will require us to be cognizant of the time from invention to filing of a patent application. Because patent applications in the United States and most other countries are confidential for a period of time after filing or until issuance, we cannot be certain that we were the first to either (i) file any patent application related to CIN-107, any future product candidates or other proprietary technologies we may develop or (ii) invent any of the inventions claimed in our patent applications.

The America Invents Act includes a number of other significant changes to U.S. patent law, including provisions that affect the way patent applications are prosecuted, redefine prior art and establish a new post-grant review system. These include allowing third party submission of prior art to the USPTO during patent prosecution and additional procedures to attack the validity of a patent by USPTO-administered post-grant proceedings, including post-grant review, inter partes review and derivation proceedings. Because of a lower evidentiary standard in USPTO proceedings compared to the evidentiary standard in United States federal district courts necessary to invalidate a patent claim, a third party could potentially provide evidence in a USPTO post-grant proceeding sufficient for the USPTO to hold a claim invalid even though the same evidence would be insufficient to invalidate the claim if first presented in a federal district court action. Accordingly, a third party may attempt to use the USPTO procedures to invalidate our patent claims that would not have been invalidated if first challenged by the third party as a defendant in a federal district court action. Therefore, the America Invents Act and its implementation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of our patent applications and the enforcement or defense of patents issuing from those patent applications, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The effects of these changes are uncertain as the USPTO recently developed new regulations and procedures in connection with the America Invents Act and many of the substantive changes to patent law, including the “first-to-file” provisions, became effective in March 2013. In addition, the courts have yet to address many of these provisions and the applicability of the act and new regulations on specific patents discussed herein have not been determined and would need to be reviewed. However, the America Invents Act and its implementation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of our patent applications and the enforcement or defense of our issued patents, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

 

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The degree of future protection for our proprietary rights is uncertain because legal means afford only limited protection and may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep our competitive advantage. For example:

 

  •  

others may be able to make or use compounds that are similar to the compositions of CIN-107 or any future product candidates but that are not covered by the claims of our patents;

 

  •  

we or our licensors, as the case may be, might not have been the first to file patent applications for these inventions;

 

  •  

others may independently develop similar or alternative technologies or duplicate any of our technologies;

 

  •  

it is possible that our patent applications will not result in issued patents;

 

  •  

it is possible that there are prior public disclosures that could invalidate our or our licensors’ patents, as the case may be, or parts of our or their patents;

 

  •  

it is possible that others may circumvent our owned or in-licensed patents by, for example, developing similar or alternative technologies or products in a non-infringing manner;

 

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it is possible that there are unpublished applications or patent applications maintained in secrecy that may later issue with claims covering our products or technology similar to ours;

 

  •  

the laws of foreign countries may not protect our or our licensors’, as the case may be, proprietary rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States;

 

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the claims of our owned or in-licensed issued patents or patent applications, if and when issued, may not cover CIN-107 or any future product candidates;

 

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our owned or in-licensed issued patents may not provide us with any competitive advantages, may be narrowed in scope, or be held invalid or unenforceable as a result of legal challenges by third parties;

 

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the inventors of our owned or in-licensed patents or patent applications may become involved with competitors, develop products or processes which design around our patents, or become hostile to us or the patents or patent applications on which they are named as inventors;

 

  •  

it is possible that our owned or in-licensed patents or patent applications omit individual(s) that should be listed as inventor(s) or include individual(s) that should not be listed as inventor(s), which may cause these patents or patents issuing from these patent applications to be held invalid or unenforceable;

 

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we have engaged in scientific collaborations in the past, and will continue to do so in the future. Such collaborators may develop adjacent or competing products to ours that are outside the scope of our patents;

 

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we may not develop additional proprietary technologies for which we can obtain patent protection;

 

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it is possible that product candidates we develop may be covered by third parties’ patents or other exclusive rights; or

 

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the patents of others may have an adverse effect on our business.

Obtaining and maintaining our patent protection depends on compliance with various procedural, document submission, fee payment and other requirements imposed by government patent agencies, and our patent protection could be reduced or eliminated for non-compliance with these requirements.

The USPTO and various foreign governmental patent agencies require compliance with a number of procedural, documentary, fee payment and other similar provisions during the patent application process. In addition, periodic maintenance fees, renewal fees, annuity fees and various other government fees on patents and/

 

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or applications will have to be paid to the USPTO and various government patent agencies outside of the United States over the lifetime of our owned patents and/or applications and any patent rights we may own or license in the future. We rely on outside counsel to pay these fees due to non-U.S. patent agencies. The USPTO and various non-U.S. government patent agencies require compliance with several procedural, documentary, fee payment and other similar provisions during the patent application process. We engage reputable law firms and other professionals to help us comply. Non-compliance events that could result in abandonment or lapse of a patent or patent application include, but are not limited to, failure to respond to official actions within prescribed time limits, non-payment of fees and failure to properly legalize and submit formal documents. If we fail to maintain the patents and patent applications covering our products or technologies, we may not be able to stop a competitor from marketing products that are the same as or similar to CIN-107 or any future product candidates, which would have a material adverse effect on our business. In many cases, an inadvertent lapse can be cured by payment of a late fee or by other means in accordance with the applicable rules. There are situations, however, in which non-compliance can result in abandonment or lapse of the patent or patent application, resulting in partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction. In such an event, potential competitors might be able to enter the market and this circumstance could harm our business.

Patent terms may be inadequate to protect our competitive position on CIN-107 or any future product candidates for an adequate amount of time.

Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized.

Patents have a limited term. In most countries, including the United States, the expiration of a patent is generally 20 years after its first effective non-provisional filing date. However, depending upon the timing, duration and specifics of FDA marketing approval of CIN-107, the back-up compound to CIN-107, or any future product candidates, one or more of any U.S. patents we may be issued or have licensed may be eligible for limited patent term restoration under the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, also known as the Hatch-Waxman Amendments.

The Hatch-Waxman Amendments permit a patent restoration term of up to five years as compensation for patent term lost during product development and the FDA regulatory review process. The Hatch-Waxman Act allows a maximum of one patent to be extended per FDA-approved product as compensation for the patent term lost during the FDA regulatory review process. A patent term extension cannot extend the remaining term of a patent beyond a total of 14 years from the date of product approval and only those claims covering such approved drug product, a method for using it or a method for manufacturing it may be extended. Patent term extension may also be available in certain foreign countries upon regulatory approval of CIN-107 or any future product candidates. However, we may not be granted an extension because of, for example, failing to apply within applicable deadlines, failing to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents or otherwise failing to satisfy applicable requirements. Moreover, the applicable time period or the scope of patent protection afforded could be less than we request. If we are unable to obtain patent term extension or restoration or the term of any such extension is less than we request, our competitors may obtain approval of competing products following our patent expiration, and our competitive position, business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects could be harmed, possibly materially.

If there are delays in obtaining regulatory approvals or other additional delays, the period of time during which we can market CIN-107 or any future product candidates under patent protection could be further reduced. Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting such product candidates might expire before or shortly after such product candidates are commercialized. Once the patent term has expired, we may be open to competition from similar or generic products. The launch of a generic version of one of our products in particular would be likely to result in an immediate and substantial reduction in the demand for that product, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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We expect to seek extensions of patent terms in the United States and, if available, in other countries where we are prosecuting patents. However, the applicable authorities, including the FDA and the USPTO in the United States, and any equivalent regulatory authority in other countries, may not agree with our assessment of whether such extensions are available, and may refuse to grant extensions to our patents, or may grant more limited extensions than we request. If this occurs, our competitors may be able to take advantage of our investment in development and clinical trials by referencing our clinical and preclinical data and launch their drug earlier than might otherwise be the case, which could result in material harm to our business.

Intellectual property rights do not necessarily address all potential threats to our business.

The degree of future protection afforded by our intellectual property rights is uncertain because intellectual property rights have limitations and may not adequately protect our business. The following examples are illustrative:

 

  •  

others may be able to make compounds or formulations that are similar to CIN-107 or any future product candidates but that are not covered by the claims of any patents, should they issue, that we own or license;

 

  •  

we or any strategic partners might not have been the first to make the inventions covered by the issued patents or pending patent applications that we own or license;

 

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we might not have been the first to file patent applications covering certain of our inventions;

 

  •  

others may independently develop similar or alternative technologies or duplicate any of our technologies without infringing our intellectual property rights;

 

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it is possible that our patent applications will not lead to issued patents;

 

  •  

issued patents that we own or license may not provide us with any competitive advantages, or may be held invalid or unenforceable as a result of legal challenges;

 

  •  

our competitors might conduct research and development activities in the United States and other countries that provide a safe harbor from patent infringement claims for certain research and development activities, as well as in countries where we do not have patent rights and then use the information learned from such activities to develop competitive drugs for sale in our major commercial markets;

 

  •  

we may not develop additional proprietary technologies that are patentable;

 

  •  

the patents of others may have an adverse effect on our business; and

 

  •  

we may choose not to file for patent protection in order to maintain certain trade secrets or know-how, and a third party may subsequently file a patent application covering such intellectual property.

Should any of these events occur, they could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We may become involved in lawsuits to protect or enforce our patents or other intellectual property rights, which could be expensive, time consuming and unsuccessful.

Competitors may infringe our issued patents, future trademarks, copyrights or other intellectual property. To counter infringement or unauthorized use, we may be required to file infringement claims, which can be expensive and time-consuming and divert the time and attention of our management and scientific personnel. Any claims we assert against perceived infringers could provoke these parties to assert counterclaims against us alleging that we infringe their patents, trademarks, copyrights or other intellectual property. In addition, in a patent infringement proceeding, there is a risk that a court will decide that a patent of ours is invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and that we do not have the right to stop the other party from using the

 

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invention at issue. Grounds for a validity challenge could be an alleged failure to meet any of several statutory requirements, including lack of novelty, obviousness or non-enablement. Grounds for an unenforceability assertion could be an allegation that someone connected with prosecution of the patent withheld relevant information from the USPTO, or made a misleading statement, during prosecution. Third parties may raise claims challenging the validity or enforceability of a patent before administrative bodies in the United States or abroad, even outside the context of litigation. Such mechanisms include re-examination, post-grant review, inter partes review, derivation proceedings, and equivalent proceedings in foreign jurisdictions (e.g., opposition proceedings). Such proceedings could result in the revocation of, cancellation of or amendment to our patents in such a way that they no longer cover CIN-107, any future product candidates or other proprietary technologies we may develop. The outcome following legal assertions of invalidity and unenforceability is unpredictable. With respect to the validity question, for example, we cannot be certain that there is no invalidating prior art, of which we or our licensing partners and the patent examiner were unaware during prosecution. If a third party were to prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity or unenforceability, we would lose at least part, and perhaps all, of the patent protection on CIN-107, any future product candidates or other proprietary technologies we may develop.

There is also a risk that, even if the validity of such patents is upheld, the court will construe the patent’s claims narrowly or decide that we do not have the right to stop the other party from using the invention at issue on the grounds that our patents do not cover the invention. An adverse outcome in a litigation or proceeding involving our patents could limit our ability to assert our patents against those parties or other competitors, and may curtail or preclude our ability to exclude third parties from making and selling similar or competitive products. Similarly, if we assert trademark infringement claims, a court may determine that the marks we have asserted are invalid or unenforceable, or that the party against whom we have asserted trademark infringement has superior rights to the marks in question. In this case, we could ultimately be forced to cease use of such trademarks.

In any infringement litigation, any award of monetary damages we receive may not be commercially valuable. Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation, there is a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during litigation. In addition, there could be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments and if securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have a substantial adverse effect on the price of our common stock. Moreover, there can be no assurance that we will have sufficient financial or other resources to file and pursue such infringement claims, which typically last for years before they are concluded. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of such litigation or proceedings more effectively than we can because of their greater financial resources and more mature and developed intellectual property portfolios. Even if we ultimately prevail in such claims, the monetary cost of such litigation and the diversion of the attention of our management and scientific personnel could outweigh any benefit we receive as a result of the proceedings. Accordingly, despite our efforts, we may not be able to prevent third parties from infringing, misappropriating or successfully challenging our intellectual property rights. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of patent litigation or other proceedings could have a negative impact on our ability to compete in the marketplace.

Third parties may initiate legal proceedings alleging that we are infringing their intellectual property rights, the outcome of which would be uncertain and could have a negative impact on the success of our business.

Our commercial success depends, in part, upon our ability and the ability of future collaborators, if any, to develop, manufacture, market and sell CIN-107 or any future product candidates and use our proprietary technologies without infringing the proprietary rights and intellectual property of third parties. The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are characterized by extensive and complex litigation regarding patents and other intellectual property rights. We may in the future become party to, or be threatened with, adversarial proceedings or litigation regarding intellectual property rights with respect to CIN-107 or any future product candidates and

 

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technology, including interference proceedings, postgrant review and inter partes review before the USPTO. Third parties may assert infringement claims against us based on existing patents or patents that may be granted in the future, regardless of their merit. There is a risk that third parties may choose to engage in litigation with us to enforce or to otherwise assert their patent rights against us. Even if we believe such claims are without merit, a court of competent jurisdiction could hold that these third-party patents are valid, enforceable and infringed, which could have a negative impact on our ability to commercialize our current and any future product candidates. In order to successfully challenge the validity of any such U.S. patent in federal district court, we would need to overcome a presumption of validity. As this burden is a high one requiring us to present clear and convincing evidence as to the invalidity of any such U.S. patent claim, there is no assurance that a court of competent jurisdiction would invalidate the claims of any such U.S. patent. If we are found to infringe a third party’s valid and enforceable intellectual property rights, we could be required to obtain a license from such third party to continue developing, manufacturing and marketing our product candidate(s) and technology. However, we may not be able to obtain any required license on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Even if we were able to obtain a license, it could be non-exclusive, thereby giving our competitors and other third parties access to the same technologies licensed to us, and it could require us to make substantial licensing and royalty payments. We could be forced, including by court order, to cease developing, manufacturing and commercializing the infringing technology or product candidate. In addition, we could be found liable for monetary damages, including treble damages and attorneys’ fees, if we are found to have willfully infringed a patent or other intellectual property right. A finding of infringement could prevent us from manufacturing and commercializing CIN-107 or any future product candidates or force us to cease some or all of our business operations, which could materially harm our business. Claims that we have misappropriated the confidential information or trade secrets of third parties could have a similar negative impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We may in the future pursue invalidity proceedings with respect to third-party patents. The outcome following legal assertions of invalidity is unpredictable. Even if resolved in our favor, these legal proceedings may cause us to incur significant expenses, and could distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. Such proceedings could substantially increase our operating losses and reduce the resources available for development activities or any future sales, marketing or distribution activities. We may not have sufficient financial or other resources to conduct such proceedings adequately. Some of these third parties may be able to sustain the costs of such proceedings more effectively than we can because of their greater financial resources. If we do not prevail in the patent proceedings, the third parties may assert a claim of patent infringement directed at CIN-107 or any future product candidates.

We may be subject to claims challenging the inventorship of our patents and other intellectual property.

We may be subject to claims that former employees, collaborators or other third parties have an interest in our patent rights, trade secrets, or other intellectual property as an inventor or co-inventor. For example, we may have inventorship disputes arise from conflicting obligations of consultants or others who are involved in developing CIN-107, any future product candidates or other proprietary technologies we may develop. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these and other claims challenging inventorship or our patent rights, trade secrets or other intellectual property. If we fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights, such as exclusive ownership of, or right to use, intellectual property that is important to CIN-107, any future product candidates or other proprietary technologies we may develop. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to our management and other employees. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We may need to license intellectual property from third parties, and such licenses may not be available or may not be available on commercially reasonable terms.

A third party may hold intellectual property rights, including patent rights, that are important or necessary to the development of CIN-107 or any future product candidates. It may be necessary for us to use the patented or

 

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proprietary technology of third parties to commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidates, in which case we would be required to obtain a license from these third parties. Such a license may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, and we could be forced to accept unfavorable contractual terms. If we are unable to obtain such licenses on commercially reasonable terms, our business could be harmed.

The growth of our business may depend in part on our ability to acquire, in-license or use third-party proprietary rights. For example, CIN-107 or any future product candidates may require specific formulations to work effectively and efficiently, we may develop product candidates containing our compounds and pre-existing pharmaceutical compounds, or we may be required by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities to provide a companion diagnostic test or tests with CIN-107 or any future product candidates, any of which could require us to obtain rights to use intellectual property held by third parties. In addition, with respect to any patents we may co-own with third parties, we may require licenses to such co-owner’s interest to such patents. We may be unable to acquire or in-license any compositions, methods of use, processes or other third-party intellectual property rights from third parties that we identify as necessary or important to our business operations. In addition, we may fail to obtain any of these licenses at a reasonable cost or on reasonable terms, if at all. Were that to happen, we may need to cease use of the compositions or methods covered by those third-party intellectual property rights, and may need to seek to develop alternative approaches that do not infringe on those intellectual property rights, which may entail additional costs and development delays, even if we were able to develop such alternatives, which may not be feasible. Even if we are able to obtain a license, it may be non-exclusive, which means that our competitors may also receive access to the same technologies licensed to us. In that event, we may be required to expend significant time and resources to develop or license replacement technology.

We rely on intellectual property licensed from third parties. We face risks with respect to such reliance, including the risk that we could lose these rights that are important to our business if we fail to comply with our obligations under these licenses.

We rely on a license agreement with Roche, or the Roche Agreement, pursuant to which we received exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license under certain patents and specified know-how owned or controlled by Roche and Roche’s interest in joint patents and covering certain specified small molecule aldosterone synthase inhibitors, including our product candidate, CIN-107. The Roche Agreement imposes diligence, milestone payment, royalty payment and other obligations on us. We may in the future in-license additional third-party intellectual property rights on which we may similarly rely. Such licenses may impose diligence, milestone payment, royalty payment and other obligations on us. Any termination of the Roche Agreement or any future licenses could result in the loss of significant rights and could harm our ability to commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidates. See “Business—License Agreement with Roche” for additional information regarding the Roche Agreement.

Disputes may also arise between us and our licensors regarding intellectual property subject to a license agreement, including:

 

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the scope of rights granted under the license agreement and other interpretation-related issues;

 

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whether and the extent to which our technology and processes infringe on intellectual property of the licensor that is not subject to the licensing agreement;

 

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our right to sublicense patent and other rights to third parties under collaborative development relationships;

 

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our diligence obligations with respect to the use of the licensed technology in relation to our development and commercialization of CIN-107 or any future product candidates, and what activities satisfy those diligence obligations; and

 

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the ownership of inventions and know-how resulting from the joint creation or use of intellectual property by our licensors and us and our partners.

 

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If disputes over intellectual property that we have licensed prevent or impair our ability to maintain our current licensing arrangements on acceptable terms, we may be unable to successfully develop and commercialize the affected product candidates.

We are generally also subject to all of the same risks with respect to protection of intellectual property that we license, as we are for intellectual property that we own, which are described below. If we or our licensors fail to adequately protect this intellectual property, our ability to commercialize products could suffer.

Our current and any potential future licensors might conclude that we have materially breached our license agreements and might therefore terminate the relevant license agreements, thereby removing our ability to develop and commercialize products and technology covered by such license agreements. If any of our current or future inbound license agreements are terminated, or if the underlying patents fail to provide the intended exclusivity, competitors would have the freedom to seek regulatory approval of, and to market, products that are covered by such license agreements and underlying patents, which might be identical to our products or product candidates. This could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, business, financial conditions, results of operations and growth prospects. Our business also would suffer if any current or future licensors fail to abide by the terms of the license or fail to enforce licensed patents against infringing third parties, if the licensed patents or other rights are found to be invalid or unenforceable, or if we are unable to enter into necessary licenses on acceptable terms. Moreover, our licensors may own or control intellectual property that has not been licensed to us and, as a result, we may be subject to claims, regardless of their merit, that we are infringing or otherwise violating the licensor’s rights.

Any licensor of ours may have relied on third-party consultants or collaborators or on funds from third parties, such as the United States government, such that such licensor is not the sole and exclusive owners of the patents we in-licensed. If other third parties have ownership rights or other rights to our in-licensed patents, they may be able to license such patents to our competitors, and our competitors could market competing products and technology. This could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, business, financial conditions, results of operations, and prospects.

In addition, while we cannot currently determine the amount of the royalty obligations we would be required to pay on sales of future products, if any, the amounts may be significant. The amount of our future royalty obligations will depend on the technology and intellectual property we use in products that we successfully develop and commercialize, if any. Therefore, even if we successfully develop and commercialize products, we may be unable to achieve or maintain profitability.

We may be subject to claims asserting that our employees, consultants or advisors have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged trade secrets of their current or former employers or claims asserting ownership of what we regard as our own intellectual property.

Many of our employees, consultants or advisors are currently, or were previously, employed at other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies, including our competitors or potential competitors. Although we try to ensure that our employees, consultants and advisors do not use the proprietary information or know-how of others in their work for us, we may be subject to claims that these individuals or we have used or disclosed intellectual property, including trade secrets or other proprietary information, of any such individual’s current or former employer. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. If we fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights or personnel. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management.

In addition, we may in the future be subject to claims by our former employees or consultants asserting an ownership right in our patents or patent applications, as a result of the work they performed on our behalf. Although it is our policy to require our employees and contractors who may be involved in the development of

 

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intellectual property to execute agreements assigning such intellectual property to us, we may be unsuccessful in executing such an agreement with each party who, in fact, conceives or develops intellectual property that we regard as our own, and we cannot be certain that our agreements with such parties will be upheld in the face of a potential challenge or that they will not be breached, for which we may not have an adequate remedy. The assignment of intellectual property rights may not be self-executing or the assignment agreements may be breached, and we may be forced to bring claims against third parties, or defend claims that they may bring against us, to determine the ownership of what we regard as our intellectual property. Such claims are likely to be expensive to pursue and there can be no assurance that we would prevail in any event. Failure to secure ownership of intellectual property could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial conditions, results of operations and prospects.

Changes in U.S. patent law or the patent law of other countries or jurisdictions could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our future product candidates.

The United States enacted and implemented wide ranging patent reform legislation in 2013. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on several patent cases in recent years, either narrowing the scope of patent protection available in certain circumstances or weakening the rights of patent owners in certain situations. In addition to increasing uncertainty with regard to our ability to obtain patents in the future, this combination of events has created uncertainty with respect to the value of patents, once obtained. Depending on actions by the U.S. Congress, the federal courts, and the USPTO, the laws and regulations governing patents could change in unpredictable ways that could weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce patents that we have licensed or that we might obtain in the future. Similarly, changes in patent law and regulations in other countries or jurisdictions, changes in the governmental bodies that enforce them or changes in how the relevant governmental authority enforces patent laws or regulations may weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce patents that we have licensed or that we may obtain in the future.

We may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights throughout the world, which could negatively impact our business.

Filing, prosecuting and defending patents on product candidates in all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and our intellectual property rights in some countries outside the United States could be less extensive than those in the United States. In some cases, we may not be able to obtain patent protection for certain technology outside the United States. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as federal and state laws in the United States, even in jurisdictions where we do pursue patent protection. Consequently, we may not be able to prevent third parties from practicing our inventions in all countries outside the United States, even in jurisdictions where we do pursue patent protection or from selling or importing products made using our inventions in and into the United States or other jurisdictions. Competitors may use our technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop their own products and, further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we have patent protection, but enforcement is not as strong as that in the United States. These products may compete with our products, and our patents or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing.

Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in foreign jurisdictions. The legal systems of certain countries, particularly certain developing countries, do not favor the enforcement of patents and other intellectual property protection, which could make it difficult for us to stop the infringement of our patents, if pursued and obtained, or marketing of competing products in violation of our proprietary rights generally. In addition, some jurisdictions, such as Europe, Japan and China, may have a higher standard for patentability than in the United States, including, for example, the requirement of claims having literal support in the original patent filing and the limitation on using supporting data that is not in the original patent filing. Under those heightened patentability requirements, we may not be able to obtain sufficient patent protection in certain jurisdictions even though the same or similar patent protection can be secured in the United States and other jurisdictions.

 

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Proceedings to enforce our patent rights in foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial costs and divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business, could put our patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and our patent applications at risk of not issuing and could provoke third parties to assert claims against us. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially meaningful. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we develop or license.

Many countries have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner may be compelled to grant licenses to third parties. In addition, many countries limit the enforceability of patents against government agencies or government contractors. In these countries, the patent owner may have limited remedies, which could materially diminish the value of such patent. If we are forced to grant a license to third parties with respect to any patents relevant to our business, our competitive position may be impaired, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be adversely affected.

Reliance on third parties requires us to share our proprietary information, which increases the possibility that such information will be misappropriated or disclosed.

We rely on third parties to develop and manufacture CIN-107, and we intend to continue to rely on third parties for the development or commercialization of CIN-107 or any future product candidate. Since we must, at times, share proprietary information with these parties, we seek to protect our proprietary technology in part by entering into confidentiality agreements and, if applicable, material transfer agreements, consulting agreements or other similar agreements with our advisors, employees, third-party contractors and consultants prior to beginning research or disclosing proprietary information. These agreements typically limit the rights of the third parties to use or disclose our confidential information. Despite the contractual provisions employed when working with third parties, the need to share confidential information increases the risk that such information become known by our competitors, is inadvertently incorporated into the technology of others, or is disclosed or used in violation of these agreements. Given that our proprietary position is based, in part, on our know-how, a competitor’s discovery of our know-how or other unauthorized use or disclosure could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

In addition, these agreements typically restrict the ability of our advisors, employees, third-party contractors and consultants to publish data potentially relating to our know-how. Despite our efforts to protect our know-how, we may not be able to prevent the unauthorized disclosure or use of our technical know-how by the parties to these agreements. Moreover, we cannot guarantee that we have entered into such agreements with each party that may have or have had access to our confidential information or proprietary technology and processes. Monitoring unauthorized uses and disclosures is difficult, and we do not know whether the steps we have taken to protect our proprietary technologies will be effective. If any of the collaborators, scientific advisors, employees, contractors and consultants who are parties to these agreements breaches or violates the terms of any of these agreements, we may not have adequate remedies for any such breach or violation. Moreover, if confidential information that is licensed or disclosed to us by our partners, collaborators, or others is inadvertently disclosed or subject to a breach or violation, we may be exposed to liability to the owner of that confidential information. Enforcing a claim that a third-party illegally obtained and is using our proprietary information, like patent litigation, is expensive and time consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. In addition, courts outside the United States are sometimes less willing to protect proprietary information.

Any trademarks we may obtain may be infringed or successfully challenged, resulting in harm to our business.

We expect to rely on trademarks as one means to distinguish any of CIN-107 or any future product candidates that are approved for marketing from the products of our competitors. We have sought U.S. federal trademark registration of our house mark CinCor, which has not yet been granted. We have not yet selected

 

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trademarks for CIN-107 or any future product candidate and have not yet begun the process of applying to register trademarks for CIN-107 or any other product candidate. The pending application for our house mark CinCor, and for any subsequent trademarks we apply to register, may not be approved. Third parties may oppose our trademark applications or otherwise challenge our use of the trademarks. In the event that our trademarks are challenged, we could be forced to rebrand our products or our company, which could result in loss of brand recognition and could require us to devote resources to advertising and marketing new brands. Our competitors may infringe our trademarks, and we may not have adequate resources to enforce our trademarks.

In addition, any proprietary name we propose to use with CIN-107 or any future product candidate in the United States must be approved by the FDA, regardless of whether we have registered it, or applied to register it, as a trademark. The FDA typically conducts a review of proposed product names, including an evaluation of the potential for confusion with other product names. If the FDA objects to any of our proposed proprietary product names, we may be required to expend significant additional resources in an effort to identify a suitable proprietary product name that would qualify under applicable trademark laws, not infringe the existing rights of third parties and be acceptable to the FDA. Furthermore, in many countries, owning and maintaining a trademark registration may not provide an adequate defense against a subsequent infringement claim asserted by the owner of a senior trademark.

We may not be able to protect our rights to these trademarks and trade names, which we need to build name recognition among potential partners or customers in our markets of interest. At times, competitors or other third parties may adopt trade names or trademarks similar to ours, thereby impeding our ability to build brand identity and possibly leading to market confusion. In addition, there could be potential trade name or trademark infringement claims brought by owners of other registered trademarks or trademarks that incorporate variations of our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names. Over the long term, if we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, then we may not be able to compete effectively and our business may be adversely affected. Our efforts to enforce or protect our proprietary rights related to trademarks, trade names, domain name or other intellectual property may be ineffective and could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our proprietary information, our business and competitive position would be harmed.

In addition to seeking patent and trademark protection for CIN-107, we also rely on confidentiality agreements to protect our unpatented know-how, technology and other proprietary information, to maintain our competitive position. Trade secrets and know-how can be difficult to protect. In particular, the trade secrets and know-how in connection with our development programs and other proprietary technology we may develop may over time be disseminated within the industry through independent development, the publication of journal articles describing the methodology and the movement of personnel with scientific positions in academic and industry.

We seek to protect our proprietary information, in part, by entering into non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements with parties who have access to them, such as our employees, corporate collaborators, outside scientific collaborators, contract manufacturers, consultants, advisors and other third parties. We also enter into confidentiality and invention or patent assignment agreements with our employees and consultants. Despite these efforts, any of these parties may breach the agreements and disclose our proprietary information. Monitoring unauthorized uses and disclosures of our intellectual property is difficult, and we do not know whether the steps we have taken to protect our intellectual property will be effective. In addition, we may not be able to obtain adequate remedies for any such breaches. Enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed or misappropriated proprietary information is difficult, expensive and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. In addition, some courts inside and outside the United States are less willing or are unwilling to protect trade secrets.

 

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We may be subject to claims that third parties have an ownership interest in our trade secrets. For example, we may have disputes arise from conflicting obligations of our employees, consultants or others who are involved in developing CIN-107 or any future product candidate. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these and other claims challenging ownership of our trade secrets. If we fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable trade secret rights, such as exclusive ownership of, or right to use, trade secrets that are important to CIN-107, any future product candidates or other proprietary technologies we may develop. Such an outcome could have a materially adverse effect on our business. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to our management and other employees.

Moreover, our competitors may independently develop knowledge, methods and know-how equivalent to our proprietary information. Competitors could purchase our products and replicate some or all of the competitive advantages we derive from our development efforts for technologies on which we do not have patent protection. If any of our proprietary information were to be lawfully obtained or independently developed by a competitor, we would have no right to prevent them, or those to whom they communicate it, from using that technology or information to compete with us. If any of our proprietary information were to be disclosed to or independently developed by a competitor, our competitive position would be harmed.

We also seek to preserve the integrity and confidentiality of our data and other confidential information by maintaining physical security of our premises and physical and electronic security of our information technology systems. While we have confidence in these individuals, organizations and systems, agreements or security measures may be breached and detecting the disclosure or misappropriation of confidential information and enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed or misappropriated confidential information is difficult, expensive and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. Further, we may not be able to obtain adequate remedies for any breach. In addition, our confidential information may otherwise become known or be independently discovered by competitors, in which case we would have no right to prevent them, or those to whom they communicate it, from using that technology or information to compete with us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Risks Related to Our Business Operations, Employee Matters and Managing Growth

Our future success depends on our ability to retain key executives and to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel.

We are highly dependent on the research and development, clinical and business expertise of Marc de Garidel, our Chief Executive Officer, as well as other members of our senior management, scientific and clinical team. Although we have entered into employment agreements with our executive officers, each of them may currently terminate their employment with us at any time and will continue to be able to do so after the closing of this offering. We currently maintain “key person” life insurance for Mr. de Garidel. The loss of the services of any of these persons could impede the achievement of our research, development and commercialization objectives.

Recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and clinical personnel and, if we progress the development of CIN-107, commercialization, manufacturing and sales and marketing personnel, will be critical to our success. The loss of the services of our executive officers or other key employees could impede the achievement of our research, development and commercialization objectives and seriously harm our ability to successfully implement our business strategy. Furthermore, replacing executive officers and key employees may be difficult and may take an extended period of time because of the limited number of individuals in our industry with the breadth of skills and experience required to successfully develop, gain regulatory approval of and commercialize CIN-107. Competition to hire from this limited pool is intense, and we may be unable to hire, train, retain or motivate these key personnel on acceptable terms given the competition among numerous pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for similar personnel. We also experience competition for the hiring of scientific and clinical personnel from universities and research institutions.

 

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We have in the past hired part-time employees or used consultants, and anticipate we will continue to do so in the future. As a result, certain of our employees, officers, directors or consultants may not devote all of their time to our business, and may from time to time serve as employees, officers, directors and consultants of other companies. In addition, we rely on consultants and advisors, including scientific and clinical advisors, to assist us in formulating our research and development and commercialization strategy. Our consultants and advisors may have commitments under consulting or advisory contracts with other entities that may limit their availability to us. If we are unable to retain and recruit qualified scientists and advisors, or if any of our key executives, key employees or key consultants discontinues his or her employment or consulting relationship with us, it may delay our growth strategy, development efforts or otherwise harm our business.

We expect to expand our organization, and we may experience difficulties in managing this growth, which could disrupt our operations.

As of November 15, 2021, we had 10 full-time employees and no part-time employees. As the clinical development of CIN-107 progresses and as we move towards submission of a NDA, we expect to experience significant growth in the number of our employees and the scope of our operations, particularly in the areas of research, drug development, regulatory affairs and, if CIN-107 or any future product candidates receives marketing approval, we may add sales, marketing and distribution functions. To manage our anticipated future growth, we must continue to implement and improve our managerial, operational and financial systems, expand our facilities and continue to recruit and train additional qualified personnel. Due to our limited financial resources and the limited experience of our management team in managing a company with such anticipated growth, we may not be able to effectively manage the expansion of our operations or recruit and train additional qualified personnel. The expansion of our operations may lead to significant costs and may divert our management and business development resources. Any inability to manage growth could delay the execution of our business plans or disrupt our operations.

In preparation for this offering, we identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. If we identify additional material weaknesses in the future or if we otherwise fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately report our financial statements in a timely manner, which may adversely affect our business, investor confidence in our company and the market value of our common stock.

Although we are not yet subject to the certification or attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, in the course of reviewing our annual financial statements for this offering, management and our independent registered public accounting firm identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting with respect to the accumulation, tracking, and disclosure of our outstanding common stock that was deemed to be remediated as of the date of this filing. As a result, there were adjustments to the disclosure of common stock and resulting impact on our net loss per share required in our 2020 and 2019 financial statements and the material weakness was remediated.

A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of control deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

We have hired experienced accounting and finance personnel, including Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A. as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer, and insourced our accounting function, as of the date of this filing. However, there can be no assurance that we will not have material weaknesses in the future. If we fail to meet the demands that will be placed upon us as a public company, including the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results, or report them within the timeframes required by law or Nasdaq. Failure to comply with Section 404 could also potentially subject us to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities. There is no assurance that we will be able to remediate a material weakness in a timely manner, or at all, or that in the future, additional material

 

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weaknesses will not exist or otherwise be discovered. If other material weaknesses or other deficiencies occur, our ability to accurately and timely report our financial position could be impaired, which could result in late filings of our required reports under the Exchange Act, restatements of our financial statements, a decline in the price of our common stock, suspension or delisting of our common stock from Nasdaq, and could adversely affect our reputation, results of operations and financial condition.

Our internal computer systems, or those of our collaborators or other contractors or consultants, may fail or suffer security breaches, which could result in a significant disruption of our product development programs and our ability to operate our business effectively.

Our internal computer systems and those of our current and future collaborators, contractors or consultants may be vulnerable to damage from computer viruses, unauthorized access, natural disasters, terrorism, war and telecommunication and electrical failures. Cyberattacks are increasing in their frequency, sophistication and intensity, and have become increasingly difficult to detect. Cyberattacks could include the deployment of harmful malware, ransomware, denial-of-service attacks, social engineering and other means to affect service reliability and threaten the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information. Cyberattacks also could include phishing attempts or e-mail fraud to cause payments or information to be transmitted to an unintended recipient.

Despite our efforts to ensure the security, privacy, integrity, confidentiality, availability, and authenticity information technology networks and systems, processing and information, we may not be able to anticipate or to implement effective preventive and remedial measures against all data security and privacy threats. The recovery systems, security protocols, network protection mechanisms and other security measures that we have integrated into our systems, networks and physical facilities, which are designed to protect against, detect and minimize security breaches, may not be adequate to prevent or detect service interruption, system failure data loss or theft, or other material adverse consequences. No security solution, strategy, or measures can address all possible security threats or block all methods of penetrating a network or otherwise perpetrating a security incident. The risk of unauthorized circumvention of our security measures or those of our third-party providers, clients and partners has been heightened by advances in computer and software capabilities and the increasing sophistication of hackers who employ complex techniques, including without limitation, the theft or misuse of personal and financial information, counterfeiting, “phishing” or social engineering incidents, ransomware, extortion, publicly announcing security breaches, account takeover attacks, denial or degradation of service attacks, malware, fraudulent payment and identity theft. Because the techniques used by hackers change frequently, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventive measures. Our applications, systems, networks, software and physical facilities could have material vulnerabilities, be breached or personal or confidential information could be otherwise compromised due to employee error or malfeasance, if, for example, third parties attempt to fraudulently induce our personnel or our customers to disclose information or user names and/or passwords, or otherwise compromise the security of our networks, systems and/or physical facilities. Third parties may also exploit vulnerabilities in, or obtain unauthorized access to, platforms, software, applications, systems, networks, sensitive information, and/or physical facilities utilized by our vendors. Improper access to our systems or databases could result in the theft, publication, deletion or modification of personal information, confidential or proprietary information, financial information and other information. An actual or perceived breach of our security systems or those of our third-party service providers may require notification under applicable data privacy regulations or contractual obligations, or for customer relations or publicity purposes, which could result in reputational harm, costly litigation (including class action litigation), material contract breaches, liability, settlement costs, loss of sales, regulatory scrutiny, actions or investigations, a loss of confidence in our business, systems and processing, a diversion of management’s time and attention, and significant fines, penalties, assessments, fees and expenses.

The costs to respond to a security breach and/or to mitigate any security vulnerabilities that may be identified could be significant, our efforts to address these problems may not be successful, and these problems could result in unexpected interruptions, delays, cessation of service, negative publicity, and other harm to our business and our competitive position. We could be required to fundamentally change our business activities and

 

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practices in response to a security breach or related regulatory actions or litigation, which could have an adverse effect on our business.

We may have contractual and other legal obligations to notify relevant stakeholders of security breaches. Most jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals, regulatory authorities, and others of security breaches involving certain types of data. In addition, our agreements with certain customers and partners may require us to notify them in the event of a security breach. Such mandatory disclosures are costly, could lead to negative publicity, may cause our customers to lose confidence in the effectiveness of our security measures and require us to expend significant capital and other resources to respond to and/or alleviate problems caused by the actual or perceived security breach, and may cause us to breach customer contracts. Our agreements with certain customers, our representations, or industry standards, may require us to use industry-standard or reasonable measures to safeguard sensitive personal information or confidential information. A security breach could lead to claims by our customers, or other relevant stakeholders that we have failed to comply with such legal or contractual obligations. As a result, we could be subject to legal action or our customers could end their relationships with us. There can be no assurance that any limitations of liability in our contracts would be enforceable or adequate or would otherwise protect us from liabilities or damages.

While we have not to our knowledge experienced any significant system failure, accident or security breach to date, if such an event were to occur and cause interruptions in our operations, it could result in a disruption of our development programs and our business operations. For example, the loss of clinical trial data from completed or future clinical trials by us or our CROs could result in delays in our regulatory approval efforts and significantly increase our costs to recover or reproduce the data. Additionally, any such event that leads to unauthorized access, use or disclosure of personal information, including personal information regarding our patients or employees, could harm our reputation, cause us not to comply with federal and/or state breach notification laws and foreign law equivalents or otherwise subject us to liability under laws and regulations that protect the privacy and security of personal information. Security breaches and other unauthorized access can be difficult to detect, and any delay in identifying them may lead to increased harm of the type described above. While we have implemented security measures designed to protect our information technology systems and infrastructure, such measures may not prevent service interruptions or security breaches that could adversely affect our business. To the extent that any disruption or security breach were to result in a loss of, or damage to, our data or applications, or unauthorized disclosure of confidential or proprietary information, we could incur liability, our competitive position could be harmed and the further development and commercialization of CIN-107 or any future product candidates could be delayed.

We may be unable in the future to detect, anticipate, measure or prevent threats or techniques used to detect or exploit vulnerabilities in our (or our third parties’) information technology, services, processing, communications or software, or cause security breaches, because such threats and techniques change frequently, are often sophisticated in nature, and may not be detected until after an incident has occurred. In addition, security researchers and other individuals have in the past and will continue in the future to actively search for and exploit actual and potential vulnerabilities in our (or our third parties’) information technology, services, communications or software. We cannot be certain that we will be able to address any such vulnerabilities, in whole or part, and there may be delays in developing and deploying patches and other remedial measures to adequately address vulnerabilities, and taking such remedial steps could adversely impact or disrupt our operations.

We may not have adequate insurance coverage for security incidents or breaches, including fines, judgments, settlements, penalties, costs, attorney fees and other impacts that arise out of incidents or breaches. If the impacts of a security incident or breach, or the successful assertion of one or more large claims against us that exceeds our available insurance coverage, or results in changes to our insurance policies (including premium increases or the imposition of large deductible or co-insurance requirements), it could have an adverse effect on our business. In addition, we cannot be sure that our existing insurance coverage, cyber coverage and coverage for errors and omissions will continue to be available on acceptable terms or that our insurers will not deny

 

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coverage as to all or part of any future claim or loss. Our risks are likely to increase as we continue to expand, grow our customer base, and process, store, and transmit increasingly large amounts of proprietary and sensitive data.

Our employees, principal investigators, consultants and commercial partners may engage in misconduct or other improper activities, including non-compliance with regulatory standards and requirements and insider trading.

We are exposed to the risk of fraud or other misconduct by our employees, principal investigators, consultants and commercial partners. Misconduct by these parties could include intentional failures to comply with FDA regulations or the regulations applicable in other jurisdictions, provide accurate information to the FDA and other regulatory authorities, comply with healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations in the United States and abroad, report financial information or data accurately or disclose unauthorized activities to us. In particular, sales, marketing and business arrangements in the healthcare industry are subject to extensive laws and regulations intended to prevent fraud, misconduct, kickbacks, self-dealing and other abusive practices. These laws and regulations restrict or prohibit a wide range of pricing, discounting, marketing and promotion, sales commission, customer incentive programs and other business arrangements. Such misconduct also could involve the improper use of information obtained in the course of clinical trials or interactions with the FDA or other regulatory authorities, which could result in regulatory sanctions and cause serious harm to our reputation. It is not always possible to identify and deter employee misconduct, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from government investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to comply with these laws or regulations. If any such actions are instituted against us and we are not successful in defending ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could result in significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, imprisonment, exclusion from participating in government funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, contractual damages, reputational harm and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We have had a number of related party transactions with our current and former affiliates, which may result in a conflict of interest involving certain of our current and former management and directors.

Historically, we have engaged in a number and variety of transactions with our current and former affiliates, including CinRx and Medpace. While we believe that these transactions were made on terms that were not less favorable to us than those obtainable on an arm’s length basis, there was no independent determination of that fact. In the future, we may continue to enter into transactions with our former affiliates, and some of these transactions may be significant. Related party transactions present difficult conflicts of interest, could result in disadvantages to our company and may impair investor confidence, which could materially and adversely affect us. Related party transactions could also cause us to become materially dependent on related parties in the ongoing conduct of our business, and related parties may be motivated by personal interests to pursue courses of action that are not necessarily in the best interests of our company and our stockholders. For further information please see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” elsewhere in this prospectus.

Risks Related to This Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock

No public market for our common stock currently exists, and a public market may not develop or be liquid enough for you to sell your shares quickly or at market price.

Prior to this offering, there has not been a public market for our common stock. If an active trading market for our common stock does not develop following this offering, you may not be able to sell your shares quickly or at the market price. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital to continue to fund

 

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operations by selling shares of our common stock and may impair our ability to acquire other companies or technologies by using shares of our common stock as consideration. The initial public offering price of our common stock will be determined by negotiations between us and representatives of the underwriters and may not be indicative of the market prices of our common stock that will prevail in the trading market.

The market price of shares of our common stock may be volatile and fluctuate substantially, which could result in substantial losses for purchasers of shares of our common stock in this offering.

The market price of shares of our common stock is likely to be volatile. The stock market in general and the market for biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical companies in particular, has experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility, you may not be able to sell your common stock at or above the initial public offering price. In addition to the factors discussed in this “Risk Factors” section and elsewhere in this prospectus, the market price for shares of our common stock may be influenced by the following:

 

  •  

the commencement, enrollment or results of our planned or future clinical trials of CIN-107 and any future product candidates or those of our competitors;

 

  •  

the success of competitive drugs or therapies;

 

  •  

regulatory or legal developments in the United States and other countries;

 

  •  

the success of competitive products or technologies;

 

  •  

developments or disputes concerning patent applications, issued patents or other proprietary rights;

 

  •  

the recruitment or departure of key personnel;

 

  •  

the level of expenses related to CIN-107 and any future product candidates or clinical development programs;

 

  •  

the results of our efforts to discover, develop, acquire or in-license additional product candidates;

 

  •  

actual or anticipated changes in estimates as to financial results, development timelines or recommendations by securities analysts;

 

  •  

our inability to obtain or delays in obtaining adequate drug supply for any approved drug or inability to do so at acceptable prices;

 

  •  

disputes or other developments relating to proprietary rights, including patents, litigation matters and our ability to obtain patent protection for our technologies;

 

  •  

significant lawsuits, including patent or stockholder litigation;

 

  •  

variations in our financial results or those of companies that are perceived to be similar to us;

 

  •  

changes in the structure of healthcare payment systems, including coverage and adequate reimbursement for any approved drug;

 

  •  

market conditions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors;

 

  •  

general economic, political, and market conditions and overall fluctuations in the financial markets in the United States and abroad, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic; and

 

  •  

investors’ general perception of us and our business.

These and other market and industry factors may cause the market price and demand for shares of our common stock to fluctuate substantially, regardless of our actual operating performance, which may limit or prevent investors from selling their shares at or above the price paid for the shares and may otherwise negatively affect the liquidity of our common stock. In addition, the stock market in general, and biopharmaceutical

 

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companies in particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of these companies, including very recently in connection with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in decreased stock prices for many companies notwithstanding the lack of a fundamental change in their underlying business models or prospects. Broad market and industry factors, including potentially worsening economic conditions and other adverse effects or developments relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, may negatively affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. The realization of any of the above risks or any of a broad range of other risks, including those described in this section, could have a significant and material adverse impact on the market price of our common stock.

In addition, in the past, companies that have experienced volatility in the trading price of their shares have been the subject of securities class action litigation. Any lawsuit to which we are a party, with or without merit, may result in an unfavorable judgment. We also may decide to settle lawsuits on unfavorable terms. Any such negative outcome could result in payments of substantial damages or fines, damage to our reputation or adverse changes to our business practices. Defending against litigation is costly and time-consuming, and could divert our management’s attention and our resources. Furthermore, during the course of litigation, there could be negative public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments, which could have a negative effect on the market price of our common stock.

Concentration of ownership of shares of our common stock among our existing executive officers, directors and principal stockholders may prevent new investors from influencing significant corporate decisions.

Based upon our common stock outstanding as of December 30, 2021, upon the completion of this offering, our executive officers, directors and stockholders who owned more than 5% of our outstanding common stock before this offering will, in the aggregate, beneficially own shares representing approximately 54.2% of our outstanding common stock (assuming the number of shares offered by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus remains the same and no purchases of shares in this offering by any members of this group, including through our directed share program). If our executive officers, directors and stockholders who owned more than 5% of our outstanding common stock acted together, they may be able to significantly influence all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election and removal of directors and approval of any merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets. The concentration of voting power and transfer restrictions could delay or prevent an acquisition of our company on terms that other stockholders may desire or result in the management of our company in ways with which other stockholders disagree.

If you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will suffer immediate dilution of your investment.

The initial public offering price of our common stock will be substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our common stock. Therefore, if you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will pay a price per share that substantially exceeds our net tangible book value per share after this offering. Based on an assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, you will experience immediate dilution of $7.47 per share, representing the difference between our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering and the initial public offering price per share. After this offering, we will also have outstanding options to purchase shares of our common stock with exercise prices lower than the initial public offering price. To the extent these outstanding options are exercised, there will be further dilution to investors in this offering. See the section titled “Dilution” for additional information.

 

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We have broad discretion in the use of our cash and cash equivalents, including the net proceeds from this offering, and may use them ineffectively, in ways in which you do not agree or in ways that do not increase the value of your investment.

Our management will have broad discretion in the application of our cash and cash equivalents, including the net proceeds from this offering, and could spend the proceeds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the value of our common stock. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could result in financial losses that could have a negative impact on our business, cause the price of our common stock to decline and delay the development of CIN-107. Pending their use, we may invest our cash and cash equivalents, including the net proceeds from this offering, in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value. See the section titled “Use of Proceeds” for additional information.

A significant portion of our total outstanding shares are restricted from immediate resale but may be sold into the market in the near future, which could cause the market price of our common stock to drop significantly, even if our business is performing well.

Sales of a substantial number of our common stock in the public market could occur at any time, subject to certain restrictions described below. These sales, or the perception in the market that holders of a large number of shares intend to sell shares, could reduce the market price of our common stock. After this offering, we will have outstanding share of our common stock based on the number of shares outstanding as of September 30, 2021 assuming no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional common stock. This includes the shares that we are selling in this offering, which may be resold in the public market immediately without restriction, unless purchased by our affiliates. The remaining shares are currently restricted as a result of securities laws or lock-up agreements but will be able to be sold after the offering as described in the sections titled “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” and “Underwriting.” Moreover, upon the completion of this offering, holders of an aggregate of approximately 21,008,970 shares of our common stock will have rights, subject to some conditions, to require us to file registration statements covering their shares or to include their shares in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or other stockholders. We intend to register all of the shares of our common stock that we may issue under our equity compensation plans. Once we register these shares, they can be freely sold in the public market upon issuance, subject to volume limitations applicable to affiliates and the lock-up agreements described in the section titled “Underwriting.”

Provisions in our corporate charter documents and under Delaware law may prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to change our management and hinder efforts to acquire a controlling interest in us, and the market price of our common stock may be lower as a result.

There are provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws to be in effect upon the closing of this offering that may make it difficult for a third party to acquire, or attempt to acquire, control of our company, even if a change of control was considered favorable by you and other stockholders. For example, our board of directors will have the authority to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock. The board of directors can fix the price, rights, preferences, privileges, and restrictions of the preferred stock without any further vote or action by our stockholders. The issuance of shares of preferred stock may delay or prevent a change of control transaction. As a result, the market price of our common stock and the voting and other rights of our stockholders may be adversely affected. An issuance of shares of preferred stock may result in the loss of voting control to other stockholders.

Our charter documents will also contain other provisions that could have an anti-takeover effect, including:

 

  •  

only one of our three classes of directors will be elected each year;

 

  •  

stockholders will not be entitled to remove directors other than by a 66 2/3% vote and only for cause;

 

  •  

stockholders will not be permitted to take actions by written consent;

 

  •  

stockholders cannot call a special meeting of stockholders; and

 

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  •  

stockholders must give advance notice to nominate directors or submit proposals for consideration at stockholder meetings.

In addition, we are subject to the anti-takeover provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which regulates corporate acquisitions by prohibiting Delaware corporations from engaging in specified business combinations with particular stockholders of those companies. These provisions could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could delay or prevent a change of control transaction. They could also have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our common stock, including transactions that may be in your best interests. These provisions may also prevent changes in our management or limit the price that investors are willing to pay for our stock.

Because we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future, capital appreciation, if any, will be your sole source of gains and you may never receive a return on your investment.

You should not rely on an investment in our common stock to provide dividend income. We have not declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock to date. We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, to fund the development and growth of our business. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our common stock will be your sole source of gain for the foreseeable future. Investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase our common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forums for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as will be in effect upon the completion of this offering, will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the exclusive forum for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law:

 

  •  

any derivative claim or cause of action brought on our behalf;

 

  •  

any claim or cause of action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty;

 

  •  

any claim or cause of action against us arising under the Delaware General Corporation Law;

 

  •  

any claim or cause of action arising under or seeking to interpret our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, or our amended and restated bylaws; and

 

  •  

any claim or cause of action against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

The provisions would not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act. Furthermore, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all such Securities Act actions. Accordingly, both state and federal courts have jurisdiction to entertain such claims. To prevent having to litigate claims in multiple jurisdictions and the threat of inconsistent or contrary rulings by different courts, among other considerations, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will further provide that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause or causes of action arising under the Securities Act, including all causes of action asserted against any defendant to such complaint. While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, a stockholder may nevertheless seek to bring a claim in a venue other than those designated in the exclusive forum provisions. In such instance, we would expect to vigorously assert the validity and enforceability of the exclusive forum provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. This may require significant additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions and there can be no assurance that the provisions will be enforced by a court in those other jurisdictions.

 

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These exclusive forum provisions may result in increased costs for investors to bring a claim. Further, these exclusive forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. If a court were to find either exclusive-forum provision in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur further significant additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, all of which could seriously harm our business.

General Risk Factors

Our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.

We have incurred substantial losses during our history and do not expect to become profitable in the near future, and we may never achieve profitability. To the extent that we continue to generate taxable losses, unused losses will carry forward to offset a portion of future taxable income, if any, until such unused losses expire, if ever. Under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change,” generally defined as a greater than 50 percentage point change (by value) in its equity ownership by certain stockholders over a rolling three-year period, the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change net operating loss carryforwards (NOLs) and other pre-change tax attributes (such as research and development tax credits) to offset its post-change income or taxes may be limited. We have not performed an analysis to assess whether an ownership change has occurred. There is also a risk that due to regulatory changes, such as suspensions on the use of NOLs, or other unforeseen reasons, our existing NOLs could expire or otherwise become unavailable to offset future income tax liabilities. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or the TCJA, as modified by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, the CARES Act, NOLs generated in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 may be carried forward indefinitely, but the deductibility of such NOLs generally will be limited in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020 to 80% of current year taxable income. The TCJA, as modified by the CARES Act, generally eliminates the ability to carry back any NOLs to prior taxable years for tax years beginning after December 31, 2020. Additionally, state NOLs generated in one state cannot be used to offset income generated in another state. For these reasons, even if we attain profitability, we may be unable to use a material portion of our NOLs and other tax attributes.

If we engage in future acquisitions or strategic collaborations, this may increase our capital requirements, dilute our stockholders, cause us to incur debt or assume contingent liabilities and subject us to other risks.

From time to time, we may evaluate various acquisitions and strategic collaborations, including licensing or acquiring complementary drugs, intellectual property rights, technologies or businesses, as deemed appropriate to carry out our business plan. Any potential acquisition or strategic partnership may entail numerous risks,

including:

 

  •  

increased operating expenses and cash requirements;

 

  •  

the assumption of additional indebtedness or contingent liabilities;

 

  •  

assimilation of operations, intellectual property and drugs of an acquired company, including difficulties associated with integrating new personnel;

 

  •  

the diversion of our management’s attention from our existing drug programs and initiatives in pursuing such a strategic partnership, merger or acquisition;

 

  •  

retention of key employees, the loss of key personnel, and uncertainties in our ability to maintain key business relationships;

 

  •  

risks and uncertainties associated with the other party to such a transaction, including the prospects of that party and their existing drugs or product candidates and regulatory approvals; and

 

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  •  

our inability to generate revenue from acquired technology and/or drugs sufficient to meet our objectives in undertaking the acquisition or even to offset the associated acquisition and maintenance costs.

In addition, if we engage in future acquisitions or strategic partnerships, we may issue dilutive securities, assume or incur debt obligations, incur large one-time expenses and acquire intangible assets that could result in significant future amortization expense. Moreover, we may not be able to locate suitable acquisition opportunities, and this inability could impair our ability to grow or obtain access to technology or drugs that may be important to the development of our business.

If research analysts do not publish research or reports, or publish unfavorable research or reports, about us, our business or our market, our share price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or financial analysts publish about us or our business. We do not currently have, and may never obtain, research coverage by industry or financial analysts. Equity research analysts may elect not to provide research coverage of our common stock after the completion of this offering, and such lack of research coverage may adversely affect the market price of our common stock. In the event we do have equity research analyst coverage, we will not have any control over the analysts or the content and opinions included in their reports. The price of our shares could decline if one or more equity research analysts downgrade our shares or issue other unfavorable commentary or research about us. If one or more equity research analysts ceases coverage of us or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our shares could decrease, which in turn could cause the trading price or trading volume of our common stock to decline.

We are an “emerging growth company,” and the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies may make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company,” or EGC, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of some of the exemptions from reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including:

 

  •  

being permitted to provide only two years of audited financial statements, in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements, with correspondingly reduced “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure;

 

  •  

not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting;

 

  •  

not being required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements;

 

  •  

reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation; and

 

  •  

not being required to hold a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

We cannot predict whether investors will find our common stock less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our share price may be more volatile. We may take advantage of some or all of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an EGC. We will remain an EGC until the earlier of (i) five years following the completion of this offering, (ii) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, (iii) the last day of the first fiscal year in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (iv) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.

 

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Under Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act, EGCs can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected not to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, we will be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not EGCs.

We will incur increased costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives.

As a public company, and particularly after we are no longer an EGC, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and rules subsequently implemented by the SEC and The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, or Nasdaq, have imposed various requirements on public companies, including establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and corporate governance practices. Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance initiatives. Moreover, these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time consuming and costly. For example, we expect that these rules and regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance.

Pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or Section 404, we will be required to furnish a report by our management on our internal control over financial reporting, including an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm. However, while we remain an EGC, we will not be required to include an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm. To achieve compliance with Section 404 within the prescribed period, we will be engaged in a process to document and evaluate our internal control over financial reporting, which is both costly and challenging. In this regard, we will need to continue to dedicate internal resources, potentially engage outside consultants and adopt a detailed work plan to assess and document the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, continue steps to improve control processes as appropriate, validate through testing that controls are functioning as documented and implement a continuous reporting and improvement process for internal control over financial reporting. Despite our efforts, there is a risk that neither we nor our independent registered public accounting firm will be able to conclude within the prescribed timeframe that our internal control over financial reporting is effective as required by Section 404. This could result in an adverse reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of confidence in the reliability of our financial statements.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements are contained principally in the sections titled “Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Business” and elsewhere in this prospectus. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “estimate,” “believe,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions intended to identify statements about the future. These statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements about the following:

 

  •  

the timing, progress and results of our preclinical studies and clinical trials of CIN-107 and any future product candidates, including statements regarding the timing of our planned IND submissions, initiation and completion of studies or trials and related preparatory work, the period during which the results of the trials will become available and our research and development programs;

 

  •  

our estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for additional financing;

 

  •  

the timing of any submission of filings for regulatory approval of, and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for, CIN-107 and any future product candidates;

 

  •  

our ability to identify patients with the diseases treated by our product candidate and to enroll these patients in our clinical trials;

 

  •  

our expectations regarding the size of the patient populations, market acceptance and opportunity for and clinical utility of CIN-107 and any future product candidates, if approved for commercial use;

 

  •  

business disruptions affecting the initiation, patient enrollment, development and operation of our clinical trials, including a public health emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic;

 

  •  

our expectations regarding the scope of any approved indication for CIN-107 or any future product candidate;

 

  •  

our ability to successfully commercialize CIN-107 or any future product candidate, if approved;

 

  •  

our expectations regarding the potential market size and the rate and degree of market acceptance for CIN-107 or any future product candidates that we develop;

 

  •  

the effects of competition with respect to CIN-107 or any future product candidates, as well as innovations by current and future competitors in our industry;

 

  •  

our ability to fund our working capital requirements;

 

  •  

our intellectual property position, including the scope of protection we are able to establish, maintain and enforce for intellectual property rights covering CIN-107;

 

  •  

our financial performance and our ability to effectively manage our anticipated growth; and

 

  •  

our ability to obtain additional funding for our operations and our expected use of proceeds from this offering.

The foregoing list of forward-looking statements is not exhaustive. You should refer to the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus for a discussion of important factors that may cause our actual results to differ

 

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materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. Other sections of this prospectus may include additional factors that could harm our business and financial performance. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties. As a result of these factors, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this prospectus will prove to be accurate. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. You should, however, review the factors and risks and other information we describe in the reports we will file from time to time with the SEC after the date of this prospectus.

Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond our control, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement contained in this prospectus, the events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

 

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MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

We are responsible for the disclosure contained in this prospectus. However, this prospectus contains industry, statistical and market data derived from our own internal estimates and research as well as from industry and general publications and research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties. All of the market data used in this prospectus involve a number of assumptions and limitations, and the sources of such data cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information. While we are not aware of any misstatements regarding the third-party information and we believe that each of these studies and publications is reliable, the industry in which we operate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of important factors, including those described in the section titled “Risk Factors.” These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by third parties and by us.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds to us from this offering will be approximately $160.7 million, or approximately $185.2 million if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares from us, in each case after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and based on an assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $10.2 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions payable by us. We may also increase or decrease the number of shares we are offering. Each 1,000,000 share increase or decrease in the number of shares offered by us would increase or decrease the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $14.9 million, assuming that the assumed initial public offering price remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions payable by us.

We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering, plus cash and cash equivalents on hand, as follows:

 

  •  

approximately $90 million to fund the clinical development of CIN-107 for the treatment of hypertension through the completion of our ongoing Phase 2 BrigHtn clinical trial, our ongoing Phase 2 HALO clinical trial and commencement of our planned Phase 3 clinical trials in hypertension, as well as initial preparations for commercialization, if approved;

 

  •  

approximately $37 million to fund the clinical development of CIN-107 for the treatment of PA through completion of our Phase 2 spark-PA clinical trial, and to explore its utility in ameliorating complications of CKD through the completion of our planned Phase 2 clinical trial;

 

  •  

approximately $39 million to fund the manufacture of clinical supply, non-clinical studies and related activities; and

 

  •  

the remaining proceeds for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Based on our planned use of the net proceeds from this offering and our existing cash and cash equivalents, we estimate that such funds will be sufficient to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through 2024. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we expect. The expected net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, will not be sufficient for us to fund CIN-107 through regulatory approval in any indication, and we will need to raise additional capital to complete the development and commercialization, if approved, of CIN-107 for hypertension as well as any indication expansion opportunities.

This expected use of net proceeds from this offering represents our intentions based upon our current plans and business conditions, which could change in the future as our plans and business conditions evolve. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to in-license, acquire or invest in additional businesses, technologies, products or assets. We cannot predict with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering or the amounts that we will actually spend on the uses set forth above. As a result, our management will retain broad discretion over the allocation of the net proceeds from this offering. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to This Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock—We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may not use them effectively.”

Pending our use of proceeds from this offering, we plan to invest these net proceeds in a variety of capital preservation instruments, including short term, interest bearing obligations and investment grade instruments.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We have never declared or paid any dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings for the operation and expansion of our business and, therefore, we do not anticipate declaring or paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our results of operations, capital requirements, financial condition, prospects, contractual arrangements, any limitations on payment of dividends present in any future debt agreements and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and our capitalization as of September 30, 2021:

 

  •  

on an actual basis;

 

  •  

on a pro forma basis to give effect to (i) the conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock, including 2,013,749 shares of our Series B preferred stock issued in a subsequent closing on October 5, 2021, into an aggregate of 21,008,970 shares of our common stock, as if such conversion had occurred on September 30, 2021; (ii) the automatic net exercise of the three outstanding warrants held by Roche Finance Ltd., or the Roche Warrants, for an aggregate of 852,788 shares of our common stock immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus); (iii) the issuance of 764,705 shares of our common stock under the settlement agreement and release with CinRx, for further information on our relationship with CinRx, please see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC;” (iv) the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation upon the closing of this offering; and (iv) the issuance of 14,302 shares of our common stock upon the exercise of options under our 2019 Stock Option Plan, or the 2019 Plan, subsequent to September 30, 2021; and

 

  •  

on a pro forma as adjusted basis to give further effect to our issuance and sale of 11,000,000 shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

Our capitalization following the closing of this offering will depend on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. You should read this information in conjunction with our financial statements and the related notes appearing at the end of this prospectus, the section of this prospectus titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and other financial information contained in this prospectus.

 

     As of September 30, 2021  
     Actual     Pro Forma     ProForma
As Adjusted(1)
 
     (in thousands, except share and
per share amounts)
 

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 141,708     $ 141,744     $ 302,435
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Redeemable convertible preferred stock

      

Series A preferred stock, par value $0.00001; 35,714,282 shares authorized, 35,714,282 shares issued and outstanding, actual, and no shares authorized and outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted

   $ 47,173     $ —       $ —    

Series B preferred stock, par value $0.00001; 35,716,249 shares authorized, 33,702,500 shares issued and outstanding, actual, and no shares authorized and outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted

   $ 133,353     $ —       $ —    

Stockholders’ (deficit) equity:

      

Common stock, $0.00001 par value; 27,941,176 shares authorized; 1,778,332 shares issued and outstanding, actual; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted; 24,419,099 shares issued and outstanding, pro forma; 35,419,099 shares issued and outstanding, pro forma as adjusted

     1       1       2  

Additional paid-in capital

     3,553       201,627       361,307  

Accumulated deficit

     (48,360 )      (59,360 )      (59,360 ) 

Total stockholders’ (deficit) equity

     (44,806 )      142,268       301,948  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total capitalization

   $ 277,428     $ 284,012     $ 604,383  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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(1)

Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease the pro forma as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ (deficit) equity and total capitalization by $10.2 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase or decrease of 1.0 million in the number of shares offered by us would increase or decrease the pro forma as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ (deficit) equity and total capitalization by $14.9 million, assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price per share and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The number of shares of our common stock outstanding in the table above excludes:

 

  •  

1,487,538 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options under the 2019 Plan, outstanding as of September 30, 2021, at a weighted-average exercise price of $4.55 per share;

 

  •  

1,344,077 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options under the 2019 Plan granted subsequent to September 30, 2021, at a weighted-average exercise price of $8.41 per share;

 

  •  

294,089 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2019 Plan, which shares will cease to be available for issuance at the time the 2022 Plan, becomes effective and will be added to, and become available for issuance under, the 2022 Plan;

 

  •  

3,905,911 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2022 Plan (under which 30,148 restricted stock units will be granted contingent and effective upon the execution of the underwriting agreement for this offering), which will become effective in connection with this offering, as well as any automatic increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2022 Plan; and

 

  •  

355,000 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the ESPP, which will become effective in connection with this offering, as well as any automatic increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the ESPP.

 

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DILUTION

If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your ownership interest will be immediately diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share and the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock after this offering.

As of September 30, 2021, we had a historical net tangible book value (deficit) of $(44.8) million, or $(25.20) per share of common stock. Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share represents total tangible assets less total liabilities and preferred stock, divided by the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2021.

Our pro forma net tangible book value as of September 30, 2021 was $142.3 million, or $5.83 per share of our common stock. Pro forma net tangible book value represents the amount of our total tangible assets less our total liabilities, after giving effect to (i) the conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock, including 2,013,749 shares of our Series B preferred stock issued in a subsequent closing on October 5, 2021, into an aggregate of 852,788 shares of our common stock as if such conversion had occurred on September 30, 2021; (ii) the automatic net exercise of the Roche Warrants for an aggregate of shares of our common stock immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus); (iii) the issuance of 764,705 shares of our common stock under the settlement agreement and release with CinRx, for further information on our relationship with CinRx, please see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC;” and (iv) the issuance of 14,302 shares of our common stock upon the exercise of options under our 2019 Stock Option Plan, or the 2019 Plan, subsequent to September 30, 2021. Pro forma net tangible book value per share represents pro forma net tangible book value divided by the total number of shares outstanding as of September 30, 2021, after giving effect to those pro forma adjustments.

After giving further effect to the sale of 11,000,000 shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of September 30, 2021 would have been $302.0 million, or $8.53 per share. This amount represents an immediate increase in pro forma net tangible book value of $31.02 per share to our existing stockholders and immediate dilution of $7.47 per share to new investors in this offering. We determine dilution by subtracting the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the amount of cash that a new investor paid for a share of common stock in this offering.

The following table illustrates this dilution:

 

Assumed initial public offering price per share

     $ 16.00

Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share as of September 30, 2021

   $ (25.20 )   

Pro forma increase in net tangible book value (deficit) per share attributable to the pro forma transactions described above

   $ 31.02    
  

 

 

   

Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2021

   $ 5.83    

Increase in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors participating in this offering

   $ 2.70    
  

 

 

   

Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering

     $ 8.53  

Dilution per share to new investors participating in this offering

     $ 7.47  
    

 

 

 

The dilution information discussed above is illustrative only and will change based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. Each $1.00 increase or decrease in

 

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the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by $0.29, and dilution in pro forma net tangible book value per share to new investors by $0.29, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. An increase of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares we are offering would increase the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by $0.17 and decrease the dilution per share to new investors participating in this offering by $0.17, assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price per share and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. A decrease of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares we are offering would decrease the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by $0.18 and increase the dilution per share to new investors participating in this offering by $0.18, assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price per share and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock in full, the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value after this offering would be $8.81 per share, the increase in pro forma net tangible book value would be $34.00 per share and the dilution to new investors would be $7.19 per share, in each case assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

The following table summarizes, as of September 30, 2021, on the pro forma as adjusted basis described above, the differences between the number of shares purchased from us, the total consideration paid to us in cash and the average price per share that existing stockholders and new investors paid for such shares. This calculation is based on an assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, before deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

    

 

Total Shares

   

 

Total Consideration

    Weighted-
Average
Price Per Share
 
     Number      Percent     Amount      Percent  

Existing stockholders

     24,419,099        68.9 %    $ 205,248,716        53.8 %    $ 8.41  

New investors

     11,000,000        31.1       176,000,000        46.2       16.00  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

Total

    

35,419,099

       100 %     

$381,248,716

       100 %   
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

The foregoing tables and calculations are based on the number of 24,419,099 shares of our common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2021, after giving effect to (i) the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock, including 2,013,749 shares of our Series B preferred stock issued in a subsequent closing on October 5, 2021, into an aggregate of 21,008,970 shares of common stock upon the closing of this offering; (ii) the automatic net exercise of the Roche Warrants for an aggregate of 852,788 shares of our common stock immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus); (iii) the issuance of 764,705 shares of our common stock under the settlement agreement and release with CinRx, for further information on our relationship with CinRx, please see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC;” and (iv) the issuance of 14,302 shares of our common stock upon the exercise of options under the 2019 Plan subsequent to September 30, 2021; and excludes:

 

  •  

1,487,538 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options under the 2019 Plan, outstanding as of September 30, 2021, at a weighted-average exercise price of $4.55 per share;

 

  •  

1,344,077 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options under the 2019 Plan granted subsequent to September 30, 2021, at a weighted-average exercise price of $8.41 per share;

 

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  •  

294,089 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2019 Plan, which shares will cease to be available for issuance at the time the 2022 Plan, becomes effective and will be added to, and become available for issuance under, the 2022 Plan;

 

  •  

3,905,911 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2022 Plan (under which 30,148 restricted stock units will be granted contingent and effective upon the execution of the underwriting agreement for this offering), which will become effective in connection with this offering, as well as any automatic increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2022 Plan; and

 

  •  

355,000 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the ESPP, which will become effective in connection with this offering, as well as any automatic increases in the number of shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the ESPP.

To the extent that stock options are exercised, new stock options are issued under our equity incentive plan or we issue additional shares of common stock in the future, there will be further dilution to investors participating in this offering. In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital because of market conditions or strategic considerations, even if we believe that we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. If we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF

OPERATIONS

The following discussion and analysis should be read with our financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion and analysis and other parts of this prospectus contain forward-looking statements based upon current beliefs that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, such as statements regarding our plans, objectives, expectations, intentions and projections. Our actual results and the timing of selected events could differ materially from those described in or implied by these forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including those set forth under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. You should carefully read the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus to gain an understanding of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements. Please also see the section titled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Overview

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing our lead clinical candidate, CIN-107, for the treatment of hypertension and other cardio-renal diseases. CIN-107 is a highly selective, oral small molecule inhibitor of aldosterone synthase, the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of aldosterone in the adrenal gland. CIN-107 has been designed to use a differentiated mechanism of action, direct inhibition of aldosterone synthase production, with the goal of providing an improved treatment for patients suffering from hypertension, or high blood pressure. Despite the widespread availability of multiple antihypertensive agents, there remains a significant unmet medical need as more than half of the 108 million hypertensive patients in the United States do not achieve blood pressure control. We are evaluating the efficacy and safety profile of CIN-107 as a potential treatment for a broad hypertensive population, including different subpopulations of hypertensive patients who have not achieved blood pressure control despite treatment. We are conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial, which we refer to as our BrigHtn trial, of CIN-107 in patients whose blood pressure is not controlled despite treatment with three antihypertensive agents, including a diuretic, which is referred to as treatment resistant hypertension, or rHTN, and recently initiated a separate Phase 2 clinical trial, which we refer to as our HALO trial, in patients with elevated aldosterone levels whose blood pressure is not controlled despite treatment with one antihypertensive agent, which is referred to as uncontrolled hypertension, or uHTN. In addition to hypertension, we are developing CIN-107 for the treatment of primary aldosteronism, or PA, and exploring its utility in ameliorating complications of chronic kidney disease, or CKD. Earlier this year, we initiated a Phase 2 clinical trial of CIN-107 in patients with confirmed PA, which we refer to as our spark-PA trial, and plan to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with CKD who have uncontrolled blood pressure in the first half of 2022.

We were incorporated in March 2018 as a subsidiary of CinRx Pharma, LLC, a biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics, or CinRx. Since our inception, we have focused primarily on raising capital, organizing and staffing our company, business planning, and acquiring and progressing our lead product candidate, CIN-107, through clinical development after in-licensing the compound from F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Hoffmann La-Roche Inc., whom we collectively refer to in this prospectus as Roche, in 2019. We spun out as an independent company in 2019 after the closing of our Series A preferred stock financing and the execution of our in-licensing transaction with Roche.

We do not have any product candidates approved for sale and have not generated any revenue from product sales. From inception through September 30, 2021, we have funded our operations primarily through equity financings, and have raised an aggregate of approximately $185 million of gross proceeds from the sale of shares of our preferred stock. As of September 30, 2021, we had cash and cash equivalents on hand of $141.7 million. Subsequent to September 30, 2021, we received $8.1 million in aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of 2,013,749 shares of our Series B preferred stock.

Since inception, we have incurred significant operating losses. Our net losses were $5.0 million and $22.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, and $16.5 million and $21.0

 

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million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021, respectively. As of September 30, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of $48.4 million. We expect to continue to incur significant and increasing expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future, as we advance CIN-107 through clinical development and seek regulatory approval, pursue indication expansion of CIN-107, maintain and expand our intellectual property portfolio, as well as hire additional personnel, pay for accounting, audit, legal, regulatory and consulting services, and pay costs associated with maintaining compliance with Nasdaq listing rules and the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, director and officer liability insurance, investor and public relations activities and other expenses associated with operating as a public company. Our net losses may fluctuate significantly from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year, depending on the timing of our preclinical studies, our clinical trials and our expenditures on other research and development activities.

We will not generate revenue from product sales unless and until we successfully complete clinical development and obtain regulatory approval for CIN-107 or any future product candidates, if ever. In addition, if we obtain regulatory approval for CIN-107 or any future product candidates and do not enter into a third-party commercialization partnership, we expect to incur significant expenses related to developing our commercialization capability to support product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution activities. As a result, we will need substantial additional funding to support our continuing operations and pursue our growth strategy. Until we can generate significant revenue from product sales, if ever, we expect to finance our operations through a combination of public or private equity offerings and debt financings or other sources, such as potential collaboration agreements, strategic alliances and licensing arrangements. We may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into such other agreements or arrangements when needed on acceptable terms, or at all. Our failure to raise capital or enter into such agreements as, and when, needed, could have a negative effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. If we are unable to obtain funding, we will be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate some or all of our research and development programs, product portfolio expansion or commercialization efforts, which could adversely affect our business prospects, or we may be unable to continue operations. Although we continue to pursue these plans, there is no assurance that we will be successful in obtaining sufficient funding on terms acceptable to us to fund continuing operations, if at all.

Impact of COVID-19 on Our Business

We have been actively monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business. To date, we have not experienced a material financial statement impact or business disruptions, including with our vendors or third parties, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we cannot, at this time, predict the specific extent, duration or full impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on our financial statements and operations, including our ongoing and planned preclinical activities and future clinical trials. The extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, operations and clinical development timelines and plans remains uncertain and will depend on certain developments, including the duration and spread of the pandemic and its impact on our contract research organizations, or CROs, third-party manufacturers, and other third parties with which we do business, as well as its impact on regulatory authorities and our key scientific and management personnel. To the extent possible, we are conducting business as usual, with necessary or advisable modifications to employee travel. We will continue to actively monitor the rapidly evolving situation related to COVID-19 pandemic and may take further actions that alter our operations, including those that may be required by federal, state or local authorities, or that we determine are in the best interests of our employees and other third parties with which we do business. If we or any of the third parties with whom we engage were to experience shutdowns or other prolonged business disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our ability to conduct our business in the manner and on the timelines presently planned could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operation and financial condition.

Roche License Agreement

Below is a summary of the key terms for our license agreement with Roche. For a more detailed description, see the section titled “Business—License Agreement with Roche” elsewhere in this prospectus as well as Note 4 to our audited financial statements.

 

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In May 2019, following the closing of the initial tranche of our Series A preferred stock financing, we entered into a license agreement, or the Roche Agreement, with Roche, pursuant to which we obtained an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license under certain patents and specified know-how owned or controlled by Roche and Roche’s interest in joint patents and covering certain specified small molecule aldosterone synthase inhibitors, or the Roche Technology, to research, develop, register, use, make, import, export, market, distribute, sell (as well as the right to have each of the foregoing done) and otherwise exploit products containing such aldosterone synthase inhibitors, or the Licensed Products, for any and all uses, including the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of any and all diseases and medical conditions in humans and animals.

Pursuant to the Roche Agreement, we paid Roche a one-time, upfront non-refundable license fee of $2.0 million and one $1.0 million milestone payment in connection with the completion of the multiple ascending dose Phase 1 clinical trial of CIN-107. We are required to pay Roche an additional $40.0 million in aggregate payments with respect to the first Licensed Product upon the achievement of certain development and regulatory milestone events. Additionally, we are required to pay Roche, on a one-time basis, up to $175.0 million in the aggregate upon the achievement of specified net sales milestones for a Licensed Product. In addition, on a Licensed Product-by-Licensed Product and country-by-country basis, we will be obligated to pay Roche tiered royalties on net sales of Licensed Products at percentages ranging from the mid single-digits to 10%.

Components of Results of Operations

Revenue

To date, we have not recognized any revenue from any sources, including from product sales, and we do not expect to generate any revenue from the sale of products in the foreseeable future. If our development efforts for CIN-107 or any future product candidate is successful and results in regulatory approval, we may generate revenue in the future from product sales. However, there can be no assurance as to when we will generate such revenue, if at all.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses consist primarily of costs incurred for our research activities, including our research and discovery efforts and the development of CIN-107 or any future product candidates. We expense research and development costs as incurred, which include:

 

  •  

external research and development expenses incurred under arrangements with third parties, such as CROs, as well as investigative sites and consultants that conduct our clinical trials, preclinical studies and other scientific development services;

 

  •  

costs related to acquiring, developing, and manufacturing clinical study material for our preclinical studies and clinical trials, including fees paid to contract manufacturing organizations, or CMOs;

 

  •  

laboratory supplies and research materials;

 

  •  

upfront, milestone and maintenance fees incurred under license, acquisition and other third-party agreements; and

 

  •  

costs related to compliance with clinical regulatory requirements.

Costs for certain development activities are recognized based on an evaluation of the progress to completion of specific tasks using data such as information provided to us by our vendors and clinical sites and analyzing the progress of clinical trials or other services performed. Significant judgment and estimates are made in determining the accrued expense balances at the end of any reporting period.

We track external research and development costs on a program-by-program basis. External costs include fees paid to consultants, contractors and vendors, including CMOs and CROs, in connection with our clinical activities. We currently only have one product development program, CIN-107.

 

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Research and development activities will continue to be central to our business model. We anticipate that our research and development expenses will increase for the foreseeable future as we advance our product candidates through clinical trials, as well as acquire new product candidates. We also expect higher employee-related expenses, including higher stock-based compensation expenses, as well as higher consulting costs as we hire additional resources to support increasing development activity.

The successful development of CIN-107 or any future product candidate is highly uncertain. We cannot reasonably estimate or know the nature, timing, and estimated costs of the efforts that will be necessary to complete development of CIN-107 or any future product candidate due to the inherently unpredictable nature of preclinical and clinical development. Clinical and preclinical development timelines, the probability of success and development costs can differ materially from expectations. We are also unable to predict when, if ever, material net cash inflows will commence from the sale of CIN-107 or any future product candidate, if they are approved.

The duration, costs and timing of the clinical development of our product candidates will depend on a variety of factors that include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

  •  

the scope, rate of progress, and expenses of our ongoing research activities as well as any preclinical studies and clinical trials and other research and development activities;

 

  •  

the number and scope of clinical programs we decide to pursue;

 

  •  

the uncertainties in clinical trial design and patient enrollment rates;

 

  •  

establishing an appropriate safety and efficacy profile;

 

  •  

successful enrollment in and completion of clinical trials;

 

  •  

whether CIN-107 shows safety and efficacy in our clinical trials;

 

  •  

the timing, receipt and terms of marketing approvals from applicable regulatory authorities;

 

  •  

making arrangements with third-party CMOs for manufacturing;

 

  •  

obtaining and maintaining patent and trade secret protection and regulatory exclusivity for CIN-107 and any future product candidate;

 

  •  

commercializing product candidates, if and when approved, whether alone or in collaboration with others; and

 

  •  

continued acceptable safety profile of the products following any regulatory approval.

A change in the outcome of any of these variables with respect to the development of CIN-107 or any future product candidate would significantly change the costs and timing associated with the development of those product candidates. We may never succeed in achieving regulatory approval for any product candidate. We may obtain unexpected results from our clinical trials. We may elect to discontinue, delay or modify clinical trials of some product candidates or focus on other product candidates. For example, if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency, or another regulatory authority were to delay our planned start of clinical trials or require us to conduct clinical trials or other testing beyond those that we currently expect or if we experience significant delays in enrollment in any of our planned clinical trials, we could be required to expend significant additional financial resources and time on the completion of clinical development of that product candidate.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of compensation and employee-related costs for our finance, human resources and other administrative personnel, including salaries, benefits and other related costs,

 

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as well as expenses for outside professional services, including legal, accounting and audit services and other consulting fees, rent expense, and other general administrative expenses, and stock-based compensation, to a lesser extent.

We expect our general and administrative expenses will increase in the future as we increase our headcount to support our continued research activities and development of our product candidates, potential commercialization efforts, and increased costs associated with being a public company. These increases will likely include additional costs related to the hiring of new personnel, including higher stock-based compensation expenses, and fees to outside consultants, as well as other expenses. We also anticipate that we will incur significantly increased accounting, audit, legal, regulatory, compliance and director and officer insurance costs as well as investor and public relations expenses associated with operating as a public company.

Amended and Restated Management Services Agreement with CinRx Pharma

In April 2020, we entered into the Management Services Agreement, with CinRx pursuant to which CinRx provide us with certain professional services. The Management Services Agreement has a term of two years, and is automatically renewable for successive one-year periods unless terminated. In exchange for services provided to us under the Management Services Agreement, we pay CinRx monthly fees for management services calculated based on costs incurred by CinRx in the provision of services to us, plus a reasonable mark-up. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, $0.8 million and $1.6 million, respectively, and as of the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021, $1.2 million and $1.0 million, respectively, of these fees are included in general and administrative expenses on our statements of operations and comprehensive loss. We provided notice to terminate the Management Services Agreement on November 4, 2021. Pursuant to the terms of the Master Services Agreement, the termination shall become effective no later than February 2, 2022. See the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC” elsewhere in this prospectus for more information.

Interest Income

Interest income consists primarily of interest income received on our cash and cash equivalents.

Change in Fair Value of Warrant Derivative Liabilities

The change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities consists of the change in fair value related to the three freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants issued to Roche in connection with the Roche Agreement, which we collectively refer to as the Roche Warrants. The first Roche Warrant, which was issued in connection with our Series A preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 411,765 shares of our common stock. The second Roche Warrant, issued in connection with our Series A preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 329,552 shares of our common stock. The third Roche Warrant, issued in connection with our Series B preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 113,610 shares of our common stock. The Roche Warrants are collectively exercisable for 854,927 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $0.04 per share. The Roche Warrants will automatically net exercise in whole immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

The grant date fair value of the Roche Warrants are calculated using the Black Scholes valuation model. The valuation models used require the input of subjective assumptions, including assumptions about the expected life of the Roche Warrant, share price volatility and as a privately held company, the estimated fair value of our common stock. These assumptions used represent our best estimates at the time of issuance and in subsequent reporting periods, but the estimates involve inherent uncertainties and the application of our judgment.

 

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Results of Operations

Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2020

The following table summarizes our results of operations for each of the years presented:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
             2019                     2020          

Operating expenses

    

Research and development

   $ 3,926     $ 17,952  

General and administrative

     1,211       3,173  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     5,137       21,125  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss from operations

     5,137       21,125  

Interest income

     (102 )      (37 ) 

Change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities

     —       1,210  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other (income) expense

     (102 )      1,173  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net and comprehensive loss

   $ 5,035     $ 22,298  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses for the year ended December 31, 2020 were $18.0 million, compared to $3.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase of $14.1 million, or 362%, was primarily due to the initiation of several Phase 2 clinical trials including our ongoing Phase 2 BrigHtn clinical trial as well as our Phase 2 spark-PA clinical trial.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses were $3.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase of $2.0 million, or 167%, was the result of increased payroll and personnel related costs under our Management Services Agreement with CinRx, legal and professional fees and other costs associated with operating activities.

Interest Income

Interest income was $37 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to $102 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2019, reflecting interest earned on cash equivalents. The difference was attributed primarily to lower interest rates compared to the year ended December 31, 2019.

Change in Fair Value of Warrant Derivative Liabilities

The change in the fair value of the warrant derivative liabilities was $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The Roche Warrants were issued in connection with the Roche Agreement and in connection with our Series A preferred stock financing in 2019, with an additional warrant issued in connection with our Series B preferred stock financing. Based on the timing of the issuance of the Roche Warrants in 2019, there was no change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities recognized for the year ended December 31, 2019. We classify these warrants as a liability on our balance sheets which we remeasure to fair value at each reporting date. We recognize changes in the fair value of the warrant derivative liabilities as a component of other (income) expense in our statements of operations and comprehensive loss. We will continue to recognize changes in the fair value of the warrant derivative liabilities until the warrants are exercised, expire or qualify for equity classification.

 

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Comparison of Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020 and 2021

The following table summarizes our results of operations for each of the periods presented:

 

     Nine Months
Ended September 30,
 
     2020     2021  

Research and development

   $ 12,829     $ 10,131  

General and administrative

     2,783       7,147  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     15,612       17,278  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss from operations

     15,612       17,278  

Interest income

     (30 )      (8 ) 

Change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities

     907       3,756  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     877       3,748  

Net and comprehensive loss

   $ 16,489     $ 21,026  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 were $10.1 million, compared to $12.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020. The decrease of $2.7 million, or 21%, was primarily due to the work related to several Phase 2 clinical trials.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses were $7.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, compared to $2.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020. The increase of $4.3 million, or 154%, was the result of increased payroll and personnel-related costs, legal and professional fees and other costs associated with operating activities.

Interest Income

Interest income was $8 thousand for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and $30 thousand for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, reflecting interest earned on cash equivalents. The difference was attributed primarily to a lower cash balance as well as lower interest rates compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

Change in Fair Value of Warrant Derivative Liabilities

The change in the fair value of the warrant derivative liabilities was $3.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to $0.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020. The increase of $2.9 million or 322% increase is due to the increase in the fair value of the common stock underlying the Roche Warrants. The Roche Warrants were issued in connection with the Roche Agreement, in connection with our Series A preferred stock financing in 2019 and in connection with our Series B preferred stock financing in 2021. We classify these warrants as a liability on our balance sheets which we remeasure to fair value at each reporting date. We recognize changes in the fair value of the warrant derivative liabilities as a component of other (income) expense in our condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss. We will continue to recognize changes in the fair value of the warrant derivative liabilities until the warrants are exercised, expire or qualify for equity classification.

 

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

Sources of Liquidity

Since our inception, we have not recognized any revenue and have incurred operating losses and negative cash flows from our operations. We have not yet commercialized any product and we do not expect to generate revenue from sales of any products for several years, if at all. From inception through September 30, 2021, we have funded our operations primarily through equity financings, and have raised an aggregate of approximately $185 million of gross proceeds from the sale of shares of our preferred stock. As of September 30, 2021, we had cash and cash equivalents on hand of $141.7 million. Subsequent to September 30, 2021, we received $8.1 million in aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of 2,013,749 shares of our Series B preferred stock.

Cash Flows

Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2020

The following table summarizes our cash flows for each of the years presented:

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
             2019                     2020          

Net cash used in operating activities

   $ (4,430 )    $ (17,396 ) 

Net cash provided by investing activities

     —       —  

Net cash provided by financing activities

     15,914       31,990  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

   $ 11,484     $ 14,594  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating Activities

We have historically experienced negative operating cash outflows as we continue clinical development of CIN-107. Our net cash used in operating activities primarily results from our net and comprehensive loss adjusted for non-cash expenses and changes in working capital components. Our primary uses of cash from operating activities are amounts due to CROs for the conduct of our clinical programs and employee-related expenditures for research and development, and general and administrative activities. Our cash flows from operating activities will continue to be affected by spending to advance and support our clinical development and other operating and general administrative activities.

For the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash used in operating activities was $17.4 million and was primarily related to cash payments for clinical development activities and personnel-related costs under our Management Services Agreement with CinRx, legal and professional fees and other costs associated with operating activities.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, net cash used in operating activities was $4.4 million and was primarily related to cash payments for clinical development activities and certain professional fees and other costs associated with operating activities.

Investing Activities

During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, we had no cash flows from investing activities.

Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $32.0 million, consisting of net proceeds from the issuance of Series A preferred stock in August 2020. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $15.9 million, consisting of net proceeds from the issuance of Series A preferred stock in May 2019.

 

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Comparison of Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020 and 2021

The following table summarizes our cash flows for each of the periods presented:

 

     Nine Months
Ended September 30,
 
     2020     2021  

Net cash used in operating activities

   $ (12,320 )    $ (19,822 ) 

Net cash provided by investing activities

     —       —  

Net cash provided by financing activities

     31,990       135,452  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

   $ 19,670     $ 115,630  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating Activities

We have historically experienced negative operating cash outflows as we continue clinical development of CIN-107. Our net cash used in operating activities primarily results from our net and comprehensive loss adjusted for non-cash expenses and changes in working capital components. Our primary uses of cash from operating activities are amounts due to CROs for the conduct of our clinical programs and employee-related expenditures for research and development, and general and administrative activities. Our cash flows from operating activities will continue to be affected by spending to advance and support our clinical development and other operating and general administrative activities.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, net cash used in operating activities was $19.8 million and was primarily as a result of our net and comprehensive loss of $21.0 million, which includes $3.8 million and $2.3 million of non-cash expense related to the change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities and stock-based compensation expense, respectively , as well as $4.8 million from changes in working capital.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, net cash used in operating activities was $12.3 million and was primarily as a result of our net and comprehensive loss of $16.5 million, which includes $0.9 million of non-cash expense related to the change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities, offset by $3.3 million from changes in working capital.

Investing Activities

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021, we had no cash flows from investing activities.

Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was $135.5 million, consisting of $134.2 million of net proceeds from the issuance of Series B preferred stock in September 2021 and $1.2 million of proceeds from the exercise of stock options. Net cash provided by financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 was $32.0 million, consisting of net proceeds from the issuance of Series A preferred stock in August 2020.

Funding Requirements

As of September 30, 2021, our cash and cash equivalents on hand was $141.7 million. We believe that the net proceeds from the October 2021 closing of our Series B financing and this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, will enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through 2024. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could expend our capital resources sooner than we expect.

We expect to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future as we advance our product candidates through preclinical and clinical development, seek regulatory approval and pursue

 

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commercialization of any approved product candidates. We expect that our research and development and general and administrative costs will increase in connection with our planned clinical development activities. In addition, upon the completion of this offering, we expect to incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company.

We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could exhaust our capital resources sooner than we expect. If we receive regulatory approval for CIN-107, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to product manufacturing, sales, marketing and distribution, depending on where we choose to commercialize. We may also require additional capital to pursue in-licenses or acquisitions of other product candidates.

Our future capital requirements will depend on a number of factors, including:

 

  •  

the costs of conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials;

 

  •  

the scope, progress, results and costs of discovery, preclinical development, laboratory testing, and clinical trials for product candidates we may develop, if any;

 

  •  

the costs, timing, and outcome of regulatory review of our product candidates;

 

  •  

our ability to establish and maintain collaborations on favorable terms, if at all;

 

  •  

the achievement of milestones or occurrence of other developments that trigger payments under any license or collaboration agreements we might have at such time;

 

  •  

the costs and timing of future commercialization activities, including product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution, for any of our product candidates for which we receive marketing approval;

 

  •  

the amount of revenue, if any, received from commercial sales of our product candidates, should any of our product candidates receive marketing approval;

 

  •  

the costs of preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications, obtaining, maintaining and enforcing our intellectual property rights, and defending intellectual property-related claims;

 

  •  

our headcount growth and associated costs as we expand our business operations and research and development activities;

 

  •  

the costs of building out internal accounting, legal, compliance and other operational and administrative functions, including after any expiration or termination of the Management Services Agreement;

 

  •  

the timing and size of any milestone payments required under our existing or future arrangements, including the Roche Agreement; and

 

  •  

the costs of operating as a public company.

The net proceeds of this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, will not be sufficient to complete development of CIN-107 or any other product candidate. Accordingly, we will be required to obtain further funding to achieve our long-term business objectives.

Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial revenue, we expect to finance our cash needs through a combination of public or private equity offerings and debt financings or other sources, such as potential collaboration agreements, strategic alliances and licensing arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, your ownership interests may be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that could adversely affect your rights as a common stockholder. Debt financing, if available, may involve agreements that include restrictive covenants that limit our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends, that could adversely impact our ability to conduct our business.

 

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If we raise funds through potential collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates, or to grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If we are unable to raise additional funds when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

License Agreement Obligations

License agreement obligations relate to the Roche Agreement that we entered into with Roche in May 2019. Under the terms of the Roche Agreement, we obtained an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license to the Roche Technology to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize to a novel aldosterone synthase inhibitor compound, CIN-107. Pursuant to the Roche Agreement, we paid Roche a one-time, upfront non-refundable license fee of $2.0 million and one $1.0 million milestone payment in connection with the completion of the multiple ascending dose Phase 1 clinical trial of CIN-107. We are required to pay Roche certain tiered development event-based milestone payments, certain sales-based milestone payments, as well as a royalty from the future sales of Licensed Products. The royalty is tiered based on the combined net sales of each Licensed Product.

As of September 30, 2021, we were unable to estimate the timing or likelihood of achieving these clinical and commercial milestones or generating future product sales. See the section titled “Business—License Agreement with Roche” elsewhere in this prospectus as well as Note 4 to our audited financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus for a description of our license agreement with Roche.

Purchase and Other Obligations

In the normal course of business, we enter into contracts with CROs and other third parties for conducting research and development activities, preclinical studies and clinical trials, research and development supplies and other testing and manufacturing services. The scope of the services under these contracts can be modified and provide for termination on notice, and therefore are cancellable contracts. These payments are not included in the table above as the amount and timing of such payments are not known as of September 30, 2021.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

During periods presented, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined by SEC rules.

Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates

This management’s discussion and analysis is based on our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of the financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, expenses and related disclosures. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and assumptions. Our estimates are based on historical experience, known trends and events, and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our judgments and estimates in light of changes in circumstances, facts, and experience. The effects of material revisions in estimates, if any, will be reflected in the financial statements prospectively from the date of change in estimates.

While our accounting policies are described in more detail in the notes to our audited financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, we believe the following accounting policies used in the preparation of our financial statements require the most significant judgments and estimates. See Note 2 to our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for a description of our other significant accounting policies.

 

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Prepaid and Accrued Research and Development Expenses

As part of the process of preparing our financial statements, we are required to estimate our prepaid and accrued research and development expenses. This process involves reviewing open contracts and purchase orders, communicating with our personnel to identify services that have been performed on our behalf and estimating the level of service performed and the associated cost incurred for the service when we have not yet been invoiced or otherwise notified of the actual cost. The majority of our service providers invoice us monthly in arrears for services performed. We make estimates of our prepaid and accrued research and development expenses as of each balance sheet date in our financial statements based on facts and circumstances known to us at the time. We confirm the accuracy of estimates with the service providers and make adjustments if necessary. Examples of estimated prepaid and accrued research and development expenses include expenses for:

 

  •  

CROs in connection with clinical studies;

 

  •  

investigative sites in connection with clinical studies;

 

  •  

vendors in connection with preclinical development activities; and

 

  •  

vendors related to product manufacturing, development and distribution of clinical materials.

We base our expenses related to clinical studies on our estimates of the services received and efforts expended pursuant to contracts with multiple CROs that conduct and manage clinical studies on our behalf. The financial terms of these agreements are subject to negotiation, vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven payment flows. The scope of services under these contracts can be modified and some of the agreements may be cancelled by either party upon written notice. There may be instances in which payments made to our vendors will exceed the level of services provided and result in a prepayment of the clinical expense. Payments under some of these contracts depend on factors such as the successful enrollment of subjects and the completion of clinical study milestones. In accruing service fees, we estimate the time period over which services will be performed and the level of effort to be expended in each period. If the actual timing of the performance of services or the level of effort varies from our estimate, we adjust the accrual or prepaid accordingly.

Although we do not expect our estimates to be materially different from amounts actually incurred, if our estimates of the status and timing of services performed differ from the actual status and timing of services performed, we may report amounts that are too high or too low in any particular period. To date, there have been no material differences between our estimates and amounts actually incurred.

Warrant Derivative Instruments including Determination of the Fair Value of Underlying Common Stock

We account for derivatives, specifically freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants, in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging. This guidance establishes accounting and reporting principles for derivative instruments, including certain derivative instruments embedded in other contracts. The Roche Warrants which are discussed previously are valued using the Black Scholes valuation model. The Black Scholes valuation was determined using assumptions that are subjective and require significant judgement and estimation by management, including the fair value of our common stock, as discussed below. Other assumptions include the risk-free rate, expected volatility, term and dividend yield, if applicable. The risk-free rate assumption was based on observed yields from governmental zero-coupon bonds. The expected volatility assumption was based on historical volatilities of a group of comparable industry companies whose stock prices are publicly available. The peer group was developed based on companies in the therapeutics and pharmaceutical industries.

Determination of the Fair Value of Common Stock

As there has been no public market for our common stock to date, the estimated fair value of our common stock has been determined by our board of directors as of each reporting date, with input from management,

 

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considering third-party valuations of our common stock as well as our board of directors’ assessment of additional objective and subjective factors that it believed were relevant and which may have changed from the date of the most recent third-party valuation to each reporting date. These third-party valuations of our common stock were determined in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Practice Aid, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation, or AICPA Practice Aid. The assumptions used in the valuation model were based on future expectations combined with management judgment.

In addition to considering the results of these third-party valuations, our board of directors considered various objective and subjective factors to determine the fair value of our common stock as of each reporting date, which may be a date later than the most recent third-party valuation date, including:

 

  •  

the prices at which we sold preferred stock and the superior rights and preferences of the preferred stock relative to our common stock at the time of each reporting date;

 

  •  

the progress of our research and development programs, including the status of ongoing and planned clinical trials;

 

  •  

our stage of development and our business strategy;

 

  •  

external market conditions affecting the biotechnology industry, and trends within the biotechnology industry;

 

  •  

our financial position, including cash on hand, and our historical and forecasted performance and operating results;

 

  •  

the lack of an active public market for our common stock and our preferred stock;

 

  •  

the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event, such as an initial public offering, or IPO, or a sale of our company in light of prevailing market conditions; and

 

  •  

the analysis of IPOs and the market performance of similar companies in the biopharmaceutical industry.

The assumptions underlying these valuations represent management’s best estimates, which involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management judgment. As a result, if factors or expected outcomes change and we use significantly different assumptions or estimates, our analysis and related statement of operations and comprehensive loss impact could be materially different.

Following the closing of this offering, the fair value of our common stock will be determined based on the quoted market price of our common stock.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for its stock-based compensation awards in accordance with ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation (ASC 718). ASC 718 requires all stock-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in the condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss based on their fair values. The Company’s stock-based awards are subject only to service-based vesting conditions. The Company estimates the fair value of its stock-based awards using the Black- Scholes option pricing model, which requires the input of assumptions, including (a) the expected stock price volatility, (b) the calculation of expected term of the award, (c) the risk-free interest rate, and (d) expected dividends.

Due to the lack of a public market for the trading of the Company’s common stock and a lack of company-specific historical and implied volatility data, the Company has based its estimate of expected volatility on the historical volatility of a group of similar companies that are publicly traded. The Company believes that the

 

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companies in the group have characteristics similar to its own characteristics, including stage of product development and a focus on the life sciences industry. The Company believes the group selected has sufficient similar economic and industry characteristics and includes companies that are most representative of the Company.

The Company uses the simplified method, as prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107, Share-Based Payment, to calculate the expected term, as it does not have sufficient historical exercise data to provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate the expected term for options granted and utilizes the contractual term for options granted. The risk-free interest rate is based on a treasury instrument whose term is consistent with the expected life of the stock options.

Compensation expense related to awards is calculated on a straight-line basis by recognizing the grant date fair value over the associated service period of the award, which is generally the vesting term.

Emerging Growth Company Status and Smaller Reporting Company Status

We are an “emerging growth company,” or EGC, under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an EGC can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. Thus, an EGC can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to avail ourselves of the delayed adoption of new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, we will be subject to the same requirements to adopt new or revised accounting standards as private entities.

As an EGC, we may also take advantage of certain exemptions and reduced reporting requirements under the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions, as an EGC:

 

  •  

we are presenting only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in this prospectus;

 

  •  

we will avail ourselves of the exemption from providing an auditor’s attestation report on our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;

 

  •  

we will avail ourselves of the exemption from complying with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or PCAOB, regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements, known as the auditor discussion and analysis;

 

  •  

we are providing reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements; and

 

  •  

we will not require nonbinding advisory votes on executive compensation or stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments.

We will remain an EGC until the earliest of (i) December 31, 2027, (ii) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more, (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt during the previous rolling three-year period, or (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.

We are also a “smaller reporting company,” meaning that the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates plus the proposed aggregate amount of gross proceeds to us as a result of this offering is less than $700 million and our annual revenue was less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company after this offering if either (i) the market value of our stock

 

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held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million or (ii) our annual revenue is less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million.

If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an EGC, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies. Specifically, as a smaller reporting company we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, similar to EGCs, smaller reporting companies have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation.

Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Other than as disclosed in Note 2 to our audited financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, we do not expect that any recently issued accounting standards will have a material impact on our financial statements or will otherwise apply to our operations.

 

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BUSINESS

Overview

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing our lead clinical candidate, CIN-107, for the treatment of hypertension and other cardio-renal diseases. CIN-107 is a highly selective, oral small molecule inhibitor of aldosterone synthase, the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of aldosterone in the adrenal gland. CIN-107 has been designed to use differentiated mechanism of action, direct inhibition of aldosterone synthase production, with the goal of providing an improved treatment for patients suffering from hypertension, or high blood pressure. Despite the widespread availability of multiple antihypertensive agents, there remains a significant unmet medical need as more than half of the 108 million hypertensive patients in the United States do not achieve blood pressure control. Third party studies have shown a clear health benefit to reducing blood pressure in these populations, where a 5 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure, or SBP, reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by about 10%, and the corresponding proportional risk reductions for stroke, heart failure, and cardiovascular death were 13%, 13%, and 5%, respectively. We are evaluating the efficacy and safety profile of CIN-107 as a potential treatment for a broad hypertensive population, including different subpopulations of hypertensive patients who have not achieved blood pressure control despite treatment. We are conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial, which we refer to as our BrigHtn trial, of CIN-107 in patients whose blood pressure is not controlled despite treatment with three antihypertensive agents, including a diuretic, which is referred to as treatment resistant hypertension, or rHTN, and recently initiated a separate Phase 2 clinical trial, which we refer to as our HALO trial, in patients with elevated aldosterone levels whose blood pressure is not controlled despite treatment with one antihypertensive agent, which is referred to as uncontrolled hypertension, or uHTN. In addition to hypertension, we are developing CIN-107 for the treatment of primary aldosteronism, or PA, and exploring its utility in ameliorating complications of chronic kidney disease, or CKD. Earlier this year, we initiated a Phase 2 clinical trial of CIN-107 in patients with confirmed PA, which we refer to as our spark-PA trial, and plan to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with CKD who have uncontrolled blood pressure in the first half of 2022.

In August 2021, we conducted a review of blinded, preliminary safety data from our ongoing BrigHtn trial on 124 patients who had either completed 12 weeks of treatment or withdrew from the trial. The purpose of this blinded data review was to enable an assessment of the overall management and conduct of the trial, without unblinding any individual patient data. Due to the preliminary and blinded nature of the data, this interim data set was not subject to the standard quality control measures typically associated with final clinical trial results. The mean SBP at baseline was 147 mm Hg and, following 12 weeks, SBP levels declined to a mean of 132 mm Hg for the 124 patients included in the review, including patients in the placebo cohort. Due to the blinded nature of the BrigHtn trial, we currently do not know if participants receiving CIN-107 experienced any decrease in blood pressure, or if the decreases in blood pressure, if any, differed from participants receiving a placebo. In addition, the BrigHtn trial is ongoing, and we will not know whether treatment with CIN-107 lowers blood pressure in a clinically meaningful manner until all clinical trials we intend to complete prior to submitting a request for marketing authorization have been conducted and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, makes its efficacy determination. Furthermore, this preliminary data is not subject to the same quality control measures as final data, which creates a risk that the final results could be materially different from the preliminary results observed in this blinded data review. We expect to announce top-line data from the final results of this trial in the second half of 2022.

Aldosterone is a steroid hormone synthesized in the adrenal gland that regulates water and salt balance in the human body. It causes retention of water and salt by the kidney, a genomic effect that contributes to the pathogenesis of hypertension. In addition to this genomic effect, aldosterone induces certain indirect, non-genomic effects, including pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic effects, increases in oxidative stress, as well as cardiac muscle cell hypertrophy and remodeling. Increasing evidence shows a correlation between these non-genomic effects of aldosterone and a worsening of patient outcomes, particularly in patients who have heart disease or kidney disease. Given these potentially deleterious effects of aldosterone, inhibiting its effects is a well understood mechanism of action for the treatment of hypertension and other cardio-renal diseases, such as PA and CKD.

 

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Hypertension is one of the world’s leading causes of mortality. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the U.S. CDC, approximately 500,000 people still die every year in the United States with uncontrolled blood pressure listed as a primary or secondary cause of death. Despite decades of understanding the importance of controlling hypertension and the widespread availability of multiple approved therapies, only 43.7% of the 108 million U.S. adults with hypertension achieve blood pressure levels of less than 140/90 mm Hg, despite the recommended target blood pressure goal being less than 130/80 mm Hg. Additionally, of those patients taking one or more antihypertensive agents, it is estimated that approximately 35% have uncontrolled blood pressure. Although the evidence for the benefits of reducing blood pressure is overwhelming and has consistently supported the medical community’s recommendations to drive blood pressure to lower levels, the current standard-of-care has not meaningfully changed, with no new classes of antihypertensive agents approved in more than a decade.

There are multiple standard-of-care antihypertensive agents currently available, including angiotensin converting enzyme, or ACE, inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers, or ARBs, which are designed to inhibit the production of aldosterone at different points along the renin angiotensin-aldosterone system, or RAAS, axis, as well as mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, or MRAs, which block the effects of aldosterone at the mineralocorticoid receptor. Despite the widespread availability and use of these antihypertensive agents, many of which are available as generic products, each class of drugs currently available is associated with significant limitations, including limited efficacy, limited duration of aldosterone lowering effect and multiple side effects. Given both the importance of reducing aldosterone and the limitations of currently available therapies, we believe that CIN-107 has the potential to have a significant impact on the treatment paradigm for hypertension and other cardio-renal diseases.

Our Pipeline

We are developing CIN-107 for the treatment of multiple diseases where aldosterone plays a significant role in disease pathophysiology, including hypertension and PA. We are also exploring its utility in ameliorating complications of CKD. To support the advancement of this “pipeline-in-a-product” opportunity, we are currently conducting and plan to initiate additional Phase 2 clinical trials of CIN-107 for different indications and patient populations. The following table summarizes our CIN-107 pipeline across multiple indications.

 

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We plan to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CIN-107 in patients with CKD who have uncontrolled blood pressure. As we explore the utility of CIN-107 in treating hypertension in patient with CKD, we will evaluate the best path for maximizing the value of CIN-107, including as a monotherapy or in combination with other treatments for the treatment of CKD.

 

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Our Corporate History and Team

We were incorporated in March 2018 and founded as a subsidiary of CinRx Pharma, LLC, or CinRx, a biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics. In May 2019, we entered into an agreement with Roche for an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license to certain Roche technology to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize a novel aldosterone synthase inhibitor compound, CIN-107, for any and all diseases and conditions. In connection with the closing of our Series A preferred stock financing and the execution of our in-licensing transaction with Roche, we were spun out as an independent company. We continued to rely on CinRx for the development of CIN-107 until the fall of 2021 when we closed our Series B preferred stock financing and hired our own management team and operational personnel. For further information, please see the sections titled “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Dependence on Third Parties—We have delivered notice to terminate our Management Services Agreement with CinRx, a related party we have relied on to provide us with services since our inception, and we may not be able to effectively replace those services.” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC” elsewhere in this prospectus.

Our co-founders and senior management team have extensive leadership and scientific experience in cardiovascular and specialty drug discovery and development. Our Chief Executive Officer, Marc de Garidel, has over 35 years of leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and is currently the chairman of the board of directors of Ipsen S.A. Prior to joining us, Mr. de Garidel served as chief executive officer of Corvidia Therapeutics, which was sold to Novo Nordisk in July 2020 for up to $2.1 billion, and prior to that, he served as chief executive officer of Ipsen S.A. Our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer, Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A., has an accomplished track record as a leader across finance, business development and operations for public biopharmaceutical and other publicly traded and private companies. Our Executive Vice President, Clinical Development, Mason Freeman, M.D., has been deeply involved in the development of multiple, novel medicines that are now approved for commercial sale in the United States to treat lipid disorders, heart failure, hyperkalemia, Cushing’s disease, and diabetes. Our Chief Operating Officer and co-founder, Catherine Pearce, M.B.A., D.H.Sc., has over 20 years of clinical and business development experience, and previously held the position of vice president of research at Teva Pharmaceuticals. Since our inception, we have raised an aggregate of approximately $192.9 million from leading life sciences investors, including General Atlantic, Sofinnova Investments, Sofinnova Partners, and 5AM Ventures.

Our Strategy

Our strategy is focused on developing and commercializing CIN-107 for the treatment of multiple cardio-renal diseases in which aldosterone is known to play a significant role in the disease pathophysiology, including hypertension and PA. We are also exploring its utility in ameliorating complications of CKD. Key elements of our strategy include the following:

 

  •  

Advance CIN-107 through clinical development for the treatment of hypertension. We are currently conducting our BrigHtn trial in patients with rHTN, and expect topline data in the second half of 2022. While we expect the FDA to provide a label for hypertension broadly, if CIN-107 is approved, we plan to focus our initial commercial efforts on patients with rHTN, which represents a patient population of approximately 12-15 million individuals in the United States who have limited treatment options and significant unmet medical need.

 

  •  

Expand the hypertension opportunity for CIN-107 to include patients with uHTN and use as an earlier line of therapy. Despite the widespread availability of multiple, generic antihypertensive agents, which are often used in combination, an overwhelming number of patients are considered to have uHTN because they continue to fail to reach target blood pressure goals. There is growing evidence in scientific literature demonstrating that elevated aldosterone levels play a direct role in the pathogenesis of hypertension in the broader hypertensive population. Therefore, we believe a highly selective aldosterone synthase inhibitor, like CIN-107, that is designed to specifically target aldosterone production may address one of the primary underlying causes of hypertension, thereby

 

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allowing more patients to achieve their target blood pressure goal with fewer antihypertensive agents. We believe CIN-107 may provide clinical benefit for patients at an earlier point in their course of treatment than currently available treatments, as opposed to waiting until the patient fails to achieve blood pressure control with three or more antihypertensive agents. To evaluate the potential of CIN-107 as an earlier line of therapy and in a broader patient population, we recently initiated our HALO trial in patients with elevated aldosterone levels who failed to achieve blood pressure control on one antihypertensive agent.

 

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Leverage the clinical development of CIN-107 in hypertension, if successful, to efficiently develop CIN-107 for the treatment of PA. PA results from the autonomous production of excess aldosterone and affects approximately 5-10% of the total hypertensive population in the United States. This population is associated with worse outcomes and higher risks of cardiovascular events than the general hypertensive population. Therefore, it is important to identify these patients at an early stage in order to control their blood pressure. However, PA is currently underdiagnosed due to the complexity of the diagnostic guidelines and the inherent variability in plasma aldosterone measurements. We initiated our spark-PA trial earlier this year to evaluate the potential of CIN-107 as a treatment for hypertension in patients with PA. Based on recent literature, we are using the measurement of 24-hour urine aldosterone levels in addition to plasma aldosterone levels to assess aldosterone status in patients participating in the trial. We believe the adoption of a 24-hour urine aldosterone measurement could improve PA diagnosis rates and provide an improved approach to identifying the patients who are most likely to benefit from treatment with CIN-107.

 

  •  

Develop CIN-107 as a potentially differentiated treatment for CKD by modifying disease progression. Multiple third-party clinical trials and meta-analyses have demonstrated that blocking the effect of aldosterone reduces proteinuria and delays the progression of CKD. Long-term use of current standard-of-care agents for CKD are associated with aldosterone breakthrough, where patients experience aldosterone levels reverting back to or exceeding baseline, and can lead to poor patient outcomes. Based on the results of our preclinical and Phase 1 clinical trials of CIN-107, we plan to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CIN-107 in patients with CKD who have uncontrolled blood pressure in the first half of 2022.

 

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Opportunistically evaluate strategic partnerships to maximize the value of CIN-107. We acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to CIN-107 from Roche. As we advance the development of CIN-107 across multiple diseases and continue to generate additional non-clinical and clinical data, we will evaluate the best path for maximizing the value of CIN-107, including in combination with other treatments for certain indications, such as CKD. For certain geographies, we may opportunistically enter into strategic partnerships to accelerate the development and maximize the commercial potential of CIN-107. In addition, there are several diseases where aldosterone plays a significant role, such as heart failure, that we do not currently plan to pursue on our own but may seek to opportunistically partner with one or more third parties in order to further expand the commercial potential of CIN-107.

The Significant Role of Aldosterone in Multiple Cardio-renal Disease Pathogenesis

Aldosterone is a steroid hormone synthesized in the adrenal gland that stimulates the absorption of sodium in the kidneys and regulates water and salt balance in the human body. As shown in the graphic below, aldosterone is one of the three key components of the RAAS, an endocrine system that plays an important role in regulating blood pressure and electrolyte and fluid balance. When blood flow into the kidney is reduced or there is a drop in blood pressure, the RAAS is activated and the kidney secretes renin into blood circulation. Renin converts angiotensinogen, a protein produced by the liver and released into circulation, into angiotensin I. The ACE, which is found predominantly on the surface of vascular endothelial cells of the lungs, subsequently converts angiotensin I into angiotensin II. Angiotensin II stimulates the secretion of aldosterone from the adrenal cortex. Aldosterone binds to intracellular receptors and activates the mineralocorticoid receptor in the kidney, resulting in increased sodium absorption, which increases the body’s fluid load and thereby increases blood

 

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pressure, accomplishing the original objective set forth by the activation of the RAAS. In the process of sodium absorption, potassium is exchanged and released into the urine. This overall effect of aldosterone on the kidney, which is driven by the binding of aldosterone to intracellular receptors that then control the transcription of several genes, is referred to as its genomic effect.

The Role of Aldosterone in RAAS

 

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Under normal conditions, the RAAS achieves a physiological equilibrium between the kidney and the adrenal gland mediated by the effects of renin from the kidney and aldosterone from the adrenal gland. However, when the RAAS is abnormally active, excess levels of aldosterone are produced, leading to increased salt and fluid retention and resulting in increases in circulating blood volume, which contributes to the pathogenesis of hypertension. In certain situations, aldosterone can be produced independent of the activation of the RAAS and secretion of renin. In these cases of renin-independent aldosterone production, the level of plasma aldosterone is greater than what is physiologically needed based on the level of plasma renin released by the kidney.

Recent scientific literature has demonstrated that there is a prevalent continuum of renin-independent aldosterone production that parallels the severity of hypertension. A study conducted by Dr. Jenifer Brown et al, which was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in July 2020, evaluated urinary aldosterone excretion rates in patients with confirmed renin-independent aldosterone production across different stages of hypertension: normal (less than 130/80 mm Hg); stage 1 (130-139/80-89 mm Hg); stage 2 (equal to or greater than 140/90 mm Hg); and rHTN (greater than 130/80 mm Hg), despite treatment with three or more antihypertensive agents one of which is a diuretic. As shown in the figure below, this study demonstrated a strong correlation between aldosterone levels and severity of hypertension. In addition, this study showed minimal to no differences when aldosterone levels were adjusted for age, body mass index, race, sex, history of diabetes and 24-hour urinary sodium excretion.

 

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Correlation of Renin-Independent Aldosterone Production by Blood Pressure Category

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There are many conditions that lead to renin-independent aldosterone production, including: PA, where there is autonomous secretion of aldosterone by the adrenal gland; body mass index, or BMI, above average levels, particularly male type obesity with excess fat in the abdominal or waist area; sleep apnea syndrome, a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts; and endothelial dysfunction, a type of vascular disease due to constricted blood vessels.

In addition to the genomic effects of aldosterone discussed above, aldosterone induces certain indirect, non-genomic effects that occur without the transcription of any genes, including pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic effects, increases in oxidative stress, as well as cardiac muscle cell hypertrophy and remodeling. Increasing evidence shows a correlation between these non-genomic effects of aldosterone and a worsening of patient outcomes, particularly in patients who have heart disease or kidney disease. For example, scientific literature suggests the non-genomic effects of aldosterone contribute to the progression of CKD. Hypertension is one of the major causes of CKD, and many patients with CKD from other causes, such as diabetes, also have hypertension. Multiple third-party clinical trials and meta-analyses have demonstrated that reducing aldosterone levels in patients with CKD, and thereby mitigating the non-genomic effects of aldosterone and lowering blood pressure, leads to a reduction in proteinuria and delays the progression of the disease.

Currently Available Treatments Involving Aldosterone Inhibition Relating to RAAS

Given the potentially deleterious effects of aldosterone described above, inhibiting its effects is a well understood mechanism of action for the treatment of hypertension and other cardio-renal diseases, such as PA and CKD. When plasma aldosterone levels are reduced or blocked, the reverse of the natural RAAS process occurs. Instead of the kidney retaining sodium and water, sodium is lost through urine and, in exchange, potassium is retained. This results in a reduction in plasma sodium levels and an increase in plasma potassium levels, which leads to a reduction in blood volume and thus has a blood pressure lowering effect. Many standard-of-care antihypertensive agents, such as ACE inhibitors, ARBs, which are also known as angiotensin II receptor antagonists, and MRAs, are designed to inhibit the production or effects of aldosterone at different points of the RAAS axis, as shown below. In addition to these currently available antihypertensive agents, there are multiple aldosterone synthase inhibitors, including CIN-107, in clinical development, which are designed to directly inhibit aldosterone synthesis.

 

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Antihypertensive Agents Inhibit the Production or Effects of Aldosterone at Different Points of the RAAS Axis

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Despite the widespread availability and use of antihypertensive agents, each class of drugs currently available is associated with significant limitations. For example, a significant proportion of patients taking ACE inhibitors and ARBs for prolonged periods of time experience aldosterone breakthrough, where plasma aldosterone levels return to or exceed baseline levels. In addition, the extent of aldosterone reduction achieved with ACE inhibitors and ARBs is less than what could be achieved with aldosterone synthase inhibitors that directly inhibit aldosterone synthesis. In the case of MRAs, blocking the effects of aldosterone at the mineralocorticoid receptor level often leads to increases in aldosterone synthesis, which ultimately requires higher doses of the MRA agent to compensate for these effects. Furthermore, with the MRAs that are currently available, particularly spironolactone, there are multiple side effects that prevent their widespread use, including a variety of anti-androgenic effects such as breast tenderness and enlargement in men, decreased libido in men and menstrual irregularities in woman. In addition, spironolactone treatment can lead to potentially harmful increases in blood potassium levels. Given both the importance of reducing aldosterone and the limitations of currently available therapies, we believe that CIN-107 has the potential to have a significant impact on the treatment paradigm for hypertension and other cardio-renal diseases.

CIN-107—A Highly Selective Aldosterone Synthase Inhibitor

Overview

CIN-107 is a highly selective, oral, small molecule inhibitor of aldosterone synthase, the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of aldosterone in the adrenal gland. We are developing CIN-107 for the treatment of multiple diseases where aldosterone plays a significant role, including hypertension and PA. We are also exploring its utility in ameliorating complications of CKD. A robust Phase 1 clinical development program for CIN-107 has been conducted, with approximately 180 individuals dosed across multiple conducted clinical trials. CIN-107 was shown to be well tolerated in healthy volunteers, with no serious adverse events, or SAEs, or treatment-emergent adverse events, or TEAEs, leading to treatment withdrawal associated with CIN-107. In addition, a Phase 1 clinical trial was conducted in subjects with varying degrees of renal function. In this trial, one SAE not related to CIN-107 was observed.

 

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We are currently conducting our BrigHTN trial of CIN-107 in patients with rHTN. In August 2021, we conducted a review of blinded, preliminary safety data from this trial on and reviewed data from 124 patients who had either completed 12 weeks of treatment or withdrew from the trial. The purpose of this blinded data review was to enable an assessment of the overall management and conduct of the trial, without unblinding any individual patient data. Due to the preliminary and blinded nature of the data, this interim data set was not subject to the standard quality control measures typically associated with final clinical trial results. The mean SBP at baseline was 147 mm Hg and, following 12 weeks, SBP levels declined to a mean of 132 mm Hg for the 124 patients included in the review, including patients in the placebo cohort. Due to the blinded nature of the BrigHtn trial, we currently do not know if participants receiving CIN-107 experienced any decrease in blood pressure, or if the decreases in blood pressure, if any, differed from participants receiving a placebo. In addition, the BrigHtn trial is ongoing, and we will not know whether treatment with CIN-107 lowers blood pressure in a clinically meaningful manner until all clinical trials we intend to complete prior to submitting a request for marketing authorization have been conducted and the FDA makes its efficacy determination. Furthermore, this preliminary data is not subject to the same quality control measures as final data, which creates a risk that the final results could be materially different from the preliminary results observed in this blinded data review.

In addition to rHTN, we initiated our spark-PA trial of CIN-107 in patients with PA earlier this year. We also recently initiated our HALO trial in patients with elevated aldosterone levels with uHTN and plan to initiate a separate Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with CKD who have uncontrolled blood pressure in the first half of 2022.

Mechanism of Action of CIN-107

Directly inhibiting aldosterone synthesis has long been a goal in therapeutic drug development as the relationship between elevated levels of aldosterone and the progression of multiple diseases is well understood. However, the challenge has been developing a molecule with the ability to safely inhibit aldosterone production without negatively impacting cortisol synthesis. The major enzymes responsible for the synthesis of aldosterone and cortisol share approximately 93% amino acid sequence similarity, and therefore, a highly selective aldosterone synthesis inhibitor is required. Multiple programs in development by others have been discontinued over the past several years due to, what we believe is, their product candidates’ lack of selectivity, which resulted in the simultaneous inhibition of both aldosterone and cortisol. Off-target suppression of cortisol leads to compromised stress and immunologic responses, adverse impact on metabolic functions and increased risk of mortality.

CIN-107 was designed with high selectivity to specifically overcome this challenge. In particular, CIN-107 selectively targets aldosterone synthase, which is encoded by the CYP11B2 gene. Importantly, it has low affinity for 11ß-hydroxylase, the enzyme responsible for cortisol synthesis, which is encoded by the CYP11B1 gene. In multiple preclinical in vivo studies, CIN-107 significantly lowered aldosterone levels without affecting cortisol levels across a wide range of doses. Similar observations were made in multiple Phase 1 clinical trials in healthy volunteers. We observed a dose-dependent reduction of plasma aldosterone levels with patients receiving a 10 mg dose demonstrating an approximately 85% to 90% reduction in the single ascending dose trial, and with patients receiving a 1.5 mg to 5 mg dose range demonstrating a 65% to 71% reduction in the multiple ascending dose trial. These reductions were compared to baseline levels measured the day prior to initial dosing and were not observed in individuals receiving a placebo. Importantly, no effects on cortisol levels were observed at doses up to 360 mg, the highest dose evaluated. In the multiple ascending dose trial, for doses up to 5 mg once-daily administered for 10 days, there was no observed suppression of cortisol synthesis.

Phase 1 Development of CIN-107

To date, multiple Phase 1 clinical trials of CIN-107 have been conducted in healthy volunteers to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of CIN-107, as summarized in the table below. CIN-107 was well tolerated in healthy volunteers across all Phase 1 clinical trials conducted to date, with no

 

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serious adverse events, or SAEs, or treatment-emergent adverse events, or TEAEs, leading to treatment withdrawal associated with CIN-107. In addition, a Phase 1 clinical trial was conducted in subjects with varying degrees of renal function. In this trial, one SAE not related to CIN-107 was observed.

Summary of Completed Phase 1 Clinical Trials of CIN-107

 

Trial ID

 

Trial Description/N

 

Study Objectives

 

Key Observations

WP28586   Part 1  

•   Single oral dose of CIN-107 at seven different doses ranging from 1 mg to 360 mg in fasted state

 

•   64 healthy male volunteers (48 CIN-107, 16 placebo)

 

Primary objectives:

 

•   To assess the safety and tolerability of oral single ascending doses, or SAD, of CIN-107 in healthy male subjects

 

•   To investigate the pharmacokinetics of CIN-107 after single oral doses and if appropriate, its metabolite(s)

 

•   To assess pharmacodynamic effects of CIN-107 after single oral doses (under normal salt and low salt diet and following a Cortrosyn test)

 

Secondary objective:

 

•   To assess the pharmacokinetics of a single IV dose of CIN-107 in healthy male subjects

 

 

•   Significant reductions of aldosterone levels (70% to 80%) observed, beginning at the 1 mg dose, increasing with dose level

 

•   No effect observed on cortisol levels at all doses tested following an ACTH, or Cotrosyn, stimulation test, where subjects were administered ACTH, a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland, to stimulate the production of aldosterone and cortisol

 

•   100% selectivity observed up to 90 mg

 

•   Partial impact observed on the precursors of cortisol at doses above 90 mg, but no effect observed on actual cortisol levels up to 360 mg

 

•   Pharmacokinetics profile for CIN-107 that is supportive of once-daily dosing

 

•   No clinically relevant differences observed between fasted, low salt diet or normal salt diet conditions

 

  Part 2A  

•   Single oral dose of CIN-107 (1mg, 3 mg and 10 mg) under low salt diet or normal salt diet conditions

 

•   24 healthy male volunteers (18 CIN-107, 6 placebo)

 

    Part 2B  

•   Single IV dose of CIN-107 (3 mg)

 

•   8 healthy male volunteers (8 CIN-107)

 

CIN-107-111  

•   Multiple oral doses of CIN- 107 daily for 10 days (0.5 mg, 1.5 mg, 2.5 mg and 5 mg) under low salt diet or normal salt diet conditions

 

•   56 healthy volunteers (42 CIN-107, 14 placebo)

 

•   To assess the safety and tolerability of CIN-107 following oral dosing once daily for 10 days under normal and low salt conditions

 

•   To characterize the pharmacokinetics of CIN-107 following oral dosing once-daily for 10 days under normal and low salt conditions

 

•   To characterize the pharmacodynamic effects of CIN-107 following oral

 

•   Multiple doses of CIN-107 resulted in approximately 2x accumulation of CIN-107 in the blood

 

•   Average aldosterone reductions of 65% to 71% at daily doses of CIN-107 of 1.5 mg or greater, regardless of dietary salt intake; reductions were greater in subjects on a low salt diet

 

•   Consistent pharmacokinetics as observed in the SAD trial

 

 

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Trial ID

 

Trial Description/N

 

Study Objectives

 

Key Observations

 

 

   

 

 

dosing once-daily for 10 days under normal and low salt conditions

 

   

 

CIN-107-112  

•   Crossover study to evaluate bioavailability of tablet formulation vs. oral solution and to assess food effect

 

•   Three treatments of CIN-107 separated by 7 days: 5 mg oral solution in fasted state; 5 mg tablet in fasted state; 5 mg tablet in fed state

 

•   14 healthy volunteers

 

 

•   To assess the safety and tolerability of CIN-107 following single oral doses of CIN-107 tablet and oral solution

 

•   To determine the relative bioavailability of a tablet formulation of CIN-107 as compared to the oral solution

 

•   To characterize the effect of food on the CIN-107 tablet

 

•   To explore the effects of single doses of CIN-107 on various measures associated with the RAAS

 

 

•   No meaningful difference in bioavailability observed between tablet formulation and oral solution of CIN-107

 

•   No meaningful difference in pharmacokinetics when CIN-107 is administered with food

 

CIN-107-113  

•   Single oral dose of 10 mg of CIN-107 to assess safety and pharmacokinetics in individuals with varying degrees of renal function

 

•   10 subjects with eGFR > 60 mL/ min (normal renal function or mild renal impairment)

 

•   11 subjects with eGFR of 15-59 mL/min (moderate to severe renal impairment) and 12 subjects with eGFR < 15 mL/ min (kidney failure; all on dialysis)

 

 

 

•   To assess the safety and tolerability of a single oral dose of CIN-107 administered to subjects with varying degrees of renal function

 

•   To characterize the pharmacokinetics of a single oral dose of CIN-107 administered to subjects with varying degrees of renal function

 

 

•   A single 10 mg dose of CIN-107 was well tolerated when administered to individuals with varying degrees of renal function, including those with moderate to severe renal impairment or kidney failure (on hemodialysis)

 

•   No noteworthy increases in systemic exposure or decrease in renal clearance in individuals with impaired renal function

 

•   Dose adjustment of CIN-107 based on renal function is not considered necessary

 

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Trial ID

 

Trial Description/N

 

Study Objectives

 

Key Observations

CIN-107-114  

•   Randomized, open-label, two-period, crossover study to evaluate the

 

effect of CIN-107 on the pharmacokinetics of metformin, in healthy volunteers

 

•   27 healthy volunteers

 

 

 

•   To assess the impact of CIN-107 on the pharmacokinetics of immediate-release metformin

 

•   To assess the safety and tolerability of co-administration of CIN-107 and metformin as compared to that of metformin alone

 

 

•   Metformin was well tolerated when administered alone or 2 hours after a dose of CIN-107

 

 

•   CIN-107 did not result in an increase in metformin plasma concentrations or a decrease in metformin renal clearance when compared with administration of metformin alone

 

Single Ascending Dose (SAD) Phase 1 Clinical Trial

A two-part, single ascending dose Phase 1 clinical trial of CIN-107 in healthy male volunteers evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a single dose of CIN-107 ranging from 1 mg to 360 mg. Two hours after the administration of a single dose of CIN-107, the majority of subjects in part 1 of the trial underwent an ACTH challenge, which stimulates the synthesis of both aldosterone and cortisol. Four hours later, the subjects participated in a standing aldosterone challenge, which involved moving from a sitting position to a standing position, a movement that immediately increases aldosterone levels as a normal physiological response, as shown in the blue line for the placebo group in the left figure below.

CIN-107 reduced plasma aldosterone levels in a dose-dependent manner following the ACTH challenge and, in contrast to placebo, reduced levels were maintained following the standing challenge, as shown in the left figure below. Significant reductions of 70% to 80% in aldosterone levels were observed at the 1 mg and 3 mg dose levels, and near complete suppression of aldosterone was observed at the 10 mg and higher doses of CIN-107. The reductions in aldosterone levels increased in a dose-dependent manner until 10 mg, after which the reduction levels plateaued through 360 mg. No effect on plasma cortisol levels was observed at all dose levels tested, as shown by the minimal differences between the CIN-107 treatment groups and placebo on the right figure below.

CIN-107 Demonstrated Dose-Dependent Suppression of Aldosterone Levels

With No Effect on Cortisol in Healthy Volunteers

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The results of this trial demonstrated CIN-107’s ability to selectively inhibit aldosterone synthesis without meaningfully impacting cortisol synthesis.

CIN-107 was well tolerated in healthy volunteers across all doses evaluated in the SAD trial, with no SAEs, treatment discontinuations due to a TEAE or deaths reported. No dose-limiting toxicities were reported and the maximum tolerated dose, or MTD, was at the highest dose tested of 360 mg. The most frequently reported AEs following the administration of a single dose of CIN-107 were headache, nasopharyngitis, diarrhea, asthenia, dizziness and nausea. The majority of AEs reported were considered to be mild and not related to CIN-107. AEs considered to be either moderate in intensity or related to CIN-107 included: two events of moderate gastroenteritis (one from the 180 mg dose cohort and one from the placebo group); one event of dizziness considered to be related to CIN-107; one event of fractured coccyx; and one event of concussion. There were no AEs related to markedly abnormal safety laboratory values reported and there were no clinically significant or dose-dependent changes observed over time in vital signs, ocular assessments, cardiac function as measured by electrocardiogram, or ECG, or corrected QT interval by Fridericia formula, or QTcF.

This trial demonstrated a desirable pharmacokinetics profile for CIN-107 that is supportive of once-daily dosing. CIN-107 was rapidly absorbed with maximum concentrations in the plasma occurring within one to two hours after administration. CIN-107 plasma concentrations declined from peak in a biphasic manner, with a mean half-life of 25 to 31 hours, which makes CIN-107 conducive to once daily dosing. It was also observed that dietary salt intake did not affect the pharmacokinetics properties of CIN-107.

Multiple Ascending Dose (MAD) Phase 1 Clinical Trial

A randomized, double-blind, multiple ascending dose Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of multiple daily doses of CIN-107 ranging from 0.5 mg to 5 mg. A total of 56 subjects were randomized into the trial, with 42 subjects receiving once-daily doses of CIN-107 and 14 subjects receiving once-daily doses of placebo for ten days. In both groups, subjects were placed either on a low salt diet or a normal salt diet. Subjects in the initial two cohorts were on a low salt diet in order to stimulate aldosterone levels and to enable the evaluation of safety in potential patients who may be following a low salt diet. Subjects in these two cohorts underwent three ACTH challenges: on day -1 (prior to receiving their first dose of CIN-107), on day 1 (after receiving their first dose of CIN-107) and on day 10 (after receiving their tenth dose of CIN-107).

As shown in the figure below, average aldosterone reductions of 65% to 71% were observed after ten days of once-daily dosing of CIN-107 at doses of 1.5 mg or greater, regardless of dietary salt intake. However, the reductions in aldosterone levels appeared to be greater in the subjects who received a low salt diet. These findings are consistent with those from the SAD trial in which the reductions in aldosterone levels increased in a dose dependent manner up to 3 mg, after which the extent of reductions plateaued.

 

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CIN-107 Demonstrated Dose-Dependent Reductions in Plasma Aldosterone in Healthy Volunteers

 

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Additionally, as shown below, there was an appropriate increase in cortisol levels after ACTH stimulation, and no meaningful difference in the cortisol responses between the ACTH challenge given before administration of CIN-107 and the ACTH challenge given before the tenth dose of CIN-107.

CIN-107 Demonstrated No Meaningful Difference in Cortisol Response vs. Placebo

 

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Once-daily administration of CIN-107 for ten days was well tolerated in healthy volunteers across all doses tested in the MAD trial. There were no deaths, SAEs or treatment discontinuations due to a TEAE reported, and there were no apparent increases in incidence or severity of AEs with increasing doses of CIN-107. The most common TEAEs among subjects receiving CIN-107 were headache, postural dizziness and dizziness. All TEAEs reported were mild in severity, except for one moderate event of ventricular tachycardia in a subject receiving placebo. There were no clinically meaningful changes observed in laboratory parameters, physical examination results or cardiac function as measured by ECG, including no meaningful changes in QTcF.

In this trial, mild and dose-dependent increases in plasma potassium levels and decreases in plasma sodium levels were observed with corresponding changes in urine sodium and potassium levels. However, despite this initial increase in the urine sodium to potassium ratio, which indicates that sodium loss in the urine is greater than the potassium retention, the ratio was normalized by Day 10 of treatment, suggesting that the balance between sodium excretion and potassium absorption was restored.

The pharmacokinetics observed in this trial were consistent with what was observed in the SAD trial. The data suggests CIN-107 was rapidly absorbed, with maximum concentrations in the plasma occurring within two to three hours after administration. Systemic exposure to CIN-107 demonstrated a predictable increase in plasma concentration and generally in a dose-dependent manner across the dose levels tested. Based on the observed average half-life of CIN-107 of 26 to 31 hours, steady state plasma concentrations of CIN-107 were achieved within approximately 5 days of once-daily dosing. At steady state, the plasma accumulation of CIN-107 was observed to be approximately two times higher with daily dosing as compared to a single dose of CIN-107, which suggests that the blood levels at the 1.5 mg and 5 mg doses in the MAD trial should be comparable to the 3 mg and 10 mg doses in the SAD trial.

CIN-107 for the Treatment of Hypertension

The first indication we are pursuing for CIN-107 is hypertension, with an initial focus on the subpopulation of patients with rHTN. We are currently conducting our BrigHtn trial in hypertensive patients who failed to achieve blood pressure control on three antihypertensive agents, including a diuretic, at their maximally tolerated doses. A review of blinded, preliminary safety data from 124 patients who had either completed 12 weeks of treatment or withdrew from the trial demonstrated an average SBP level of 132 mm Hg, compared to a baseline mean of 147 mm Hg. Due to the blinded nature of the BrigHtn trial, we currently do not know if participants receiving CIN-107 experienced any decrease in blood pressure, or if the decreases in blood pressure, if any, differed from participants receiving a placebo. In addition, the BrigHtn trial is ongoing, and we will not know whether treatment with CIN-107 lowers blood pressure in a clinically meaningful manner until all clinical trials we intend to complete prior to submitting a request for marketing authorization have been conducted and the

 

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FDA makes its efficacy determination. Furthermore, this preliminary data is not subject to the same quality control measures as final data, which creates a risk that the final results could be materially different from the preliminary results observed in this blinded data review. Final topline data from this trial is expected in the second half of 2022.

It is generally well understood that lowering aldosterone levels, regardless of baseline levels, will result in a reduction of blood pressure. We plan to evaluate the potential efficacy of CIN-107 across the continuum of hypertensive patients, including those with uHTN, where there remains a significant unmet medical need. In addition to our ongoing BrigHtn trial, we recently initiated our HALO trial in hypertensive patients with elevated aldosterone levels who have failed to achieve blood pressure control on one antihypertensive agent at its maximally tolerated dose.

Overview of Hypertension

Hypertension, which is defined by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association as resting blood pressure above 130/80 mm Hg, is generally acknowledged to be one of the most common preventable risk factors for premature death worldwide. Though often asymptomatic, hypertension significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, amongst other diseases. It is estimated that as much as 20% of the global population suffers from hypertension, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimated that as many as 108 million Americans could be hypertensive and that hypertension costs the United States approximately $131 billion per year.

The main classifications of hypertension are primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. Primary, or essential, hypertension, which accounts for over 90% of total cases, is not associated with any identifiable cause. However, it may be derived from genetic or lifestyle factors. Secondary hypertension, which affects approximately 10% of hypertensive individuals, occurs when elevated blood pressure is attributable to other medical conditions, such as kidney disease and PA.

The current standard-of-care for patients newly diagnosed with hypertension is based on a set of guidelines set forth by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. Depending on baseline blood pressure levels, these guidelines recommend the patient typically begin with lifestyle modifications and then, assuming blood pressure is not controlled, to initiate treatment with antihypertensive agents selected primarily from the following four classes of drugs:

 

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Thiazide diuretics, which increase fluid excretion from the kidney by blocking reabsorption of sodium and chloride in the nephron;

 

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ACE inhibitors, which inhibit the RAAS axis by blocking the action of ACE in the lungs;

 

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ARBs, which block the effects of angiotensin II at the level of the angiotensin receptor; and

 

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Calcium channel blockers, which slow cardiac contractions by preventing calcium from entering the cells of the heart and arteries.

When baseline blood pressure is relatively high, initial therapy can be comprised of a combination of two antihypertensive agents. If patients are not adequately controlled on the initial treatment prescribed, physicians may decide to increase the dose of the agents and/or add additional hypertensive agents to a patient’s treatment regimen. However, despite the widespread availability and use of many generic antihypertensive agents, as well as the general awareness of the dire consequences of hypertension, the proportion of patients with uncontrolled blood pressure continues to grow. In a 2020 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it was shown that the percentage of Americans with hypertension, with blood pressure levels above 140/90 mm Hg in this study, increased from 51.5% in 2007/08 to 56.3% in 2017/18.

Moreover, the recently reported Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial, or the SPRINT study, presented by the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in 2020, showed that intensive

 

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blood pressure control to reduce SBP to less than 120 mm Hg resulted in significant cardiovascular benefit in high-risk patients with hypertension compared with routine SBP control to less than 140 mm Hg. The SPRINT study demonstrated not only that lower blood pressure correlates with a lower risk of death, but also that setting a target blood pressure goal lower than the standard treatment goal of 140/90 mm Hg prevented many more deaths. Based on these SPRINT results, many guidelines are being revised to now recommend that certain high-risk patients with high blood pressure aim for a target blood pressure goal of 130/80 mm Hg. Globally, only one in seven hypertensive patients achieve blood pressure control, which means that approximately 86% of the hypertensive patients are unable to control their blood pressure. Among the estimated 489 million patients who are treated with antihypertensive agents, approximately 297 million patients are unable to achieve blood pressure control. It is estimated that 10% of all global healthcare spending is attributable to high blood pressure.

Patients who fail to maintain blood pressure levels of 130/80 mm Hg or less, despite being compliant with at least three antihypertensive agents, including a diuretic, are considered to have rHTN. The rHTN patient population represents an estimated 17% to 20% of the total hypertensive population in the United States, or approximately 12-15 million individuals. For these patients, treatment options are limited and the current standard-of-care is to introduce an MRA agent to their antihypertensive regimen. Patients with rHTN have approximately five times the number of cardiovascular events per 100 patient-years than hypertensive patients with blood pressure control. MRAs inhibit the effects of aldosterone by preventing aldosterone from binding with the mineralocorticoid receptor. However, MRAs, such as spironolactone, are associated with multiple adverse effects, including a variety of anti-androgenic effects such as breast tenderness and enlargement in men, decreased libido in men and menstrual irregularities in women. In addition, spironolactone treatment can lead to potentially harmful increases in blood potassium levels. Due to these side effects associated with MRAs, many patients are unable to tolerate these agents over the long-term. Newer generations of MRAs, which are non-steroidal and more selective than earlier generations, are in clinical development and have demonstrated less significant potassium fluctuations than observed with currently available MRAs, but appear to retain the aldosterone elevating effects and the inability to mitigate the mineralocorticoid receptor-independent effects of aldosterone.

Our Solution—CIN-107

CIN-107 is designed to directly and selectively inhibit aldosterone synthase. Based on its unique mechanism of action, CIN-107 has the potential to achieve the goal of reducing the deleterious genomic and non-genomic effects of aldosterone, regardless of whether aldosterone production is RAAS-mediated or renin-independent, while having minimal effects on plasma potassium, sodium and cortisol levels. In order to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CIN-107 across the continuum of hypertension, our clinical development plan for CIN-107 for the treatment of hypertension includes our ongoing BrigHtn trial in patients with rHTN and our recently initiated HALO trial in patients with uHTN. We chose the rHTN patient population for our first Phase 2 clinical trial of CIN-107 based on the high unmet medical need among these patients, the likelihood of reimbursement from payors for this population based on our market analysis, if approved, and the expected translatability of data from this highly difficult-to-treat patient population to less severe hypertensive patients. If our clinical trials are successful, we believe CIN-107 has the potential to improve the treatment options for patients with hypertension, including potential use as an earlier line of therapy.

Phase 2 BrigHtn Clinical Trial in rHTN

Our ongoing BrigHtn trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group, dose-ranging Phase 2 clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CIN-107 for the treatment of hypertension. We plan to enroll approximately 260 patients who are adherent to a stable regimen of at least three antihypertensive agents, including one diuretic, for at least four weeks prior to randomization. To ensure adherence, a central pharmacy provides screened patients with their regimen of background hypertensive medications for two weeks followed by an additional 2-week single-blind run-in period, during which adherence to background medications, as measured by pill counts, must be at least 70% in order to be eligible for randomization. Following the 2-week single-blind run-in period, eligible patients who continue to meet the elevated blood pressure criteria are randomized on a 1:1:1 basis to receive 12 weeks of treatment with once-daily

 

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oral doses of 1 mg of CIN-107, 2 mg of CIN-107 or placebo. The primary endpoint of this trial is the change from baseline in mean seated SBP as measured by Automated Office Blood Pressure Measurement, or AOBPM, following 12 weeks of treatment. The secondary endpoints of this clinical trial are (i) the change from baseline in mean seated diastolic blood pressure, or DBP, and (ii) the percentage of patients achieving a seated blood pressure response below 130/80 mm Hg, both after 12 weeks of treatment.

Our BrigHtn trial is a placebo-controlled trial. Placebo effect has been reported in many studies, including hypertension trials. In a publication describing the meta-analysis of a series of hypertension trials that led to the approval by FDA of five antihypertensive drugs (azilsartan, aliskiren, nebivolol, eplerenone and olmesartan) since 2000, the authors described that blood pressure fell by 5.92 mm Hg on average in the non-treatment-resistant hypertension studies in the placebo arm across 52 trials involving 7,451 subjects. The authors also reported on eight resistant hypertension trials in 694 patients, where the average blood pressure reduction in the placebo arm was 8.76 mm Hg. Based on such observations by others, we consistently designed our trials with a placebo-controlled arm wherever relevant.

When this trial was planned, we did not have any clinical data showing the reduction in blood pressure as a function of a reduction in aldosterone levels. As expected, the Phase 1 clinical trials in healthy volunteers did not demonstrate significant blood pressure reduction, as these subjects were not hypertensive and had normal blood pressure levels. Therefore, as shown in the figure below, our BrigHtn trial was designed as an adaptive design trial, which allowed us the flexibility to add an additional dose cohort following a preliminary safety data review.

Design of Our Phase 2 BrigHtn Clinical Trial

 

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Preliminary Safety Data Review Conducted by the DRC

The Data Review Committee, or DRC, conducted the preliminary safety data review after the first 39 randomized patients either completed 12 weeks of treatment or withdrew from the trial or withdrew from the trial. We intentionally scheduled the DRC review at an early point of the trial in order to allow us sufficient time to add and collect data on a fourth dose cohort to the trial design without substantially extending the duration of the ongoing trial.

In the first half of 2021, the DRC conducted its preliminary safety review based on data from 34 patients who had completed the trial as well as five patients who had discontinued treatment or withdrawn from the trial prematurely. The DRC reviewed clinical and laboratory safety data and vital sign information, including blood pressure levels, of the 39 patients included in the review, all of which was aggregated by dose cohort. Based on their review, the DRC recommended the addition of a 0.5 mg dose cohort to the ongoing BrigHtn trial. The DRC reported that this recommendation was not based on safety or tolerability concerns, and, rather, was intended to allow for exploration of dose response across a broader range of doses of CIN-107.

 

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Based on the DRC’s recommendation, the fourth cohort of 0.5 mg of CIN-107 was initiated in August 2021, and since August 2021, the randomization schedule has been adjusted to enable a near equal number of patients across all dose cohorts, including the newly added 0.5 mg dose cohort, to complete 12 weeks of treatment during the remainder of the trial.

Blinded, Preliminary Interim Data from Ongoing Phase 2 BrigHtn Clinical Trial

In August 2021, we conducted a review of blinded, preliminary safety data of 124 patients, which included 105 patients who had completed 12 weeks of treatment and 19 patients who had discontinued treatment or withdrawn from the trial. The purpose of this blinded data review was to enable an assessment of the overall management and conduct of the trial, without unblinding any individual patient data. Due to the preliminary and blinded nature of the data, this interim data set was not subject to the standard quality control measures typically associated with final clinical trial results. For example, the data that is available at the conclusion of a trial would be unblinded following a data cleansing review, source verification of data using documents from the local clinical trial sites, and other quality control measures to ensure the highest level of accuracy and fidelity possible. In contrast, the blinded data used for our preliminary safety reviews did not undergo this process and is therefore highly preliminary and not yet validated.

As of December 31, 2021, we have enrolled 215 patients across all four cohorts, including 124 patients from the first three cohorts who have either completed 12 weeks of treatment or withdrew from the trial. The figure below shows the mean SPB levels from baseline through 12 weeks, with the orange line showing the mean of the 39 patients included in the DRC review and the blue line showing the mean of all 124 who have completed or discontinued treatment. These mean SBP calculations include all patients, regardless of dose cohort, which means that the blood pressure levels shown below include data from the placebo, 1 mg and 2 mg dose cohorts.

Aggregate Mean SBP in Two Preliminary Reviews of BrigHtn Trial

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As shown above, the mean SBP at baseline was 147 mm Hg for all patients included in the review, and, following 12 weeks, SBP levels declined to a mean of 132 mm Hg for the 124 patients who had either completed 12 weeks of treatment or withdrew from the trial, and to a mean of 133 mm Hg for the initial 39 patients who were included in the DRC review. Due to the blinded nature of the BrigHtn trial, we currently do not know if participants receiving CIN-107 experienced any decrease in blood pressure, or if the decreases in blood pressure, if any, differed from participants receiving a placebo. In addition, the BrigHtn trial is ongoing, and we will not know whether treatment with CIN-107 lowers blood pressure in a clinically meaningful manner until all clinical trials we intend to complete prior to submitting a request for marketing authorization have been conducted and the FDA makes its efficacy determination. Furthermore, this preliminary data is not subject to the same quality control measures as final data, which creates a risk that the final results could be materially different from the preliminary results observed in this review.

 

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We also reviewed the mean change in serum potassium levels across all patients on a blinded and pooled basis. As shown below, the average change in serum potassium levels observed were modest, with a mean increase from a baseline of 4.1 milliequivalents per litre, or mEq/L to 4.3 mEq/L following 12 weeks in the 39 patients who completed or discontinued treatment prior to the DRC review and a mean increase from 4.0 mEq/L to 4.3 mEq/L in the 124 patients who have completed or discontinued treatment since the beginning of the BrigHtn trial. Similar to our review of SBP changes, the changes in serum potassium levels shown below include all three dose cohorts, including the placebo cohort.

Minimal Effects on Plasma Potassium Observed in BrigHtn Trial

 

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Additional Clinical Trials for CIN-107 in Hypertension

Phase 2 HALO Clinical Trial in uHTN

In order to establish the efficacy and safety profile of CIN-107 in a broader hypertensive population, we recently initiated our HALO trial, a Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group, clinical trial designed to assess the safety and efficacy of CIN-107 in approximately 250 patients with SBP greater than 140 mm Hg, or greater than 130 mm Hg if diabetic, on one antihypertensive agent at its maximally tolerated dose and with a plasma aldosterone level greater than 7 nanograms per deciliter, or ng/dL, or greater than 6 ng/dL if diabetic. Similar to our ongoing BrigHtn trial, we intend to evaluate three doses levels of CIN-107, 0.5 mg, 1 mg and 2 mg, as compared to placebo. The primary endpoint of our HALO trial is the change in SBP after eight weeks of treatment. The secondary endpoints of our HALO trial are (i) change from baseline in mean seated DBP, (ii) change from baseline in 24-hour urine and serum aldosterone levels and (iii) the percentage of patients achieving a mean seated SBP response below 130 mm Hg, all after 8 weeks of treatment. Background antihypertensive therapy will be discontinued after eight weeks; patients who respond to treatment and achieve the target SBP of 130 mm Hg or below are followed for an additional four weeks while continue taking the same study medication. Patients who do not respond adequately will be offered 2 mg CIN-107 for four weeks. We may choose to conduct other Phase 1 or Phase 2 clinical trials in countries outside of the United States.

 

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Design of Our Phase 2 HALO Clinical Trial

 

 

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Planned Pivotal Phase 3 Clinical Trials in Hypertension

Based on the results of our ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials, we intend to conduct two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials of CIN-107 in hypertensive patients whose blood pressure is not controlled on an antihypertensive agent. The target enrollment for our Phase 3 clinical trials will be based on the number of patients required by the FDA to build an adequately sized safety database for a chronic treatment, which includes 1,500 patients with short-term drug exposure, 300 to 600 patients with at least six months of drug exposure at clinical doses and 100 patients with at least one year of drug exposure at clinical doses. We expect to satisfy these requirements based on the combination of our ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials and our planned Phase 3 pivotal clinical trials of CIN-107. It remains possible that we will need to conduct additional clinical trials or preclinical studies. Following the completion of our Phase 2 clinical trials of CIN-107 in rHTN and uHTN, we plan to request an end-of-Phase 2 meeting with the FDA to discuss our Phase 2 results and the proposed clinical design of our planned Phase 3 clinical trials. We may choose to conduct Phase 3 clinical trials in countries outside of the United States.

CIN-107 for the Treatment of Primary Aldosteronism (PA)

The preclinical and clinical data generated to date for CIN-107 suggests that it could have a beneficial clinical effect in the broader hypertensive population, especially in patients for whom aldosterone plays a more prominent role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. We are exploring the potential of CIN-107 in PA with our Phase 2 spark-PA clinical trial of CIN-107 in patients with PA initiated earlier this year, with topline data expected in 2023.

Overview of Primary Aldosteronism

PA is a hormonal disorder that is caused by the autonomous production of aldosterone by the adrenal gland and often leads to hypertension that can be difficult to treat. Although previously considered a rare disease, PA is now understood to be one of the more common causes of secondary hypertension, accounting for 5% to 10% of all hypertensive patients and approximately 20% to 30% of patients with rHTN, or approximately 5 to 11 million individuals in the United States. Compared to primary hypertension, PA causes more end-organ damage and is associated with higher risks of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and can result in heart failure or stroke. Therefore, it is now increasingly recognized that it is important to diagnose these patients early in their disease progression. However, PA continues to be underdiagnosed due to the complexity of the current diagnostic guidelines recommended by the Endocrine Society and the inherent variability in plasma aldosterone measurements.

The overall treatment goal in patients with PA is to prevent the morbidity and mortality associated with hypertension, hypokalemia, renal toxicity and cardiovascular damage. In addition to antihypertensive agents,

 

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such as ACE inhibitors and ARBs, PA patients are often treated with an MRA agent, such as spironolactone, or in some rare cases, by surgical resection of the adrenal gland. However, MRAs, including spironolactone, are associated with multiple adverse effects, including a variety of anti-androgenic effects.

Clinical Development Plan for PA

Our ongoing spark-PA trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group, dose-ranging, Phase 2 clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CIN-107 for the treatment of hypertensive patients with confirmed PA. As shown in the figure below, the enrollment eligibility criteria include a washout period of any RAAS-modifying antihypertensive agents and a confirmed diagnosis of PA through both the measured renin PA ratio and the captopril challenge test. Captopril is an ACE inhibitor that when administered should lead to RAAS-driven aldosterone reduction. However, in patients with autonomous aldosterone secretion, such as those with PA, captopril does not reduce aldosterone levels to the same extent as patients who do not exhibit autonomous aldosterone secretion. Patients will also be required to adhere to a stable antihypertensive regimen of non-RAAS-modifying antihypertensive agents for a period of two weeks prior to randomization. We designed our spark-PA trial as an adaptive design trial to allow flexibility to add additional dose cohorts based on a preliminary safety data review. In the initial portion of the trial, approximately 30 patients will be randomized on a 1:1:1 basis to receive once-daily oral treatment with 4 mg of CIN-107, 6 mg of CIN-107 or placebo for four weeks. After these approximately 30 patients complete four weeks of treatment, we intend to have a DRC conduct a preliminary safety data review to determine the necessary number of patients and, if needed, to add an additional CIN-107 dose cohort for the second part of trial. The primary endpoint is to evaluate the change in baseline SBP as measured by AOBPM after four weeks of treatment with either CIN-107 or placebo. The secondary endpoints of our spark-PA clinical trial are (i) change from baseline in mean seated DBP by AOBPM, (ii) percentage of patients achieving a mean seated blood pressure response below 140/90 mm Hg, (iii) percentage of patients achieving a mean seated blood pressure response below 130/80 mm Hg, (iv) percentage of patients who achieve either a plasma aldosterone concentration of less than 15 ng/dL and a plasma renin activity less than or equal to 0.5 ng/mL/h, or an aldosterone-to-renin ratio of less than 30, and (v) change from baseline in potassium levels, all after 4 weeks of treatment. The trial design for the spark-PA trial outlined above was generated in discussions with the FDA. Should elements of the trial design prove challenging to recruitment of the trial, we may have to re-design certain elements of the trial to better enable patient recruitment. If this is required, the re-design would be discussed with regulatory authorities so that similar development goals may be achieved.

Clinical Trial Design of Our Phase 2 spark-PA Clinical Trial

 

 

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Following the completion of our Phase 2 spark-PA clinical trial, we plan to request an end-of-Phase 2 meeting with the FDA to discuss the regulatory path to approval for this indication. As the drugs currently

 

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utilized for treating the blood pressure of patients with PA are all approved as general anti-hypertensive agents, it is not essential that a specific approval for the indication of the treatment of PA be obtained. As a CIN-107 approval for general hypertension would also be expected to enable its use in patients with PA, the decision to seek a specific indication approval for PA will be dependent on the data produced in our spark-PA trial and other CIN-107 clinical trials in combination with other commercial and business considerations. Given the high unmet medical need in patients with PA, we will explore the most efficient path to approval of CIN-107 for this patient population. Depending on the data observed in our spark-PA trial, we may be able to submit applications for Fast Track Designation and/or Breakthrough Therapy Designation to the FDA.

CIN-107 for the Treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease

We are also developing CIN-107 to evaluate its utility in ameliorating complications of CKD. Aldosterone plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of CKD through its hypertensive effect and its non-genomic effects, which are known to enhance oxidative stress and promote inflammation and fibrosis. All of these deleterious effects are known to exert pressure on kidney function, especially over the multi-year course of disease progression. Multiple third-party studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated that inhibiting the effect of aldosterone reduces proteinuria, as measured by the level of albumin in the urine, and ultimately delays the progression of CKD. Reductions in systemic aldosterone levels are associated with a blood pressure lowering effect, as well as a direct effect on the progression of CKD. We plan to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CIN-107 in patients with CKD who have uncontrolled blood pressure in the first half of 2022.

Overview of CKD

CKD is a condition characterized by a gradual degradation of renal function over time as measured by glomerular filtration rate, or GFR, which measures how much blood the kidneys filter each minute, and by proteinuria levels. According to the CDC, CKD afflicts approximately 15% of the U.S. adult population, or approximately 37 million people. Hypertension, diabetes and glomerulonephritis, or inflammation of the tiny filters in the kidneys, are considered to be the leading contributing factors to the development and progression of CKD. CKD has no cure, and currently available therapeutic options are designed to delay the onset of the more severe manifestations of the disease, most notably kidney failure. Patients with early-stage CKD are recommended to undertake dietary and lifestyle changes in order to improve overall health and reduce renal stress. Given the role of hypertension in CKD, many of the therapeutics prescribed to treat hypertension are also used for the treatment of CKD.

The current treatment paradigm for CKD includes, among others, the use of several classes of aldosterone-targeting agents, including ACE inhibitors, ARBs and MRAs. However, prolonged use of ACE inhibitors and ARBs are associated with aldosterone breakthrough in a significant proportion of patients, leading to enhanced decline in GFR and increased levels of proteinuria, both of which can lead to CKD progression. Furthermore, MRAs cause a compensatory increase in aldosterone levels and patients experience a broad range of adverse effects, including a variety of anti-androgenic effects. Treatment with spironolactone can also lead to potentially harmful increases in potassium. Despite the range of treatments currently available for CKD, these patients continue to experience significant mortality and morbidity and a reduced quality of life.

Preclinical Data

To evaluate the potential of an aldosterone synthase inhibitor, or ASI, in CKD, an in vivo preclinical study was conducted using the ZSF1 rat model, where ZSF1 rats were infused with angiotensin II, or Ang II, which causes an elevation in aldosterone levels. In this study, markers of kidney injury, kidney function and inflammation were compared across four groups of rats: (1) those that received only vehicle and were not subjected to Ang II infusion; (2) those that received the Ang II infusion but no active treatment; (3) those that received the Ang II infusion and were treated with an ASI; and (4) those that received the Ang II infusion and were treated with eplerenone, an approved MRA.

 

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This study demonstrated that following the infusion of Ang II, the markers of kidney injury (urea excretion in 24 hours, growth differentiation factor-15, or GDF-15, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, or NGAL, levels), kidney function (albumin excretion in 24 hours and albumin/creatinine ratio) and inflammatory cytokines (transforming growth factor beta, or TGF-ß, and monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1, or MCP1, levels) all worsened as the rats developed CKD in response to increases in aldosterone levels. However, the administration of both the ASI and eplerenone together with the Ang II infusion ameliorated the worsening of these kidney injury parameters. Importantly, the ASI improved these measures of kidney injury to a greater extent than eplerenone.

We believe the results of this trial support the further evaluation of CIN-107 in a clinical trial to assess the potential of CIN-107 in delaying the progression of CKD.

CIN-107 Clinical Development Plan for CKD

We are planning to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CIN-107 in patients with CKD who have uncontrolled blood pressure in the first half of 2022. The primary objective of this trial will be to assess the impact of CIN-107 in reducing blood pressure and delaying the progression of CKD in these patients. Secondary and exploratory endpoints are expected to include estimated glomerular filtration rate, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, and time to first occurrence and the reduction of incidence of cardiovascular death, end-stage kidney disease, and kidney death. As we explore the utility of CIN-107 in ameliorating the complications of CKD, we will evaluate the best path for maximizing the value of CIN-107, including as a monotherapy or in combination with other treatments.

Manufacturing

We currently rely, and expect to continue to rely for the foreseeable future, on third-party contract manufacturing organizations, or CMOs, to produce CIN-107 for clinical testing. We plan to continue to rely on third-party manufacturers for any future trials and commercialization of CIN-107 and any future product candidates, if approved.

We require all of our CMOs to conduct manufacturing activities in compliance with current good manufacturing practice, or cGMP, requirements. We have assembled a team of experienced employees and external consultants to provide the necessary technical, quality and regulatory oversight over our CMOs and have implemented a comprehensive plan for audits of our CMOs.

We currently do not own or operate any manufacturing facilities. Currently, we have manufacturing and supply agreements with our CMOs for the manufacture of CIN-107, including work related to the synthesis of the active pharmaceutical ingredient, or API, for future use, as well as manufacture of drug product for ongoing and upcoming Phase 1 and/or Phase 2 clinical trials, and in the future, plan to enter into additional agreements with CMOs to support Phase 3 clinical trials and commercial scale production, but we do not have any formal agreements at this time with these CMOs. If needed, we believe we can identify and establish additional CMOs to provide API and finished drug product without significant disruption to our business or clinical development timelines.

Competition

We believe the ability of CIN-107 to selectively inhibit aldosterone synthase without negatively impacting cortisol synthesis with a once-daily oral formulation represents a meaningful competitive advantage in successfully developing a novel and highly effective treatment for hypertension, PA and CKD. However, the biopharmaceutical industry is characterized by the rapid evolution and advancement of technologies and understanding of disease etiology, intense competition and a strong emphasis on intellectual property. We may face competition from multiple sources, including pharmaceutical, specialty pharmaceutical and existing or emerging biotechnology companies, academic research institutions and governmental agencies and public and private research institutions worldwide. Many of our competitors, either alone or through collaboration, have significantly greater financial resources and expertise in research and development, manufacturing and marketing

 

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than we do. These entities may also compete with us in hiring and retaining scientific and management personnel, establishing clinical trial sites, enrolling patients in clinical trials and pursuing strategic collaborations. As a result, our competitors may discover, develop or commercialize products before or more successfully than we do. If CIN-107 does not offer sustainable advantages over competing products, we may not be able to successfully compete against current and future competitors.

In particular, we face competition from companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other related markets that are pursuing the development of treatments for hypertension, PA and CKD. If approved, we expect CIN-107 to compete with widely available standard-of-care antihypertensive agents, such as ACE inhibitors, ARBs, thiazide diuretics and calcium channel blockers, many of which are available as generic products. In addition, for the treatment of rHTN patients who fail to maintain blood pressure levels of 130/80 mm Hg or less, despite being compliant with at least three antihypertensive agents, of which one is a diuretic, we expect CIN-107 to compete with MRA agents, such as spironolactone, that are typically introduced to patients’ antihypertensive treatment regimens as part of standard-of-care.

In addition to these currently available antihypertensive agents, there are multiple other aldosterone synthase inhibitors in clinical development, such as Mineralys Therapeutics, Inc.’s MLS-101, which has commenced a Phase 2 clinical trial for hypertension, and Damian Pharma AG’s DP13, which completed a Phase 2 trial in PA. CIN-107 may also face competition from product candidates utilizing other mechanisms of action to lower blood pressure, such as: aprocitentan, a dual A & B endothelin receptor antagonist in Phase 3 development by Idorsia Ltd.; firibastat, an aminopeptidase A inhibitor in Phase 3 development by Quantum Genomics; Sas IONIS-AGT-LRx and ALN-AGT, angiotensinogen antisense production inhibitors in Phase 2 and Phase 1 development by Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., respectively; and KBP-5074, an MRA in Phase 2 development by Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings Group Ltd and KBP BioSciences Co., Ltd.; among others. Some of these product candidates are in development for certain subpopulations that may not overlap with patient populations we are initially targeting with CIN-107.

We could see a reduction in or elimination of our commercial opportunity if our competitors develop and commercialize drugs that are safer, more effective, more convenient to administer, less expensive or receiving a more favorable label than CIN-107. Our competitors may also obtain FDA or other regulatory approval for their drugs more rapidly than we may obtain approval for ours, which could result in our competitors establishing a strong market position before we are able to enter the market. The key competitive factors affecting the success of CIN-107, if approved, are likely to be efficacy, safety, convenience, price and the availability of reimbursement from government and other third-party payors.

License Agreement with Roche

In May 2019, following the closing of the initial tranche of our Series A preferred stock financing, we entered into a license agreement, or the Roche Agreement, with F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Hoffmann La-Roche Inc., whom we collectively refer to in this prospectus as Roche, pursuant to which we obtained an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license under certain patents and specified know-how owned or controlled by Roche and Roche’s interest in joint patents and covering certain specified small molecule aldosterone synthase inhibitors, or the Roche Technology, to research, develop, register, use, make, import, export, market, distribute, sell (as well as the right to have each of the foregoing done) and otherwise exploit products containing such aldosterone synthase inhibitors, or the Licensed Products, for any and all uses, including the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of any and all diseases and medical conditions in humans and animals. We have the right to sublicense our rights granted or to assign our rights under the Roche Agreement to affiliates, as well as to third parties subject to terms and conditions, provided that any subsequent sublicense granted (a) by an affiliate to a third party to which we assign rights or grant a sublicense or (b) by a third party to which we assign rights or grant a sublicense, is subject to Roche’s prior written consent. Roche is responsible for prosecution and maintenance of the patents included in the Roche Technology, with the Company having a comment right, unless Roche elects to assign responsibility for such activities to us.

 

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We are obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize one or more Licensed Products in the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan and such other countries as we deem appropriate. We are solely responsible for all non-clinical and clinical development, including regulatory activities, and for all commercialization of Licensed Products, at our expense.

Pursuant to the Roche Agreement, we paid Roche a one-time, upfront non-refundable license fee of $2.0 million and one $1.0 million milestone payment in connection with the completion of the multiple ascending dose Phase 1 clinical trial of CIN-107. If we desire to initiate research and development activities with respect to any additional aldosterone synthase inhibitors that are not specified in the Roche Agreement as of the effective date, but are covered by the patents included in the Roche Technology, such additional compounds are included within our exclusive licenses, but we will be required to negotiate in good faith with Roche to agree upon the financial terms applicable to such additional compounds prior to the initiation of any such activities.

In connection with the Roche Agreement, we also agreed to issue to Roche Finance Ltd. warrants to acquire shares of our common stock, which we refer to collectively as the Roche Warrants. The first Roche Warrant, which was issued in connection with our Series A preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 411,765 shares of our common stock. The third Roche Warrant, issued in connection with our Series B preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 113,610 shares of our common stock. The second Roche Warrant, issued in connection with our Series A preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 329,552 shares of our common stock. The Roche Warrants are collectively exercisable for 854,927 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $0.04 per share. The Roche Warrants will automatically net exercise in whole for an aggregate of 852,788 shares of our common stock immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus).

We are required to pay Roche up to an aggregate of $41.0 million with respect to the first Licensed Product upon the achievement of certain development and regulatory milestone events, of which we have paid $1.0 million in connection with the completion of the multiple ascending dose Phase 1 clinical trial of CIN-107. Additionally, we are required to pay Roche, on a one-time basis, up to $175.0 million in the aggregate upon the achievement of specified net sales milestones for a Licensed Product. In addition, on a Licensed Product-by-Licensed Product and country-by-country basis, we will be obligated to pay Roche tiered royalties on net sales of Licensed Products at percentages ranging from the mid single-digits to 10%. The royalty rates are subject to specified reductions and offsets for necessary third-party intellectual property rights, expiration of the licensed patents and generic entry, subject to a specified floor for aggregate reductions and offsets. We will be required to pay royalties to Roche under the Roche Agreement commencing on the first commercial sale of the applicable Licensed Product in the applicable country and ending on the later of ten years following first commercial sale, or the expiration of the valid claims of all Roche patents and joint patents covering the use, manufacture, import, offering for sale or sale of such Licensed Product in such country. If we grant one or more sublicenses under the Roche Agreement to a third party and/or effect a change of control of the Company prior to the earlier of the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or the closing of a reverse merger, we will be required to pay to Roche a specified percentage of the net proceeds of any such transaction based ranging from percentages starting in the mid-teens and reducing to the very low double digits.

The Roche Agreement will expire, unless earlier terminated by either party, upon expiration of all royalty or other payment obligations under the agreement. Either party has the right to terminate the Roche Agreement for insolvency of the other party or for a material breach that is uncured within a specified number of days of receiving a notice of default. We also have the right to terminate the Roche Agreement without cause in its entirety or on a Licensed Product-by-Licensed Product or country-by country basis at any time by providing six months’ notice of termination to Roche prior to the first commercial sale of a Licensed Product, or nine month’s written notice following the first commercial sale of a Licensed Product. If the Roche Agreement is terminated by Roche for our material breach or insolvency, or terminated by us for convenience, then all rights in the Licensed Products revert to Roche, provided that Roche will be required to pay us a royalty on net sales of

 

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Licensed Products and a portion of any sublicensing revenue received by Roche in connection with the grant of a sublicense to develop and commercialize the reverted Licensed Products, in each case at a percentage and for a period determined by the timing of such termination.

Intellectual Property

We strive to protect and enhance the proprietary technologies, inventions and improvements that we believe are important to our business, including seeking, maintaining and defending patent rights, whether developed internally or licensed from third parties. Our policy is to seek to protect our proprietary position by, among other methods, pursuing and obtaining patent protection in the United States and in jurisdictions outside of the United States including Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Japan, and Mexico, related to our proprietary technology, inventions, improvements, platforms and our product candidates that are important to the development and implementation of our business.

As of November 15, 2021, our Roche-licensed patent portfolio includes two issued U.S. patents, 107 issued foreign patents, and 16 pending foreign applications, directed to CIN-107 and its back-up compound, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising CIN-107 or the back-up compound, with expected expiry dates not earlier than 2032.

With regard to our hypertension drug candidate, CIN-107, as of November 15, 2021, we are the exclusive licensee of one U.S. patent, 53 foreign patents, and 8 pending foreign patent application. These patent rights relate to our product candidate’s composition of matter and compositions containing it. These patents are expected to expire in 2032, however, a patent term extension may be available.

With regard to the use of our hypertension drug candidate, CIN-107, as of December 16, 2021, we are the sole owner of two U.S. provisional patent applications. Assuming the applications will be converted at their 12-month conversion deadlines, patents issuing from these applications would be expected to expire in 2042, however, a patent term extension may be available.

With regard to our additional hypertension drug candidate, a back-up compound to CIN-107, as of November 15, 2021, we are the exclusive licensee of licensee of one U.S. patent, 54 foreign patents, and 8 pending foreign patent application. These patent rights relate to our product candidate’s composition of matter and compositions containing it. These patents are expected to expire in 2032, however, a patent term extension may be available.

Individual patents extend for varying periods depending on the date of filing of the patent application or the date of patent issuance and the legal term of patents in the countries in which they are obtained. Generally, patents issued for regularly filed applications in the United States are granted a term of 20 years from the earliest effective non-provisional filing date. In addition, in certain instances, a patent term can be extended to recapture a portion of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or the USPTO, delay in issuing the patent as well as a portion of the term effectively lost as a result of the FDA regulatory review period. However, as to the FDA component, the restoration period cannot be longer than five years and the total patent term including the restoration period must not exceed 14 years following FDA approval. The duration of foreign patents varies in accordance with provisions of applicable local law, but typically is also 20 years from the earliest effective filing date. However, the actual protection afforded by a patent varies on a product-by-product basis, from country to country and depends upon many factors, including the type of patent, the scope of its coverage, the availability of regulatory-related extensions, the availability of legal remedies in a particular country and the validity and enforceability of the patent.

Furthermore, we rely upon know-how and continuing technological innovation to develop and maintain our competitive position. We seek to protect our proprietary information, in part, using confidentiality agreements with our collaborators, employees and consultants and invention assignment agreements with our employees. We

 

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also have confidentiality agreements or invention assignment agreements with our collaborators and consultants. These agreements are designed to protect our proprietary information and, in the case of the invention assignment agreements, to grant us ownership of technologies that are developed through a relationship with a third party. These agreements may be breached, and we may not have adequate remedies for any breach. In addition, our trade secrets may otherwise become known or be independently discovered by competitors. To the extent that our collaborators, employees and consultants use intellectual property owned by others in their work for us, disputes may arise as to the rights in related or resulting know-how and inventions.

Our commercial success will also depend in part on not infringing upon the proprietary rights of third parties. It is uncertain whether the issuance of any third-party patent would require us to alter our development or commercial strategies, or our product candidates or processes, obtain licenses or cease certain activities. Our breach of any license agreements or failure to obtain a license to proprietary rights that we may require to develop or commercialize our future product candidates may have an adverse impact on us. If third parties have prepared and filed patent applications prior to March 16, 2013 in the United States that also claim technology to which we have rights, we may have to participate in interference proceedings in the USPTO, to determine priority of invention. For more information, please see “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Intellectual Property.”

Government Regulation and Product Approval

Government authorities in the United States, at the federal, state and local levels, and in other countries, extensively regulate, among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacture, packaging, storage, recordkeeping, labeling, advertising, promotion, distribution, marketing, import and export of pharmaceutical products, such as those we are developing. The processes for obtaining regulatory approvals in the United States and in foreign countries, along with subsequent compliance with applicable statutes and regulations, require the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources.

United States Government Regulation

In the United States, the FDA regulates drugs under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or FDCA, and its implementing regulations. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and the subsequent compliance with appropriate federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations requires the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources. Failure to comply with the applicable United States requirements at any time during the drug development process, approval process or after approval, may subject an applicant to a variety of administrative or judicial sanctions, such as the FDA’s refusal to approve a pending New Drug Application, or NDA, withdrawal of an approval, imposition of a clinical hold, issuance of warning or untitled letters, product recalls, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions, fines, refusals of government contracts, restitution, disgorgement or civil or criminal penalties.

The process required by the FDA before a drug may be marketed in the United States generally involves:

 

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completion of preclinical laboratory tests, animal studies and formulation studies in compliance with the FDA’s good laboratory practice, or GLP, regulations;

 

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submission to the FDA of an IND, which must become effective before human clinical trials may begin;

 

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approval by an independent institutional review board, or IRB, at each clinical site before each trial may be initiated;

 

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performance of adequate and well controlled clinical trials, in accordance with good clinical practice, or GCP, requirements to establish the safety and efficacy of the proposed drug for each indication;

 

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submission to the FDA of an NDA;

 

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satisfactory completion of an FDA advisory committee review, if applicable;

 

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satisfactory completion of an FDA inspection of the manufacturing facility or facilities at which the product is produced to assess compliance with cGMP requirements, and to assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the drug’s identity, strength, quality and purity;

 

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satisfactory completion of an FDA inspection of selected clinical sites to assure compliance with GCPs and the integrity of the clinical data;

 

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payment of user fees; and

 

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FDA review and approval of the NDA.

Preclinical Studies

Preclinical studies include laboratory evaluation of product chemistry, toxicity and formulation, as well as animal studies to assess potential safety and efficacy. An IND sponsor must submit the results of the nonclinical tests, together with manufacturing information, analytical data and any available clinical data or literature, among other things, to the FDA as part of an IND. Some nonclinical testing may continue even after the IND is submitted. An IND automatically becomes effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA, unless before that time the FDA raises concerns or questions related to one or more proposed clinical trials and places the clinical trial on a clinical hold.

In such a case, the IND sponsor and the FDA must resolve any outstanding concerns before the clinical trial can begin. As a result, submission of an IND may not result in the FDA allowing clinical trials to commence.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials involve the administration of the investigational new drug to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators in accordance with GCP requirements, which include the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent in writing for their participation in any clinical trial. Clinical trials are conducted under protocols detailing, among other things, the objectives of the trial, the parameters to be used in monitoring safety and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated. A protocol for each clinical trial and any subsequent protocol amendments must be submitted to the FDA as part of the IND. In addition, an IRB at each institution participating in the clinical trial must review and approve the plan for any clinical trial before it commences at that institution, and the IRB must continue to oversee the clinical trial while it is being conducted. Information about certain clinical trials must be submitted within specific timeframes to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, for public dissemination on their ClinicalTrials.gov website.

Human clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases, which may overlap or be combined. In Phase 1, the drug is initially introduced into healthy human subjects or patients with the target disease or condition and tested for safety, dosage tolerance, absorption, metabolism, distribution, excretion and, if possible, to gain an initial indication of its effectiveness. In Phase 2, the drug typically is administered to a limited patient population to identify possible adverse effects and safety risks, to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of the product for specific targeted diseases and to determine dosage tolerance and optimal dosage. In Phase 3, the drug is administered to an expanded patient population, generally at geographically dispersed clinical trial sites, in well controlled clinical trials to generate enough data to statistically evaluate the safety and efficacy of the product for approval, to establish the overall risk benefit profile of the product and to provide adequate information for the labeling of the product.

Progress reports detailing the results of the clinical trials must be submitted, at least annually, to the FDA, and more frequently if serious adverse events occur. Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials may not be completed successfully within any specified period, or at all. Furthermore, the FDA or the sponsor may suspend or terminate a clinical trial at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the research subjects are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk. Similarly, an IRB can suspend or terminate approval of a clinical trial at its institution if the clinical trial is not being conducted in accordance with the IRB’s requirements, or if the drug has been associated with unexpected serious harm to patients.

 

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Marketing Approval

Assuming successful completion of the required clinical testing, the results of the preclinical and clinical studies, together with detailed information relating to the product’s chemistry, manufacture, controls and proposed labeling, among other things, are submitted to the FDA as part of an NDA requesting approval to market the product for one or more indications. In most cases, the submission of an NDA is subject to a substantial application user fee. Under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, guidelines that are currently in effect, the FDA has a goal of ten months from the date of “filing” of a standard NDA for a new molecular entity to review and act on the submission. This review typically takes twelve months from the date the NDA is submitted to the FDA because the FDA has approximately two months to make a “filing” decision.

In addition, under the Pediatric Research Equity Act, certain NDAs or supplements to an NDA must contain data that are adequate to assess the safety and effectiveness of the drug for the claimed indications in all relevant pediatric subpopulations, and to support dosing and administration for each pediatric subpopulation for which the product is safe and effective. The FDA may, on its own initiative or at the request of the applicant, grant deferrals for submission of some or all pediatric data until after approval of the product for use in adults, or full or partial waivers from the pediatric data requirements. The FDA also may require submission of a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, or REMS, plan to ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh its risks. The REMS plan could include medication guides, physician communication plans, assessment plans, and/or elements to assure safe use, such as restricted distribution methods, patient registries or other risk minimization tools.

The FDA conducts a preliminary review of all NDAs within the first 60 days after submission, before accepting them for filing, to determine whether they are sufficiently complete to permit substantive review. The FDA may request additional information rather than accept an NDA for filing. In this event, the application must be resubmitted with the additional information. The resubmitted application is also subject to review before the FDA accepts it for filing. Once the submission is accepted for filing, the FDA begins an in-depth substantive review. The FDA reviews an NDA to determine, among other things, whether the drug is safe and effective and whether the facility in which it is manufactured, processed, packaged or held meets standards designed to assure the product’s continued safety, quality and purity.

The FDA may refer an application for a novel drug to an advisory committee. An advisory committee is a panel of independent experts, including clinicians and other scientific experts, that reviews, evaluates and provides a recommendation as to whether the application should be approved and under what conditions. The FDA is not bound by the recommendations of an advisory committee, but it considers such recommendations carefully when making decisions.

Before approving an NDA, the FDA typically will inspect the facility or facilities where the product is manufactured. The FDA will not approve an application unless it determines that the manufacturing processes and facilities are in compliance with cGMP requirements and adequate to assure consistent production of the product within required specifications. Additionally, before approving an NDA, the FDA will typically inspect one or more clinical trial sites to assure compliance with GCP requirements.

The testing and approval process for an NDA requires substantial time, effort and financial resources, and takes several years to complete. Data obtained from preclinical and clinical testing are not always conclusive and may be susceptible to varying interpretations, which could delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. The FDA may not grant approval of an NDA on a timely basis, or at all.

After evaluating the NDA and all related information, including the advisory committee recommendation, if any, and inspection reports regarding the manufacturing facilities and clinical trial sites, the FDA may issue an approval letter, or, in some cases, a complete response letter. A complete response letter generally contains a statement of specific conditions that must be met in order to secure final approval of the NDA and may require additional clinical or preclinical testing in order for FDA to reconsider the application. Even with submission of

 

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this additional information, the FDA ultimately may decide that the application does not satisfy the regulatory criteria for approval. If and when those conditions have been met to the FDA’s satisfaction, the FDA will typically issue an approval letter. An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the drug with specific prescribing information for specific indications.

Even if the FDA approves a product, it may limit the approved indications for use of the product, require that contraindications, warnings or precautions be included in the product labeling, require that post-approval studies, including Phase 4 clinical trials, be conducted to further assess a drug’s safety after approval, require testing and surveillance programs to monitor the product after commercialization, or impose other conditions, including distribution and use restrictions or other risk management mechanisms under a REMS, which can materially affect the potential market and profitability of the product. The FDA may prevent or limit further marketing of a product based on the results of post-marketing studies or surveillance programs. After approval, some types of changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications, manufacturing changes, and additional labeling claims, are subject to further testing requirements and FDA review and approval.

Special FDA Expedited Review and Approval Programs

The FDA has various programs, including fast track designation, accelerated approval, priority review, and breakthrough therapy designation, which are intended to expedite or simplify the process for the development and FDA review of drugs that are intended for the treatment of serious or life threatening diseases or conditions and demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs. The purpose of these programs is to provide important new drugs to patients earlier than under standard FDA review procedures.

To be eligible for a fast track designation, the FDA must determine, based on the request of a sponsor, that a product is intended to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and demonstrates the potential to address an unmet medical need. The FDA will determine that a product will fill an unmet medical need if it will provide a therapy where none exists or provide a therapy that may be potentially superior to existing therapy based on efficacy or safety factors. The FDA may review sections of the NDA for a fast track product on a rolling basis before the complete application is submitted. If the sponsor provides a schedule for the submission of the sections of the NDA, the FDA agrees to accept sections of the NDA and determines that the schedule is acceptable, and the sponsor pays any required user fees upon submission of the first section of the NDA.

The FDA may give a priority review designation to drugs that are designed to treat serious conditions, and if approved, would provide a significant improvement in treatment, or provide a treatment where no adequate therapy exists. A priority review means that the goal for the FDA to review an application is six months, rather than the standard review of ten months under current PDUFA guidelines. Under the current PDUFA agreement, these six and ten month review periods are measured from the “filing” date rather than the receipt date for NDAs for new molecular entities, which typically adds approximately two months to the timeline for review and decision from the date of submission. Most products that are eligible for fast track designation are also likely to be considered appropriate to receive a priority review.

In addition, products studied for their safety and effectiveness in treating serious or life-threatening illnesses and that provide meaningful therapeutic benefit over existing treatments may be eligible for accelerated approval and may be approved on the basis of adequate and well-controlled clinical trials establishing that the drug product has an effect on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit, or on a clinical endpoint that can be measured earlier than irreversible morbidity or mortality, that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality or other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity or prevalence of the condition and the availability or lack of alternative treatments. As a condition of approval, the FDA may require a sponsor of a drug receiving accelerated approval to perform post-marketing studies to verify and describe the predicted effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality or other clinical endpoint, and the drug may be subject to accelerated withdrawal procedures.

 

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Breakthrough therapy designation is for a drug that is intended, alone or in combination with one or more other drugs, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. The FDA must take certain actions, such as holding timely meetings and providing advice, intended to expedite the development and review of an application for approval of a breakthrough therapy.

Even if a product qualifies for one or more of these programs, the FDA may later decide that the product no longer meets the conditions for qualification or decide that the time period for FDA review or approval will not be shortened. We may explore some of these opportunities for our product candidates as appropriate.

Post Approval Requirements

Drugs manufactured or distributed pursuant to FDA approvals are subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, including, among other things, requirements relating to recordkeeping, periodic reporting, product sampling and distribution, advertising and promotion and reporting of adverse experiences with the product. After approval, most changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications, manufacturing changes or other labeling claims, are subject to further testing requirements and prior FDA review and approval. There also are continuing annual user fee requirements for any marketed products and the establishments at which such products are manufactured, as well as application fees for supplemental applications with clinical data.

Even if the FDA approves a product, it may limit the approved indications for use of the product, require that contraindications, warnings or precautions be included in the product labeling, including a boxed warning, require that post-approval studies, including Phase 4 clinical trials, be conducted to further assess a drug’s safety after approval, require testing and surveillance programs to monitor the product after commercialization, or impose other conditions, including distribution restrictions or other risk management mechanisms under a REMS, which can materially affect the potential market and profitability of the product. The FDA may prevent or limit further marketing of a product based on the results of post-marketing studies or surveillance programs.

In addition, drug manufacturers and other entities involved in the manufacture and distribution of approved drugs are required to register their establishments with the FDA and state agencies, and are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA and these state agencies for compliance with cGMP requirements. Changes to the manufacturing process are strictly regulated and often require prior FDA approval before being implemented. FDA regulations also require investigation and correction of any deviations from cGMP and impose reporting and documentation requirements upon the sponsor and any third-party manufacturers that the sponsor may decide to use. Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money and effort in the area of production and quality control to maintain cGMP compliance.

Once an approval is granted, the FDA may withdraw the approval if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if problems occur after the product reaches the market.

Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in mandatory revisions to the approved labeling to add new safety information; imposition of post-market studies or clinical trials to assess new safety risks; or imposition of distribution or other restrictions under a REMS program. Other potential consequences include, among other things:

 

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restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of the product, complete withdrawal of the product from the market or product recalls;

 

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fines, warning letters or holds on post-approval clinical trials;

 

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refusal of the FDA to approve pending NDAs or supplements to approved NDAs, or suspension or revocation of product approvals;

 

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product seizure or detention, or refusal to permit the import or export of products; or

 

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injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.

The FDA strictly regulates marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion of products that are placed on the market. Drugs may be promoted only for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of the approved label, although physicians, based on their independent medical judgement, may prescribe approved drugs for unapproved indications. However, biopharmaceutical companies may only share truthful and not misleading information that is otherwise consistent with the labeling. The FDA and other agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting their promotion of off-label uses, and a company that is found to have improperly promoted off-label uses may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative liability.

In addition, the distribution of prescription pharmaceutical products is subject to the Prescription Drug Marketing Act, or PDMA, which regulates the distribution of drugs and drug samples at the federal level, and sets minimum standards for the registration and regulation of drug distributors by the states. Both the PDMA and state laws limit the distribution of prescription pharmaceutical product samples and impose requirements to ensure accountability in distribution.

Federal and State Fraud and Abuse, Data Privacy and Security, and Transparency Laws and Regulations

In addition to FDA restrictions on marketing of pharmaceutical products, federal and state healthcare laws and regulations restrict business practices in the biopharmaceutical industry. These laws may impact, among other things, our current and future business operations, including our clinical research activities, and proposed sales, marketing and education programs and constrain the business or financial arrangements and relationships with healthcare providers, third-party payors, customers and other parties through which we market, sell and distribute our products for which we obtain marketing approval. These laws include anti-kickback and false claims laws and regulations, data privacy and security, and transparency laws and regulations, including, without limitation, those laws described below.

The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits any person or entity from, among other things, knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration (including any kickback, bribe, or rebate), directly or indirectly, to induce or in return for purchasing, leasing, ordering or arranging for or recommending the purchase, lease or order of any item or service reimbursable, in whole or in part, under Medicare, Medicaid or other federal healthcare programs. The term “remuneration” has been broadly interpreted to include anything of value. The federal Anti-Kickback Statute has been interpreted to apply to arrangements between pharmaceutical manufacturers on the one hand and prescribers, purchasers and formulary managers on the other. Although there are a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors protecting some common activities from prosecution, the exceptions and safe harbors are drawn narrowly and require strict compliance in order to offer protection. Practices that involve remuneration that may be alleged to be intended to induce prescribing, purchases or recommendations may be subject to scrutiny if they do not qualify for an exception or safe harbor. Several courts have interpreted the statute’s intent requirement to mean that if any one purpose of an arrangement involving remuneration is to induce referrals of federal healthcare covered business, the statute has been violated. Further, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of this statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the federal civil False Claims Act.

Federal civil and criminal false claims laws, including the federal civil False Claims Act, which can be enforced by individuals through civil whistleblower or qui tam actions, and the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, prohibit any person or entity from, among other things, knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false

 

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claim for payment to the federal government or knowingly making, using or causing to be made or used a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim to avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government. A claim includes “any request or demand” for money or property presented to the U.S. government. Several pharmaceutical and other healthcare companies have been prosecuted under these laws for allegedly providing free product to customers with the expectation that the customers would bill federal programs for the product. Other companies have been prosecuted for causing false claims to be submitted because of the companies’ marketing of products for unapproved, and thus non-reimbursable, uses.

The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, created additional federal criminal statutes that prohibit, among other things, knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, including private third-party payors and knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up by any trick or device a material fact or making any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement in connection with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items or services.

HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, or HITECH, and their respective implementing regulations, impose specified requirements on certain types of individuals and entities relating to the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information. Among other things, HITECH makes HIPAA’s security standards directly applicable to “business associates,” defined as independent contractors or agents of covered entities, which include certain healthcare providers, healthcare clearinghouse and health plans, that create, receive, maintain or transmit individually identifiable health information in connection with providing a service for or on behalf of a covered entity, and their covered subcontractors. HITECH also increased the civil and criminal penalties that may be imposed against covered entities, business associates and possibly other persons, and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil actions for damages or injunctions in federal courts to enforce HIPAA and seek attorney’s fees and costs associated with pursuing federal civil actions.

The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires certain manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, with specific exceptions, to report annually to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, information related to payments or other transfers of value made to physicians (defined to include doctors, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists and chiropractors), and teaching hospitals, and applicable manufacturers and applicable group purchasing organizations to report annually to CMS ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members. Beginning in 2022, applicable manufacturers also will be required to report such information regarding payments and other transfers of value to physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, anesthesiologist assistants, certified registered nurse anesthetists and certified nurse midwives provided during the previous year.

We may also be subject to analogous state anti-kickback and false claims laws that may apply to sales or marketing arrangements and claims involving healthcare items or services reimbursed by non-governmental third party payors, including private insurers, or that apply regardless of payor, state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to comply with the pharmaceutical industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government, state and local laws that require drug manufacturers to report information related to payments and other transfers of value to physicians and other healthcare providers or marketing expenditures, state laws that require drug manufacturers to report information on the pricing of certain drugs, state and local laws that require the registration of pharmaceutical sales representatives, and state and foreign laws governing the privacy and security of health information in some circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and often are not preempted by HIPAA, thus complicating compliance efforts.

Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of available statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors, it is possible that some of our business activities could be subject to challenge under one or more of

 

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such laws. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of the federal and state laws described above or any other governmental regulations that apply to us, we may be subject to significant criminal, civil and administrative penalties including damages, fines, imprisonment, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, disgorgement, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations. To the extent that any of our products are sold in a foreign country, we may be subject to similar foreign laws and regulations, which may include, for instance, applicable post-marketing requirements, including safety surveillance, anti-fraud and abuse laws, implementation of corporate compliance programs, reporting of payments or transfers of value to healthcare professionals, and additional data privacy and security requirements.

Coverage and Reimbursement

The future commercial success of our, or any of our collaborators’, product candidates, if approved, will depend in part on the extent to which third-party payors, such as governmental payor programs at the federal and state levels, including Medicare and Medicaid, private health insurers and other third-party payors, provide coverage of and establish adequate reimbursement levels for our product candidates. Third-party payors generally decide which products they will pay for and establish reimbursement levels for those products. In particular, in the United States, no uniform policy for coverage and reimbursement exists. Private health insurers and other third-party payors often provide coverage and reimbursement for products based on the level at which the government, through the Medicare program, provides coverage and reimbursement for such products, but also have their own methods and approval process apart from Medicare determinations. Therefore, coverage and reimbursement can differ significantly from payor to payor.

In the United States, the European Union, or EU, and other potentially significant markets for our product candidates, government authorities and third-party payors are increasingly attempting to limit or regulate the price of products, particularly for new and innovative products, which often has resulted in average selling prices lower than they would otherwise be. Further, the increased emphasis on managed healthcare in the United States and on country and regional pricing and reimbursement controls in the European Union will put additional pressure on product pricing, reimbursement and usage. These pressures can arise from rules and practices of managed care groups, judicial decisions and laws and regulations related to Medicare, Medicaid and healthcare reform, pharmaceutical coverage and reimbursement policies and pricing in general.

Third-party payors are increasingly imposing additional requirements and restrictions on coverage and limiting reimbursement levels for products. For example, federal and state governments reimburse products at varying rates generally below average wholesale price. These restrictions and limitations influence the purchase of products. Third-party payors may limit coverage to specific products on an approved list, or formulary, which might not include all of the FDA-approved products for a particular indication. Third-party payors are increasingly challenging the price and examining the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of products, in addition to their safety and efficacy. We may need to conduct expensive pharmacoeconomic studies in order to demonstrate the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of our product candidates, in addition to the costs required to obtain the FDA approvals. Nonetheless, our product candidates may not be considered medically necessary or cost-effective. Furthermore, a payor’s decision to provide coverage for a product does not imply that an adequate reimbursement rate will be approved. Accordingly, adequate third-party payor reimbursement may not be available to enable us to realize an appropriate return on our investment in product development. Legislative proposals to reform healthcare or reduce costs under government insurance programs may result in lower reimbursement for our product candidates, if approved, or exclusion of our product candidates from coverage and reimbursement. The cost containment measures that third-party payors and providers are instituting and any healthcare reform could significantly reduce our revenues from the sale of any approved product candidates.

 

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Healthcare Reform

The United States and some foreign jurisdictions are considering enacting or have enacted a number of additional legislative and regulatory proposals to change the healthcare system in ways that could affect our ability to sell our product candidates profitably, if approved. Among policy makers and payors in the United States and elsewhere, there is significant interest in promoting changes in healthcare systems with the stated goals of containing healthcare costs, improving quality and expanding access. In the United States, the pharmaceutical industry has been a particular focus of these efforts, which include major legislative initiatives to reduce the cost of care through changes in the healthcare system, including limits on the pricing, coverage, and reimbursement of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products, especially under government-funded health care programs, and increased governmental control of drug pricing.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, or collectively the PPACA, became law in March 2010 and substantially changed the way healthcare is financed by both third-party payors. Among other measures that may have an impact on our business, the PPACA establishes an annual, nondeductible fee on any entity that manufactures or imports specified branded prescription drugs and biologic agents; a new Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program; and a new formula that increases the rebates a manufacturer must pay under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program. Additionally, the PPACA extends manufacturers’ Medicaid rebate liability, expands eligibility criteria for Medicaid programs, and expands entities eligible for discounts under the Public Health Service Act.

There have been executive, judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the PPACA. While Congress has not passed comprehensive repeal legislation, several bills affecting the implementation of certain taxes under the PPACA have been signed into law. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, or Tax Act, included a provision that repealed, effective January 1, 2019, the tax-based shared responsibility payment imposed by the PPACA on certain individuals who fail to maintain qualifying health coverage for all or part of a year that is commonly referred to as the “individual mandate.” In addition, the 2020 federal spending package permanently eliminated, effective January 1, 2020, the PPACA-mandated “Cadillac” tax on high-cost employer-sponsored health coverage and medical device tax and, effective January 1, 2021, also eliminated the health insurer tax. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, or the BBA, among other things, amended the PPACA, effective January 1, 2019, to increase from 50% to 70% the point-of-sale discount that is owed by pharmaceutical manufacturers who participate in Medicare Part D and to close the coverage gap in most Medicare drug plans, commonly referred to as the “donut hole.” Furthermore, on June 17, 2021, the United States Supreme Court dismissed a challenge on procedural grounds that argued the PPACA is unconstitutional in its entirety because the “individual mandate” was repealed by Congress. Thus, the PPACA will remain in effect in its current form. Further, prior to the United States Supreme Court ruling on January 28, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order that initiated a special enrollment period for purposes of obtaining health insurance coverage through the PPACA marketplace, which began on February 15, 2021 and will remain open through August 15, 2021. The executive order also instructed certain governmental agencies to review and reconsider their existing policies and rules that limit access to healthcare, including among others, reexamining Medicaid demonstration projects and waiver programs that include work requirements, and policies that create unnecessary barriers to obtaining access to health insurance coverage through Medicaid or the PPACA. It is possible that the PPACA will be subject to judicial or Congressional challenges in the future.

In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the PPACA was enacted. In August 2011, President Obama signed into law the Budget Control Act of 2011, as amended, which, among other things, included aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year, which began in 2013 and, following passage of subsequent legislation, including the BBA, will continue through 2030 with the exception of a temporary suspension from May 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unless additional Congressional action is taken. In January 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was enacted which, among other things, reduced Medicare payments to several providers and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years.

 

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Further, there has been increasing legislative and enforcement interest in the United States with respect to drug pricing practices. Specifically, there have been several recent U.S. Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to drug pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for drugs. At the federal level, the Trump administration used several means to propose or implement drug pricing reform, including through federal budget proposals, executive orders and policy initiatives. For example, on July 24, 2020 and September 13, 2020, the Trump administration announced several executive orders related to prescription drug pricing that attempted to implement several of the administration’s proposals. As a result, the FDA released a final rule on September 24, 2020, effective November 30, 2020, implementing a portion of the importation executive order providing guidance for states to build and submit importation plans for drugs from Canada. Further, on November 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, or HHS, finalized a regulation removing safe harbor protection for price reductions from pharmaceutical manufacturers to plan sponsors under Part D, either directly or through pharmacy benefit managers, unless the price reduction is required by law. The implementation of the rule has been delayed by the Biden administration from January 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023 in response to ongoing litigation. The rule also creates a new safe harbor for price reductions reflected at the point-of-sale, as well as a new safe harbor for certain fixed fee arrangements between pharmacy benefit managers and manufacturers, the implementation of which have also been delayed by the Biden administration until January 1, 2023. On November 20, 2020, CMS issued an interim final rule implementing the Trump administration’s Most Favored Nation executive order, which would tie Medicare Part B payments for certain physician-administered drugs to the lowest price paid in other economically advanced countries. The Most Favored Nation regulations mandate participation by identified Medicare Part B providers and will apply in all U.S. states and territories for a seven-year period beginning January 1, 2021 and ending December 31, 2027. On December 28, 2020, the U.S. District Court in Northern California issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against implementation of the interim final rule. It is unclear whether the Biden administration will work to reverse these measures or pursue similar policy initiatives. At the state level, legislatures have increasingly passed legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical and biological product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. It also possible that governmental action will be taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foreign Regulation

In order to market any product outside of the United States, we would need to comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements of other countries regarding safety and efficacy and governing, among other things, clinical trials, marketing authorization, commercial sales and distribution of our product candidates. For example, in the European Union, we must obtain authorization of a clinical trial application, or CTA, in each member state in which we intend to conduct a clinical trial. Whether or not we obtain FDA approval for a drug, we would need to obtain the necessary approvals by the comparable regulatory authorities of foreign countries before we can commence clinical trials or marketing of the drug in those countries. The approval process varies from country to country and can involve additional product testing and additional administrative review periods. The time required to obtain approval in other countries might differ from and be longer than that required to obtain FDA approval. Regulatory approval in one country does not ensure regulatory approval in another, but a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one country may negatively impact the regulatory process in others.

Employees and Human Capital

As of November 15, 2021, we had 10 full-time employees, 5 of whom were primarily engaged in research and development activities and four of our employees had an M.D. or Ph.D. degree. None of our employees is represented by a labor union and we consider our employee relations to be good.

 

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Our human capital objectives include, as applicable, identifying, recruiting, retaining, incentivizing and integrating our existing and additional employees. The principal purposes of our equity incentive plans are to attract, retain and motivate selected employees, consultants and directors through the granting of stock-based compensation awards.

Facilities

Our headquarters is currently located in Boston, Massachusetts and consists of 1,161 square feet of rented office space rented on a monthly basis. In addition, we also lease 221 square feet of office space in Mason, Ohio. We do not have laboratory space. We believe that our facilities are adequate to meet our current needs and that, should it be needed, suitable additional or alternative space will be available on commercially reasonable terms.

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, we may become involved in other legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business. We are not currently a party to any material legal proceedings, and we are not aware of any pending or threatened legal proceeding against us that we believe could have an adverse effect on our business, operating results or financial condition.

On October 29, 2021, CinRx Pharma, LLC, or CinRx, filed a complaint in Ohio state court against two of our current employees, including Catherine Pearce, M.B.A., D.H.Sc., our Chief Operating Officer and co-founder, alleging several claims, including breach of contract, breaches of fiduciary duties to CinRx, fraud, unjust enrichment, breach of non-solicitation agreement and fraudulent misrepresentation and material breach of subscription agreements. Furthermore, on November 5, 2021, CinRx filed a complaint in Superior Court of the State of Delaware against us and three of our investors alleging breach of contract in connection with our Series B preferred stock financing and seeking compensatory damages. The complaint contended that the waiver of participation rights in our Series B preferred stock financing pursuant to the Investors’ Rights Agreement, dated May 13, 2019, or the IRA, was invalid and diluted the shares of our common stock held by CinRx, and that CinRx’s allocation of our Series B preferred stock in our Series B preferred stock financing was insufficient under the IRA. On December 22, 2021, we entered into a settlement agreement and release, or the Settlement Agreement, with CinRx, two of our employees (including Ms. Pearce), and certain of our investors relating to, among other things, the release of claims asserted in proceedings brought by CinRx against certain of our employees in Ohio state court and against us and certain of our investors in Superior Court of the State of Delaware. Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, we agreed to, among other things, issue 764,705 shares of our common stock to CinRx. We also agreed to reimburse CinRx’s legal fees relating to the dispute for up to an aggregate total of $500,000. CinRx, under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, has agreed to dismiss with prejudice all litigation against us, Ms. Pearce, our employees and our investors, and to enter into a voting agreement and proxy regarding the voting of shares of our capital stock held by CinRx, including any vote concerning matters related to this offering, any merger, sale or change of control, adoption of equity incentive or similar plans, debt financings and certain equity financings, that terminates upon the earlier to occur of 15 months after the date of the Settlement Agreement and expiration of the lockup agreement related to this offering. For further information, please see the sections titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC” elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

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MANAGEMENT

Executive Officers and Directors

The following table provides information regarding our current executive officers and directors, including their ages, as of November 15, 2021.

 

Name

  

Age

    

Position(s)

Executive Officers

     

Marc de Garidel

     63     

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A.

     60     

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief

Business Development Officer

Catherine Pearce, M.B.A., D.HSc.

     46     

Chief Operating Officer

Mason Freeman, M.D.

     70     

Executive Vice President, Clinical Development

Non-Employee Directors

     

James I. Healy, M.D., Ph.D.

     56     

Chairman of the Board of Directors

David Allison, Ph.D.

     40     

Director

Maina Bhaman, M.B.A.

     49     

Director

Troy Ignelzi

     54     

Director

June Lee, M.D.(1)

     55     

Director

Jason Pitts, Ph.D

     35     

Director

John F. Thero

     61     

Director

 

(1)

Dr. Lee’s appointment as a director will be effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Executive Officers

Marc de Garidel has served as our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our board of directors since July 2021. Prior to being appointed as our Chief Executive Officer, he served as the chief executive officer of AZTherapies, Inc. from September 2020 to April 2021. Mr. de Garidel serves on the board of directors of AZTherapies, Inc. and Claris Biotherapeutics, Inc. Prior to September 2020, Mr. de Garidel served as the chief executive officer of Corvidia Therapeutics, Inc. from January 2018 until their acquisition by Novo Nordisk A/S in August 2020. Mr. de Garidel also served as the chief executive officer of Ipsen SA from November 2010 to July 2016, and has served as the chairman of Ipsen’s board of directors since November 2010. Mr. de Garidel started his career at Eli Lilly pharmaceutical group in 1983, where he held various roles of increasing responsibility before joining Amgen Inc., in 1995 as its chief financial officer in Europe. Mr. de Garidel graduated from the Ecole Spéciale des Travaux Publics and obtained a master of international management at Thunderbird School of Global Management. We believe Mr. de Garidel’s substantial leadership experience in the biotechnology industry qualifies him to serve on our board of directors.

Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A., has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer since November 2021. Previously, Ms. Coelho served as the executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. from January 2019 to October 2021 and as chief financial officer and treasurer at Balchem Corporation from October 2017 to October 2018. In addition, she also served as chief operating officer for Diversey, Inc., from September 2017 to October 2017 and held senior finance positions at Diversey Care, a division of Sealed Air Corporation from October 2014 through August 2017, including as chief financial officer and vice president of global commercial excellence. She has served on the board of directors of First Wave BioPharma Inc. since August 2021, and currently serves

 

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as chair for the audit committee and member of the compensation committee for First Wave BioPharma Inc. Ms. Coelho earned an M.B.A. in finance from Ibmec in Brazil and a B.A. in both economics and international relations, summa cum laude, from the American University School of International Service.

Catherine Pearce, M.B.A., D.HSc., co-founded our company in 2018 and has served as our Chief Operating Officer since May 2019. Previously, Ms. Pearce served as both the chief operating officer of CinRx and the vice president, strategic alliances at Medpace from September 2015 until August 2021. Ms. Pearce also served as the vice president, research and development at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. from April 2013 until September 2015. Ms. Pearce has a B.S. and an M.B.A. from Xavier University and a doctorate of health sciences from Nova Southeastern University.

Mason Freeman, M.D., has served as our Executive Vice President, Clinical Development since August 2021, and as a member of our scientific advisory board since June 2019. Dr. Freeman also serves as a venture partner at 5AM Venture Management, LLC, a position he has held since May 2008. In addition, Dr. Freeman serves as the director of the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Translational Research Center. Previously, Dr. Freeman served as a member of the board of directors of scPharmaceuticals Inc. from July 2018 to December 2020 and Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from November 2015 to July 2019. Dr. Freeman holds a B.A. from Harvard College and M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco.

Non-Employee Directors

David Allison, Ph.D., has served as a member of our board of directors since May 2019. Dr. Allison has served as a partner at 5AM Venture Management, LLC since July 2018, and was previously a principal at 5AM Venture Management, LLC from February 2017 to June 2018. Dr. Allison previously served as a principal at Versant Ventures Management, LLC, or Versant Ventures, from April 2014 to August 2016. Prior to Versant Ventures, Dr. Allison worked at Split Rock Partners, LLC as a principal from August 2009 to August 2014, and at PTV Healthcare Capital as a senior associate from 2006 to 2009. Before his venture career, he worked in the diagnostics and drug discovery business unit at SurModics, Inc. in 2004 and was a National Science Foundation Research Fellow at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation’s Heart Valve Laboratory. Dr. Allison currently serves on the boards of directors of Impel NeuroPharma, Inc. and various private companies. Dr. Allison has a Ph.D. in bioengineering from Rice University with a focus in cell biology and extracellular matrix in cardiovascular disease, and a B.S.E in biomedical engineering from the University of Iowa. We believe that Dr. Allison is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his expertise in corporate governance, financing and financial matters and his extensive investment experience in the health care industry.

Maina Bhaman, M.B.A., has served as a member of our board of directors since May 2019. Ms. Bhaman has been a general partner of Sofinnova Partners SAS, or Sofinnova Partners, since January 2018. Prior to joining Sofinnova Partners, she was director of healthcare investment at Touchstone Innovations LLC (formerly Imperial Innovations) in London from April 2006 to November 2017. Ms. Bhaman is currently on the board of directors of four private biopharmaceutical companies, Catamaran Bio, Inc., ENYO Pharma SA, Myricx Pharma Ltd., Mironid Ltd. Ms. Bhaman has a B.S. from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.B.A. from the Imperial Business School in London. We believe that Ms. Bhaman is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on her experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, including as a long-term healthcare investor.

James I. Healy, M.D., Ph.D., has served as a member of our board of directors since May 2019. Dr. Healy has been a general partner of Sofinnova Investments, Inc., a biotech investment firm, since June 2000. Prior to June 2000, Dr. Healy held various positions at Sanderling Ventures, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals LLC and ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Healy is currently on the board of directors of Bolt BioTherapeutics, Inc., Ascendis Pharma A/S, Coherus BioSciences, Inc., Karuna Therapeutics, Inc., Natera, Inc., NuCana PLC and Y-mAbs Therapeutics, Inc. Previously, he served as a board member of Amarin Corporation, Auris Medical Holding AG, Edge Therapeutics, Inc., Hyperion Therapeutics, Inc., InterMune, Inc., Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Durata Therapeutics, Inc., CoTherix, Inc., Iterum Therapeutics, plc, Movetis NV and several private

 

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companies. In 2011, Dr. Healy won the IBF Risk Innovator Award and was named as one of the industry’s top leading Life Science investors in 2013 by Forbes Magazine. Dr. Healy has a B.A. in molecular biology and a B.A. in Scandinavian studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and has an M.D. and Ph.D. in immunology from Stanford University School of Medicine. We believe that Dr. Healy is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, including as a venture capital investor and a member of the boards of directors of other biopharmaceutical companies.

Troy Ignelzi has served as a member of our board of directors since May 2021. Mr. Ignelzi has served as the chief financial officer of Karuna Therapeutics, Inc. since March 2019. Prior to that, Mr. Ignelzi was the chief financial officer of scPharmaceuticals Inc. from March 2016 to February 2019, and provided consulting services to scPharmaceuticals Inc. in February and March 2016. Mr. Ignelzi previously served as chief financial officer and as a member of the executive leadership teams at Juventas Therapeutics Inc., a privately held biotechnology company, from October 2014 to February 2016. From October 2013 to October 2014, Mr. Ignelzi served as Senior Vice President—Operations and Business Development of Pharmalex GmbH. Prior to Pharmalex, Mr. Ignelzi was vice president—business development at Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., a public pharmaceutical company, from January 2009 to September 2013. Mr. Ignelzi is currently on the board of directors of several private companies. Mr. Ignelzi has a B.S. in Accounting from Ferris State University. We believe Mr. Ignelzi’s experience in corporate finance and the biopharmaceutical industry qualifies him to serve on our board of directors.

June Lee, M.D., has been elected to become a member of our board of directors upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Dr. Lee was most recently founder and chief executive officer of Esker Therapeutics until September 2021. Dr. Lee previously served as the executive vice president and chief development officer of MyoKardia, Inc. from January 2019 to June 2020, and was the chief operating officer from February 2017 until January 2019, and the chief development officer from October 2017 to January 2019. From April 2011 until February 2017, Dr. Lee served on the faculty of the University of California, San Francisco, or UCSF, where she was director of the Catalyst program at the Clinical and Translational Science Institute and a professor in the School of Medicine, and was responsible for overall strategy and operations for enabling and supporting translational research at the university. Catalyst is an internal UCSF accelerator for therapeutics, devices, diagnostics, and digital health technologies. Prior to UCSF, Dr. Lee was a disease area lead, early clinical development, at Genentech, Inc. from 2006 to 2011, where she was responsible for all strategy and activities as well as management of staff, budget, and resource allocation in the early clinical development group in multiple therapeutic areas. Dr. Lee served as a medical director in the clinical development group at Genentech, Inc. from 2004 to 2006, where she was responsible for clinical activities for licensed product of the company. She currently serves on Johns Hopkins University Center for Therapeutic Translation’s Advisory Board, serves on the board of directors of Tenaya Therapeutics Inc, Eledon Pharmaceuticals Inc. and GenEdit, and is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Foresite Labs. Dr. Lee holds a B.A. in chemistry from Johns Hopkins University and an M.D. from the University of California, Davis. We believe that Dr. Lee is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on her expertise in clinical development and the biopharmaceutical industry.

Jason Pitts, Ph.D., has served as a member of our board of directors since September 2021. Dr. Pitts has served as a Vice President at General Atlantic since March 2021. Dr. Pitts previously was employed by Sofinnova Investments, serving as a principal from June 2019 to January 2021 and an associate from January 2018 to May 2019. Prior to joining Sofinnova Investments, Dr. Pitts worked at McKinsey & Company as an associate from February 2016 to January 2018. Dr. Pitts received a B.S. in neuroscience from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Rockefeller University. We believe that Dr. Pitts is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his expertise in corporate governance, financing and financial matters and his investment experience in the health care industry.

John F. Thero has served as a member of our board of directors since May 2021. Mr. Thero was president and chief executive officer of Amarin Corporation plc from January 2014 through July 2021 after previously

 

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serving as that company’s president, commencing in 2010, and its chief financial officer, commencing in 2009. Mr. Thero also served on the board of directors of Amarin Corporation plc throughout his tenure as its chief executive officer and on the board of directors of Chiasma, Inc. from November 2015 until that company was acquired in August 2021. Prior to his tenure at Amarin Corporation plc, Mr. Thero served as chief financial officer of at ViaCell, Inc., and Abiomed, Inc., where he held multiple positions of increasing responsibility, including serving as its senior vice president of business operations and chief financial officer. Mr. Thero began his professional career at Arthur Andersen LLP. Mr. Thero has a B.A. in economics and accounting from The College of the Holy Cross. In 2019, Mr. Thero was awarded EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year for Life Sciences. We believe Mr. Thero is qualified to serve on our board of directors based on his operational and financial background, including his over 25 years of experience in the life sciences industry.

Board Composition

Our business and affairs are managed under the direction of our board of directors. Our board of directors currently consists of seven members and following completion of this offering and appointment of Dr. Lee, will consist of eight members. Our directors were elected to, and currently serve on, the board pursuant to a voting agreement among us and all of our stockholders and voting rights granted by our current amended and restated certificate of incorporation. The voting agreement will terminate upon the closing of this offering, after which there will be no further contractual obligations regarding the election of our directors.

In accordance with our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect upon the closing of this offering, our board of directors will be divided into three classes, each of which will consist, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total number of directors constituting our entire board and which will serve staggered three-year terms. At each annual meeting of stockholders, the successors to directors whose terms then expire will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following election. Our directors will be divided among the three classes as follows:

 

  •  

Class I, which will consist of Dr. Allison and Dr. Pitts, and their terms will expire at our first annual meeting of stockholders to be held after the closing of this offering;

 

  •  

Class II, which will consist of Ms. Bhaman, Mr. de Garidel and Dr. Healy, and their terms will expire at our second annual meeting of stockholders to be held after the closing of this offering; and

 

  •  

Class III, which will consist of Mr. Ignelzi, Dr. Lee and Mr. Thero, and their terms will expire at our third annual meeting of stockholders to be held after the closing of this offering.

Our amended and restated bylaws, which will become effective upon the closing of this offering, will provide that the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution approved by a majority of our board of directors. Any additional directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors will be distributed among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of one-third of the directors. The division of our board of directors into three classes with staggered three-year terms may delay or prevent a change of our management or a change of control.

Director Independence

Applicable Nasdaq rules and regulations, or the Nasdaq Listing Rules, require a majority of a listed company’s board of directors to be composed of independent directors within one year of listing. In addition, the Nasdaq Listing Rules require that, subject to specified exceptions, each member of a listed company’s audit, compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees be independent and that audit committee members also satisfy independence criteria set forth in Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. The Nasdaq independence definition includes a series of objective tests, such as that the director is not, and has not been for at least three years, one of our employees, that neither the director nor any of

 

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his family members has engaged in various types of business dealings with us and that the director is not associated with the holders of more than 5% of our common stock. In addition, under applicable Nasdaq Listing Rules, a director will only qualify as an “independent director” if, in the opinion of the listed company’s board of directors, that person does not have a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.

Our board of directors has determined that all of our directors other than Mr. de Garidel, representing seven of our eight directors following completion of this offering and the appointment of Dr. Lee, are “independent directors” as defined under applicable Nasdaq Listing Rules. In making such determination, our board of directors considered the current and prior relationships that each such director has with our company and all other facts and circumstances that our board of directors deemed relevant in determining his or her independence, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by each director and the transactions described in the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”

There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers.

Role of the Board in Risk Oversight

One of the key functions of our board of directors is informed oversight of our risk management process. Our board of directors does not have a standing risk management committee, but rather administers this oversight function directly through the board of directors as a whole, as well as through various standing committees of our board of directors that address risks inherent in their respective areas of oversight. In particular, our board of directors is responsible for monitoring and assessing strategic risk exposure. Following the completion of this offering, we intend for our audit committee to have the responsibility to consider and discuss our major financial risk exposures and the steps our management has taken to monitor and control these exposures, including guidelines and policies to govern the process by which risk assessment and management is undertaken. The audit committee will also monitor compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Board Committees

Our board of directors has established an audit committee, compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee, each of which operate pursuant to a committee charter. Our board of directors may establish other committees to facilitate the management of our business. The composition and functions of each committee are described below.

Audit Committee

Upon the completion of this offering, our audit committee will consist of Mr. Ignelzi, Dr. Allison and Ms. Bhaman, with Mr. Ignelzi, serving as chair of the audit committee. Our board of directors has determined that each of these individuals meets the independence requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, and the applicable listing standards of Nasdaq. Each member of our audit committee can read and understand fundamental financial statements in accordance with Nasdaq audit committee requirements. Our board of directors has also determined that Mr. Ignelzi qualifies as an audit committee financial expert within the meaning of SEC regulations and meets the financial sophistication requirements of the Nasdaq Listing Rules. In arriving at these determinations, the board has examined each audit committee member’s scope of experience and the nature of their prior and/or current employment.

The functions of this committee include, among other things:

 

  •  

helping our board of directors oversee our corporate accounting and financial reporting processes;

 

  •  

managing the selection, engagement, qualifications, independence and performance of a qualified firm to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit our financial statements;

 

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  •  

discussing the scope and results of the audit with the independent registered public accounting firm, and reviewing, with management and the independent accountants, our interim and year-end operating results;

 

  •  

developing procedures for employees to submit concerns anonymously about questionable accounting or audit matters;

 

  •  

reviewing related person transactions;

 

  •  

obtaining and reviewing a report by the independent registered public accounting firm at least annually that describes our internal quality control procedures, any material issues with such procedures and any steps taken to deal with such issues when required by applicable law; and

 

  •  

approving or, as permitted, pre-approving, audit and permissible non-audit services to be performed by the independent registered public accounting firm.

We believe that the composition and functioning of our audit committee will comply with all applicable SEC and Nasdaq rules and regulations. We intend to comply with future requirements to the extent they become applicable to us.

Compensation Committee

Upon the completion of this offering, our compensation committee will consist of Mr. Thero and Drs. Healy and Lee, with Mr. Thero, serving as chair of the compensation committee. Each of these individuals is a non-employee director, as defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Our board of directors has determined that each of these individuals is “independent” as defined under the applicable listing standards of Nasdaq, including the standards specific to members of a compensation committee. The functions of this committee include, among other things:

 

  •  

reviewing, modifying and approving (or if it deems appropriate, making recommendations to the full board of directors regarding) our overall compensation strategy and policies;

 

  •  

making recommendations to the full board of directors regarding the compensation and other terms of employment of our executive officers;

 

  •  

reviewing and making recommendations to the full board of directors regarding performance goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of our executive officers and assessing their performance against these goals and objectives;

 

  •  

reviewing and approving (or if it deems it appropriate, making recommendations to the full board of directors regarding) the equity incentive plans, compensation plans and similar programs advisable for us, as well as modifying, amending or terminating existing plans and programs;

 

  •  

evaluating risks associated with our compensation policies and practices and assessing whether risks arising from our compensation policies and practices for our employees are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us;

 

  •  

reviewing and making recommendations to the full board of directors regarding the type and amount of compensation to be paid or awarded to our non-employee board members;

 

  •  

establishing policies with respect to votes by our stockholders to approve executive compensation to the extent required by Section 14A of the Exchange Act and, if applicable, determining our recommendations regarding the frequency of advisory votes on executive compensation;

 

  •  

reviewing and assessing the independence of compensation consultants, legal counsel and other advisors as required by Section 10C of the Exchange Act;

 

  •  

administering our equity incentive plans;

 

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  •  

establishing policies with respect to equity compensation arrangements;

 

  •  

reviewing the competitiveness of our executive compensation programs and evaluating the effectiveness of our compensation policy and strategy in achieving expected benefits to us;

 

  •  

reviewing and making recommendations to the full board of directors regarding the terms of any employment agreements, severance arrangements, change in control protections and any other compensatory arrangements for our executive officers;

 

  •  

reviewing with management and approving our disclosures under the caption “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” in our periodic reports or proxy statements to be filed with the SEC, to the extent such caption is included in any such report or proxy statement;

 

  •  

preparing the report that the SEC requires in our annual proxy statement; and

 

  •  

reviewing and evaluating on an annual basis the performance of the compensation committee and the compensation committee charter.

We believe that the composition and functioning of our compensation committee will comply with all applicable SEC and Nasdaq rules and regulations. We intend to comply with future requirements to the extent they become applicable to us.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Upon the completion of this offering, our nominating and corporate governance committee will consist of Mr. Thero and Drs. Healy and Pitts, with Dr. Healy, serving as chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee. Our board of directors has determined that each of these individuals is “independent” as defined under the applicable listing standards of Nasdaq and SEC rules and regulations. The functions of this committee include, among other things:

 

  •  

identifying, reviewing and evaluating candidates to serve on our board of directors;

 

  •  

determining the minimum qualifications for service on our board of directors;

 

  •  

evaluating director performance on the board and applicable committees of the board and determining whether continued service on our board is appropriate;

 

  •  

evaluating, nominating and recommending individuals for membership on our board of directors;

 

  •  

evaluating nominations by stockholders of candidates for election to our board of directors;

 

  •  

considering and assessing the independence of members of our board of directors;

 

  •  

developing a set of corporate governance policies and principles and recommending to our board of directors any changes to such policies and principles;

 

  •  

reviewing and making recommendations to the board of directors with respect to management succession planning;

 

  •  

considering questions of possible conflicts of interest of directors as such questions arise; and

 

  •  

reviewing and evaluating on an annual basis the performance of the nominating and corporate governance committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee charter.

We believe that the composition and functioning of our nominating and corporate governance committee will comply with all applicable SEC and Nasdaq rules and regulations. We intend to comply with future requirements to the extent they become applicable to us.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

None of our directors who serve as a member of our compensation committee is, or has at any time during the past year been, one of our officers or employees. None of our executive officers currently serves, or in the

 

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past year has served, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any other entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors or compensation committee.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

Effective upon the closing of this offering, we will adopt a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, or the Code of Ethics, applicable to all of our employees, executive officers and directors. This includes our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. Following the closing of this offering, the full text of the Code of Ethics will be available on our website at www.cincor.com. We intend to post on our website all disclosures that are required by law or the listing standards of the Nasdaq Global Market concerning any amendments to, or waivers from, any provision of the Code of Ethics. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We have included our website in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

Non-Employee Director Compensation

Prior to this offering, we did not have a formal director compensation policy or pay compensation to any of our non-employee directors. While we did not have a formal director compensation policy, in connection with the appointments of Troy Ignelzi and John Thero to our board of directors in May 2021, we granted each of them a stock option award of 36,324 shares of common stock. In addition, in December 2021, we granted Mr. Ignelzi and Mr. Thero a stock option award of 58,823 shares of common stock and each of our other non-employee directors a stock option award of 29,411 shares of common stock. We do reimburse all of our non-employee directors for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending board of directors and committee meetings, attending functions on our behalf and in performance of their duties as directors. No other compensation was earned by or paid to our non-employee directors for fiscal year 2021. The compensation of Mr. de Garidel as a named executive officer is set forth in the section titled “Executive Compensation;” he does not receive any additional compensation for his service as a director.

In anticipation of this offering and the increased responsibilities of our directors as directors of a public company, our board of directors has adopted a formal non-employee director compensation policy, to become effective on the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, pursuant to which each of our directors who is not an employee or consultant of our company will be eligible to receive compensation for his or her service on our board of directors and committees of our board of directors.

Cash Compensation

Commencing at the beginning of the first calendar quarter following the closing of our IPO, each non-employee director was entitled to the following cash compensation for their services:

Each eligible director will receive an annual cash retainer of $40,000 for serving on our board of directors and the independent chairperson of the board of directors will receive an additional annual cash retainer of $25,000 for his or her service. The chairperson of the audit committee will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $20,000, the chairperson of the compensation committee will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $15,000 and the chairperson of the nominating and corporate governance committee will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $10,000. The members of the audit committee will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $10,000, the members of the compensation committee will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $7,500 and the members of the nominating and corporate governance committee will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $5,000; however, in each case, such cash retainer is payable only to members who are not the chairperson of such committee. All annual cash compensation amounts will be payable in equal quarterly installments in arrears, on the last day of each fiscal quarter in which the service occurred, pro-rated for any partial service in the applicable fiscal year.

 

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Equity Compensation

In addition to cash compensation, each non-employee director is eligible to receive options under the 2022 Plan. Each option granted under the policy is a non-statutory stock option and has an exercise price per share equal to the fair market value of a common share on the date of grant. Any options granted under this policy have a term of ten years from the date of grant, subject to earlier termination in connection with a termination of the eligible director’s continuous service with us. Vesting schedules for equity awards are subject to the non-employee director’s continuous service on each applicable vesting date.

Each eligible director may elect to receive all, but not less than all, of their annual cash retainer in the form of a non-statutory stock option award. On the last day of each calendar quarter during a year in which an election is made, each eligible director who makes such an election will be automatically granted a fully vested non-statutory stock option to purchase a number of shares of our common stock with an aggregate Black-Scholes option value equal to the eligible director’s quarterly cash retainer.

Initial Award

Each new eligible director who first joins our board of directors after this offering will automatically, upon the date of his or her initial election or appointment to be a non-employee director, be granted an initial non-statutory stock option to purchase a number of shares of our common stock with an aggregate Black-Scholes option value of $375,000 under our 2022 Plan. The shares subject to this grant will vest in equal annual installments over a three year period, subject to continued service as a director through each such vesting date.

Annual Awards

On the date of each annual meeting of our stockholders, each eligible director who continues to serve as a director of our company following the meeting will automatically be granted a non-statutory stock option to purchase shares of our common stock with an aggregate Black-Scholes option value of $250,000 under our 2022 Plan. The option will vest in full on the earlier of (x) the one-year anniversary of the date of grant and (y) the date of the Company’s next annual stockholder meeting, subject to (i) the non-employee director’s continuous service through each applicable vesting date and (ii) that no annual award will be granted to a non-employee director in the same calendar year that such director received his or her initial grant.

Following the effective date, if an eligible director joins our board of directors on a date other than the date of our annual stockholder meeting, upon the first annual stockholder meeting following such eligible director’s appointment of election to the board of directors, such eligible director’s annual grant will be pro-rated to reflect the time between the eligible director’s appointment or election date and the date of such first annual stockholder meeting. The shares shall vest in full on the earlier of the one-year anniversary of the grant date or the date of the next annual stockholder meeting, subject to continued service as a director through such vesting date.

In addition, we will reimburse eligible directors for ordinary, necessary and reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses to cover in-person attendance at and participation in board and committee meetings.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any member of our board of directors that is entitled to the above compensation may elect to forego all or a portion of such compensation from time to time.

 

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Overview

The following table shows the total compensation awarded to, earned by, or paid to during the year ended December 31, 2021 to (1) the two individuals who served as our principal executive officer during fiscal year 2021; and (2) our two next most highly compensated executive officers who earned more than $100,000 during fiscal year 2021 and were serving as executive officers as of December 31, 2021. We refer to these individuals in this prospectus as our named executive officers.

Our named executive officers for 2021 are:

 

  •  

Marc de Garidel, our Chief Executive Officer who joined us in July 2021;

 

  •  

Jonathan Isaacsohn, M.D., FACC, our former Chief Executive Officer who served as our principal executive officer until his resignation in July 2021;

 

  •  

Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A., our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer; and

 

  •  

Mason Freeman, M.D., our Executive Vice President, Clinical Development.

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth information regarding compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to our named executive officers for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2021.

 

Name and Principal Position

  Year     Salary
($)(1)
    Bonus($)     Option
Awards($)(2)
    Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation($)
    All Other
Compensation($)
    Total($)  

Marc de Garidel(4)

    2021       250,000       —       8,807,859       (3 )      30,355 (5)      9,088,214  

Chief Executive Officer

             

Jonathan Isaacsohn, M.D., FACC(6)

    2021       207,385       —       1,313,057       (3 )      —       1,520,442  

Former Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer

    2020       350,972 (7)      —       —       (3 )      —       350,972  

Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A.(8)

    2021       70,385       50,000 (9)      2,697,244       (3 )      16,165 (10)      2,833,794  

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer

             

Mason Freeman, M.D.(11)

    2021       80,000       —       1,783,119       (3 )      2,000 (12)      1,865,119  

Executive Vice President, Clinical Development

             

 

(1)

Salary amounts represent actual amounts paid during 2021. See “—Narrative to the Summary Compensation Table—Annual Base Salary” below.

(2)

Represents the aggregate grant date fair value of option awards granted during the applicable fiscal year, computed in accordance with ASC Topic 718. See Note 2 to our audited financial statements and Note 2 to our unaudited condensed financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for a discussion of the assumptions made by us in determining the grant date fair value of our equity awards. These amounts do not reflect the actual economic value that will be realized by the named executive officer upon vesting of the stock options, the exercise of the stock options, or the sale of the common stock underlying such stock options.

 

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(3)

Reflects performance-based cash bonuses awarded to our named executive officers. See “—Narrative to Summary Compensation Table—Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” below for a description of the material terms of the program pursuant to which this compensation will be awarded. The 2021 target performance-based cash bonus for each of Mr. de Garidel, Ms. Coelho and Dr. Freeman (pro-rated for the portion of fiscal 2021 in which he or she was employed by us) is $131,507, $35,137 and $31,562, respectively. The determination of the actual full bonus amount earned by Mr. de Garidel, Ms. Coelho and Dr. Freeman in 2021 has not yet been determined. The compensation committee expects to determine such bonus awards no later than March 31, 2022, and the amounts of these awards will be disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K under Item 5.02(f) once the amounts are determined.

(4)

Mr. de Garidel was appointed our Chief Executive Officer in July 2021. Mr. de Garidel is also a member of our board of directors but does not receive any additional compensation in his capacity as a director.

(5)

Represents (i) company matching contributions to a 401(k) savings plan in the amount of $5,000; and (ii) payment for a visa application for Mr. de Garidel and reimbursement for legal fees incurred in connection with his visa application in the aggregate amount of $25,355.

(6)

Dr. Isaacsohn served as our Chief Executive Officer during fiscal year 2021 until his resignation in July 2021. He was appointed our Chief Scientific Officer in July 2021, and was terminated from that position in November 2021. Dr. Isaacsohn worked on a part-time basis for us (approximately 80%).

(7)

Dr. Isaacsohn is an officer and an employee of CinRx Pharma, LLC, or CinRx, and as an officer and employee of CinRx also provided services to CinRx or its subsidiaries and received compensation from CinRx in addition to compensation from us. Of the amounts set forth above, $260,860 was paid to Dr. Isaacsohn by CinRx for services attributed to us pursuant to the terms of the amended and restated management services agreement with CinRx described further in the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions – CinRx Pharma, LLC”.

(8)

Ms. Coelho was appointed as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer in November 2021.

(9)

Represents the payment to Ms. Coelho of a $50,000 signing bonus pursuant to terms of her offer letter with us. See “— Employment Arrangements with Our Named Executive Officers—Mary Theresa Coelho.”

(10)

Represents (i) company matching contributions to a 401(k) savings plan in the amount of $4,816; and (ii) reimbursement for legal fees incurred in connection with the review of her employment agreement in the aggregate amount of $11,350.

(11)

Dr. Freeman was appointed as our Executive Vice President, Clinical Development in August 2021.

(12)

Represents company matching contributions to a 401(k) savings plan.

Narrative to the Summary Compensation Table

Our board of directors has historically reviewed compensation annually for all employees, including our named executive officers. In July 2021, the board established a compensation committee to assist with the board’s oversight responsibilities with respect to our compensation policies, plans and programs, administration of our equity plans and our responsibilities related to the compensation of our executive officers, directors and senior management, as appropriate. According to the terms of its charter, the compensation committee will review and determine the compensation for all executives other than our chief executive officer, and will review and recommend to the board for approval the compensation and other terms of employment of our chief executive officer. Our compensation committee typically reviews and discusses management’s proposed compensation with the chief executive officer for all executives other than the chief executive officer. Based on those discussions and its discretion, the compensation committee then approves the compensation of each executive officer (other than the chief executive officer) after discussions without members of management present.

In setting executive base salaries and bonuses and granting equity incentive awards, we consider compensation for comparable positions in the market, the historical compensation levels of our executives, individual performance as compared to our expectations and objectives, our desire to motivate our employees to achieve short- and long-term results that are in the best interests of our stockholders and a long-term commitment to our company.

We generally do not provide perquisites or personal benefits except in limited circumstances.

 

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Annual Base Salary

The annual base salaries of our named executive officers are generally determined, approved and reviewed periodically by our compensation committee in order to compensate our named executive officers for the satisfactory performance of duties to our company. Annual base salaries are intended to provide a fixed component of compensation to our named executive officers, reflecting their skill sets, experience, roles and responsibilities. Base salaries for our named executive officers have generally been set at levels deemed necessary to attract and retain individuals with superior talent.

The following table sets forth the annual base salaries for our named executive officers for 2021 and 2022.

 

Name

   2021
Base Salary
($)
     2022
Base Salary
($)
 

Marc de Garidel(1)

     500,000        500,000  

Jonathan Isaacsohn(2)

     480,000        N/A  

Mary Theresa Coelho

     450,000        450,000  

Mason Freeman

     200,000        350,000  

 

(1)

Mr. de Garidel was appointed as our Chief Executive Officer in July 2021.

(2)

Dr. Isaacsohn was appointed as our Chief Scientific Officer in July 2021 and previously served as our Chief Executive Officer. His salary did not change in connection with his position change. Dr. Isaacsohn worked on a part-time basis for us (approximately 80%) and received an annualized salary of $480,000. He was terminated from his position as our Chief Scientific Officer in November 2021.

Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation

We seek to motivate and reward our executives for achievements relative to our corporate goals and expectations for each fiscal year. In accordance with the terms of their respective employment agreements, our named executive officers are eligible to receive discretionary annual bonuses of up to a percentage of each executive’s gross base salary based on individual performance, company performance or as otherwise determined appropriate, as determined by the compensation committee of our board of directors.

The board of directors previously approved specified company and individual performance metrics for annual bonuses for our executives for fiscal 2021. Mr. de Garidel, Ms. Coelho and Dr. Freeman are each eligible to receive a pro-rated bonus award for the portion of 2021 during which he or she was employed by us. Dr. Isaacsohn was not eligible for performance-based cash bonus award as he was not employed for the full year ended December 31, 2021. The compensation committee has not yet determined the percentage attainment of these metrics for 2021. The compensation committee expects to determine such actual bonus amounts no later than March 31, 2022, and the amounts of these awards will be disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K under Item 5.02(f) once the amounts are determined.

The following table sets forth the bonus target percentage for our named executive officers for 2021 and 2022.

 

Name

   2021
Bonus
Target
(%)
     2022
Bonus
Target
(%)
 

Marc de Garidel

     40        50  

Jonathan Isaacsohn(1)

     N/A        N/A  

Mary Theresa Coelho

     50        50  

Mason Freeman

     40        40  

 

(1)

Dr. Isaacsohn is not eligible for a bonus following his termination in November 2021.

 

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Equity-Based Incentive Awards

Our equity-based incentive awards granted to our named executive officers are designed to align our interests and those of our stockholders with those of our employees and consultants, including our executive officers. As of the date of this prospectus, stock option awards were the only form of equity awards we have granted to any of our executive officers.

We have historically used stock options as an incentive for long-term compensation to our executive officers because the stock options allow our executive officers to profit from this form of equity compensation only if our stock price increases relative to the stock option’s exercise price, which exercise price is set at the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. Vesting of equity awards is generally tied to each officer’s continuous service with us and serves as an additional retention measure. We may grant equity awards at such times as our board of directors or compensation committee determines appropriate. Our executives generally are awarded an initial grant in the form of a stock option award in connection with their commencement of employment with us. Additional grants may occur periodically in order to specifically incentivize executives with respect to achieving certain corporate goals or to reward executives for exceptional performance.

Prior to this offering, we have granted all stock options pursuant to our 2019 Stock Option Plan, or the 2019 Plan. Following this offering, we will grant equity incentive awards under the terms of the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, or the 2022 Plan. The terms of our equity plans are described below under “—Equity Incentive Plans.”

All options are granted with an exercise price per share that is no less than the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant of such award. Our stock option awards generally vest over a four-year period and may be subject to acceleration of vesting and exercisability under certain termination and change in control events. See “— Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End.”

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

The following table sets forth certain information about outstanding equity awards granted to our named executive officers that remain outstanding as of December 31, 2021. All awards were granted pursuant to the 2019 Plan. See “—Equity Incentive Plans—2019 Plan” below for additional information.

 

Name and Principal

Position

   Grant Date      Vesting
Commencement
Date
     Number of
Securities
Underlying
Option Award (#)
    Option
Exercise
Price
($)(1)
     Option
Expiration
Date
 

Marc de Garidel

     6/18/2021        5/5/2021        726,483 (2)      5.82        6/17/2031  
     11/4/2021        8/5/2021        601,901 (2)      7.62        11/3/2031  

Jonathan Isaacsohn(3)

     N/A        N/A        N/A       N/A        N/A  

Mary Theresa Coelho

     11/4/2021        3/1/2021        22,058 (4)      7.62        11/3/2031  
     11/4/2021        3/1/2021        332,096 (2)      7.62        11/3/2031  

Mason Freeman

     9/25/2019        7/10/2019        30,178 (4)      0.92        9/24/2029  
     8/13/2021        8/9/2021        145,296 (2)      5.82        8/12/2031  
     11/4/2021        11/4/2021        120,380 (2)      7.62        11/3/2031  

 

(1)

All of the option awards listed in the table were granted with an exercise price per share that is no less than the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant of such award, as determined in good faith by our board of directors.

(2)

25% of the shares vest on the one-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date, with the remainder of the shares vesting in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to the recipient’s continuous service through each applicable vesting date.

(3)

Dr. Isaacsohn’s unvested options expired in connection with his termination in November 2021.

(4)

100% of the shares vest on March 1, 2022.

 

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(5)

The shares subject to the option vest in 36 monthly installments measured from the vesting commencement date, subject to the recipient’s continuous service through each applicable vesting date.

See “—Potential Payments and Benefits upon Termination or Change of Control” for a description of vesting acceleration applicable to stock options held by our named executive officers.

We may in the future, on an annual basis or otherwise, grant additional equity awards to our executive officers pursuant to our equity incentive plans, the terms of which are described below under “—Equity Incentive Plans.”

Equity Awards Relating to the Completion of this Offering

Contingent and effective upon the execution of the underwriting agreement for this offering, we intend to grant an aggregate of 30,148 restricted stock units to Ms. Pearce, one of our executive officers, and another one of our employees under the 2022 Plan. Of these restricted stock units, 26,471 restricted stock units will be awarded to Ms. Pearce. The restricted stock units will vest in two equal annual installments on the anniversary of the execution of the underwriting agreement, subject to the recipient’s continuous service with us as of each such vesting date.

Health and Welfare Benefits

All of our current named executive officers are eligible to participate in our employee benefit plans, including our medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance plans, in each case on the same basis as all of our other salaried employees.

401(k) Plan

Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in our 401(k) plan that provides eligible U.S. employees with an opportunity to save for retirement on a tax advantaged basis. Eligible employees may defer a portion of their salary. Deferrals are subject to the limitations of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or the Code, with an annual match of up to 4% of the amount deferred, subject to the limitations of the Code.

Perquisites and Other Personal Benefits

We do not view perquisites or other personal benefits as a significant component of our executive compensation program. We only provide limited perquisites or personal benefits to our named executive officers which are benefits available generally to salaried employees.

Employment Arrangements with Our Current Named Executive Officers

We have entered into employment agreements with each of Mr. de Garidel, Ms. Coelho and Dr. Freeman which will become effective upon, and are contingent upon, the pricing date of the Company’s initial public offering. The agreements set forth the terms and conditions of each executive’s employment with us, including base salary, bonus opportunity, eligibility for employee benefits and severance benefits upon a qualifying termination of employment, and certain non-solicitation and non-competition provisions. Any potential payments and benefits due upon a qualifying termination of employment or a change in control are further described below under “— Potential Payments and Benefits upon Termination or Change in Control.”

The employment of each of our named executive officers may be terminated at any time in accordance with the terms of the respective agreements. In addition, each of our named executive officers has executed a form of our standard proprietary information and inventions agreement. The material terms of each agreement are described below.

 

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Marc de Garidel. We entered into an amended and restated employment agreement dated December 29, 2021, that will take effect upon, and is contingent upon, the pricing date of the Company’s initial public offering, setting forth the terms of Mr. de Garidel’s employment as Chief Executive Officer. The amended and restated employment agreement superseded the employment agreement with the Company that was effective May 5, 2021. Pursuant to the amended and restated employment agreement, Mr. de Garidel is entitled to an annual base salary of $500,000. Mr. de Garidel’s amended and restated employment agreement also provides for an annual target bonus of up to 50% of his base salary, to be applied beginning for calendar year 2022. Receipt of an annual bonus is subject to achievement of individual and company-wide annual performance goals, as set by our board of directors following reasonable consultation with Mr. de Garidel.

Under Mr. de Garidel’s amended and restated employment agreement, if he resigns for “good reason” or we terminate Mr. de Garidel’s employment without “cause” (each as defined in the amended and restated employment agreement, and excluding a termination on account of Mr. de Garidel’s death or disability), and if such termination or resignation is not in connection with a “change in control” (as defined in the Company’s 2019 Stock Option Plan, or any successor equity incentive plan), then Mr. de Garidel will be eligible to receive (i) continued payment of his base salary for 12 months following the termination (less applicable tax withholdings), (ii) COBRA premium coverage for up to 12 months, (iii) a bonus for the year prior to the year of termination, if not yet paid at the time of termination, to the extent otherwise earned but for his termination, paid in a lump sum, (iv) a prorated bonus for the year of termination, paid in a lump sum, and (v) 12 months’ of accelerated vesting of Mr. de Garidel’s unvested time-based equity awards. As a condition to receiving the foregoing severance benefits, Mr. de Garidel must sign and not revoke a general release contained in a separation agreement in the reasonable form presented by the Company, return all company property and confidential information in his possession, comply with his post-termination obligations, and resign from any positions held with the Company.

Under Mr. de Garidel’s amended and restated employment agreement, if he resigns for “good reason” or we terminate Mr. de Garidel’s employment without “cause” (each as defined in the amended and restated employment agreement , and excluding a termination on account of Mr. de Garidel’s death or disability), and if such termination or resignation occurs during the Change in Control Measurement Period (as defined in the amended and restated employment agreement), then Mr. de Garidel will be eligible to receive (i) continued payment of his base salary for 18 months following the termination (less applicable tax withholdings), (ii) COBRA premium coverage for up to 18 months, (iii) a bonus for the year prior to the year of termination, if not yet paid at the time of termination, to the extent otherwise earned but for his termination, paid in a lump sum, (iv) a prorated bonus for the year of termination, paid in a lump sum, and (v) full acceleration of the vesting of Mr. de Garidel’s unvested equity awards. As a condition to receiving the foregoing severance benefits, Mr. de Garidel must sign and not revoke a general release contained in a separation agreement in the reasonable form presented by the Company, return all company property and confidential information in his possession, comply with his post-termination obligations, and resign from any positions held with the Company.

Under Mr. de Garidel’s amended and restated employment agreement, if payments and benefits payable to Mr. de Garidel in connection with a change in control are subject to Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, then such payments and benefits will be reduced to an amount determined by us in good faith to be the maximum amount that may be provided to Mr. de Garidel so that the Section 4999 excise tax does not apply or Mr. de Garidel receives the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that some or all of the payment or benefit may be subject to excise tax.

Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A. We entered into an amended and restated employment agreement dated December 30, 2021, that will take effect upon, and is contingent upon, the pricing date of the Company’s initial public offering, setting forth the terms of Ms. Coelho’s employment as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer. The amended and restated employment agreement superseded the employment terms with the Company dated October 10, 2021. Pursuant to the amended and restated employment agreement, Ms. Coelho is entitled to an annual base salary of $450,000. Ms. Coelho’s amended and

 

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restated employment agreement also provides for an annual target bonus of up to 50% of her base salary. Receipt of an annual bonus is subject to achievement of individual and company-wide annual performance goals, as set by our board of directors following reasonable consultation with Ms. Coelho.

Pursuant to the terms of Ms. Coelho’s amended and restated employment agreement, so long as Ms. Coelho’s primary residence is in North Carolina, or another East Coast location, Ms. Coelho is entitled to reimbursement for reasonable costs incurred in commuting between her home in North Carolina, or such other East Coast location, and our offices in the Boston, Massachusetts area, including reasonable lodging in the Boston, Massachusetts area, in a combined maximum gross amount of $9,000 per month or such other amount agreed to in writing between Ms. Coelho and Mr. de Garidel, subject to revision over time in view of business needs.

Under Ms. Coelho’s amended and restated employment agreement, if she resigns for “good reason” or we terminate Ms. Coelho’s employment without “cause” (each as defined in the amended and restated employment agreement, and excluding a termination on account of Ms. Coelho’s death or disability), and if such termination or resignation is not in connection with a “change in control” (as defined in the Company’s 2019 Stock Option Plan, or any successor equity incentive plan), then Ms. Coelho will be eligible to receive (i) continued payment of her base salary for 12 months following the termination (less applicable tax withholdings), (ii) COBRA premium coverage for up to 12 months, (iii) a bonus for the year prior to the year of termination, if not yet paid at the time of termination, to the extent otherwise earned but for her termination, paid in a lump sum, (iv) a prorated bonus for the year of termination, paid in a lump sum, and (v) if such termination or resignation occurs before March 1, 2022, full acceleration of the vesting of Ms. Coelho’s option to purchase 75,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. As a condition to receiving the foregoing severance benefits, Ms. Coelho must sign and not revoke a general release contained in a separation agreement in the reasonable form presented by the Company, return all company property and confidential information in her possession, comply with her post-termination obligations, and resign from any positions held with the Company.

Under Ms. Coelho’s amended and restated employment agreement, if she resigns for “good reason” or we terminate Ms. Coelho’s employment without “cause” (each as defined in the amended and restated employment agreement, and excluding a termination on account of Ms. Coelho’s death or disability), and if such termination or resignation occurs during the Change in Control Measurement Period (as defined in the amended and restated employment agreement), then she will be entitled to the foregoing severance obligations and, in addition, she will be entitled to full acceleration of the vesting of her unvested equity awards. As a condition to receiving the foregoing severance benefits, Ms. Coelho must sign and not revoke a general release contained in a separation agreement in the reasonable form presented by the Company, return all company property and confidential information in her possession, comply with her post-termination obligations, and resign from any positions held with the Company.

Under Ms. Coelho’s amended and restated employment agreement, if payments and benefits payable to Ms. Coelho in connection with a change in control are subject to Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, then such payments and benefits will be reduced to an amount determined by us in good faith to be the maximum amount that may be provided to Ms. Coelho so that the Section 4999 excise tax does not apply or Ms. Coelho receives the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that some or all of the payment or benefit may be subject to excise tax.

Mason Freeman, M.D. We entered into an amended and restated employment agreement dated December 29, 2021, that will take effect upon, and is contingent upon, the pricing date of the Company’s initial public offering, setting forth the terms of Dr. Freeman’s employment as Executive Vice President, Clinical Development. The amended and restated employment agreement superseded the employment terms with the Company dated August 6, 2021. Pursuant to the amended and restated employment agreement, Dr. Freeman is entitled to an annual base salary of $350,000 . Dr. Freeman’s amended and restated employment agreement also provides for an annual target bonus of up to 40% of his base salary. Receipt of an annual bonus is subject to achievement of individual and company-wide annual performance goals, as set by our board of directors following reasonable consultation with Dr. Freeman.

 

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Under Dr. Freeman’s amended and restated employment agreement, if he resigns for “good reason” or we terminate Dr. Freeman’s employment without “cause” (each as defined in the amended and restated employment agreement, and excluding a termination on account of Dr. Freeman’s death or disability), and if such termination or resignation is not in connection with a “change in control” (as defined in the Company’s 2019 Stock Option Plan, or any successor equity incentive plan), then Dr. Freeman will be eligible to receive (i) continued payment of his base salary for 6 months following the termination (less applicable tax withholdings), (ii) COBRA premium coverage for up to 6 months, and (iii) a bonus for the year prior to the year of termination, if not yet paid at the time of termination, to the extent otherwise earned but for his termination, paid in a lump sum. As a condition to receiving the foregoing severance benefits, Dr. Freeman must sign and not revoke a general release contained in a separation agreement in the reasonable form presented by the Company, return all company property and confidential information in his possession, comply with his post-termination obligations, and resign from any positions held with the Company.

Under Dr. Freeman’s amended and restated employment agreement, if he resigns for “good reason” or we terminate Dr. Freeman’s employment without “cause” (each as defined in the amended and restated employment agreement, and excluding a termination on account of Dr. Freeman’s death or disability), and if such termination or resignation occurs during the Change in Control Measurement Period (as defined in the amended and restated employment agreement), then Dr. Freeman will be eligible to receive (i) continued payment of his base salary for 12 months following the termination (less applicable tax withholdings), (ii) COBRA premium coverage for up to 12 months, (iii) a bonus for the year prior to the year of termination, if not yet paid at the time of termination, to the extent otherwise earned but for his termination, paid in a lump sum, (iv) a prorated bonus for the year of termination, paid in a lump sum, and (v) full acceleration of the vesting of Dr. Freeman’s unvested equity awards. As a condition to receiving the foregoing severance benefits, Dr. Freeman must sign and not revoke a general release contained in a separation agreement in the reasonable form presented by the Company, return all company property and confidential information in his possession, comply with his post-termination obligations, and resign from any positions held with the Company.

Under Dr. Freeman’s amended and restated employment agreement, if payments and benefits payable to Dr. Freeman in connection with a change in control are subject to Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, then such payments and benefits will be reduced to an amount determined by us in good faith to be the maximum amount that may be provided to Dr. Freeman so that the Section 4999 excise tax does not apply or Dr. Freeman receives the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that some or all of the payment or benefit may be subject to excise tax.

Employment Arrangements with Jonathan Isaacsohn

Prior Compensatory Arrangements with Jonathan Isaacsohn

Prior to March 2021, we received and paid for services from the individuals who were then serving as our executive officers, including Dr. Isaacsohn, pursuant to the terms of a certain amended and restated management services agreement, or the Management Services Agreement, with CinRx. In May 2021, we entered into formal employment arrangements with certain then serving executives, including Dr. Isaacsohn, effective March 2021 which continued in effect until Dr. Isaacsohn was terminated in November 2021.

Amended and Restated Management Services Agreement with CinRx Pharma, LLC

In April 2020, we entered into the Management Services Agreement with CinRx, pursuant to which CinRx provides us with certain professional services. The Management Services Agreement had a term of two years, and was automatically renewable for successive one-year periods unless terminated. In exchange for services provided to us under the Management Services Agreement, we paid CinRx monthly fees for management services calculated based on costs incurred by CinRx in the provision of services to us, plus a reasonable mark-up. Accordingly, in terms of officer compensation, under the Management Services Agreement, we paid a

 

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portion of the executive’s salary as reflected in the respective footnote to the Summary Compensation Table and a portion of the executive’s salary was paid by CinRx. We provided notice to terminate the Management Services Agreement on November 4, 2021. Pursuant to the terms of the Master Services Agreement, the termination shall become effective no later than February 2, 2022. See the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions — CinRx Pharma, LLC” elsewhere in this prospectus for more information.

Potential Payments and Benefits upon Termination or Change in Control

Regardless of the manner in which the executive’s service with us terminates, each of Mr. de Garidel, Ms. Coelho and Dr. Freeman is entitled to receive amounts earned during his or her term of service, including unpaid salary and any vested entitlements under any employee benefit plan. Pursuant to the employment agreements we entered into with each of Mr. de Garidel, Ms. Coelho and Dr. Freeman, which will become effective, and are contingent upon, the pricing date of the Company’s initial public offering, each executive will be entitled to the payments and benefits upon a qualifying termination of employment or a change in control described above under “—Employment Arrangements with Our Current Named Executive Officers.”

Equity Incentive Plans

2019 Stock Option Plan

Our 2019 Stock Option Plan, or the 2019 Plan, was originally adopted by our board of directors and approved by our stockholders on May 6, 2019. No additional awards may be granted under the 2019 Plan, however, outstanding awards continue in full effect in accordance with their existing terms.

Awards. Our 2019 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options, or ISOs, to employees, and for the grant of non-statutory stock options, or NSOs to employees, directors, advisors, and consultants of the company or its subsidiaries.

Share Reserve. 3,453,801 shares of common stock were reserved for issuance under our 2019 Plan. As of September 30, 2021, options to purchase 1,487,538 shares of common stock, at exercise prices ranging from $0.92 to $13.60 per share, or a weighted average exercise price of $4.55 per share, were outstanding under our 2019 Plan. Shares subject to awards granted under our 2019 Plan that are cancelled, forfeited, settled in cash, used to pay withholding obligations, pay the exercise price of an option, or that expire by their terms at any time will again be available for grant and issuance in connection with other awards.

Plan Administration. The 2019 Plan is administered by our board of directors, or a duly authorized committee of its board of directors and is referred to as the “plan administrator” herein.

Stock Options. ISOs and NSOs are granted under stock option agreements adopted by the plan administrator. Each grant will specify an option price, provided that the option price generally cannot be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share on the date of grant. The plan administrator determines the term of stock options granted under the 2019 Plan, up to a maximum of 10 years. If an optionholder’s service relationship with us or any of our affiliates ceases for any reason other than disability, death, or cause the optionholder may generally exercise any vested options for a period of three months following the cessation of service. If an optionholder’s service relationship with us or any of our affiliates ceases due to death the optionholder or a beneficiary may generally exercise any vested options for a period of 12 months following the date of death. If an optionholder’s service relationship with us or any of our affiliates ceases due to disability, the optionholder may generally exercise any vested options for a period of 12 months following the cessation of service. In the event of a termination for cause, any option held by the optionholder will terminate immediately.

Tax Limitations on ISOs. The aggregate fair market value, determined at the time of grant, of our common stock with respect to ISOs that are exercisable for the first time by an option holder during any calendar year

 

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under all of our stock plans may not exceed $100,000. Options or portions thereof that exceed such limit will generally be treated as NSOs. No ISO may be granted to any person who, at the time of the grant, owns or is deemed to own stock possessing more than 10% of our total combined voting power or that of any of our affiliates unless (i) the option exercise price is at least 110% of the fair market value of the stock subject to the option on the date of grant; and (ii) the option is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date of grant.

Changes to Capital Structure. The board provides for adjustments in the option price and in the number or kind of shares or other securities covered by outstanding options, as the board in its sole discretion determines to be equitably required in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of participants that would otherwise result from any (a) stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization or other changes in the capital structure of the company, (b) merger, consolidation, separation, reorganization, partial or complete liquidation, issuance of rights or warrants to purchase stock, or (c) other corporate transaction or event having an effect similar to any of the foregoing.

Change in Control. In the event of a change in control, as defined under our 2019 Plan, the board may, in its sole discretion, and without the consent of any participant, take one or more of the following actions:

 

  •  

Cause any or all outstanding options to become vested and immediately exercisable, in whole or in

part;

 

  •  

Cause any or all outstanding unvested options to be cancelled without consideration therefore;

 

  •  

Cancel any option in exchange for a substitute option; or

 

  •  

Cancel any option in exchange for cash and/or other substitute consideration with a value equal to (a) the number of shares subject to the option, multiplied by (b) the difference, if any, between the fair market value per share on the date of the change in control and the exercise price of that option; provided, that if the fair market value per share on the date of the change in control does not exceed the exercise price of any such option, the board may cancel that option without payment of consideration.

Under our 2019 Plan, a change in control means a “deemed liquidation event” as defined in our certificate of incorporation, or if this term is not defined therein, it will mean: (i) a sale of all of the outstanding equity interests of the company to an unrelated person or entity; (ii) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the company on a consolidated basis to an unrelated person or entity; (iii) a merger, reorganization, or consolidation after which the holders of the voting stock of the company immediately prior to such transaction (and their related persons or entities) own less than 50% of the outstanding voting power of the surviving or resulting entity immediately upon completion of such transaction; or (iv) the dissolution or liquidation of the company.

Transferability. A participant may not transfer options under our 2019 Plan other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, or as otherwise provided under our 2019 Plan.

Plan Amendment or Termination. Our board has the authority to amend our 2019 Plan in whole or in part. No option may be granted pursuant to the 2019 Plan more than 10 years after the earlier of the date on which the 2019 Plan was first approved by the stockholders or was adopted by the board.

2022 Equity Incentive Plan

Our board of directors adopted, and our stockholders approved, our 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, or the 2022 Plan, in December 2021. Our 2022 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options, or ISOs, to employees, including employees of any parent or subsidiary, and for the grant of non-statutory stock options, or NSOs, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, performance awards and other forms of stock awards to employees, directors, and consultants, including employees and consultants of our affiliates. Our 2022 Plan is a successor to the 2019 Plan, and will become effective on the execution of the underwriting agreement related to this offering.

 

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Authorized Shares. Initially, the maximum number of shares of our common stock that may be issued under our 2022 Plan after it becomes effective will be 6,787,652 shares, which is the sum of (i) 3,905,911 new shares; plus (ii) the number of shares that remain available for issuance under the 2019 Plan at the time our 2022 Plan becomes effective; and (iii) any shares subject to outstanding stock options or other stock awards that were granted under the 2019 Plan that are forfeited, terminate, expire or are otherwise not issued. In addition, the number of shares of our common stock reserved for issuance under our 2022 Plan will automatically increase on January 1 of each calendar year, starting on January 1, 2023 and continuing through January 1, 2032, in an amount equal to 5% of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding on the last day of the calendar month before the date of each automatic increase, or a lesser number of shares determined by our board of directors. The maximum number of shares of our common stock that may be issued on the exercise of ISOs under our 2022 Plan is 20,362,956.

Shares subject to stock awards granted under our 2022 Plan that expire or terminate without being exercised in full, or that are paid out in cash rather than in shares, do not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under our 2022 Plan. Additionally, shares become available for future grant under our 2022 Plan if they were issued under stock awards under our 2022 Plan if we repurchase them or they are forfeited. This includes shares used to pay the exercise price of a stock award or to satisfy the tax withholding obligations related to a stock award.

Plan Administration. Our board of directors, or a duly authorized committee of our board of directors, will administer our 2022 Plan. Our board of directors may also delegate to one or more of our officers the authority to (i) designate employees (other than officers) to receive specified stock awards and (ii) determine the number of shares subject to such stock awards. Under our 2022 Plan, our board of directors has the authority to determine and amend the terms of awards and underlying agreements, including:

 

  •  

recipients;

 

  •  

the exercise, purchase or strike price of stock awards, if any; the number of shares subject to each stock award;

 

  •  

the vesting schedule applicable to the awards, together with any vesting acceleration; and

 

  •  

the form of consideration, if any, payable on exercise or settlement of the award.

Under the 2022 Plan, the board of directors also generally has the authority to effect, with the consent of any adversely affected participant:

 

  •  

the reduction of the exercise, purchase, or strike price of any outstanding award;

 

  •  

the cancellation of any outstanding award and the grant in substitution therefore of other awards, cash, or other consideration; or

 

  •  

any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles.

Stock Options. ISOs and NSOs are granted under stock option agreements adopted by the plan administrator. The plan administrator determines the exercise price for stock options, within the terms and conditions of the 2022 Plan, provided that the exercise price of a stock option generally cannot be less than 100% of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. Options granted under the 2022 Plan vest at the rate specified in the stock option agreement as determined by the plan administrator.

Tax Limitations on ISOs. The aggregate fair market value, determined at the time of grant, of our common stock with respect to ISOs that are exercisable for the first time by an option holder during any calendar year under all of our stock plans may not exceed $100,000. Options or portions thereof that exceed such limit will generally be treated as NSOs. No ISO may be granted to any person who, at the time of the grant, owns or is deemed to own stock possessing more than 10% of our total combined voting power or that of any of our affiliates unless (i) the option exercise price is at least 110% of the fair market value of the stock subject to the option on the date of grant; and (ii) the option is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date of grant.

 

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Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Restricted stock units are granted under restricted stock unit award agreements adopted by the plan administrator. Restricted stock units may be granted in consideration for any form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to our board of directors and permissible under applicable law. A restricted stock unit may be settled by cash, delivery of stock, a combination of cash and stock as deemed appropriate by the plan administrator, or in any other form of consideration set forth in the restricted stock unit agreement. Additionally, dividend equivalents may be credited in respect of shares covered by a restricted stock unit. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, restricted stock units that have not vested will be forfeited once the participant’s continuous service ends for any reason.

Restricted Stock Awards. Restricted stock awards are granted under restricted stock award agreements adopted by the plan administrator. A restricted stock award may be awarded in consideration for cash, check, bank draft or money order, past services to us, or any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to our board of directors and permissible under applicable law. The plan administrator determines the terms and conditions of restricted stock awards, including vesting and forfeiture terms. If a participant’s service relationship with us ends for any reason, we may receive any or all of the shares of common stock held by the participant that have not vested as of the date the participant terminates service with us through a forfeiture condition or a repurchase right.

Stock Appreciation Rights. Stock appreciation rights are granted under stock appreciation grant agreements adopted by the plan administrator. The plan administrator determines the purchase price or strike price for a stock appreciation right, which generally cannot be less than 100% of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. A stock appreciation right granted under the 2022 Plan vests at the rate specified in the stock appreciation right agreement as determined by the plan administrator.

Performance Awards. The 2022 Plan permits the grant of performance-based stock and cash awards. The plan administrator may structure awards so that the shares of our stock, cash, or other property will be issued or paid only following the achievement of certain pre-established performance goals during a designated performance period. The performance criteria that will be used to establish such performance goals may be based on any measure of performance selected by the plan administrator. The performance goals may be based on a company-wide basis, with respect to one or more business units, divisions, affiliates, or business segments, and in either absolute terms or relative to the performance of one or more comparable companies or the performance of one or more relevant indices. Unless specified otherwise (i) in the award agreement at the time the award is granted or (ii) in such other document setting forth the performance goals at the time the goals are established, we will appropriately make adjustments in the method of calculating the attainment of performance goals as follows: (1) to exclude restructuring and/or other nonrecurring charges; (2) to exclude exchange rate effects; (3) to exclude the effects of changes to generally accepted accounting principles; (4) to exclude the effects of any statutory adjustments to corporate tax rates; (5) to exclude the effects of items that are “unusual” in nature or occur “infrequently” as determined under generally accepted accounting principles; (6) to exclude the dilutive effects of acquisitions or joint ventures; (7) to assume that any business divested by us achieved performance objectives at targeted levels during the balance of a performance period following such divestiture; (8) to exclude the effect of any change in the outstanding shares of our common stock by reason of any stock dividend or split, stock repurchase, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares or other similar corporate change, or any distributions to common stockholders other than regular cash dividends; (9) to exclude the effects of stock based compensation and the award of bonuses under our bonus plans; (10) to exclude costs incurred in connection with potential acquisitions or divestitures that are required to be expensed under generally accepted accounting principles; (11) to exclude the goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges that are required to be recorded under generally accepted accounting principles; and (12) to exclude the effects of the timing of acceptance for review and/or approval of submissions to the FDA or any other regulatory body. In addition, we retain the discretion to reduce or eliminate the compensation or economic benefit due upon attainment of the goals. The performance goals may differ from participant to participant and from award to award.

 

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Other Stock Awards. The plan administrator may grant other awards based in whole or in part by reference to our common stock. The plan administrator will set the number of shares under the stock award and all other terms and conditions of such awards.

Non-Employee Director Compensation Limit. The aggregate value of all compensation granted or paid to any non-employee director with respect to any calendar year, including stock awards granted and cash fees paid by us to such non-employee director, will not exceed $750,000 in total value, or in the event such non-employee director is first appointed or elected to the board during such annual period, $1,000,000 in total value (in each case, calculating the value of any such stock awards based on the grant date fair value of such stock awards for financial reporting purposes).

Changes to Capital Structure. In the event there is a specified type of change in our capital structure, such as a stock split, reverse stock split, or recapitalization, appropriate adjustments will be made to (i) the class and maximum number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2022 Plan, (ii) the class and maximum number of shares by which the share reserve may increase automatically each year, (iii) the class and maximum number of shares that may be issued on the exercise of incentive stock options, and (iv) the class and number of shares and exercise price, strike price, or purchase price, if applicable, of all outstanding stock awards.

Corporate Transactions. The following applies to stock awards under the 2022 Plan in the event of a corporate transaction, unless otherwise provided in a participant’s stock award agreement or other written agreement with us or one of our affiliates or unless otherwise expressly provided by the plan administrator at the time of grant.

In the event of a corporate transaction, any stock awards outstanding under the 2022 Plan may be assumed, continued or substituted for by any surviving or acquiring corporation (or its parent company), and any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by us with respect to the stock award may be assigned to the successor (or its parent company). If the surviving or acquiring corporation (or its parent company) does not assume, continue or substitute for such stock awards, then with respect to any such stock awards that are held by participants whose continuous service has not terminated prior to the effective time of the transaction, or current participants, the vesting (and exercisability, if applicable) of such stock awards will be accelerated in full to a date prior to the effective time of the transaction (contingent upon the effectiveness of the transaction), and such stock awards will terminate if not exercised (if applicable) at or prior to the effective time of the transaction, and any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by us with respect to such stock awards will lapse (contingent upon the effectiveness of the transaction). With respect to performance awards with multiple vesting levels depending on performance level, unless otherwise provided by an award agreement or by the administrator, the award will accelerate at 100% of target. If the surviving or acquiring corporation (or its parent company) does not assume, continue or substitute for such stock awards, then with respect to any such stock awards that are held by persons other than current participants, such awards will terminate if not exercised (if applicable) prior to the effective time of the transaction, except that any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by us with respect to such stock awards will not terminate and may continue to be exercised notwithstanding the transaction. The plan administrator is not obligated to treat all stock awards or portions of stock awards in the same manner and is not obligated to take the same actions with respect to all participants.

In the event a stock award will terminate if not exercised prior to the effective time of a transaction, the plan administrator may provide, in its sole discretion, that the holder of such stock award may not exercise such stock award but instead will receive a payment equal in value to the excess (if any) of (i) the value of the property the participant would have received upon the exercise of the stock award over (ii) any exercise price payable by such holder in connection with such exercise.

Change in Control. In the event of a change in control, as defined under our 2022 Plan, awards granted under our 2022 Plan will not receive automatic acceleration of vesting and exercisability, although this treatment may be provided for in an award agreement.

 

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Under our 2022 Plan, a corporate transaction is defined to include: (i) a sale of all or substantially all of our assets; (ii) the sale or disposition of more than 50% of our outstanding securities; (iii) the consummation of a merger or consolidation where we do not survive the transaction; and (iv) the consummation of a merger or consolidation where we do survive the transaction but the shares of our common stock outstanding before such transaction are converted or exchanged into other property by virtue of the transaction, unless otherwise provided in an award agreement or other written agreement between us and the award holder. Under the 2022 Plan, a change in control is defined to include (1) the acquisition by any person or company of more than 50% of the combined voting power of our then outstanding stock; (2) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction in which our stockholders immediately before the transaction do not own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the surviving entity (or the parent of the surviving entity); (3) a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of our assets other than to an entity more than 50% of the combined voting power of which is owned by our stockholders; and (4) an unapproved change in the majority of the board of directors.

Transferability. A participant may not transfer stock awards under our 2022 Plan other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, or as otherwise provided under our 2022 Plan.

Plan Amendment or Termination. Our board of directors has the authority to amend, suspend, or terminate our 2022 Plan, provided that such action does not materially impair the existing rights of any participant without such participant’s written consent. Certain material amendments also require the approval of our stockholders. No incentive stock options may be granted after the tenth anniversary of the date our board of directors adopted our 2022 Plan. No stock awards may be granted under our 2022 Plan while it is suspended or after it is terminated.

2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Our board of directors adopted, and our stockholders approved, our 2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or the ESPP, in December 2021. The ESPP will become effective on the execution of the underwriting agreement related to this offering. The purpose of the ESPP is to secure the services of new employees, to retain the services of existing employees, and to provide incentives for such individuals to exert maximum efforts toward our success and that of our affiliates. The ESPP is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code for U.S. employees.

Share Reserve. Following this offering, the ESPP authorizes the issuance of shares of our common stock under purchase rights granted to our employees or to employees of any of our designated affiliates. The ESPP will initially provide participating employees with the opportunity to purchase up to an aggregate of 355,000 shares of our common stock. The number of shares of our common stock reserved for issuance will automatically increase on January 1 of each calendar year, starting on January 1, 2023 and continuing through January 1, 2032, by the lesser of (i) 1% of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding on the last day of the calendar month before the date of the automatic increase; and (ii) 355,000 shares; provided that before the date of any such increase, our board of directors may determine that such increase will be less than the amount set forth in clauses (i) and (ii). As of the date hereof, no shares of our common stock have been purchased under the ESPP.

Administration. Our board of directors intends to delegate concurrent authority to administer the ESPP to our compensation committee. The ESPP is implemented through a series of offerings under which eligible employees are granted purchase rights to purchase shares of our common stock on specified dates during such offerings. Under the ESPP, we may specify offerings with durations of not more than 27 months, and may specify shorter purchase periods within each offering. Each offering will have one or more purchase dates on which shares of our common stock will be purchased for employees participating in the offering. An offering under the ESPP may be terminated under certain circumstances.

 

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Payroll Deductions. Generally, all regular employees, including executive officers, employed by us or by any of our designated affiliates, may participate in the ESPP and may contribute, normally through payroll deductions, up to 15% of their earnings (as defined in the ESPP) for the purchase of our common stock under the ESPP. Unless otherwise determined by our board of directors, common stock will be purchased for the accounts of employees participating in the ESPP at a price per share that is at least the lesser of (i) 85% of the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the first date of an offering; or (ii) 85% of the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the date of purchase.

Limitations. Employees may have to satisfy one or more of the following service requirements before participating in the ESPP, as determined by our board of directors, including: (i) being customarily employed for more than 20 hours per week; (ii) being customarily employed for more than five months per calendar year; or (iii) continuous employment with us or one of our affiliates for a period of time (not to exceed two years). No employee may purchase shares under the ESPP at a rate in excess of $25,000 worth of our common stock based on the fair market value per share of our common stock at the beginning of an offering for each year such a purchase right is outstanding. Finally, no employee will be eligible for the grant of any purchase rights under the ESPP if immediately after such rights are granted, such employee has voting power over 5% or more of our outstanding capital stock measured by vote or value under Section 424(d) of the Code.

Changes to Capital Structure. In the event that there occurs a change in our capital structure through such actions as a stock split, merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, large nonrecurring cash dividend, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure, or similar transaction, the board of directors will make appropriate adjustments to: (i) the number of shares reserved under the ESPP; (ii) the maximum number of shares by which the share reserve may increase automatically each year; (iii) the number of shares and purchase price of all outstanding purchase rights; and (iv) the number of shares that are subject to purchase limits under ongoing offerings.

Corporate Transactions. In the event of certain significant corporate transactions, including: (i) a sale of all or substantially all of our assets; (ii) the sale or disposition of more than 50% of our outstanding securities; (iii) the consummation of a merger or consolidation where we do not survive the transaction; and (iv) the consummation of a merger or consolidation where we do survive the transaction but the shares of our common stock outstanding immediately before such transaction are converted or exchanged into other property by virtue of the transaction, any then-outstanding rights to purchase our stock under the ESPP may be assumed, continued or substituted for by any surviving or acquiring entity (or its parent company). If the surviving or acquiring entity (or its parent company) elects not to assume, continue, or substitute for such purchase rights, then the participants’ accumulated payroll contributions will be used to purchase shares of our common stock within ten business days before such corporate transaction, and such purchase rights will terminate immediately.

Amendment or Termination. Our board of directors has the authority to amend or terminate our ESPP, provided that except in certain circumstances such amendment or termination may not materially impair any outstanding purchase rights without the holder’s consent. We will obtain stockholder approval of any amendment to our ESPP, as required by applicable law or listing requirements.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification Matters

Upon the closing of this offering, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will contain provisions that limit the liability of our current and former directors for monetary damages to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Delaware law provides that directors of a corporation will not be personally liable for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as directors, except liability for:

 

  •  

any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders;

 

  •  

any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

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  •  

unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or

 

  •  

any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

This limitation of liability does not apply to liabilities arising under federal securities laws and does not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws will provide that we are required to indemnify our directors to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Our amended and restated bylaws will also provide that, upon satisfaction of certain conditions, we are required to advance expenses incurred by a director in advance of the final disposition of any action or proceeding, and permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee or other agent for any liability arising out of his or her actions in that capacity regardless of whether we would otherwise be permitted to indemnify him or her under the provisions of Delaware law. Our amended and restated bylaws will also provide our board of directors with discretion to indemnify our officers and employees when determined appropriate by the board.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and expect to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers prior to the closing of this offering. With certain exceptions, these agreements provide for indemnification for related expenses including, among other things, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by any of these individuals in any action or proceeding. We believe that these bylaw provisions and indemnification agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and executive officers. We also maintain customary directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.

The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and other stockholders. Further, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent that we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers as required by these indemnification provisions.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted for our directors, executive officers or persons controlling us, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Rule 10b5-1 Sales Plans

Our directors and executive officers may adopt written plans, known as Rule 10b5-1 plans, in which they will contract with a broker to buy or sell shares of our common stock on a periodic basis. Under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, a broker executes trades pursuant to parameters established by the director or officer when entering into the plan, without further direction from them. The director or officer may amend a Rule 10b5-1 plan in some circumstances and may terminate a plan at any time. Our directors and executive officers also may buy or sell additional shares outside of a Rule 10b5-1 plan when they are not in possession of material nonpublic information subject to compliance with the terms of our insider trading policy. Prior to 180 days after the date of this offering, subject to early termination, the sale of any shares under such plan would be prohibited by the lock-up agreement that the director or officer has entered into with the underwriters.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The following is a description of transactions since January 1, 2019 to which we have been a participant in which the amount involved exceeded or will exceed $120,000, and in which any of our directors, executive officers or holders of more than 5% of our voting securities, or any members of their immediate family, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than compensation arrangements that are described under “Management—Non-Employee Director Compensation” and “Executive Compensation.”

Private Placements of Our Securities

Series A Preferred Stock Financing

In May 2019, we entered into a stock purchase agreement with certain investors, including beneficial owners of greater than 5% of our capital stock, members of our board of directors and affiliates of members of our board of directors, pursuant to which we issued and sold to such investors an aggregate of 35,714,282 shares of our Series A preferred stock at a purchase price of $1.40 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $50.0 million.

The table below sets forth the aggregate number of shares of Series A preferred stock issued to our related parties in this financing:

 

Name

   Series A
Preferred
Stock
(#)
     Aggregate
Purchase
Price
($)
 

Sofinnova Venture Partners X, L.P.(1)

     13,571,428      $ 18,999,999  

Sofinnova Capital IX(2)

     9,999,999      $ 13,999,999  

5AM Ventures VI, L.P.(3)

     9,999,999      $ 13,999,999  

CinRx Pharma, LLC(4)

     2,142,856      $ 2,999,998  

 

(1)

James Healy, a member of our board of directors at the time of the second tranche of the Series A preferred stock financing, is affiliated with Sofinnova Venture Partners X, L.P., which became a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock in connection with the Series A preferred stock financing.

(2)

Maina Bhaman, a member of our board of directors at the time of the second tranche of the Series A preferred stock financing, is affiliated with Sofinnova Capital IX, which became a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock in connection with the Series A preferred stock financing.

(3)

David Allison, a member of our board of directors at the time of the second tranche of the Series A preferred stock financing, is affiliated with 5AM Ventures VI, L.P., which became a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock in connection with the Series A preferred stock financing.

(4)

Jonathan Isaacsohn, M.D., a member of our board of directors and our Chief Executive Officer at the time of Series A preferred stock financing, and August J. Troendle, M.D., M.B.A., a member of our board of directors at the time of Series A preferred stock financing, are affiliated with CinRx Pharma, LLC, a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock at the time of the Series A preferred stock financing.

Series B Preferred Stock Financing

In September 2021 and October 2021, we entered into a preferred stock purchase agreement, or the Series B Purchase Agreement, with certain investors, including beneficial owners of greater than 5% of our capital stock, members of our board of directors and affiliates of members of our board of directors, pursuant to which we issued and sold to such investors an aggregate of 35,716,249 shares of our Series B preferred stock at a purchase price of $4.00 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $142.9 million.

 

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The table below sets forth the aggregate number of shares of Series B preferred stock issued to our related parties in this financing:

 

Name

   Series B
Preferred
Stock
(#)
     Aggregate
Purchase
Price
($)
 

General Atlantic (CIN), L.P.(1)

     8,250,000      $ 33,000,000  

Sofinnova Venture Partners X, L.P.(2)

     4,275,000      $ 17,100,000  

Sofinnova Capital IX(3)

     3,150,000      $ 12,600,000  

Entities affiliated with 5AM Ventures VI, L.P.(4)

     3,150,000      $ 12,600,000  

CinRx Pharma, LLC(5)

     2,013,749      $ 8,054,996  

 

(1)

Jason Pitts, who became a member of our board of directors at the time of the Series B preferred stock financing, is affiliated with General Atlantic (CIN), L.P., which became a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock in connection with the Series B preferred stock financing.

(2)

James Healy, a member of our board of directors at the time of the Series B preferred stock financing, is affiliated with Sofinnova Venture Partners X, L.P., a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock at the time of the Series B preferred stock financing.

(3)

Maina Bhaman, a member of our board of directors at the time of the Series B preferred stock financing, is affiliated with Sofinnova Capital IX, a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock at the time of the Series B preferred stock financing.

(4)

David Allison, a member of our board of directors at the time of the Series B preferred stock financing, is affiliated with 5AM Ventures VI, L.P., a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock at the time of the Series B preferred stock financing.

(5)

Jonathan Isaacsohn, M.D., a member of our board of directors and Chief Scientific Officer at the time of the Series B preferred stock financing, and August J. Troendle, M.D., M.B.A., a member of our board of directors at the time of Series B preferred stock financing, are affiliated with CinRx Pharma, LLC, a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock at the time of the Series B preferred stock financing.

In connection with our Series B preferred stock financing, we agreed to indemnify new purchasers of our capital stock, along with Dr. Pitts, from any losses, liabilities, claims, damages, or expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with investigating, defending, or participating in any legal action or proceeding by reason of their payment under the Series B Purchase Agreement or other related events. Additionally, we also agreed to indemnify Dr. Pitts and General Atlantic (CIN), L.P. against any claims arising from Dr. Pitts’ status as a member of our board of directors, agent or fiduciary.

Investors’ Rights, Voting and Right of First Refusal Agreements

In connection with the sales of preferred stock described above, we entered into an amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, an amended and restated voting agreement and an amended and restated right of first refusal and co-sale agreement containing registration rights, information rights, voting rights and rights of first refusal, among other things, with the holders of our preferred stock. These agreements will terminate upon the closing of this offering, except for the registration rights granted under our amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, as more fully described in the section of this prospectus titled “Description of Capital Stock—Registration Rights.”

CinRx Pharma, LLC

We were incorporated in March 2018 as a subsidiary of CinRx Pharma, LLC, or CinRx, and spun out as an independent company in May 2019 after the closing of our Series A preferred stock financing and the execution of our in-licensing transaction with Roche.

 

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During December 31, 2019, 2020 and 2021, we recorded business management fees totaling $0.8 million, $1.6 million and $1.3 million, respectively, of which $173,000, $99,000 and $315,000 are included in general and administrative expenses on our statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively. Prior to May 2019, we did not incur any business management fees pursuant to the Management Services Agreement.

Amended and Restated Management Services Agreement with CinRx Pharma, LLC

On April 16, 2020, we entered into an amended and restated management services agreement, or the Management Services Agreement, with CinRx, pursuant to which CinRx provides us with certain professional, management and consulting services. Services were performed on a task order basis, whereby the specific services and fees to be provided for each project under the Management Services Agreement were separately specified in a written task order on terms mutually acceptable to the parties. The Management Services Agreement had an initial two-year term, which automatically renewed for additional one-year terms unless ether party provided written notice of termination. We provided notice to terminate the Management Services Agreement on November 4, 2021. Pursuant to the terms of the Master Services Agreement, the termination shall become effective no later than February 2, 2022. For further information on our termination of the Management Services Agreement, please see “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Dependence on Third Parties—We terminated our Management Services Agreement with CinRx, a related party we have relied on to provide us with services since our inception, and we may not be able to effectively replace those services.” elsewhere in this prospectus.

Settlement Agreement with CinRx Pharma, LLC

We entered into a settlement agreement and release, or the Settlement Agreement, on December 22, 2021, by and between us, CinRx, Dr. Troendle, Dr. Isaacsohn, other employees of CinRx, two of our employees (including Ms. Pearce), and certain investors in our Series A preferred stock financing relating to, among other things, the release of claims asserted in proceedings brought by CinRx in Ohio state court against certain of our employees (including Ms. Pearce) and against us and certain of our Series A preferred stock investors in Superior Court of the State of Delaware. Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, we agreed to, among other things, issue 764,705 shares of our common stock to CinRx. We also agreed to reimburse CinRx’s legal fees relating to the dispute for up to an aggregate total of $500,000. CinRx, under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, has agreed to dismiss with prejudice all litigation against us, two of our employees (including Ms. Pearce) and certain investors in our Series A preferred stock financing, and to enter into a voting agreement and proxy regarding the voting of shares of our capital stock held by CinRx, including any vote concerning matters related to this offering, any merger, sale or change of control, adoption of equity incentive or similar plans, debt financings and certain equity financings, that terminates upon the earlier to occur of 15 months after the date of the Settlement Agreement and expiration of the lockup agreement related to this offering. In connection with the dispute and Settlement Agreement, we also paid an aggregate of $198,477 in legal fees on behalf of our employees (including Ms. Pearce).

Voting Agreement and Proxy with CinRx Pharma, LLC

In connection with the Settlement Agreement, we have entered into a voting agreement and proxy with CinRx, or the Voting Agreement and Proxy, on December 22, 2021. Pursuant to Voting Agreement and Proxy, CinRx has agreed to vote all shares of our capital stock beneficially owned by CinRx as our board of directors shall determine and to appoint our officers as their proxies, including on any matters related to this offering, any merger, sale or change of control, adoption of equity incentive or similar plans, debt financings and certain equity financings. The Voting Agreement and Proxy may be terminated by mutual consent of us and CinRx, and otherwise terminates upon the earlier to occur of 15 months after the date of the Settlement Agreement and expiration of the lockup agreement related to this offering.

Medpace Holdings, Inc.

August J. Troendle, M.D., M.B.A., a former member of our board of directors, is the president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors of Medpace Holdings, Inc., or Medpace, and Jonathan

 

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Isaacsohn, M.D., FACC, our former Chief Executive Officer, former Chief Scientific Officer and former member of our board of directors, is an officer of Medpace.

Master Services Agreement with Medpace

On January 1, 2018, we entered into a Master Services Agreement with Medpace, or the Medpace Agreement, pursuant to which Medpace provides us with certain clinical trial related services. Services are performed on a task order basis, whereby the specific services and fees to be provided for each project under the Medpace Agreement are separately specified in a written task order on terms mutually acceptable to the parties. We may terminate any task order without cause immediately upon giving Medpace notice of such termination. As of December 31, 2019, 2020 and 2021, $0.5 million, $12.8 million and $14.1 million, respectively, of these fees are included in research and development expenses on our statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

Transactions with Roche

License Agreement

In May 2019, following the closing of the initial tranche of our Series A preferred stock financing, we entered into a license agreement, or the Roche Agreement, with F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Hoffmann La-Roche Inc., whom we collectively refer to in this prospectus as Roche, pursuant to which we obtained an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license under certain patents and specified know-how owned or controlled by Roche and Roche’s interest in joint patents and covering certain specified small molecule aldosterone synthase inhibitors to research, develop, register, use, make, import, export, market, distribute, sell and otherwise exploit products containing such aldosterone synthase inhibitors, as more fully described in the section of this prospectus titled “Business—License Agreement with Roche.”

Warrants

In connection with the Roche Agreement, we also agreed to issue to an affiliate of Roche warrants to acquire shares of our common stock, which we refer to collectively as the Roche Warrants. The first Roche Warrant, which was issued in connection with our Series A preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 411,765 shares of our common stock. The second Roche Warrant, issued in connection with our Series A preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 329,552 shares of our common stock. The third Roche Warrant, issued in connection with our Series B preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 113,610 shares of our common stock. The Roche Warrants are collectively exercisable for 854,927 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $0.04 per share. The Roche Warrants will automatically net exercise in whole immediately prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement for an aggregate of 852,788 shares of our common stock immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus).

Employment Arrangements

We have entered into employment agreements with our executive officers. For more information regarding these agreements with our named executive officers, see the sections titled “Executive Compensation—Employment Agreements with our Named Executive Officers” and “Management.”

Executive and Director Compensation

We have granted options to certain of our executive officers and directors. See the sections titled “Management—Non-Employee Director Compensation” and “Executive Compensation” for a description of these equity awards.

Indemnification Agreements

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that will be in effect upon the closing of this offering will contain provisions limiting the liability of directors, and our amended and restated bylaws will provide that we will indemnify each of our directors to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will also provide our board of directors with discretion to indemnify our officers and employees when determined appropriate by the board.

 

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In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors, and we expect to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers prior to the closing of this offering. For more information regarding these agreements, see “Executive Compensation—Limitations on Liability and Indemnification Matters.”

Directed Share Program

At our request, the underwriters have reserved up to 5% of the shares offered by this prospectus, for sale at the initial public offering price through a directed share program to certain of our directors, officers, employees and business associates and other parties related to us. If purchased by these persons, these shares will be subject to a 180-day lock-up restriction. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC will administer our directed share program. See the section titled “Underwriting—Directed Share Program.”

Related Person Transaction Policy

Prior to this offering, we have not had a formal policy regarding approval of transactions with related parties. In connection with this offering, we have adopted a written related party transaction policy that sets forth our procedures for the identification, review, consideration and approval or ratification of related party transactions. This policy became effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. For purposes of this policy only, a “related person transaction” is a transaction, arrangement or relationship (or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships) in which we and any related person are participants involving an amount that exceeds $120,000. Transactions involving compensation for services provided to us as an employee, consultant or director are not considered related-person transactions under this policy. A “related person” is any executive officer, director, nominee to become a director or a holder of more than 5% of our share capital, or any affiliate or member of the immediate family of the foregoing.

Under the policy, where a transaction has been identified as a related-person transaction, management will be required to present information regarding the proposed related-person transaction to our audit committee or, where review by our audit committee would be inappropriate due to a conflict of interest, to another independent body of our board of directors, for review. The presentation will need to include a description of, among other things, all of the parties, the direct and indirect interests of the related persons, the purpose of the transaction, the material facts, the benefits of the transaction to us and whether any alternative transactions are available, an assessment of whether the terms are comparable to the terms available from unrelated third parties and management’s recommendation. To identify related-person transactions in advance, we will rely on information supplied by our executive officers, directors and certain significant stockholders. In considering related-person transactions, our audit committee or another independent body of our board of directors will take into account the relevant available facts and circumstances including, but not limited to:

 

  •  

the risks, costs and benefits to us;

 

  •  

the impact on a director’s independence in the event the related person is a director, immediate family member of a director or an entity with which a director is affiliated;

 

  •  

the terms of the transaction;

 

  •  

the availability of other sources for comparable services or products; and

 

  •  

the terms available to or from, as the case may be, unrelated third parties under the same or similar circumstances.

All of the transactions described in this section were entered into prior to the adoption of this policy. Although we have not had a written policy for the review and approval of transactions with related persons, our board of directors has historically reviewed and approved any transaction where a director or officer had a financial interest, including the transactions described above. Prior to approving such a transaction, the material facts as to a director’s or officer’s relationship or interest in the agreement or transaction were disclosed to our board of directors. Our board of directors took this information into account when evaluating the transaction and in determining whether such transaction was fair to us and in the best interest of all our stockholders.

 

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PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

The following table sets forth information regarding beneficial ownership of our capital stock by:

 

  •  

each person, or group of affiliated persons, known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of our common stock;

 

  •  

each of our directors;

 

  •  

each of our named executive officers; and

 

  •  

all of our current executive officers and directors as a group.

We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Under these rules, beneficial ownership includes any shares of common stock as to which the individual or entity has sole or shared voting power or investment power. Applicable percentage ownership is based on 23,566,311 shares of common stock outstanding as of December 30, 2021, after giving effect to the conversion of all of our preferred stock. In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by an individual or entity and the percentage ownership of that person, shares of common stock subject to options held by such person that are currently exercisable or will become exercisable within 60 days of December 30, 2021 are considered outstanding, although these shares are not considered outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage ownership of any other person.

The following table does not reflect any shares of common stock that may be purchased in this offering pursuant to our directed share program described under “Underwriting—Directed Share Program.” If any shares are purchased by our existing principal shareholders, directors, executive officers or their affiliated entities, the number and percentage of shares beneficially owned by them after this offering will differ from those set forth in the following table.

Unless noted otherwise, the address of all listed stockholders is c/o CinCor Pharma, Inc., 200 Clarendon Street, 6th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.

Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we believe, based on information furnished to us, that each of the stockholders listed has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares beneficially owned by the stockholder unless noted otherwise, subject to community property laws where applicable.

 

     Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned
     Percentage of Shares Beneficially
Owned
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

   Before
Offering
    After
Offering
 

5% Stockholders

       

Sofinnova Venture Partners X, L.P.(1)

     5,248,949        22.3 %      14.8 % 

Sofinnova Capital IX(2)

     3,867,646        16.4 %      10.9 % 

Entities affiliated with 5AM Ventures VI, L.P.(3)

     3,867,646        16.4 %      10.9 % 

CinRx Pharma, LLC(4)

     2,865,397        12.1 %      8.1 % 

General Atlantic (CIN), L.P.(5)

     2,426,470        10.3 %      6.9 % 

Named Executive Officers and Directors

       

Marc de Garidel

     —        —       —  

Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A.

     —        —       —  

Mason Freeman, M.D.(6)

     25,986        *       *  

Catherine Pearce, M.B.A., D.HSc.(7)

     156,861        *       *  

David Allison, Ph.D.(8)

     29,411        *       *  

James I. Healy, M.D., Ph.D.(9)

     5,278,360        22.4 %      14.9 % 

John F. Thero(10)

     58,823        *       *  

Maina Bhaman, M.B.A.

     —        —       —  

June Lee, M.D.

     —        —       —  

Troy Ignelzi(11)

     58,823        *       *  

Jason Pitts, Ph.D.

     —        —       —  

All current executive officers and directors as a group (11 persons)

     5,608,264        23.8 %      15.8 % 

 

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*

Represents beneficial ownership of less than one percent.

(1)

Consists of (a) 3,991,596 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of Series A preferred stock and (b) 1,257,353 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of Series B preferred stock. James Healy, a member of our board of directors, and Maha Katabi are the managing members of Sofinnova Management X, L.L.C., or SM X, the general partner of Sofinnova Venture Partners X, L.P., or SVP X, and may be deemed to have shared voting and investment control over the shares held by SVP X. Each of such individuals disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. The address of Sofinnova Venture Partners X, L.P. is c/o Sofinnova Investments, Inc., 3000 Sand Hill Road, Building 4-Suite 250, Menlo Park, California 94025.

(2)

Consists of (a) 2,941,176 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of Series A preferred stock and (b) 926,470 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of Series B preferred stock. Sofinnova Partners SAS, or Sofinnova Partners, is the management company of Sofinnova Capital IX, or SC IX. Each of Antoine Papiernik, Denis Lucquin, Monique Saulnier, Graziano Seghezzi and Henrijette Richter is a managing partner of Sofinnova Partners and may be deemed to have shared voting and investment control over the shares held by SC IX. Each of such individuals disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. The address of Sofinnova Capital IX is 7 Boulevard Haussmann 75009 Paris, France.

(3)

Consists of (a) 2,941,176 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of Series A preferred stock and 742,647 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of Series B preferred stock held by 5AM Ventures VI, L.P., or 5AM Ventures VI, and (b) 183,823 shares of common stock common stock issuable upon conversion of Series B preferred stock held by 5AM Opportunities I, L.P., or 5AM Opportunities I.

David Allison, a member of our board of directors, is also a partner at 5AM Venture Management, LLC and has no voting or dispositive power over the shares held by 5AM Ventures VI or 5AM Opportunities I.

Andrew Schwab and Dr. Kush Parmar are the managing members of 5AM Partners VI, LLC, or 5AM Partners, the general partner of 5AM Ventures VI and may be deemed to have shared voting and investment control over the shares held by 5AM Ventures VI.

Andrew Schwab and Dr. Kush Parmar are the managing members of 5AM Opportunities I (GP), LLC, or 5AM Opportunities, the general partner of 5AM Opportunities I and may be deemed to have shared voting and investment control over the shares held by 5AM Opportunities I.

The address for all entities and individuals referenced in this footnote is 501 2nd Street, Suite 350, San Francisco, California 94107.

 

(4)

Consists of (a) 1,642,867 shares of common stock, (b) 630,251 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of Series A preferred stock and (c) 592,279 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of Series B preferred stock, and excludes 764,705 shares of common stock issued in connection with the settlement agreement and release. The 764,705 shares of common stock issued in connection with the settlement agreement and release are subject to a voting agreement and proxy in favor of us, for further information on our relationship with CinRx, please see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions–CinRx Pharma LLC” elsewhere in this prospectus. Each of Jon Isaacsohn, M.D., FACC, August Troendle, M.D., M.B.A., Jesse Geiger and Steve Ewald is a member of the Board of Managers of CinRx Pharma, LLC, or CinRx, and may be deemed to have shared voting and investment control over the shares held by CinRx. Each of such individuals disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. The address of CinRx Pharma, LLC is 5375 Medpace Way Cincinnati, OH 45227.

(5)

Consists of 2,426,470 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of Series B preferred stock. General Atlantic (SPV) GP, LLC, or GA LLC, is the general partner of General Atlantic (CIN), L.P., or GA CIN. GA CIN is ultimately controlled by the management committee of GASC MGP, LLC, or the GA Management Committee, of which is comprised of 9 members. Each of the members of the GA Management Committee disclaims ownership of all such shares except to the extent he or she has a pecuniary interest therein. Jason Pitts, a member of our board of directors, is also a vice president of General Atlantic and disclaims ownership of all such shares except to the extent he has a pecuniary interest therein,

 

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The address of General Atlantic (CIN), L.P. is c/o General Atlantic Service Company, L.P., 55 East 52nd Street, 33rd Floor, New York, New York 10055.

(6)

Consists of 25,986 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options within 60 days of December 30, 2021.

(7)

Consists of 130,161 shares of common stock and 26,700 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options within 60 days of December 30, 2021.

(8)

Consists of 29,411 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options that are early exercisable, but subject to repurchase right until vested, within 60 days of December 30, 2021.

(9)

Consists of (a) 29,411 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options that are early exercisable, but subject to repurchase right until vested, within 60 days of December 30, 2021, and (b) 3,991,596 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of Series A preferred stock and (c) 1,257,353 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of Series B preferred stock held by SVP X. James Healy, a member of our board of directors, is a managing member of SM X, the general partner of SVP X, and may be deemed to have shared voting and investment control over the shares held by SVP X.

(10)

Consists of 58,823 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options that are early exercisable, but subject to repurchase right until vested, within 60 days of December 30, 2021.

(11)

Consists of 58,823 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options that are early exercisable, but subject to repurchase right until vested, within 60 days of December 30, 2021.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following description of our capital stock, certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, as each will be in effect following the completion of this offering, and certain provisions of Delaware law are summaries. You should also refer to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the amended and restated bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is part.

General

Upon the completion of this offering, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will authorize us to issue up to 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.00001 par value per share, all of which shares of preferred stock will be undesignated. Our board of directors may establish the rights and preferences of the preferred stock from time to time.

As of December 30, 2021, we had outstanding 2,557,341 shares of common stock, held by 3 stockholders of record. As of December 30, 2021, after giving effect to the conversion of all of the outstanding shares of our preferred stock, there would have been 23,566,311 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, held by 24 stockholders of record.

Common Stock

Voting Rights

Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors. The affirmative vote of holders of at least 662/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock, voting as a single class, will be required to amend certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, including provisions relating to amending our amended and restated bylaws, the classified board, the size of our board, removal of directors, director liability, vacancies on our board, special meetings, stockholder notices, actions by written consent and exclusive forum.

Dividends

Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then-outstanding preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the board of directors out of legally available funds.

Liquidation

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities and the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any then-outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Rights and Preferences

Holders of common stock have no preemptive, conversion or subscription rights and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the right of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate in the future.

 

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Preferred Stock

As of December 30, 2021, there were 35,714,282 shares of our Series A preferred stock outstanding and 35,716,249 shares of our Series B preferred stock outstanding. All currently outstanding shares of preferred stock will be converted into an aggregate of 21,008,970 shares of common stock upon the closing of this offering.

Following the closing of this offering, our board of directors will have the authority under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, without further action by our stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the rights, preferences and privileges of the shares of each wholly unissued series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon, and to increase or decrease the number of shares of any such series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding.

Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock. The purpose of authorizing our board of directors to issue preferred stock and determine its rights and preferences is to eliminate delays associated with a stockholder vote on specific issuances. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of us and may adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock. It is not possible to state the actual effect of the issuance of any shares of preferred stock on the rights of holders of common stock until the board of directors determines the specific rights attached to that preferred stock.

We have no present plans to issue any shares of preferred stock following the completion of this offering.

Options

As of December 30, 2021, there were options to purchase 2,617,063 shares of common stock outstanding. For additional information regarding the terms of our 2022 Plan, see “Executive Compensation—Equity Incentive Plans.”

Warrant

In May 2019, in connection with our entry into a license agreement with Roche, we also agreed to issue the Roche Warrants. The first Roche Warrant, which was issued in connection with our Series A preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 411,765 shares of our common stock. The second Roche Warrant, issued in connection with our Series A preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 329,552 shares of our common stock. The third Roche Warrant, issued in connection with our Series B preferred stock financing, is exercisable for 113,610 shares of our common stock. The Roche Warrants are collectively exercisable for 854,927 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $0.04 per share. The Roche Warrants will automatically net exercise in whole for an aggregate of 852,788 shares of our common stock immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus).

Registration Rights

We, the holders of our existing preferred stock and certain holders of our existing common stock have entered into an amended and restated investors’ rights agreement. The registration rights provisions of this agreement provide those holders with demand, piggyback and Form S-3 registration rights with respect to the shares of common stock currently held by them and issuable to them upon conversion of our preferred stock in connection with our initial public offering. These shares are collectively referred to herein as registrable securities.

 

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Demand Registration Rights

At any time beginning 180 days following the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, the holders of a majority of registrable securities then outstanding have the right to demand that we file a registration statement covering at least 10% of the registrable securities then outstanding. We are obligated to effect at most two registrations in response to these demand registration rights. These demand registration rights are subject to specified conditions and limitations, including the right of the underwriters, if any, to limit the number of shares included in any such registration under specified circumstances. Upon such a request, we are required to effect the registration as soon as practicable, but in any event no later than 60 days after the receipt of such request.

Piggyback Registration Rights

If we propose to register any of our common stock under the Securities Act either for our own account or for the account of other stockholders, the holders of registrable securities will each be entitled to notice of the registration and will be entitled to include their shares of common stock in the registration statement. These piggyback registration rights are subject to specified conditions and limitations, including the right of the underwriters to limit the number of shares included in any such registration under specified circumstances, and do not apply to a registration relating to any equity incentive plan, stock purchase or similar plan, a transaction under Rule 145 of the Securities Act, a registration on any form that does not include substantially the same information as would be required to be included in a registration statement covering the sale of the registrable securities or a registration related to common stock issued upon conversion of debt securities.

Registration on Form S-3

At any time after we become eligible to file a registration statement on Form S-3, the holders of at least 20% of the registrable securities then outstanding will be entitled to request to have such shares registered by us on a Form S-3 registration statement. These Form S-3 registration rights are subject to other specified conditions and limitations, including the condition that the anticipated aggregate offering price, net of certain selling expenses, is at least $1.0 million. Upon receipt of this request, the holders of registrable securities will each be entitled to participate in this registration. We will not be required to effect such a registration if, within the preceding twelve month period, we have already effected two registrations on Form S-3 for the holders of registrable securities.

Expenses of Registration

We are required to pay all expenses, including fees and expenses of one counsel to represent the selling stockholders, relating to any demand, piggyback or Form S-3 registration, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, stock transfer taxes and any additional fees of counsel for the selling stockholders, subject to specified conditions and limitations. We are not required to pay registration expenses if a demand registration request is withdrawn at the request of the holders of a majority of registrable securities then outstanding, unless holders of a majority of the registrable securities agree to forfeit their right to one demand registration.

The amended and restated investors’ rights agreement contains customary cross-indemnification provisions, pursuant to which we are obligated to indemnify the selling stockholders in the event of material misstatements or omissions in the applicable registration statement attributable to us, and the selling stockholders are obligated to indemnify us for material misstatements or omissions in the registration statement attributable to them, subject to certain limitations.

Termination of Registration Rights

The registration rights granted under the amended and restated investors’ rights agreement will terminate with respect to any particular stockholder upon the earlier of (i) the closing of a deemed liquidation event, as

 

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defined in our certificate of incorporation; (ii) with respect to each stockholder, at such time such stockholder is able to sell all of its shares pursuant to Rule 144 or another similar exemption under the Securities Act during a three-month period without registration; and (iii) the third anniversary of the closing of this offering.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law

We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years after the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, with the following exceptions:

 

  •  

before such date, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

  •  

upon completion of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction began, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder, those shares owned (i) by persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

  •  

on or after such date, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 662/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

In general, Section 203 defines a “business combination” to include the following:

 

  •  

any merger or consolidation involving the corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the corporation and the interested stockholder;

 

  •  

any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder (in one transaction or a series of transactions);

 

  •  

subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation or by any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the corporation of any stock of the corporation or of such subsidiary to the interested stockholder;

 

  •  

any transaction involving the corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock or any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or

 

  •  

the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits by or through the corporation.

In general, Section 203 defines an “interested stockholder” as an entity or person who, together with the person’s affiliates and associates, beneficially owns, or within three years prior to the time of determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation.

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be in effect upon the completion of this offering, or our restated certificate, will provide for our board of directors to be divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms. Only one class of directors will be elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms. Because our stockholders do not

 

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have cumulative voting rights, stockholders holding a majority of the shares of common stock outstanding will be able to elect all of our directors. Our restated certificate and our amended and restated bylaws to be effective upon the completion of this offering, or our restated bylaws, will also provide that directors may be removed by the stockholders only for cause upon the vote of 662/3% or more of our outstanding common stock. Furthermore, the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution of the board of directors, and vacancies and newly created directorships on the board of directors may, except as otherwise required by law or determined by the board, only be filled by a majority vote of the directors then serving on the board, even though less than a quorum.

Under our restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws our stockholders will not have cumulative voting rights. Because of this, the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they should so choose.

Our restated certificate and restated bylaws will also provide that all stockholder actions must be effected at a duly called meeting of stockholders and will eliminate the right of stockholders to act by written consent without a meeting. Our restated bylaws will also provide that only our Chairman of the board, Chief Executive Officer or the board of directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors may call a special meeting of stockholders.

Our restated bylaws will also provide that stockholders seeking to present proposals before a meeting of stockholders to nominate candidates for election as directors at a meeting of stockholders must provide timely advance notice in writing, and will specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice.

Our restated certificate and restated bylaws will provide that the stockholders cannot amend many of the provisions described above except by a vote of 662/3% or more of our outstanding common stock.

As described in “—Preferred Stock” above, our restated certificate will give our board of directors the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series, with any rights, preferences and privileges as they may designate, including the right to approve an acquisition or other change in control.

The combination of these provisions will make it more difficult for our existing stockholders to replace our board of directors as well as for another party to obtain control of us by replacing our board of directors. Since our board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for existing stockholders or another party to effect a change in management. In addition, the authorization of undesignated preferred stock makes it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change our control.

These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of our board of directors and its policies and to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to reduce our vulnerability to hostile takeovers and to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and may have the effect of delaying changes in our control or management. As a consequence, these provisions may also inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our stock that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. We believe that the benefits of these provisions, including increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure our company, outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging takeover proposals, because negotiation of takeover proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.

 

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Choice of Forum

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the Court of Chancery of the state of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law:

 

  •  

any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf;

 

  •  

any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty;

 

  •  

any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law, our restated certificate, or our amended and restated bylaws; or

 

  •  

any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

The provision would not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act. Furthermore, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all such Securities Act actions. Accordingly, both state and federal courts have jurisdiction to entertain such claims. To prevent having to litigate claims in multiple jurisdictions and the threat of inconsistent or contrary rulings by different courts, among other considerations, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will also provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act.

While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, a stockholder may nevertheless seek to bring a claim in a venue other than those designated in the exclusive forum provisions. In such instance, we would expect to vigorously assert the validity and enforceability of the exclusive forum provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation. This may require significant additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions and there can be no assurance that the provisions will be enforced by a court in those other jurisdictions.

These exclusive forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. If a court were to find either exclusive-forum provision in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur further significant additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, all of which could seriously harm our business.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will further provide that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act, subject to and contingent upon a final adjudication in the State of Delaware of the enforceability of such exclusive forum provision.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC. The transfer agent’s address is 6201 15th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219.

Listing

We have applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market under the trading symbol “CINC.”

 

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Prior to this offering, no public market existed for our common stock. Future sales of our common stock in the public market, or the availability of such shares for sale in the public market, could adversely affect market prices prevailing from time to time. As described below, only a limited number of shares will be available for sale shortly after this offering due to contractual and legal restrictions on resale. Nevertheless, sales of our common stock in the public market after such restrictions lapse, or the perception that those sales may occur, could adversely affect the prevailing market price at such time and our ability to raise equity capital in the future.

Based on the number of shares outstanding as of December 30, 2021, upon the closing of this offering and assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares, 35,419,099 shares of common stock will be outstanding, assuming no outstanding options are exercised. All of the shares of common stock sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restrictions or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any shares sold to our “affiliates,” as that term is defined under Rule 144 under the Securities Act. The remaining 24,419,099 shares of common stock held by existing stockholders are “restricted securities,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Restricted securities may be sold in the public market only if registered or if their resale qualifies for exemption from registration described below under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act or another available exemption.

As a result of the lock-up agreements described below and the provisions of Rules 144 and 701 under the Securities Act, the shares of common stock that will be deemed restricted securities after this offering will be available for sale in the public market as follows:

 

  •  

none of the existing restricted shares will be eligible for immediate sale upon the completion of this offering; and

 

  •  

24,419,099 restricted shares will be eligible for sale in the public market upon expiration of lock-up agreements 180 days after the date of this prospectus, subject in certain circumstances to the volume, manner of sale and other limitations under Rule 144 and Rule 701 under the Securities Act, which are summarized below.

Rule 144

In general, non-affiliate persons who have beneficially owned restricted shares of our common stock for at least six months, and any affiliate of the company who owns either restricted or unrestricted shares of our common stock, are entitled to sell their securities without registration with the SEC under an exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

Non-Affiliates

Any person who is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale may sell an unlimited number of restricted securities under Rule 144 if:

 

  •  

the restricted securities have been held for at least six months, including the holding period of any prior owner other than one of our affiliates (subject to certain exceptions);

 

  •  

we have been subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before the sale; and

 

  •  

we are current in our Exchange Act reporting at the time of sale.

Any person who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of ours at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale and has held the restricted securities for at least one year, including the holding period of any prior owner other than one of our affiliates, will be entitled to sell an unlimited number of restricted

 

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securities without regard to the length of time we have been subject to Exchange Act periodic reporting or whether we are current in our Exchange Act reporting. Non-affiliate resales are not subject to the manner of sale, volume limitation or notice filing provisions of Rule 144.

Affiliates

Persons seeking to sell restricted securities who are our affiliates at the time of, or any time during the three months preceding, a sale, would be subject to the restrictions described above. They are also subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be required to comply with the manner of sale and notice provisions of Rule 144 and would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only that number of securities that does not exceed the greater of either of the following:

 

  •  

1% of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately 354,190 shares immediately after the completion of this offering based on the number of shares outstanding as of September 30, 2021; or

 

  •  

the average weekly trading volume of our common stock on the stock exchange on which our shares are listed during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale.

Additionally, persons who are our affiliates at the time of, or any time during the three months preceding, a sale may sell unrestricted securities under the requirements of Rule 144 described above, without regard to the six-month holding period of Rule 144, which does not apply to sales of unrestricted securities.

Rule 701

Rule 701 under the Securities Act, as in effect on the date of this prospectus, permits resales of shares in reliance upon Rule 144 but without compliance with certain restrictions of Rule 144, including the holding period requirement. Most of our employees, executive officers or directors who purchased shares under a written compensatory plan or contract may be entitled to rely on the resale provisions of Rule 701, but all holders of Rule 701 shares are required to wait until 90 days after the date of this prospectus before selling their shares. However, substantially all Rule 701 shares are subject to lock-up agreements as described below and in the section titled “Underwriting” and will become eligible for sale upon the expiration of the restrictions set forth in those agreements.

Form S-8 Registration Statements

We intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register all shares of common stock subject to outstanding stock options and common stock issued or issuable under our equity plans. We expect to file the registration statement covering shares offered pursuant to our stock plans as soon as practicable after the closing of this offering, permitting the resale of such shares by non-affiliates in the public market without restriction under the Securities Act and the sale by affiliates in the public market, subject to compliance with the resale provisions of Rule 144 and expiration or release from the terms of the lock-up agreements described above.

Lock-Up Agreements

We, our executive officers and directors and substantially all of the holders of our common stock outstanding on the date of this prospectus have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters or otherwise agreed, subject to certain exceptions, that we and they will not, directly or indirectly, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale, or otherwise dispose of or hedge any of our shares of common stock, any options or warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, or any securities convertible into, or exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of our common stock, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C. for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus.

 

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In addition to the restrictions contained in the lock-up agreements described above, we have entered into an agreement with the holders of our preferred stock that contains market stand-off provisions imposing restrictions on the ability of such security holders to sell or otherwise transfer or dispose of any registrable securities for a period of 180 days following the date of this prospectus.

Registration Rights

Upon the closing of this offering, the holders of 21,008,970 shares of our common stock, including common stock issuable upon the conversion of our preferred stock, or their transferees, will be entitled to specified rights with respect to the registration of their registrable shares under the Securities Act, subject to certain limitations and the expiration, waiver or termination of the lock-up agreements. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in the shares becoming freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act immediately upon effectiveness of the registration. See “Description of Capital Stock—Registration Rights” for additional information.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF OUR

COMMON STOCK

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) of the ownership and disposition of our common stock offered pursuant to this prospectus. This discussion is not a complete analysis of all potential U.S. federal income tax consequences relating thereto, does not address the potential application of the Medicare contribution tax on net investment income, the alternative minimum tax, or the special tax accounting rules under Section 451(b) of the Code, and does not address any U.S. federal non-income tax consequences such as estate or gift tax consequences or any tax consequences arising under any state, local, or non-U.S. tax laws, or any other U.S. federal tax laws. This discussion is based on the Code and applicable Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial decisions and published rulings, and administrative pronouncements of the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, all as in effect as of the date hereof. These authorities are subject to differing interpretations and may change, possibly retroactively, resulting in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. We have not requested a ruling from the IRS with respect to the statements made and the conclusions reached in the following summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will agree with such statements and conclusions.

This discussion is limited to non-U.S. holders who purchase our common stock offered by this prospectus and who hold our common stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). This discussion does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to a particular holder in light of such holder’s particular circumstances. This discussion also does not consider any specific facts or circumstances that may be relevant to holders subject to special rules under the U.S. federal income tax laws, including:

 

  •  

certain former citizens or long-term residents of the United States;

 

  •  

partnerships or other entities or arrangements treated as partnerships, pass-throughs, or disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and investors therein), S corporations or other pass-through entities (including hybrid entities);

 

  •  

“controlled foreign corporations;”

 

  •  

“passive foreign investment companies;”

 

  •  

corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax;

 

  •  

banks, financial institutions, investment funds, insurance companies, brokers or dealers in securities;

 

  •  

persons who have elected to mark securities to market;

 

  •  

tax-exempt organizations and governmental organizations;

 

  •  

tax-qualified retirement plans;

 

  •  

persons that acquired our common stock through the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation or through a tax-qualified retirement plan;

 

  •  

persons that acquired our common stock pursuant to the exercise of warrants or conversion rights under convertible instruments;

 

  •  

persons who hold common stock that constitutes “qualified small business stock” under Section 1202 of the Code, or “Section 1244 stock” under Section 1244 of the Code;

 

  •  

persons who acquired our common stock in a transaction subject to the gain rollover provisions of the Code (including Section 1045 of the Code);

 

  •  

persons that own, or have owned, actually or constructively, more than 5% of our common stock;

 

  •  

“qualified foreign pension funds” as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Code and entities all of the interests of which are held by qualified foreign pension funds; and

 

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  •  

persons holding our common stock as part of a hedging or conversion transaction or straddle, or a constructive sale, or other risk reduction strategy or integrated investment.

If an entity or arrangement that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships holding our common stock and the partners in such partnerships are urged to consult their tax advisors about the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences to them of holding and disposing of our common stock.

THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF ACQUIRING, OWNING, AND DISPOSING OF OUR COMMON STOCK, AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES ARISING UNDER ANY STATE, LOCAL, OR NON-U.S. TAX LAWS AND ANY U.S. FEDERAL NON-INCOME TAX LAWS, OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.

Definition of Non-U.S. Holder

For purposes of this discussion, a non-U.S. holder is any beneficial owner of our common stock that is not a “U.S. person” or a partnership (including any entity or arrangement treated as a partnership) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. person is any person that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is or is treated as any of the following:

 

  •  

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

  •  

a corporation (or entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

  •  

an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or

 

  •  

a trust (1) whose administration is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and which has one or more U.S. persons who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) that has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

Distributions on Our Common Stock

As described in the section titled “Dividend Policy,” we have not paid and do not anticipate paying dividends in the foreseeable future. However, if we make cash or other property distributions on our common stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Amounts that exceed such current and accumulated earnings and profits and, therefore, are not treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes will constitute a return of capital and will first be applied against and reduce a holder’s tax basis in our common stock, but not below zero. Any amount distributed in excess of basis will be treated as gain realized on the sale or other disposition of our common stock and will be treated as described under the section titled “Gain on Disposition of Our Common Stock” below.

Subject to the discussions below regarding effectively connected income, backup withholding, and Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, or FATCA, dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder of our common stock generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the dividends or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty. To receive the benefit of a reduced treaty rate, a non-U.S. holder must furnish us or the applicable withholding agent with a valid IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or applicable successor form) certifying such holder’s qualification for the reduced rate. This certification must be provided to us or the applicable withholding agent before the payment of dividends and must be updated periodically. If the non-U.S. holder holds the stock through a financial institution or other agent

 

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acting on the non-U.S. holder’s behalf, the non-U.S. holder will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the agent, which then will be required to provide certification to us or the applicable withholding agent, either directly or through other intermediaries.

Non-U.S. holders that do not provide the required certification on a timely basis, but that qualify for a reduced treaty rate, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.

If a non-U.S. holder holds our common stock in connection with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, and dividends paid on our common stock are effectively connected with such holder’s U.S. trade or business (and are attributable to such holder’s permanent establishment or fixed base in the United States, if required by an applicable tax treaty), the non-U.S. holder will generally be exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax. To claim the exemption, the non-U.S. holder must generally furnish a valid IRS Form W-8ECI (or applicable successor form) to the applicable withholding agent.

However, any such effectively connected dividends paid on our common stock generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular U.S. federal income tax rates in the same manner as if such holder were a resident of the United States. A non-U.S. holder that is a foreign corporation also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax equal to 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) of its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, as adjusted for certain items. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

Gain on Disposition of Our Common Stock

Subject to the discussions below regarding backup withholding and FATCA, a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized on the sale or other disposition of our common stock, unless:

 

  •  

the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States;

 

  •  

the non-U.S. holder is a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the disposition, and certain other requirements are met; or

 

  •  

our common stock constitutes a “United States real property interest” by reason of our status as a United States real property holding corporation, or USRPHC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time within the shorter of the five-year period preceding the disposition or the non-U.S. holder’s holding period for our common stock, and our common stock is not regularly traded on an established securities market as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations.

Determining whether we are a USRPHC depends on the fair market value of our U.S. real property interests relative to the fair market value of our other trade or business assets and our foreign real property interests. We do not believe that we are, or have been, and do not anticipate becoming a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, although there can be no assurance we will not in the future become a USRPHC. Even if we are or were to become a USRPHC, gain arising from the sale or other taxable disposition by a non-U.S. holder of our common stock may not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if our common stock is “regularly traded,” as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market.

Gain described in the first bullet point above generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular U.S. federal income tax rates in the same manner as if such holder were a resident of the United States. A non-U.S. holder that is a foreign corporation also may be subject to an additional branch

 

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profits tax equal to 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) of its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, as adjusted for certain items. Gain described in the second bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a flat 30% rate (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty), but may be offset by certain U.S.-source capital losses (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided that the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Annual reports are required to be filed with the IRS and provided to each non-U.S. holder indicating the amount of distributions on our common stock paid to such holder and the amount of any tax withheld with respect to those distributions. These information reporting requirements apply even if no withholding was required (because the distributions were effectively connected with the holder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business, or withholding was reduced or eliminated by an applicable income tax treaty) and regardless of whether such distributions constitute dividends. This information also may be made available under a specific treaty or agreement with the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established. Backup withholding, currently at a 24% rate, generally will not apply to payments to a non-U.S. holder of dividends on or the gross proceeds of a disposition of our common stock provided the non-U.S. holder furnishes the required certification for its non-U.S. status, such as by providing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, or IRS Form W-8ECI, or certain other requirements are met. Backup withholding may apply if the payor has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that the holder is a U.S. person who is not an exempt recipient.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. If any amount is withheld under the backup withholding rules, the non-U.S. holder should consult with a U.S. tax advisor regarding the possibility of and procedure for obtaining a refund or a credit against the non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any.

Withholding on Foreign Entities

FATCA imposes a U.S. federal withholding tax of 30% on certain payments made to a “foreign financial institution” (as specially defined under these rules) unless such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to withhold on certain payments and to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding certain U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are foreign entities with U.S. owners) or an exemption applies. FATCA also generally will impose a U.S. federal withholding tax of 30% on certain payments made to a non-financial foreign entity unless such entity provides the withholding agent a certification identifying certain direct and indirect U.S. owners of the entity or an exemption applies. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify these requirements. Under certain circumstances, a non-U.S. holder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes. FATCA applies to dividends paid on our common stock and, subject to the proposed Treasury Regulations described below, also applies to gross proceeds from sales or other dispositions of our common stock. The U.S. Treasury Department released proposed Treasury Regulations which, if finalized in their present form, would eliminate the federal withholding tax of 30% applicable to the gross proceeds of a disposition of our common stock. In its preamble to such proposed Treasury Regulations, the U.S. Treasury Department stated that taxpayers (including applicable withholding agents) may generally rely on the proposed Treasury Regulations until final regulations are issued.

Prospective investors are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the possible implications of this legislation on their investment in our common stock.

 

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UNDERWRITING

Under the terms and subject to the conditions in an underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus, the underwriters named below, for whom Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C. are acting as representatives, have severally agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to them, severally, the number of shares of common stock indicated below:

 

Name

  

Number of

Shares

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

  

Jefferies LLC

  

Evercore Group L.L.C.

  

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

                   

Total:

     11,000,000  
  

 

 

 

The underwriters and the representatives are collectively referred to as the “underwriters” and the “representatives,” respectively. The underwriters are offering the shares of common stock subject to their acceptance of the shares from us and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus are subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus if any such shares are taken. However, the underwriters are not required to take or pay for the shares covered by the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares described below.

The underwriters initially propose to offer part of the shares of common stock directly to the public at the offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus and part to certain dealers at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $                per share under the public offering price. After the initial offering of the shares of common stock, the offering price and other selling terms may from time to time be varied by the representatives.

We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to 1,650,000 additional shares of common stock at the public offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus, less underwriting discounts and commissions. To the extent the option is exercised, each underwriter will become obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase about the same percentage of the additional shares of common stock as the number listed next to the underwriter’s name in the preceding table bears to the total number of shares of common stock listed next to the names of all underwriters in the preceding table.

The following table shows the per share and total public offering price, underwriting discounts and commissions, and proceeds before expenses to us. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional 1,650,000 shares of common stock.

 

            Total  
     Per
Share
     No Exercise      Full Exercise  

Public offering price

   $                $                    $                

Underwriting discounts and commissions:

   $        $        $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

   $        $        $    
   $        $        $    

The estimated offering expenses payable by us, exclusive of the underwriting discounts and commissions, are approximately $4.0 million. We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for expenses of up to $40,000 relating to the clearance of this offering with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., compliance with state securities or “blue sky” laws.

 

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The underwriters have informed us that they do not intend sales to discretionary accounts to exceed 5% of the total number of shares of common stock offered by them.

We have applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market under the trading symbol “CINC.”

We and all of our directors and officers and the holders of all of our outstanding common stock, stock options and other securities convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock outstanding immediately prior to the closing of this offering have agreed that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C. on behalf of the underwriters, we and they will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus, or the restricted period:

 

  •  

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, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of common stock;

 

  •  

file any registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the offering of any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock; or

 

  •  

enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common stock.

whether any such transaction described above is to be settled by delivery of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. In addition, we and each such person agrees that, without the prior written consent of the representatives on behalf of the underwriters, we or such other person will not, during the restricted period, make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock.

The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph to do not apply to our directors, officers and securityholders with respect to:

 

  •  

transfers or dispositions of shares of our common stock or other securities acquired in (i) open market transactions after the completion of this offering or (ii) as part of this offering; provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of our common stock shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of common stock or other securities acquired in this offering or in such open market transactions; provided, further, that all necessary filings on Form 13F and all necessary filings under Schedule 13G or 13D regarding beneficial ownership shall be permitted;

 

  •  

transfers or distributions of shares of our common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for such common stock (i) as a bona fide gift or charitable contribution, (ii) by will or intestacy or to any immediate family or to a trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the holder and/or any immediate family, (iii) to limited partners, members, stockholders or holders of similar equity interests in the holder or (iv) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933 as amended) of the holder, or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the holder or affiliates of the holder; provided that (A) each transferee, donee or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock up agreement and (B) no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public disclosure, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of common stock, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period;

 

  •  

transfers of shares of our common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for such common stock by operation of law pursuant to a qualified domestic order or other court order

 

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or in connection with a divorce settlement; provided that (i) any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act made during the restricted period shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that (A) the filing relates to the circumstances described in this clause and (B) no securities were sold by the holder, and (ii) the holder does not otherwise voluntarily effect any other public filing or report regarding such transfers during the restricted period;

 

  •  

the receipt from us of shares of our common stock upon the transfer or disposition of shares of common stock or any securities convertible into common stock to us upon a vesting or settlement event of the our securities or vesting of restricted stock unit awards or upon the exercise of options to purchase our securities on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis, in each case pursuant to our equity incentive plan described in this prospectus and to the extent permitted by the instruments representing such restricted stock unit awards or options outstanding as of the date of this prospectus (and solely to cover withholding tax obligations in connection with such transaction and any transfer to us for the payment of taxes as a result of such transaction), provided that (i) the shares received upon exercise or settlement of the option are subject to the terms of a lock-up agreement, (ii) no public disclosure or filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period and (iii) to the extent a filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act is required during the restricted period as a result of transfers in this clause, it shall clearly indicate that (A) the filing relates to the circumstances described in this clause, including that the securities remain subject to the restrictions described above and (B) no securities were sold by the holder other than pursuant to this clause;

 

  •  

transfers to us in connection with the repurchase of common stock in connection with the termination of the holder’s employment with us pursuant to contractual agreements with us as in effect as of the date of this prospectus, provided that no public disclosure or filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period;

 

  •  

the conversion of our outstanding preferred stock described in this prospectus into shares of common stock, provided that such shares of common stock received upon conversion shall be subject to the restrictions described above;

 

  •  

the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a stockholder, officer or director pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of our common stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of our common stock during the restricted period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of common stock may be made under such plan during the restricted period; or

 

  •  

transfers of shares of our common stock (or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for such common stock) pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer for all of our outstanding common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction approved by our board and made to all holders of our securities involving a change of control (including, without limitation, the entering into any lock-up, voting or similar agreement pursuant to which the holder may agree to transfer, sell, tender or otherwise dispose of our common stock or other such securities in connection with such transaction, or vote any common stock or other such securities in favor of any such transaction); provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, such securities held by the holder shall remain subject to the restrictions described above.

The restrictions on transfers or other dispositions by us described above do not apply to:

 

  •  

the shares to be sold in this offering;

 

  •  

the issuance by us of shares of common stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof as described in this prospectus;

 

  •  

facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of one of our stockholders, officers or directors pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of common stock,

 

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provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of common stock during the restricted period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by us regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of common stock may be made under such plan during the restricted period;

 

  •  

the grants of any options, restricted stock or other equity awards and the issuance of our common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for our common stock (whether upon the exercise of stock options or otherwise) to our employees, officers, directors, advisors, or consultants pursuant to the terms of a plan in effect on the date hereof;

 

  •  

the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 to register our common stock issuable pursuant to any employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans; or

 

  •  

the issuance of shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, our common stock, or the entrance into an agreement to issue our common stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, our common stock, in connection with any merger, joint venture, strategic alliances, commercial or other collaborative transaction or the acquisition or license of the business, property, technology or other assets of another individual or entity or the assumption of an employee benefit plan in connection with a merger or acquisition; provided, that the aggregate number of shares of common stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, common stock that we may issue or agree to issue shall not exceed 5% of our total outstanding share capital immediately following the issuance of the shares to be sold in this offering and provided further, that the recipients thereof provide to the representatives a signed lock-up letter.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C., in their sole discretion, may release the common stock and other securities subject to the lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time.

In order to facilitate the offering of the common stock, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common stock. Specifically, the underwriters may sell more shares than they are obligated to purchase under the underwriting agreement, creating a short position. A short sale is covered if the short position is no greater than the number of shares available for purchase by the underwriters under the option to purchase additional shares described above. The underwriters can close out a covered short sale by exercising such option or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out a covered short sale, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the open market price of shares compared to the price available under such option. The underwriters may also sell shares in excess of such option, creating a naked short position. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. As an additional means of facilitating this offering, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, shares of common stock in the open market to stabilize the price of the common stock. These activities may raise or maintain the market price of the common stock above independent market levels or prevent or retard a decline in the market price of the common stock. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time.

We and the underwriters have agreed to indemnify each other against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on websites maintained by one or more underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in this offering. The representatives may agree to allocate a number of shares of common stock to underwriters for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the representatives to underwriters that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.

 

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The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various financial advisory and investment banking services for us, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers and may at any time hold long and short positions in such securities and instruments. Such investment and securities activities may involve our securities and instruments. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long or short positions in such securities and instruments.

Pricing of the Offering

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. The initial public offering price will be determined by negotiations between us and the representatives. Among the factors to be considered in determining the initial public offering price are our future prospects and those of our industry in general, our results of operations and certain other financial and operating information in recent periods, and the price-earnings ratios, price-sales ratios, market prices of securities, and certain financial and operating information of companies engaged in activities similar to ours.

Directed Share Program

At our request, the underwriters have reserved up to 5% of the shares offered by this prospectus, for sale at the initial public offering price through a directed share program to certain of our directors, officers, employees and business associates and other parties related to us. If purchased by these persons, these shares will be subject to a 180-day lock-up restriction.

The number of shares available for sale to the general public will be reduced to the extent that such persons purchase such reserved shares. Any reserved shares not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same basis as the other shares offered by this prospectus. Other than the underwriting discount described on the front cover of this prospectus, the underwriters will not be entitled to any commission with respect to shares sold pursuant to the directed share program. We will agree to indemnify Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC against certain liabilities and expenses, including liabilities under the Securities Act, in connection with sales of the shares reserved for the directed share program. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC will administer our directed share program.

Selling Restrictions

Canada

The shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation,

 

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provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 (or, in the case of securities issued or guaranteed by the government of a non-Canadian jurisdiction, section 3A.4) of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom, each, a Relevant State, no securities have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the securities which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that offers of securities may be made to the public in that Relevant State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:

 

(a)

to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation;

 

(b)

to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives; or

 

(c)

in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,

provided that no such offer of shares shall require us or any of our representatives to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any shares in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase any shares, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended).

United Kingdom

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that:

 

(a)

it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, or the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the shares of our common stock in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to us; and

 

(b)

it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the shares of our common stock in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

Japan

No registration pursuant to Article 4, paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended), or the FIEL, has been made or will be made with respect to the solicitation of the application for the acquisition of the shares of common stock.

 

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Accordingly, the shares of common stock have not been, directly or indirectly, offered or sold and will not be, directly or indirectly, offered or sold in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan) or to others for re-offering or re-sale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements, and otherwise in compliance with, the FIEL and the other applicable laws and regulations of Japan.

For Qualified Institutional Investors (“QII”)

Please note that the solicitation for newly-issued or secondary securities (each as described in Paragraph 2, Article 4 of the FIEL) in relation to the shares of common stock constitutes either a “QII only private placement” or a “QII only secondary distribution” (each as described in Paragraph 1, Article 23-13 of the FIEL). Disclosure regarding any such solicitation, as is otherwise prescribed in Paragraph 1, Article 4 of the FIEL, has not been made in relation to the shares of common stock. The shares of common stock may only be transferred to QIIs.

For Non-QII Investors

Please note that the solicitation for newly-issued or secondary securities (each as described in Paragraph 2, Article 4 of the FIEL) in relation to the shares of common stock constitutes either a “small number private placement” or a “small number private secondary distribution” (each as is described in Paragraph 4, Article 23-13 of the FIEL). Disclosure regarding any such solicitation, as is otherwise prescribed in Paragraph 1, Article 4 of the FIEL, has not been made in relation to the shares of common stock. The shares of common stock may only be transferred en bloc without subdivision to a single investor.

Hong Kong

Shares of our common stock may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation, or document relating to shares of our common stock may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares of our common stock which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.

Singapore

This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of shares of our common stock may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares of our common stock be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, or the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where shares of our common stock are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 by a relevant person which is: (i) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor) the sole business of which is to hold investments

 

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and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or (ii) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures, and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest in that trust shall not be transferable for 6 months after that corporation or that trust has acquired shares of our common stock under Section 275 except: (a) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA; (b) where no consideration is given for the transfer; or (c) by operation of law.

Switzerland

The shares of common stock may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or SIX, or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, us, or the shares have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of shares will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, or FINMA, and the offer of shares has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes, or CISA. The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of shares.

Dubai International Financial Centre

This prospectus relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA. This prospectus is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the prospectus. The shares to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the shares offered should conduct their own due diligence on the shares. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Cooley LLP, Boston, Massachusetts. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the underwriters by Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP, New York, New York.

EXPERTS

The financial statements of CinCor Pharma, Inc. at December 31, 2019 and 2020, and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2020, appearing in this Prospectus and Registration Statement have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of common stock being offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which constitutes part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information in the registration statement and its exhibits. For further information with respect to our company and the common stock offered by this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and its exhibits. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or any other document referred to are not necessarily complete, and in each instance, we refer you to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. Each of these statements is qualified in all respects by this reference.

You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, over the internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and we will file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These reports, proxy statements and other information will be available at www.sec.gov.

We also maintain a website at www.cincor.com, at which you may access these materials free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of, and is not incorporated into, this prospectus. We have included our website in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

 

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Financial Statements

Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2020

Contents

 

 

 

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited)

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020 and 2021

Contents

 

 

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and Board of Directors of

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related statements of operations and comprehensive loss, redeemable convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively, referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Restatement of December 31, 2020 and 2019 Financial Statements

As discussed in Note 8 of the financial statements, the December 31, 2020 and 2019 financial statements have been restated to correct the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding. Our opinion is not modified with respect to this matter.

The Company’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company has incurred losses from operations, has negative cash flows from operating activities, and has stated that substantial doubt exists about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s evaluation of these events and conditions and management’s plans regarding these matters are also described in Note 1. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2019.

Cincinnati, Ohio

June 23, 2021, except for the matter discussed in Note 8, as to which the date is November 30, 2021, and the matters discussed in Note 2 and Note 10, as to which the date is January 3, 2022.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Balance Sheets

 

     December 31  
     2019     2020  

Assets

    

Current assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 11,484,152     $ 26,078,064  

Related-party accounts receivable

     8,424       —  

Prepaid research and development contracts

     388,214       694,504  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     43,541       27,403  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     11,924,331       26,799,971  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 11,924,331     $ 26,799,971  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock, and stockholders’ deficit

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

   $ 780,368     $ 3,666,017  

Related-party accounts payable

     172,537       98,781  

Warrant derivative liabilities

     680,529       1,890,357  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     89,703       1,236,209  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     1,723,137       6,891,364  

Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.00001 par value, 35,714,282 shares authorized and 35,714,282 and 11,904,760 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2020

     15,183,192       47,173,259  

Stockholders’ deficit:

    

Common stock (restated), $0.00001 par value, 13,731,321 shares authorized, and 1,250,000 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2020

     43       43  

Additional paid-in capital

     53,409       69,300  

Accumulated deficit

     (5,035,450 )      (27,333,995 ) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ deficit

     (4,981,998 )      (27,264,652 ) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock, and stockholders’ deficit

   $ 11,924,331     $ 26,799,971  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss

 

     Year Ended December 31  
     2019     2020  

Operating expenses

    

Research and development

   $ 3,926,221     $ 17,952,208  

General and administrative

     1,210,595       3,173,237  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     5,136,816       21,125,445  

Loss from operations

     5,136,816       21,125,445  

Other (income) expense:

    

Interest income

     (101,706 )      (36,728 ) 

Change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities

     —       1,209,828  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other (income) expense

     (101,706 )      1,173,100  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net and comprehensive loss

   $ 5,035,110     $ 22,298,545  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted (restated)

   $ 4.03     $ 17.84  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted average common stock used in computing net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted (restated)

     1,250,000       1,250,000  

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Statements of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

 

    Redeemable Convertible
Preferred Stock
    Stockholders’ Deficit  
    Series A Redeemable
Convertible Preferred Stock
    Common Stock
(restated)
    Additional
Paid-In
Capital
    Accumulated
Deficit
    Total
Stockholders’
Deficit
 
    Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  

Balance at January 1, 2019

    —     $ —       1,176,471     $ 40     $ —     $ (340 )    $ (300 ) 

Issuance of common stock

    —       —       73,529               3       49,997       —       50,000  

Issuance of redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs cost of $802,944

    11,904,760       15,863,721       —       —       —       —       —  

Allocation of proceeds to warrant derivative liabilities

    —       (680,529 )      —       —       —       —       —  

Stock-based compensation expense

    —       —       —       —       3,412       —       3,412  

Net and comprehensive loss

    —       —       —       —       —       (5,035,110 )      (5,035,110 ) 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

    11,904,760       15,183,192       1,250,000       43       53,409       (5,035,450 )      (4,981,998 ) 

Issuance of redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs cost of $1,343,268

    23,809,522       31,990,067       —       —       —       —       —  

Stock-based compensation expense

    —       —       —       —       15,891       —       15,891  

Net and comprehensive loss

    —       —       —       —       —       (22,298,545 )      (22,298,545 ) 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2020

    35,714,282     $ 47,173,259       1,250,000     $ 43     $ 69,300     $ (27,333,995 )    $ (27,264,652 ) 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Statements of Cash Flows

 

     Year Ended December 31  
     2019     2020  

Operating activities

    

Net and comprehensive loss

   $ (5,035,110 )    $ (22,298,545 ) 

Adjustments to reconcile net and comprehensive loss to net cash used in operating activities:

    

Stock-based compensation expense

     3,412       15,891  

Change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities

     —       1,209,828  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Related-party accounts receivable

     (8,424 )      8,424  

Prepaid research and development contracts

     (388,214 )      (306,290 ) 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (43,541 )      16,138  

Accounts payable

     780,068       2,885,649  

Related-party accounts payable

     172,537       (73,756 ) 

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     89,703       1,146,506  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in operating activities

     (4,429,569 )      (17,396,155 ) 

Financing activities

    

Proceeds from the issuance of common stock

     50,000       —  

Proceeds from the issuance of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock inclusive of proceeds attributable to warrant derivative liabilities

     16,666,665       33,333,335  

Issuance cost for redeemable convertible preferred stock

     (802,944 )      (1,343,268 ) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

     15,913,721       31,990,067  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Increase in cash and cash equivalents

     11,484,152       14,593,912  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

     —       11,484,152  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year

   $ 11,484,152     $ 26,078,064  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2020

1. Nature of Business

CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing its lead clinical candidate, CIN-107, for the treatment of hypertension and other cardio-renal diseases. CIN-107 is a highly selective, oral small molecule inhibitor of aldosterone synthase, the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of aldosterone in the adrenal gland. The Company is currently conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial of CIN-107 in patients with treatment resistant hypertension, which is referred to as the BrigHtn trial, and plan to initiate a separate Phase 2 clinical trial in patients whose blood pressure is not controlled despite treatment with at least one antihypertensive agent. In addition to hypertension, the Company is developing CIN-107 for the treatment of primary aldosteronism and chronic kidney disease. The Company was incorporated in 2018 in the State of Delaware.

The Company is subject to risks and uncertainties common to early-stage companies in the biotechnology industry, including, but not limited to, possible failure of preclinical studies or clinical trials, the need to obtain marketing approval for its product candidates, development by competitors of new technological innovations, dependence on key personnel, protection of proprietary technology, compliance with government regulations, the need to successfully commercialize and gain market acceptance of any of the Company’s products that are approved and the ability to secure additional capital to fund operations. Product candidates currently under development will require significant additional research and development efforts, including extensive preclinical and clinical testing, and regulatory approval prior to commercialization. These efforts require significant amounts of additional capital, adequate personnel and infrastructure, and extensive compliance-reporting capabilities. Even if the Company’s drug development efforts are successful, it is uncertain when, if ever, the Company will realize revenue from product sales.

The Company has funded its operations to date primarily through private sales of redeemable convertible preferred stock.

Going Concern Considerations

In accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40), the Company has evaluated whether there are conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued.

The Company incurred losses from operations and had negative cash flows from operating activities for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, and since inception. The Company’s current operating plan indicates it will continue to incur losses from operations and generate negative cash flows from operating activities, given ongoing expenditures related to extensive research and development and the Company’s lack of revenue-generating activities at this point in the Company’s life cycle. These events and conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

The Company will need to raise additional funds in order to further advance its research and development programs, operate its business, and meet its obligations as they come due. However, financing may not be available to the Company in the necessary time frame, in the amounts that the Company requires, on terms that are acceptable to the Company, or at all. If the Company is unable to raise the necessary funds when needed or must reduce spending on currently planned activities, it may not be able to continue the development of its

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

1. Nature of Business

 

products or could be required to delay, scale back, or eliminate some or all of its research and development programs and other operations; consequently, these circumstances will materially harm the Company’s business, financial position, and results of operations. Based on the Company’s current plans absent any future financings, it is anticipated that the existing cash will allow the Company to conduct planned operations through the fourth quarter of 2021.

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern and do not include adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. This basis of accounting contemplates the recovery of the Company’s assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or amounts of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern. Based on the Company’s current cash position and current financial position as of the date of the financial statements, there is a substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The Company’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and stated in U.S. dollars. Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to the authoritative U.S. GAAP as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and Accounting Standards Updates (“ASUs”) of the FASB.

Segment Information

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision-maker, or decision-making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment. All the assets and operations of the Company are located in the United States.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Management considers many factors in selecting appropriate financial accounting policies and controls and in developing the estimates and assumptions that are used in the preparation of these financial statements. Management must apply significant judgment in this process. In addition, other factors may affect estimates, including expected business and operational changes, sensitivity and volatility associated with the assumptions used in developing estimates, and whether historical trends are expected to be representative of future trends. The estimation process often may yield a range of potentially reasonable estimates of the ultimate future outcomes, and management must select an amount that falls within that range of reasonable estimates. Estimates are used in the following areas, among others: prepaid research and development contracts, fair value of the Company’s common stock, fair value of warrant derivative liabilities, and income taxes.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

The Company utilizes estimates and assumptions in determining the fair value of its common stock, including stock-based awards. The Company has granted stock options at exercise prices that represented the fair value of its common stock on grant date. The Company utilized various valuation methodologies in accordance with the framework of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Technical Practice Aid, Valuation of Privately Held Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation, to estimate the fair value of its common stock. Each valuation methodology includes estimates and assumptions that require the Company’s judgment. These estimates and assumptions include a number of objective and subjective factors, including external market conditions, the prices at which the Company sold shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock, the superior rights and preferences of the redeemable convertible preferred stock senior to the Company’s common stock at the time, and a probability analysis of various liquidity events, such as a public offering or sale of the Company, under differing scenarios.

Changes to the key assumptions used in the valuations could result in different fair values of common stock at each valuation date. Actual results may differ from those estimates or assumptions.

The Company’s results and business operations can also be affected or disrupted by economic, political, legislative, regulatory, legal matters, or public health concerns, such as the coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19, pandemic. Economic conditions, such as recessionary trends, inflation, interest, changes in regulatory laws and monetary exchange rates, and government fiscal policies, can also have a significant effect on the Company’s operations. While the Company maintains reserves for anticipated liabilities, the Company could be affected by civil, criminal, regulatory, or administrative actions, claims, or proceedings. The extent to which the Company’s business can be impacted by future events is highly uncertain and cannot be predicted at this time.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The primary objectives for the Company’s cash and cash equivalents are the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The Company considers highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. At December 31, 2019 and 2020, cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase. The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents approximates fair value. The Company has maintained balances with its banks in excess of federally insured limits.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Other Risks and Uncertainties

The Company has no significant off-balance sheet concentrations of credit risk, such as foreign currency exchange contracts, option contracts, or other hedging arrangements. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk primarily consist of cash and cash equivalents, which consist of money market funds that invest primarily in short-term U.S. government securities.

The Company has not yet generated any revenue from the sale of its products and is subject to all of the risks and uncertainties that are typically faced by biotechnology companies that devote substantially all of their efforts to research and development and clinical trials and do not yet have commercial products. The Company expects to continue incurring losses for the foreseeable future.

Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

In accordance with ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (ASC 480), preferred stock issued with redemption provisions that are outside of the control of the issuer or that contain certain redemption

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

features in the event of a deemed liquidation is required to be presented outside of stockholders’ deficit on the face of the balance sheet and certain disclosures are required to be included in the notes to the financial statements. If required, changes in fair value are recorded as additional paid in capital and/or accumulated deficit in the balance sheets. Changes in fair value that would reduce the fair value of the redeemable convertible preferred stock below the original issue price are limited so that the value of the shares are not recorded below the original issue price.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash equivalents, warrant derivative liabilities, accounts payable, and accrued expenses and other liabilities. The fair values of accounts payable and accrued expenses and other liabilities approximate the carrying values because of their short-term nature.

The Company is required to disclose information on all assets and liabilities reported at fair value that enables an assessment of the inputs used in determining the reported fair values. ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, establishes a hierarchy of inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the observable inputs be used when available.

Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the Company’s assumptions about the inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability and are developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The fair value hierarchy applies only to the valuation inputs used in determining the reported fair value and is not a measure of the investment credit quality. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:

 

  •  

Level 1 – Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date

 

  •  

Level 2 – Valuations based on observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data

 

  •  

Level 3 – Valuations that require inputs that reflect the Company’s own assumptions that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable

To the extent that a valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Company in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. There were no transfers within the fair value hierarchy in 2019 and 2020.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development costs, both internal and external, are expensed as incurred. Costs are considered incurred based on an evaluation of the progress to completion of specific tasks under each contract using

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

information and data provided to the Company by its clinical sites and vendors. These costs consist of direct and indirect costs associated with specific projects, as well as fees paid to various entities that perform certain research on behalf of the Company. The Company’s research and development expenses consist primarily of clinical trial expenses, consulting costs and stock-based compensation, and costs associated with required regulatory filings, licenses, and fees.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for its stock-based compensation awards in accordance with ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation (ASC 718). ASC 718 requires all stock-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss based on their fair values. The Company’s stock-based awards are subject only to service-based vesting conditions. The Company estimates the fair value of its stock-based awards using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which requires the input of assumptions, including (a) the expected stock price volatility, (b) the calculation of expected term of the award, (c) the risk-free interest rate, and (d) expected dividends.

Due to the lack of a public market for the trading of the Company’s common stock and a lack of company-specific historical and implied volatility data, the Company has based its estimate of expected volatility on the historical volatility of a group of similar companies that are publicly traded. The Company believes that the companies in the group have characteristics similar to its own characteristics, including stage of product development and a focus on the life sciences industry. The Company believes the group selected has sufficient similar economic and industry characteristics and includes companies that are most representative of the Company.

The Company uses the simplified method, as prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107, Share-Based Payment, to calculate the expected term, as it does not have sufficient historical exercise data to provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate the expected term for options granted and utilizes the contractual term for options granted. The risk-free interest rate is based on a treasury instrument whose term is consistent with the expected life of the stock options.

Compensation expense related to awards is calculated on a straight-line basis by recognizing the grant date fair value over the associated service period of the award, which is generally the vesting term.

Derivative Instruments, Including Warrant Derivative Liabilities

The Company accounts for derivatives, specifically freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants, in accordance with ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging (ASC 815). This guidance establishes accounting and reporting principles for derivative instruments, including certain derivative instruments embedded in other contracts.

Net and Comprehensive Loss Per Share

The Company’s basic net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders is calculated by dividing the net and comprehensive loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. The diluted net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders is computed by giving effect to all potential common stock

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

equivalents outstanding for the period determined using the treasury stock method. For purposes of this calculation, redeemable convertible preferred stock and stock options to purchase common stock are considered to be common stock equivalents but have been excluded from the calculation of diluted net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders as their effect is anti-dilutive.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are recorded in accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes (ASC 740), which provides for deferred taxes using an asset and liability approach. The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities and for loss and credit carryforwards using enacted tax rates anticipated to be in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are provided if, based upon the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions in accordance with the provisions of ASC 740. When uncertain tax positions exist, the Company recognizes the tax benefit of tax positions to the extent that some or all the benefit will more likely than not be realized. The determination as to whether the tax benefit will more likely than not be realized is based upon the technical merits of the tax position, as well as consideration of the available facts and circumstances. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company does not have any significant uncertain tax positions. If the Company were to incur interest and penalties on uncertain tax positions, it would classify them as income tax expense.

The Company files U.S. federal and state income tax returns.

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive loss is defined as the change in equity of a business enterprise during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources. Comprehensive loss equaled net loss for the periods presented.

Reverse Stock Split

On December 30, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation to effect a 3.4-for-1 reverse stock split of the Company’s common stock, which was effected on December 30, 2021. Stockholders entitled to fractional shares as a result of the reverse stock split will receive a cash payment in lieu of receiving fractional shares. The par value of the common stock was not adjusted as a result of the reverse stock split. Shares of common stock underlying outstanding stock options and other equity instruments were proportionately reduced and the respective exercise prices, if applicable, were proportionately increased in accordance with the terms of the appropriate securities agreements. Shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon the conversion of convertible preferred stock were proportionately reduced and the respective conversion prices were proportionately increased. All common share and per share data have been retrospectively revised to reflect the reverse stock split.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies and adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the Company believes the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations upon adoption.

3. Fair Value Measurements

The following table presents information about the Company’s financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis based on the fair value hierarchy at:

 

     December 31, 2019  
     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Assets

           

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 11,484,152      $ —      $ —      $ 11,484,152  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total assets at fair value

   $ 11,484,152      $ —      $ —      $ 11,484,152  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     December 31, 2019  
     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Liabilities

           

Warrant derivative liabilities

   $ —      $             —      $ 680,529      $ 680,529  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total liabilities at fair value

   $ —      $ —      $ 680,529      $ 680,529  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     December 31, 2020  
     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Assets

           

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 26,078,064      $ —      $             —      $ 26,078,064  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total assets at fair value

   $ 26,078,064      $             —      $ —      $ 26,078,064  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Liabilities

           

Warrant derivative liabilities

   $             —      $             —      $ 1,890,357      $ 1,890,357  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total liabilities at fair value

   $ —      $ —      $ 1,890,357      $ 1,890,357  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Cash equivalents are valued using unadjusted quoted market prices.

The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the fair value of the warrant derivative liabilities, representing a recurring measurement that is classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy:

 

January 1, 2019

   $ —  

Issuance of freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants

     680,529  
  

 

 

 

December 31, 2019

     680,529  

Change in fair value

     1,209,828  
  

 

 

 

December 31, 2020

   $ 1,890,357  
  

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

3. Fair Value Measurements

 

The Company estimated the fair value of the warrant derivative liabilities using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. The valuation model uses the following assumptions at:

 

     December 31  
     2019     2020  

Fair value of common stock

   $         0.92     $         2.55  

Volatility

     96.80 %      82.40 % 

Expected term (in years)

     9.40       1.50  

Risk-free interest rate

     1.90 %      0.12 % 

Dividend yield

     — %      — % 

The preceding methods described may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, although the Company believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date.

4. License Agreement

In May 2019, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “Roche Agreement”) with F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. (collectively, “Roche”), pursuant to which the Company obtained an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license under certain patents and specified know-how owned or controlled by Roche and covering certain specified small molecule aldosterone synthase inhibitors (the “Roche Technology”) to research, develop and commercialize products containing such aldosterone synthase inhibitors (the “Licensed Products”) for any and all uses, including the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of any and all diseases and medical conditions in humans and animals. Pursuant to the Roche Agreement, the Company paid Roche a one-time, upfront non-refundable license fee of $2,000,000. Additionally, the Company is required to pay Roche certain tiered development event-based milestone payments, certain sales-based milestone payments, as well as a royalty from the future sales of the Licensed Products. The royalty is tiered based on the net sales of each Licensed Product.

The Roche Agreement will expire, unless earlier terminated by either party, upon expiration of all royalty or other payment obligations under the Roche Agreement are or will become due. For the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company recorded expense of approximately $2.0 million related to the Roche Agreement as research and development expenses on the Company’s statement of operations and comprehensive loss.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

5. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

In May 2019, the Company authorized the issuance of 35,714,282 shares to be issued in the form of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock (“Series A preferred stock”). During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company issued 11,904,760 and 23,809,522 shares of Series A preferred stock at $1.40 per share for total proceeds of $16,666,665 and $33,333,335 , respectively. The Company incurred $802,944 and $1,343,268 of Series A preferred stock issuance costs, which are recorded against the carrying amount of the Series A preferred stock at December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. The rights, preferences, and privileges of the Company’s Series A preferred stock are as follows:

Voting

The holders of Series A preferred stock are entitled to a number of votes equal to the number of whole shares of common stock into which the shares of Series A preferred stock are convertible. Except as provided by law or otherwise, the holders of the Series A preferred stock vote together with the holders of common stock as a single class.

Holders of Series A preferred stock, voting as a separate class, are entitled to elect three members of the Board of Directors. The holders of the common stock, voting as a separate class, are entitled to elect two members of the Board of Directors. The holders of Series A preferred stock and common stock, voting together as a single class on an as-converted basis, are entitled to elect any additional members of the Board of Directors.

Dividends

Dividends are payable, if permitted by law, in accordance with the Series A preferred stock terms if and when declared by the Board of Directors. Holders of the Series A preferred stock are entitled to receive dividends out of any assets at the time legally available, at the applicable dividend rate specified for such shares of the Series A preferred stock. Dividends are not mandatory and are not cumulative. No dividends have been declared or paid since inception of the Company.

Liquidation

In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, the holders of shares of the Series A preferred stock then outstanding are entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Company available for distribution to its stockholders or, in the case of a deemed liquidation event, out of the consideration payable to stockholders in such an event, before any payment shall be made to the holders of common stock by reason of their ownership thereof, an amount per share equal to the Series A preferred stock original issue price, plus any dividends declared but unpaid. If upon any such liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company or a deemed liquidation event, the assets of the Company available for distribution to its stockholders are insufficient to pay the holders of shares of Series A preferred stock the full amount to which they are entitled, the holders of shares of the Series A preferred stock share ratably in any distribution of the assets available for distribution in proportion to the respective amounts that would otherwise be payable in respect of the shares held by them upon such distribution if all amounts payable on or with respect to such shares were paid in full.

The remaining available proceeds will be distributed pro rata among the holders of the shares of the Series A preferred stock and common stock, based on the number of shares held by each such holder, treating for this purpose all such securities as if they had been converted to common stock pursuant to the applicable terms immediately prior to such liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

5. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

 

Conversion

Each share of the Series A preferred stock is convertible, at the option of the holder thereof, at any time and from time to time, and without the payment of additional consideration by the holder thereof, into such number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of common stock as determined by dividing the Series A preferred stock original issue price by the Series A preferred stock conversion price in effect at the time of conversion. The applicable conversion price is subject to future adjustments upon the occurrence of certain events. However, holders of the Series A preferred stock do not have the right to convert any shares of the Series A preferred stock at the applicable conversion ratio in effect for preferred shares upon either (i) the closing of a qualified initial public offering of its common stock at a price per share of at least $14.28 per share (subject to adjustment for any share split, combination or dividend or distribution payable) resulting in at least $50,000,000 in gross proceeds to the Company net of the underwriting discount and commissions, or (ii) the election to convert the preferred shares by at least two of the following three holders of the Company’s Series A preferred stock: (i) Sofinnova Venture Partners X, L.P., (ii) Sofinnova Capital IX and (iii) 5AM Ventures VI, L.P.

The Company evaluated the Series A preferred stock and determined that it was considered an equity host under ASC 815. In making this determination, the Company’s analysis followed the whole instrument approach, which compares an individual feature against the entire Series A preferred stock instrument that includes that feature. The Company’s analysis was based on a consideration of the economic characteristics and risks of the Series A preferred stock. More specifically, the Company evaluated all of the stated and implied substantive terms and features, including (i) whether the Series A preferred stock included redemption features, (ii) how and when any redemption features could be exercised, (iii) whether the holders of the Series A preferred stock were entitled to dividends, (iv) the voting rights of the Series A preferred stock, and (v) the existence and nature of any conversion rights. The Company concluded that, as the Series A preferred stock represents an equity host, the conversion feature included in the Series A preferred stock is clearly and closely related to the associated host instrument. Accordingly, the conversion feature is not considered an embedded derivative that requires bifurcation.

The Company accounts for potentially beneficial conversion features under ASC Topic 470-20, Debt with Conversion and Other Options. At the time of the issuances of the shares of Series A preferred stock, the Company’s common stock into which the Company’s Series A preferred stock was convertible had an estimated fair value less than the effective conversion prices of the shares of Series A preferred stock. Therefore, there was no beneficial conversion element on the issuance dates.

Redemption

The Series A preferred stock are redeemable upon a request by two of three of the requisite holders of the Company’s Series A preferred stock in the event of a Deemed Liquidation Event, if the Company does not effect a dissolution of the Company within 90 days after such Deemed Liquidation Event, payable at a price equal to the cash or the value of the property, rights, or securities to be paid or distributed to holders pursuant to such Deemed Liquidation Event.

Any redemption is deemed to be remote at December 31, 2019 and 2020, and the fair value of Series A preferred stock is deemed to be the price paid by the Series A preferred stockholders.

Due to this redemption option, Series A preferred stock is recorded in mezzanine equity and is subject to subsequent measurement under the guidance provided under ASC 480. In accordance with that guidance, the Company has elected to recognize changes in redemption value immediately.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

5. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

 

However, based on the nature of Series A preferred stock, no subsequent measurement will be recognized until a Deemed Liquidation Event becomes probable. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, a Deemed Liquidation Event was not probable; as a result, the Series A preferred stock is valued at original issue price, less cost of issuance, and the value is allocated to the warrant derivative liabilities discussed further below.

Warrant Derivative Liabilities

In connection with the Series A preferred stock , the Company issued two freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants to an unrelated third party to separately purchase 411,765 and 329,552 shares of common stock (the “2019 Warrants”). The 2019 Warrants are exercisable in whole immediately prior to an initial public offering by the Company and, as such, remain issued, outstanding, and exercisable at December 31, 2019 and 2020. The 2019 Warrants were issued with an initial exercise price of $0.04 and an expiration date of May 13, 2029. The 2019 Warrants qualify as derivative liabilities, which must be accounted for separately from the Series A preferred stock and are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. At December 31, 2019 and 2020, the 2019 Warrants were valued at $680,529 and $1,890,357, respectively, with the change in fair value included in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss in the period the change occurs.

6. Stockholders’ Deficit and Stock-Based Compensation

Common stock

The voting, dividend, and liquidation rights of the holders of common stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers, and preferences of the holders of the Series A preferred stock. The Company’s common stock has the following characteristics:

Voting

The holders of the common stock are entitled to one vote for each share of common stock. However, except as otherwise required by law, holders of common stock are not entitled to vote on any amendment to the certificate of incorporation that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of preferred stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to the certificate of incorporation or pursuant to Delaware General Corporation Law.

Dividends

The holders of common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if and when declared by the Board of Directors. The Company may not declare or pay any cash dividends to the holders of common stock unless, in addition to obtaining any necessary consents, dividends are paid on the Series A preferred stock in accordance with the respective terms. No dividends have been declared or paid since inception of the Company.

Liquidation

In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up of the Company, the holders of common stock are entitled to share ratably with the holders of the Series A preferred stock in the Company’s assets available for distribution to stockholders after payment to the holders of the Series A preferred stock of their liquidation preferences has been made.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

6. Stockholders’ Deficit and Stock-Based Compensation

 

Stock Options

As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, options to purchase common stock were outstanding under the Company’s 2019 Stock Option Plan (the “2019 Plan”). The Company has reserved 1,235,804 shares of its common stock under the 2019 Plan for grants in the form of incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options to employees, consultants, and directors. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, a total of 1,169,411 options were available for issuance under the 2019 Plan.

The following is a summary of the Company’s stock option activity under its 2019 Plan:

 

     Shares      Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
     Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
 

Options outstanding at January 1, 2019

     —      $ —        —  

Options granted

     66,392        0.92        —  

Options exercised

     —        —        —  

Options forfeited

     —        —        —  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options outstanding at December 31, 2019

     66,392      $ 0.92        9.75  

Options granted

     —        —        —  

Options exercised

     —        —        —  

Options forfeited

     —        —        —  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options outstanding at December 31, 2020

     66,392      $ 0.92        8.75  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, there were 4,904 and 27,034 options vested and exercisable, respectively. Unrecognized compensation cost related to stock option awards of $37,528 and $28,101, as of December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, is expected to be recognized as expense over a weighted average period of 2.8 and 1.8 years, respectively. The total fair value of options vested was $3,412 and $15,891 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Outstanding stock options, if not exercised, expire ten years from the date of grant. The Company issues new shares of common stock upon exercise of stock options. The weighted average grant date fair value per share for the outstanding options at December 31, 2019 and 2020, was $0.71.

The Company determined the grant-date fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value of each stock option grant was determined using assumptions that are subjective and require significant judgment and estimation by management. The risk-free rate assumption was based on observed yields from governmental zero-coupon bonds with a term equivalent to the option. The expected volatility assumption was based on historical volatilities of a group of comparable industry companies whose share prices are publicly available. The peer group was developed based on companies in the therapeutics and pharmaceutical industries. The expected term of stock options represents the weighted average period that the stock options are expected to be outstanding. Because the Company does not have historical exercise behavior, it determined the expected life assumption using the simplified method, which is an average of the options ordinary vesting period and the contractual term. The expected dividend assumption was based on the Company’s history and expectation of dividend payouts at the time of grant. The Company recognizes forfeitures on an actual basis and, as such, did not estimate forfeitures to calculate stock-based compensation.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

6. Stockholders’ Deficit and Stock-Based Compensation

 

There were no options granted during the year ended December 31, 2020. The following table presents the weighted average assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of stock options granted during the year ended December 31, 2019:

 

Exercise price

   $ 0.92  

Stock price on date of grant

   $ 0.92  

Expected term (years)

     6.00  

Expected stock price volatility

     96.75 % 

Risk-free rate of interest

     1.63 % 

Expected dividend yield

     — % 

There is a high degree of subjectivity involved when using option-pricing models to estimate stock-based compensation. There are currently no market-based mechanisms or other practical applications to verify the reliability and accuracy of the estimates stemming from these models, nor is there a means to compare and adjust the estimates to actual values. Although the fair value of the employee stock-based awards is determined using an option-pricing model, the value may not be indicative of the fair value that would be observed in a market transaction between a willing buyer and a willing seller. If factors change and the Company employs different assumptions when valuing its options, the compensation expense that the Company records in the future may differ significantly from what it has historically reported.

7. Income Taxes

There was no current or deferred income tax expense or benefit for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, due to the Company’s net and comprehensive loss and increases in its deferred tax asset valuation allowance.

The components of net and comprehensive loss are primarily composed of permanent items and the change in valuation allowance. The Company’s income tax provision was computed based on the federal statutory rates and the average state statutory rates, net of the federal benefit. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income and for tax carryforwards.

The components of the Company’s deferred tax assets are as follows at December 31:

 

     2019     2020  

Net operating loss carryforwards

   $ 706,655     $ 5,505,370  

Licensing fee, contract accruals

     433,064       402,852  

Stock-based compensation

     773       3,865  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total deferred tax assets

     1,140,492       5,912,087  

Valuation allowance

     (1,140,492 )      (5,912,087 ) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net deferred tax assets

   $ —     $ —  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

When realization of the deferred tax asset is more likely than not to occur, the benefit related to the deductible temporary differences attributable to operations is recognized as a reduction of income tax expense. Valuation allowances are provided against deferred tax assets when, based on all available evidence, it is

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

7. Income Taxes

 

considered more likely than not that some portion or all of the recorded deferred tax assets will not be realized in future periods. The deferred tax assets have been fully offset by a valuation allowance, as realization is dependent on future earnings, if any, the timing and amount of which are uncertain.

As of December 31 2019 and 2020, the Company had gross federal net operating loss carryforwards of $3,118,649 and $24,296,617 available to reduce future taxable income, respectively. The federal net operating loss carryforward (“NOL”) has no expiration as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Additionally, the Company has $24,296,617 of gross local NOL carryforward that begin expiring in 2025.

The Company’s effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 is 0%. A reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate to the Company’s effective income tax rate is as follows for the years ended:

 

     December 31  
     2019     2020  

Statutory federal income tax rate

     (21.00 )%      (21.00 )% 

State income taxes, net of federal tax benefits

     (1.66 )      (1.66 ) 

Permanent items

     0.01       1.25  

Change in valuation allowance

     22.65       21.41  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total provision for income taxes

     — %      — % 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. Federal jurisdiction and various state and local jurisdictions. All years remain open and are subject to examination.

At December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company has no unrecognized tax benefits, and no amounts have been recognized in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss. The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company has no accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions.

8. Net and Comprehensive Loss Per Share (Restated)

The Company’s basic and diluted net loss per share for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, was $4.03 and $17.84, respectively.

Diluted net and comprehensive loss per share gives effect to all potentially dilutive securities, including shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants, redeemable convertible preferred stock, and stock options outstanding under the Company’s stock option plan. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company has excluded the effects of all potentially dilutive shares, which include freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants to purchase common stock, redeemable convertible preferred stock, and outstanding common stock options, from the weighted average number of common stock as their inclusion would be anti-dilutive due to net and comprehensive loss. Therefore, the calculation of basic and diluted net comprehensive loss per share is the same.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

 

The following weighted average common stock equivalents were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share for the periods presented because including them would have had an anti-dilutive effect for the years ended:

 

     December 31  
     2019      2020  

Redeemable convertible preferred stock (if converted)

     3,501,399        10,504,199  

2019 warrants

     741,317        741,317  

Outstanding options exercisable

     4,904        27,034  

Restatement of Previously Issued Financial Statements

Subsequent to the date of the previously issued financial statements (June 23, 2021) and as part of its financial and legal diligence in contemplation of a potential initial public offering transaction, management determined that certain outstanding common stock of the Company issued to CinRx at the time of incorporation, had not been appropriately reflected in the historical financial statements. The omission of this common stock therefore only impacted net and comprehensive loss per share attribute to common stockholders, basic and diluted, and outstanding common stock, and no other items within the financial statements, as follows:

 

     Year Ended December 31, 2019  
     As
Reported
     Restatement
Impact
     As Restated  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Outstanding common stock

     73,529        1,176,471        1,250,000  

Net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted

   $ 68.48      $ 64.45      $ 4.03  

 

     Year Ended December 31, 2020  
     As
Reported
     Restatement
Impact
     As Restated  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Outstanding common stock

     73,529        1,176,471        1,250,000  

Net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted

   $ 303.26        285.42      $ 17.84  

9. Related-Party Transactions

CinRx Pharma, LLC and subsidiaries (“CinRx”)

Certain former executives and employees of the Company, including the Company’s former chief executive officer and a former member of the board of directors and a former member of the Company’s board of directors, are members of CinRx’s board of managers and/or have equity investments in CinRx, a biotechnology company. The Company receives business management services from CinRx from time to time as needed. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company recorded business management fees totaling $795,000 and $1,552,000, of which approximately $173,000 and $99,000 is included in related party accounts payable at December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

10. Subsequent Events

Subsequent to December 31, 2020, the Company authorized the issuance of 35,716,249 shares to be issued in the form of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock (Series B preferred stock).

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

 

In September and October 2021, the Company entered into a Series B preferred stock agreement with certain investors, members of the Company’s board of directors and affiliates of members of their board of directors, pursuant to which the Company issued and sold to such investors an aggregate of 35,716,249 shares of Series B preferred stock at a purchase price of $4.00 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $142,870,000. In addition, the Company’s Board of Directors increased the number of authorized shares of common stock to 27,941,176 shares.

In connection with the Series B preferred stock offering, the Company issued a freestanding detachable stock purchase warrant to an unrelated third party to separately purchase 113,610 shares of common stock (the 2021 Warrants). The 2021 Warrants are exercisable in whole immediately prior to an initial public offering by the Company.

On December 22, 2021, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with CinRx, certain current and former employees of CinRx, two employees of the Company, and certain investors in the Company’s Series A preferred stock. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the Company agreed to, among other things, issue 764,705 shares of common stock to CinRx. The Company also agreed to reimburse CinRx’s legal fees relating to the settlement agreement for up to an aggregate total of $500,000. As a result of this settlement agreement, CinRx agreed to dismiss all litigation against the Company, the Company’s employees and certain investors in the Company’s Series A preferred stock. Based on the terms of the settlement agreement and the information available at the date of this filing, the estimated non-cash value of the share issuance is approximately $11,000,000 and it is estimated that the impact to the loss per share in the period would not change materially as a result of the share issuance.

On December 30, 2021, the Board of Directors adopted, and the Company’s stockholders approved, the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”). The 2022 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options to employees of the Company, including employees of any parent or subsidiary, and for the grant of non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, performance awards and other forms of stock awards to employees, directors, and consultants, including employees and consultants of affiliates of the Company (collectively, “stock based awards”). The 2022 Plan is a successor to the 2019 Plan. Initially, the maximum number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the 2022 Plan after it becomes effective will be 6,787,652 shares, which is the sum of (i) 3,905,911 new shares; plus (ii) the number of shares that remain available for issuance under the 2019 Plan at the time the 2022 Plan becomes effective; and (iii) any shares subject to outstanding stock options or other stock awards that were granted under the 2019 Plan that are forfeited, terminate, expire or are otherwise not issued. In addition, the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2022 Plan will automatically increase on January 1st of each calendar year, starting on January 1, 2023 and continuing through January 1, 2032, in an amount equal to 5% of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding on the last day of the calendar month before the date of each automatic increase, or a lesser number of shares determined by the Board of Directors. The maximum number of shares of common stock that may be issued on the exercise of incentive stock options under the 2022 Plan is 20,362,956. There were no stock based awards issued from the 2022 Plan as of the date of these financial statements.

Additionally, on December 30, 2021, the Board of Directors adopted, and the Company’s stockholders approved, the 2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”). The ESPP authorizes the issuance of shares of common stock under purchase rights granted to employees of the Company or to employees of any of the Company’s designated affiliates. The ESPP will initially provide participating employees with the opportunity to purchase up to an aggregate of 355,000 shares of common stock. The number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance will automatically increase on January 1 of each calendar year, starting on January 1, 2023

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

 

 

and continuing through January 1, 2032, by the lesser of (i) 1% of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding on the last day of the calendar month before the date of the automatic increase; and (ii) 355,000 shares; provided that before the date of any such increase, the Board of Directors may determine that such increase will be less than the amount set forth in clauses (i) and (ii). As of the date of these financial statements, no shares of common stock have been purchased under the ESPP.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Condensed Balance Sheets

 

     December 31,
2020
    September 30,
2021
 
           (Unaudited)  

Assets

    

Current assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 26,078,064     $ 141,708,303  

Prepaid research and development contracts

     694,504       4,225,296  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     27,403       1,330,812  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     26,799,971       147,264,411  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 26,799,971     $ 147,264,411  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock, and stockholders’ deficit

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

   $ 3,666,017     $ 4,009,655  

Related-party accounts payable

     98,781       449,431  

Warrant derivative liabilities

     1,890,357       6,512,121  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     1,236,209       573,512  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     6,891,364       11,544,719  

Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.00001 par value, 35,714,282 shares authorized, issued and outstanding at both December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021

     47,173,259       47,173,259  

Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.00001 par value, 35,716,249 shares authorized, and 0 and 33,702,500 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, respectively

     —       133,352,758  

Stockholders’ deficit:

    

Common stock, $0.00001 par value, 13,731,321 and 27,941,176 shares authorized, and 1,250,000 and 1,778,332 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, respectively

     43       59  

Additional paid-in capital

     69,300       3,553,249  

Accumulated deficit

     (27,333,995 )      (48,359,633 ) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ deficit

     (27,264,652 )      (44,806,325 ) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock, and stockholders’ deficit

   $ 26,799,971     $ 147,264,411  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes, which are an integral part of these condensed financial statements.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Condensed Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (Unaudited)

 

     Nine Months Ended
September 30
 
     2020     2021  

Operating expenses

    

Research and development

   $ 12,828,674     $ 10,131,045  

General and administrative

     2,783,063       7,146,983  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     15,611,737       17,278,028  

Loss from operations

     15,611,737       17,278,028  

Other (income) expense:

    

Interest income

     (29,914 )      (7,899 ) 

Change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities

     907,391       3,755,509  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     877,477       3,747,610  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net and comprehensive loss

   $ 16,489,214     $ 21,025,638  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted

   $ 13.19     $ 14.00  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted average common shares used in computing net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted

     1,250,000       1,502,022  

See accompanying notes, which are an integral part of these condensed financial statements.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Condensed Statements of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit (Unaudited)

 

    Redeemable Convertible
Preferred Stock
    Stockholders’ Deficit  
    Series A Redeemable
Convertible Preferred Stock
    Series B Redeemable
Convertible Preferred Stock
    Common Stock     Additional
Paid-In
Capital
    Accumulated
Deficit
    Total
Stockholders’
Deficit
 
    Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  

Balance at January 1, 2020

    11,904,760       15,183,192       —       —       1,250,000       43       53,409       (5,035,450 )      (4,981,998 ) 

Issuance of redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs of $1,343,268

    23,809,522       31,990,067       —       —       —       —       —       —       —  

Stock-based compensation expense

    —       —       —       —       —       —       18,315       —       18,315  

Net and comprehensive loss

    —       —       —       —       —       —       —       (16,489,214 )      (16,489,214 ) 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2020

    35,714,282     $ 47,173,259       —     $ —       1,250,000     $ 43     $ 71,724     $ (21,524,664 )    $ (21,452,897 ) 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at January 1, 2021

    35,714,282     $ 47,173,259       —     $ —       1,250,000     $ 43     $ 69,300     $ (27,333,995 )    $ (27,264,652 ) 

Ratification and issuance of founders common stock

    —       —       —       —       —       —       —       —       —  

Issuance of redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs of $591,017

    —       —       33,702,500       134,219,013       —       —       —       —       —  

Allocation of proceeds to warrant derivative liabilities

    —       —       —       (866,255 )      —       —       —       —       —  

Stock options exercised

    —       —       —       —       528,332       16       1,232,799       —       1,232,815  

Stock-based compensation expense

    —       —       —       —           2,251,150       —       2,251,150  

Net and comprehensive loss

    —       —       —       —       —       —       —       (21,025,638 )      (21,025,638 ) 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2021

    35,714,282       47,173,259       33,702,500       133,352,758       1,778,332       59       3,553,249       (48,359,633 )      (44,806,325 ) 

See accompanying notes, which are an integral part of these condensed financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

 

     Nine Months Ended September 30  
     2020     2021  

Operating activities

    

Net and comprehensive loss

   $ (16,489,214 )    $ (21,025,638 ) 

Adjustments to reconcile net and comprehensive loss to net cash used in operating activities:

    

Stock-based compensation expense

     18,315       2,251,150  

Change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities

     907,391       3,755,509  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Related-party accounts receivable

     8,424       —  

Prepaid research and development contracts

     (778,508 )      (3,530,792 ) 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     356       (1,303,409 ) 

Accounts payable

     2,448,737       343,638  

Related-party accounts payable

     (57,455 )      350,650  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     1,621,875       (662,697 ) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in operating activities

     (12,320,079 )      (19,821,589 ) 

Financing activities

    

Proceeds from the issuance of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock inclusive of proceeds attributable to warrant derivative liabilities

     33,333,330       —  

Proceeds from the issuance of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock inclusive of proceeds attributable to warrant derivative liabilities

       134,810,030  

Issuance cost for redeemable convertible preferred stock

     (1,343,268 )      (591,017 ) 

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

     —       1,232,815  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

     31,990,062       135,451,828  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Increase in cash and cash equivalents

     19,669,983       115,630,239  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

     11,484,152       26,078,064  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year

   $ 31,154,135     $ 141,708,303  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes, which are an integral part of these condensed financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited)

September 30, 2020 and 2021

1. Nature of Business

CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the Company) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing its lead clinical candidate, CIN-107, for the treatment of hypertension and other cardio-renal diseases. CIN-107 is a highly selective, oral small molecule inhibitor of aldosterone synthase, the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of aldosterone in the adrenal gland. CIN-107 has been designed to use a differentiated mechanism of action, direct inhibition of aldosterone synthase production, with the goal of providing an improved treatment for patients suffering from hypertension, or high blood pressure. Despite the widespread availability of multiple antihypertensive agents, there remains a significant unmet medical need as more than half of the 108 million hypertensive patients in the United States do not achieve blood pressure control. We are evaluating the efficacy and safety profile of CIN-107 as a potential treatment for the broader hypertensive population, including different subpopulations of hypertensive patients who have not achieved blood pressure control despite treatment. The Company was incorporated in 2018 in the State of Delaware.

The Company is subject to risks and uncertainties common to early-stage companies in the biotechnology industry, including, but not limited to, possible failure of preclinical studies or clinical trials, the need to obtain marketing approval for its product candidates, development by competitors of new technological innovations, dependence on key personnel, protection of proprietary technology, compliance with government regulations, the need to successfully commercialize and gain market acceptance of any of the Company’s products that are approved and the ability to secure additional capital to fund operations. Product candidates currently under development will require significant additional research and development efforts, including extensive preclinical and clinical testing, and regulatory approval prior to commercialization. These efforts require significant amounts of additional capital, adequate personnel and infrastructure, and extensive compliance-reporting capabilities. Even if the Company’s drug development efforts are successful, it is uncertain when, if ever, the Company will realize revenue from product sales.

The Company has funded its operations to date primarily through private sales of redeemable convertible preferred stock.

Going Concern Considerations

In accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2014-15, Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40), the Company has evaluated whether there are conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the unaudited condensed financial statements are made publicly available.

The Company incurred losses from operations and had negative cash flows from operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021, and since inception. The Company’s current operating plan indicates it will continue to incur losses from operations and generate negative cash flows from operating activities, given ongoing expenditures related to extensive research and development and the Company’s lack of revenue-generating activities at this point in the Company’s life cycle.

The Company has been successful in raising funds through equity financings and will need to continue to raise additional funds in order to further advance its research and development programs, operate its business, and meet its obligations as they come due. However, financing may not be available to the Company in the necessary time frame, in the amounts that the Company requires, on terms that are acceptable to the Company, or at all. If the Company is unable to raise the necessary funds when needed or must reduce spending on currently

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

1. Nature of Business (Continued)

 

planned activities, it may not be able to continue the development of its products or could be required to delay, scale back, or eliminate some or all of its research and development programs and other operations; consequently, these circumstances will materially harm the Company’s business, financial position, and results of operations.

Based on the Company’s cash and cash equivalents position as of the date these unaudited condensed financial statements are made publicly available, it is anticipated that based on the Company’s current operating plans, these funds will allow the Company to conduct planned operations through at least the third quarter of 2023.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) and stated in U.S. dollars. Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to the authoritative U.S. GAAP as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) and Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs) of the FASB.

These unaudited condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes for the year ended December 31, 2020. The unaudited condensed financial statements for interim periods do not include all disclosures required by U.S GAAP for annual financial statements and are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year or any subsequent period. Adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair statement of the unaudited condensed financial position, results of operations and cash flows at the dates and for the periods presented have been included.

Segment Information

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision-maker, or decision-making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment. All the assets and operations of the Company are located in the United States.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of condensed financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed financial statements and the reported amounts of income, if applicable, and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Management considers many factors in selecting appropriate financial accounting policies and controls and in developing the estimates and assumptions that are used in the preparation of these condensed financial statements. Management must apply significant judgment in this process. In addition, other factors may affect estimates, including expected business and operational changes, sensitivity and volatility associated with the assumptions used in developing estimates, and whether historical trends are expected to be representative of future trends. The estimation process often may yield a range of potentially reasonable estimates of the ultimate future outcomes, and management must select an amount that falls within that range of reasonable estimates. Estimates are used in the following areas, among others: prepaid research and development contracts, fair value of the Company’s common stock, fair value of warrant derivative liabilities, and income taxes.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

 

The Company utilizes estimates and assumptions in determining the fair value of its common stock, including stock-based awards. The Company has granted stock options at exercise prices that represented the fair value of its common stock on grant date. The Company utilized various valuation methodologies in accordance with the framework of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Technical Practice Aid, Valuation of Privately Held Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation, to estimate the fair value of its common stock. Each valuation methodology includes estimates and assumptions that require the Company’s judgment. These estimates and assumptions include a number of objective and subjective factors, including external market conditions, the prices at which the Company sold shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock, the superior rights and preferences of the redeemable convertible preferred stock senior to the Company’s common stock at the time, and a probability analysis of various liquidity events, such as a public offering or sale of the Company, under differing scenarios.

Changes to the key assumptions used in the valuations could result in different fair values of common stock at each valuation date. Actual results may differ from those estimates or assumptions.

The Company’s results and business operations can also be affected or disrupted by economic, political, legislative, regulatory, legal matters, or public health concerns, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Economic conditions, such as recessionary trends, inflation, interest, changes in regulatory laws and monetary exchange rates, and government fiscal policies, can also have a significant effect on the Company’s operations. While the Company maintains reserves for anticipated liabilities, the Company could be affected by civil, criminal, regulatory, or administrative actions, claims, or proceedings. The extent to which the Company’s business can be impacted by future events is highly uncertain and cannot be predicted at this time.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The primary objectives for the Company’s cash and cash equivalents are the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The Company considers highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. At December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase. The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents approximates fair value. The Company has maintained balances with its banks in excess of federally insured limits.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Other Risks and Uncertainties

The Company has no significant off-balance sheet concentrations of credit risk, such as foreign currency exchange contracts, option contracts, or other hedging arrangements. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk primarily consist of cash and cash equivalents, which consist of money market funds that invest primarily in short-term U.S. government securities.

The Company has not yet generated any revenue from the sale of its products and is subject to all of the risks and uncertainties that are typically faced by biotechnology companies that devote substantially all of their efforts to research and development and clinical trials and do not yet have commercial products. The Company expects to continue incurring losses for the foreseeable future.

Deferred Initial Public Offering (IPO) Costs

Costs directly attributable to the Company’s offering of its equity securities are deferred and capitalized as prepaid expenses and other current assets. These costs primarily represent legal, underwriting and accounting

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

 

costs related to the Company’s efforts to raise capital through a public sale of its common stock. Future costs will be deferred until the completion of the IPO, at which time they will be reclassified to additional paid in capital as a reduction of the IPO proceeds. If the Company terminates its plan for an IPO or delays such plan for more than 90 days, any costs deferred will be expensed immediately. At September 30, 2021, the Company had capitalized $1.3 million of deferred IPO costs, as prepaid expenses and other current assets ($0 at December 31, 2020).

Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

In accordance with ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (ASC 480), preferred stock issued with redemption provisions that are outside of the control of the issuer or that contain certain redemption features in the event of a deemed liquidation is required to be presented outside of stockholders’ deficit on the face of the condensed balance sheet and certain disclosures are required to be included in the notes to the condensed financial statements. If required, changes in fair value are recorded as additional paid in capital and/or accumulated deficit in the condensed balance sheets. Changes in fair value that would reduce the fair value of the redeemable convertible preferred stock below the original issue price are limited so that the value of the shares are not recorded below the original issue price.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash equivalents, warrant derivative liabilities, accounts payable, and accrued expenses and other liabilities. The fair values of accounts payable and accrued expenses and other liabilities approximate the carrying values because of their short-term nature.

The Company is required to disclose information on all assets and liabilities reported at fair value that enables an assessment of the inputs used in determining the reported fair values. ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, establishes a hierarchy of inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the observable inputs be used when available.

Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the Company’s assumptions about the inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability and are developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The fair value hierarchy applies only to the valuation inputs used in determining the reported fair value and is not a measure of the investment credit quality. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:

 

  •  

Level 1 – Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.

 

  •  

Level 2 – Valuations based on observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

 

  •  

Level 3 – Valuations that require inputs that reflect the Company’s own assumptions that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.

To the extent that a valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

 

by the Company in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. There were no transfers within the fair value hierarchy in 2020 and 2021.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development costs, both internal and external, are expensed as incurred. Costs are considered incurred based on an evaluation of the progress to completion of specific tasks under each contract using information and data provided to the Company by its clinical sites and vendors. These costs consist of direct and indirect costs associated with specific projects, as well as fees paid to various entities that perform certain research on behalf of the Company. The Company’s research and development expenses consist primarily of clinical trial expenses, consulting costs and stock-based compensation, and costs associated with required regulatory filings, licenses, and fees.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for its stock-based compensation awards in accordance with ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation (ASC 718). ASC 718 requires all stock-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in the condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss based on their fair values. The Company’s stock-based awards are subject only to service-based vesting conditions. The Company estimates the fair value of its stock-based awards using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which requires the input of assumptions, including (a) the expected stock price volatility, (b) the calculation of expected term of the award, (c) the risk-free interest rate, and (d) expected dividends.

Due to the lack of a public market for the trading of the Company’s common stock and a lack of company-specific historical and implied volatility data, the Company has based its estimate of expected volatility on the historical volatility of a group of similar companies that are publicly traded. The Company believes that the companies in the group have characteristics similar to its own characteristics, including stage of product development and a focus on the life sciences industry. The Company believes the group selected has sufficient similar economic and industry characteristics and includes companies that are most representative of the Company.

The Company uses the simplified method, as prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107, Share-Based Payment, to calculate the expected term, as it does not have sufficient historical exercise data to provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate the expected term for options granted and utilizes the contractual term for options granted. The risk-free interest rate is based on a treasury instrument whose term is consistent with the expected life of the stock options.

Compensation expense related to awards is calculated on a straight-line basis by recognizing the grant date fair value over the associated service period of the award, which is generally the vesting term.

Derivative Instruments, Including Warrant Derivative Liabilities

The Company accounts for derivatives, specifically freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants, in accordance with ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging (ASC 815). This guidance establishes accounting and reporting principles for derivative instruments, including certain derivative instruments embedded in other contracts.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

 

Net and Comprehensive Loss Per Share

The Company’s basic net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders is calculated by dividing the net and comprehensive loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. The diluted net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders is computed by giving effect to all potential common stock equivalents outstanding for the period determined using the treasury stock method. For purposes of this calculation, redeemable convertible preferred stock and stock options to purchase common stock are considered to be common stock equivalents but have been excluded from the calculation of diluted net and comprehensive loss per share attributable to common stockholders as their effect is anti-dilutive.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are recorded in accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes (ASC 740), which provides for deferred taxes using an asset and liability approach. The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the condensed financial statements or tax returns. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the condensed financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities and for loss and credit carryforwards using enacted tax rates anticipated to be in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are provided if, based upon the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions in accordance with the provisions of ASC 740. When uncertain tax positions exist, the Company recognizes the tax benefit of tax positions to the extent that some or all the benefit will more likely than not be realized. The determination as to whether the tax benefit will more likely than not be realized is based upon the technical merits of the tax position, as well as consideration of the available facts and circumstances. As of December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, the Company does not have any significant uncertain tax positions. If the Company were to incur interest and penalties on uncertain tax positions, it would classify them as income tax expense.

The Company files U.S. federal and state income tax returns.

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive loss is defined as the change in equity of a business enterprise during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources. Comprehensive loss equaled net loss for the periods presented.

Litigation and Other Contingencies

The Company is or may be subject to legal proceedings and claims arising from the ordinary course of its business, including contract and employment claims. U.S. GAAP requires that a liability for contingencies be recorded when it is probable that a liability has occurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated. In the opinion of management, the aggregate liability, if any, with respect to such ordinary course of business actions will not have a material adverse effect on the financial position or results of operations of the Company. Based on the information available at the dates of condensed balance sheets, there are no amounts related to legal matters recorded at September 30, 2021 or December 31, 2020.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

 

Reverse Stock Split

On December 30, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation to effect a 3.4-for-1 reverse stock split of the Company’s common stock, which was effected on December 30, 2021. Stockholders entitled to fractional shares as a result of the reverse stock split will receive a cash payment in lieu of receiving fractional shares. The par value of the common stock was not adjusted as a result of the reverse stock split. Shares of common stock underlying outstanding stock options and other equity instruments were proportionately reduced and the respective exercise prices, if applicable, were proportionately increased in accordance with the terms of the appropriate securities agreements. Shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon the conversion of our convertible preferred stock were proportionately reduced and the respective conversion prices were proportionately increased. All common share and per share data have been retrospectively revised to reflect the reverse stock split.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies and adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the Company believes the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on its condensed financial position or results of operations upon adoption.

3. Fair Value Measurements

The following table presents information about the Company’s financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis based on the fair value hierarchy at:

 

     December 31, 2020  
     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Assets

           

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 26,078,064      $ —      $ —      $ 26,078,064  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total assets at fair value

   $ 26,078,064      $ —      $ —      $ 26,078,064  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Liabilities

           

Warrant derivative liabilities

   $ —      $ —      $ 1,890,357      $ 1,890,357  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total liabilities at fair value

   $ —      $ —      $ 1,890,357      $ 1,890,357  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     September 30, 2021  
     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Assets

           

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 141,708,303      $ —      $ —      $ 141,708,303  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total assets at fair value

   $ 141,708,303      $ —      $ —      $ 141,708,303  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Liabilities

           

Warrant derivative liabilities

   $ —      $ —      $ 6,512,121      $ 6,512,121  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total liabilities at fair value

   $ —      $ —      $ 6,512,121      $ 6,512,121  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Cash equivalents are valued using unadjusted quoted market prices.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

3. Fair Value Measurements (Continued)

 

The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the fair value of the warrant derivative liabilities, representing a recurring measurement that is classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy:

 

January 1, 2020

   $ 680,529  

Change in fair value

     907,371  
  

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

     1,587,900  

Change in fair value

     302,457  
  

 

 

 

December 31, 2020

     1,890,357  

Issuance of freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants

     866,255  

Change in fair value

     3,755,509  
  

 

 

 

September 30, 2021

   $ 6,512,121  
  

 

 

 

The Company estimated the fair value of the warrant derivative liabilities using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. The valuation model uses the following assumptions at:

 

     December 31,
2020
    September 30,
2021
 

Fair value of common stock

   $         2.55     $         7.62  

Volatility

     82.40 %      75.5 % 

Expected term (in years)

     1.50       0.27  

Risk-free interest rate

     0.12 %      0.09 % 

Dividend yield

     — %      — % 

The preceding methods described may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, although the Company believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date.

4. License Agreement

In May 2019, the Company entered into a license agreement (the Roche Agreement) with F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. (collectively, Roche), pursuant to which the Company obtained an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license under patents and specified know-how owned or controlled by Roche and covering certain specified small molecule aldosterone synthase inhibitors (the Roche Technology) to research and develop products containing such aldosterone synthase inhibitors (the Licensed Products) for any and all uses, including the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of any and all diseases and medical conditions in humans and animals. Pursuant to the Roche Agreement, the Company paid Roche a one-time, upfront non-refundable license fee of $2,000,000. Additionally, the Company is required to pay certain tiered development event-based milestone payments, certain sales-based milestone payments, as well as a royalty from the future sales of Licensed Products. The royalty is tiered based on the combined net sales of each Licensed Product.

The Roche Agreement will expire, unless earlier terminated by either party, upon expiration of all royalty or other payment obligations under the Roche Agreement are or will become due. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021, the Company recorded expense of $41,358 and $0, respectively, related to the Roche Agreement as research and development expenses on the Company’s condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

5. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

In May 2019, the Company authorized the issuance of 35,714,282 shares to be issued in the form of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock (Series A preferred stock). During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company issued 23,809,522 shares of Series A preferred stock at $1.40 per share for total proceeds of $33,333,335. The Company incurred $1,343,263 of Series A preferred stock issuance costs, which are recorded against the carrying amount of the Series A preferred stock at September 30, 2020. The rights, preferences, and privileges of the Company’s Series A preferred stock are as follows:

Voting

The holders of Series A preferred stock are entitled to a number of votes equal to the number of whole shares of common stock into which the shares of Series A preferred stock are convertible. Except as provided by law or otherwise, the holders of the Series A preferred stock vote together with the holders of common stock as a single class.

Holders of Series A preferred stock, voting as a separate class, are entitled to elect three members of the Board of Directors. The holders of the common stock, voting as a separate class, are entitled to elect two members of the Board of Directors. The holders of Series A preferred stock and common stock, voting together as a single class on an as-converted basis, are entitled to elect any additional members of the Board of Directors.

Dividends

Dividends are payable, if permitted by law, in accordance with the Series A preferred stock terms if and when declared by the Board of Directors. Holders of the Series A preferred stock are entitled to receive dividends out of any assets at the time legally available, at the applicable dividend rate specified for such shares of the Series A preferred stock. Dividends are not mandatory and are not cumulative. No dividends have been declared or paid since inception of the Company.

Liquidation

In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, the holders of shares of the Series A preferred stock then outstanding are entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Company available for distribution to its stockholders or, in the case of a deemed liquidation event, out of the consideration payable to stockholders in such an event, before any payment shall be made to the holders of common stock by reason of their ownership thereof, an amount per share equal to the Series A preferred stock original issue price, plus any dividends declared but unpaid. If upon any such liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company or a deemed liquidation event, the assets of the Company available for distribution to its stockholders are insufficient to pay the holders of shares of Series A preferred stock the full amount to which they are entitled, the holders of shares of the Series A preferred stock share ratably in any distribution of the assets available for distribution in proportion to the respective amounts that would otherwise be payable in respect of the shares held by them upon such distribution if all amounts payable on or with respect to such shares were paid in full.

The remaining available proceeds will be distributed pro rata among the holders of the shares of the Series A preferred stock and common stock, based on the number of shares held by each such holder, treating for this purpose all such securities as if they had been converted to common stock pursuant to the applicable terms immediately prior to such liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

5. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (Continued)

 

Conversion

Each share of the Series A preferred stock is convertible, at the option of the holder thereof, at any time and from time to time, and without the payment of additional consideration by the holder thereof, into such number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of common stock as determined by dividing the Series A preferred stock original issue price by the Series A preferred stock conversion price in effect at the time of conversion. The applicable conversion price is subject to future adjustments upon the occurrence of certain events. However, holders of the Series A preferred stock do not have the right to convert any shares of the Series A preferred stock at the applicable conversion ratio in effect for preferred shares upon either (i) the closing of a qualified initial public offering of its common shares at a price per share of at least $14.28 per share (subject to adjustment for any share split, combination or dividend or distribution payable) resulting in at least $50,000,000 in proceeds net of the underwriting discount and commissions, or (ii) the election to convert the preferred shares by at least two of the following three holders of the Company’s Series A preferred stock: (i) Sofinnova Venture Partners X, L.P., (ii) Sofinnova Capital IX and (iii) 5AM Ventures VI, L.P.

The Company evaluated the Series A preferred stock and determined that it was considered an equity host under ASC 815. In making this determination, the Company’s analysis followed the whole instrument approach, which compares an individual feature against the entire Series A preferred stock instrument that includes that feature. The Company’s analysis was based on a consideration of the economic characteristics and risks of the Series A preferred stock. More specifically, the Company evaluated all of the stated and implied substantive terms and features, including (i) whether the Series A preferred stock included redemption features, (ii) how and when any redemption features could be exercised, (iii) whether the holders of the Series A preferred stock were entitled to dividends, (iv) the voting rights of the Series A preferred stock, and (v) the existence and nature of any conversion rights. The Company concluded that, as the Series A preferred stock represents an equity host, the conversion feature included in the Series A preferred stock is clearly and closely related to the associated host instrument. Accordingly, the conversion feature is not considered an embedded derivative that requires bifurcation.

The Company accounts for potentially beneficial conversion features under ASC Topic 470-20, Debt with Conversion and Other Options (ASC Topic 470-20). At the time of the issuances of the shares of Series A preferred stock, the Company’s common stock into which the Company’s Series A preferred stock was convertible had an estimated fair value less than the effective conversion prices of the shares of Series A preferred stock. Therefore, there was no beneficial conversion element on the issuance dates.

Redemption

The Series A preferred stock are redeemable upon a request by two of three of the requisite holders of the Company’s Series A preferred stock in the event of a Deemed Liquidation Event, if the Company does not effect a dissolution of the Company within 90 days after such Deemed Liquidation Event, payable at a price equal to the cash or the value of the property, rights, or securities to be paid or distributed to holders pursuant to such Deemed Liquidation Event.

Any redemption is deemed to be remote at December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, and the fair value of Series A preferred stock is deemed to be the price paid by the Series A preferred stockholders.

Due to this redemption option, Series A preferred stock is recorded in mezzanine equity and is subject to subsequent measurement under the guidance provided under ASC 480. In accordance with that guidance, the Company has elected to recognize changes in redemption value immediately.

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

5. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (Continued)

 

However, based on the nature of Series A preferred stock, no subsequent measurement will be recognized until a Deemed Liquidation Event becomes probable. As of December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, a Deemed Liquidation Event was not probable; as a result, the Series A preferred stock is valued at original issue price, less cost of issuance, and the value is allocated to the warrant derivative liabilities discussed further below.

Warrant Derivative Liabilities

In connection with the Series A preferred stock, the Company issued two freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants to an unrelated third party to separately purchase 411,765 and 329,552 shares of common stock (the 2019 Warrants). The 2019 Warrants are exercisable in whole immediately prior to an initial public offering by the Company and, as such, remain issued, outstanding, and exercisable at December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021. The 2019 Warrants were issued with an initial exercise price of $0.04 and an expiration date of May 13, 2029. The 2019 Warrants qualify as derivative liabilities, which must be accounted for separately from the Series A preferred stock and are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. At December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, the 2019 Warrants were valued at $1,890,357 and $5,645,866, respectively, which the change in fair value included in the condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss in the period the change occurs.

Series B Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

In September 2021, the Company authorized the issuance of 35,716,249 shares to be issued in the form of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock (Series B preferred stock). During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company issued 33,702,500 shares of Series B preferred stock at $4.00 per share for total proceeds of $134,810,030. The Company incurred $591,017 of Series B preferred stock issuance costs (through September 30, 2021), which are recorded against the carrying amount of the Series B preferred stock at September 30, 2021. The rights, preferences, and privileges of the Company’s Series B preferred stock are as follows:

Voting

The holders of Series B preferred stock are entitled to a number of votes equal to the number of whole shares of common stock into which the shares of Series B preferred stock are convertible. Except as provided by law or otherwise, the holders of the Series B preferred stock vote together with the holders of common stock as a single class.

Holders of Series B preferred stock, voting as a separate class, are entitled to elect one member of the Board of Directors. The holders of preferred stock and common stock, voting together as a single class on an as-converted basis, are entitled to elect any additional members of the Board of Directors other than directors elected by the holders of Series A preferred stock and directors elected by holders of the common stock.

Dividends

Dividends at the rate per annum of $1.08 per share accrue on shares of Series B preferred stock. Dividends on the shares of Series B preferred stock are not cumulative and are payable, if and when declared by the Board of Directors. The Company shall not declare, pay or set aside any dividends on shares of any other class or series of capital stock of the Company unless the holders of preferred stock then outstanding first or simultaneously receive a dividend on each outstanding share of redeemable convertible preferred stock in an amount at least

 

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Table of Contents

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

5. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (Continued)

 

equal to the sum of (i) the amount of the aggregate dividends accrued but unpaid on such shares of preferred stock and (ii) that dividend per share of preferred stock as would equal the product of (1) the dividend payable on each share of such class or series determined, if applicable, as if all shares of such class or series had been converted into common stock and (2) the number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of a share of preferred stock. No dividends have been declared or paid since inception of the Company.

Liquidation

In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, the holders of shares of the Series B preferred stock then outstanding are entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Company available for distribution to its stockholders or, in the case of a deemed liquidation event, out of the consideration payable to stockholders in such an event, before any payment shall be made to the holders of Series A preferred stock or common stock by reason of their ownership thereof, an amount per share equal to the Series B preferred stock original issue price, plus any dividends declared but unpaid thereon. If upon any such liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company or a deemed liquidation event, the assets of the Company available for distribution to its stockholders are insufficient to pay the holders of shares of Series B preferred stock the full amount to which they are entitled, the holders of shares of the Series B preferred stock shall share ratably in any distribution of the assets available for distribution in proportion to the respective amounts that would otherwise be payable in respect of the shares held by them upon such distribution if all amounts payable on or with respect to such shares were paid in full.

In the event that the assets of the Corporation available for distribution shall exceed the amount necessary to pay the holders of Series B preferred stock, the holders of shares of Series A preferred stock then outstanding are entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Company available for distribution to its stockholders or, in the case of a deemed liquidation event, out of the consideration payable to stockholders in such an event, before any payment shall be made to the holders of common stock by reason of their ownership thereof, an amount per share equal to the Series A preferred stock original issue price, plus any dividends declared but unpaid thereon. If upon any such liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company or a deemed liquidation event, the assets of the Company available for distribution to its stockholders are insufficient to pay the holders of shares of Series A preferred stock the full amount to which they are entitled, the holders of shares of the Series A preferred stock shall share ratably in any distribution of the assets available for distribution in proportion to the respective amounts that would otherwise be payable in respect of the shares held by them upon such distribution if all amounts payable on or with respect to such shares were paid in full.

The remaining available proceeds will be distributed pro rata among the holders of the shares of the Series B preferred stock, Series A preferred stock and common stock, based on the number of shares held by each such holder, treating for this purpose all such securities as if they had been converted to common stock pursuant to the applicable terms immediately prior to such liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company.

Conversion

Each share of the Series B preferred stock is convertible, at the option of the holder thereof, at any time and from time to time, and without the payment of additional consideration by the holder thereof, into such number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of common stock as determined by dividing the Series B preferred stock original issue price by the Series B preferred stock conversion price in effect at the time of conversion. The Series B preferred stock conversion price shall initially be equal to the Series B original issue price. The applicable conversion price is subject to future adjustments upon the occurrence of certain events. Upon either

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

5. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (Continued)

 

(i) the closing of a qualified initial public offering of the Company’s common stock resulting in at least $100,000,000 in proceeds net of the underwriting discount and commissions; (ii) the closing of a transaction or series of transactions in which the Company’s outstanding shares of capital stock are exchanged for or converted into securities that are publicly listed on a securities exchange through a merger, acquisition, business combination or similar transaction with a “special purpose acquisition company” where the surviving or parent entity receives aggregate gross proceeds, excluding the cash resources of the Company, of at least $100,000,000; or (iii) the date and time, or the occurrence of an event, specified by vote or written consent of the requisite holders and the Series B requisite holders, then all outstanding shares of preferred stock shall automatically be converted into shares of common stock at the effective conversion rate.

The Company evaluated the Series B preferred stock and determined that it was considered an equity host under ASC 815. In making this determination, the Company’s analysis followed the whole instrument approach, which compares an individual feature against the entire Series B preferred stock instrument that includes that feature. The Company’s analysis was based on a consideration of the economic characteristics and risks of the Series B preferred stock. More specifically, the Company evaluated all of the stated and implied substantive terms and features, including (i) whether the Series B preferred stock included redemption features, (ii) how and when any redemption features could be exercised, (iii) whether the holders of the Series B preferred stock were entitled to dividends, (iv) the voting rights of the Series B preferred stock, and (v) the existence and nature of any conversion rights. The Company concluded that, as the Series B preferred stock represents an equity host, the conversion feature included in the Series B preferred stock is clearly and closely related to the associated host instrument. Accordingly, the conversion feature is not considered an embedded derivative that requires bifurcation.

The Company accounts for potentially beneficial conversion features under ASC Topic 470-20. At the time of the issuances of the shares of Series B preferred stock, the Company’s common stock into which the Company’s Series B preferred stock was convertible had an estimated fair value less than the effective conversion prices of the shares of Series B preferred stock. Therefore, there was no beneficial conversion element on the issuance dates.

Redemption

The holders of the Company’s redeemable convertible preferred stock have no rights to cause the redemption of their shares outside of a deemed liquidation event. A deemed liquidation event would constitute a redemption event that may be outside of the Company’s control.

Any redemption is deemed to be remote at December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, and the fair value of Series B preferred stock is deemed to be the price paid by the Series B preferred stockholders.

Due to this redemption option, Series B preferred stock is recorded in mezzanine equity and is subject to subsequent measurement under the guidance provided under ASC 480. In accordance with that guidance, the Company has elected to recognize changes in redemption value immediately.

However, based on the nature of Series B preferred stock, no subsequent measurement will be recognized until a Deemed Liquidation Event becomes probable. As of December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, a Deemed Liquidation Event was not probable; as a result, the Series B preferred stock is valued at original issue price, less cost of issuance, and the value is allocated to the warrant derivative liabilities discussed further below.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

5. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (Continued)

 

Warrant Derivative Liabilities

In connection with the Series B preferred stock, the Company issued freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants to an unrelated third party to separately purchase 113,610 shares of common stock (the 2021 Warrants). The 2021 Warrants are exercisable in whole immediately prior to an initial public offering by the Company and, as such, remain issued, outstanding, and exercisable at September 30, 2021. The 2021 Warrants were issued with an initial exercise price of $0.04 and an expiration date of May 13, 2029. The 2021 Warrants qualify as derivative liabilities, which must be accounted for separately from the Series B preferred stock and are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. At September 30, 2021, the 2021 Warrants were valued at $866,255 with the change in fair value from the date of issuance included in the condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss in the period the change occurs.

6. Stockholders’ Deficit and Stock-Based Compensation

Common stock

The voting, dividend, and liquidation rights of the holders of common stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers, and preferences of the holders of the Series A and Series B preferred stock. During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company authorized additional shares of common stock in conjunction with the Series B preferred stock offering resulting in a total of 27,941,176 authorized shares of common stock at September 30, 2021.

The Company’s common stock has the following characteristics:

Voting

The holders of the common stock are entitled to one vote for each share of common stock. However, except as otherwise required by law, holders of common stock are not entitled to vote on any amendment to the certificate of incorporation that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of preferred stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to the certificate of incorporation or pursuant to Delaware General Corporation Law.

Dividends

The holders of common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if and when declared by the Board of Directors. The Company may not declare or pay any cash dividends to the holders of common stock unless, in addition to obtaining any necessary consents, dividends are paid on the Series A preferred stock in accordance with the respective terms. No dividends have been declared or paid since inception of the Company.

Liquidation

In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up of the Company, the holders of common stock are entitled to share ratably with the holders of the Series A preferred stock in the Company’s assets available for distribution to stockholders after payment to the holders of the Series A preferred stock of their liquidation preferences has been made.

Stock Options

As of December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, options to purchase common stock were outstanding under the Company’s 2019 Stock Option Plan (the 2019 Plan). The Company has reserved up to 3,453,801 shares

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

6. Stockholders’ Deficit and Stock-Based Compensation (Continued)

 

of its common stock under the 2019 Plan for grants in the form of incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options to employees, consultants, and directors. As of December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, a total of 1,169,411 and 1,437,924, respectively, options were available for issuance under the 2019 Plan. The option pool was increased by the Company’s Board of Directors during the nine months ended September 30, 2021.

The following is a summary of the Company’s stock option activity under its 2019 Plan:

 

     Shares      Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
     Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
 

Options outstanding at January 1, 2020

     66,392      $ 0.92        9.75  

Options granted

     —        —        —  

Options exercised

     —        —        —  

Options forfeited

     —        —        —  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options outstanding at September 30, 2020

     66,392      $ 0.92        9.00  

Options granted

     —        —        —  

Options exercised

     —        —        —  

Options forfeited

     —        —        —  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options outstanding at December 31, 2020

     66,392      $ 0.92        8.75  

Options granted

     2,008,606        4.08        9.20  

Options exercised

     528,332        2.55        —  

Options forfeited

     59,121        —        —  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options outstanding at September 30, 2021

     1,487,538      $ 4.55        9.10  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, there were 27,034 and 136,969 options vested and exercisable, respectively. Unrecognized compensation cost related to stock option awards of $28,101 and $5,955,480, as of December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, respectively, is expected to be recognized as expense over a weighted average period of 1.8 and 3.4 years, respectively. The total fair value of options vested was $15,891 and $1,611,258 at December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021, respectively.

Outstanding stock options, if not exercised, expire ten years from the date of grant. The Company issues new shares of common stock upon exercise of stock options. The weighted average grant date fair value per share for the outstanding options at September 30, 2021 was $4.55.

The Company determined the grant-date fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value of each stock option grant was determined using assumptions that are subjective and require significant judgment and estimation by management. The risk-free rate assumption was based on observed yields from governmental zero-coupon bonds with a term equivalent to the option. The expected volatility assumption was based on historical volatilities of a group of comparable industry companies whose share prices are publicly available. The peer group was developed based on companies in the therapeutics and pharmaceutical industries. The expected term of stock options represents the weighted average period that the stock options are expected to be outstanding. Because the Company does not have historical exercise behavior, it determined the expected life assumption using the simplified method, which is an average of the options ordinary vesting period and the contractual term. The expected dividend assumption was based on the Company’s history and expectation of dividend payouts at the time of grant. The Company recognizes forfeitures on an actual basis and, as such, did not estimate forfeitures to calculate stock-based compensation.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

6. Stockholders’ Deficit and Stock-Based Compensation (Continued)

 

The following table presents the weighted average assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of stock options granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2021:

 

Exercise price

   $ 4.55  

Stock price on date of grant

     4.55  

Expected term (years)

     9.1  

Expected stock price volatility

     94.16 % 

Risk-free rate of interest

     0.17 % 

Expected dividend yield

     — % 

There is a high degree of subjectivity involved when using option-pricing models to estimate stock-based compensation. There are currently no market-based mechanisms or other practical applications to verify the reliability and accuracy of the estimates stemming from these models, nor is there a means to compare and adjust the estimates to actual values. Although the fair value of the employee stock-based awards is determined using an option-pricing model, the value may not be indicative of the fair value that would be observed in a market transaction between a willing buyer and a willing seller. If factors change and the Company employs different assumptions when valuing its options, the compensation expense that the Company records in the future may differ significantly from what it has historically reported.

7. Income Taxes

The Company did not record a current or deferred income tax expense or benefit for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021, due to the Company’s net and comprehensive loss and increases in its deferred tax asset valuation allowance.

8. Net and Comprehensive Loss Per Share

The Company’s basic and diluted net loss per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021, was $13.19 and $14.00, respectively.

Diluted net and comprehensive loss per share gives effect to all potentially dilutive securities, including shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants, redeemable convertible preferred stock, and stock options outstanding under the Company’s stock option plan. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021, the Company has excluded the effects of all potentially dilutive shares, which include freestanding detachable stock purchase warrants to purchase common stock, redeemable convertible preferred stock, and outstanding common stock options, from the weighted average number of common stock as their inclusion would be anti-dilutive due to net and comprehensive loss. Therefore, the calculation of basic and diluted net comprehensive loss per share is the same.

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

8. Net and Comprehensive Loss Per Share (Continued)

 

The following weighted average common stock equivalents were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share for the periods presented because including them would have had an anti-dilutive effect for the nine months ended:

 

     September 30  
     2020      2021  

Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock
(if converted)

     10,504,199        10,504,199  

Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock
(if converted)

     —        9,912,492  

2019 and 2021 warrants

     741,317        854,927  

Outstanding options exercisable

     15,969        327,144  

9. Related-Party Transactions

CinRx Pharma LLC and Subsidiaries (CinRx)

Certain former executives, employees and members of the Company’s Board of Directors, including the chief operating officer, are members of CinRx’s board of managers and/or have equity investments in CinRx, a biotechnology company. The Company receives business management services from CinRx from time to time as needed. During the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2021, the Company recorded business management fees totaling $1,241,355 and $1,046,162, respectively. Business management fees of $303,715 and $449,431 is included in related party accounts payable at December 2020 and September 30, 2021, respectively.

10. Subsequent Events

In October 2021, the Company entered into a Series B preferred stock agreement with certain investors, members of the Board of Directors and affiliates of members of the Board of Directors, pursuant to which the Company issued and sold to such investors an aggregate of 2,013,749 shares of Series B preferred stock at a purchase price of $4.00 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $8,100,000.

On December 22, 2021, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with CinRx, certain current and former employees of CinRx, two employees of the Company, and certain investors in the Company’s Series A preferred stock. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the Company agreed to, among other things, issue 764,705 shares of common stock to CinRx. The Company also agreed to reimburse CinRx’s legal fees relating to the settlement agreement for up to an aggregate total of $500,000. As a result of this settlement agreement, CinRx agreed to dismiss all litigation against the Company, the Company’s employees and certain investors in the Company’s Series A preferred stock. Based on the terms of the settlement agreement and the information available at the date of this filing, the estimated non-cash value of the share issuance is approximately $11,000,000 and it is estimated that the impact to the loss per share in the period would not change materially as a result of the share issuance.

On December 30, 2021, the Board of Directors adopted, and the Company’s stockholders approved, the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”). The 2022 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options to employees of the Company, including employees of any parent or subsidiary, and for the grant of non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, performance awards and other forms of stock awards to employees, directors, and consultants, including employees and consultants of affiliates of the Company (collectively, “stock based awards”). The 2022 Plan is a successor to the 2019 Plan. Initially, the maximum number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the 2022 Plan after it

 

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CinCor Pharma, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited) (Continued)

10. Subsequent Events (Continued)

 

becomes effective will be 6,787,652 shares, which is the sum of (i) 3,905,911 new shares; plus (ii) the number of shares that remain available for issuance under the 2019 Plan at the time the 2022 Plan becomes effective; and (iii) any shares subject to outstanding stock options or other stock awards that were granted under the 2019 Plan that are forfeited, terminate, expire or are otherwise not issued. In addition, the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2022 Plan will automatically increase on January 1st of each calendar year, starting on January 1, 2023 and continuing through January 1, 2032, in an amount equal to 5% of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding on the last day of the calendar month before the date of each automatic increase, or a lesser number of shares determined by the Board of Directors. The maximum number of shares of common stock that may be issued on the exercise of incentive stock options under the 2022 Plan is 20,362,956. There were no stock based awards issued from the 2022 Plan as of the date of these financial statements.

Additionally, on December 30, 2021, the Board of Directors adopted, and the Company’s stockholders approved, the 2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”). The ESPP authorizes the issuance of shares of common stock under purchase rights granted to employees of the Company or to employees of any of the Company’s designated affiliates. The ESPP will initially provide participating employees with the opportunity to purchase up to an aggregate of 355,000 shares of common stock. The number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance will automatically increase on January 1 of each calendar year, starting on January 1, 2023 and continuing through January 1, 2032, by the lesser of (i) 1% of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding on the last day of the calendar month before the date of the automatic increase; and (ii) 355,000 shares; provided that before the date of any such increase, the Board of Directors may determine that such increase will be less than the amount set forth in clauses (i) and (ii). As of the date of these financial statements, no shares of common stock have been purchased under the ESPP.

 

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11,000,000 Shares

 

 

LOGO

Common Stock

PROSPECTUS

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

MORGAN STANLEY   JEFFERIES        EVERCORE ISI

Lead Manager

OPPENHEIMER & CO.

Until                , 2022 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

            , 2022


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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table indicates the expenses to be incurred in connection with the offering described in this registration statement, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, all of which will be paid by us. All amounts are estimated except the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, registration fee, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, filing fee and the Nasdaq initial listing fee.

 

     Amount  

SEC registration fee

   $ 23,175  

FINRA filing fee

     32,758  

Nasdaq initial listing fee

     170,000  

Accountants’ fees and expenses

     675,000  

Legal fees and expenses

     2,000,000  

Transfer agent’s fees and expenses

     10,000  

Printing and engraving expenses

     350,000  

Miscellaneous

     739,067  
  

 

 

 

Total expenses

   $ 4,000,000  
  

 

 

 

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

We are incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation and certain other persons serving at the request of the corporation in related capacities against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlements actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with an action, suit or proceeding to which he is or is threatened to be made a party by reason of such position, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, except that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws to be in effect upon the closing of this offering will provide that: (i) we are required to indemnify our directors to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law; (ii) we may, in our discretion, indemnify our officers, employees and agents as set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law; (iii) we are required, upon satisfaction of certain conditions, to advance all expenses incurred by our directors in connection with certain legal proceedings; (iv) the rights conferred in the bylaws are not exclusive; and (v) we are authorized to enter into indemnification agreements with our directors, officers, employees and agents.


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In connection with this offering, we expect to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that require us to indemnify them against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts that any such person becomes legally obligated to pay (including with respect to a derivative action) in connection with any proceeding, whether actual or threatened, to which such person may be made a party by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of us or any of our affiliates, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interests. The indemnification agreements will also set forth certain procedures that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification thereunder. We intend to enter into similar indemnification agreements with our executive officers prior to the completion of this offering. At present, no litigation or proceeding is pending that involves any of our directors or officers regarding which indemnification is sought, nor are we aware of any threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification.

We maintain a directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy. The policy insures directors and officers against unindemnified losses arising from certain wrongful acts in their capacities as directors and officers and reimburses us for those losses for which we have lawfully indemnified the directors and officers. The policy contains various exclusions.

In addition, the underwriting agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Registration Statement provides for indemnification by the underwriters of us and our officers and directors for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act, or otherwise. Our amended and restated investors’ rights agreement with certain investors also provides for cross-indemnification in connection with the registration of our common stock on behalf of such investors.

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

The following list sets forth information regarding all unregistered securities sold by us since our inception in March 2018 through the date of the prospectus that forms a part of this registration statement.

Issuances of Capital Stock

In March 2018 and May 2019, we issued an aggregate of 1,250,000 shares of our common stock to CinRx Pharma, LLC at a purchase price of $0.000034 per share, for aggregate consideration of $42.50.

In May 2019 and August 2020, we issued an aggregate of 35,714,282 shares of our Series A preferred stock to Sofinnova Venture Partners X, L.P., Sofinnova Capital IX, 5AM Ventures VI, L.P. and CinRx Pharma, LLC at a purchase price of $1.40 per share, for aggregate consideration of approximately $50.0 million.

In September 2021 and October 2021, we issued and sold an aggregate of 35,716,249 shares of our Series B preferred stock to 22 investors at a purchase price of $4.00 per share, for aggregate consideration of approximately $142.9 million.

In December 2021, we issued 764,705 shares of our common stock to CinRx Pharma, LLC pursuant to the settlement agreement and release with CinRx, for further information on our relationship with CinRx, please see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—CinRx Pharma, LLC.”

Issuances Pursuant to our Equity Plans

From our inception in March 2018 through the date of this registration statement, we granted options under our 2019 Stock Option Plan to purchase an aggregate of 3,477,892 shares of common stock, at a weighted average exercise price of $5.86 per share, to our employees and consultants. Of these, 542,631 shares have been issued upon the exercise of options.

None of the foregoing transactions involved any underwriters, underwriting discounts or commissions, or any public offering. Unless otherwise specified above, we believe these transactions were exempt from


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registration under the Securities Act in reliance on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (and Regulation D or Regulation S promulgated thereunder) or Rule 701 promulgated under Section 3(b) of the Securities Act as transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering or under benefit plans and contracts relating to compensation as provided under Rule 701. The recipients of the securities in each of these transactions represented their intentions to acquire the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof, and appropriate legends were placed on the share certificates issued in these transactions. All recipients had adequate access, through their relationships with us, to information about us. The sales of these securities were made without any general solicitation or advertising.

Issuance of Roche Warrant

In September 2021, we issued a warrant to purchase common stock to Roche Finance Ltd., or the Roche

Warrant, in connection with our Series B preferred stock financing, which is exercisable for 113,610 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $0.04 per share. The Roche Warrant will automatically net exercise in whole immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus).

Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

(a) Exhibits.

The exhibits listed below are filed as part of this registration.

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description of Exhibit

  1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  3.1*    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (as amended and currently in effect).
  3.2    Certificate of Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant.
  3.3*    Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (currently in effect).
  3.4*    Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (to be effective upon the closing of this offering).
  3.5*    Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (to be effective upon the closing of this offering).
  4.1*    Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement, by and among the Registrant and certain of its stockholders, dated September 22, 2021.
  5.1    Opinion of Cooley LLP.
10.1+    2019 Stock Option Plan.
10.2+    2022 Equity Incentive Plan and Forms of Option Grant Notice and Agreement, Exercise Notice, Early Exercise Notice and Restricted Stock Award Notice.
10.3+    2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
10.4+*    Form of Indemnification Agreement with Executive Officers and Directors.
10.5†*    License Agreement, dated as of May  13, 2019, by and among the Registrant, F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.
10.6*    Amended and Restated Management Services Agreement, dated as of April 16, 2020, by and between the Registrant and CinRx Pharma, LLC.


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Exhibit
Number

  

Description of Exhibit

10.7*    Voting Agreement and Proxy, dated as December 22, 2021, by and between the Registrant and CinRx Pharma, LLC.
10.8+    Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement, dated as December 29, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Marc de Garidel.
10.9+    Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement, dated as December 30, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Mary Theresa Coelho.
10.10+    Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement, dated as December 29, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Mason Freeman.
10.11+    Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement, dated as December 29, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Catherine Pearce.
23.1    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.
23.2    Consent of Cooley LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.3*    Consent of June Lee, M.D.
24.1*    Power of Attorney (included on signature page).

 

*

Previously filed.

+

Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.

†

Certain portions of this exhibit (indicated by asterisks) have been omitted because they are not material and are the type that the Registrant treats as private or confidential.

(b) Financial Statement Schedules.

Schedules not listed above have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto.

Item 17. Undertakings.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

  (1)  

For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.

 

  (2)  

For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, on this 3rd day of January, 2022.

 

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

 

By:

 

/s/ Marc de Garidel

 

Marc de Garidel

 

Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Marc de Garidel

Marc de Garidel

  

Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive)

  January 3, 2022

/s/ Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A.

Mary Theresa Coelho, M.B.A.

  

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer

(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

  January 3, 2022

*

James I. Healy, M.D., Ph.D.

   Director and Chairman of the Board   January 3, 2022

*

David Allison, Ph.D.

   Director   January 3, 2022

*

Maina Bhaman, M.B.A.

   Director   January 3, 2022

*

Troy Ignelzi

   Director   January 3, 2022

*

Jason Pitts, Ph.D.

   Director   January 3, 2022

*

John F. Thero

   Director   January 3, 2022

 

By:  

/s/ Marc de Garidel

 

Marc de Garidel

 

Attorney-in-Fact

Exhibit 1.1

[                    ] Shares

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

COMMON STOCK, $0.00001 PAR VALUE PER SHARE

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

January [    ], 2022


January [    ], 2022

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Jefferies LLC

Evercore Group L.L.C.

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

      1585 Broadway

      New York, NY 10036

c/o Jefferies LLC

      520 Madison Avenue

      New York, New York 10022

c/o Evercore Group L.L.C.

      55 East 52nd Street

      New York, New York 10055

Ladies and Gentlemen:

CinCor Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), Jefferies LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C. are acting as representative (collectively, the “Representatives”), [                ] shares of its common stock, $0.00001 par value per share (the “Firm Shares”). The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional [                ] shares of its common stock, $0.00001 par value per share (the “Additional Shares”), if and to the extent that the Representatives shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.”

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-[●]), including a preliminary prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration


statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (a “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “preliminary prospectus” shall mean each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted information pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness together with the documents and pricing information set forth in Schedule II hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof.

Morgan Stanley has agreed to reserve a portion of the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement for sale to the Company’s directors, officers, employees and business associates and other parties related to the Company (collectively, “Participants”), as set forth in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the heading “Underwriting” (the “Directed Share Program”). The Shares to be sold by Morgan Stanley and its affiliates pursuant to the Directed Share Program, at the direction of the Company, are referred to hereinafter as the “Directed Shares”. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by any Participant by the end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Prospectus.

1.    Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a)    The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act are pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission.

(b)    (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, if applicable, will not contain, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection


with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iv) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (v) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession figure appearing in the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”, and the information contained in the [twelfth] paragraphs regarding stabilizing transactions under the caption “Underwriting” (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

(c)    The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to the Representatives before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the Representatives’ prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

(d)    The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its


business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(e)    Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, organized or formed, is validly existing as a corporation or other business entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation, has the corporate or other business entity power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

(f)    This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(g)    The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters, in all material respects, to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(h)    The shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

(i)    The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of the Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

(j)    The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of (i) applicable law or (ii) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (iv) or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, except in the case of clauses (i), (iii) and (iv), that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and no


consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body, agency or court is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as have been obtained or waived or may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states or the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or the Nasdaq Global Market in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

(k)    There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(l)    There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and proceedings that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus and are not so described in all material respects; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described in all material respects or filed as required.

(m)    Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(n)    The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(o)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or


hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(p)    There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(q)    There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, except those contracts, agreements and understandings described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, all of which have been validly waived or complied with in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares contemplated hereby.

(r)    (i) None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, or any director, officer, or employee thereof, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or affiliates has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment, giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any government official (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) (“Government Official”) in order to influence official action, or to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws; (ii) the Company and each of its subsidiaries and affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.


(s)    The operations of the Company and each of its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and each of its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(t)    (i) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries, or any director, officer, or employee thereof, or to the Company’s knowledge, any agent, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are:

(A)    the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), or

(B)    located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

(ii)    The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

(A)    to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

(B)    in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).


(iii)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not knowingly engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(u)    Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (other than the exercise, grant or forfeiture of any equity awards, in each case granted pursuant to any equity compensation plan described in the Time of Sale Prospectus).

(v)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and to the Company’s knowledge enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and would not reasonably be expected to materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries.

(w)    (i) The Company and its subsidiaries own or have a valid license to all patents, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) which are reasonably expected to be material to the conduct of their businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company and its subsidiaries, are valid, subsisting and enforceable, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of any such Intellectual Property Rights; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any infringement, misappropriation or other violation of Intellectual Property Rights which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its


subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (iv) to the Company’s knowledge, no third party is infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating, or has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (v) to the Company’s knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates, or has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights; and (vi) the Company and its subsidiaries use, and have used, commercially reasonable efforts to appropriately maintain all information intended to be maintained as a trade secret.

(x)    (i) The Company and its subsidiaries use and have used any and all software and other materials distributed under a “free,” “open source,” or similar licensing model (including but not limited to the MIT License, Apache License, GNU General Public License, GNU Lesser General Public License and GNU Affero General Public License) (“Open Source Software”) in compliance with all license terms applicable to such Open Source Software; and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries uses or distributes or has used or distributed any Open Source Software in any manner that requires or has required (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries to permit reverse engineering of any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (B) any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to be (1) disclosed or distributed in source code form, (2) licensed for the purpose of making derivative works or (3) redistributed at no charge.

(y)    (i) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have complied in all material respects and are presently in compliance in all material respects with all internal and external written privacy policies, contractual obligations by which the Company is bound, applicable laws, statutes, judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory authority and any other binding legal obligations, in each case, governing the collection, use, transfer, import, export, storage, protection, disposal and disclosure by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of personal, personally identifiable, or regulated data (“Data Security Obligations”, and such data, “Data”); (ii) the Company has not received any written notification of or material complaint regarding and is unaware of any other facts that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably indicate material non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation; and (iii) there is no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body pending or threatened alleging non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation.

(z)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect the information technology systems and Data necessary for the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses as currently conducted. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company and its subsidiaries have used commercially reasonable efforts to establish and maintain, commercially reasonable information technology, information security, cyber security and data protection controls,


policies and procedures, including oversight, access controls, encryption, technological and physical safeguards and business continuity/disaster recovery and security plans that are designed to protect against and prevent breach, unauthorized destruction, loss, unauthorized distribution, unauthorized use, unauthorized access, unauthorized disablement, misappropriation or unauthorized modification, or other compromise or misuse of or relating to any of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ information technology systems or Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses as currently conducted (“Breach”). To the Company’s knowledge, there has been no such Breach, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not received written notice of and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any such Breach.

(aa)    No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that could, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(bb)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(cc)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities materially necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(dd)    The financial statements included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates shown and its results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in


conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby except for any normal year-end adjustments and the exclusion of certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the Commission in the case of the Company’s unaudited interim financial statements. The other financial information included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby.

(ee)    Ernst & Young LLP (“E&Y”), who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and delivered its report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

(ff)    The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate and such data is consistent with the sources from which they are derived, in each case in all material respects.

(gg)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, other than as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(hh)    Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares


issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

(ii)    The Company has operated at all times and is currently in material compliance, with all applicable statutes, rules, regulations and policies of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) and applicable foreign regulatory authorities, including the European Medicines Agency and the UK Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (collectively, the “Regulatory Authorities”), including, without limitation:

(i)    the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder;

(ii)    all applicable federal, state, local and foreign health care laws, including, without limitation, the U.S. Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(b)), the Civil Monetary Penalties Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a), the U.S. Civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. Section 3729 et seq.), all applicable federal, state, local and all foreign criminal laws relating to health care fraud and abuse, including but not limited to the U.S. False Statements Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(a)), 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287, and the health care fraud criminal provisions under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), the exclusions law, the statutes, regulations and directives of applicable government funded or sponsored healthcare programs;

(iii)    HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.), and the regulations promulgated thereunder and any state or non-U.S. counterpart thereof;

(iv)    the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, the regulations promulgated thereunder;

(v)    the U.S. Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. Section 801 et seq.);

(vi)    licensure, quality, safety and accreditation requirements under applicable federal, state, local or foreign laws or regulatory bodies;

(vii)    all other local, state, federal, national, supranational and foreign laws, relating to the regulation of the Company and the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product under development, manufactured or distributed by the Company; (clauses (i) through (vii), collectively, “Health Care Laws”).


(jj)    (i) the studies, tests and preclinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of or sponsored by the Company or in which the Company has participated, were, and if still pending are, being conducted in all material respects in accordance with standard medical and experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to accepted professional scientific research standards and procedures; (ii) the descriptions of the results of such studies and trials contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus are accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such trials and studies; (iii) the Company has no knowledge of any other studies or trials not described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, the results of which are inconsistent with or call into question the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; (iv) the Company has provided the Underwriters with all substantive written notices, correspondence and summaries of all other communications provided to the Company from the Regulatory Authorities; and (v) the Company has not received any written notices, correspondence or other communications from any Regulatory Authority or any other governmental entity requiring or threatening the termination, modification or suspension of any studies or trials that are described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and there are no reasonable grounds for the same.

(kk)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole) and have paid all taxes required to be paid thereon (except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by U.S. GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, singly or in the aggregate, has had (nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which could reasonably be expected to have) a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(ll)    (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is sponsored, maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements


of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and (ii) neither the Company nor any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any trade or business, whether or not incorporated, that would be regarded as a single employer with the Company under Section 414 of the Code) (x) has ever sponsored, maintained, contributed to or has had any obligation to contribute to, any employee benefit plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA or any “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA or (y) has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA.

(mm)    From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

(nn)    The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication with any person other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are reasonably believed to be accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) or Rule 163B of the Securities Act.

(oo)    As of the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, none of (A) the Time of Sale Prospectus, (B) any free writing prospectus, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, and (C) any individual Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(pp)    The Company does not have any securities rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).


(qq)    The Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus comply, and any amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program.

(rr)    No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency, other than those obtained, is required in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares in any jurisdiction where the Directed Shares are being offered.

(ss)    The Company has not offered, or caused Morgan Stanley or any Morgan Stanley Entity as defined in Section 9 to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company, or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.

2.    Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective numbers of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite its name at $[                ] a share (the “Purchase Price”).

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [                ] Additional Shares at the Purchase Price, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Additional Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares. The Representatives may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares or later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.


3.    Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by the Representatives that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in the Representatives’ judgment is advisable. The Company is further advised by the Representatives that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $[                ] a share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by the Representatives at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $[                ] a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $[                ] a share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.

4.    Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on [                ], 2022, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than [                ], 2022, as shall be designated in writing by the Representatives. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than [                ], 2022, as shall be designated in writing by the Representatives.

The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to the Representatives on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.

5.    Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Company to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than [                ] (New York City time) on the date hereof.


The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

(a)    Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i)    no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; and

(ii)    there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus that, in the Representatives’ judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in the Representatives’ judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(b)    The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Sections 5(a)(i) and 5(a)(ii) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(c)    The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Cooley LLP (“Cooley”), outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(d)    The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Baker & Hostetler LLP (“Baker”), outside intellectual property counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(e)    The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (“WilmerHale”), counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

With respect to Sections 5(c) through 5(e) above, each legal counsel may state that their opinions and beliefs are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification, except as specified.


The opinion and negative assurance letter of Cooley set forth in Section 5(c) and the opinion of Baker described in Section 5(d) above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.

(f)    The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, from E&Y, independent registered public accounting firm, 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 Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

(g)    The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between the Representatives and certain stockholders, officers and directors of the Company relating to restrictions on sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to the Representatives on or before the date hereof (the “Lock-up Agreements”), shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

(h)    Such other documents that the Representatives may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Firm Shares to be sold on such Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Firm Shares.

(i)    The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to the Representatives on the applicable Option Closing Date of the following:

(i)     a certificate, dated the Option Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, confirming that the certificate delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 5(b) hereof remains true and correct as of such Option Closing Date;

(ii)    an opinion and negative assurance letter of Cooley, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion and negative assurance letter required by Section 5(c) hereof;

(iii)    an opinion of Baker, outside intellectual property counsel for the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, substantially in the same form and substance as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof;

(iv)    an opinion and negative assurance letter of WilmerHale, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion and negative assurance letter required by Section 5(e) hereof;


(v)    a letter dated the Option Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from E&Y, independent registered public accounting firm, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof; provided that the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than two business days prior to such Option Closing Date; and

(vi)    such other documents as the Representatives may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

6.    Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a)    To furnish to the Representatives without charge, four signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to the Representatives in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 6(e) or 6(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(b)    Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to the Representatives a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

(c)    To furnish to the Representatives a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which the Representatives reasonably object.

(d)    Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.


(e)    If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(f)    If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Representatives will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(g)    To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request; provided, that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such


jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(h)    To make generally available (which may be satisfied by filing with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System) to the Company’s security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(i)    To comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.

(j)    Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 6(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum (such fees and expenses of counsel in an aggregate amount not to exceed $5,000), (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by FINRA (such fees and expenses of counsel in an aggregate amount not to exceed $35,000), (v) all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Stock and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the Nasdaq Global Market, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection


with the marketing of the offering of the Shares (with the Underwriters agreeing to pay all costs and expenses related to their participation in investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares), including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and 50% of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show with the remaining 50% of the cost of such aircraft to be paid by the Underwriters, (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement and (x) all fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 8 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution”, Section 9 entitled “Directed Share Program Indemnification” and the last paragraph of Section 11 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

(k)    The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the Restricted Period (as defined in this Section 6).

(l)    If at any time following the distribution of any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Testing-the-Waters Communication 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 Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

(m)    The Company will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), on the date of execution of this Agreement, a properly completed and executed Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers, together with copies of identifying documentation, and the Company undertakes to provide such additional supporting documentation as each Underwriter may reasonably request in connection with the verification of the foregoing Certification.


(n)    (i) The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period ending on and including the 180th day after the date of the Prospectus (the “Restricted Period”), (1) 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, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) file or confidentially submit any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.

(ii)    The restrictions contained in Section 6(m)(i) shall not apply to (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof as described in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus, or (c) facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a shareholder, officer or director of the Company pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (1) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (2) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period, (d) grants of options, restricted stock or other equity awards and the issuance of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock to employees, officers, directors, advisors, or consultants of the Company pursuant to the terms of a plan in effect on the date hereof and described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, (e) the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 to register Common Stock issuable pursuant to any employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and provided, that the recipients of such securities provide to the Representatives a signed lock-up letter substantially in the form of the lock-up letter described in Section 5(g) hereof, (f) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock, or


the entrance into an agreement to issue Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock, in connection with any merger, joint venture, strategic alliances, commercial or other collaborative transaction or the acquisition or license of the business, property, technology or other assets of another individual or entity or the assumption of an employee benefit plan in connection with a merger or acquisition; provided, that the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock that the Company may issue or agree to issue pursuant to this clause (f) shall not exceed 5% of the total outstanding share capital of the Company immediately following the issuance of the Shares; and provided further, that the recipients of such securities provide to the Representatives a signed lock-up letter substantially in the form of the lock-up letter described in Section 5(g) hereof.

(iii)    If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions on the transfer of Shares set forth in a Lock-up Agreement for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration or to an immediate family member as defined in FINRA Rule 5130(i)(5) of such officer or director of the Company and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the terms described in the Lock-up Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

7.    Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

8.    Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary


prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”), the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriters through the Representatives consists of the Underwriter Information.

(b)    Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, road show or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood that the only such information furnished by the Underwriters consists of the Underwriter Information.

(c)    In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonably incurred fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed in writing to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for


the reasonably incurred fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such reasonably incurred fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representatives, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a), and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

(d)    To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or 8(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (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 or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 8(d)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 8(d)(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 that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, 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 shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. 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 the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the 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 Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.

(e)    The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 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 that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 8(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

(f)    The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 8 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

9.    Directed Share Program Indemnification. (a)The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Morgan Stanley, each person, if any, who controls Morgan Stanley within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of Morgan Stanley within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act (“Morgan Stanley Entities”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) (i)that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of


the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii)that arise out of, or are based upon, the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii)related to, arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of Morgan Stanley Entities.

(b)    In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any Morgan Stanley Entity in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 9(a), the Morgan Stanley Entity seeking indemnity, shall promptly notify the Company in writing and the Company, upon request of the Morgan Stanley Entity, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Morgan Stanley Entity to represent the Morgan Stanley Entity and any others the Company may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonably incurred fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any Morgan Stanley Entity shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Morgan Stanley Entity unless (i)the Company shall have agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii)the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Company and the Morgan Stanley Entity and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. The Company shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of the Morgan Stanley Entities in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Morgan Stanley Entities. Any such separate firm for the Morgan Stanley Entities shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Company agrees to indemnify the Morgan Stanley Entities from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time a Morgan Stanley Entity shall have requested the Company to reimburse it for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the Company agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Company of the aforesaid request and (ii) the Company shall not have reimbursed the Morgan Stanley Entity in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Morgan Stanley Entity is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Morgan Stanley Entity, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of the Morgan Stanley Entities from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.


(c)    To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 9(a) is unavailable to a Morgan Stanley Entity or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then the Company in lieu of indemnifying the Morgan Stanley Entity thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Morgan Stanley Entity as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i)in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand from the offering of the Directed Shares or (ii)if the allocation provided by clause 9(c)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 9(c)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand in connection with any statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Directed Shares (before deducting expenses) and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Morgan Stanley Entities for the Directed Shares, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Directed Shares. If the loss, claim, damage or liability is caused by an untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement or the omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Morgan Stanley Entities and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(d)    The Company and the Morgan Stanley Entities agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Morgan Stanley Entities were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 9(c). The amount paid or payable by the Morgan Stanley Entities as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Morgan Stanley Entities in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, no Morgan Stanley Entity shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Directed Shares distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Morgan Stanley Entity has otherwise been required to pay. The remedies provided for in this Section 9 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.


The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 9 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i)any termination of this Agreement, (ii)any investigation made by or on behalf of any Morgan Stanley Entity or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii)acceptance of and payment for any of the Directed Shares.

10.    Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by the Representatives to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to or on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in the Representatives’ judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in the Representatives’ judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

11.    Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Representatives may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on


such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred and documented by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

12.    Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Underwriters with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

(b)    The Company acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arm’s length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement, any contemporaneous written agreements and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company, and (iv) 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. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.


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 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.

14.    Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

15.    Applicable 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 internal laws of the State of New York.

16.    Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.


17.    Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to the Representatives in care of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department, in care of Jefferies LLC, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: General Counsel and in care of Evercore Group L.L.C., 55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055, Attention: General Counsel, Investment Banking and if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to CinCor Pharma, Inc., 200 Clarendon Street, 6th Floor Boston, MA 02116.

 

Very truly yours,
CINCOR PHARMA, INC.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Accepted as of the date hereof
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
Jefferies LLC
Evercore Group L.L.C.

Acting severally on behalf of themselves and

      the several Underwriters named in

      Schedule I hereto.

By:   Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
By:   Jefferies LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  


By:   Evercore Group L.L.C.

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 


SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriter

   Number of Firm Shares To
Be Purchased
 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

  

Jefferies LLC

  

Evercore Group L.L.C.

  

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

  
  

 

 

 

Total:

  
  

 

 

 

 

I-1


SCHEDULE II

Time of Sale Prospectus

 

1.

Preliminary Prospectus issued [date]

 

II-1


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

A-1


Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Jefferies LLC

Evercore Group L.L.C.

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

      1585 Broadway

      New York, NY 10036

c/o Jefferies LLC

      520 Madison Avenue

      New York, New York 10022

c/o Evercore Group L.L.C.

      55 East 52nd Street

      New York, New York 10055

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), Jefferies LLC, (“Jefferies”) and Evercore Group L.L.C. (“Evercore” and, collectively with Jefferies and Morgan Stanley, the “Representatives”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with CinCor Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters, including the Representatives (the “Underwriters”), of shares (the “Shares”) of the common stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”).

To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of the final prospectus (the “Restricted Period”) relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) 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, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), by the undersigned or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing precludes the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction designed or intended, or which could

 

A-2


reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale or disposition of any shares of Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, even if any such sale or disposition transaction or transactions would be made or executed by or on behalf of someone other than the undersigned. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to:

 

  (a)

transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in the Public Offering or in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public disclosure shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period in connection with subsequent sales of Common Stock or other securities acquired in the Public Offering or in such open market transactions;

 

  (b)

transfers or distributions of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (i) as a bona fide gift or charitable contribution, (ii) by will or intestacy or to any immediate family or to a trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned and/or any immediate family, (iii) to limited partners, members, stockholders or holders of similar equity interests in the undersigned or (iv) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933 as amended) of the undersigned, or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned; provided that (A) each transferee, donee or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this agreement and (B) no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public disclosure, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period;

 

  (c)

transfers of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock by operation of law pursuant to a qualified domestic order or other court order or in connection with a divorce settlement; provided that (i) any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act made during the Restricted Period shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that (A) the filing relates to the circumstances described in this clause (c) and (B) no securities were sold by the undersigned, and (ii) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any other public filing or report regarding such transfers during the Restricted Period;

 

  (d)

the receipt by the undersigned from the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the transfer or disposition of shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into Common Stock to the Company upon a vesting or settlement event of the Company’s securities or vesting of restricted stock unit awards or upon the exercise of options to purchase the Company’s securities on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis, in each case pursuant to any equity incentive plan of the Company described in the Prospectus and to the extent permitted by the instruments representing such restricted stock unit awards or options outstanding as of the date of the Prospectus (and solely to cover withholding tax obligations in connection with such transaction and any transfer to the Company for the payment of taxes as a result of such transaction), provided that (i) the shares received upon exercise or settlement of the

 

A-3


  option are subject to the terms of this agreement, (ii) no public disclosure or filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period and (iii) to the extent a filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act is required during the Restricted Period as a result of transfers in this clause (d), it shall clearly indicate that (A) the filing relates to the circumstances described in this clause (d), including that the securities remain subject to the terms of this agreement and (B) no securities were sold by the undersigned other than pursuant to this clause (d);

 

  (e)

transfers to the Company in connection with the repurchase of Common Stock in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s employment with the Company pursuant to contractual agreements with the Company as in effect as of the date of the Prospectus, provided that no public disclosure or filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period;

 

  (f)

the conversion of the outstanding preferred stock of the Company described in the Prospectus into shares of Common Stock of the Company, provided that such shares of Common Stock remain subject to the terms of this agreement;

 

  (g)

facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a stockholder, officer or director of the Company pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period; or

 

  (h)

transfers pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer for all outstanding Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock of the Company, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction approved by the Company’s Board of Directors and made to all holders of the Company’s securities involving a change of control of the Company (including, without limitation, the entering into any lock-up, voting or similar agreement pursuant to which the undersigned may agree to transfer, sell, tender or otherwise dispose of Common Stock or other such securities in connection with such transaction, or vote any Common Stock or other such securities in favor of any such transaction); provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, such securities held by the undersigned shall remain subject to the provisions of this agreement.

In addition, the undersigned agrees that, (a) without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the Restricted Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for

 

A-4


Common Stock and (b) in connection with the Public Offering, it waives any and all notice requirements and rights with respect to the registration of any such Common Shares pursuant to any agreement, understanding or otherwise to which the undersigned is a party. In addition, the undersigned hereby waives any and all preemptive rights, participation rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights that the undersigned may have in connection with the Public Offering or in connection with any reorganization that may be consummated before or in connection with the Public Offering. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

For purposes of this agreement, (i) “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin, and (ii) “change of control” shall mean the consummation of any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other similar transaction the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, other than the Company, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of the total voting power of the voting stock of the Company.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Shares the undersigned may purchase in the offering.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representatives agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, the Representatives will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed or will agree in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representatives hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration or to an immediate family member as defined in FINRA Rule 5130(i)(5) and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the Underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the Public Offering and the undersigned has consulted their

 

A-5


own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation to you in connection with the Public Offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to you to participate in the Public Offering or sell any Shares at the price determined in the Public Offering, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation. Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.

The undersigned understands that, if (i) the Representatives, on the one hand, or the Company, on the other hand, informs the other in writing, prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, (ii) the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the securities to be sold thereunder, (iii) the registration statement related to the Public Offering is withdrawn or (iv) the Underwriting Agreement is not executed on or before March 31, 2022, then, in each case, this agreement shall automatically, and without any action on the part of any other party, be of no further force and effect, and the undersigned shall be automatically released from all obligations under this agreement.

This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

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EXHIBIT B

FORM OF WAIVER OF LOCK-UP

                , 20    

[Name and Address of

Officer or Director

Requesting Waiver]

Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]:

This letter is being delivered to each of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), Jefferies LLC, (“Jefferies”) and Evercore Group L.L.C. (“Evercore” and, collectively with Jefferies and Morgan Stanley, the “Representatives”) in connection with the offering by CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”) of                  shares of common stock, $0.00001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company and the lock-up agreement dated                 , 20     (the “Lock-up Agreement”), executed by you in connection with such offering, and your request for a [waiver] [release] dated                 , 20    , with respect to                 shares of Common Stock (the “Shares”).

The Representatives hereby agree to [waive] [release] the transfer restrictions set forth in the Lock-up Agreement, but only with respect to the Shares, effective                 , 20    ; provided, however, that such [waiver] [release] is conditioned on the Company announcing the impending [waiver] [release] by press release through a major news service at least two business days before effectiveness of such [waiver] [release]. This letter will serve as notice to the Company of the impending [waiver] [release].

Except as expressly [waived] [released] hereby, the Lock-up Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.


Very truly yours,

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Jefferies LLC

Evercore Group L.L.C.

Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Jefferies LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Evercore Group L.L.C.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

cc:

Company


FORM OF PRESS RELEASE

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

[Date]

CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C., the lead book-running managers in the Company’s recent public sale of                  shares of its common stock are [waiving][releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to                 shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver][release] will take effect on                , 20    , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Exhibit 3.2

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

TO

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

(Pursuant to Sections 141 and 242 of the

General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)

CinCor Pharma, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “General Corporation Law”),

DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

1. That the name of this corporation is CinCor Pharma, Inc., and that this corporation was originally incorporated pursuant to the General Corporation Law on March 20, 2018.

2. An Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was filed on May 10, 2019, a Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was filed on April 9, 2021, and an Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was filed on September 22, 2021.

3. That the Board of Directors of the Corporation, acting in accordance with the provisions of Sections 141 and 242 of the General Corporation Law, adopted resolutions further amending the certificate of incorporation as follows:

The first paragraph of Article Fourth is amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:

“FOURTH: The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 111,500,000, consisting of (i) 40,069,469 shares of Common Stock, $0.00001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), and (ii) 71,430,531 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.00001 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”).

Effective immediately upon this Certificate of Amendment becoming effective under the General Corporation Law, every 3.4 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding shall, automatically and without any action on the part of the respective holders thereof, be subdivided and converted into 1 fully paid and nonassessable share of Common Stock without increasing or decreasing the par value of each share of Common Stock (the “Stock Split”).

The Corporation shall issue no fractional shares of Common Stock as a result of the Stock Split, but shall instead pay to any stockholder who would be entitled to receive a fractional share as a result of the actions set forth herein a sum in cash equal to the fair market value of the shares constituting such fractional share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. All shares of Common Stock so combined that are held by a stockholder shall be aggregated subsequent to the foregoing Stock Split. The Stock Split shall occur whether or not the certificates representing any such shares of Common Stock are surrendered to the Corporation or its transfer agent.

All rights, preferences and privileges of the Common Stock and each series of Preferred Stock set forth in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, including conversion prices and other amounts per share, as applicable, shall be appropriately adjusted to give effect to the Stock Split.”


4. That this Certificate of Amendment was duly adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Sections 228 and 242 of the General Corporation Law.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been executed by a duly authorized officer of this corporation on this 30th day of December, 2021.

 

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.
By:   /s/ Marc de Garidel
Name: Marc de Garidel
Title: President

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

Ryan Sansom

+1 617 937 2335

[email protected]

January 3, 2022

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

200 Clarendon Street, 6th Floor

Boston, MA 02116

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to CinCor Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the filing by the Company of a Registration Statement (No. 333-261738) on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including a related prospectus filed with the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”), covering an underwritten public offering of up to 12,650,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (“Shares”) (including up to 1,650,000 Shares that may be sold by the Company upon exercise of an option to purchase additional shares to be granted to the underwriters).

In connection with this opinion, we have (i) examined and relied upon (a) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (b) the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and Amended and Restated Bylaws, each as currently in effect, (c) the forms of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, filed as Exhibits 3.4 and 3.5, to the Registration Statement, respectively, each of which is to be in effect in connection with the closing of the offering contemplated by the Registration Statement and (d) originals or copies certified to our satisfaction of such records, documents, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below and (ii) assumed that (a) the Shares will be sold at a price established by the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof and (b) the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation referred to in clause (i)(c) is filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware before issuance of the Shares.

We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies, the accuracy, completeness and authenticity of the certificates of public officials and the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by all persons other than by the Company where due authorization, execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof. As to certain factual matters, we have relied upon a certificate of an officer of the Company and have not independently verified such matters.

Our opinion is expressed only with respect to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We express no opinion to the extent that any other laws are applicable to the subject matter hereof and express no opinion and provide no assurance as to compliance with any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation.

On the basis of the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when sold and issued against payment therefor as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

Cooley LLP 500 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116-3736

t: (617) 937-2300 f: (617) 937-2400 cooley.com


We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement and to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

Sincerely,

Cooley LLP

 

By:   /s/ Ryan Sansom
  Ryan Sansom

Exhibit 10.1

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

2019 Stock Option Plan

1. Purpose. The purpose of this Plan is to promote share ownership by key employees, Directors and consultants of CinCor Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its Subsidiaries, thereby reinforcing a mutuality of interest with other stockholders, and to enable the Company and the Subsidiaries to attract, retain and motivate key employees, Directors and consultants by permitting them to share in its growth.

2. Definitions. As used in this Plan,

“Affiliate” means, with respect to a Person, a Person that directly or indirectly Controls, or is Controlled by, or is under common Control with such Person.

“Award” means a grant of Options pursuant to the provisions of the Plan.

“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company and, to the extent of any delegation by the Board to a committee (or subcommittee thereof) pursuant to Section 12 of this Plan, such committee (or subcommittee).

“Cause” means (i) conviction of, or the entry of a plea of guilty or no contest to, a felony or any other crime that causes the Company or its Affiliates public disgrace or disrepute, or materially and adversely affects the Company’s or its Affiliates’ operations or financial performance or the relationship the Company has with its customers, (ii) gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the Company or any of its Affiliates, including, without limitation fraud, embezzlement, theft or proven dishonesty in the course of his or her employment; (iii) alcohol abuse or use of controlled drugs other than in accordance with a physician’s prescription; (iv) refusal to perform any lawful, material obligation or fulfill any duty (other than any duty or obligation of the type described in clause (vi) below) to the Company or its Affiliates (other than due to a Disability), which refusal, if curable, is not cured within 15 days after delivery of written notice thereof; (v) material breach of any agreement with or duty owed to the Company or any of its Affiliates, which breach, if curable, is not cured within 15 days after the delivery of written notice thereof; or (vi) any breach of any obligation or duty to the Company or any of its Affiliates (whether arising by statute, common law or agreement) relating to confidentiality, noncompetition, nonsolicitation or proprietary rights. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant and the Company (or any of its Affiliates) have entered into an employment agreement, consulting agreement or other similar agreement that specifically defines “cause,” then with respect to such Participant, “Cause” shall have the meaning defined in that employment agreement, consulting agreement or other agreement.

“Change in Control” means a “Deemed Liquidation Event” as such term is defined in the Company’s certificate of incorporation (as in effect from time to time), or if such term is not defined in the Company’s certificate of incorporation, then it shall mean, unless otherwise defined in an Award agreement, the occurrence of any one or more of the following: (i) the sale of all of the outstanding equity interests of the Company to an unrelated person or entity; (ii) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company on a consolidated basis to an unrelated person or entity; (iii) a merger, reorganization or consolidation after which the holders of the voting stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction (and their related persons or entities) own less than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding voting power of the surviving or resulting entity immediately upon completion of such transaction; or (iv) the dissolution or liquidation of the Company.

 

1


“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor thereto.

“Control” means, as to any Person, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise (the terms “Controlled by” and “under common Control with” shall have correlative meanings).

“Company” means CinCor Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto.

“Date of Grant” means the date as of which an Option is determined to be effective and designated in a resolution by the Board. The Date of Grant shall not be earlier than the date of the resolution and action therein by the Board.

“Director” means a member of the Board.

“Disability” means a condition rendering a Participant Disabled.

“Disabled” with respect to a particular Participant will have the same meaning as set forth in any long-term disability policy or program sponsored by the Company or any Subsidiary covering such Participant, as in effect as of the date of such determination, or if no such policy or program shall be in effect, “Disabled” will have the meaning as set forth in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.

“Fair Market Value” means, as of any given day, the amount determined in good faith by the Board to be the fair market value of a Share on such day (which determination shall, to the extent applicable, be made in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code), and such determination shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.

“Incentive Stock Options” means Options that are intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision.

“Initial Public Offering” means the first public offering of the Company’s equity securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor statute, or such other event as a result of which outstanding equity securities of the Company (or any successor entity) shall be publicly traded.

“Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or otherwise does not meet such requirements.

“Option” means the right to purchase Shares upon exercise of an option granted pursuant to Section 4 of this Plan.

“Option Price” means the purchase price per Option Share payable on exercise of an Option.

“Option Shares” means Shares acquired upon the exercise of an Option.

“Participant” means a person who is selected by the Board to receive benefits under this Plan and who is at the time an employee, Director, advisor, or consultant of the Company or a Subsidiary.

 

2


“Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, unincorporated association, or other entity or association.

“Plan” means this 2019 Stock Option Plan, as amended from time to time.

“Repurchase Right” means the Company’s right to repurchase Option Shares as set forth in Section 5 of this Plan.

“Right of First Refusal” means the Company’s right of first refusal as set forth in Section 6 of this Plan.

“Shares” means shares of the Class Common Stock, $0.00001 par value, of the Company or any security into which such shares may be changed by reason of any transaction or event of the type referred to in Section 7.

“Stockholder Agreement” means any stockholders’ agreement (including, but not limited to, the Company’s Bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation, if and as applicable, and as from time to time in effect) by and among, or otherwise binding, the Company and certain stockholders and/or one or more agreements among the Company, a Participant (or such Participant’s estate, heirs or beneficiaries) and other parties thereto in such form determined from time to time by the Company in its sole discretion, that include terms and conditions that provide the Company and/or other stockholders with (i) a right of first refusal or impose other restrictions with respect to the transfer of Shares, (ii) a voting agreement with respect to Shares, (iii) “drag-along” rights in favor of the stockholders owning a specified threshold of Shares, (iv) “market standoff” or “lock-up” conditions, and (v) such other reasonable terms and conditions as the Board may require, if any.

“Stock Option Agreement” means the agreement entered into by the Company and Participant pursuant to Section 8 of this Plan.

“Subsidiary” means any corporation, company or other entity (i) more than 50 percent of whose outstanding shares or securities (representing the right to vote for the election of directors or other managing authority) are, or (ii) which does not have outstanding shares or securities (as may be the case in a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or unincorporated association), but more than 50 percent of whose ownership interest representing the right generally to make decisions for such other entity is, now or hereafter, owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company.

“Ten Percent Stockholder” shall mean any Participant who owns more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

3. Shares Available. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 7 of this Plan, the total number of Shares which may be issued and sold under Options granted pursuant to this Plan shall not exceed 1,846,010 Shares, any or all of which may be issued under Incentive Stock Options. Such shares may be treasury shares or shares of original issue or a combination of the foregoing. Subject to Sections 7 and 15(e) hereof, Shares subject to Awards that are cancelled, forfeited, settled in cash, used to pay withholding obligations or pay the exercise price of an Option or that expire by their terms at any time will again be available for grant and issuance in connection with other Awards.

 

3


4. Options. The Board may, from time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may determine, authorize the granting of Options to Participants. Each such grant shall be subject to all of the requirements contained in the following provisions and such other terms as the Board shall determine:

(a) Each grant shall specify the number of Shares to which it pertains and shall separately designate whether the Options are intended to be Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, or a combination of the foregoing.

(b) Each grant shall specify an Option Price, which shall be at least equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Date of Grant. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, the Option Price shall be at least equal to one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Date of Grant.

(c) The Option Price shall be payable (i) in cash or by other consideration acceptable to the Company, (ii) by the actual or constructive transfer to the Company of Shares owned by the Participant having a Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the total Option Price, (iii) by a combination of such methods of payment, or (iv) any other method approved or accepted by the Board in its sole discretion, including, if the Board so determines, a cashless exercise that complies with all applicable laws.

(d) (i) Each grant shall specify the period or periods of continuous service by the Participant with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is necessary before the Options or installments thereof will become exercisable and may provide for earlier exercise of the Option, including, without limitation, in the event of a Change in Control or similar event. Any grant may specify performance conditions that must be satisfied as a condition to the exercise or early exercise of the Option.

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any grant of Options may provide for the immediate exercisability of the Options, subject to the additional restrictions described in this paragraph (d)(ii). Option Shares so acquired may not be transferred, sold, pledged, exchanged, assigned or otherwise encumbered or disposed of by the Optionee, except to the Company, until they have become vested in accordance with a vesting schedule set forth in the agreement evidencing the grant. Should the Optionee terminate service while holding Option Shares that have not become vested, the Company shall have the right to repurchase, at the Option Price paid per share, any or all of those unvested Option Shares. The terms upon which such repurchase right shall be exercisable (including the period and procedure for exercise and the appropriate vesting schedule for the purchased shares) shall be established by the Board and set forth in the document evidencing such repurchase right. Unless otherwise directed by the Board, all certificates representing unvested Option Shares shall be held in custody by the Company until all restrictions thereon have lapsed, together with a stock power or powers, executed by the Optionee in whose name such certificates are registered, endorsed in blank and covering such Option Shares. The repurchase rights described in this paragraph (d)(ii) shall be in addition to the Repurchase Right described in Section 5 of this Plan.

(e) Unless otherwise approved by the Board, each Option shall be subject to the Repurchase Right and the Right of First Refusal in favor of the Company as specified in Sections 5 and 6 of this Plan, respectively.

(f) Except as otherwise determined by the Board, no Option shall be transferable by the Participant except by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Except as otherwise determined by the Board, Options shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant or, in the event of the Participant’s legal incapacity to do so, the Participant’s guardian or legal representative acting on behalf of the Participant in a fiduciary capacity under state law and court supervision.

 

4


(g) No Option shall be exercisable more than 10 years after the Date of Grant. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, the Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable later than 5 years after its Date of Grant.

(h) A Participant may exercise an Option in whole or in part at any time and from time to time during the period within which an Option may be exercised. To exercise an Option, a Participant shall give written notice to the Company specifying the number of Shares to be purchased and provide payment of the Option Price and any other documentation that may be required by the Company.

(i) A Participant shall be treated for all purposes as the owner of record of the number of Shares purchased pursuant to exercise of the Option (in whole or in part) as of the date such Shares are issued following the complete and valid satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 4(h).

(j) To the extent required for Incentive Stock Option status under Section 422 of the Code, the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the Date of Grant) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year under the Plan and/or any other stock option plan of the Company (within the meaning of Section 424 of the Code) shall not exceed $100,000. To the extent any Option granted under the Plan which is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option exceeds the limitation set forth above in this Section 4(j), such Option shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option.

(k) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 4, Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to eligible Participants who are “employees” (as defined in Section 3401(c) of the Code) of the Company, or a “parent” or “subsidiary” of the Company (each as defined in Section 424(e) and (f) of the Code). Eligible Participants who are employees of a Subsidiary may be granted Options under the Plan only if the Subsidiary qualifies as an “eligible issuer of service recipient stock” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.

(l) Termination of Service.

(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the Plan, if a Participant’s service with the Company or any Subsidiaries is terminated for Cause: (i) any Option not already exercised will be immediately and automatically forfeited as of the date of such termination without consideration therefor, and (ii) any Option Shares for which the Company has not yet delivered share certificates will be immediately and automatically forfeited and the Company will refund to the Participant the Option Price paid for such Option Shares, if any.

(ii) If a Participant’s service with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries terminates by reason of death, any Option held by such Participant may thereafter be exercised, to the extent then exercisable or on such accelerated basis as the Board may determine, at or after grant, by the legal representative of the estate or by the legatee of the Participant under the will of the Participant, for a period expiring (1) at such time as may be specified by the Board at or after the time of grant (which, in the event that the Participant resides in the State of California, shall be no less than 6 months from the date of termination), (2) if not specified by the Board, then 12 months from the date of death, or (3) if sooner than the applicable period specified under (1) or (2) above, then upon the expiration of the stated term of such Option.

(iii) If a Participant’s service with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries terminates by reason of Disability, any Option held by such Participant may thereafter be exercised by the Participant or his or her personal representative, to the extent it was exercisable at the time of termination, or on such accelerated basis as the Board may determine at or after grant, for a period expiring (1) at such

 

5


time as may be specified by the Board at or after the time of grant (which, in the event that the Participant resides in the State of California, shall be no less than 6 months from the date of termination), (2) if not specified by the Board, then 12 months from the date of termination of service, or (3) if sooner than the applicable period specified under (1) or (2) above, then upon the expiration of the stated term of such Option.

(iv) If a Participant’s service with the Company or any Subsidiary terminates for any reason other than death, Disability or Cause, any Option held by such Participant may thereafter be exercised by the Participant, to the extent it was exercisable at the time of such termination, or on such accelerated basis as the Board may determine at or after grant, for a period expiring (1) at such time as may be specified by the Board at or after the time of grant (which, in the event that the Participant resides in the State of California, shall be no less than 30 days from the date of termination), (2) if not specified by the Board, then 90 days from the date of termination of service, or (3) if sooner than the applicable period specified under (1) or (2) above, then upon the expiration of the stated term of such Option.

5. Company’s Repurchase Right.

(a) The Company shall have the right to repurchase some or all of the Option Shares of a Participant upon the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 5(b) below (the “Repurchase Event”). The Repurchase Right may be exercised by the Company within 180 days following the date of such event (the “Repurchase Period”). The Repurchase Right shall be exercised by the Company by giving the holder written notice on or before the last day of the Repurchase Period of its intention to exercise the Repurchase Right, and, together with such notice, tendering to the holder an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the Option Shares, as provided in Section 5(c); provided, however, that if the Repurchase Event was the termination of Participant’s employment or other service with the Company and its Subsidiaries for Cause, the amount payable on exercise of the Repurchase Right shall equal the lesser of Fair Market Value of the Option Shares and the Option Price the Participant had paid for the exercise of the Option Shares. The Company may assign the Repurchase Right to one or more persons. Upon exercise of the Repurchase Right in the manner provided in this Section 5(a), the Participant shall promptly deliver to the Company the stock certificate or certificates representing the Option Shares being repurchased, duly endorsed and free and clear of any and all liens, charges and encumbrances. Upon the Company’s receipt of the certificates from the Participant (or at such later date as is determined to be necessary by the Board to avoid any breach by the Company of any agreement to which it is a party), the Company shall deliver to the Participant a check for the purchase price of the Option Shares being purchased; provided, however, that the Company may pay the purchase price for such Option Shares by offsetting and canceling any indebtedness then owed by the Participant to the Company. If Option Shares are not purchased under the Repurchase Right, the Participant and his or her successor in interest, if any, will hold any such shares in his or her possession subject to all of the provisions of this Section 5 and Section 6 hereof. The Repurchase Right described in this Section 5 of the Plan shall be in addition to the rights of the Company described in Section 4(d)(ii) of the Plan.

(b) Company’s Right to Exercise Repurchase Right. The Company shall have the Repurchase Right in the event that any of the following events shall occur:

(i) The termination of the Participant’s employment or other service with the Company and its Subsidiaries for any reason whatsoever, regardless of the circumstances thereof, and including without limitation upon death, disability, retirement, discharge or resignation for any reason, whether voluntary or involuntarily; or

(ii) The (x) filing of a voluntary petition under any bankruptcy or insolvency law, or a petition for the appointment of a receiver or the making of an assignment for the benefit of

 

6


creditors, with respect to the Participant, or (y) the Participant being subjected involuntarily to a petition or assignment or to an attachment or other legal or equitable interest with respect to his or her assets, which involuntary petition or assignment or attachment is not discharged within 60 days after its date or (z) the Participant being subject to a transfer of Option Shares by operation of law, except by reason of death.

(c) Determination of Fair Market Value. For purposes of this Section 5, the Fair Market Value of the Option Shares shall be determined by the Board as of a date no more than 90 days prior to the date on which the Company provides written notice (pursuant to Section 5(a)) of its exercise of the Repurchase Right.

(d) Expiration of Company’s Repurchase Right. The Repurchase Right of the Company set forth in this Section 5 of the Plan shall remain in effect until the closing of an Initial Public Offering.

(e) Other Company Documents. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5 or this Plan in general, the repurchase rights set forth herein shall be superseded by any similar or comparable rights or provisions to which the Participant is subject or made subject under or by any other Company agreement, instrument or document.

6. Company’s Right of First Refusal.

(a) Exercise of Right. If at a time other than within the period specified in Section 5(a) the Participant desires to transfer all or any part of the Option Shares to any person other than the Company (an “Offeror”), the Participant shall: (i) obtain in writing an arms’ length, bona fide offer, subject only to customary (if any) closing conditions (the “Offer”), for the purchase thereof from the Offeror; and (ii) give written notice (the “Option Notice”) to the Company setting forth the Participant’s desire to transfer such shares, which Option Notice shall be accompanied by a photocopy of the Offer and shall set forth the name and address of the Offeror and the price and terms of the Offer. Upon receipt of the Option Notice, the Company shall have an assignable option to purchase any or all of such Option Shares (the “Company Option Shares”) specified in the Option Notice, such option to be exercisable by giving, within 10 days after receipt of the Option Notice, a written counter notice to the Participant. If the Company elects to purchase any or all of such Company Option Shares, it shall be obligated to purchase, and the Participant shall be obligated to sell to the Company, such Company Option Shares at the price and terms indicated in the Offer within 30 days from the date of delivery by the Company of such counter notice.

(b) Sale of Option Shares to Offeror. The Participant may, for 60 days after the expiration of the 10-day option period as set forth in Section 6(a), sell to the Offeror, pursuant to the terms of the Offer, any or all of such Company Option Shares not purchased or agreed to be purchased by the Company or its assignee. If any or all of such Company Option Shares are not sold pursuant to an Offer within the time permitted above, the unsold Company Option Shares shall remain subject to the terms of this Section 6.

(c) Adjustments for Changes in Capital Structure. If there shall be any change in the Shares of the Company through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, or the like, the restrictions contained in this Section 6 shall apply with equal force to additional and/or substitute securities, if any, received by the Participant in exchange for, or by virtue of his or her ownership of, Option Shares.

 

7


(d) Failure to Deliver Option Shares. If the Participant fails or refuses to deliver on a timely basis duly endorsed certificates representing Company Option Shares to be sold to the Company or its assignee pursuant to this Section 6, the Company shall have the right to deposit the purchase price for such Company Option Shares in a special account with any bank or trust company, giving notice of such deposit to the Participant, whereupon such Company Option Shares shall be deemed to have been purchased by the Company. All such monies shall be held by the bank or trust company for the benefit of the Participant. All monies deposited with the bank or trust company but remaining unclaimed for two years after the date of deposit shall be repaid by the bank or trust company to the Company on demand, and the Participant shall thereafter look only to the Company for payment. The Company may place a legend on any certificate for Option Shares delivered to the Participant reflecting the restrictions on transfer provided in this Section 6.

(e) Expiration of Company’s Right of First Refusal. The first refusal rights of the Company set forth above shall remain in effect until the closing of an Initial Public Offering.

(f) Other Company Documents. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6 or this Plan in general, the rights of first refusal set forth herein shall be superseded by any similar or comparable rights or provisions to which the Participant is subject or made subject under or by any other Company agreement, instrument or document.

7. Adjustments. The Board shall make or provide for such adjustments in the Option Price and in the number or kind of shares or other securities covered by outstanding Options as the Board in its sole discretion determines to be equitably required in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants that would otherwise result from any (a) stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization or other change in the capital structure of the Company, (b) merger, consolidation, separation, reorganization, partial or complete liquidation, issuance of rights or warrants to purchase stock, or (c) other corporate transaction or event having an effect similar to any of the foregoing. Moreover, in the event of any such transaction or event, the Board, in its discretion, may provide in substitution for any or all outstanding Options under this Plan such alternative consideration (including cash) as it, in good faith, determines to be equitable in the circumstances and may require in connection therewith the surrender of all Options so replaced. The Board may also make or provide for such adjustments in the number of shares specified in Section 3 of this Plan as the Board in its sole discretion, exercised in good faith, may determine is appropriate to reflect any transaction or event described in this Section 7. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board shall not make any adjustment pursuant to this Section 7 that would (i) cause any Option intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option to fail to so qualify, (ii) cause an Option that is otherwise exempt from Section 409A of the Code to become subject to Section 409A, or (iii) cause an Option that is subject to Section 409A of the Code to fail to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A.

8. Stock Option Agreement; Stockholder Agreement. The form of each Stock Option Agreement shall be prescribed, and any Stock Option Agreement evidencing an outstanding Option may with the concurrence of the affected Participant be amended, by the Board, provided that the terms and conditions of each Stock Option Agreement and amendment are not inconsistent with this Plan and that no amendment shall adversely affect the rights of the Participant with respect to any outstanding Option without the Participant’s consent. The Board may require that, upon exercise of any Award granted under the Plan, the Participant shall become party to, or otherwise agree to by bound by, (i) any Stockholder Agreement the Board may require and (ii) any other agreement the Board may require.

9. Withholding. No later than the date as of which an amount first becomes includible in the gross income of the Participant for applicable tax purposes with respect to any Option under the Plan, the Participant shall pay to the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Board regarding the

 

8


payment of, any Federal, state, local, foreign or other taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with respect to such amount. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the minimum required withholding obligations may be settled with Shares, including Shares that are part of the award that gives rise to the withholding requirement. The obligations of the Company under this Plan shall be conditional on such payment or arrangements and the Company shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Participant.

10. Governing Law. The Plan and all Options granted and actions taken thereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

11. Fractional Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue any fractional Shares pursuant to this Plan. The Board may provide for the elimination of fractional Shares or for the settlement of fractional Shares for cash.

12. Administration. This Plan shall be administered by the Board, which may from time to time delegate all or any part of its authority under this Plan to a committee of not less than two Directors appointed by the Board. To the extent of any such delegation, references in this Plan to the Board shall also refer to the committee. A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum, and any action taken by a majority of the members of the committee who are present at any meeting of the committee at which a quorum is present, or any actions of the committee that are unanimously approved by the members of the committee in writing, shall be the acts of the committee. Any determination by the Board pursuant to any provision of this Plan shall be final, binding and conclusive. No member of the Board shall be liable for any act, omission, interpretation, construction or determination made in connection with the Plan in good faith, and each member of the Board shall be entitled in all cases to indemnification and reimbursement by the Company in respect of any claim, loss, damage or expense (including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising or resulting therefrom to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnification agreement, and/or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage which may be in effect from time to time. The Board shall have no obligation to treat Participants or eligible Participants uniformly, and the Committee may make determinations made under the Plan selectively among Participants who receive or who are eligible to receive Options (whether or not such Participants or eligible Participants are similarly situated). Directors who are eligible for Awards or have received Awards may vote on any matters affecting the administration of the Plan or the grant of Awards, except that no such member will act upon the grant of an Award to himself or herself, but any such member may be counted in determining the existence of a quorum at any meeting of the Board during which action is taken with respect to the grant of Awards to himself or herself.

13. Lock-Up Agreement. The Company may, in its discretion, require in connection with an Initial Public Offering that a Participant agree that any Option Share not be sold, offered for sale or otherwise disposed of for a period of time as determined by the Board, provided at least a majority of the Company’s Directors and officers who hold Options or Shares at such time are similarly bound.

14. Foreign Employees. In order to facilitate the making of any grant or combination of grants under this Plan, the Board may provide for such special terms for awards to Participants who are foreign nationals or who are employed by the Company or any Subsidiary outside of the United States of America as the Board may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom. Moreover, the Board may approve such sub-plans or supplements to or amendments, restatements or alternative versions of this Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for such purposes, without thereby affecting the terms of this Plan as in effect for any other purpose, and the Secretary or other appropriate officer of the Company may certify any such document as having been approved and adopted in the same manner as this Plan.

 

9


15. Amendment, Etc.

(a) The Board may at any time and from time to time amend the Plan in whole or in part.

(b) In case of termination of employment or other service by reason of death, Disability or normal or early retirement, or in the case of hardship or other special circumstances, of a Participant who holds an Option not immediately exercisable in full, the Board may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the time at which such Option may be exercised.

(c) This Plan shall not confer upon any Participant any right with respect to continuance of employment or other service with the Company or any Subsidiary, nor shall it interfere in any way with any right the Company or any Subsidiary would otherwise have to terminate such Participant’s employment or other service at any time. No individual shall have the right to be selected to receive an Option under the Plan, or, having been so selected, to be selected to receive future Options.

(d) By accepting any benefit under the Plan, each Participant and each person claiming under or through any such Participant shall be conclusively deemed to have indicated their acceptance and ratification of, and consent to, all of the terms and conditions of the Plan and any action taken under the Plan by the Board or the Company, in any case in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the Plan, upon or in anticipation of any Change in Control of the Company or any of its Affiliates, the Board may, in its sole and absolute discretion and without the need for the consent of any Participant, take one or more of the following actions contingent upon the occurrence of that Change in Control: (i) cause any or all outstanding Options held by Participants affected by the Change in Control to become vested and immediately exercisable, in whole or in part; (ii) cause any or all outstanding unvested Options held by Participants affected by the Change in Control to be cancelled without consideration therefor; (iii) cancel any Option in exchange for a substitute option in a manner consistent with the requirements of Treas. Reg. §1.424-1(a) (notwithstanding the fact that the original Option may never have been intended to satisfy the requirements for treatment as an Incentive Stock Option); or (iv) cancel any Option held by a Participant affected by the Change in Control in exchange for cash and/or other substitute consideration with a value equal to (A) the number of Shares subject to that Option, multiplied by (B) the difference, if any, between the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of the Change in Control and the exercise price of that Option; provided, that if the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of the Change in Control does not exceed the exercise price of any such Option, the Board may cancel that Option without any payment of consideration therefor.

(f) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan or in a Stock Option Agreement to the contrary, in the event of a Change in Control, each Participant shall, except to the extent otherwise determined by the Board, be subject to substantially the same escrow, indemnification and similar obligations, contingencies and encumbrances contained in the definitive agreement relating to the Change in Control as other stockholders of the Company may be subject (including, without limitation, the requirement to contribute a proportionate number of Shares issued as a result of the exercise or vesting of an Award, or any cash or property that may be received upon exercise or exchange of an Award, to an escrow fund, or otherwise have a proportionate amount of such Shares, cash or other property encumbered by the indemnification, escrow and similar provisions of such definitive agreement). By accepting an Award, a Participant agrees to execute such documents and instruments as the Board may reasonably require for the Participant to be bound by such obligations. In the event that a Participant fails or refuses to execute such documents and instruments, such Participant’s Award (to the extent outstanding as of the date of the Change in Control) shall, unless otherwise determined by the Board, be canceled and be of no further force and effect upon the consummation of a Change in Control.

 

10


16. Effective Date. This Plan shall be effective immediately; provided, however, that the effectiveness of this Plan is conditioned on its approval by the stockholders of the Company in accordance with Delaware law within 12 months after the date this Plan is adopted by the Board. All awards under this Plan shall be null and void if the Plan is not approved by the stockholders within such 12-month period.

17. Securities Laws. The Board shall condition any Award upon compliance with applicable securities laws. The Board may require each Participant to represent to and agree with the Company in writing that the Participant is acquiring securities of the Company for investment purposes and without a view to distribution thereof and as to such other matters as the Board believes are appropriate. The certificate evidencing any Award and any securities issued pursuant thereto may include any legend which the Board deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer and compliance with applicable securities laws. All certificates for Option Shares or other securities delivered under the Plan will be subject to such share-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Board may deem advisable under the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, any stock exchange upon which the Option Shares are then listed, and any other applicable federal or state securities laws, and the Board may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

18. Invalid Provisions. In the event that any provision of this Plan is found to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable under any applicable law, such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed as rendering any other provisions contained herein as invalid or unenforceable, and all such other provisions will be given full force and effect to the same extent as though the invalid or unenforceable provision was not contained herein.

19. Term. No Option shall be granted pursuant to this Plan more than 10 years after the earlier of (a) the date on which this Plan is first approved by the stockholders of the Company or (b) the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, but awards granted prior to such date shall continue in effect thereafter subject to the terms thereof and of this Plan.

20. Notices. Any notice to be given to the Company pursuant to the provisions of the Plan will be given by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, and, addressed, if to the Company to its Secretary (or such other person as the Company may designate in writing from time to time) at its principal executive office, and, if to a Participant, to the address given beneath his or her signature on his or her Stock Option Agreement, or at such other address as such Participant may hereafter designate in writing to the Company. Any such notice will be deemed duly given on the date and at the time delivered via personal, courier or recognized overnight delivery service or on the date five (5) days after the date of the mailing (which will be by regular, registered or certified mail).

END OF DOCUMENT

 

11


CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO 2019 STOCK OPTION PLAN

1. This Amendment No. 1 to the CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan (this “Amendment”) is dated as of August 28, 2020 and amends the CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan (as amended, the “Plan”) pursuant to Section 15 of the Plan.

2. Unless otherwise expressly provided for in this Amendment, all capitalized words or phrases or other defined terms used in this Amendment will have the same meaning ascribed to them in the Plan.

3. The first sentence of Section 3 of the Plan is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

“Shares Available. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 7 of this Plan, the total number of Shares which may be issued and sold under Options granted pursuant to this Plan shall not exceed 4,201,734 Shares, any or all of which may be issued under Incentive Stock Options.”


I hereby certify that the foregoing Amendment was duly approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, effective as of August 28, 2020.

 

/s/ Jonathan Isaacsohn

Jonathan Isaacsohn, Secretary


CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO 2019 STOCK OPTION PLAN

1. This Amendment No. 2 to the CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan (this “Amendment”) is dated as of April 13, 2021 and amends the CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan (as amended, the “Plan”) pursuant to Section 15 of the Plan.

2. Unless otherwise expressly provided for in this Amendment, all capitalized words or phrases or other defined terms used in this Amendment will have the same meaning ascribed to them in the Plan.

3. The first sentence of Section 3 of the Plan is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

“Shares Available. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 7 of this Plan, the total number of Shares which may be issued and sold under Options granted pursuant to this Plan shall not exceed 6,916,123 Shares, any or all of which may be issued under Incentive Stock Options.”


I hereby certify that the foregoing Amendment was duly approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, effective as of April 13, 2021.

 

/s/ Jonathan Isaacsohn

Jonathan Isaacsohn, Secretary


CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO 2019 STOCK OPTION PLAN

1. This Amendment No. 3 to the CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan (this “Amendment”) is dated as of August 13, 2021 and amends the CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan (as amended, the “Plan”) pursuant to Section 15 of the Plan.

2. Unless otherwise expressly provided for in this Amendment, all capitalized words or phrases or other defined terms used in this Amendment will have the same meaning ascribed to them in the Plan.

3. The first sentence of Section 3 of the Plan is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

“Shares Available. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 7 of this Plan, the total number of Shares which may be issued and sold under Options granted pursuant to this Plan shall not exceed 7,410,132 Shares, any or all of which may be issued under Incentive Stock Options.”

I hereby certify that the foregoing Amendment was duly approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, effective as of August 13, 2021.

 

/s/ Marc de Garidel

Marc de Garidel, Chief Executive Officer


CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO 2019 STOCK OPTION PLAN

1. This Amendment No. 4 to the CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan (this “Amendment”) is dated as of September 22, 2021 and amends the CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan (as amended, the “Plan”) pursuant to Section 15 of the Plan.

2. Unless otherwise expressly provided for in this Amendment, all capitalized words or phrases or other defined terms used in this Amendment will have the same meaning ascribed to them in the Plan.

3. The first sentence of Section 3 of the Plan is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

“Shares Available. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 7 of this Plan, the total number of Shares which may be issued and sold under Options granted pursuant to this Plan shall not exceed 11,742,926 Shares, any or all of which may be issued under Incentive Stock Options.”


I hereby certify that the foregoing Amendment was duly approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, effective as of September 22, 2021.

 

/s/ Marc de Garidel

Marc de Garidel, Chief Executive Officer


CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

AMENDMENT NO. 5 TO 2019 STOCK OPTION PLAN

1. This Amendment No. 5 to the CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan (this “Amendment”) is dated as of December 30, 2021 and amends the CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan (as amended, the “Plan”) pursuant to Section 15 of the Plan.

2. Unless otherwise expressly provided for in this Amendment, all capitalized words or phrases or other defined terms used in this Amendment will have the same meaning ascribed to them in the Plan.

3. The first sentence of Section 3 of the Plan is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

“Shares Available. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 7 of this Plan, the total number of Shares which may be issued and sold under Options granted pursuant to this Plan shall not exceed 3,453,801 Shares, any or all of which may be issued under Incentive Stock Options.”


I hereby certify that the foregoing Amendment was duly approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, effective as of December 30, 2021.

 

/s/ Marc de Garidel

Marc de Garidel, Chief Executive Officer

Exhibit 10.2

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: DECEMBER 30, 2021

APPROVED BY THE STOCKHOLDERS: DECEMBER 30, 2021

IPO Date: [                    ]


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  
1.   

GENERAL.

     1  
2.   

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

     1  
3.   

ELIGIBILITY AND LIMITATIONS.

     2  
4.   

OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.

     3  
5.   

AWARDS OTHER THAN OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.

     7  
6.   

ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK; OTHER CORPORATE EVENTS.

     9  
7.   

ADMINISTRATION.

     11  
8.   

TAX WITHHOLDING

     14  
9.   

MISCELLANEOUS.

     15  
10.   

COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.

     18  
11.   

ADDITIONAL RULES FOR AWARDS SUBJECT TO SECTION 409A.

     18  
12.   

SEVERABILITY.

     22  
13.   

TERMINATION OF THE PLAN.

     22  
14.   

DEFINITIONS.

     23  


1. GENERAL.

(a) Successor to and Continuation of Prior Plan. The Plan is the successor to and continuation of the Prior Plan. As of the Effective Date, (i) no additional awards may be granted under the Prior Plan; (ii) the Prior Plan’s Available Reserve plus any Returning Shares will become available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under this Plan; and (iii) all outstanding awards granted under the Prior Plan will remain subject to the terms of the Prior Plan (except to the extent such outstanding awards result in Returning Shares that become available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under this Plan). All Awards granted under this Plan will be subject to the terms of this Plan.

(b) Plan Purpose. The Company, by means of the Plan, seeks to secure and retain the services of Employees, Directors and Consultants, to provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company and any Affiliate and to provide a means by which such persons may be given an opportunity to benefit from increases in value of the Common Stock through the granting of Awards.

(c) Available Awards. The Plan provides for the grant of the following Awards: (i) Incentive Stock Options; (ii) Nonstatutory Stock Options; (iii) SARs; (iv) Restricted Stock Awards; (v) RSU Awards; (vi) Performance Awards; and (vii) Other Awards.

(d) Adoption Date; Effective Date. The Plan will come into existence on the Adoption Date, but no Award may be granted prior to the Effective Date.

2. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

(a) Share Reserve. Subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(c) and any adjustments as necessary to implement any Capitalization Adjustments, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Awards will not exceed 6,787,652 shares, which number is the sum of: (i) 3,905,911 new shares, plus (ii) the Prior Plan’s Available Reserve, plus (iii) the number of Returning Shares, if any, as such shares become available from time to time.

In addition, subject to any adjustments as necessary to implement any Capitalization Adjustments, such aggregate number of shares of Common Stock will automatically increase on January 1 of each year for a period of ten years commencing on January 1, 2023 and ending on (and including) January 1, 2032, in an amount equal to 5% of the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on December 31 of the preceding year; provided, however that the Board may act prior to January 1st of a given year to provide that the increase for such year will be a lesser number of shares of Common Stock.

(b) Aggregate Incentive Stock Option Limit. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 2(a) and subject to any adjustments as necessary to implement any Capitalization Adjustments, the aggregate maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options is 20,362,956 shares.

 

1.


(c) Share Reserve Operation.

(i) Limit Applies to Common Stock Issued Pursuant to Awards. For clarity, the Share Reserve is a limit on the number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Awards and does not limit the granting of Awards, except that the Company will keep available at all times the number of shares of Common Stock reasonably required to satisfy its obligations to issue shares pursuant to such Awards. Shares may be issued in connection with a merger or acquisition as permitted by, as applicable, Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c), NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.08, NYSE American Company Guide Section 711 or other applicable rule, and such issuance will not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan.

(ii) Actions that Do Not Constitute Issuance of Common Stock and Do Not Reduce Share Reserve. The following actions do not result in an issuance of shares under the Plan and accordingly do not reduce the number of shares subject to the Share Reserve and available for issuance under the Plan: (1) the expiration or termination of any portion of an Award without the shares covered by such portion of the Award having been issued; (2) the settlement of any portion of an Award in cash (i.e., the Participant receives cash rather than Common Stock); (3) the withholding of shares that would otherwise be issued by the Company to satisfy the exercise, strike or purchase price of an Award; or (4) the withholding of shares that would otherwise be issued by the Company to satisfy a tax withholding obligation in connection with an Award.

(iii) Reversion of Previously Issued Shares of Common Stock to Share Reserve. The following shares of Common Stock previously issued pursuant to an Award and accordingly initially deducted from the Share Reserve will be added back to the Share Reserve and again become available for issuance under the Plan: (1) any shares that are forfeited back to or repurchased by the Company because of a failure to meet a contingency or condition required for the vesting of such shares; (2) any shares that are reacquired by the Company to satisfy the exercise, strike or purchase price of an Award; and (3) any shares that are reacquired by the Company to satisfy a tax withholding obligation in connection with an Award.

3. ELIGIBILITY AND LIMITATIONS.

(a) Eligible Award Recipients. Subject to the terms of the Plan, Employees, Directors and Consultants are eligible to receive Awards.

(b) Specific Award Limitations.

(i) Limitations on Incentive Stock Option Recipients. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees of the Company or a “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” thereof (as such terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code).

 

2.


(ii) Incentive Stock Option $100,000 Limitation. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of grant) of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Optionholder during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any Affiliates) exceeds $100,000 (or such other limit established in the Code) or otherwise does not comply with the rules governing Incentive Stock Options, the Options or portions thereof that exceed such limit (according to the order in which they were granted) or otherwise do not comply with such rules will be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options, notwithstanding any contrary provision of the applicable Option Agreement(s).

(iii) Limitations on Incentive Stock Options Granted to Ten Percent Stockholders. A Ten Percent Stockholder may not be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless (i) the exercise price of such Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant of such Option and (ii) the Option is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date of grant of such Option.

(iv) Limitations on Nonstatutory Stock Options and SARs. Nonstatutory Stock Options and SARs may not be granted to Employees, Directors and Consultants who are providing Continuous Service only to any “parent” of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 405) unless the stock underlying such Awards is treated as “service recipient stock” under Section 409A because the Awards are granted pursuant to a corporate transaction (such as a spin off transaction) or unless such Awards otherwise comply with the distribution requirements of Section 409A.

(c) Aggregate Incentive Stock Option Limit. The aggregate maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options is the number of shares specified in Section 2(b).

(d) Non-Employee Director Compensation Limit. The limitations in this Section 3(d) shall apply commencing with the first calendar year that begins following the IPO Date. The aggregate value of all compensation granted or paid, as applicable, to any individual for service as a Non-Employee Director with respect to any calendar year, including Awards granted and cash fees paid by the Company to such Non-Employee Director, will not exceed (i) $750,000 in total value or (ii) in the event such Non-Employee Director is first appointed or elected to the Board during such calendar year, $1,000,000 in total value, in each case calculating the value of any equity awards based on the grant date fair value of such equity awards for financial reporting purposes.

4. OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.

Each Option and SAR will have such terms and conditions as determined by the Board. Each Option will be designated in writing as an Incentive Stock Option or Nonstatutory Stock Option at the time of grant; provided, however, that if an Option is not so designated, then such Option will be a Nonstatutory Stock Option, and the shares purchased upon exercise of each type of Option will be separately accounted for. Each SAR will be denominated in shares of Common Stock equivalents. The terms and conditions of separate Options and SARs need not be identical; provided, however, that each Option Agreement and SAR Agreement will conform (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the Award Agreement or otherwise) to the substance of each of the following provisions:

 

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(a) Term. Subject to Section 3(b) regarding Ten Percent Stockholders, no Option or SAR will be exercisable after the expiration of ten years from the date of grant of such Award or such shorter period specified in the Award Agreement.

(b) Exercise or Strike Price. Subject to Section 3(b) regarding Ten Percent Stockholders, the exercise or strike price of each Option or SAR will not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant of such Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Option or SAR may be granted with an exercise or strike price lower than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant of such Award if such Award is granted pursuant to an assumption of or substitution for another option or stock appreciation right pursuant to a Corporate Transaction and in a manner consistent with the provisions of Sections 409A and, if applicable, 424(a) of the Code.

(c) Exercise Procedure and Payment of Exercise Price for Options. In order to exercise an Option, the Participant must provide notice of exercise to the Plan Administrator in accordance with the procedures specified in the Option Agreement or otherwise provided by the Company. The Board has the authority to grant Options that do not permit all of the following methods of payment (or otherwise restrict the ability to use certain methods) and to grant Options that require the consent of the Company to utilize a particular method of payment. The exercise price of an Option may be paid, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law and as determined by the Board, by one or more of the following methods of payment to the extent set forth in the Option Agreement:

(i) by cash or check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company;

(ii) pursuant to a “cashless exercise” program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of the Common Stock subject to the Option, results in either the receipt of cash (or check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to pay the exercise price to the Company from the sales proceeds;

(iii) by delivery to the Company (either by actual delivery or attestation) of shares of Common Stock that are already owned by the Participant free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests, with a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise that does not exceed the exercise price, provided that (1) at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly traded, (2) any remaining balance of the exercise price not satisfied by such delivery is paid by the Participant in cash or other permitted form of payment, (3) such delivery would not violate any Applicable Law or agreement restricting the redemption of the Common Stock, (4) any certificated shares are endorsed or accompanied by an executed assignment separate from certificate, and (5) such shares have been held by the Participant for any minimum period necessary to avoid adverse accounting treatment as a result of such delivery;

(iv) if the Option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise that does not exceed the exercise price, provided that (1) such shares used to pay the exercise price will not be exercisable thereafter and (2) any remaining balance of the exercise price not satisfied by such net exercise is paid by the Participant in cash or other permitted form of payment; or

 

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(v) in any other form of consideration that may be acceptable to the Board and permissible under Applicable Law.

(d) Exercise Procedure and Payment of Appreciation Distribution for SARs. In order to exercise any SAR, the Participant must provide notice of exercise to the Plan Administrator in accordance with the SAR Agreement. The appreciation distribution payable to a Participant upon the exercise of a SAR will not be greater than an amount equal to the excess of (i) the aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Common Stock equivalents that are vested and being exercised under such SAR, over (ii) the strike price of such SAR. Such appreciation distribution may be paid to the Participant in the form of Common Stock or cash (or any combination of Common Stock and cash) or in any other form of payment, as determined by the Board and specified in the SAR Agreement.

(e) Transferability. Options and SARs may not be transferred to third party financial institutions for value. The Board may impose such additional limitations on the transferability of an Option or SAR as it determines. In the absence of any such determination by the Board, the following restrictions on the transferability of Options and SARs will apply, provided that except as explicitly provided herein, neither an Option nor a SAR may be transferred for consideration and provided, further, that if an Option is an Incentive Stock Option, such Option may be deemed to be a Nonstatutory Stock Option as a result of such transfer:

(i) Restrictions on Transfer. An Option or SAR will not be transferable, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and will be exercisable during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant; provided, however, that the Board may permit transfer of an Option or SAR in a manner that is not prohibited by applicable tax and securities laws upon the Participant’s request, including to a trust if the Participant is considered to be the sole beneficial owner of such trust (as determined under Section 671 of the Code and applicable state law) while such Option or SAR is held in such trust, provided that the Participant and the trustee enter into a transfer and other agreements required by the Company.

(ii) Domestic Relations Orders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to the execution of transfer documentation in a format acceptable to the Company and subject to the approval of the Board or a duly authorized Officer, an Option or SAR may be transferred pursuant to a domestic relations order.

(f) Vesting. The Board may impose such restrictions on or conditions to the vesting and/or exercisability of an Option or SAR as determined by the Board. Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, vesting of Options and SARs will cease upon termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service.

(g) Termination of Continuous Service for Cause. Except as explicitly otherwise provided in the Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if a Participant’s Continuous Service is terminated for Cause, the Participant’s Options and SARs will terminate and be forfeited immediately upon such termination of Continuous Service, and the Participant will be prohibited from exercising any portion (including any vested portion) of such Awards on and after the date of such termination of Continuous Service and the Participant will have no further right, title or interest in such forfeited Award, the shares of Common Stock subject to the forfeited Award, or any consideration in respect of the forfeited Award.

 

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(h) Post-Termination Exercise Period Following Termination of Continuous Service for Reasons Other than Cause. Subject to Section 4(i), if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates for any reason other than for Cause, the Participant may exercise his or her Option or SAR to the extent vested, but only within the following period of time or, if applicable, such other period of time provided in the Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate; provided, however, that in no event may such Award be exercised after the expiration of its maximum term (as set forth in Section 4(a)):

(i) three months following the date of such termination if such termination is a termination without Cause (other than any termination due to the Participant’s Disability or death);

(ii) 12 months following the date of such termination if such termination is due to the Participant’s Disability;

(iii) 18 months following the date of such termination if such termination is due to the Participant’s death; or

(iv) 18 months following the date of the Participant’s death if such death occurs following the date of such termination but during the period such Award is otherwise exercisable (as provided in (i) or (ii) above).

Following the date of such termination, to the extent the Participant does not exercise such Award within the applicable Post-Termination Exercise Period (or, if earlier, prior to the expiration of the maximum term of such Award), such unexercised portion of the Award will terminate, and the Participant will have no further right, title or interest in the terminated Award, the shares of Common Stock subject to the terminated Award, or any consideration in respect of the terminated Award.

(i) Restrictions on Exercise; Extension of Exercisability. A Participant may not exercise an Option or SAR at any time that the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon such exercise would violate Applicable Law. Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates for any reason other than for Cause and, at any time during the last thirty days of the applicable Post-Termination Exercise Period: (i) the exercise of the Participant’s Option or SAR would be prohibited solely because the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon such exercise would violate Applicable Law, or (ii) the immediate sale of any shares of Common Stock issued upon such exercise would violate the Company’s Trading Policy, then the applicable Post-Termination Exercise Period will be extended to the last day of the calendar month that commences following the date the Award would otherwise expire, with an additional extension of the exercise period to the last day of the next calendar month to apply if any of the foregoing restrictions apply at any time during such extended exercise period, generally without limitation as to the maximum permitted number of extensions); provided, however, that in no event may such Award be exercised after the expiration of its maximum term (as set forth in Section 4(a)).

 

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(j) Non-Exempt Employees. No Option or SAR, whether or not vested, granted to an Employee who is a non-exempt employee for purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, will be first exercisable for any shares of Common Stock until at least six months following the date of grant of such Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in accordance with the provisions of the Worker Economic Opportunity Act, any vested portion of such Award may be exercised earlier than six months following the date of grant of such Award in the event of (i) such Participant’s death or Disability, (ii) a Corporate Transaction in which such Award is not assumed, continued or substituted, (iii) a Change in Control, or (iv) such Participant’s retirement (as such term may be defined in the Award Agreement or another applicable agreement or, in the absence of any such definition, in accordance with the Company’s then current employment policies and guidelines). This Section 4(j) is intended to operate so that any income derived by a non-exempt employee in connection with the exercise or vesting of an Option or SAR will be exempt from his or her regular rate of pay.

(k) Whole Shares. Options and SARs may be exercised only with respect to whole shares of Common Stock or their equivalents.

5. AWARDS OTHER THAN OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.

(a) Restricted Stock Awards and RSU Awards. Each Restricted Stock Award and RSU Award will have such terms and conditions as determined by the Board; provided, however, that each Restricted Stock Award Agreement and RSU Award Agreement will conform (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the Award Agreement or otherwise) to the substance of each of the following provisions:

(i) Form of Award.

(1) RSAs: To the extent consistent with the Company’s Bylaws, at the Board’s election, shares of Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Award may be (i) held in book entry form subject to the Company’s instructions until such shares become vested or any other restrictions lapse, or (ii) evidenced by a certificate, which certificate will be held in such form and manner as determined by the Board. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, a Participant will have voting and other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to any shares subject to a Restricted Stock Award.

(2) RSUs: An RSU Award represents a Participant’s right to be issued on a future date the number of shares of Common Stock that is equal to the number of restricted stock units subject to the RSU Award. As a holder of an RSU Award, a Participant is an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s unfunded obligation, if any, to issue shares of Common Stock in settlement of such Award and nothing contained in the Plan or any RSU Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, will create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate or any other person. A Participant will not have voting or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to any RSU Award (unless and until shares are actually issued in settlement of a vested RSU Award).

 

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(ii) Consideration.

(1) RSA: A Restricted Stock Award may be granted in consideration for (A) cash or check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company, (B) past services to the Company or an Affiliate, or (C) any other form of consideration (including future services) as the Board may determine and permissible under Applicable Law.

(2) RSU: Unless otherwise determined by the Board at the time of grant, an RSU Award will be granted in consideration for the Participant’s services to the Company or an Affiliate, such that the Participant will not be required to make any payment to the Company (other than such services) with respect to the grant or vesting of the RSU Award, or the issuance of any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the RSU Award. If, at the time of grant, the Board determines that any consideration must be paid by the Participant (in a form other than the Participant’s services to the Company or an Affiliate) upon the issuance of any shares of Common Stock in settlement of the RSU Award, such consideration may be paid in any form of consideration as the Board may determine and permissible under Applicable Law.

(iii) Vesting. The Board may impose such restrictions on or conditions to the vesting of a Restricted Stock Award or RSU Award as determined by the Board. Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, vesting of Restricted Stock Awards and RSU Awards will cease upon termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service.

(iv) Termination of Continuous Service. Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates for any reason, (i) the Company may receive through a forfeiture condition or a repurchase right any or all of the shares of Common Stock held by the Participant under his or her Restricted Stock Award that have not vested as of the date of such termination as set forth in the Restricted Stock Award Agreement and (ii) any portion of his or her RSU Award that has not vested will be forfeited upon such termination and the Participant will have no further right, title or interest in the RSU Award, the shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the RSU Award, or any consideration in respect of the RSU Award.

(v) Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. Dividends or dividend equivalents may be paid or credited, as applicable, with respect to any shares of Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Award or RSU Award, as determined by the Board and specified in the Award Agreement).

(vi) Settlement of RSU Awards. An RSU Award may be settled by the issuance of shares of Common Stock or cash (or any combination thereof) or in any other form of payment, as determined by the Board and specified in the RSU Award Agreement. At the time of grant, the Board may determine to impose such restrictions or conditions that delay such delivery to a date following the vesting of the RSU Award.

 

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(b) Performance Awards. With respect to any Performance Award, the length of any Performance Period, the Performance Goals to be achieved during the Performance Period, the other terms and conditions of such Award, and the measure of whether and to what degree such Performance Goals have been attained will be determined by the Board.

(c) Other Awards. Other forms of Awards valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, Common Stock, including the appreciation in value thereof (e.g., options or stock rights with an exercise price or strike price less than 100% of the Fair Market Value at the time of grant) may be granted either alone or in addition to Awards provided for under Section 4 and the preceding provisions of this Section 5. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board will have sole and complete discretion to determine the persons to whom and the time or times at which such Other Awards will be granted, the number of shares of Common Stock (or the cash equivalent thereof) to be granted pursuant to such Other Awards and all other terms and conditions of such Other Awards.

6. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK; OTHER CORPORATE EVENTS.

(a) Capitalization Adjustments. In the event of a Capitalization Adjustment, the Board shall appropriately and proportionately adjust: (i) the class(es) and maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Plan and the maximum number of shares by which the Share Reserve may annually increase pursuant to Section 2(a); (ii) the class(es) and maximum number of shares that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options pursuant to Section 2(a); and (iii) the class(es) and number of securities and exercise price, strike price or purchase price of Common Stock subject to outstanding Awards. The Board shall make such adjustments, and its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no fractional shares or rights for fractional shares of Common Stock shall be created in order to implement any Capitalization Adjustment. The Board shall determine an appropriate equivalent benefit, if any, for any fractional shares or rights to fractional shares that might be created by the adjustments referred to in the preceding provisions of this Section.

(b) Dissolution or Liquidation. Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, in the event of a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, all outstanding Awards (other than Awards consisting of vested and outstanding shares of Common Stock not subject to a forfeiture condition or the Company’s right of repurchase) will terminate immediately prior to the completion of such dissolution or liquidation, and the shares of Common Stock subject to the Company’s repurchase rights or subject to a forfeiture condition may be repurchased or reacquired by the Company notwithstanding the fact that the holder of such Award is providing Continuous Service, provided, however, that the Board may determine to cause some or all Awards to become fully vested, exercisable and/or no longer subject to repurchase or forfeiture (to the extent such Awards have not previously expired or terminated) before the dissolution or liquidation is completed but contingent on its completion.

(c) Corporate Transaction. The following provisions will apply to Awards in the event of a Corporate Transaction except as set forth in Section 11, and unless otherwise provided in the instrument evidencing the Award or any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant or unless otherwise expressly provided by the Board at the time of grant of an Award.

 

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(i) Awards May Be Assumed. In the event of a Corporate Transaction, any surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company) may assume or continue any or all Awards outstanding under the Plan or may substitute similar awards for Awards outstanding under the Plan (including but not limited to, awards to acquire the same consideration paid to the stockholders of the Company pursuant to the Corporate Transaction), and any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company in respect of Common Stock issued pursuant to Awards may be assigned by the Company to the successor of the Company (or the successor’s parent company, if any), in connection with such Corporate Transaction. A surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or its parent) may choose to assume or continue only a portion of an Award or substitute a similar award for only a portion of an Award, or may choose to assume or continue the Awards held by some, but not all Participants. The terms of any assumption, continuation or substitution will be set by the Board.

(ii) Awards Held by Current Participants. In the event of a Corporate Transaction in which the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or its parent company) does not assume or continue such outstanding Awards or substitute similar awards for such outstanding Awards, then with respect to Awards that have not been assumed, continued or substituted and that are held by Participants whose Continuous Service has not terminated prior to the effective time of the Corporate Transaction (referred to as the “Current Participants”), the vesting of such Awards (and, with respect to Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, the time when such Awards may be exercised) will be accelerated in full to a date prior to the effective time of such Corporate Transaction (contingent upon the effectiveness of the Corporate Transaction) as the Board determines (or, if the Board does not determine such a date, to the date that is five days prior to the effective time of the Corporate Transaction), and such Awards will terminate if not exercised (if applicable) at or prior to the effective time of the Corporate Transaction, and any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to such Awards will lapse (contingent upon the effectiveness of the Corporate Transaction). With respect to the vesting of Performance Awards that will accelerate upon the occurrence of a Corporate Transaction pursuant to this subsection (ii) and that have multiple vesting levels depending on the level of performance, unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, the vesting of such Performance Awards will accelerate at 100% of the target level upon the occurrence of the Corporate Transaction. With respect to the vesting of Awards that will accelerate upon the occurrence of a Corporate Transaction pursuant to this subsection (ii) and are settled in the form of a cash payment, such cash payment will be made no later than 30 days following the occurrence of the Corporate Transaction.

(iii) Awards Held by Persons other than Current Participants. In the event of a Corporate Transaction in which the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or its parent company) does not assume or continue such outstanding Awards or substitute similar awards for such outstanding Awards, then with respect to Awards that have not been assumed, continued or substituted and that are held by persons other than Current Participants, such Awards will terminate if not exercised (if applicable) prior to the occurrence of the Corporate Transaction; provided, however, that any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to such Awards will not terminate and may continue to be exercised notwithstanding the Corporate Transaction.

 

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(iv) Payment for Awards in Lieu of Exercise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event an Award will terminate if not exercised prior to the effective time of a Corporate Transaction, the Board may provide, in its sole discretion, that the holder of such Award may not exercise such Award but will receive a payment, in such form as may be determined by the Board, equal in value, at the effective time, to the excess, if any, of (1) the value of the property the Participant would have received upon the exercise of the Award (including, at the discretion of the Board, any unvested portion of such Award), over (2) any exercise price payable by such holder in connection with such exercise.

(d) Appointment of Stockholder Representative. As a condition to the receipt of an Award under this Plan, a Participant will be deemed to have agreed that the Award will be subject to the terms of any agreement governing a Corporate Transaction involving the Company, including, without limitation, a provision for the appointment of a stockholder representative that is authorized to act on the Participant’s behalf with respect to any escrow, indemnities and any contingent consideration.

(e) No Restriction on Right to Undertake Transactions. The grant of any Award under the Plan and the issuance of shares pursuant to any Award does not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of stock or of options, rights or options to purchase stock or of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference stocks whose rights are superior to or affect the Common Stock or the rights thereof or which are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.

7. ADMINISTRATION.

(a) Administration by Board. The Board will administer the Plan unless and until the Board delegates administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees, as provided in subsection (c) below.

(b) Powers of Board. The Board will have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:

(i) To determine from time to time (1) which of the persons eligible under the Plan will be granted Awards; (2) when and how each Award will be granted; (3) what type or combination of types of Award will be granted; (4) the provisions of each Award granted (which need not be identical), including the time or times when a person will be permitted to receive an issuance of Common Stock or other payment pursuant to an Award; (5) the number of shares of Common Stock or cash equivalent with respect to which an Award will be granted to each such person; (6) the Fair Market Value applicable to an Award; and (7) the terms of any Performance Award that is not valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, the Common Stock, including the amount of cash payment or other property that may be earned and the timing of payment.

 

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(ii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Awards granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its administration. The Board, in the exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award Agreement, in a manner and to the extent it deems necessary or expedient to make the Plan or Award fully effective.

(iii) To settle all controversies regarding the Plan and Awards granted under it.

(iv) To accelerate the time at which an Award may first be exercised or the time during which an Award or any part thereof will vest, notwithstanding the provisions in the Award Agreement stating the time at which it may first be exercised or the time during which it will vest.

(v) To prohibit the exercise of any Option, SAR or other exercisable Award during a period of up to 30 days prior to the consummation of any pending stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the shares of Common Stock or the share price of the Common Stock including any Corporate Transaction, for reasons of administrative convenience.

(vi) To suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. Suspension or termination of the Plan will not Materially Impair rights and obligations under any Award granted while the Plan is in effect except with the written consent of the affected Participant.

(vii) To amend the Plan in any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable; provided, however, that stockholder approval will be required for any amendment to the extent required by Applicable Law. Except as provided above, rights under any Award granted before amendment of the Plan will not be Materially Impaired by any amendment of the Plan unless (1) the Company requests the consent of the affected Participant, and (2) such Participant consents in writing.

(viii) To submit any amendment to the Plan for stockholder approval.

(ix) To approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan and to amend the terms of any one or more Awards, including, but not limited to, amendments to provide terms more favorable to the Participant than previously provided in the Award Agreement, subject to any specified limits in the Plan that are not subject to Board discretion; provided however, that, a Participant’s rights under any Award will not be Materially Impaired by any such amendment unless (1) the Company requests the consent of the affected Participant, and (2) such Participant consents in writing.

(x) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and that are not in conflict with the provisions of the Plan or Awards.

(xi) To adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit and facilitate participation in the Plan by, or take advantage of specific tax treatment for Awards granted to, Employees, Directors or Consultants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States (provided that Board approval will not be necessary for immaterial modifications to the Plan or any Award Agreement to ensure or facilitate compliance with the laws of the relevant foreign jurisdiction).

 

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(xii) To effect, at any time and from time to time, subject to the consent of any Participant whose Award is Materially Impaired by such action, (1) the reduction of the exercise price (or strike price) of any outstanding Option or SAR; (2) the cancellation of any outstanding Option or SAR and the grant in substitution therefor of (A) a new Option, SAR, Restricted Stock Award, RSU Award or Other Award, under the Plan or another equity plan of the Company, covering the same or a different number of shares of Common Stock, (B) cash and/or (C) other valuable consideration (as determined by the Board); or (3) any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles.

(c) Delegation to Committee.

(i) General. The Board may delegate some or all of the administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees. If administration of the Plan is delegated to a Committee, the Committee will have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board that have been delegated to the Committee, including the power to delegate to another Committee or a subcommittee of the Committee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board will thereafter be to the Committee or subcommittee), subject, however, to such resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be adopted from time to time by the Board. Each Committee may retain the authority to concurrently administer the Plan with Committee or subcommittee to which it has delegated its authority hereunder and may, at any time, revest in such Committee some or all of the powers previously delegated. The Board may retain the authority to concurrently administer the Plan with any Committee and may, at any time, revest in the Board some or all of the powers previously delegated.

(ii) Rule 16b-3 Compliance. To the extent an Award is intended to qualify for the exemption from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act that is available under Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, the Award will be granted by the Board or a Committee that consists solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors, as determined under Rule 16b-3(b)(3) of the Exchange Act and thereafter any action establishing or modifying the terms of the Award will be approved by the Board or a Committee meeting such requirements to the extent necessary for such exemption to remain available.

(d) Effect of Board’s Decision. All determinations, interpretations and constructions made by the Board or any Committee in good faith will not be subject to review by any person and will be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.

(e) Delegation to an Officer. The Board or any Committee may delegate to one or more Officers the authority to do one or both of the following (i) designate Employees who are not Officers to be recipients of Options and SARs (and, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, other types of Awards) and, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the terms thereof, and (ii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to such Awards granted to such Employees; provided, however, that the resolutions or charter adopted by the Board or any Committee evidencing such delegation will specify the total number of shares of Common Stock

 

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that may be subject to the Awards granted by such Officer and that such Officer may not grant an Award to himself or herself. Any such Awards will be granted on the applicable form of Award Agreement most recently approved for use by the Board or the Committee, unless otherwise provided in the resolutions approving the delegation authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, neither the Board nor any Committee may delegate to an Officer who is acting solely in the capacity of an Officer (and not also as a Director) the authority to determine the Fair Market Value.

8. TAX WITHHOLDING

(a) Withholding Authorization. As a condition to acceptance of any Award under the Plan, a Participant authorizes withholding from payroll and any other amounts payable to such Participant, and otherwise agrees to make adequate provision for (including), any sums required to satisfy any U.S. federal, state, local and/or foreign tax or social insurance contribution withholding obligations of the Company or an Affiliate, if any, which arise in connection with the exercise, vesting or settlement of such Award, as applicable. Accordingly, a Participant may not be able to exercise an Award even though the Award is vested, and the Company shall have no obligation to issue shares of Common Stock subject to an Award, unless and until such obligations are satisfied.

(b) Satisfaction of Withholding Obligation. To the extent permitted by the terms of an Award Agreement, the Company may, in its sole discretion, satisfy any U.S. federal, state, local and/or foreign tax or social insurance withholding obligation relating to an Award by any of the following means or by a combination of such means: (i) causing the Participant to tender a cash payment; (ii) withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or otherwise issuable to the Participant in connection with the Award; (iii) withholding cash from an Award settled in cash; (iv) withholding payment from any amounts otherwise payable to the Participant; (v) by allowing a Participant to effectuate a “cashless exercise” pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board; or (vi) by such other method as may be set forth in the Award Agreement.

(c) No Obligation to Notify or Minimize Taxes; No Liability to Claims. Except as required by Applicable Law the Company has no duty or obligation to any Participant to advise such holder as to the time or manner of exercising such Award. Furthermore, the Company has no duty or obligation to warn or otherwise advise such holder of a pending termination or expiration of an Award or a possible period in which the Award may not be exercised. The Company has no duty or obligation to minimize the tax consequences of an Award to the holder of such Award and will not be liable to any holder of an Award for any adverse tax consequences to such holder in connection with an Award. As a condition to accepting an Award under the Plan, each Participant (i) agrees to not make any claim against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates related to tax liabilities arising from such Award or other Company compensation and (ii) acknowledges that such Participant was advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, financial and other legal advisors regarding the tax consequences of the Award and has either done so or knowingly and voluntarily declined to do so. Additionally, each Participant acknowledges any Option or SAR granted under the Plan is exempt from Section 409A only if the exercise or strike price is at least equal to the “fair market value” of the Common Stock on the date of grant as determined by the Internal Revenue Service and there is no other

 

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impermissible deferral of compensation associated with the Award. Additionally, as a condition to accepting an Option or SAR granted under the Plan, each Participant agrees not make any claim against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates in the event that the Internal Revenue Service asserts that such exercise price or strike price is less than the “fair market value” of the Common Stock on the date of grant as subsequently determined by the Internal Revenue Service.

(d) Withholding Indemnification. As a condition to accepting an Award under the Plan, in the event that the amount of the Company’s and/or its Affiliate’s withholding obligation in connection with such Award was greater than the amount actually withheld by the Company and/or its Affiliates, each Participant agrees to indemnify and hold the Company and/or its Affiliates harmless from any failure by the Company and/or its Affiliates to withhold the proper amount.

9. MISCELLANEOUS.

(a) Source of Shares. The stock issuable under the Plan will be shares of authorized but unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares repurchased by the Company on the open market or otherwise.

(b) Use of Proceeds from Sales of Common Stock. Proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock pursuant to Awards will constitute general funds of the Company.

(c) Corporate Action Constituting Grant of Awards. Corporate action constituting a grant by the Company of an Award to any Participant will be deemed completed as of the date of such corporate action, unless otherwise determined by the Board, regardless of when the instrument, certificate, or letter evidencing the Award is communicated to, or actually received or accepted by, the Participant. In the event that the corporate records (e.g., Board consents, resolutions or minutes) documenting the corporate action approving the grant contain terms (e.g., exercise price, vesting schedule or number of shares) that are inconsistent with those in the Award Agreement or related grant documents as a result of a clerical error in the Award Agreement or related grant documents, the corporate records will control and the Participant will have no legally binding right to the incorrect term in the Award Agreement or related grant documents.

(d) Stockholder Rights. No Participant will be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Common Stock subject to such Award unless and until (i) such Participant has satisfied all requirements for exercise of the Award pursuant to its terms, if applicable, and (ii) the issuance of the Common Stock subject to such Award is reflected in the records of the Company.

(e) No Employment or Other Service Rights. Nothing in the Plan, any Award Agreement or any other instrument executed thereunder or in connection with any Award granted pursuant thereto will confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve the Company or an Affiliate in the capacity in effect at the time the Award was granted or affect the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate at will and without regard to any future vesting opportunity that a Participant may have with respect to any Award (i) the employment of an Employee with or without notice and with or without cause, (ii) the service of a Consultant pursuant to the terms of

 

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such Consultant’s agreement with the Company or an Affiliate, or (iii) the service of a Director pursuant to the Bylaws of the Company or an Affiliate, and any applicable provisions of the corporate law of the state or foreign jurisdiction in which the Company or the Affiliate is incorporated, as the case may be. Further, nothing in the Plan, any Award Agreement or any other instrument executed thereunder or in connection with any Award will constitute any promise or commitment by the Company or an Affiliate regarding the fact or nature of future positions, future work assignments, future compensation or any other term or condition of employment or service or confer any right or benefit under the Award or the Plan unless such right or benefit has specifically accrued under the terms of the Award Agreement and/or Plan.

(f) Change in Time Commitment. In the event a Participant’s regular level of time commitment in the performance of his or her services for the Company and any Affiliates is reduced (for example, and without limitation, if the Participant is an Employee of the Company and the Employee has a change in status from a full-time Employee to a part-time Employee or takes an extended leave of absence) after the date of grant of any Award to the Participant, the Board may determine, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, to (i) make a corresponding reduction in the number of shares or cash amount subject to any portion of such Award that is scheduled to vest or become payable after the date of such change in time commitment, and (ii) in lieu of or in combination with such a reduction, extend the vesting or payment schedule applicable to such Award. In the event of any such reduction, the Participant will have no right with respect to any portion of the Award that is so reduced or extended.

(g) Execution of Additional Documents. As a condition to accepting an Award under the Plan, the Participant agrees to execute any additional documents or instruments necessary or desirable, as determined in the Plan Administrator’s sole discretion, to carry out the purposes or intent of the Award, or facilitate compliance with securities and/or other regulatory requirements, in each case at the Plan Administrator’s request.

(h) Electronic Delivery and Participation. Any reference herein or in an Award Agreement to a “written” agreement or document will include any agreement or document delivered electronically, filed publicly at www.sec.gov (or any successor website thereto) or posted on the Company’s intranet (or other shared electronic medium controlled by the Company to which the Participant has access). By accepting any Award the Participant consents to receive documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through any on-line electronic system established and maintained by the Plan Administrator or another third party selected by the Plan Administrator. The form of delivery of any Common Stock (e.g., a stock certificate or electronic entry evidencing such shares) shall be determined by the Company.

(i) Clawback/Recovery. All Awards granted under the Plan will be subject to recoupment in accordance with any clawback policy that the Company is required to adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities exchange or association on which the Company’s securities are listed or as is otherwise required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other Applicable Law and any clawback policy that the Company otherwise adopts, to the extent applicable and permissible under Applicable Law. In addition, the Board may impose such other clawback, recovery or recoupment provisions in an Award Agreement as the Board determines necessary or appropriate, including but not limited to a reacquisition right in respect of previously acquired shares of Common Stock or other cash or

 

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property upon the occurrence of Cause. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a Participant’s right to voluntary terminate employment upon a “resignation for good reason,” or for a “constructive termination” or any similar term under any plan of or agreement with the Company.

(j) Securities Law Compliance. A Participant will not be issued any shares in respect of an Award unless either (i) the shares are registered under the Securities Act; or (ii) the Company has determined that such issuance would be exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Each Award also must comply with other Applicable Law governing the Award, and a Participant will not receive such shares if the Company determines that such receipt would not be in material compliance with Applicable Law.

(k) Transfer or Assignment of Awards; Issued Shares. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or the form of Award Agreement, Awards granted under the Plan may not be transferred or assigned by the Participant. After the vested shares subject to an Award have been issued, or in the case of Restricted Stock and similar awards, after the issued shares have vested, the holder of such shares is free to assign, hypothecate, donate, encumber or otherwise dispose of any interest in such shares provided that any such actions are in compliance with the provisions herein, the terms of the Trading Policy and Applicable Law.

(l) Effect on Other Employee Benefit Plans. The value of any Award granted under the Plan, as determined upon grant, vesting or settlement, shall not be included as compensation, earnings, salaries, or other similar terms used when calculating any Participant’s benefits under any employee benefit plan sponsored by the Company or any Affiliate, except as such plan otherwise expressly provides. The Company expressly reserves its rights to amend, modify, or terminate any of the Company’s or any Affiliate’s employee benefit plans.

(m) Deferrals. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Board, in its sole discretion, may determine that the delivery of Common Stock or the payment of cash, upon the exercise, vesting or settlement of all or a portion of any Award may be deferred and may also establish programs and procedures for deferral elections to be made by Participants. Deferrals will be made in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A.

(n) Section 409A. Unless otherwise expressly provided for in an Award Agreement, the Plan and Award Agreements will be interpreted to the greatest extent possible in a manner that makes the Plan and the Awards granted hereunder exempt from Section 409A, and, to the extent not so exempt, in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A. If the Board determines that any Award granted hereunder is not exempt from and is therefore subject to Section 409A, the Award Agreement evidencing such Award will incorporate the terms and conditions necessary to avoid the consequences specified in Section 409A(a)(1) of the Code, and to the extent an Award Agreement is silent on terms necessary for compliance, such terms are hereby incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan (and unless the Award Agreement specifically provides otherwise), if the shares of Common Stock are publicly traded, and if a Participant holding an Award that constitutes “deferred compensation” under Section 409A is a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A, no distribution or payment of any amount that is due because of a “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A without regard to alternative definitions thereunder) will be issued or paid before the date

 

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that is six months and one day following the date of such Participant’s “separation from service” or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death, unless such distribution or payment can be made in a manner that complies with Section 409A, and any amounts so deferred will be paid in a lump sum on the day after such six month period elapses, with the balance paid thereafter on the original schedule.

(o) CHOICE OF LAW. This Plan and any controversy arising out of or relating to this Plan shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law principles that would result in any application of any law other than the law of the State of Delaware.

10. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.

(a) Compliance with Law. The Company will seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or agency, as may be deemed to be necessary, having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be required to grant Awards and to issue and sell shares of Common Stock upon exercise or vesting of the Awards; provided, however, that this undertaking will not require the Company to register under the Securities Act the Plan, any Award or any Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any such Award. If, after reasonable efforts and at a reasonable cost, the Company is unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority that counsel for the Company deems necessary or advisable for the lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, the Company will be relieved from any liability for failure to issue and sell Common Stock upon exercise or vesting of such Awards unless and until such authority is obtained. A Participant is not eligible for the grant of an Award or the subsequent issuance of Common Stock pursuant to the Award if such grant or issuance would be in violation of any Applicable Law.

11. ADDITIONAL RULES FOR AWARDS SUBJECT TO SECTION 409A.

(a) Application. Unless the provisions of this Section of the Plan are expressly superseded by the provisions in the form of Award Agreement, the provisions of this Section shall apply and shall supersede anything to the contrary set forth in the Award Agreement for a Non-Exempt Award.

(b) Non-Exempt Awards Subject to Non-Exempt Severance Arrangements. To the extent a Non-Exempt Award is subject to Section 409A due to application of a Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement, the following provisions of this subsection (b) apply.

(i) If the Non-Exempt Award vests in the ordinary course during the Participant’s Continuous Service in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the Award Agreement, and does not accelerate vesting under the terms of a Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement, in no event will the shares be issued in respect of such Non-Exempt Award any later than the later of: (i) December 31st of the calendar year that includes the applicable vesting date, or (ii) the 60th day that follows the applicable vesting date.

 

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(ii) If vesting of the Non-Exempt Award accelerates under the terms of a Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement in connection with the Participant’s Separation from Service, and such vesting acceleration provisions were in effect as of the date of grant of the Non-Exempt Award and, therefore, are part of the terms of such Non-Exempt Award as of the date of grant, then the shares will be earlier issued in settlement of such Non-Exempt Award upon the Participant’s Separation from Service in accordance with the terms of the Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement, but in no event later than the 60th day that follows the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service. However, if at the time the shares would otherwise be issued the Participant is subject to the distribution limitations contained in Section 409A applicable to “specified employees,” as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, such shares shall not be issued before the date that is six months following the date of such Participant’s Separation from Service, or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death that occurs within such six month period.

(iii) If vesting of a Non-Exempt Award accelerates under the terms of a Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement in connection with a Participant’s Separation from Service, and such vesting acceleration provisions were not in effect as of the date of grant of the Non-Exempt Award and, therefore, are not a part of the terms of such Non-Exempt Award on the date of grant, then such acceleration of vesting of the Non-Exempt Award shall not accelerate the issuance date of the shares, but the shares shall instead be issued on the same schedule as set forth in the Grant Notice as if they had vested in the ordinary course during the Participant’s Continuous Service, notwithstanding the vesting acceleration of the Non-Exempt Award. Such issuance schedule is intended to satisfy the requirements of payment on a specified date or pursuant to a fixed schedule, as provided under Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(a)(4).

(c) Treatment of Non-Exempt Awards Upon a Corporate Transaction for Employees and Consultants. The provisions of this subsection (c) shall apply and shall supersede anything to the contrary set forth in the Plan with respect to the permitted treatment of any Non-Exempt Award in connection with a Corporate Transaction if the Participant was either an Employee or Consultant upon the applicable date of grant of the Non-Exempt Award.

(i) Vested Non-Exempt Awards. The following provisions shall apply to any Vested Non-Exempt Award in connection with a Corporate Transaction:

(1) If the Corporate Transaction is also a Section 409A Change in Control then the Acquiring Entity may not assume, continue or substitute the Vested Non-Exempt Award. Upon the Section 409A Change in Control the settlement of the Vested Non-Exempt Award will automatically be accelerated and the shares will be immediately issued in respect of the Vested Non-Exempt Award. Alternatively, the Company may instead provide that the Participant will receive a cash settlement equal to the Fair Market Value of the shares that would otherwise be issued to the Participant upon the Section 409A Change in Control.

(2) If the Corporate Transaction is not also a Section 409A Change in Control, then the Acquiring Entity must either assume, continue or substitute each Vested Non-Exempt Award. The shares to be issued in respect of the Vested Non-Exempt Award shall be issued to the Participant by the Acquiring Entity on the same schedule that the shares would have been issued to the Participant if the Corporate Transaction had not occurred. In the Acquiring Entity’s discretion, in lieu of an issuance of shares, the Acquiring Entity may instead substitute a cash payment on each applicable issuance date, equal to the Fair Market Value of the shares that would otherwise be issued to the Participant on such issuance dates, with the determination of the Fair Market Value of the shares made on the date of the Corporate Transaction.

 

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(ii) Unvested Non-Exempt Awards. The following provisions shall apply to any Unvested Non-Exempt Award unless otherwise determined by the Board pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section.

(1) In the event of a Corporate Transaction, the Acquiring Entity shall assume, continue or substitute any Unvested Non-Exempt Award. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, any Unvested Non-Exempt Award will remain subject to the same vesting and forfeiture restrictions that were applicable to the Award prior to the Corporate Transaction. The shares to be issued in respect of any Unvested Non-Exempt Award shall be issued to the Participant by the Acquiring Entity on the same schedule that the shares would have been issued to the Participant if the Corporate Transaction had not occurred. In the Acquiring Entity’s discretion, in lieu of an issuance of shares, the Acquiring Entity may instead substitute a cash payment on each applicable issuance date, equal to the Fair Market Value of the shares that would otherwise be issued to the Participant on such issuance dates, with the determination of Fair Market Value of the shares made on the date of the Corporate Transaction.

(2) If the Acquiring Entity will not assume, substitute or continue any Unvested Non-Exempt Award in connection with a Corporate Transaction, then such Award shall automatically terminate and be forfeited upon the Corporate Transaction with no consideration payable to any Participant in respect of such forfeited Unvested Non-Exempt Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent permitted and in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A, the Board may in its discretion determine to elect to accelerate the vesting and settlement of the Unvested Non-Exempt Award upon the Corporate Transaction, or instead substitute a cash payment equal to the Fair Market Value of such shares that would otherwise be issued to the Participant, as further provided in subsection (e)(ii) below. In the absence of such discretionary election by the Board, any Unvested Non-Exempt Award shall be forfeited without payment of any consideration to the affected Participants if the Acquiring Entity will not assume, substitute or continue the Unvested Non-Exempt Awards in connection with the Corporate Transaction.

(3) The foregoing treatment shall apply with respect to all Unvested Non-Exempt Awards upon any Corporate Transaction, and regardless of whether or not such Corporate Transaction is also a Section 409A Change in Control.

(d) Treatment of Non-Exempt Awards Upon a Corporate Transaction for Non-Employee Directors. The following provisions of this subsection (d) shall apply and shall supersede anything to the contrary that may be set forth in the Plan with respect to the permitted treatment of a Non-Exempt Director Award in connection with a Corporate Transaction.

(i) If the Corporate Transaction is also a Section 409A Change in Control then the Acquiring Entity may not assume, continue or substitute the Non-Exempt Director Award. Upon the Section 409A Change in Control the vesting and settlement of any Non-Exempt Director Award will automatically be accelerated and the shares will be immediately issued to the Participant in respect of the Non-Exempt Director Award. Alternatively, the Company may provide that the Participant will instead receive a cash settlement equal to the Fair Market Value of the shares that would otherwise be issued to the Participant upon the Section 409A Change in Control pursuant to the preceding provision.

 

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(ii) If the Corporate Transaction is not also a Section 409A Change in Control, then the Acquiring Entity must either assume, continue or substitute the Non-Exempt Director Award. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Non-Exempt Director Award will remain subject to the same vesting and forfeiture restrictions that were applicable to the Award prior to the Corporate Transaction. The shares to be issued in respect of the Non-Exempt Director Award shall be issued to the Participant by the Acquiring Entity on the same schedule that the shares would have been issued to the Participant if the Corporate Transaction had not occurred. In the Acquiring Entity’s discretion, in lieu of an issuance of shares, the Acquiring Entity may instead substitute a cash payment on each applicable issuance date, equal to the Fair Market Value of the shares that would otherwise be issued to the Participant on such issuance dates, with the determination of Fair Market Value made on the date of the Corporate Transaction.

(e) If the RSU Award is a Non-Exempt Award, then the provisions in this Section 11(e) shall apply and supersede anything to the contrary that may be set forth in the Plan or the Award Agreement with respect to the permitted treatment of such Non-Exempt Award:

(i) Any exercise by the Board of discretion to accelerate the vesting of a Non-Exempt Award shall not result in any acceleration of the scheduled issuance dates for the shares in respect of the Non-Exempt Award unless earlier issuance of the shares upon the applicable vesting dates would be in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A.

(ii) The Company explicitly reserves the right to earlier settle any Non-Exempt Award to the extent permitted and in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A, including pursuant to any of the exemptions available in Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ix).

(iii) To the extent the terms of any Non-Exempt Award provide that it will be settled upon a Change in Control or Corporate Transaction, to the extent it is required for compliance with the requirements of Section 409A, the Change in Control or Corporate Transaction event triggering settlement must also constitute a Section 409A Change in Control. To the extent the terms of a Non-Exempt Award provides that it will be settled upon a termination of employment or termination of Continuous Service, to the extent it is required for compliance with the requirements of Section 409A, the termination event triggering settlement must also constitute a Separation From Service. However, if at the time the shares would otherwise be issued to a Participant in connection with a “separation from service” such Participant is subject to the distribution limitations contained in Section 409A applicable to “specified employees,” as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, such shares shall not be issued before the date that is six months following the date of the Participant’s Separation From Service, or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death that occurs within such six month period.

(iv) The provisions in this subsection (e) for delivery of the shares in respect of the settlement of an RSU Award that is a Non-Exempt Award are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A so that the delivery of the shares to the Participant in respect of such Non-Exempt Award will not trigger the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be so interpreted.

 

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12. SEVERABILITY.

If all or any part of the Plan or any Award Agreement is declared by any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness or invalidity shall not invalidate any portion of the Plan or such Award Agreement not declared to be unlawful or invalid. Any Section of the Plan or any Award Agreement (or part of such a Section) so declared to be unlawful or invalid shall, if possible, be construed in a manner which will give effect to the terms of such Section or part of a Section to the fullest extent possible while remaining lawful and valid.

13. TERMINATION OF THE PLAN.

The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time.

No Incentive Stock Options may be granted after the tenth anniversary of the earlier of: (i) the Adoption Date, or (ii) the date the Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders.

No Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.

 

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14. DEFINITIONS.

As used in the Plan, the following definitions apply to the capitalized terms indicated below:

(a) “Acquiring Entity” means the surviving or acquiring corporation (or its parent company) in connection with a Corporate Transaction.

(b) “Adoption Date” means the date the Plan is first approved by the Board or Compensation Committee.

(c) “Affiliate” means, at the time of determination, any “parent” or “subsidiary” of the Company as such terms are defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act. The Board may determine the time or times at which “parent” or “subsidiary” status is determined within the foregoing definition.

(d) “Applicable Law” means shall mean any applicable securities, federal, state, foreign, material local or municipal or other law, statute, constitution, principle of common law, resolution, ordinance, code, edict, decree, rule, listing rule, regulation, judicial decision, ruling or requirement issued, enacted, adopted, promulgated, implemented or otherwise put into effect by or under the authority of any Governmental Body (including under the authority of any applicable self-regulating organization such as the Nasdaq Stock Market, New York Stock Exchange, or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).

(e) “Award” means any right to receive Common Stock, cash or other property granted under the Plan (including an Incentive Stock Option, a Nonstatutory Stock Option, a Restricted Stock Award, an RSU Award, a SAR, a Performance Award or any Other Award).

(f) “Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of an Award. The Award Agreement generally consists of the Grant Notice and the agreement containing the written summary of the general terms and conditions applicable to the Award and which is provided to a Participant along with the Grant Notice.

(g) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company (or its designee). Any decision or determination made by the Board shall be a decision or determination that is made in the sole discretion of the Board (or its designee), and such decision or determination shall be final and binding on all Participants.

(h) “Capitalization Adjustment” means any change that is made in, or other events that occur with respect to, the Common Stock subject to the Plan or subject to any Award after the Effective Date without the receipt of consideration by the Company through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, large nonrecurring cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure or any similar equity restructuring transaction, as that term is used in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor thereto). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the conversion of any convertible securities of the Company will not be treated as a Capitalization Adjustment.

 

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(i) “Cause” has the meaning ascribed to such term in any written agreement between the Participant and the Company defining such term and, in the absence of such agreement, such term means, with respect to a Participant, the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) such Participant’s commission of any felony or any crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude under the laws of the United States or any state thereof, or the equivalent in any other jurisdiction; (ii) such Participant’s attempted commission of, or participation in, a fraud or act of dishonesty against the Company or any Affiliate; (iii) such Participant’s intentional, material violation of any contract or agreement between the Participant and the Company or any Affiliate or of any statutory duty owed to the Company or any Affiliate; (iv) such Participant’s unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s or any Affiliate’s confidential information or trade secrets; or (v) such Participant’s gross misconduct. The determination that a termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service is either for Cause or without Cause will be made by the Board with respect to Participants who are executive officers of the Company and by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer with respect to Participants who are not executive officers of the Company. Any determination by the Company that the Continuous Service of a Participant was terminated with or without Cause for the purposes of outstanding Awards held by such Participant will have no effect upon any determination of the rights or obligations of the Company, any Affiliate or such Participant for any other purpose.

(j) “Change in Control” or “Change of Control” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events; provided, however, to the extent necessary to avoid adverse personal income tax consequences to the Participant in connection with an Award, also constitutes a Section 409A Change in Control:

(i) any Exchange Act Person becomes the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities other than by virtue of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur (A) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company directly from the Company, (B) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company by an investor, any affiliate thereof or any other Exchange Act Person that acquires the Company’s securities in a transaction or series of related transactions the primary purpose of which is to obtain financing for the Company through the issuance of equity securities, or (C) solely because the level of Ownership held by any Exchange Act Person (the “Subject Person”) exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities by the Company reducing the number of shares outstanding, provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of voting securities by the Company, and after such share acquisition, the Subject Person becomes the Owner of any additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then outstanding voting securities Owned by the Subject Person over the designated percentage threshold, then a Change in Control shall be deemed to occur;

 

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(ii) there is consummated a merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving (directly or indirectly) the Company and, immediately after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior thereto do not Own, directly or indirectly, either (A) outstanding voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (B) more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the parent of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, in each case in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such transaction;

(iii) there is consummated a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, other than a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries to an Entity, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are Owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such sale, lease, license or other disposition; or

(iv) individuals who, on the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, are members of the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board; provided, however, that if the appointment or election (or nomination for election) of any new Board member was approved or recommended by a majority vote of the members of the Incumbent Board then still in office, such new member shall, for purposes of this Plan, be considered as a member of the Incumbent Board.

Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Plan, (A) the term Change in Control shall not include a sale of assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company, and (B) the definition of Change in Control (or any analogous term) in an individual written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant shall supersede the foregoing definition with respect to Awards subject to such agreement; provided, however, that if no definition of Change in Control or any analogous term is set forth in such an individual written agreement, the foregoing definition shall apply.

(k) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including any applicable regulations and guidance thereunder.

(l) “Committee” means the Compensation Committee and any other committee of Directors to whom authority has been delegated by the Board or Compensation Committee in accordance with the Plan.

(m) “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company.

(n) “Company” means CinCor Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

(o) “Compensation Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board.

 

 

25.


(p) “Consultant” means any person, including an advisor, who is (i) engaged by the Company or an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services and is compensated for such services, or (ii) serving as a member of the board of directors of an Affiliate and is compensated for such services. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such service, will not cause a Director to be considered a “Consultant” for purposes of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person is treated as a Consultant under this Plan only if a Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act is available to register either the offer or the sale of the Company’s securities to such person.

(q) “Continuous Service” means that the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, whether as an Employee, Director or Consultant, is not interrupted or terminated. A change in the capacity in which the Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an Employee, Director or Consultant or a change in the Entity for which the Participant renders such service, provided that there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, will not terminate a Participant’s Continuous Service; provided, however, that if the Entity for which a Participant is rendering services ceases to qualify as an Affiliate, as determined by the Board, such Participant’s Continuous Service will be considered to have terminated on the date such Entity ceases to qualify as an Affiliate. For example, a change in status from an Employee of the Company to a Consultant of an Affiliate or to a Director will not constitute an interruption of Continuous Service. To the extent permitted by law, the Board or the chief executive officer of the Company, in that party’s sole discretion, may determine whether Continuous Service will be considered interrupted in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Board or chief executive officer, including sick leave, military leave or any other personal leave, or (ii) transfers between the Company, an Affiliate, or their successors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a leave of absence will be treated as Continuous Service for purposes of vesting in an Award only to such extent as may be provided in the Company’s leave of absence policy, in the written terms of any leave of absence agreement or policy applicable to the Participant, or as otherwise required by law. In addition, to the extent required for exemption from or compliance with Section 409A, the determination of whether there has been a termination of Continuous Service will be made, and such term will be construed, in a manner that is consistent with the definition of “separation from service” as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h) (without regard to any alternative definition thereunder).

(r) “Corporate Transaction” means the consummation, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

(i) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all, as determined by the Board, of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries;

(ii) a sale or other disposition of at least 50% of the outstanding securities of the Company;

(iii) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is not the surviving corporation; or

(iv) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is the surviving corporation but the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger, consolidation or similar transaction are converted or exchanged by virtue of the merger, consolidation or similar transaction into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise.

 

26.


(s) “Director” means a member of the Board.

(t) “determine” or “determined” means as determined by the Board or the Committee (or its designee) in its sole discretion.

(u) “Disability” means, with respect to a Participant, such Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, as provided in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, and will be determined by the Board on the basis of such medical evidence as the Board deems warranted under the circumstances.

(v) “Effective Date” means immediately prior to the IPO Date, provided this Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders prior to the IPO Date.

(w) “Employee” means any person employed by the Company or an Affiliate. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such services, will not cause a Director to be considered an “Employee” for purposes of the Plan.

(x) “Employer” means the Company or the Affiliate of the Company that employs the Participant.

(y) “Entity” means a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity.

(z) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(aa) “Exchange Act Person” means any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), except that “Exchange Act Person” will not include (i) the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to a registered public offering of such securities, (iv) an Entity Owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of stock of the Company; or (v) any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act) that, as of the Effective Date, is the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities.

 

27.


(bb) “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, unless otherwise determined by the Board, the value of the Common Stock (as determined on a per share or aggregate basis, as applicable) determined as follows:

(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or traded on any established market, the Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such stock as quoted on such exchange or market (or the exchange or market with the greatest volume of trading in the Common Stock) on the date of determination, as reported in a source the Board deems reliable.

(ii) If there is no closing sales price for the Common Stock on the date of determination, then the Fair Market Value will be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

(iii) In the absence of such markets for the Common Stock, or if otherwise determined by the Board, the Fair Market Value will be determined by the Board in good faith and in a manner that complies with Sections 409A and 422 of the Code.

(cc) “Governmental Body” means any: (a) nation, state, commonwealth, province, territory, county, municipality, district or other jurisdiction of any nature; (b) federal, state, local, municipal, foreign or other government; (c) governmental or regulatory body, or quasi-governmental body of any nature (including any governmental division, department, administrative agency or bureau, commission, authority, instrumentality, official, ministry, fund, foundation, center, organization, unit, body or Entity and any court or other tribunal, and for the avoidance of doubt, any Tax authority) or other body exercising similar powers or authority; or (d) self-regulatory organization (including the Nasdaq Stock Market, New York Stock Exchange, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).

(dd) “Grant Notice” means the notice provided to a Participant that he or she has been granted an Award under the Plan and which includes the name of the Participant, the type of Award, the date of grant of the Award, number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Award or potential cash payment right, (if any), the vesting schedule for the Award (if any) and other key terms applicable to the Award.

(ee) “Incentive Stock Option” means an option granted pursuant to Section 4 of the Plan that is intended to be, and qualifies as, an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

(ff) “IPO Date” means the date of the underwriting agreement between the Company and the underwriter(s) managing the initial public offering of the Common Stock, pursuant to which the Common Stock is priced for the initial public offering.

(gg) “Materially Impair” means any amendment to the terms of the Award that materially adversely affects the Participant’s rights under the Award. A Participant’s rights under an Award will not be deemed to have been Materially Impaired by any such amendment if the Board, in its sole discretion, determines that the amendment, taken as a whole, does not materially impair the Participant’s rights. For example, the following types of amendments to the terms of an Award do not Materially Impair the Participant’s rights under the Award: (i) imposition of reasonable restrictions on the minimum number of shares subject to an Option that may be exercised; (ii) to maintain the qualified status of the Award as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code; (iii) to change the terms of an Incentive Stock Option in a manner that disqualifies, impairs or otherwise affects the qualified status of the Award as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code; (iv) to clarify the manner of exemption from, or to bring the Award into compliance with or qualify it for an exemption from, Section 409A; or (v) to comply with other Applicable Laws.

 

28.


(hh) “Non-Employee Director” means a Director who either (i) is not a current employee or officer of the Company or an Affiliate, does not receive compensation, either directly or indirectly, from the Company or an Affiliate for services rendered as a consultant or in any capacity other than as a Director (except for an amount as to which disclosure would not be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act (“Regulation S-K”)), does not possess an interest in any other transaction for which disclosure would be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, and is not engaged in a business relationship for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Item 404(b) of Regulation S-K; or (ii) is otherwise considered a “non-employee director” for purposes of Rule 16b-3.

(ii) “Non-Exempt Award” means any Award that is subject to, and not exempt from, Section 409A, including as the result of (i) a deferral of the issuance of the shares subject to the Award which is elected by the Participant or imposed by the Company, (ii) the terms of any Non-Exempt Severance Agreement.

(jj) “Non-Exempt Director Award” means a Non-Exempt Award granted to a Participant who was a Director but not an Employee on the applicable grant date.

(kk) “Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement” means a severance arrangement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company that provides for acceleration of vesting of an Award and issuance of the shares in respect of such Award upon the Participant’s termination of employment or separation from service (as such term is defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Code (and without regard to any alternative definition thereunder) (“Separation from Service”) and such severance benefit does not satisfy the requirements for an exemption from application of Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(4), 1.409A-1(b)(9) or otherwise.

(ll) “Nonstatutory Stock Option” means any option granted pursuant to Section 4 of the Plan that does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

(mm) “Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

(nn) “Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the Plan.

(oo) “Option Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and the Optionholder evidencing the terms and conditions of the Option grant. The Option Agreement includes the Grant Notice for the Option and the agreement containing the written summary of the general terms and conditions applicable to the Option and which is provided to a Participant along with the Grant Notice. Each Option Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

 

29.


(pp) “Optionholder” means a person to whom an Option is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Option.

(qq) “Other Award” means an award based in whole or in part by reference to the Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 5(c).

(rr) “Other Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of an Other Award evidencing the terms and conditions of an Other Award grant. Each Other Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(ss) “Own,” “Owned,” “Owner,” “Ownership” means that a person or Entity will be deemed to “Own,” to have “Owned,” to be the “Owner” of, or to have acquired “Ownership” of securities if such person or Entity, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting, with respect to such securities.

(tt) “Participant” means an Employee, Director or Consultant to whom an Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Award.

(uu) “Performance Award” means an Award that may vest or may be exercised or a cash award that may vest or become earned and paid contingent upon the attainment during a Performance Period of certain Performance Goals and which is granted under the terms and conditions of Section 5(b) pursuant to such terms as are approved by the Board. In addition, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, the Board may determine that cash or other property may be used in payment of Performance Awards. Performance Awards that are settled in cash or other property are not required to be valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, the Common Stock.

(vv) “Performance Criteria” means the one or more criteria that the Board will select for purposes of establishing the Performance Goals for a Performance Period. The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish such Performance Goals may be based on any one of, or combination of, the following as determined by the Board or Committee: earnings (including earnings per share and net earnings); earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; total stockholder return; return on equity or average stockholder’s equity; return on assets, investment, or capital employed; stock price; margin (including gross margin); income (before or after taxes); operating income; operating income after taxes; pre-tax profit; operating cash flow; sales or revenue targets; increases in revenue or product revenue; expenses and cost reduction goals; improvement in or attainment of working capital levels; economic value added (or an equivalent metric); market share; cash flow; cash flow per share; share price performance; debt reduction; customer satisfaction; stockholders’ equity; capital expenditures; debt levels; operating profit or net operating profit; workforce diversity; growth of net income or operating income; billings; pre-clinical development related compound goals; financing; regulatory milestones, including approval of a compound; stockholder liquidity; corporate governance and compliance; product commercialization; intellectual property; personnel matters; progress of internal research or clinical programs; progress of partnered programs; partner satisfaction; budget management; clinical achievements; completing phases of a clinical study (including the treatment phase); announcing or presenting preliminary or final data

 

30.


from clinical studies; in each case, whether on particular timelines or generally; timely completion of clinical trials; submission of INDs and NDAs and other regulatory achievements; partner or collaborator achievements; internal controls, including those related to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; research progress, including the development of programs; investor relations, analysts and communication; manufacturing achievements (including obtaining particular yields from manufacturing runs and other measurable objectives related to process development activities); strategic partnerships or transactions (including in-licensing and out-licensing of intellectual property; establishing relationships with commercial entities with respect to the marketing, distribution and sale of the Company’s products (including with group purchasing organizations, distributors and other vendors); supply chain achievements (including establishing relationships with manufacturers or suppliers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and other component materials and manufacturers of the Company’s products); co-development, co-marketing, profit sharing, joint venture or other similar arrangements; individual performance goals; corporate development and planning goals; and other measures of performance selected by the Board or Committee.

(ww) “Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Board for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria. Performance Goals may be based on a Company-wide basis, with respect to one or more business units, divisions, Affiliates, or business segments, and in either absolute terms or relative to the performance of one or more comparable companies or the performance of one or more relevant indices. Unless specified otherwise by the Board (i) in the Award Agreement at the time the Award is granted or (ii) in such other document setting forth the Performance Goals at the time the Performance Goals are established, the Board will appropriately make adjustments in the method of calculating the attainment of Performance Goals for a Performance Period as follows: (1) to exclude restructuring and/or other nonrecurring charges; (2) to exclude exchange rate effects; (3) to exclude the effects of changes to generally accepted accounting principles; (4) to exclude the effects of any statutory adjustments to corporate tax rates; (5) to exclude the effects of items that are “unusual” in nature or occur “infrequently” as determined under generally accepted accounting principles; (6) to exclude the dilutive effects of acquisitions or joint ventures; (7) to assume that any business divested by the Company achieved performance objectives at targeted levels during the balance of a Performance Period following such divestiture; (8) to exclude the effect of any change in the outstanding shares of Common Stock by reason of any stock dividend or split, stock repurchase, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares or other similar corporate change, or any distributions to common stockholders other than regular cash dividends; (9) to exclude the effects of stock based compensation and the award of bonuses under the Company’s bonus plans; (10) to exclude costs incurred in connection with potential acquisitions or divestitures that are required to be expensed under generally accepted accounting principles; and (11) to exclude the goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges that are required to be recorded under generally accepted accounting principles. In addition, the Board retains the discretion to reduce or eliminate the compensation or economic benefit due upon attainment of Performance Goals and to define the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period. Partial achievement of the specified criteria may result in the payment or vesting corresponding to the degree of achievement as specified in the Award Agreement or the written terms of a Performance Cash Award.

 

31.


(xx) “Performance Period” means the period of time selected by the Board over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to vesting or exercise of an Award. Performance Periods may be of varying and overlapping duration, at the sole discretion of the Board.

(yy) “Plan” means this CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

(zz) “Plan Administrator” means the person, persons, and/or third-party administrator designated by the Company to administer the day to day operations of the Plan and the Company’s other equity incentive programs.

(aaa) “Post-Termination Exercise Period” means the period following termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service within which an Option or SAR is exercisable, as specified in Section 4(h).

(bbb) “Prior Plan’s Available Reserve” means the number of shares available for the grant of new awards under the Prior Plan as of the Effective Date.

(ccc) “Prior Plan” means the CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2019 Stock Plan, as it has been amended from time to time as applicable.

(ddd) “Prospectus” means the document containing the Plan information specified in Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

(eee) “Restricted Stock Award” or “RSA” means an Award of shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 5(a).

(fff) “Restricted Stock Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Restricted Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Award grant. The Restricted Stock Award Agreement includes the Grant Notice for the Restricted Stock Award and the agreement containing the written summary of the general terms and conditions applicable to the Restricted Stock Award and which is provided to a Participant along with the Grant Notice. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(ggg) “Returning Shares” means shares subject to outstanding stock awards granted under the Prior Plan and that following the Effective Date: (A) are not issued because such stock award or any portion thereof expires or otherwise terminates without all of the shares covered by such stock award having been issued; (B) are not issued because such stock award or any portion thereof is settled in cash; (C) are forfeited back to or repurchased by the Company because of the failure to meet a contingency or condition required for the vesting of such shares; (D) are withheld or reacquired to satisfy the exercise, strike or purchase price; or (E) are withheld or reacquired to satisfy a tax withholding obligation.

(hhh) “RSU Award” or “RSU” means an Award of restricted stock units representing the right to receive an issuance of shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 5(a).

 

32.


(iii) “RSU Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of an RSU Award evidencing the terms and conditions of an RSU Award. The RSU Award Agreement includes the Grant Notice for the RSU Award and the agreement containing the written summary of the general terms and conditions applicable to the RSU Award and which is provided to a Participant along with the Grant Notice. Each RSU Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(jjj) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect from time to time.

(kkk) “Rule 405” means Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act.

(lll) “Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and other guidance thereunder.

(mmm) “Section 409A Change in Control” means a change in the ownership or effective control of the Company, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets, as provided in Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(v) of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) (without regard to any alternative definition thereunder).

(nnn) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(ooo) “Share Reserve” means the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan as set forth in Section 2(a).

(ppp) “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right to receive the appreciation on Common Stock that is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 4.

(qqq) “SAR Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a SAR evidencing the terms and conditions of a SAR grant. The SAR Agreement includes the Grant Notice for the SAR and the agreement containing the written summary of the general terms and conditions applicable to the SAR and which is provided to a Participant along with the Grant Notice. Each SAR Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(rrr) “Subsidiary” means, with respect to the Company, (i) any corporation of which more than 50% of the outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the time, stock of any other class or classes of such corporation will have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly, Owned by the Company, and (ii) any partnership, limited liability company or other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect interest (whether in the form of voting or participation in profits or capital contribution) of more than 50%.

(sss) “Ten Percent Stockholder” means a person who Owns (or is deemed to Own pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate.

 

33.


(ttt) “Trading Policy” means the Company’s policy permitting certain individuals to sell Company shares only during certain “window” periods and/or otherwise restricts the ability of certain individuals to transfer or encumber Company shares, as in effect from time to time.

(uuu) “Unvested Non-Exempt Award” means the portion of any Non-Exempt Award that had not vested in accordance with its terms upon or prior to the date of any Corporate Transaction.

(vvv) “Vested Non-Exempt Award” means the portion of any Non-Exempt Award that had vested in accordance with its terms upon or prior to the date of a Corporate Transaction.

 

34.


CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

STOCK OPTION GRANT NOTICE

(2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN)

CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”), pursuant to its 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), has granted to you (“Optionholder”) an option to purchase the number of shares of the Common Stock set forth below (the “Option”). Your Option is subject to all of the terms and conditions as set forth herein and in the Plan, the Stock Option Agreement and the Notice of Exercise, all of which are attached hereto and incorporated herein in their entirety. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined herein but defined in the Plan or the Stock Option Agreement shall have the meanings set forth in the Plan or the Stock Option Agreement, as applicable.

 

Optionholder:

   

Date of Grant:

   

Vesting Commencement Date:

   

Number of Shares of Common Stock Subject to Option:

   

Exercise Price (Per Share):

   

Total Exercise Price:

   

Expiration Date:

   

 

Type of Grant:    [Incentive Stock Option]1 OR [Nonstatutory Stock Option]

Exercise and

Vesting Schedule:

  

 

Subject to the Optionholder’s Continuous Service through each applicable vesting date, the Option will vest as follows:

 

[1/4th of the shares vest and become exercisable on the one year anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, and the balance of the shares vest and become exercisable in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments thereafter][, subject to the potential vesting acceleration described in Section 2 of the Stock Option Agreement].

Optionholder Acknowledgements: By your signature below or by electronic acceptance or authentication in a form authorized by the Company, you understand and agree that:

 

  •  

The Option is governed by this Stock Option Grant Notice, and the provisions of the Plan and the Stock Option Agreement and the Notice of Exercise, all of which are made a part of this document. Unless otherwise provided in the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Stock Option Agreement (together, the “Option Agreement”) may not be modified, amended or revised except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company.

 

  •  

[If the Option is an Incentive Stock Option, it (plus other outstanding Incentive Stock Options granted to you) cannot be first exercisable for more than $100,000 in value (measured by exercise price) in any calendar year. Any excess over $100,000 is a Nonstatutory Stock Option.]

 

  •  

You consent to receive this Grant Notice, the Stock Option Agreement, the Plan, the Prospectus and any other Plan-related documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.

 

1 

If this is an Incentive Stock Option, it (plus other outstanding Incentive Stock Options) cannot be first exercisable for more than $100,000 in value (measured by exercise price) in any calendar year. Any excess over $100,000 is a Nonstatutory Stock Option.

 

35.


  •  

You have read and are familiar with the provisions of the Plan, the Stock Option Agreement, the Notice of Exercise and the Prospectus. In the event of any conflict between the provisions in this Grant Notice, the Option Agreement, the Notice of Exercise, or the Prospectus and the terms of the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall control.

 

  •  

The Option Agreement sets forth the entire understanding between you and the Company regarding the acquisition of Common Stock and supersedes all prior oral and written agreements, promises and/or representations on that subject with the exception of other equity awards previously granted to you and any written employment agreement, offer letter, severance agreement, written severance plan or policy, or other written agreement between the Company and you in each case that specifies the terms that should govern this Option.

 

  •  

Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or other applicable law) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered will be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

 

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.     OPTIONHOLDER:
By:          
  Signature       Signature
Title:         Date:    
Date:          

ATTACHMENTS: Stock Option Agreement, 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, Notice of Exercise

 

36.


ATTACHMENT I

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

 

37.


CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

As reflected by your Stock Option Grant Notice (“Grant Notice”), CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”) has granted you an option under its 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) to purchase a number of shares of Common Stock at the exercise price indicated in your Grant Notice (the “Option”). Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Agreement but defined in the Grant Notice or the Plan shall have the meanings set forth in the Grant Notice or Plan, as applicable. The terms of your Option as specified in the Grant Notice and this Stock Option Agreement constitute your Option Agreement.

The general terms and conditions applicable to your Option are as follows:

1. GOVERNING PLAN DOCUMENT. Your Option is subject to all the provisions of the Plan, including but not limited to the provisions in:

a. Section 6 regarding the impact of a Capitalization Adjustment, dissolution, liquidation, or Corporate Transaction on your Option;

b. Section 9(e) regarding the Company’s retained rights to terminate your Continuous Service notwithstanding the grant of the Option; and

c. Section 8(c) regarding the tax consequences of your Option.

Your Option is further subject to all interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations, which may from time to time be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan. In the event of any conflict between the Option Agreement and the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control.

2. VESTING. Your Option will vest as provided in your Grant Notice, subject to the provisions contained herein and the terms of the Plan. Vesting will cease upon the termination of your Continuous Service.

[Optional Double-Trigger Provision: Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control occurs and during the period beginning immediately prior to and ending twelve (12) months after the effective time of such Change in Control your Continuous Service terminates due to a termination by the Company (not including death or Disability) without Cause or due to your voluntary resignation for Good Reason, then, as of the date of termination of your Continuous Service, the vesting and exercisability of your Option will be accelerated in full.

a. “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any of the following events, conditions or actions taken by the Company (or successor to the Company, if applicable) without Cause and without your written consent: (i) a material reduction of your annual base salary; provided, however, that Good Reason shall not be deemed to have occurred in the event of a

 

38.


reduction in your annual base salary that is pursuant to a salary reduction program affecting substantially all of the similarly situated employees of the Company and that does not adversely affect you to a greater extent than other similarly situated employees; (ii) a material diminution in your authority, duties or responsibilities; (iii) a relocation of your principal place of employment with the Company (or successor to the Company, if applicable) to a place that increases your one-way commute by more than fifty (50) miles as compared to your then-current principal place of employment immediately prior to such relocation (excluding regular travel in the ordinary course of business); provided that (a) if your principal place of employment is your personal residence, this clause (iii) shall not apply and (b) if you work remotely during any period in which your regular principal office location is a Company office that is closed, then neither your relocation to remote work or back to the office from remote work will be considered a relocation of your principal office location for purposes of this definition; or (iv) a material breach by the Company of any provision of this Option Agreement or your employment agreement with the Company; provided, however, that in each case above, in order for your resignation to be deemed to have been for Good Reason, you must first give the Board written notice of the action or omission giving rise to “Good Reason” within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence thereof; the Company must fail to reasonably cure such action or omission within thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice (the “Cure Period”), and your resignation from all positions you hold with the Company must be effective not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of such Cure Period.

b. If any payment or benefit you would receive from the Company or otherwise in connection with a Change in Control or other similar transaction (a “280G Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then any such 280G Payment (a “Payment”) shall be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount (i.e., the amount determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in your receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction shall occur in the manner (the “Reduction Method”) that results in the greatest economic benefit for you. If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the “Pro Rata Reduction Method”).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A of the Code that would not otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A of the Code, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction Method, as the case may be, shall be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A of the Code as follows: (A) as a first priority, the modification shall preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for you as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events (e.g., being terminated without cause), shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and (C) as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.

 

39.


Unless you and the Company agree on an alternative accounting firm, the accounting firm engaged by the Company for general tax compliance purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the change of control transaction triggering the Payment shall perform the foregoing calculations. If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the change of control transaction, the Company shall appoint a nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting firm required to be made hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the accounting firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder to provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to you and the Company within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which your right to a 280G Payment becomes reasonably likely to occur (if requested at that time by you or the Company) or such other time as requested by you or the Company.

If you receive a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of the first paragraph of this Section 2(b) and the Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, you shall promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of the first paragraph of this Section 2(b) so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) in the first paragraph of this Section 2(b), you shall have no obligation to return any portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.]

3. EXERCISE.

a. You may generally exercise the vested portion of your Option for whole shares of Common Stock at any time during its term by delivery of payment of the exercise price and applicable withholding taxes and other required documentation to the Plan Administrator in accordance with the exercise procedures established by the Plan Administrator, which may include an electronic submission. Please review Sections 4(i), 4(j) and 7(b)(v) of the Plan, which may restrict or prohibit your ability to exercise your Option during certain periods.

b. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, you may pay your Option exercise price as follows:

1) cash, check, bank draft or money order;

2) pursuant to a “cashless exercise” program as further described in Section 4(c)(ii) of the Plan if at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly traded;

3) subject to Company and/or Committee consent at the time of exercise, by delivery of previously owned shares of Common Stock as further described in Section 4(c)(iii) of the Plan; or

 

40.


4) subject to Company and/or Committee consent at the time of exercise, if the Option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, by a “net exercise” arrangement as further described in Section 4(c)(iv) of the Plan.

c. By accepting your Option, you agree that you will not sell, dispose of, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale with respect to any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company held by you, for a period of 180 days following the effective date of a registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act or such longer period as the underwriters or the Company will request to facilitate compliance with FINRA Rule 2241 or any successor or similar rules or regulation (the “Lock-Up Period”); provided, however, that nothing contained in this Section 3(c) will prevent the exercise of a repurchase option, if any, in favor of the Company during the Lock-Up Period. You further agree to execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the underwriters that are consistent with the foregoing or that are necessary to give further effect thereto. In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to your shares of Common Stock until the end of such period. You also agree that any transferee of any shares of Common Stock (or other securities) of the Company held by you will be bound by this Section 3(c). The underwriters of the Company’s stock are intended third party beneficiaries of this Section 3(c) and will have the right, power and authority to enforce the provisions hereof as though they were a party hereto.

4. TERM. You may not exercise your Option before the commencement of its term or after its term expires. The term of your Option commences on the Date of Grant and expires upon the earliest of the following:

a. immediately upon the termination of your Continuous Service for Cause;

b. three months after the termination of your Continuous Service for any reason other than Cause, Disability or death;

c. 12 months after the termination of your Continuous Service due to your Disability;

d. 18 months after your death if you die during your Continuous Service;

e. immediately upon a Corporate Transaction if the Board has determined that the Option will terminate in connection with a Corporate Transaction,

f. the Expiration Date indicated in your Grant Notice; or

g. the day before the 10th anniversary of the Date of Grant.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you die during the period provided in Section 4(b) or 4(c) above, the term of your Option shall not expire until the earlier of (i) 18 months after your death, (ii) upon any termination of the Option in connection with a Corporate Transaction, (iii) the Expiration Date indicated in your Grant Notice, or (iv) the day before the tenth anniversary of the Date of Grant. Additionally, the Post-Termination Exercise Period of your Option may be extended as provided in Section 4(i) of the Plan.

 

41.


To obtain the federal income tax advantages associated with an Incentive Stock Option, the Code requires that at all times beginning on the date of grant of your Option and ending on the day three months before the date of your Option’s exercise, you must be an employee of the Company or an Affiliate, except in the event of your death or Disability. If the Company provides for the extended exercisability of your Option under certain circumstances for your benefit, your Option will not necessarily be treated as an Incentive Stock Option if you exercise your Option more than three months after the date your employment terminates.

5. WITHHOLDING OBLIGATIONS. As further provided in Section 8 of the Plan: (a) you may not exercise your Option unless the applicable tax withholding obligations are satisfied, and (b) at the time you exercise your Option, in whole or in part, or at any time thereafter as requested by the Company, you hereby authorize withholding from payroll and any other amounts payable to you, and otherwise agree to make adequate provision for (including by means of a “cashless exercise” pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board to the extent permitted by the Company), any sums required to satisfy the federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding obligations, if any, which arise in connection with the exercise of your Option in accordance with the withholding procedures established by the Company. Accordingly, you may not be able to exercise your Option even though the Option is vested, and the Company shall have no obligation to issue shares of Common Stock subject to your Option, unless and until such obligations are satisfied. In the event that the amount of the Company’s withholding obligation in connection with your Option was greater than the amount actually withheld by the Company, you agree to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any failure by the Company to withhold the proper amount.

6. INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION DISPOSITION REQUIREMENT. If your Option is an Incentive Stock Option, you must notify the Company in writing within 15 days after the date of any disposition of any of the shares of the Common Stock issued upon exercise of your Option that occurs within two years after the date of your Option grant or within one year after such shares of Common Stock are transferred upon exercise of your Option.

7. TRANSFERABILITY. Except as otherwise provided in Section 4(e) of the Plan, your Option is not transferable, except by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during your life only by you.

8. CORPORATE TRANSACTION. Your Option is subject to the terms of any agreement governing a Corporate Transaction involving the Company, including, without limitation, a provision for the appointment of a stockholder representative that is authorized to act on your behalf with respect to any escrow, indemnities and any contingent consideration.

9. NO LIABILITY FOR TAXES. As a condition to accepting the Option, you hereby (a) agree to not make any claim against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates related to tax liabilities arising from the Option or other Company compensation and (b) acknowledge that you were advised to consult with your own personal tax, financial and other legal advisors regarding the tax consequences of the Option and have either done so or knowingly

 

42.


and voluntarily declined to do so. Additionally, you acknowledge that the Option is exempt from Section 409A only if the exercise price is at least equal to the “fair market value” of the Common Stock on the date of grant as determined by the Internal Revenue Service and there is no other impermissible deferral of compensation associated with the Option. Additionally, as a condition to accepting the Option, you agree not make any claim against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates in the event that the Internal Revenue Service asserts that such exercise is less than the “fair market value” of the Common Stock on the date of grant as subsequently determined by the Internal Revenue Service.

10. SEVERABILITY. If any part of this Option Agreement or the Plan is declared by any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness or invalidity will not invalidate any portion of this Option Agreement or the Plan not declared to be unlawful or invalid. Any Section of this Option Agreement (or part of such a Section) so declared to be unlawful or invalid will, if possible, be construed in a manner which will give effect to the terms of such Section or part of a Section to the fullest extent possible while remaining lawful and valid

11. OTHER DOCUMENTS. You hereby acknowledge receipt of or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Prospectus. In addition, you acknowledge receipt of the Company’s Trading Policy.

12. QUESTIONS. If you have questions regarding these or any other terms and conditions applicable to your Option, including a summary of the applicable federal income tax consequences please see the Prospectus.

* * * *

 

43.


ATTACHMENT II

2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

44.


ATTACHMENT III

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

45.


CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

(2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN)

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

CinCor Pharma, Inc.

200 Clarendon Street, 6th Floor

Boston, Massachusetts 02116

Date of Exercise: _______________

This constitutes notice to CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”) that I elect to purchase the below number of shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “Shares”) by exercising my Option for the price set forth below. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Notice of Exercise but defined in the Grant Notice, Option Agreement or 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) shall have the meanings set forth in the Grant Notice, Option Agreement or Plan, as applicable. Use of certain payment methods is subject to Company and/or Committee consent and certain additional requirements set forth in the Option Agreement and the Plan.

 

Type of option (check one):

   Incentive ☐      Nonstatutory ☐  

Date of Grant:

   ______________   

Number of Shares as
to which Option is
exercised:

   ______________   

Certificates to be
issued in name of:

   ______________   

Total exercise price:

   $______________   

Cash, check, bank draft or money order delivered herewith2:

   $______________   

Value of ________ Shares delivered herewith:

   $______________   

Regulation T Program (cashless exercise)3:

   $_____________   

Value of _______ Shares pursuant to net exercise4:

   $_____________   

 

2 

Shares must meet the public trading requirements set forth in the option. Shares must be valued in accordance with the terms of the option being exercised, and must be owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests. Certificates must be endorsed or accompanied by an executed assignment separate from certificate.

3 

Shares must meet public trading requirements set forth in the option, and the Company must have established cashless exercise procedures in order to utilize this payment method.

4 

The option must be a Nonstatutory Stock Option, and the Company must have established net exercise procedures at the time of exercise, in order to utilize this payment method.

 

46.


By this exercise, I agree (i) to provide such additional documents as you may require pursuant to the terms of the Plan, (ii) to satisfy the tax withholding obligations, if any, relating to the exercise of this Option as set forth in the Option Agreement, and (iii) if this exercise relates to an incentive stock option, to notify you in writing within 15 days after the date of any disposition of any of the Shares issued upon exercise of this Option that occurs within two years after the Date of Grant or within one year after such Shares are issued upon exercise of this Option.

I further agree that I will not sell, dispose of, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale with respect to any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company that I hold, for a period of 180 days following the effective date of a registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act or such longer period as the underwriters or the Company will request to facilitate compliance with FINRA Rule 2241 or any successor or similar rules or regulation (the “Lock-Up Period”); provided, however, that nothing contained in this paragraph will prevent the exercise of a repurchase option, if any, in favor of the Company during the Lock-Up Period. I further agree to execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the underwriters that are consistent with the foregoing or that are necessary to give further effect thereto. I further agree that in order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to shares of Common Stock that I hold until the end of such period. I also agree that any transferee of any shares of Common Stock (or other securities) of the Company that I hold will be bound by this paragraph. The underwriters of the Company’s stock are intended third party beneficiaries of this paragraph and will have the right, power and authority to enforce the provisions hereof as though they were a party hereto.

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

47.


CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

RSU AWARD GRANT NOTICE

(2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN)

CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”) has awarded to you (the “Participant”) the number of restricted stock units specified and on the terms set forth below in consideration of your services (the “RSU Award”). Your RSU Award is subject to all of the terms and conditions as set forth herein and in the Company’s 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and the Award Agreement (the “Agreement”), which are attached hereto and incorporated herein in their entirety. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined herein but defined in the Plan or the Agreement shall have the meanings set forth in the Plan or the Agreement.

 

Participant:    
Date of Grant:    

Vesting Commencement Date:

   

Number of Restricted Stock Units:

   

 

Vesting Schedule:    Subject to the Participant’s Continuous Service through each applicable vesting date, the RSU Award will vest as follows:
   [__________________________________________________________________].
Issuance Schedule:    One share of Common Stock will be issued for each restricted stock unit which vests at the time set forth in Section 6 of the Agreement.

Participant Acknowledgements: By your signature below or by electronic acceptance or authentication in a form authorized by the Company, you understand and agree that:

 

  •  

The RSU Award is governed by this RSU Award Grant Notice (the “Grant Notice”), and the provisions of the Plan and the Agreement, all of which are made a part of this document. Unless otherwise provided in the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement (together, the “RSU Award Agreement”) may not be modified, amended or revised except in a writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company.

 

  •  

You have read and are familiar with the provisions of the Plan, the RSU Award Agreement and the Prospectus. In the event of any conflict between the provisions in the RSU Award Agreement, or the Prospectus and the terms of the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall control.

 

  •  

The RSU Award Agreement sets forth the entire understanding between you and the Company regarding the acquisition of Common Stock and supersedes all prior oral and written agreements, promises and/or representations on that subject with the exception of: (i) other equity awards previously granted to you, and (ii) any written employment agreement, offer letter, severance agreement, written severance plan or policy, or other written agreement between the Company and you in each case that specifies the terms that should govern this RSU Award.

 

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.     PARTICIPANT:
By:          
  Signature       Signature
Title:         Date:    
Date:          

 

ATTACHMENTS:      RSU Award Agreement, 2022 Equity Incentive Plan

 

48.


CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

AWARD AGREEMENT (RSU AWARD)

As reflected by your Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice (“Grant Notice”) CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”) has granted you a RSU Award under its 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) for the number of restricted stock units as indicated in your Grant Notice (the “RSU Award”). The terms of your RSU Award as specified in this Award Agreement for your RSU Award (the “Agreement”) and the Grant Notice constitute your “RSU Award Agreement”. Defined terms not explicitly defined in this Agreement but defined in the Grant Notice or the Plan shall have the same definitions as in the Grant Notice or Plan, as applicable.

The general terms applicable to your RSU Award are as follows:

13. GOVERNING PLAN DOCUMENT. Your RSU Award is subject to all the provisions of the Plan, including but not limited to the provisions in:

a. Section 6 of the Plan regarding the impact of a Capitalization Adjustment, dissolution, liquidation, or Corporate Transaction on your RSU Award;

b. Section 9(e) of the Plan regarding the Company’s retained rights to terminate your Continuous Service notwithstanding the grant of the RSU Award; and

c. Section 8(c) of the Plan regarding the tax consequences of your RSU Award.

Your RSU Award is further subject to all interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations, which may from time to time be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan. In the event of any conflict between the RSU Award Agreement and the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control.

14. GRANT OF THE RSU AWARD. This RSU Award represents your right to be issued on a future date the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock that is equal to the number of restricted stock units indicated in the Grant Notice as modified to reflect any Capitalization Adjustment and subject to your satisfaction of the vesting conditions set forth therein (the “Restricted Stock Units”). Any additional Restricted Stock Units that become subject to the RSU Award pursuant to Capitalization Adjustments as set forth in the Plan and the provisions of Section 4 below, if any, shall be subject, in a manner determined by the Board, to the same forfeiture restrictions, restrictions on transferability, and time and manner of delivery as applicable to the other Restricted Stock Units covered by your RSU Award.

15. VESTING. Your Restricted Stock Units will vest, if at all, in accordance with the vesting schedule provided in the Grant Notice, subject to the provisions contained herein and the terms of the Plan. Vesting will cease upon the termination of your Continuous Service. [Optional Double-Trigger Provision: Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control occurs and


during the period beginning immediately prior to and ending twelve (12) months after the effective time of such Change in Control your Continuous Service terminates due to a termination by the Company (not including death or Disability) without Cause or due to your voluntary resignation for Good Reason, then, as of the date of termination of your Continuous Service, the vesting of your Restricted Stock Units will be accelerated in full.

a. “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any of the following events, conditions or actions taken by the Company (or successor to the Company, if applicable) without Cause and without your written consent: (i) a material reduction of your annual base salary; provided, however, that Good Reason shall not be deemed to have occurred in the event of a reduction in your annual base salary that is pursuant to a salary reduction program affecting substantially all of the similarly situated employees of the Company and that does not adversely affect you to a greater extent than other similarly situated employees; (ii) a material diminution in your authority, duties or responsibilities; (iii) a relocation of your principal place of employment with the Company (or successor to the Company, if applicable) to a place that increases your one-way commute by more than fifty (50) miles as compared to your then-current principal place of employment immediately prior to such relocation (excluding regular travel in the ordinary course of business); provided that (a) if your principal place of employment is your personal residence, this clause (iii) shall not apply and (b) if you work remotely during any period in which your regular principal office location is a Company office that is closed, then neither your relocation to remote work or back to the office from remote work will be considered a relocation of your principal office location for purposes of this definition; or (iv) a material breach by the Company of any provision of the Agreement or your employment agreement with the Company; provided, however, that in each case above, in order for your resignation to be deemed to have been for Good Reason, you must first give the Board written notice of the action or omission giving rise to “Good Reason” within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence thereof; the Company must fail to reasonably cure such action or omission within thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice (the “Cure Period”), and your resignation from all positions you hold with the Company must be effective not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of such Cure Period.

b. If any payment or benefit you would receive from the Company or otherwise in connection with a Change in Control or other similar transaction (a “280G Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then any such 280G Payment (a “Payment”) shall be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount (i.e., the amount determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in your receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction shall occur in the manner (the “Reduction Method”) that results in the greatest economic benefit for you. If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the “Pro Rata Reduction Method”).

 

2.


Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A of the Code that would not otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A of the Code, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction Method, as the case may be, shall be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A of the Code as follows: (A) as a first priority, the modification shall preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for you as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events (e.g., being terminated without cause), shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and (C) as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.

Unless you and the Company agree on an alternative accounting firm, the accounting firm engaged by the Company for general tax compliance purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the change in control transaction triggering the Payment shall perform the foregoing calculations. If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the change in control transaction, the Company shall appoint a nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting firm required to be made hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the accounting firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder to provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to you and the Company within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which your right to a 280G Payment becomes reasonably likely to occur (if requested at that time by you or the Company) or such other time as requested by you or the Company.

If you receive a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of the first paragraph of this Section 3(b) and the Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, you shall promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of the first paragraph of this Section 3(b) so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) in the first paragraph of this Section 3(b), you shall have no obligation to return any portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.]

16. DIVIDENDS. You may become entitled to receive payments equal to any cash dividends and other distributions paid with respect to a corresponding number of shares of Common Stock to be issued in respect of the Restricted Stock Units covered by your RSU Award. Any such dividends or distributions shall be subject to the same forfeiture restrictions as apply to the Restricted Stock Units and shall be paid at the same time that the corresponding shares are issued in respect of your vested Restricted Stock Units, provided, however that to the extent any such dividends or distributions are paid in shares of Common Stock, then you will automatically be granted a corresponding number of additional Restricted Stock Units subject to the RSU Award (the “Dividend Units”), and further provided that such Dividend Units shall be subject to the same forfeiture restrictions and restrictions on transferability, and same timing requirements for issuance of shares, as apply to the Restricted Stock Units subject to the RSU Award with respect to which the Dividend Units relate.

 

3.


17. WITHHOLDING OBLIGATIONS. As further provided in Section 8 of the Plan, you hereby authorize withholding from payroll and any other amounts payable to you, and otherwise agree to make adequate provision for, any sums required to satisfy the federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding obligations, if any, which arise in connection with your RSU Award (the “Withholding Obligation”) in accordance with the withholding procedures established by the Company. Unless the Withholding Obligation is satisfied, the Company shall have no obligation to deliver to you any Common Stock in respect of the RSU Award. In the event the Withholding Obligation of the Company arises prior to the delivery to you of Common Stock or it is determined after the delivery of Common Stock to you that the amount of the Withholding Obligation was greater than the amount withheld by the Company, you agree to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any failure by the Company to withhold the proper amount.

18. DATE OF ISSUANCE.

a. The issuance of shares in respect of the Restricted Stock Units is intended to comply with Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) and will be construed and administered in such a manner. Subject to the satisfaction of the Withholding Obligation, if any, in the event one or more Restricted Stock Units vests, the Company shall issue to you one (1) share of Common Stock for each Restricted Stock Unit that vests on the applicable vesting date(s) (subject to any adjustment under Section 4 above, and subject to any different provisions in the Grant Notice). Each issuance date determined by this paragraph is referred to as an “Original Issuance Date.”

b. If the Original Issuance Date falls on a date that is not a business day, delivery shall instead occur on the next following business day. In addition, if:

1) the Original Issuance Date does not occur (1) during an “open window period” applicable to you, as determined by the Company in accordance with the Company’s then-effective policy on trading in Company securities, or (2) on a date when you are otherwise permitted to sell shares of Common Stock on an established stock exchange or stock market (including but not limited to under a previously established written trading plan that meets the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act and was entered into in compliance with the Company’s policies (a “10b5-1 Arrangement)), and

2) either (1) a Withholding Obligation does not apply, or (2) the Company decides, prior to the Original Issuance Date, (A) not to satisfy the Withholding Obligation by withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares otherwise due, on the Original Issuance Date, to you under this Award, and (B) not to permit you to enter into a “same day sale” commitment with a broker-dealer (including but not limited to a commitment under a 10b5-1 Arrangement) and (C) not to permit you to pay your Withholding Obligation in cash,

 

4.


3) then the shares that would otherwise be issued to you on the Original Issuance Date will not be delivered on such Original Issuance Date and will instead be delivered on the first business day when you are not prohibited from selling shares of the Company’s Common Stock in the open public market or on such other date determined by the Company, but in no event later than December 31 of the calendar year in which the Original Issuance Date occurs (that is, the last day of your taxable year in which the Original Issuance Date occurs), or, if and only if permitted in a manner that complies with Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(4), no later than the date that is the 15th day of the third calendar month of the applicable year following the year in which the shares of Common Stock under this Award are no longer subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(d).

c. To the extent the RSU Award is a Non-Exempt RSU Award, the provisions of Section 11 of the Plan shall apply.

19. LOCK-UP PERIOD. By accepting your RSU Award, you agree that you will not sell, dispose of, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale with respect to any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company held by you, for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the effective date of a registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act or such longer period as the underwriters or the Company will request to facilitate compliance with FINRA Rule 2241 or any successor or similar rules or regulation (the “Lock-Up Period”); provided, however, that nothing contained in this Section 7 will prevent the exercise of a repurchase option, if any, in favor of the Company during the Lock-Up Period. You further agree to execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the underwriters that are consistent with the foregoing or that are necessary to give further effect thereto. In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to your shares of Common Stock until the end of such period. You also agree that any transferee of any shares of Common Stock (or other securities) of the Company held by you will be bound by this Section 7. The underwriters of the Company’s stock are intended third party beneficiaries of this Section 7 and will have the right, power and authority to enforce the provisions hereof as though they were a party hereto.

20. TRANSFERABILITY. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan, your RSU Award is not transferable, except by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution.

21. CORPORATE TRANSACTION. Your RSU Award is subject to the terms of any agreement governing a Corporate Transaction involving the Company, including, without limitation, a provision for the appointment of a stockholder representative that is authorized to act on your behalf with respect to any escrow, indemnities and any contingent consideration.

22. NO LIABILITY FOR TAXES. As a condition to accepting the RSU Award, you hereby (a) agree to not make any claim against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates related to tax liabilities arising from the RSU Award or other Company compensation and (b) acknowledge that you were advised to consult with your own personal tax, financial and other legal advisors regarding the tax consequences of the RSU Award and have either done so or knowingly and voluntarily declined to do so.

 

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23. SEVERABILITY. If any part of this Agreement or the Plan is declared by any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness or invalidity will not invalidate any portion of this Agreement or the Plan not declared to be unlawful or invalid. Any Section of this Agreement (or part of such a Section) so declared to be unlawful or invalid will, if possible, be construed in a manner which will give effect to the terms of such Section or part of a Section to the fullest extent possible while remaining lawful and valid.

24. OTHER DOCUMENTS. You hereby acknowledge receipt of or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Prospectus. In addition, you acknowledge receipt of the Company’s Trading Policy.

25. QUESTIONS. If you have questions regarding these or any other terms and conditions applicable to your RSU Award, including a summary of the applicable federal income tax consequences please see the Prospectus.

 

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Exhibit 10.3

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.

2022 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: DECEMBER 30, 2021

APPROVED BY THE STOCKHOLDERS: DECEMBER 30, 2021

IPO DATE: [                    ]

1. GENERAL; PURPOSE.

(a) The Plan provides a means by which Eligible Employees of the Company and certain designated Related Corporations may be given an opportunity to purchase shares of Common Stock. The Plan permits the Company to grant a series of Purchase Rights to Eligible Employees under an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. In addition, the Plan permits the Company to grant a series of Purchase Rights to Eligible Employees that do not meet the requirements of an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

(b) The Plan includes two components: a 423 Component and a Non-423 Component. The Company intends (but makes no undertaking or representation to maintain) the 423 Component to qualify as an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The provisions of the 423 Component, accordingly, will be construed in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code. In addition, this Plan authorizes grants of Purchase Rights under the Non-423 Component that do not meet the requirements of an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or determined by the Board, the Non-423 Component will operate and be administered in the same manner as the 423 Component. In addition, the Company may make separate Offerings which vary in terms (provided that such terms are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan or the requirements of an Employee Stock Purchase Plan to the extent the Offering is made under the 423 Component), and the Company will designate which Designated Company is participating in each separate Offering.

(c) The Company, by means of the Plan, seeks to retain the services of such Employees, to secure and retain the services of new Employees and to provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company and its Related Corporations.

2. Administration.

(a) The Board or the Committee will administer the Plan. References herein to the Board shall be deemed to refer to the Committee except where context dictates otherwise.

(b) The Board will have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:

(i) To determine how and when Purchase Rights will be granted and the provisions of each Offering (which need not be identical).

(ii) To designate from time to time (A) which Related Corporations of the Company will be eligible to participate in the Plan, (B) whether such Related Corporations will participate in the 423 Component or the Non-423 Component, and (C) to the extent that the Company makes separate Offerings under the 423 Component, in which Offering the Related Corporations in the 423 Component will participate.

(iii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Purchase Rights, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its administration. The Board, in the exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan, in a manner and to the extent it deems necessary or expedient to make the Plan fully effective.

 

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(iv) To settle all controversies regarding the Plan and Purchase Rights granted under the Plan.

(v) To suspend or terminate the Plan at any time as provided in Section 12.

(vi) To amend the Plan at any time as provided in Section 12.

(vii) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as it deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and its Related Corporations and to carry out the intent that the Plan be treated as an Employee Stock Purchase Plan with respect to the 423 Component.

(viii) To adopt such rules, procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit or facilitate participation in the Plan by Employees who are foreign nationals or employed or located outside the United States. Without limiting the generality of, and consistent with, the foregoing, the Board specifically is authorized to adopt rules, procedures, and sub-plans regarding, without limitation, eligibility to participate in the Plan, the definition of eligible “earnings,” handling and making of Contributions, establishment of bank or trust accounts to hold Contributions, payment of interest, conversion of local currency, obligations to pay payroll tax, determination of beneficiary designation requirements, withholding procedures and handling of share issuances, any of which may vary according to applicable requirements, and which, if applicable to a Related Corporation designated for participation in the Non-423 Component, do not have to comply with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.

(c) The Board may delegate some or all of the administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees. If administration is delegated to a Committee, the Committee will have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board that have been delegated to the Committee, including the power to delegate to a subcommittee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan and any Offering Document to the Board will thereafter be to the Committee or subcommittee), subject, however, to such resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be adopted from time to time by the Board. The Board may retain the authority to concurrently administer the Plan with the Committee and may, at any time, revest in the Board some or all of the powers previously delegated. Whether or not the Board has delegated administration of the Plan to a Committee, the Board will have the final power to determine all questions of policy and expediency that may arise in the administration of the Plan.

(d) All determinations, interpretations and constructions made by the Board in good faith will not be subject to review by any person and will be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.

3. SHARES OF COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 11(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan will not exceed 355,000 shares of Common Stock, plus the number of shares of Common Stock that are automatically added on January 1st of each year for a period of up to ten years, commencing on the first January following the year in which the IPO Date occurs and ending on (and including) January 1, 2032, in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) 1% of the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on December 31st of the preceding calendar year, and (ii) 355,000 shares of Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may act prior to the first day of any calendar year to provide that there will be no January 1st increase in the share reserve for such calendar year or that the increase in the share reserve for such calendar year

 

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will be a lesser number of shares of Common Stock than would otherwise occur pursuant to the preceding sentence. For the avoidance of doubt, up to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock reserved under this Section 3(a) may be used to satisfy purchases of Common Stock under the 423 Component and any remaining portion of such maximum number of shares may be used to satisfy purchases of Common Stock under the Non-423 Component.

(b) If any Purchase Right granted under the Plan terminates without having been exercised in full, the shares of Common Stock not purchased under such Purchase Right will again become available for issuance under the Plan.

(c) The stock purchasable under the Plan will be shares of authorized but unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares repurchased by the Company on the open market.

4. GRANT OF PURCHASE RIGHTS; OFFERING.

(a) The Board may from time to time grant or provide for the grant of Purchase Rights to Eligible Employees under an Offering (consisting of one or more Purchase Periods) on an Offering Date or Offering Dates selected by the Board. Each Offering will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board will deem appropriate, and, with respect to the 423 Component, will comply with the requirement of Section 423(b)(5) of the Code that all Employees granted Purchase Rights will have the same rights and privileges. The terms and conditions of an Offering shall be incorporated by reference into the Plan and treated as part of the Plan. The provisions of separate Offerings need not be identical, but each Offering will include (through incorporation of the provisions of this Plan by reference in the document comprising the Offering or otherwise) the period during which the Offering will be effective, which period will not exceed 27 months beginning with the Offering Date, and the substance of the provisions contained in Sections 5 through 8, inclusive.

(b) If a Participant has more than one Purchase Right outstanding under the Plan, unless he or she otherwise indicates in forms delivered to the Company: (i) each form will apply to all of his or her Purchase Rights under the Plan, and (ii) a Purchase Right with a lower exercise price (or an earlier-granted Purchase Right, if different Purchase Rights have identical exercise prices) will be exercised to the fullest possible extent before a Purchase Right with a higher exercise price (or a later-granted Purchase Right if different Purchase Rights have identical exercise prices) will be exercised.

(c) The Board will have the discretion to structure an Offering so that if the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the first Trading Day of a new Purchase Period within that Offering is less than or equal to the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Offering Date for that Offering, then (i) that Offering will terminate immediately as of that first Trading Day, and (ii) the Participants in such terminated Offering will be automatically enrolled in a new Offering beginning on the first Trading Day of such new Purchase Period.

5. ELIGIBILITY.

(a) Purchase Rights may be granted only to Employees of the Company or, as the Board may designate in accordance with Section 2(b), to Employees of a Related Corporation. Except as provided in Section 5(b) or as required by Applicable Law, an Employee will not be eligible to be granted Purchase Rights unless, on the Offering Date, the Employee has been in the employ of the Company or the Related Corporation, as the case may be, for such continuous period preceding such Offering Date as the Board may require, but in no event will the required period of continuous employment be equal to or greater than two years. In addition, the Board may (unless prohibited by law) provide that no Employee will be eligible to be granted Purchase Rights under the Plan unless, on the Offering Date, such Employee’s customary

 

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employment with the Company or the Related Corporation is more than 20 hours per week and more than five months per calendar year or such other criteria as the Board may determine consistent with Section 423 of the Code with respect to the 423 Component. The Board may also exclude from participation in the Plan or any Offering Employees who are “highly compensated employees” (within the meaning of Section 423(b)(4)(D) of the Code) of the Company or a Related Corporation or a subset of such highly compensated employees.

(b) The Board may provide that each person who, during the course of an Offering, first becomes an Eligible Employee will, on a date or dates specified in the Offering which coincides with the day on which such person becomes an Eligible Employee or which occurs thereafter, receive a Purchase Right under that Offering, which Purchase Right will thereafter be deemed to be a part of that Offering. Such Purchase Right will have the same characteristics as any Purchase Rights originally granted under that Offering, as described herein, except that:

(i) the date on which such Purchase Right is granted will be the “Offering Date” of such Purchase Right for all purposes, including determination of the exercise price of such Purchase Right;

(ii) the period of the Offering with respect to such Purchase Right will begin on its Offering Date and end coincident with the end of such Offering; and

(iii) the Board may provide that if such person first becomes an Eligible Employee within a specified period of time before the end of the Offering, he or she will not receive any Purchase Right under that Offering.

(c) No Employee will be eligible for the grant of any Purchase Rights if, immediately after any such Purchase Rights are granted, such Employee owns stock possessing five percent or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Related Corporation. For purposes of this Section 5(c), the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code will apply in determining the stock ownership of any Employee, and stock which such Employee may purchase under all outstanding Purchase Rights and options will be treated as stock owned by such Employee.

(d) As specified by Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, an Eligible Employee may be granted Purchase Rights only if such Purchase Rights, together with any other rights granted under all Employee Stock Purchase Plans of the Company and any Related Corporations, do not permit such Eligible Employee’s rights to purchase stock of the Company or any Related Corporation to accrue at a rate which, when aggregated, exceeds US $25,000 of Fair Market Value of such stock (determined at the time such rights are granted, and which, with respect to the Plan, will be determined as of their respective Offering Dates) for each calendar year in which such rights are outstanding at any time.

(e) Officers of the Company and any designated Related Corporation, if they are otherwise Eligible Employees, will be eligible to participate in Offerings under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may (unless prohibited by law) provide in an Offering that Employees who are highly compensated Employees within the meaning of Section 423(b)(4)(D) of the Code will not be eligible to participate.

(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 5 to the contrary, in the case of an Offering under the Non-423 Component, an Eligible Employee (or group of Eligible Employees) may be excluded from participation in the Plan or an Offering if the Board has determined, in its sole discretion, that participation of such Eligible Employee(s) is not advisable or practical for any reason.

 

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6. PURCHASE RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE.

(a) On each Offering Date, each Eligible Employee, pursuant to an Offering made under the Plan, will be granted a Purchase Right to purchase up to that number of shares of Common Stock purchasable either with a percentage or with a maximum dollar amount, as designated by the Board, but in either case not exceeding 15% of such Employee’s earnings (as defined by the Board in each Offering) during the period that begins on the Offering Date (or such later date as the Board determines for a particular Offering) and ends on the date stated in the Offering, which date will be no later than the end of the Offering.

(b) The Board will establish one or more Purchase Dates during an Offering on which Purchase Rights granted for that Offering will be exercised and shares of Common Stock will be purchased in accordance with such Offering.

(c) In connection with each Offering made under the Plan, the Board may specify (i) a maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be purchased by any Participant on any Purchase Date during such Offering, (ii) a maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be purchased by all Participants pursuant to such Offering and/or (iii) a maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be purchased by all Participants on any Purchase Date under the Offering. If the aggregate purchase of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of Purchase Rights granted under the Offering would exceed any such maximum aggregate number, then, in the absence of any Board action otherwise, a pro rata (based on each Participant’s accumulated Contributions) allocation of the shares of Common Stock (rounded down to the nearest whole share) available will be made in as nearly a uniform manner as will be practicable and equitable.

(d) The purchase price of shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to Purchase Rights will be not less than the lesser of:

(i) an amount equal to 85% of the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock on the Offering Date; or

(ii) an amount equal to 85% of the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock on the applicable Purchase Date.

7. PARTICIPATION; WITHDRAWAL; TERMINATION.

(a) An Eligible Employee may elect to participate in an Offering and authorize payroll deductions as the means of making Contributions by completing and delivering to the Company, within the time specified in the Offering, an enrollment form provided by the Company. The enrollment form will specify the amount of Contributions not to exceed the maximum amount specified by the Board. Each Participant’s Contributions will be credited to a bookkeeping account for such Participant under the Plan and will be deposited with the general funds of the Company except where Applicable Law requires that Contributions be deposited with a third party. If permitted in the Offering, a Participant may begin such Contributions with the first payroll occurring on or after the Offering Date (or, in the case of a payroll date that occurs after the end of the prior Offering but before the Offering Date of the next new Offering, Contributions from such payroll will be included in the new Offering). If permitted in the Offering, a Participant may thereafter reduce (including to zero) or increase his or her Contributions. If required under Applicable Law or if specifically provided in the Offering, in addition to or instead of making Contributions by payroll deductions, a Participant may make Contributions through the payment by cash, check or wire transfer prior to a Purchase Date.

 

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(b) During an Offering, a Participant may cease making Contributions and withdraw from the Offering by delivering to the Company a withdrawal form provided by the Company. The Company may impose a deadline before a Purchase Date for withdrawing. Upon such withdrawal, such Participant’s Purchase Right in that Offering will immediately terminate and the Company will distribute as soon as practicable to such Participant all of his or her accumulated but unused Contributions and such Participant’s Purchase Right in that Offering shall thereupon terminate. A Participant’s withdrawal from that Offering will have no effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in any other Offerings under the Plan, but such Participant will be required to deliver a new enrollment form to participate in subsequent Offerings.

(c) Unless otherwise required by Applicable Law, Purchase Rights granted pursuant to any Offering under the Plan will terminate immediately if the Participant either (i) is no longer an Employee for any reason or for no reason (subject to any post-employment participation period required by law) or (ii) is otherwise no longer eligible to participate. The Company will distribute as soon as practicable to such individual all of his or her accumulated but unused Contributions.

(d) Unless otherwise determined by the Board, a Participant whose employment transfers or whose employment terminates with an immediate rehire (with no break in service) by or between the Company and a Related Corporation that has been designated for participation in the Plan will not be treated as having terminated employment for purposes of participating in the Plan or an Offering; however, if a Participant transfers from an Offering under the 423 Component to an Offering under the Non-423 Component, the exercise of the Participant’s Purchase Right will be qualified under the 423 Component only to the extent such exercise complies with Section 423 of the Code. If a Participant transfers from an Offering under the Non-423 Component to an Offering under the 423 Component, the exercise of the Purchase Right will remain non-qualified under the Non-423 Component. The Board may establish different and additional rules governing transfers between separate Offerings within the 423 Component and between Offerings under the 423 Component and Offerings under the Non-423 Component.

(e) During a Participant’s lifetime, Purchase Rights will be exercisable only by such Participant. Purchase Rights are not transferable by a Participant, except by will, by the laws of descent and distribution, or, if permitted by the Company, by a beneficiary designation as described in Section 10.

(f) Unless otherwise specified in the Offering or as required by Applicable Law, the Company will have no obligation to pay interest on Contributions.

8. EXERCISE OF PURCHASE RIGHTS.

(a) On each Purchase Date, each Participant’s accumulated Contributions will be applied to the purchase of shares of Common Stock, up to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock permitted by the Plan and the applicable Offering, at the purchase price specified in the Offering. No fractional shares will be issued unless specifically provided for in the Offering.

(b) Unless otherwise provided in the Offering, if any amount of accumulated Contributions remains in a Participant’s account after the purchase of shares of Common Stock on the final Purchase Date of an Offering, then such remaining amount will not roll over to the next Offering and will instead be distributed in full to such Participant after the final Purchase Date of such Offering without interest (unless otherwise required by Applicable Law).

(c) No Purchase Rights may be exercised to any extent unless the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon such exercise under the Plan are covered by an effective registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act and the Plan is in material compliance with all applicable U.S. federal and state, foreign and other securities, exchange control and other laws applicable to the Plan. If on a Purchase Date the

 

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shares of Common Stock are not so registered or the Plan is not in such compliance, no Purchase Rights will be exercised on such Purchase Date, and the Purchase Date will be delayed until the shares of Common Stock are subject to such an effective registration statement and the Plan is in material compliance, except that the Purchase Date will in no event be more than 27 months from the Offering Date. If, on the Purchase Date, as delayed to the maximum extent permissible, the shares of Common Stock are not registered and the Plan is not in material compliance with all Applicable Laws, as determined by the Company in its sole discretion, no Purchase Rights will be exercised and all accumulated but unused Contributions will be distributed to the Participants without interest (unless the payment of interest is otherwise required by Applicable Law).

9. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.

The Company will seek to obtain from each U.S. federal or state, foreign or other regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be required to grant Purchase Rights and issue and sell shares of Common Stock thereunder unless the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that doing so would cause the Company to incur costs that are unreasonable. If, after commercially reasonable efforts, the Company is unable to obtain the authority that counsel for the Company deems necessary for the grant of Purchase Rights or the lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, and at a commercially reasonable cost, the Company will be relieved from any liability for failure to grant Purchase Rights and/or to issue and sell Common Stock upon exercise of such Purchase Rights.

10. DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY.

(a) The Company may, but is not obligated to, permit a Participant to submit a form designating a beneficiary who will receive any shares of Common Stock and/or Contributions from the Participant’s account under the Plan if the Participant dies before such shares and/or Contributions are delivered to the Participant. The Company may, but is not obligated to, permit the Participant to change such designation of beneficiary. Any such designation and/or change must be on a form approved by the Company.

(b) If a Participant dies, and in the absence of a valid beneficiary designation, the Company will deliver any shares of Common Stock and/or Contributions to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant. If no executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its sole discretion, may deliver such shares of Common Stock and/or Contributions, without interest (unless the payment of interest is otherwise required by Applicable Law), to the Participant’s spouse, dependents or relatives, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.

11. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK; CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS.

(a) In the event of a Capitalization Adjustment, the Board will appropriately and proportionately adjust: (i) the class(es) and maximum number of securities subject to the Plan pursuant to Section 3(a), (ii) the class(es) and maximum number of securities by which the share reserve is to increase automatically each year pursuant to Section 3(a), (iii) the class(es) and number of securities subject to, and the purchase price applicable to outstanding Offerings and Purchase Rights, and (iv) the class(es) and number of securities that are the subject of the purchase limits under each ongoing Offering. The Board will make these adjustments, and its determination will be final, binding and conclusive.

 

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(b) In the event of a Corporate Transaction, then: (i) any surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company) may assume or continue outstanding Purchase Rights or may substitute similar rights (including a right to acquire the same consideration paid to the stockholders in the Corporate Transaction) for outstanding Purchase Rights, or (ii) if any surviving or acquiring corporation (or its parent company) does not assume or continue such Purchase Rights or does not substitute similar rights for such Purchase Rights, then the Participants’ accumulated Contributions will be used to purchase shares of Common Stock (rounded down to the nearest whole share) within ten business days prior to the Corporate Transaction under the outstanding Purchase Rights, and the Purchase Rights will terminate immediately after such purchase.

12. AMENDMENT, TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN.

(a) The Board may amend the Plan at any time in any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable. However, except as provided in Section 11(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment of the Plan for which stockholder approval is required by Applicable Law.

(b) The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. No Purchase Rights may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.

Any benefits, privileges, entitlements and obligations under any outstanding Purchase Rights granted before an amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan will not be materially impaired by any such amendment, suspension or termination except (i) with the consent of the person to whom such Purchase Rights were granted, (ii) as necessary to comply with any laws, listing requirements, or governmental regulations (including, without limitation, the provisions of Section 423 of the Code and the regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder relating to Employee Stock Purchase Plans) including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued or amended after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, or (iii) as necessary to obtain or maintain favorable tax, listing, or regulatory treatment. To be clear, the Board may amend outstanding Purchase Rights without a Participant’s consent if such amendment is necessary to ensure that the Purchase Right and/or the Plan complies with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code with respect to the 423 Component or with respect to other Applicable Laws. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Offering Document to the contrary, the Board will be entitled to: (i) establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars; (ii) permit Contributions in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for mistakes in the Company’s processing of properly completed Contribution elections; (iii) establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Common Stock for each Participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the Participant’s Contributions; (iv) amend any outstanding Purchase Rights or clarify any ambiguities regarding the terms of any Offering to enable the Purchase Rights to qualify under and/or comply with Section 423 of the Code with respect to the 423 Component; and (v) establish other limitations or procedures as the Board determines in its sole discretion advisable that are consistent with the Plan. The actions of the Board pursuant to this paragraph will not be considered to alter or impair any Purchase Rights granted under an Offering as they are part of the initial terms of each Offering and the Purchase Rights granted under each Offering.

13. TAX QUALIFICATION; TAX WITHHOLDING.

(a) Although the Company may endeavor to (i) qualify a Purchase Right for special tax treatment under the laws of the United States or jurisdictions outside of the United States or (ii) avoid adverse tax treatment, the Company makes no representation to that effect and expressly disavows any covenant to maintain special or to avoid unfavorable tax treatment, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan. The Company will be unconstrained in its corporate activities without regard to the potential negative tax impact on Participants.

 

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(b) Each Participant will make arrangements, satisfactory to the Company and any applicable Related Corporation, to enable the Company or the Related Corporation to fulfill any withholding obligation for Tax-Related Items. Without limitation to the foregoing, in the Company’s sole discretion and subject to Applicable Law, such withholding obligation may be satsified in whole or in part by (i) withholding from the Participant’s salary or any other cash payment due to the Participant from the Company or a Related Corporation; (ii) withholding from the proceeds of the sale of shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, either through a voluntary sale or a mandatory sale arranged by the Company; or (iii) any other method deemed acceptable by the Board.

14. EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN.

The Plan will become effective immediately prior to and contingent upon the IPO Date. No Purchase Rights will be exercised unless and until the Plan has been approved by the stockholders of the Company, which approval must be within 12 months before or after the date the Plan is adopted (or if required under Section 12(a) above, materially amended) by the Board.

15. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

(a) Proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock pursuant to Purchase Rights will constitute general funds of the Company.

(b) A Participant will not be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, shares of Common Stock subject to Purchase Rights unless and until the Participant’s shares of Common Stock acquired upon exercise of Purchase Rights are recorded in the books of the Company (or its transfer agent).

(c) The Plan and Offering do not constitute an employment contract. Nothing in the Plan or in the Offering will in any way alter the at will nature of a Participant’s employment, if applicable, or be deemed to create in any way whatsoever any obligation on the part of any Participant to continue in the employ of the Company or a Related Corporation, or on the part of the Company or a Related Corporation to continue the employment of a Participant.

(d) The provisions of the Plan will be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without resort to that state’s conflicts of laws rules.

(e) If any particular provision of the Plan is found to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, such provision will not affect the other provisions of the Plan, but the Plan will be construed in all respects as if such invalid provision were omitted.

(f) If any provision of the Plan does not comply with Applicable Law, such provision shall be construed in such a manner as to comply with Applicable Law.

16. DEFINITIONS.

As used in the Plan, the following definitions will apply to the capitalized terms indicated below:

(a) “423 Component” means the part of the Plan, which excludes the Non-423 Component, pursuant to which Purchase Rights that satisfy the requirements for an Employee Stock Purchase Plan may be granted to Eligible Employees.

 

9.


(b) “Applicable Law” means shall mean any applicable securities, federal, state, foreign, material local or municipal or other law, statute, constitution, principle of common law, resolution, ordinance, code, edict, decree, rule, listing rule, regulation, judicial decision, ruling or requirement issued, enacted, adopted, promulgated, implemented or otherwise put into effect by or under the authority of any Governmental Body (or under the authority of the Nasdaq Stock Market or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).

(c) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(d) “Capitalization Adjustment” means any change that is made in, or other events that occur with respect to, the Common Stock subject to the Plan or subject to any Purchase Right after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board without the receipt of consideration by the Company through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, large nonrecurring cash dividend, stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure or other similar equity restructuring transaction, as that term is used in Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor thereto). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the conversion of any convertible securities of the Company will not be treated as a Capitalization Adjustment.

(e) “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including any applicable regulations and guidance thereunder.

(f) “Committee” means a committee of one or more members of the Board to whom authority has been delegated by the Board in accordance with Section 2(c).

(g) “Common Stock” means the Common Stock of the Company.

(h) “Company” means CinCor Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

(i) “Contributions” means the payroll deductions and other additional payments specifically provided for in the Offering that a Participant contributes to fund the exercise of a Purchase Right. A Participant may make additional payments into his or her account if specifically provided for in the Offering, and then only if the Participant has not already had the maximum permitted amount withheld during the Offering through payroll deductions.

(j) “Corporate Transaction” means the consummation, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

(i) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, of the consolidated assets of the Company and its subsidiaries;

(ii) a sale or other disposition of more than 50% of the outstanding securities of the Company;

(iii) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is not the surviving corporation; or

(iv) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is the surviving corporation but the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger, consolidation or similar transaction are converted or exchanged by virtue of the merger, consolidation or similar transaction into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise.

 

10.


(k) “Director” means a member of the Board.

(l) “Eligible Employee” means an Employee who meets the requirements set forth in the document(s) governing the Offering for eligibility to participate in the Offering, provided that such Employee also meets the requirements for eligibility to participate set forth in the Plan.

(m) “Employee” means any person, including an Officer or Director, who is “employed” for purposes of Section 423(b)(4) of the Code by the Company or a Related Corporation. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such services, will not cause a Director to be considered an “Employee” for purposes of the Plan.

(n) “Employee Stock Purchase Plan” means a plan that grants Purchase Rights intended to be options issued under an “employee stock purchase plan,” as that term is defined in Section 423(b) of the Code.

(o) “Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(p) “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows:

(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or traded on any established market, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock will be the closing sales price for such stock as quoted on such exchange or market (or the exchange or market with the greatest volume of trading in the Common Stock) on the date of determination, as reported in such source as the Board deems reliable. Unless otherwise provided by the Board, if there is no closing sales price for the Common Stock on the date of determination, then the Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

(ii) In the absence of such markets for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value will be determined by the Board in good faith in compliance with Applicable Laws and regulations and in a manner that complies with Sections 409A of the Code

(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, for any Offering that commences on the IPO Date, the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock on the Offering Date will be the price per share at which shares are first sold to the public in the Company’s initial public offering as specified in the final prospectus for that initial public offering.

(q) “Governmental Body” means any: (a) nation, state, commonwealth, province, territory, county, municipality, district or other jurisdiction of any nature; (b) federal, state, local, municipal, foreign or other government; (c) governmental or regulatory body, or quasi-governmental body of any nature (including any governmental division, department, administrative agency or bureau, commission, authority, instrumentality, official, ministry, fund, foundation, center, organization, unit, body or entity and any court or other tribunal, and for the avoidance of doubt, any tax authority) or other body exercising similar powers or authority; or (d) self-regulatory organization (including the Nasdaq Stock Market and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).

(r) “IPO Date” means the date of the underwriting agreement between the Company and the underwriters managing the initial public offering of the Common Stock, pursuant to which the Common Stock is priced for the initial public offering.

 

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(s) “Non-423 Component” means the part of the Plan, which excludes the 423 Component, pursuant to which Purchase Rights that are not intended to satisfy the requirements for an Employee Stock Purchase Plan may be granted to Eligible Employees.

(t) “Offering” means the grant to Eligible Employees of Purchase Rights, with the exercise of those Purchase Rights automatically occurring at the end of one or more Purchase Periods. The terms and conditions of an Offering will generally be set forth in the “Offering Document” approved by the Board for that Offering.

(u) “Offering Date” means a date selected by the Board for an Offering to commence.

(v) “Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company or a Related Corporation within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

(w) “Participant” means an Eligible Employee who holds an outstanding Purchase Right.

(x) “Plan” means this CinCor Pharma, Inc. 2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended from time to time, including both the 423 Component and the Non-423 Component.

(y) “Purchase Date” means one or more dates during an Offering selected by the Board on which Purchase Rights will be exercised and on which purchases of shares of Common Stock will be carried out in accordance with such Offering.

(z) “Purchase Period” means a period of time specified within an Offering, generally beginning on the Offering Date or on the first Trading Day following a Purchase Date, and ending on a Purchase Date. An Offering may consist of one or more Purchase Periods.

(aa) “Purchase Right” means an option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the Plan.

(bb) “Related Corporation” means any “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” of the Company whether now or subsequently established, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f), respectively, of the Code.

(cc) “Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(dd) “Tax-Related Items” means any income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefit tax, payment on account or other tax-related items arising out of or in relation to a Participant’s participation in the Plan, including, but not limited to, the exercise of a Purchase Right and the receipt of shares of Common Stock or the sale or other disposition of shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan.

(ee) “Trading Day” means any day on which the exchange(s) or market(s) on which shares of Common Stock are listed, including but not limited to the NYSE, Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Capital Market or any successors thereto, is open for trading.

 

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Exhibit 10.8

AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is entered into effective as of, and conditional upon, the pricing date of the initial public offering of the common stock of the Company (the “Effective Date”), by and between Marc de Garidel (“Executive”) and CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”). This Agreement amends, restates, and supersedes in its entirety the Employment Agreement between the Company and Executive that was effective May 5, 2021 (the “Prior Agreement”).

The Company desires to continue to employ Executive and, in connection therewith, to compensate Executive for Executive’s personal services to the Company; and

Executive wishes to continue to be employed by the Company and provide personal services to the Company in return for certain compensation.

Accordingly, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the parties agree to the following:

1. EMPLOYMENT BY THE COMPANY.

1.1 Position; Board Role. Subject to the terms set forth herein, the Company agrees to continue to employ Executive in the full-time position of Chief Executive Officer, and Executive hereby accepts such continued employment. During the term of Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive will devote Executive’s best efforts and substantially all of Executive’s business time and attention to the business of the Company. As a full-time exempt employee, Executive will be expected to work the hours required by the nature of Executive’s work assignments and will not be eligible for overtime compensation. While Executive serves as Chief Executive Officer, Executive shall also serve as a Director of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) at the pleasure of the Board in accordance with the governing documents and applicable law.

1.2 Duties. Executive, on behalf of the Company, will continue to report to the Board. Executive will continue to perform such duties as are normally associated with Executive’s position, and such other duties assigned from time to time by the Board.

1.3 Location. Executive shall continue to perform Executive’s duties under this Agreement from the Company’s Boston, Massachusetts office. In addition, Executive shall make business trips to such places as may be necessary or advisable for the efficient operations of the Company.

1.4 Company Policies and Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall also continue to be subject to the Company’s reasonable personnel policies and procedures as they may be interpreted, adopted, revised or deleted from time to time in the Company’s reasonable discretion. Executive will continue to be eligible to participate in the Company’s benefit plans for which Executive is eligible, in effect from time to time during Executive’s employment. All matters of eligibility for coverage or benefits under any benefit plan shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of such plan. The Company reserves the right to change, alter, or terminate any benefit plan in its sole discretion. To the degree that alternative employee benefits and insurance programs are offered to the Company’s executive


officers, Executive will be eligible to participate in such benefit plans or programs. In addition, Executive will be eligible to participate in and shall be subject to the Company’s plan and policies for paid time off, as established or modified from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.

2. COMPENSATION.

2.1 Salary. Executive shall continue to receive for Executive’s services to be rendered hereunder an annualized base salary of $500,000, subject to review and adjustment by the Company in its sole discretion, and payable subject to standard federal and state payroll withholding requirements in accordance with the Company’s standard payroll practices (“Base Salary”). Executive’s Base Salary will be reviewed annually, and will be subject to potential increase in the discretion of the Board.

2.2 Bonus. Beginning for the 2022 calendar year, Executive shall be eligible to receive a discretionary annual cash bonus of up to 50% (the “Target Percentage”) of Executive’s then-current Base Salary (“Target Amount”), determined by the Board in its sole discretion, and payable subject to standard federal and state payroll withholding requirements. Whether or not Executive earns any bonus will be dependent upon (a) Executive’s continuous performance of services to the Company through the date any bonus is paid, except as otherwise stated in Sections 6.2(b)(iii)-(iv) or 6.3(a)(iii); and (b) Executive’s performance and attainment of and the Company’s attainment of targeted goals, as set by the Board following reasonable consultation with Executive, over the applicable calendar year. The annual period over which performance is measured for purposes of this bonus is January 1 through December 31. Executive’s bonus for the 2021 calendar year, if any, for which the Target Percentage shall instead be up to 40%, will be pro-rated to the date on which Executive commenced employment with the Company. The Board will determine in its sole discretion the extent to which the milestones upon which the bonus is based have been achieved and the amount of the bonus, which could be zero. Executive’s eligibility for a bonus is subject to increase in the discretion of the Board (or any authorized committee thereof).

2.3 Equity. Executive remains eligible to be considered for future equity awards as may be determined by the Board or a committee of the Board in its discretion in accordance with the terms of any applicable equity plan or arrangement that may be in effect from time to time.

2.4 General Expense Reimbursement. The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable business expenses with proper documentation and in accordance with the Company’s standard expense reimbursement policy. For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent that any reimbursements payable to Executive are subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”): (a) any such reimbursements will be paid no later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred, (b) the amount of expenses reimbursed in one year will not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement in any subsequent year, and (c) the right to reimbursement under this Agreement will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

 

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3. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, INVENTIONS, NON-SOLICITATION AND NON-COMPETITION OBLIGATIONS. As a condition of continued employment, Executive agrees to continue to abide by the Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement that Executive previously executed (the “Confidential Information Agreement”), which may be amended in writing signed by the parties from time to time without regard to this Agreement. The Confidential Information Agreement contains provisions that are intended by the parties to survive and do survive termination of this Agreement.

4. OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, Executive will not, while employed by the Company, undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise that would interfere with Executive’s responsibilities and the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder except for (i) reasonable time devoted to volunteer services for or on behalf of such religious, educational, non-profit and/or other charitable organization as Executive may wish to serve, (ii) reasonable time devoted to activities in the non-profit and business communities consistent with Executive’s duties, (iii) reasonable time devoted to the board of directors of Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. and Claris Bio, Inc. provided that such engagement does not interfere with Executive’s performance of duties to the Company or pose a conflict of interest, and (iv) such other activities as may be specifically approved by the Board. This restriction shall not, however, preclude Executive (x) from owning less than one percent (1%) of the total outstanding shares of a publicly-traded company, or (y) from employment or service in any capacity with Affiliates of the Company. As used in this Agreement, “Affiliates” means an entity under common management or control with the Company.

5. NO CONFLICT WITH EXISTING OBLIGATIONS. Executive represents that Executive’s continued performance of all the terms of this Agreement and as an executive of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement or obligation of any kind made prior to Executive’s employment by the Company, including agreements or obligations Executive may have with prior employers or entities for which Executive has provided services. Executive has not entered into, and Executive agrees that Executive will not enter into, any agreement or obligation, either written or oral, in conflict herewith.

6. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. The parties acknowledge that Executive’s employment relationship with the Company continues to be at-will. Either Executive or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without Cause (as defined below). The provisions in this Section govern the amount of compensation, if any, to be provided to Executive upon termination of employment and do not alter this at-will status.

6.1 Termination by the Company for Cause.

(a) The Company shall have the right to terminate Executive’s employment with the Company at any time for Cause (as defined in Section 6.1(b)) by giving notice as described in Section 6.6 of this Agreement.

(b) “Cause” for termination shall mean that the Company has determined in its sole discretion that Executive has engaged in any of the following: (i) a material breach of any covenant or condition under this Agreement or any other agreement between the parties after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such breach; (ii) any act constituting dishonesty, fraud, immoral or disreputable conduct which is reasonably likely to

 

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cause harm to the Company (including reputational harm); (iii) any conduct which constitutes a felony under applicable law; (iv) material violation of any Company policy after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such violation (to the extent deemed curable in the reasonable discretion of the Board); (v) refusal to follow or implement a clear and reasonable directive of Company after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such failure; (vi) gross negligence or incompetence in the performance of Executive’s duties after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such failure; or (vii) breach of fiduciary duty.

(c) In the event Executive’s employment is terminated at any time for Cause, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits (as defined below), the CIC Severance Benefits (as defined below), or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, consistent with the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations (as defined below).

(d) For purposes of this Agreement, “Accrued Obligations” are (i) Executive’s accrued but unpaid salary, (ii) any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by Executive payable in accordance with the Company’s standard expense reimbursement policies, and (iii) benefits owed to Executive under any qualified retirement plan or health and welfare benefit plan in which Executive was a participant in accordance with applicable law and the provisions of such plan.

6.2 Termination by the Company without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason (not in Connection with a Change in Control).

(a) The Company shall have the right to terminate Executive’s employment with the Company pursuant to this Section 6.2 at any time, in accordance with Section 6.6, without Cause by giving notice as described in Section 7.1 of this Agreement. A termination pursuant to Section 6.5 below is not a termination without Cause for purposes of receiving the benefits described in this Section 6.2.

(b) If the Company terminates Executive’s employment without Cause or if Executive resigns for Good Reason (as defined below), in either case, at any time except during the Change in Control Measurement Period (both “Change in Control” and “Change in Control Measurement Period” as defined in Section 6.3 below) and, provided that such termination constitutes a “separation from service” (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h), without regard to any alternative definition thereunder, a “Separation from Service”), then Executive shall be entitled to receive the Accrued Obligations. If Executive complies with the obligations in Section 6.2(c) below (including but not limited to the Release requirement), the Company will provide Executive with the following “Non-CIC Severance Benefits:”

(i) The Company will pay Executive severance pay in the form of continuation of Executive’s then-current Base Salary for twelve (12) months (the “Non-CIC Salary Continuation Severance”). The Non-CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be paid in substantially equal installments on the Company’s regular payroll schedule following the termination date, subject to standard deductions and withholdings; provided, however that no portion of the Non-CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be

 

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paid prior to the Release Effective Date (as defined below), and any such payments that are otherwise scheduled to be made prior to the Release Effective Date shall instead accrue and be made on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date;

(ii) Provided Executive or Executive’s covered dependents, as the case may be, timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, or state continuation coverage (as applicable), under the Company’s group health plans following such termination, the Company will pay the COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums to continue Executive’s (and Executive’s covered dependents, as applicable) health insurance coverage in effect on the termination date until the earliest of: (1) twelve (12) months following the termination date; (2) the date when Executive becomes eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment; or (3) the date Executive ceases to be eligible for COBRA or state law continuation coverage for any reason, including plan termination (such period from the termination date through the earlier of (1)-(3), (the “Non-CIC COBRA Payment Period”)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines that its payment of COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums on Executive’s behalf would result in a violation of applicable law (including, but not limited to, the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of paying such premiums pursuant to this Section, the Company shall pay Executive on the last day of each remaining month of the Non-CIC COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA or state continuation coverage premium for such month, subject to applicable tax withholding, for the remainder of the Non-CIC COBRA Payment Period. Nothing in this Agreement shall deprive Executive of Executive’s rights under COBRA or ERISA for benefits under plans and policies arising under Executive’s employment by the Company;

(iii) If Executive is terminated pursuant to this Section 6.2 between January 1 and the payment date of the bonus (under Section 2.2), the Company will pay a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to the amount of the bonus that Executive would have otherwise earned (if any) for performance in the calendar year preceding Executive’s termination (the “Bonus Severance”). The Bonus Severance will be subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and will be paid on the first payroll date following the Release Effective Date, provided that Executive has delivered an effective Release (as defined below) as of such date.

(iv) The Company will pay Executive an amount equal to the bonus (under Section 2.2) that Executive was eligible to receive during the calendar year in which Executive’s termination occurs (if any) prorated for any partial year of employment on the basis of a 365-day year, less applicable withholdings and deductions, payable in a lump sum on the later of (x) the date that annual performance bonuses are normally paid to other executives at the Company for that calendar year or (y) the Release Effective Date, but in no event later than March 15 of the year following the year to which the bonus is attributable (the “Prorated Bonus”); and

(v) Notwithstanding the terms of any equity plan or award agreement to the contrary, the unvested portion of all time-based equity awards outstanding on the date of Executive’s termination that would have vested over the twelve

 

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(12) month period following the date of Executive’s termination had Executive remained continuously employed by the Company during such period will be automatically vested and exercisable as of the date of Executive’s termination.

(c) Executive will be paid all of the Accrued Obligations on the Company’s first payroll date after Executive’s date of termination from employment or earlier if required by law. Executive shall receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits pursuant to Section 6.2(b) of this Agreement if: (i) within the timeframe provided by the Company, which shall be no later than the 60th day following the date of Executive’s Separation from Service, Executive has signed and delivered to the Company a separation agreement containing an effective, general release of claims in favor of the Company and its affiliates and representatives, in the reasonable form presented by the Company (the “Release”), which will include a non-competition clause, which cannot be revoked in whole or part by such date (the date that the Release can no longer be revoked is referred to as the “Release Effective Date”); (ii) if Executive holds any other positions with the Company or any Affiliate, including a position on the Board, Executive resigns such position(s) to be effective no later than the date of Executive’s termination date (or such other date as requested by the Board); (iii) Executive returns all Company property; (iv) Executive complies with Executive’s post-termination obligations under this Agreement and the Confidential Information Agreement, and remains in compliance at the time that each installment of Salary Continuation Severance is paid; and (v) Executive complies with the terms of the Release, including without limitation any non-disparagement and confidentiality provisions contained in the Release, and remains in compliance at the time that each installment of Salary Continuation Severance is paid.

(d) For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events without Executive’s consent: (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary (unless pursuant to a salary reduction program applicable generally to the Company’s similarly-situated executives); (ii) a material reduction in Executive’s annual cash bonus opportunity; (iii) a material reduction in Executive’s duties, authority and responsibilities relative to Executive’s duties, authority, and responsibilities in effect immediately prior to such reduction, provided, however, that neither the conversion of the Company to a subsidiary, division or unit of an acquiring entity in connection with a Change in Control, nor a change in title or Executive’s reporting relationships will be deemed a “material reduction” in and of itself; (iv) the relocation of Executive’s principal place of employment, without Executive’s consent, in a manner that lengthens Executive’s one-way commute distance by twenty-five (25) or more miles from Executive’s then-current principal place of employment immediately prior to such relocation; or (v) a material breach by the Company of this Agreement; provided, however, that, any such termination by Executive shall only be deemed for Good Reason pursuant to this definition if: (1) Executive gives the Company written notice of Executive’s intent to terminate for Good Reason within thirty (30) days following the first occurrence of the condition(s) that Executive believes constitute(s) Good Reason, which notice shall describe such condition(s); (2) the Company fails to remedy such condition(s) within thirty (30) days following receipt of the written notice (the “Cure Period”); (3) the Company has not, prior to receiving such notice from Executive, already informed Executive that Executive’s employment with the Company is being terminated; and (4) Executive voluntarily terminates Executive’s employment within thirty (30) days following the end of the Cure Period.

 

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(e) The Non-CIC Severance Benefits provided to Executive pursuant to this Section 6.2 are in lieu of, and not in addition to, any benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any Company severance plan, policy or program. For the avoidance of doubt, Executive shall not be eligible for both the Non-CIC Severance Benefits and CIC Severance Benefits.

(f) Any damages caused by the termination of Executive’s employment without Cause not in connection with a Change in Control would be difficult to ascertain; therefore, the Non-CIC Severance Benefits for which Executive is eligible pursuant to Section 6.2(b) above in exchange for the Release are agreed to by the parties as liquidated damages, to serve as full compensation, and not a penalty.

6.3 Termination by the Company without Cause or Resignation by Executive for Good Reason (in connection with a Change in Control).

(a) In the event that the Company terminates Executive’s employment without Cause or Executive resigns for Good Reason, in either case, (A) within the longer of (x) three (3) months prior to a Change in Control and (y) if the Company has executed a definitive agreement with respect to a transaction that, if consummated, would constitute a Change in Control, within the period between the date of the definitive agreement and the closing of such transaction or termination of such definitive agreement, or (B) within twelve (12) months following the effective date of a Change in Control (such period, the “Change in Control Measurement Period”) of the Company, then Executive shall be entitled to the Accrued Obligations and, subject to Executive’s compliance with the requirements of Sections 6.2(c) above, including but not limited to the Release requirement and Executive’s continued compliance with Executive’s obligations to the Company under Executive’s Confidential Information Agreement, then Executive will be eligible for the following “CIC Severance Benefits”:

(i) The Company will pay Executive severance pay in the form of continuation of Executive’s then-current Base Salary for eighteen (18) months (the “CIC Salary Continuation Severance”). The CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be paid in substantially equal installments on the Company’s regular payroll schedule following the termination date, subject to standard deductions and withholdings; provided, however that no portion of the CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be paid prior to the Release Effective Date (as defined below), and any such payments that are otherwise scheduled to be made prior to the Release Effective Date shall instead accrue and be made on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date;

(ii) Provided Executive or Executive’s covered dependents, as the case may be, timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, or state continuation coverage (as applicable), under the Company’s group health plans following such termination, the Company will pay the COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums to continue Executive’s (and Executive’s covered dependents, as applicable) health insurance coverage in effect on the termination date until the earliest of: (1) eighteen (18) months following the termination date; (2) the date when Executive becomes eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment; or (3) the date Executive ceases to be eligible for COBRA or state law continuation coverage for any reason, including plan termination (such period from the

 

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termination date through the earlier of (1)-(3), (the “CIC COBRA Payment Period”)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines that its payment of COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums on Executive’s behalf would result in a violation of applicable law (including, but not limited to, the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of paying such premiums pursuant to this Section, the Company shall pay Executive on the last day of each remaining month of the CIC COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA or state continuation coverage premium for such month, subject to applicable tax withholding, for the remainder of the CIC COBRA Payment Period. Nothing in this Agreement shall deprive Executive of Executive’s rights under COBRA or ERISA for benefits under plans and policies arising under Executive’s employment by the Company;

(iii) The Company will provide Executive with the Bonus Severance and the Prorated Bonus, each as defined in and paid according to the terms of Section 6.2; and

(iv) Effective as of Executive’s termination date or, if later, the date of such Change in Control the vesting and exercisability of all outstanding equity awards held by Executive immediately prior to the termination date shall be accelerated in full. For purposes of clarity, any termination or forfeiture of any unvested equity awards eligible for acceleration of vesting pursuant to Section 6.3(a)(iv) that otherwise would have occurred on or within the three (3) month period following the date of Executive’s termination will be delayed until the end of such three (3) month period (but, in the case of any stock option, not later than the expiration date of such stock option specified in the applicable option agreement) and will only occur to the extent such equity awards do not vest pursuant to this Section and, for purposes of clarity, no additional vesting of any equity awards shall occur during such three (3) month period, except as expressly provided above.

(b) For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall have the meaning set forth in the Company’s 2019 Stock Option Plan, or any successor equity incentive plan.

(c) The CIC Severance Benefits provided to Executive pursuant to this Section 6.3 are in lieu of, and not in addition to, any benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any Company severance plan, policy or program.

(d) Any damages caused by the termination of Executive’s employment without Cause during the Change in Control Measurement Period would be difficult to ascertain; therefore, the CIC Severance Benefits for which Executive is eligible pursuant to Section 6.3(a) above in exchange for the Release are agreed to by the parties as liquidated damages, to serve as full compensation, and not a penalty.

6.4 Resignation by Executive (other than for Good Reason).

(a) Executive may resign from Executive’s employment with the Company by giving notice as described in Section 6.6 below.

 

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(b) In the event Executive resigns from Executive’s employment with the Company other than for Good Reason, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits, the CIC Severance Benefits, or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations.

6.5 Termination by Virtue of Death or Disability of Executive.

(a) In the event of Executive’s death while employed pursuant to this Agreement, all obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate immediately. In the event Executive’s employment is terminated by virtue of Executive’s death, then pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive’s legal representatives the Accrued Obligations.

(b) Subject to applicable state and federal law, the Company shall at all times have the right, upon written notice to Executive, to terminate this Agreement based on Executive’s Disability (as defined below). Termination by the Company of Executive’s employment based on “Disability” shall mean termination because Executive is unable due to a physical or mental condition to perform the essential functions of Executive’s position with or without reasonable accommodation for six (6) months in the aggregate during any twelve (12) month period or based on the written certification by two licensed physicians of the likely continuation of such condition for such period. This definition shall be interpreted and applied consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and other applicable law. In the event Executive’s employment is terminated based on Executive’s Disability, then pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations.

(c) In the event Executive’s employment is terminated based on Executive’s death or Disability, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits, the CIC Severance Benefits, or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, the Company will provide the Accrued Obligations (as stated in Sections 6.5(a) and 6.5(b)).

6.6 Notice; Effective Date of Termination.

(a) Termination of Executive’s employment pursuant to this Agreement shall be effective on the earliest of:

(i) immediately after the Company gives notice to Executive of Executive’s termination, with or without Cause, unless pursuant to Sections 6.1(b)(i), (iv), (v), or (vi) above in which case ten (10) days after notice if not cured or unless the Company specifies a later date, in which case, termination shall be effective as of such later date;

(ii) immediately upon Executive’s death;

(iii) ten (10) days after the Company gives notice to Executive of Executive’s termination on account of Executive’s Disability, unless the Company specifies a later date, in which case, termination shall be effective as of such later date, provided that Executive has not returned to the full-time performance of Executive’s duties prior to such date;

 

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(iv) ten (10) days after Executive gives written notice to the Company of Executive’s resignation other than for Good Reason (in connection with Section 6.4), provided that the Company may set a termination date at any time between the date of notice and the date of resignation, in which case Executive’s resignation shall be effective as of such other date. Executive will receive compensation through any required notice period; or

(v) for a termination for Good Reason, immediately upon Executive’s full satisfaction of the requirements of Section 6.2(d).

(b) In the event notice of a termination under subsections (a)(i) and (iii) is given orally, at the other party’s request, the party giving notice must provide written confirmation of such notice within five (5) business days of the request in compliance with the requirements of Section 7.1 below. In the event of a termination for Cause, written confirmation shall specify the subsection(s) of the definition of Cause relied on to support the decision to terminate.

6.7 Cooperation With Company After Termination of Employment. Executive agrees to cooperate fully with the Company in all matters relating to the transition of Executive’s work and responsibilities on behalf of the Company, including, but not limited to, any present, prior or subsequent relationships and the orderly transfer of any such work and institutional knowledge to such other persons as may be designated by the Company, by making Executive reasonably available during regular business hours. Executive further agrees to cooperate with the Company in responding to the reasonable requests of the Company or its legal counsel, in connection with any and all existing or future litigation, arbitrations, mediations or investigations brought by or against the Company, or its or their respective affiliates, agents, officers, directors or employees, whether administrative, civil or criminal in nature, in which the Company reasonably deems Executive’s cooperation necessary or desirable. In such matters, Executive agrees to provide the Company with reasonable advice, assistance, and information, including offering and explaining evidence, providing sworn statements, and participating in discovery and trial preparation and testimony. Executive also agrees to promptly send the Company copies of all correspondence (for example, but not limited to, subpoenas) received by Executive in connection with any such legal proceedings, unless Executive is expressly prohibited by law from so doing.

6.8 Section 409A.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, any payments and benefits provided under this Agreement that constitute “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and the regulations and other guidance thereunder and any state law of similar effect (collectively, “Section 409A”) shall not commence in connection with Executive’s termination of employment until Executive has also incurred a Separation from Service , unless the Company reasonably determines that such amounts may be provided to Executive without causing Executive to incur the additional twenty percent (20%) tax under Section 409A. It is intended that each installment

 

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of severance pay provided for in this Agreement is a separate “payment” for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(i). For the avoidance of doubt, it is intended that severance payments set forth in this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exceptions from the application of Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.409A-1(b)(4) and 1.409A-1(b)(9). If the Company (or, if applicable, the successor entity thereto) determines that any payments or benefits constitute “deferred compensation” under Section 409A and Executive is, on the termination of service, a “specified employee” of the Company or any successor entity thereto, as such term is defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, then, solely to the extent necessary to avoid the incurrence of the adverse personal tax consequences under Section 409A, the timing of the payments and benefits shall be delayed until the earlier to occur of: (a) the date that is six months and one day after Executive’s Separation from Service, or (b) the date of Executive’s death (such applicable date, the “Specified Employee Initial Payment Date”). On the Specified Employee Initial Payment Date, the Company (or the successor entity thereto, as applicable) shall (i) pay to Executive a lump sum amount equal to the sum of the payments and benefits that Executive would otherwise have received through the Specified Employee Initial Payment Date if the commencement of the payment of such amounts had not been so delayed pursuant to this Section, and (ii) commence paying the balance of the payments and benefits in accordance with the applicable payment schedules set forth in this Agreement.

(b) It is intended that all payments and benefits under this Agreement shall either comply with or be exempt from the requirements of Section 409A, and any ambiguity contained herein shall be interpreted in such manner so as to avoid adverse personal tax consequences under Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall in no event be obligated to indemnify Executive for any taxes or interest that may be assessed by the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to Section 409A of the Code to payments made pursuant to this Agreement.

6.9 Excise Tax Adjustment.

(a) If any payment or benefit Executive will or may receive from the Company or otherwise (a “280G Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this Section, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then any such 280G Payment provided pursuant to this Agreement (a “Payment”) shall be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax, or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount (i.e., the amount determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state, and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in Executive’s receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction shall occur in the manner (the “Reduction Method”) that results in the greatest economic benefit for Executive. If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the “Pro Rata Reduction Method”).

 

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(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 6.9 to the contrary, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A that would not otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction Method, as the case may be, shall be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A as follows: (A) as a first priority, the modification shall preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for Executive as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events (e.g., being terminated without Cause), shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and (C) as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A.

(c) Unless Executive and the Company agree on an alternative accounting firm or law firm, the accounting firm engaged by the Company for general tax compliance purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control transaction shall perform the foregoing calculations. If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity, or group effecting the Change in Control transaction, the Company shall appoint a nationally-recognized accounting or law firm to make the determinations required by this Section 6.9. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting or law firm required to be made hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the accounting or law firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder to provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to Executive and the Company within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which Executive’s right to a 280G Payment becomes reasonably likely to occur (if requested at that time by Executive or the Company) or such other time as requested by Executive or the Company.

(d) If Executive receives a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of Section 6.9(a) and the Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, Executive agrees to promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of Section 6.9(a)) so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) of Section 6.9(a), Executive shall have no obligation to return any portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.

7. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

7.1 Notices. Any notices required hereunder to be in writing shall be deemed effectively given: (a) upon personal delivery to the party to be notified, (b) when sent by electronic mail or confirmed facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and if not, then on the next business day, (c) five (5) days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (d) one (1) day after deposit with a nationally-recognized overnight courier, specifying next-day delivery, with written verification of receipt. All communications shall be sent to the Company at its primary office location and to Executive at Executive’s address as listed on the Company payroll or Executive’s Company-provided email address, or at such other address as the Company or Executive may designate by ten (10) days’ advance written notice to the other.

 

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7.2 Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions had never been contained herein.

7.3 Waiver. If either party should waive any breach of any provisions of this Agreement, Executive or it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.

7.4 Complete Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between Executive and the Company with regard to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of their agreement with regard to this subject matter and supersedes any prior oral discussions or written communications and agreements, including the Prior Agreement. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation other than those expressly contained herein, and it cannot be modified or amended except in writing signed by Executive and an authorized officer of the Company. The parties have entered into a separate Confidential Information Agreement, and have entered into and may subsequently enter into separate agreements regarding equity. Any such separate agreements govern other aspects of the relationship between the parties, have or may have provisions that survive termination of Executive’s employment under this Agreement, may be amended or superseded by the parties without regard to this Agreement and are enforceable according to their terms without regard to the enforcement provision of this Agreement.

7.5 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but all of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement.

7.6 Headings. The headings of the sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof nor to affect the meaning thereof.

7.7 Successors and Assigns. The Company shall assign this Agreement and its rights and obligations hereunder in whole, but not in part, to any company or other entity with or into which the Company may hereafter merge or consolidate or to which the Company may transfer all or substantially all of its assets, if in any such case said company or other entity shall by operation of law or expressly in writing assume all obligations of the Company hereunder as fully as if it had been originally made a party hereto, but may not otherwise assign this Agreement or its rights and obligations hereunder. Executive may not assign or transfer this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder, other than to Executive’s estate upon Executive’s death.

7.8 Choice of Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement as of December 29, 2021.

 

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.
By:  

/s/ James I. Healy

  Name:   James I. Healy, M.D., Ph.D.
  Title:   Chairman of the Board of Directors
Executive:

/s/ Marc de Garidel

Marc de Garidel

 

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Exhibit 10.9

AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is entered into effective as of, and conditional upon, the pricing date of the initial public offering of the common stock of the Company (the “Effective Date”), by and between Mary Theresa Coelho (“Executive”) and CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”). This Agreement amends, restates, and supersedes in its entirety the Employment Terms between the Company and Executive dated October 10, 2021 (the “Prior Agreement”).

The Company desires to continue to employ Executive and, in connection therewith, to compensate Executive for Executive’s personal services to the Company; and

Executive wishes to continue to be employed by the Company and provide personal services to the Company in return for certain compensation.

Accordingly, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the parties agree to the following:

1. EMPLOYMENT BY THE COMPANY.

1.1 Position. Subject to the terms set forth herein, the Company agrees to continue to employ Executive in the full-time position of Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer, and Executive hereby accepts such continued employment. During the term of Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive will devote Executive’s best efforts and substantially all of Executive’s business time and attention to the business of the Company. As a full-time exempt employee, Executive will be expected to work the hours required by the nature of Executive’s work assignments and will not be eligible for overtime compensation.

1.2 Duties. Executive, on behalf of the Company, will continue to report to the Chief Executive Officer. Executive will continue to perform such duties as are normally associated with Executive’s position, and such other duties assigned from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer.

1.3 Location. Executive shall continue to perform Executive’s duties under this Agreement from the Company’s Boston, Massachusetts office, so long as Executive is permitted to travel under then-current COVID-19 travel restrictions; provided, however, Executive is permitted to work from Executive’s remote office in Waxhaw, North Carolina, or other East Coast locations in the event Executive’s home residence changes, up to two (2) days per week on average or as may be agreed between Executive and the Chief Executive Officer. In addition, Executive shall make business trips to such places as may be necessary or advisable for the efficient operations of the Company.

1.4 Company Policies and Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall also continue to be subject to the Company’s reasonable personnel policies and procedures as they may be interpreted, adopted, revised or deleted from time to time in the Company’s reasonable discretion. Executive will continue to be eligible to participate in the Company’s benefit plans for which Executive is eligible, in effect from time to time during Executive’s employment. All matters of eligibility for coverage or benefits under any benefit plan


shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of such plan. The Company reserves the right to change, alter, or terminate any benefit plan in its sole discretion. To the degree that alternative employee benefits and insurance programs are offered to the Company’s executive officers, Executive will be eligible to participate in such benefit plans or programs. In addition, Executive will be eligible to participate in and shall be subject to the Company’s plan and policies for paid time off, as established or modified from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.

2. COMPENSATION.

2.1 Salary. Executive shall continue to receive for Executive’s services to be rendered hereunder an annualized base salary of $450,000, subject to review and adjustment by the Company in its sole discretion, and payable subject to standard federal and state payroll withholding requirements in accordance with the Company’s standard payroll practices (“Base Salary”). Executive’s Base Salary will be reviewed annually, and will be subject to potential increase in the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”).

2.2 Bonus. Executive shall continue to be eligible to receive a discretionary annual cash bonus of up to 50% (the “Target Percentage”) of Executive’s then-current Base Salary (“Target Amount”), determined by the Board in its sole discretion, and payable subject to standard federal and state payroll withholding requirements. Whether or not Executive earns any bonus will be dependent upon (a) Executive’s continuous performance of services to the Company through the date any bonus is paid, except as otherwise stated in Sections 6.2(b)(iii)-(iv) or 6.3(a)(i); and (b) Executive’s performance and attainment of and the Company’s attainment of targeted goals, as set by the Board following reasonable consultation with Executive, over the applicable calendar year. The annual period over which performance is measured for purposes of this bonus is January 1 through December 31. Executive’s bonus for 2021, if any, will be pro-rated to the date on which Executive commenced employment with the Company. The Board will determine in its sole discretion the extent to which the milestones upon which the bonus is based have been achieved and the amount of the bonus, which could be zero. Executive’s eligibility for a bonus is subject to increase in the discretion of the Board (or any authorized committee thereof).

2.3 Equity. Executive remains eligible to be considered for future equity awards as may be determined by the Board or a committee of the Board in its discretion in accordance with the terms of any applicable equity plan or arrangement that may be in effect from time to time.

2.4 General Expense Reimbursement. The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable business expenses with proper documentation and in accordance with the Company’s standard expense reimbursement policy. For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent that any reimbursements payable to Executive are subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”): (a) any such reimbursements will be paid no later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred, (b) the amount of expenses reimbursed in one year will not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement in any subsequent year, and (c) the right to reimbursement under this Agreement will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

 

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2.5 Travel and Lodging Expenses. So long as Executive’s primary residence is in North Carolina, or another East Coast location, the Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable lodging in the Boston, Massachusetts area, as well as related reasonable travel expenses from Executive’s home in North Carolina, or such other East Coast location, to the Boston, Massachusetts area, in a combined maximum gross amount of $9,000 per month, or such other amount agreed to in writing between Executive and the Chief Executive Officer, and subject to revision over time in view of business needs (“Travel and Lodging Expenses”). The Company shall reimburse such Travel and Lodging Expenses, less any required withholding and/or deductions required by applicable law, within thirty (30) days of receipt of an invoice or other documentation that complies with Company policies, provided that Executive submits such receipts and other documentation within sixty (60) days following the date such Travel and Lodging Expenses are incurred. In order to be reimbursed by the Company, all travel and lodging expenditures must comply with the Company’s policies, as may be amended from time to time.

3. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, INVENTIONS, NON-SOLICITATION AND NON-COMPETITION OBLIGATIONS. As a condition of continued employment, Executive agrees to continue to abide by the Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement that Executive previously executed (the “Confidential Information Agreement”), which may be amended in writing signed by the parties from time to time without regard to this Agreement. The Confidential Information Agreement contains provisions that are intended by the parties to survive and do survive termination of this Agreement.

4. OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, Executive will not, while employed by the Company, undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise that would interfere with Executive’s responsibilities and the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder except for (i) reasonable time devoted to volunteer services for or on behalf of such religious, educational, non-profit and/or other charitable organization as Executive may wish to serve, (ii) reasonable time devoted to activities in the non-profit and business communities consistent with Executive’s duties, (iii) serving as a director on the board of directors of First Wave BioPharma and a second public company board of directors, so long as such roles do not interfere with Executive’s duties to the Company or create a conflict of interest, and (iv) such other activities as may be specifically approved by the Chief Executive Officer. This restriction shall not, however, preclude Executive (x) from owning less than one percent (1%) of the total outstanding shares of a publicly-traded company, or (y) from employment or service in any capacity with Affiliates of the Company. As used in this Agreement, “Affiliates” means an entity under common management or control with the Company.

5. NO CONFLICT WITH EXISTING OBLIGATIONS. Executive represents that Executive’s continued performance of all the terms of this Agreement and as an executive of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement or obligation of any kind made prior to Executive’s employment by the Company, including agreements or obligations Executive may have with prior employers or entities for which Executive has provided services. Executive has not entered into, and Executive agrees that Executive will not enter into, any agreement or obligation, either written or oral, in conflict herewith.

 

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6. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. The parties acknowledge that Executive’s employment relationship with the Company continues to be at-will. Either Executive or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without Cause (as defined below). The provisions in this Section govern the amount of compensation, if any, to be provided to Executive upon termination of employment and do not alter this at-will status.

6.1 Termination by the Company for Cause.

(a) The Company shall have the right to terminate Executive’s employment with the Company at any time for Cause (as defined in Section 6.1(b)) by giving notice as described in Section 6.6 of this Agreement.

(b) “Cause” for termination shall mean that the Company has determined in its sole discretion that Executive has engaged in any of the following: (i) a material breach of any covenant or condition under this Agreement or any other agreement between the parties after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such breach; (ii) any act constituting dishonesty, fraud, immoral or disreputable conduct which is reasonably likely to cause harm to the Company (including reputational harm); (iii) any conduct which constitutes a felony under applicable law; (iv) material violation of any Company policy after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such violation (to the extent deemed curable in the reasonable discretion of the Board); (v) refusal to follow or implement a clear and reasonable directive of Company after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such failure; (vi) gross negligence or incompetence in the performance of Executive’s duties after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such failure; or (vii) breach of fiduciary duty.

(c) In the event Executive’s employment is terminated at any time for Cause, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits (as defined below), the CIC Severance Benefits (as defined below), or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, consistent with the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations (as defined below).

(d) For purposes of this Agreement, “Accrued Obligations” are (i) Executive’s accrued but unpaid salary, (ii) any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by Executive payable in accordance with the Company’s standard expense reimbursement policies, and (iii) benefits owed to Executive under any qualified retirement plan or health and welfare benefit plan in which Executive was a participant in accordance with applicable law and the provisions of such plan.

6.2 Termination by the Company without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason (not in Connection with a Change in Control).

(a) The Company shall have the right to terminate Executive’s employment with the Company pursuant to this Section 6.2 at any time, in accordance with Section 6.6, without Cause by giving notice as described in Section 7.1 of this Agreement. A termination pursuant to Section 6.5 below is not a termination without Cause for purposes of receiving the benefits described in this Section 6.2.

 

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(b) If the Company terminates Executive’s employment without Cause or if Executive resigns for Good Reason (as defined below), in either case, at any time except during the Change in Control Measurement Period (both “Change in Control” and “Change in Control Measurement Period” as defined in Section 6.3 below) and, provided that such termination constitutes a “separation from service” (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h), without regard to any alternative definition thereunder, a “Separation from Service”), then Executive shall be entitled to receive the Accrued Obligations. If Executive complies with the obligations in Section 6.2(c) below (including but not limited to the Release requirement), the Company will provide Executive with the following “Non-CIC Severance Benefits:”

                                 (i) The Company will pay Executive severance pay in the form of continuation of Executive’s then-current Base Salary for twelve (12) months (the “Salary Continuation Severance”). The Salary Continuation Severance will be paid in substantially equal installments on the Company’s regular payroll schedule following the termination date, subject to standard deductions and withholdings; provided, however that no portion of the Salary Continuation Severance will be paid prior to the Release Effective Date (as defined below), and any such payments that are otherwise scheduled to be made prior to the Release Effective Date shall instead accrue and be made on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date;

                                 (ii) Provided Executive or Executive’s covered dependents, as the case may be, timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, or state continuation coverage (as applicable), under the Company’s group health plans following such termination, the Company will pay the COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums to continue Executive’s (and Executive’s covered dependents, as applicable) health insurance coverage in effect on the termination date until the earliest of (as applicable, the “COBRA Severance Benefit”): (1) twelve (12) months following the termination date; (2) the date when Executive becomes eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment; or (3) the date Executive ceases to be eligible for COBRA or state law continuation coverage for any reason, including plan termination (such period from the termination date through the earlier of (1)-(3), (the “COBRA Payment Period”)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines that its payment of COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums on Executive’s behalf would result in a violation of applicable law (including, but not limited to, the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of paying such premiums pursuant to this Section, the Company shall pay Executive on the last day of each remaining month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA or state continuation coverage premium for such month, subject to applicable tax withholding, for the remainder of the COBRA Payment Period. Nothing in this Agreement shall deprive Executive of Executive’s rights under COBRA or ERISA for benefits under plans and policies arising under Executive’s employment by the Company;

                                 (iii) If Executive is terminated pursuant to this Section between January 1 and the payment date of the bonus (under Section 2.2), the Company will pay a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to the amount of the bonus that Executive would have otherwise earned (if any) for performance in the calendar year preceding Executive’s termination (the “Bonus Severance”). The Bonus Severance will be subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and will be paid on the first payroll date following the Release Effective Date, provided that Executive has delivered an effective Release (as defined below) as of such date.

 

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                                 (iv) The Company will pay Executive an amount equal to the bonus (under Section 2.2) that Executive was eligible to receive during the calendar year in which Executive’s termination occurs (if any) prorated for any partial year of employment on the basis of a 365-day year, less applicable withholdings and deductions, payable in a lump sum on the later of (x) the date that annual performance bonuses are normally paid to other executives at the Company for that calendar year or (y) the Release Effective Date, but in no event later than March 15 of the year following the year to which the bonus is attributable (the “Prorated Bonus”); and

                                 (v) Executive was granted an option to purchase 75,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Initial Option”), subject to the Company’s 2019 Stock Option Plan (as amended), which shall vest in full on March 1, 2022. In the event that the Company terminates Executive’s employment without Cause or Executive resigns for Good Reason, in either case, prior to the vesting date of March 1, 2022 associated with the Initial Option, then effective as of the date of termination, the vesting and exercisability of the unvested portion of the Initial Option equity award (if any) shall be accelerated in full.

(c) Executive will be paid all of the Accrued Obligations on the Company’s first payroll date after Executive’s date of termination from employment or earlier if required by law. Executive shall receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits pursuant to Section 6.2(b) of this Agreement if: (i) within the timeframe provided by the Company, which shall be no later than the 60th day following the date of Executive’s Separation from Service, Executive has signed and delivered to the Company a separation agreement containing an effective, general release of claims in favor of the Company and its affiliates and representatives, in the reasonable form presented by the Company (the “Release”), which will include a non-competition clause, which cannot be revoked in whole or part by such date (the date that the Release can no longer be revoked is referred to as the “Release Effective Date”); (ii) if Executive holds any other positions with the Company or any Affiliate, including a position on the Board, Executive resigns such position(s) to be effective no later than the date of Executive’s termination date (or such other date as requested by the Board); (iii) Executive returns all Company property; (iv) Executive complies with Executive’s post-termination obligations under this Agreement and the Confidential Information Agreement, and remains in compliance at the time that each installment of Salary Continuation Severance is paid; and (v) Executive complies with the terms of the Release, including without limitation any non-disparagement and confidentiality provisions contained in the Release, and remains in compliance at the time that each installment of Salary Continuation Severance is paid.

(d) For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events without Executive’s consent: (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary (unless pursuant to a salary reduction program applicable generally to the Company’s similarly-situated executives); (ii) a material reduction in Executive’s annual cash bonus opportunity; (iii) a material reduction in Executive’s duties, authority and responsibilities relative to Executive’s duties, authority, and responsibilities in effect immediately prior to such reduction, provided, however, that neither the conversion of the

 

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Company to a subsidiary, division or unit of an acquiring entity in connection with a Change in Control, nor a change in title or Executive’s reporting relationships will be deemed a “material reduction” in and of itself; (iv) the relocation of Executive’s principal place of employment, without Executive’s consent, in a manner that lengthens Executive’s one-way commute distance by twenty-five (25) or more miles from Executive’s then-current principal place of employment immediately prior to such relocation (which Executive agrees is the Company’s Boston, Massachusetts office); or (v) a material breach by the Company of this Agreement; provided, however, that, any such termination by Executive shall only be deemed for Good Reason pursuant to this definition if: (1) Executive gives the Company written notice of Executive’s intent to terminate for Good Reason within thirty (30) days following the first occurrence of the condition(s) that Executive believes constitute(s) Good Reason, which notice shall describe such condition(s); (2) the Company fails to remedy such condition(s) within thirty (30) days following receipt of the written notice (the “Cure Period”); (3) the Company has not, prior to receiving such notice from Executive, already informed Executive that Executive’s employment with the Company is being terminated; and (4) Executive voluntarily terminates Executive’s employment within thirty (30) days following the end of the Cure Period.

(e) The Non-CIC Severance Benefits provided to Executive pursuant to this Section 6.2 are in lieu of, and not in addition to, any benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any Company severance plan, policy or program. For the avoidance of doubt, Executive shall not be eligible for both the Non-CIC Severance Benefits and CIC Severance Benefits.

(f) Any damages caused by the termination of Executive’s employment without Cause not in connection with a Change in Control would be difficult to ascertain; therefore, the Non-CIC Severance Benefits for which Executive is eligible pursuant to Section 6.2(b) above in exchange for the Release are agreed to by the parties as liquidated damages, to serve as full compensation, and not a penalty.

6.3 Termination by the Company without Cause or Resignation by Executive for Good Reason (in connection with a Change in Control).

(a) In the event that the Company terminates Executive’s employment without Cause or Executive resigns for Good Reason, in either case, (A) within the longer of (x) three (3) months prior to a Change in Control and (y) if the Company has executed a definitive agreement with respect to a transaction that, if consummated, would constitute a Change in Control, within the period between the date of the definitive agreement and the closing of such transaction or termination of such definitive agreement, or (B) within twelve (12) months following the effective date of a Change in Control (such period, the “Change in Control Measurement Period”) of the Company, then Executive shall be entitled to the Accrued Obligations and, subject to Executive’s compliance with the requirements of Sections 6.2(c) above, including but not limited to the Release requirement and Executive’s continued compliance with Executive’s obligations to the Company under Executive’s Confidential Information Agreement, then Executive will be eligible for the following “CIC Severance Benefits”:

 

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                                 (i) The Company will provide Executive with the Salary Continuation Severance, the COBRA Severance Benefit, the Bonus Severance, and the Prorated Bonus, each as defined in and paid or provided according to the terms of Section 6.2; and

                                 (ii) Effective as of Executive’s termination date or, if later, the date of such Change in Control the vesting and exercisability of all outstanding equity awards held by Executive immediately prior to the termination date, including the Initial Option, shall be accelerated in full. For purposes of clarity, any termination or forfeiture of any unvested equity awards eligible for acceleration of vesting pursuant to Section 6.3(a)(ii) that otherwise would have occurred on or within the three (3) month period following the date of Executive’s termination will be delayed until the end of such three (3) month period (but, in the case of any stock option, not later than the expiration date of such stock option specified in the applicable option agreement) and will only occur to the extent such equity awards do not vest pursuant to this Section and, for purposes of clarity, no additional vesting of any equity awards shall occur during such three (3) month period, except as expressly provided above.

(b) For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall have the meaning set forth in the Company’s 2019 Stock Option Plan, or any successor equity incentive plan.

(c) The CIC Severance Benefits provided to Executive pursuant to this Section 6.3 are in lieu of, and not in addition to, any benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any Company severance plan, policy or program.

(d) Any damages caused by the termination of Executive’s employment without Cause during the Change in Control Measurement Period would be difficult to ascertain; therefore, the CIC Severance Benefits for which Executive is eligible pursuant to Section 6.3(a) above in exchange for the Release are agreed to by the parties as liquidated damages, to serve as full compensation, and not a penalty.

6.4 Resignation by Executive (other than for Good Reason).

(a) Executive may resign from Executive’s employment with the Company by giving notice as described in Section 6.6 below.

(b) In the event Executive resigns from Executive’s employment with the Company other than for Good Reason, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits, the CIC Severance Benefits, or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations.

6.5 Termination by Virtue of Death or Disability of Executive.

(a) In the event of Executive’s death while employed pursuant to this Agreement, all obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate immediately. In the event Executive’s employment is terminated by virtue of Executive’s death, then pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive’s legal representatives the Accrued Obligations.

 

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(b) Subject to applicable state and federal law, the Company shall at all times have the right, upon written notice to Executive, to terminate this Agreement based on Executive’s Disability (as defined below). Termination by the Company of Executive’s employment based on “Disability” shall mean termination because Executive is unable due to a physical or mental condition to perform the essential functions of Executive’s position with or without reasonable accommodation for six (6) months in the aggregate during any twelve (12) month period or based on the written certification by two licensed physicians of the likely continuation of such condition for such period. This definition shall be interpreted and applied consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and other applicable law. In the event Executive’s employment is terminated based on Executive’s Disability, then pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations.

(c) In the event Executive’s employment is terminated based on Executive’s death or Disability, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits, the CIC Severance Benefits, or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, the Company will provide the Accrued Obligations (as stated in Sections 6.5(a) and 6.5(b)).

6.6 Notice; Effective Date of Termination.

(a) Termination of Executive’s employment pursuant to this Agreement shall be effective on the earliest of:

                                 (i) immediately after the Company gives notice to Executive of Executive’s termination, with or without Cause, unless pursuant to Sections 6.1(b)(i), (iv), (v), or (vi) above in which case ten (10) days after notice if not cured or unless the Company specifies a later date, in which case, termination shall be effective as of such later date;

                                 (ii) immediately upon Executive’s death;

                                 (iii) ten (10) days after the Company gives notice to Executive of Executive’s termination on account of Executive’s Disability, unless the Company specifies a later date, in which case, termination shall be effective as of such later date, provided that Executive has not returned to the full-time performance of Executive’s duties prior to such date;

                                 (iv) ten (10) days after Executive gives written notice to the Company of Executive’s resignation other than for Good Reason (in connection with Section 6.4), provided that the Company may set a termination date at any time between the date of notice and the date of resignation, in which case Executive’s resignation shall be effective as of such other date. Executive will receive compensation through any required notice period; or

                                 (v) for a termination for Good Reason, immediately upon Executive’s full satisfaction of the requirements of Section 6.2(d).

 

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(b) In the event notice of a termination under subsections (a)(i) and (iii) is given orally, at the other party’s request, the party giving notice must provide written confirmation of such notice within five (5) business days of the request in compliance with the requirements of Section 7.1 below. In the event of a termination for Cause, written confirmation shall specify the subsection(s) of the definition of Cause relied on to support the decision to terminate.

6.7 Cooperation With Company After Termination of Employment. Executive agrees to cooperate fully with the Company in all matters relating to the transition of Executive’s work and responsibilities on behalf of the Company, including, but not limited to, any present, prior or subsequent relationships and the orderly transfer of any such work and institutional knowledge to such other persons as may be designated by the Company, by making Executive reasonably available during regular business hours. Executive further agrees to cooperate with the Company in responding to the reasonable requests of the Company or its legal counsel, in connection with any and all existing or future litigation, arbitrations, mediations or investigations brought by or against the Company, or its or their respective affiliates, agents, officers, directors or employees, whether administrative, civil or criminal in nature, in which the Company reasonably deems Executive’s cooperation necessary or desirable. In such matters, Executive agrees to provide the Company with reasonable advice, assistance, and information, including offering and explaining evidence, providing sworn statements, and participating in discovery and trial preparation and testimony. Executive also agrees to promptly send the Company copies of all correspondence (for example, but not limited to, subpoenas) received by Executive in connection with any such legal proceedings, unless Executive is expressly prohibited by law from so doing.

6.8 Section 409A.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, any payments and benefits provided under this Agreement that constitute “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and the regulations and other guidance thereunder and any state law of similar effect (collectively, “Section 409A”) shall not commence in connection with Executive’s termination of employment until Executive has also incurred a Separation from Service , unless the Company reasonably determines that such amounts may be provided to Executive without causing Executive to incur the additional twenty percent (20%) tax under Section 409A. It is intended that each installment of severance pay provided for in this Agreement is a separate “payment” for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(i). For the avoidance of doubt, it is intended that severance payments set forth in this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exceptions from the application of Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.409A-1(b)(4) and 1.409A-1(b)(9). If the Company (or, if applicable, the successor entity thereto) determines that any payments or benefits constitute “deferred compensation” under Section 409A and Executive is, on the termination of service, a “specified employee” of the Company or any successor entity thereto, as such term is defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, then, solely to the extent necessary to avoid the incurrence of the adverse personal tax consequences under Section 409A, the timing of the payments and benefits shall be delayed until the earlier to occur of: (a) the date that is six months and one day after Executive’s Separation from Service, or (b) the date of Executive’s death (such applicable date, the “Specified Employee Initial Payment Date”). On the Specified Employee Initial Payment Date, the Company (or the successor entity thereto, as applicable) shall (i) pay to Executive a lump sum amount equal to the sum of the payments and benefits that Executive would otherwise have received through the Specified Employee Initial Payment Date if the commencement of the payment of such amounts had not been so delayed pursuant to this Section, and (ii) commence paying the balance of the payments and benefits in accordance with the applicable payment schedules set forth in this Agreement.

 

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(b) It is intended that all payments and benefits under this Agreement shall either comply with or be exempt from the requirements of Section 409A, and any ambiguity contained herein shall be interpreted in such manner so as to avoid adverse personal tax consequences under Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall in no event be obligated to indemnify Executive for any taxes or interest that may be assessed by the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to Section 409A of the Code to payments made pursuant to this Agreement.

6.9 Excise Tax Adjustment.

(a) If any payment or benefit Executive will or may receive from the Company or otherwise (a “280G Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this Section, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then any such 280G Payment provided pursuant to this Agreement (a “Payment”) shall be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax, or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount (i.e., the amount determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state, and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in Executive’s receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction shall occur in the manner (the “Reduction Method”) that results in the greatest economic benefit for Executive. If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the “Pro Rata Reduction Method”).

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 6.9 to the contrary, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A that would not otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction Method, as the case may be, shall be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A as follows: (A) as a first priority, the modification shall preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for Executive as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events (e.g., being terminated without Cause), shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and (C) as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A.

 

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(c) Unless Executive and the Company agree on an alternative accounting firm or law firm, the accounting firm engaged by the Company for general tax compliance purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control transaction shall perform the foregoing calculations. If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity, or group effecting the Change in Control transaction, the Company shall appoint a nationally-recognized accounting or law firm to make the determinations required by this Section 6.9. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting or law firm required to be made hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the accounting or law firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder to provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to Executive and the Company within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which Executive’s right to a 280G Payment becomes reasonably likely to occur (if requested at that time by Executive or the Company) or such other time as requested by Executive or the Company.

(d) If Executive receives a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of Section 6.9(a) and the Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, Executive agrees to promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of Section 6.9(a)) so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) of Section 6.9(a), Executive shall have no obligation to return any portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.

7. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

7.1 Notices. Any notices required hereunder to be in writing shall be deemed effectively given: (a) upon personal delivery to the party to be notified, (b) when sent by electronic mail or confirmed facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and if not, then on the next business day, (c) five (5) days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (d) one (1) day after deposit with a nationally-recognized overnight courier, specifying next-day delivery, with written verification of receipt. All communications shall be sent to the Company at its primary office location and to Executive at Executive’s address as listed on the Company payroll or Executive’s Company-provided email address, or at such other address as the Company or Executive may designate by ten (10) days’ advance written notice to the other.

7.2 Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions had never been contained herein.

7.3 Waiver. If either party should waive any breach of any provisions of this Agreement, Executive or it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.

 

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7.4 Complete Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between Executive and the Company with regard to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of their agreement with regard to this subject matter and supersedes any prior oral discussions or written communications and agreements, including the Prior Agreement. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation other than those expressly contained herein, and it cannot be modified or amended except in writing signed by Executive and an authorized officer of the Company. The parties have entered into a separate Confidential Information Agreement, and have entered into and may subsequently enter into separate agreements regarding equity. Any such separate agreements govern other aspects of the relationship between the parties, have or may have provisions that survive termination of Executive’s employment under this Agreement, may be amended or superseded by the parties without regard to this Agreement and are enforceable according to their terms without regard to the enforcement provision of this Agreement.

7.5 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but all of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement.

7.6 Headings. The headings of the sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof nor to affect the meaning thereof.

7.7 Successors and Assigns. The Company shall assign this Agreement and its rights and obligations hereunder in whole, but not in part, to any company or other entity with or into which the Company may hereafter merge or consolidate or to which the Company may transfer all or substantially all of its assets, if in any such case said company or other entity shall by operation of law or expressly in writing assume all obligations of the Company hereunder as fully as if it had been originally made a party hereto, but may not otherwise assign this Agreement or its rights and obligations hereunder. Executive may not assign or transfer this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder, other than to Executive’s estate upon Executive’s death.

7.8 Choice of Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement as of December 30, 2021.

 

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.
By:   /s/ Marc de Garidel
  Name: Marc de Garidel
  Title: Chief Executive Officer
 

 

Executive:
       /s/ Mary Theresa Coelho
  Mary Theresa Coelho

 

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Exhibit 10.10

AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is entered into effective as of, and conditional upon, the pricing date of the initial public offering of the common stock of the Company (the “Effective Date”), by and between Mason Freeman (“Executive”) and CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”). This Agreement amends, restates, and supersedes in its entirety the Employment Terms between the Company and Executive dated August 6, 2021 (the “Prior Agreement”).

The Company desires to continue to employ Executive and, in connection therewith, to compensate Executive for Executive’s personal services to the Company; and

Executive wishes to continue to be employed by the Company and provide personal services to the Company in return for certain compensation.

Accordingly, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the parties agree to the following:

1.    EMPLOYMENT BY THE COMPANY.

1.1    Position. Subject to the terms set forth herein, the Company agrees to continue to employ Executive in the position of Executive Vice President, Clinical Development, and Executive hereby accepts such continued employment. Executive will diligently perform Executive’s duties under this Agreement. As an exempt employee, Executive will be expected to work the hours required by the nature of Executive’s work assignments and will not be eligible for overtime compensation.

1.2    Duties. Executive, on behalf of the Company, will continue to report to the Chief Executive Officer. Executive will continue to perform such duties as are normally associated with Executive’s position, and such other duties assigned from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer.

1.3    Location. Executive shall continue to perform Executive’s duties under this Agreement from the Company’s Boston, Massachusetts office. In addition, Executive shall make business trips to such places as may be necessary or advisable for the efficient operations of the Company.

1.4    Company Policies and Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall also continue to be subject to the Company’s reasonable personnel policies and procedures as they may be interpreted, adopted, revised or deleted from time to time in the Company’s reasonable discretion. Executive will continue to be eligible to participate in the Company’s benefit plans for which Executive is eligible, in effect from time to time during Executive’s employment. All matters of eligibility for coverage or benefits under any benefit plan shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of such plan. The Company reserves the right to change, alter, or terminate any benefit plan in its sole discretion. To the degree that alternative employee benefits and insurance programs are offered to the Company’s executive officers, Executive will be eligible to participate in such benefit plans or programs. In addition, Executive will be eligible to participate in and shall be subject to the Company’s plan and policies for paid time off, as established or modified from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.


2.    COMPENSATION.

2.1    Salary. As of the Effective Date, Executive shall receive for Executive’s services to be rendered hereunder an annualized base salary of $350,000, subject to review and adjustment by the Company in its sole discretion, and payable subject to standard federal and state payroll withholding requirements in accordance with the Company’s standard payroll practices (“Base Salary”). Executive’s Base Salary will be reviewed annually, and will be subject to potential increase in the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”).

2.2    Bonus. Executive shall continue to be eligible to receive a discretionary annual cash bonus of up to 40% (the “Target Percentage”) of Executive’s then-current Base Salary (“Target Amount”), determined by the Board in its sole discretion, and payable subject to standard federal and state payroll withholding requirements. Whether or not Executive earns any bonus will be dependent upon (a) Executive’s continuous performance of services to the Company through the date any bonus is paid, except as otherwise stated in Sections 6.2(b)(iii) or 6.3(a)(iii)-(iv); and (b) Executive’s performance and attainment of and the Company’s attainment of targeted goals, as set by the Board following reasonable consultation with Executive, over the applicable calendar year. The annual period over which performance is measured for purposes of this bonus is January 1 through December 31. Executive’s bonus for 2021, if any, will be pro-rated to the date on which Executive commenced employment with the Company. The Board will determine in its sole discretion the extent to which the milestones upon which the bonus is based have been achieved and the amount of the bonus, which could be zero. Executive’s eligibility for a bonus is subject to increase in the discretion of the Board (or any authorized committee thereof).

2.3    Equity. Executive remains eligible to be considered for future equity awards as may be determined by the Board or a committee of the Board in its discretion in accordance with the terms of any applicable equity plan or arrangement that may be in effect from time to time.

2.4    General Expense Reimbursement. The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable business expenses with proper documentation and in accordance with the Company’s standard expense reimbursement policy. For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent that any reimbursements payable to Executive are subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”): (a) any such reimbursements will be paid no later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred, (b) the amount of expenses reimbursed in one year will not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement in any subsequent year, and (c) the right to reimbursement under this Agreement will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

3.    CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, INVENTIONS, NON-SOLICITATION AND NON-COMPETITION OBLIGATIONS. In connection with Executive’s continued employment with the Company, Executive will receive and have access to the Company’s confidential information and trade secrets. Accordingly, and in consideration of the benefits that Executive is eligible to receive under this Agreement, Executive agrees to execute and abide by an Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement attached as Exhibit A (“Confidential

 

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Information Agreement”), which may be amended in writing signed by the parties from time to time without regard to this Agreement. The Confidential Information Agreement contains provisions that are intended by the parties to survive and do survive termination of this Agreement.

4.    OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, Executive will not, while employed by the Company, undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise that would interfere with Executive’s responsibilities and the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder except for (i) reasonable time devoted to volunteer services for or on behalf of such religious, educational, non-profit and/or other charitable organization as Executive may wish to serve, (ii) reasonable time devoted to activities in the non-profit and business communities consistent with Executive’s duties, (iii) part-time work under Executive’s current agreement with Mass General Brigham Inc., with the understanding and expectation that such work does not and will not pose a conflict of interest with the Company and will not interfere with Executive’s ability to perform Executive’s duties under this Agreement, and (iv) such other activities as may be specifically approved by the Chief Executive Officer. This restriction shall not, however, preclude Executive (x) from owning less than one percent (1%) of the total outstanding shares of a publicly-traded company, or (y) from employment or service in any capacity with Affiliates of the Company. As used in this Agreement, “Affiliates” means an entity under common management or control with the Company.

5.    NO CONFLICT WITH EXISTING OBLIGATIONS. Executive represents that Executive’s continued performance of all the terms of this Agreement and as an executive of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement or obligation of any kind made prior to Executive’s employment by the Company, including agreements or obligations Executive may have with prior employers or entities for which Executive has provided services. Executive has not entered into, and Executive agrees that Executive will not enter into, any agreement or obligation, either written or oral, in conflict herewith.

6.    TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. The parties acknowledge that Executive’s employment relationship with the Company continues to be at-will. Either Executive or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without Cause (as defined below). The provisions in this Section govern the amount of compensation, if any, to be provided to Executive upon termination of employment and do not alter this at-will status.

6.1    Termination by the Company for Cause.

(a)    The Company shall have the right to terminate Executive’s employment with the Company at any time for Cause (as defined in Section 6.1(b)) by giving notice as described in Section 6.6 of this Agreement.

(b)    “Cause” for termination shall mean that the Company has determined in its sole discretion that Executive has engaged in any of the following: (i) a material breach of any covenant or condition under this Agreement or any other agreement between the parties after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such breach; (ii) any act constituting dishonesty, fraud, immoral or disreputable conduct which is reasonably likely to cause harm to the Company (including reputational harm); (iii) any conduct which constitutes a felony under applicable law; (iv) material violation of any Company policy after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such violation (to the extent deemed curable in

 

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the reasonable discretion of the Board); (v) refusal to follow or implement a clear and reasonable directive of Company after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such failure; (vi) gross negligence or incompetence in the performance of Executive’s duties after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such failure; or (vii) breach of fiduciary duty.

(c)    In the event Executive’s employment is terminated at any time for Cause, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits (as defined below), the CIC Severance Benefits (as defined below), or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, consistent with the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations (as defined below).

(d)    For purposes of this Agreement, “Accrued Obligations” are (i) Executive’s accrued but unpaid salary, (ii) any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by Executive payable in accordance with the Company’s standard expense reimbursement policies, and (iii) benefits owed to Executive under any qualified retirement plan or health and welfare benefit plan in which Executive was a participant in accordance with applicable law and the provisions of such plan.

6.2    Termination by the Company without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason (not in Connection with a Change in Control).

(a)    The Company shall have the right to terminate Executive’s employment with the Company pursuant to this Section 6.2 at any time, in accordance with Section 6.6, without Cause by giving notice as described in Section 7.1 of this Agreement. A termination pursuant to Section 6.5 below is not a termination without Cause for purposes of receiving the benefits described in this Section 6.2.

(b)    If the Company terminates Executive’s employment without Cause or if Executive resigns for Good Reason (as defined below), in either case, at any time except during the Change in Control Measurement Period (both “Change in Control” and “Change in Control Measurement Period” as defined in Section 6.3 below) and, provided that such termination constitutes a “separation from service” (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h), without regard to any alternative definition thereunder, a “Separation from Service”), then Executive shall be entitled to receive the Accrued Obligations. If Executive complies with the obligations in Section 6.2(c) below (including but not limited to the Release requirement), the Company will provide Executive with the following “Non-CIC Severance Benefits:”

(i)    The Company will pay Executive severance pay in the form of continuation of Executive’s then-current Base Salary for six (6) months (the “Non-CIC Salary Continuation Severance”). The Non-CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be paid in substantially equal installments on the Company’s regular payroll schedule following the termination date, subject to standard deductions and withholdings; provided, however that no portion of the Non-CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be paid prior to the Release Effective Date (as defined below), and any such payments that are otherwise scheduled to be made prior to the Release Effective Date shall instead accrue and be made on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date;

 

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(ii)    Provided Executive or Executive’s covered dependents, as the case may be, timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, or state continuation coverage (as applicable), under the Company’s group health plans following such termination, the Company will pay the COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums to continue Executive’s (and Executive’s covered dependents, as applicable) health insurance coverage in effect on the termination date until the earliest of: (1) six (6) months following the termination date; (2) the date when Executive becomes eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment; or (3) the date Executive ceases to be eligible for COBRA or state law continuation coverage for any reason, including plan termination (such period from the termination date through the earlier of (1)-(3), (the “Non-CIC COBRA Payment Period”)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines that its payment of COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums on Executive’s behalf would result in a violation of applicable law (including, but not limited to, the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of paying such premiums pursuant to this Section, the Company shall pay Executive on the last day of each remaining month of the Non-CIC COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA or state continuation coverage premium for such month, subject to applicable tax withholding, for the remainder of the Non-CIC COBRA Payment Period. Nothing in this Agreement shall deprive Executive of Executive’s rights under COBRA or ERISA for benefits under plans and policies arising under Executive’s employment by the Company; and

(iii)    If Executive is terminated pursuant to this Section 6.2 between January 1 and the payment date of the bonus (under Section 2.2), the Company will pay a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to the amount of the bonus that Executive would have otherwise earned (if any) for performance in the calendar year preceding Executive’s termination (the “Bonus Severance”). The Bonus Severance will be subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and will be paid on the first payroll date following the Release Effective Date, provided that Executive has delivered an effective Release (as defined below) as of such date.

(c)    Executive will be paid all of the Accrued Obligations on the Company’s first payroll date after Executive’s date of termination from employment or earlier if required by law. Executive shall receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits pursuant to Section 6.2(b) of this Agreement if: (i) within the timeframe provided by the Company, which shall be no later than the 60th day following the date of Executive’s Separation from Service, Executive has signed and delivered to the Company a separation agreement containing an effective, general release of claims in favor of the Company and its affiliates and representatives, in the reasonable form presented by the Company (the “Release”), which will include a non-competition clause, which cannot be revoked in whole or part by such date (the date that the Release can no longer be revoked is referred to as the “Release Effective Date”); (ii) if Executive holds any other positions with the Company or any Affiliate, including a position on the Board, Executive resigns such position(s) to be effective no later than the date of Executive’s termination date (or such other date as requested by the Board); (iii) Executive returns all Company property; (iv) Executive complies with Executive’s post-termination obligations under this Agreement and the Confidential Information Agreement, and remains in compliance at the time that each installment of Salary Continuation Severance is paid; and (v) Executive complies with the terms

 

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of the Release, including without limitation any non-disparagement and confidentiality provisions contained in the Release, and remains in compliance at the time that each installment of Salary Continuation Severance is paid.

(d)    For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events without Executive’s consent: (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary (unless pursuant to a salary reduction program applicable generally to the Company’s similarly-situated executives); (ii) a material reduction in Executive’s annual cash bonus opportunity; (iii) a material reduction in Executive’s duties, authority and responsibilities relative to Executive’s duties, authority, and responsibilities in effect immediately prior to such reduction, provided, however, that neither the conversion of the Company to a subsidiary, division or unit of an acquiring entity in connection with a Change in Control, nor a change in title or Executive’s reporting relationships will be deemed a “material reduction” in and of itself; (iv) the relocation of Executive’s principal place of employment, without Executive’s consent, in a manner that lengthens Executive’s one-way commute distance by twenty-five (25) or more miles from Executive’s then-current principal place of employment immediately prior to such relocation; or (v) a material breach by the Company of this Agreement; provided, however, that, any such termination by Executive shall only be deemed for Good Reason pursuant to this definition if: (1) Executive gives the Company written notice of Executive’s intent to terminate for Good Reason within thirty (30) days following the first occurrence of the condition(s) that Executive believes constitute(s) Good Reason, which notice shall describe such condition(s); (2) the Company fails to remedy such condition(s) within thirty (30) days following receipt of the written notice (the “Cure Period”); (3) the Company has not, prior to receiving such notice from Executive, already informed Executive that Executive’s employment with the Company is being terminated; and (4) Executive voluntarily terminates Executive’s employment within thirty (30) days following the end of the Cure Period.

(e)    The Non-CIC Severance Benefits provided to Executive pursuant to this Section 6.2 are in lieu of, and not in addition to, any benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any Company severance plan, policy or program. For the avoidance of doubt, Executive shall not be eligible for both the Non-CIC Severance Benefits and CIC Severance Benefits.

(f)    Any damages caused by the termination of Executive’s employment without Cause not in connection with a Change in Control would be difficult to ascertain; therefore, the Non-CIC Severance Benefits for which Executive is eligible pursuant to Section 6.2(b) above in exchange for the Release are agreed to by the parties as liquidated damages, to serve as full compensation, and not a penalty.

6.3    Termination by the Company without Cause or Resignation by Executive for Good Reason (in connection with a Change in Control).

(a)    In the event that the Company terminates Executive’s employment without Cause or Executive resigns for Good Reason, in either case, (A) within the longer of (x) three (3) months prior to a Change in Control and (y) if the Company has executed a definitive agreement with respect to a transaction that, if consummated, would constitute a Change in Control, within the period between the date of the definitive agreement and the closing of such

 

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transaction or termination of such definitive agreement, or (B) within twelve (12) months following the effective date of a Change in Control (such period, the “Change in Control Measurement Period”) of the Company, then Executive shall be entitled to the Accrued Obligations and, subject to Executive’s compliance with the requirements of Sections 6.2(c) above, including but not limited to the Release requirement and Executive’s continued compliance with Executive’s obligations to the Company under Executive’s Confidential Information Agreement, then Executive will be eligible for the following “CIC Severance Benefits”:

(i)    The Company will pay Executive severance pay in the form of continuation of Executive’s then-current Base Salary for twelve (12) months (the “CIC Salary Continuation Severance”). The CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be paid in substantially equal installments on the Company’s regular payroll schedule following the termination date, subject to standard deductions and withholdings; provided, however that no portion of the CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be paid prior to the Release Effective Date (as defined below), and any such payments that are otherwise scheduled to be made prior to the Release Effective Date shall instead accrue and be made on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date;

(ii)    Provided Executive or Executive’s covered dependents, as the case may be, timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, or state continuation coverage (as applicable), under the Company’s group health plans following such termination, the Company will pay the COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums to continue Executive’s (and Executive’s covered dependents, as applicable) health insurance coverage in effect on the termination date until the earliest of: (1) twelve (12) months following the termination date; (2) the date when Executive becomes eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment; or (3) the date Executive ceases to be eligible for COBRA or state law continuation coverage for any reason, including plan termination (such period from the termination date through the earlier of (1)-(3), (the “CIC COBRA Payment Period”)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines that its payment of COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums on Executive’s behalf would result in a violation of applicable law (including, but not limited to, the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of paying such premiums pursuant to this Section, the Company shall pay Executive on the last day of each remaining month of the CIC COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA or state continuation coverage premium for such month, subject to applicable tax withholding, for the remainder of the CIC COBRA Payment Period. Nothing in this Agreement shall deprive Executive of Executive’s rights under COBRA or ERISA for benefits under plans and policies arising under Executive’s employment by the Company;

(iii)    The Company will provide Executive with the Bonus Severance, as defined in and paid according to the terms of Section 6.2.

(iv)    The Company will pay Executive an amount equal to the bonus (under Section 2.2) that Executive was eligible to receive during the calendar year in which Executive’s termination occurs (if any) prorated for any partial year of employment on the basis of a 365-day year, less applicable withholdings and deductions, payable in a

 

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lump sum on the later of (x) the date that annual performance bonuses are normally paid to other executives at the Company for that calendar year or (y) the Release Effective Date, but in no event later than March 15 of the year following the year to which the bonus is attributable; and

(v)    Effective as of Executive’s termination date or, if later, the date of such Change in Control the vesting and exercisability of all outstanding equity awards held by Executive immediately prior to the termination date shall be accelerated in full. For purposes of clarity, any termination or forfeiture of any unvested equity awards eligible for acceleration of vesting pursuant to Section 6.3(a)(v) that otherwise would have occurred on or within the three (3) month period following the date of Executive’s termination will be delayed until the end of such three (3) month period (but, in the case of any stock option, not later than the expiration date of such stock option specified in the applicable option agreement) and will only occur to the extent such equity awards do not vest pursuant to this Section and, for purposes of clarity, no additional vesting of any equity awards shall occur during such three (3) month period, except as expressly provided above.

(b)    For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall have the meaning set forth in the Company’s 2019 Stock Option Plan, or any successor equity incentive plan.

(c)    The CIC Severance Benefits provided to Executive pursuant to this Section 6.3 are in lieu of, and not in addition to, any benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any Company severance plan, policy or program.

(d)    Any damages caused by the termination of Executive’s employment without Cause during the Change in Control Measurement Period would be difficult to ascertain; therefore, the CIC Severance Benefits for which Executive is eligible pursuant to Section 6.3(a) above in exchange for the Release are agreed to by the parties as liquidated damages, to serve as full compensation, and not a penalty.

6.4    Resignation by Executive (other than for Good Reason).

(a)    Executive may resign from Executive’s employment with the Company by giving notice as described in Section 6.6 below.

(b)    In the event Executive resigns from Executive’s employment with the Company other than for Good Reason, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits, the CIC Severance Benefits, or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations.

6.5    Termination by Virtue of Death or Disability of Executive.

(a) In the event of Executive’s death while employed pursuant to this Agreement, all obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate immediately. In the event Executive’s employment is terminated by virtue of Executive’s death, then pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive’s legal representatives the Accrued Obligations.

 

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(b)    Subject to applicable state and federal law, the Company shall at all times have the right, upon written notice to Executive, to terminate this Agreement based on Executive’s Disability (as defined below). Termination by the Company of Executive’s employment based on “Disability” shall mean termination because Executive is unable due to a physical or mental condition to perform the essential functions of Executive’s position with or without reasonable accommodation for six (6) months in the aggregate during any twelve (12) month period or based on the written certification by two licensed physicians of the likely continuation of such condition for such period. This definition shall be interpreted and applied consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and other applicable law. In the event Executive’s employment is terminated based on Executive’s Disability, then pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations.

(c)    In the event Executive’s employment is terminated based on Executive’s death or Disability, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits, the CIC Severance Benefits, or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, the Company will provide the Accrued Obligations (as stated in Sections 6.5(a) and 6.5(b)).

6.6    Notice; Effective Date of Termination.

(a)    Termination of Executive’s employment pursuant to this Agreement shall be effective on the earliest of:

(i)    immediately after the Company gives notice to Executive of Executive’s termination, with or without Cause, unless pursuant to Sections 6.1(b)(i), (iv), (v), or (vi) above in which case ten (10) days after notice if not cured or unless the Company specifies a later date, in which case, termination shall be effective as of such later date;

(ii)    immediately upon Executive’s death;

(iii)    ten (10) days after the Company gives notice to Executive of Executive’s termination on account of Executive’s Disability, unless the Company specifies a later date, in which case, termination shall be effective as of such later date, provided that Executive has not returned to the full-time performance of Executive’s duties prior to such date;

(iv)    ten (10) days after Executive gives written notice to the Company of Executive’s resignation other than for Good Reason (in connection with Section 6.4), provided that the Company may set a termination date at any time between the date of notice and the date of resignation, in which case Executive’s resignation shall be effective as of such other date. Executive will receive compensation through any required notice period; or

(v)    for a termination for Good Reason, immediately upon Executive’s full satisfaction of the requirements of Section 6.2(d).

 

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(b)    In the event notice of a termination under subsections (a)(i) and (iii) is given orally, at the other party’s request, the party giving notice must provide written confirmation of such notice within five (5) business days of the request in compliance with the requirements of Section 7.1 below. In the event of a termination for Cause, written confirmation shall specify the subsection(s) of the definition of Cause relied on to support the decision to terminate.

6.7    Cooperation With Company After Termination of Employment. Executive agrees to cooperate fully with the Company in all matters relating to the transition of Executive’s work and responsibilities on behalf of the Company, including, but not limited to, any present, prior or subsequent relationships and the orderly transfer of any such work and institutional knowledge to such other persons as may be designated by the Company, by making Executive reasonably available during regular business hours. Executive further agrees to cooperate with the Company in responding to the reasonable requests of the Company or its legal counsel, in connection with any and all existing or future litigation, arbitrations, mediations or investigations brought by or against the Company, or its or their respective affiliates, agents, officers, directors or employees, whether administrative, civil or criminal in nature, in which the Company reasonably deems Executive’s cooperation necessary or desirable. In such matters, Executive agrees to provide the Company with reasonable advice, assistance, and information, including offering and explaining evidence, providing sworn statements, and participating in discovery and trial preparation and testimony. Executive also agrees to promptly send the Company copies of all correspondence (for example, but not limited to, subpoenas) received by Executive in connection with any such legal proceedings, unless Executive is expressly prohibited by law from so doing.

6.8    Section 409A.

(a)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, any payments and benefits provided under this Agreement that constitute “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and the regulations and other guidance thereunder and any state law of similar effect (collectively, “Section 409A”) shall not commence in connection with Executive’s termination of employment until Executive has also incurred a Separation from Service , unless the Company reasonably determines that such amounts may be provided to Executive without causing Executive to incur the additional twenty percent (20%) tax under Section 409A. It is intended that each installment of severance pay provided for in this Agreement is a separate “payment” for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(i). For the avoidance of doubt, it is intended that severance payments set forth in this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exceptions from the application of Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.409A-1(b)(4) and 1.409A-1(b)(9). If the Company (or, if applicable, the successor entity thereto) determines that any payments or benefits constitute “deferred compensation” under Section 409A and Executive is, on the termination of service, a “specified employee” of the Company or any successor entity thereto, as such term is defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, then, solely to the extent necessary to avoid the incurrence of the adverse personal tax consequences under Section 409A, the timing of the payments and benefits shall be delayed until the earlier to occur of: (a) the date that is six months and one day after Executive’s Separation from Service, or (b) the date of Executive’s death (such applicable date, the “Specified Employee Initial Payment Date”). On the Specified Employee Initial Payment Date, the Company (or the successor entity thereto, as applicable) shall (i) pay to Executive a lump sum amount equal to the sum of the payments and benefits that Executive would otherwise have received through the Specified Employee Initial

 

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Payment Date if the commencement of the payment of such amounts had not been so delayed pursuant to this Section, and (ii) commence paying the balance of the payments and benefits in accordance with the applicable payment schedules set forth in this Agreement.

(b)    It is intended that all payments and benefits under this Agreement shall either comply with or be exempt from the requirements of Section 409A, and any ambiguity contained herein shall be interpreted in such manner so as to avoid adverse personal tax consequences under Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall in no event be obligated to indemnify Executive for any taxes or interest that may be assessed by the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to Section 409A of the Code to payments made pursuant to this Agreement.

6.9    Excise Tax Adjustment.

(a)    If any payment or benefit Executive will or may receive from the Company or otherwise (a “280G Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this Section, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then any such 280G Payment provided pursuant to this Agreement (a “Payment”) shall be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax, or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount (i.e., the amount determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state, and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in Executive’s receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction shall occur in the manner (the “Reduction Method”) that results in the greatest economic benefit for Executive. If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the “Pro Rata Reduction Method”).

(b)    Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 6.9 to the contrary, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A that would not otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction Method, as the case may be, shall be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A as follows: (A) as a first priority, the modification shall preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for Executive as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events (e.g., being terminated without Cause), shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and (C) as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A.

(c)    Unless Executive and the Company agree on an alternative accounting firm or law firm, the accounting firm engaged by the Company for general tax compliance purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control transaction

 

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shall perform the foregoing calculations. If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity, or group effecting the Change in Control transaction, the Company shall appoint a nationally-recognized accounting or law firm to make the determinations required by this Section 6.9. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting or law firm required to be made hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the accounting or law firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder to provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to Executive and the Company within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which Executive’s right to a 280G Payment becomes reasonably likely to occur (if requested at that time by Executive or the Company) or such other time as requested by Executive or the Company.

(d)    If Executive receives a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of Section 6.9(a) and the Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, Executive agrees to promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of Section 6.9(a)) so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) of Section 6.9(a), Executive shall have no obligation to return any portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.

7.    GENERAL PROVISIONS.

7.1    Notices. Any notices required hereunder to be in writing shall be deemed effectively given: (a) upon personal delivery to the party to be notified, (b) when sent by electronic mail or confirmed facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and if not, then on the next business day, (c) five (5) days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (d) one (1) day after deposit with a nationally-recognized overnight courier, specifying next-day delivery, with written verification of receipt. All communications shall be sent to the Company at its primary office location and to Executive at Executive’s address as listed on the Company payroll or Executive’s Company-provided email address, or at such other address as the Company or Executive may designate by ten (10) days’ advance written notice to the other.

7.2    Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions had never been contained herein.

7.3    Waiver. If either party should waive any breach of any provisions of this Agreement, Executive or it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.

 

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7.4    Complete Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between Executive and the Company with regard to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of their agreement with regard to this subject matter and supersedes any prior oral discussions or written communications and agreements, including the Prior Agreement. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation other than those expressly contained herein, and it cannot be modified or amended except in writing signed by Executive and an authorized officer of the Company. The parties are entering into a separate Confidential Information Agreement, and have entered into and may subsequently enter into separate agreements regarding equity. Any such separate agreements govern other aspects of the relationship between the parties, have or may have provisions that survive termination of Executive’s employment under this Agreement, may be amended or superseded by the parties without regard to this Agreement and are enforceable according to their terms without regard to the enforcement provision of this Agreement.

7.5    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but all of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement.

7.6    Headings. The headings of the sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof nor to affect the meaning thereof.

7.7    Successors and Assigns. The Company shall assign this Agreement and its rights and obligations hereunder in whole, but not in part, to any company or other entity with or into which the Company may hereafter merge or consolidate or to which the Company may transfer all or substantially all of its assets, if in any such case said company or other entity shall by operation of law or expressly in writing assume all obligations of the Company hereunder as fully as if it had been originally made a party hereto, but may not otherwise assign this Agreement or its rights and obligations hereunder. Executive may not assign or transfer this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder, other than to Executive’s estate upon Executive’s death.

7.8    Choice of Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement as of December 29, 2021.

 

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.
By:  

/s/ Marc de Garidel

  Name: Marc de Garidel
  Title: Chief Executive Officer
Executive:

/s/ Mason Freeman, M.D.

Mason Freeman, M.D.

 

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For Massachusetts Employees

EXHIBIT A

EMPLOYEE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND INVENTIONS ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT

EMPLOYEE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND INVENTION ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT

In consideration of my employment or continued employment by CinCor Pharma, Inc., its subsidiaries, parents, affiliates, successors and assigns (together “Company”), and the compensation paid to me now and during my employment with Company, and the Company’s agreement to provide me with access to its Confidential Information (as defined below), I hereby enter into this Employee Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement (the “Agreement”) and agree as follows:

 

1.    Confidential Information Protections.

1.1    Recognition of Company’s Rights; Nondisclosure. I understand and acknowledge that my employment by Company creates a relationship of confidence and trust with respect to Company’s Confidential Information (as defined below) and that Company has a protectable interest therein. At all times during and after my employment, I will hold in confidence and will not disclose, use, lecture upon, or publish any of Company’s Confidential Information, except as such disclosure, use or publication may be required in connection with my work for Company, or unless an officer of Company expressly authorizes such disclosure. I will obtain Company’s written approval before publishing or submitting for publication any material (written, oral, or otherwise) that discloses and/or incorporates any Confidential Information. I hereby assign to Company any rights I may have or acquire in such Confidential Information and recognize that all Confidential Information will be the sole and exclusive property of Company and its assigns. I will take all reasonable precautions to prevent the inadvertent accidental disclosure of Confidential Information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1833(b), I will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that: (1) is made in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (2) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.

1.2    Confidential Information. The term “Confidential Information” means any and all confidential knowledge, data or information of Company. By way of illustration but not limitation, “Confidential Information” includes (a) trade secrets, inventions, mask works, ideas, processes, formulas, software in source or object code, data, programs, other works of authorship, know-how, improvements, discoveries, developments, designs and techniques and any other proprietary technology and all Intellectual Property Rights (as defined below) therein (collectively, “Inventions”); (b) information regarding research, development, new products, marketing and selling, business plans, budgets and unpublished financial statements, licenses, prices and costs, margins, discounts, credit

terms, pricing and billing policies, quoting procedures, methods of obtaining business, forecasts, future plans and potential strategies, financial projections and business strategies, operational plans, financing and capital-raising plans, activities and agreements, internal services and operational manuals, methods of conducting Company business, suppliers and supplier information, and purchasing; (c) information regarding customers and potential customers of Company, including customer lists, names, representatives, their needs or desires with respect to the types of products or services offered by Company, proposals, bids, contracts and their contents and parties, the type and quantity of products and services provided or sought to be provided to customers and potential customers of Company and other non-public information relating to customers and potential customers; (d) information regarding any of Company’s business partners and their services, including names, representatives, proposals, bids, contracts and their contents and parties, the type and quantity of products and services received by Company, and other non-public information relating to business partners; (e) information regarding personnel, employee lists, compensation, and employee skills; and (f) any other non-public information which a competitor of Company could use to the competitive disadvantage of Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is understood that, at all such times, I am free to use information which was known to me prior to my employment with Company or which is generally known in the trade or industry through no breach of this Agreement or other act or omission by me. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other agreement between the Company and me, nothing in this Agreement will limit my right to discuss my employment or report possible violations of law or regulation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, United States Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or other federal government agency or similar state or local agency or to discuss the terms and conditions of my employment with others to the extent expressly permitted by Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act or to the extent that such disclosure is protected under the applicable provisions of law or regulation, including but not limited to “whistleblower” statutes or other similar provisions that protect such disclosure.

 

 

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1.3    Third Party Information. I understand, in addition, that Company has received and in the future will receive from third parties their confidential and/or proprietary knowledge, data or information (“Third Party Information”) subject to a duty on Company’s part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use it only for certain limited purposes. During the term of my employment and thereafter, I will hold Third Party Information in confidence and will not disclose to anyone (other than Company personnel who need to know such information in connection with their work for Company) or use, except in connection with my work for Company, Third Party Information or unless expressly authorized by an officer of Company in writing.

1.4    Term of Nondisclosure Restrictions. I understand that Confidential Information and Third Party Information is never to be used or disclosed by me, as provided in this Section 1. If a temporal limitation on my obligation not to use or disclose such information is required under applicable law, and the Agreement or its restriction(s) cannot otherwise be enforced, I agree and Company agrees that the two year period after the date my employment ends will be the temporal limitation relevant to the contested restriction; provided, however, that this sentence will not apply to trade secrets protected without temporal limitation under applicable law.

1.5    No Improper Use of Information of Prior Employers and Others. During my employment by Company, I will not improperly use or disclose confidential information or trade secrets, if any, of any former employer or any other person to whom I have an obligation of confidentiality, and I will not bring onto the premises of Company any unpublished documents or any property belonging to any former employer or any other person to whom I have an obligation of confidentiality unless consented to in writing by that former employer or person.

2.    Assignments of Inventions.

2.1    Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the term “Intellectual Property Rights” means all trade secrets, Copyrights, trademarks, mask work rights, patents and other intellectual property rights recognized by the laws of any jurisdiction or country; the term “Copyright” means the exclusive legal right to reproduce, perform, display, distribute and make derivative works of a work of authorship (as a literary, musical, or artistic work) recognized by the laws of any jurisdiction or country; and the term “Moral Rights” means all paternity, integrity, disclosure, withdrawal, special and any

other similar rights recognized by the laws of any jurisdiction or country.

2.2    Excluded Inventions and Other Inventions. Attached hereto as Exhibit A is a list describing all existing Inventions, if any, (a) that are owned by me or in which I have an interest and were made or acquired by me prior to my date of first employment by Company, (b) that may relate to Company’s business or actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, and (c) that are not to be assigned to Company (“Excluded Inventions”). If no such list is attached, I represent and agree that it is because I have no Excluded Inventions. For purposes of this Agreement, “Other Inventions” means Inventions in which I have or may have an interest, as of the commencement of my employment or thereafter, other than Company Inventions (as defined below) and Excluded Inventions. I acknowledge and agree that if I use any Excluded Inventions or any Other Inventions in the scope of my employment, or if I include any Excluded Inventions or Other Inventions in any product or service of Company, or if my rights in any Excluded Inventions or Other Inventions may block or interfere with, or may otherwise be required for, the exercise by Company of any rights assigned to Company under this Agreement, I will immediately so notify Company in writing. Unless Company and I agree otherwise in writing as to particular Excluded Inventions or Other Inventions, I hereby grant to Company, in such circumstances (whether or not I give Company notice as required above), a non-exclusive, perpetual, transferable, fully-paid and royalty-free, irrevocable and worldwide license, with rights to sublicense through multiple levels of sublicensees, to reproduce, make derivative works of, distribute, publicly perform, and publicly display in any form or medium, whether now known or later developed, make, have made, use, sell, import, offer for sale, and exercise any and all present or future rights in, such Excluded Inventions and Other Inventions. To the extent that any third parties have rights in any such Other Inventions, I hereby represent and warrant that such third party or parties have validly and irrevocably granted to me the right to grant the license stated above.

2.3    Assignment of Company Inventions. Inventions assigned to Company or to a third party as directed by Company pursuant to Section 2.6 are referred to in this Agreement as “Company Inventions.” Subject to Section 2.4 and except for Excluded Inventions set forth in Exhibit A and Other Inventions, I hereby assign to Company all my right, title, and interest in and to any and all Inventions (and all Intellectual Property Rights with

 

 

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respect thereto) made, conceived, reduced to practice, or learned by me, either alone or with others, during the period of my employment by Company. To the extent required by applicable Copyright laws, I agree to assign in the future (when any copyrightable Inventions are first fixed in a tangible medium of expression) my Copyright rights in and to such Inventions. Any assignment of Company Inventions (and all Intellectual Property Rights with respect thereto) hereunder includes an assignment of all Moral Rights. To the extent such Moral Rights cannot be assigned to Company and to the extent the following is allowed by the laws in any country where Moral Rights exist, I hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waive the enforcement of such Moral Rights, and all claims and causes of action of any kind against Company or related to Company’s customers, with respect to such rights. I further acknowledge and agree that neither my successors-in-interest nor legal heirs retain any Moral Rights in any Company Inventions (and any Intellectual Property Rights with respect thereto).

2.4    Unassigned or Nonassignable Inventions. I recognize that this Agreement will not be deemed to require assignment of any Invention that I developed entirely on my own time without using the Company’s equipment, supplies, facilities, trade secrets, or Confidential Information, except for those Inventions that either (i) relate to the Company’s actual or anticipated business, research or development, or (ii) result from or are connected with work performed by me for the Company. In addition, this Agreement does not apply to any Invention which qualifies fully for protection from assignment to the Company under any specifically applicable state law, regulation, rule or public policy (“Specific Inventions Law”).

2.5    Obligation to Keep Company Informed. During the period of my employment, I will promptly and fully disclose to Company in writing all Inventions authored, conceived, or reduced to practice by me, either alone or jointly with others. At the time of each such disclosure, I will advise Company in writing of any Inventions that I believe fully qualify for protection under the provisions of the Specific Inventions Law; and I will at that time provide to Company in writing all evidence necessary to substantiate that belief. Company will keep in confidence and will not use for any purpose or disclose to third parties without my consent any confidential information disclosed in writing to Company pursuant to this Agreement relating to Inventions that qualify fully for protection under the Specific Inventions Law. I will preserve the confidentiality of any Invention that does not fully qualify for protection under the Specific Inventions Law.

2.6    Government or Third Party. I agree that, as directed by Company, I will assign to a third party, including without limitation the United States, all my right, title, and interest in and to any particular Company Invention.

2.7    Ownership of Work Product.

(a)    I acknowledge that all original works of authorship which are made by me (solely or jointly with others) within the scope of my employment and which are protectable by Copyright are “works made for hire,” pursuant to United States Copyright Act (17 U.S.C., Section 101).

(b)    I agree that Company will exclusively own all work product that is made by me (solely or jointly with others) within the scope of my employment, and I hereby irrevocably and unconditionally assign to Company all right, title, and interest worldwide in and to such work product. I understand and agree that I have no right to publish on, submit for publishing, or use for any publication any work product protected by this Section, except as necessary to perform services for Company.

2.8    Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights and Assistance. I will assist Company in every proper way to obtain, and from time to time enforce, United States and foreign Intellectual Property Rights and Moral Rights relating to Company Inventions in any and all countries. To that end I will execute, verify and deliver such documents and perform such other acts (including appearances as a witness) as Company may reasonably request for use in applying for, obtaining, perfecting, evidencing, sustaining and enforcing such Intellectual Property Rights and the assignment thereof. In addition, I will execute, verify and deliver assignments of such Intellectual Property Rights to Company or its designee, including the United States or any third party designated by Company. My obligation to assist Company with respect to Intellectual Property Rights relating to such Company Inventions in any and all countries will continue beyond the termination of my employment, but Company will compensate me at a reasonable rate after my termination for the time actually spent by me at Company’s request on such assistance. In the event Company is unable for any reason, after reasonable effort, to secure my signature on any document needed in connection with the actions specified in this paragraph, I hereby irrevocably designate and appoint Company and its duly authorized

 

 

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officers and agents as my agent and attorney in fact, which appointment is coupled with an interest, to act for and on my behalf to execute, verify and file any such documents and to do all other lawfully permitted acts to further the purposes of the preceding paragraph with the same legal force and effect as if executed by me. I hereby waive and quitclaim to Company any and all claims, of any nature whatsoever, which I now or may hereafter have for infringement of any Intellectual Property Rights assigned under this Agreement to Company.

2.9    Incorporation of Software Code. I agree that I will not incorporate into any Company software or otherwise deliver to Company any software code licensed under the GNU General Public License or Lesser General Public License or any other license that, by its terms, requires or conditions the use or distribution of such code on the disclosure, licensing, or distribution of any source code owned or licensed by Company except in strict compliance with Company’s policies regarding the use of such software.

3.    Records. I agree to keep and maintain adequate and current records (in the form of notes, sketches, drawings and in any other form that is required by Company) of all Confidential Information developed by me and all Company Inventions made by me during the period of my employment at Company, which records will be available to and remain the sole property of Company at all times.

4.    Duty of Loyalty During Employment. I agree that during the period of my employment by Company, I will not, without Company’s express written consent, directly or indirectly engage in any employment or business activity which is directly or indirectly competitive with, or would otherwise conflict with, my employment by Company.

5.    No Solicitation of Employees, Consultants, Contractors, or Customers or Potential Customers. Except as modified by Section 10.3 below, I agree that during the period of my employment and for the one year period after the date my employment ends for any reason, including but not limited to voluntary termination by me or involuntary termination by Company, I will not, as an officer, director, employee, consultant, owner, partner, or in any other capacity, either directly or through others, except on behalf of Company:

5.1    solicit, induce, encourage, or participate in soliciting, inducing or encouraging any person known to me to be an employee, consultant, or independent contractor of Company to terminate his or her relationship with Company, even if I did not initiate the discussion or seek out the contact;

5.2    solicit, induce, encourage, or participate in soliciting, inducing, or encouraging any person known to me to be an employee, consultant, or independent contractor of Company to terminate his or her relationship with Company to render services to me or any other person or entity that researches, develops, markets, sells, performs or provides or is preparing to develop, market, sell, perform or provide Conflicting Services (as defined below);

5.3    hire, employ, or engage in a business venture with as partners or owners or other joint capacity, or attempt to hire, employ, or engage in a business venture as partners or owners or other joint capacity, with any person then employed by Company or who has left the employment of Company within the preceding three months to research, develop, market, sell, perform or provide Conflicting Services;

5.4    solicit, induce or attempt to induce any Customer or Potential Customer (as defined below), to terminate, diminish, or materially alter in a manner harmful to Company its relationship with Company;

5.5    solicit or assist in the solicitation of any Customer or Potential Customer to induce or attempt to induce such Customer or Potential Customer to purchase or contract for any Conflicting Services; or

5.6    perform, provide or attempt to perform or provide any Conflicting Services for a Customer or Potential Customer.

The parties agree that for purposes of this Agreement, a “Customer or Potential Customer” is any person or entity who or which, at any time during the one year period prior to my contact with such person or entity as described in Sections 5.4, 5.5 or 5.6 above if such contact occurs during my employment or, if such contact occurs following the termination of my employment, during the one year period prior to the date my employment with Company ends: (i) contracted for, was billed for, or received from Company any product, service or process with which I worked directly or indirectly during my employment by Company or about which I acquired Confidential Information; or (ii) was in contact with me or in contact with any other employee, owner, or agent of Company, of which contact I was or should have been aware, concerning the sale or purchase of, or contract for, any product, service or process with which I worked directly or indirectly during my employment with Company or about which I acquired Confidential Information; or (iii) was solicited by Company in an effort in which I was involved or of which I was aware.

 

 

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6.    Non-Compete Provision.

6.1    Except as modified by Section 10.3 below, unless I am classified as nonexempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. 201-219, I agree that during the period of my employment and for the one year period after the termination of my employment relationship with the Company due to voluntary termination by me or involuntary termination by the Company for Cause (defined below), I will not, whether paid or not: (i) serve as a partner, principal, licensor, licensee, employee, consultant, officer, director, manager, agent, affiliate, representative, advisor, promoter, associate, investor, or otherwise for, (ii) directly or indirectly, own, purchase, organize or take preparatory steps for the organization of, or (iii) build, design, finance, acquire, lease, operate, manage, control, invest in, work or consult for or otherwise join, participate in or affiliate myself with, any business whose business, products or operations are in any respect involved in Conflicting Services (defined below) anywhere in the Restricted Territory (defined below). Should I obtain other employment during my employment with the Company or within 12 months immediately following the termination of my relationship with the Company, I agree to provide written notification to the Company as to the name and address of my new employer, the position that I expect to hold, and a general description of my duties and responsibilities, at least three business days prior to starting such employment.

6.2    The parties further agree that for purposes of this Agreement, “Conflicting Services” means any business in which the Company is engaged, or in which the Company has plans to be engaged, or any service that the Company provides or has plans to provide.

6.3    I agree that for purposes of this Agreement, “Restricted Territory” means the geographic areas in which I provided services for the Company or had a material presence or influence, during any time within the last two years prior to the termination of my relationship with the Company.

6.4    I agree that for purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” shall mean a termination of my employment by the Company due to my misconduct or failure to meet the Company’s performance expectations.

6.5    The Company may elect to enforce the provisions of this Section 6 or waive them at its sole discretion. If the Company elects to enforce the provisions of this Section, such

election may be accomplished by the Company providing me with written notice of its election to enforce: (A) on or before the last day of my employment with the Company pursuant to an involuntary termination by the Company for Cause, or (B) within 2 weeks after the Company’s receipt of written notice from me of my resignation from employment. If the Company elects to enforce the provisions of this Section 6 then the Company must either: (i) accelerate the vesting of my Company stock options by 12 months (“Mutually Agreed Upon Consideration”), or, in the event I do not have any Company stock options, (ii) pay me continuing salary payments for one year following termination of my employment at a rate equal to no less than 50% of the highest annualized base salary paid to me by the Company within the two years prior to the termination of my relationship with the Company (“Garden Leave Payments”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary above, the Company may enforce the covenants in this Section 6 without providing the Garden Leave Payments, if applicable, if it determines in good faith that I breached this Section 6 or unlawfully misappropriated the Company’s physical or electronic property. For avoidance of doubt, the Company’s failure to timely elect to enforce the provisions of this Section 6 shall be construed as its waiver of the provisions of this Section 6. For further avoidance of doubt, if the Company does not elect to enforce, I am classified as nonexempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. 201-219, or the Company is otherwise prohibited by law or a court from enforcing, the provisions of this Section 6, I will not be subject to the restrictions in this Section 6 nor will I be entitled to any Mutually Agreed Upon Consideration or Garden Leave Payments.

6.6    I acknowledge that I have received an increased salary and eligibility for severance benefits from the Company, pursuant to my Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement, in exchange for my agreement to the restrictions in this Section 6.

7.    Reasonableness of Restrictions.

7.1    I agree that I have read this entire Agreement and understand it. I acknowledge that I have the right to consult with counsel prior to signing this Agreement. I further acknowledge that I will derive significant value from the Company’s agreement to provide me with Company Confidential Information to enable me to optimize the performance of my duties to the

 

 

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Company. I further acknowledge that my fulfillment of the obligations contained in this Agreement, including, but not limited to, my obligation neither to disclose nor to use Company Confidential Information other than for the Company’s exclusive benefit and my obligations not to compete and not to solicit are necessary to protect Company Confidential Information and, consequently, to preserve the value and goodwill of the Company. I agree that this Agreement does not prevent me from earning a living or pursuing my career. I agree that the restrictions contained in this Agreement are reasonable, proper, and necessitated by Company’s legitimate business interests. I represent and agree that I am entering into this Agreement freely and with knowledge of its contents with the intent to be bound by the Agreement and the restrictions contained in it.

7.2    In the event that a court finds this Agreement, or any of its restrictions, to be ambiguous, unenforceable, or invalid, I and Company agree that the court will read the Agreement as a whole and interpret the restriction(s) at issue to be enforceable and valid to the maximum extent allowed by law.

7.3    If the court declines to enforce this Agreement in the manner provided in subsection 7.2, Company and I agree that this Agreement will be automatically modified to provide Company with the maximum protection of its business interests allowed by law and I agree to be bound by this Agreement as modified.

8.    No Conflicting Agreement or Obligation. I represent that my performance of all the terms of this Agreement and as an employee of Company does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence information acquired by me in confidence or in trust prior to my employment by Company. I have not entered into, and I agree I will not enter into, any agreement either written or oral in conflict with this Agreement.

9.    Return of Company Property. When I leave the employ of Company, I will deliver to Company any and all drawings, notes, memoranda, specifications, devices, formulas and documents, together with all copies thereof, and any other material containing or disclosing any Company Inventions, Third Party Information or Confidential Information of Company. I agree that I will not copy, delete, or alter any information contained upon my Company computer or Company equipment before I return it to Company. In addition, if I have used any personal computer, server, or e-mail system to receive, store, review, prepare or transmit any Company information, including but not limited to, Confidential Information, I agree to provide Company with a computer-

useable copy of all such Confidential Information and then permanently delete and expunge such Confidential Information from those systems; and I agree to provide Company access to my system as reasonably requested to verify that the necessary copying and/or deletion is completed. I further agree that any property situated on Company’s premises and owned by Company, including disks and other storage media, filing cabinets or other work areas, is subject to inspection by Company’s personnel at any time with or without notice. Prior to leaving, I will cooperate with Company in attending an exit interview and completing and signing Company’s termination statement if required to do so by Company.

10.    Legal and Equitable Remedies.

10.1    I agree that it may be impossible to assess the damages caused by my violation of this Agreement or any of its terms. I agree that any threatened or actual violation of this Agreement or any of its terms will constitute immediate and irreparable injury to Company, and Company will have the right to enforce this Agreement and any of its provisions by injunction, specific performance or other equitable relief, without bond and without prejudice to any other rights and remedies that Company may have for a breach or threatened breach of this Agreement.

10.2    I agree that if Company is successful in whole or in part in any legal or equitable action against me under this Agreement, Company will be entitled to payment of all costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees, from me.

10.3    In the event Company determines that I have breached a fiduciary duty owed to it or misappropriated the Company’s physical or electronic property, I agree that the restrictions of Sections 5 and 6 will remain in effect for a period of 24 months after the termination of my relationship with the Company.

11.    Notices. Any notices required or permitted under this Agreement will be given to Company at its headquarters location at the time notice is given, labeled “Attention Chief Executive Officer,” and to me at my address as listed on Company payroll, or at such other address as Company or I may designate by written notice to the other. Notice will be effective upon receipt or refusal of delivery. If delivered by certified or registered mail, notice will be considered to have been given five business days after it was mailed, as evidenced by the postmark. If delivered by courier or express mail service, notice will be considered to have been given on the delivery date reflected by the courier or express mail service receipt.

 

 

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12.    Publication of This Agreement to Subsequent Employer or Business Associates of Employee.

12.1    If I am offered employment or the opportunity to enter into any business venture as owner, partner, consultant or other capacity while the restrictions described in Sections 5 and 6 of this Agreement are in effect I agree to inform my potential employer, partner, co-owner and/or others involved in managing the business with which I have an opportunity to be associated of my obligations under this Agreement and also agree to provide such person or persons with a copy of this Agreement.

12.2    I agree to inform Company of all employment and business ventures which I enter into while the restrictions described in Sections 5 and 6 of this Agreement are in effect and I also authorize Company to provide copies of this Agreement to my employer, partner, co-owner and/or others involved in managing the business with which I am employed or associated and to make such persons aware of my obligations under this Agreement.

13.    General Provisions.

13.1    Governing Law; Consent to Personal Jurisdiction. This Agreement will be governed by and construed according to the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as such laws are applied to agreements entered into and to be performed entirely within Massachusetts between residents of Massachusetts. I hereby expressly consent to the personal jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located in Massachusetts for any lawsuit filed there against me by Company arising from or related to this Agreement.

13.2    Severability. In case any one or more of the provisions, subsections, or sentences contained in this Agreement will, for any reason, be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect the other provisions of this Agreement, and this Agreement will be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained in this Agreement. If moreover, any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement will for any reason be held to be excessively broad as to duration, geographical scope, activity or subject, it will be construed by limiting and reducing it, so as to be enforceable to the extent compatible with the applicable law as it will then appear.

13.3    Successors and Assigns. This Agreement is for my benefit and the benefit of Company, its successors, assigns, parent corporations, subsidiaries, affiliates, and purchasers, and

will be binding upon my heirs, executors, administrators and other legal representatives.

13.4    Survival. This Agreement will survive the termination of my employment, regardless of the reason, and the assignment of this Agreement by Company to any successor in interest or other assignee.

13.5    Employment At-Will. I agree and understand that nothing in this Agreement will change my at-will employment status or confer any right with respect to continuation of employment by Company, nor will it interfere in any way with my right or Company’s right to terminate my employment at any time, with or without cause or advance notice.

13.6    Waiver. No waiver by Company of any breach of this Agreement will be a waiver of any preceding or succeeding breach. No waiver by Company of any right under this Agreement will be construed as a waiver of any other right. Company will not be required to give notice to enforce strict adherence to all terms of this Agreement.

13.7    Export. I agree not to export, reexport, or transfer, directly or indirectly, any U.S. technical data acquired from Company or any products utilizing such data, in violation of the United States export laws or regulations.

13.8    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original, but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or other applicable law) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered will be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

13.9    Advice of Counsel. I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, IN EXECUTING THIS AGREEMENT, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL, AND I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD ALL OF THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT. THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE CONSTRUED AGAINST ANY PARTY BY REASON OF THE DRAFTING OR PREPARATION OF THIS AGREEMENT.

13.10    Entire Agreement. The obligations pursuant to Sections 1 and 2 (except Subsection 2.4 and Subsection 2.7(a)) of this Agreement will apply to any time

 

 

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during which I was previously engaged, or am in the future engaged, by Company as a consultant if no other agreement governs nondisclosure and assignment of inventions during such period. This Agreement is the final, complete and exclusive agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and

supersedes and merges all prior discussions between us. No modification of or amendment to this Agreement will be effective unless in writing and signed by the party to be charged. Any subsequent change or changes in my duties, salary or compensation will not affect the validity or scope of this Agreement.

 

 

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This Agreement will be effective as of December 29, 2021.

 

EMPLOYEE:

I have read this agreement carefully and understand its terms.

I have completely filled out Exhibit A to this Agreement.

/s/ Mason Freeman

(Signature)

Mason Freeman

Name

12/29/21

Date

 

Email

 

COMPANY:
Accepted and agreed
CinCor Pharma, Inc.
By:  

/s/ Marc De Garidel

  Name:   Marc De Garidel
  Title:   Chief Executive Officer
Email:  

 

 

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Signature Page

Exhibit 10.11

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is entered into effective as of, and conditional upon, the pricing date of the initial public offering of the common stock of the Company (the “Effective Date”), by and between Catherine Pearce (“Executive”) and CinCor Pharma, Inc. (the “Company”). This Agreement amends, restates, and supersedes in its entirety the Amended and Restated Employment Terms between the Company and Executive dated August 2, 2021 (the “Prior Agreement”).

The Company desires to continue to employ Executive and, in connection therewith, to compensate Executive for Executive’s personal services to the Company; and

Executive wishes to continue to be employed by the Company and provide personal services to the Company in return for certain compensation.

Accordingly, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the parties agree to the following:

1.    EMPLOYMENT BY THE COMPANY.

1.1    Position. Subject to the terms set forth herein, the Company agrees to continue to employ Executive in the full-time position of Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder, and Executive hereby accepts such continued employment. During the term of Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive will devote Executive’s best efforts and substantially all of Executive’s business time and attention to the business of the Company. As a full-time exempt employee, Executive will be expected to work the hours required by the nature of Executive’s work assignments and will not be eligible for overtime compensation.

1.2    Duties. Executive, on behalf of the Company, will continue to report to the Chief Executive Officer. Executive will continue to perform such duties as are normally associated with Executive’s position, and such other duties assigned from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer.

1.3    Location. Executive shall continue to perform Executive’s duties under this Agreement from the Company’s Cincinnati, Ohio office. In addition, Executive shall make business trips to such places as may be necessary or advisable for the efficient operations of the Company.

1.4    Company Policies and Benefits. The employment relationship between the parties shall also continue to be subject to the Company’s reasonable personnel policies and procedures as they may be interpreted, adopted, revised or deleted from time to time in the Company’s reasonable discretion. Executive will continue to be eligible to participate in the Company’s benefit plans for which Executive is eligible, in effect from time to time during Executive’s employment. All matters of eligibility for coverage or benefits under any benefit plan shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of such plan. The Company reserves the right to change, alter, or terminate any benefit plan in its sole discretion. To the degree that alternative employee benefits and insurance programs are offered to the Company’s executive officers, Executive will be eligible to participate in such benefit plans or programs. In addition, Executive will be eligible to participate in and shall be subject to the Company’s plan and policies


for paid time off, as established or modified from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.

2.    COMPENSATION.

2.1    Salary. Executive shall continue to receive for Executive’s services to be rendered hereunder an annualized base salary of $350,000, subject to review and adjustment by the Company in its sole discretion, and payable subject to standard federal and state payroll withholding requirements in accordance with the Company’s standard payroll practices (“Base Salary”). Executive’s Base Salary will be reviewed annually, and will be subject to potential increase in the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”).

2.2    Bonus. Executive shall continue to be eligible to receive a discretionary annual cash bonus of up to 40% (the “Target Percentage”) of Executive’s then-current Base Salary (“Target Amount”), determined by the Board in its sole discretion, and payable subject to standard federal and state payroll withholding requirements; provided, however, in the event that Executive works both a part-time schedule and a full-time schedule in the same calendar year, then the bonus for such calendar year will be calculated by applying the Target Percentage to the Base Salary applicable to the respective time periods of both the part-time schedule and the full-time schedule. Whether or not Executive earns any bonus will be dependent upon (a) Executive’s continuous performance of services to the Company through the date any bonus is paid, except as otherwise stated in Sections 6.2(b)(iii) or 6.3(a)(iii)-(iv); and (b) Executive’s performance and attainment of and the Company’s attainment of targeted goals, as set by the Board following reasonable consultation with Executive, over the applicable calendar year. The annual period over which performance is measured for purposes of this bonus is January 1 through December 31. Executive’s bonus for 2021, if any, will be pro-rated to the date on which Executive commenced employment with the Company. The Board will determine in its sole discretion the extent to which the milestones upon which the bonus is based have been achieved and the amount of the bonus, which could be zero. Executive’s eligibility for a bonus is subject to increase in the discretion of the Board (or any authorized committee thereof).

2.3    Equity. Executive remains eligible to be considered for future equity awards as may be determined by the Board or a committee of the Board in its discretion in accordance with the terms of any applicable equity plan or arrangement that may be in effect from time to time.

2.4    General Expense Reimbursement. The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable business expenses with proper documentation and in accordance with the Company’s standard expense reimbursement policy. For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent that any reimbursements payable to Executive are subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”): (a) any such reimbursements will be paid no later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred, (b) the amount of expenses reimbursed in one year will not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement in any subsequent year, and (c) the right to reimbursement under this Agreement will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

 

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3.    CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, INVENTIONS, NON-SOLICITATION AND NON-COMPETITION OBLIGATIONS. As a condition of continued employment, Executive agrees to continue to abide by the Employee Confidential Information, Inventions, Non-Solicitation and Non-Competition Agreement that Executive previously executed (the “Confidential Information Agreement”), which may be amended in writing signed by the parties from time to time without regard to this Agreement. The Confidential Information Agreement contains provisions that are intended by the parties to survive and do survive termination of this Agreement.

4.    OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, Executive will not, while employed by the Company, undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise that would interfere with Executive’s responsibilities and the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder except for (i) reasonable time devoted to volunteer services for or on behalf of such religious, educational, non-profit and/or other charitable organization as Executive may wish to serve, (ii) reasonable time devoted to activities in the non-profit and business communities consistent with Executive’s duties, and (iii) such other activities as may be specifically approved by the Chief Executive Officer. This restriction shall not, however, preclude Executive (x) from owning less than one percent (1%) of the total outstanding shares of a publicly-traded company, or (y) from employment or service in any capacity with Affiliates of the Company. As used in this Agreement, “Affiliates” means an entity under common management or control with the Company.

5.    NO CONFLICT WITH EXISTING OBLIGATIONS. Executive represents that Executive’s continued performance of all the terms of this Agreement and as an executive of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement or obligation of any kind made prior to Executive’s employment by the Company, including agreements or obligations Executive may have with prior employers or entities for which Executive has provided services (including, but not limited to, CinRx Pharma, LLC). Executive has not entered into, and Executive agrees that Executive will not enter into, any agreement or obligation, either written or oral, in conflict herewith.

6.    TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. The parties acknowledge that Executive’s employment relationship with the Company continues to be at-will. Either Executive or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without Cause (as defined below). The provisions in this Section govern the amount of compensation, if any, to be provided to Executive upon termination of employment and do not alter this at-will status.

6.1    Termination by the Company for Cause.

(a)    The Company shall have the right to terminate Executive’s employment with the Company at any time for Cause (as defined in Section 6.1(b)) by giving notice as described in Section 6.6 of this Agreement.

(b)    “Cause” for termination shall mean that the Company has determined in its sole discretion that Executive has engaged in any of the following: (i) a material breach of any covenant or condition under this Agreement or any other agreement between the parties after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such breach; (ii) any act constituting dishonesty, fraud, immoral or disreputable conduct which is reasonably likely to cause harm to the Company (including reputational harm); (iii) any conduct which constitutes a

 

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felony under applicable law; (iv) material violation of any Company policy after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such violation (to the extent deemed curable in the reasonable discretion of the Board); (v) refusal to follow or implement a clear and reasonable directive of Company after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such failure; (vi) gross negligence or incompetence in the performance of Executive’s duties after the expiration of ten (10) days without cure after written notice of such failure; or (vii) breach of fiduciary duty.

(c)    In the event Executive’s employment is terminated at any time for Cause, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits (as defined below), the CIC Severance Benefits (as defined below), or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, consistent with the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations (as defined below).

(d)    For purposes of this Agreement, “Accrued Obligations” are (i) Executive’s accrued but unpaid salary, (ii) any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by Executive payable in accordance with the Company’s standard expense reimbursement policies, and (iii) benefits owed to Executive under any qualified retirement plan or health and welfare benefit plan in which Executive was a participant in accordance with applicable law and the provisions of such plan.

6.2    Termination by the Company without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason (not in Connection with a Change in Control).

(a)    The Company shall have the right to terminate Executive’s employment with the Company pursuant to this Section 6.2 at any time, in accordance with Section 6.6, without Cause by giving notice as described in Section 7.1 of this Agreement. A termination pursuant to Section 6.5 below is not a termination without Cause for purposes of receiving the benefits described in this Section 6.2.

(b)    If the Company terminates Executive’s employment without Cause or if Executive resigns for Good Reason (as defined below), in either case, at any time except during the Change in Control Measurement Period (both “Change in Control” and “Change in Control Measurement Period” as defined in Section 6.3 below) and, provided that such termination constitutes a “separation from service” (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h), without regard to any alternative definition thereunder, a “Separation from Service”), then Executive shall be entitled to receive the Accrued Obligations. If Executive complies with the obligations in Section 6.2(c) below (including but not limited to the Release requirement), the Company will provide Executive with the following “Non-CIC Severance Benefits:”

(i)    The Company will pay Executive severance pay in the form of continuation of Executive’s then-current Base Salary for six (6) months (the “Non-CIC Salary Continuation Severance”). The Non-CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be paid in substantially equal installments on the Company’s regular payroll schedule following the termination date, subject to standard deductions and withholdings; provided, however that no portion of the Non-CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be paid prior to the Release Effective Date (as defined below), and any such payments that are otherwise scheduled to be made prior to the Release Effective Date shall instead accrue and be made on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date;

 

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(ii)    Provided Executive or Executive’s covered dependents, as the case may be, timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, or state continuation coverage (as applicable), under the Company’s group health plans following such termination, the Company will pay the COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums to continue Executive’s (and Executive’s covered dependents, as applicable) health insurance coverage in effect on the termination date until the earliest of: (1) six (6) months following the termination date; (2) the date when Executive becomes eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment; or (3) the date Executive ceases to be eligible for COBRA or state law continuation coverage for any reason, including plan termination (such period from the termination date through the earlier of (1)-(3), (the “Non-CIC COBRA Payment Period”)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines that its payment of COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums on Executive’s behalf would result in a violation of applicable law (including, but not limited to, the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of paying such premiums pursuant to this Section, the Company shall pay Executive on the last day of each remaining month of the Non-CIC COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA or state continuation coverage premium for such month, subject to applicable tax withholding, for the remainder of the Non-CIC COBRA Payment Period. Nothing in this Agreement shall deprive Executive of Executive’s rights under COBRA or ERISA for benefits under plans and policies arising under Executive’s employment by the Company; and

(iii)    If Executive is terminated pursuant to this Section 6.2 between January 1 and the payment date of the bonus (under Section 2.2), the Company will pay a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to the amount of the bonus that Executive would have otherwise earned (if any) for performance in the calendar year preceding Executive’s termination (the “Bonus Severance”). The Bonus Severance will be subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings and will be paid on the first payroll date following the Release Effective Date, provided that Executive has delivered an effective Release (as defined below) as of such date.

(c)    Executive will be paid all of the Accrued Obligations on the Company’s first payroll date after Executive’s date of termination from employment or earlier if required by law. Executive shall receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits pursuant to Section 6.2(b) of this Agreement if: (i) within the timeframe provided by the Company, which shall be no later than the 60th day following the date of Executive’s Separation from Service, Executive has signed and delivered to the Company a separation agreement containing an effective, general release of claims in favor of the Company and its affiliates and representatives, in the reasonable form presented by the Company (the “Release”), which cannot be revoked in whole or part by such date (the date that the Release can no longer be revoked is referred to as the “Release Effective Date”); (ii) if Executive holds any other positions with the Company or any Affiliate, including a position on the Board, Executive resigns such position(s) to be effective no later than the date of Executive’s termination date (or such other date as requested by the Board); (iii) Executive returns all Company property; (iv) Executive complies with Executive’s

 

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post-termination obligations under this Agreement and the Confidential Information Agreement, and remains in compliance at the time that each installment of Salary Continuation Severance is paid; and (v) Executive complies with the terms of the Release, including without limitation any non-disparagement and confidentiality provisions contained in the Release, and remains in compliance at the time that each installment of Salary Continuation Severance is paid.

(d)    For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events without Executive’s consent: (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary (unless pursuant to a salary reduction program applicable generally to the Company’s similarly-situated executives); (ii) a material reduction in Executive’s annual cash bonus opportunity; (iii) a material reduction in Executive’s duties, authority and responsibilities relative to Executive’s duties, authority, and responsibilities in effect immediately prior to such reduction, provided, however, that neither the conversion of the Company to a subsidiary, division or unit of an acquiring entity in connection with a Change in Control, nor a change in title or Executive’s reporting relationships will be deemed a “material reduction” in and of itself; (iv) the relocation of Executive’s principal place of employment, without Executive’s consent, in a manner that lengthens Executive’s one-way commute distance by twenty-five (25) or more miles from Executive’s then-current principal place of employment immediately prior to such relocation; or (v) a material breach by the Company of this Agreement; provided, however, that, any such termination by Executive shall only be deemed for Good Reason pursuant to this definition if: (1) Executive gives the Company written notice of Executive’s intent to terminate for Good Reason within thirty (30) days following the first occurrence of the condition(s) that Executive believes constitute(s) Good Reason, which notice shall describe such condition(s); (2) the Company fails to remedy such condition(s) within thirty (30) days following receipt of the written notice (the “Cure Period”); (3) the Company has not, prior to receiving such notice from Executive, already informed Executive that Executive’s employment with the Company is being terminated; and (4) Executive voluntarily terminates Executive’s employment within thirty (30) days following the end of the Cure Period.

(e)    The Non-CIC Severance Benefits provided to Executive pursuant to this Section 6.2 are in lieu of, and not in addition to, any benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any Company severance plan, policy or program. For the avoidance of doubt, Executive shall not be eligible for both the Non-CIC Severance Benefits and CIC Severance Benefits.

(f)    Any damages caused by the termination of Executive’s employment without Cause not in connection with a Change in Control would be difficult to ascertain; therefore, the Non-CIC Severance Benefits for which Executive is eligible pursuant to Section 6.2(b) above in exchange for the Release are agreed to by the parties as liquidated damages, to serve as full compensation, and not a penalty.

6.3    Termination by the Company without Cause or Resignation by Executive for Good Reason (in connection with a Change in Control).

(a)    In the event that the Company terminates Executive’s employment without Cause or Executive resigns for Good Reason, in either case, (A) within the longer of (x) three (3) months prior to a Change in Control and (y) if the Company has executed a

 

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definitive agreement with respect to a transaction that, if consummated, would constitute a Change in Control, within the period between the date of the definitive agreement and the closing of such transaction or termination of such definitive agreement, or (B) within twelve (12) months following the effective date of a Change in Control (such period, the “Change in Control Measurement Period”) of the Company, then Executive shall be entitled to the Accrued Obligations and, subject to Executive’s compliance with the requirements of Sections 6.2(c) above, including but not limited to the Release requirement and Executive’s continued compliance with Executive’s obligations to the Company under Executive’s Confidential Information Agreement, then Executive will be eligible for the following “CIC Severance Benefits”:

(i)    The Company will pay Executive severance pay in the form of continuation of Executive’s then-current Base Salary for twelve (12) months (the “CIC Salary Continuation Severance”). The CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be paid in substantially equal installments on the Company’s regular payroll schedule following the termination date, subject to standard deductions and withholdings; provided, however that no portion of the CIC Salary Continuation Severance will be paid prior to the Release Effective Date (as defined below), and any such payments that are otherwise scheduled to be made prior to the Release Effective Date shall instead accrue and be made on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date;

(ii)    Provided Executive or Executive’s covered dependents, as the case may be, timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, or state continuation coverage (as applicable), under the Company’s group health plans following such termination, the Company will pay the COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums to continue Executive’s (and Executive’s covered dependents, as applicable) health insurance coverage in effect on the termination date until the earliest of: (1) twelve (12) months following the termination date; (2) the date when Executive becomes eligible for substantially equivalent health insurance coverage in connection with new employment or self-employment; or (3) the date Executive ceases to be eligible for COBRA or state law continuation coverage for any reason, including plan termination (such period from the termination date through the earlier of (1)-(3), (the “CIC COBRA Payment Period”)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Company determines that its payment of COBRA, or state continuation coverage, premiums on Executive’s behalf would result in a violation of applicable law (including, but not limited to, the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of paying such premiums pursuant to this Section, the Company shall pay Executive on the last day of each remaining month of the CIC COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA or state continuation coverage premium for such month, subject to applicable tax withholding, for the remainder of the CIC COBRA Payment Period. Nothing in this Agreement shall deprive Executive of Executive’s rights under COBRA or ERISA for benefits under plans and policies arising under Executive’s employment by the Company;

(iii)    The Company will provide Executive with the Bonus Severance, as defined in and paid according to the terms of Section 6.2.

(iv)    The Company will pay Executive an amount equal to the bonus (under Section 2.2) that Executive was eligible to receive during the calendar year

 

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in which Executive’s termination occurs (if any) prorated for any partial year of employment on the basis of a 365-day year, less applicable withholdings and deductions, payable in a lump sum on the later of (x) the date that annual performance bonuses are normally paid to other executives at the Company for that calendar year or (y) the Release Effective Date, but in no event later than March 15 of the year following the year to which the bonus is attributable; and

(v)    Effective as of Executive’s termination date or, if later, the date of such Change in Control the vesting and exercisability of all outstanding equity awards held by Executive immediately prior to the termination date shall be accelerated in full. For purposes of clarity, any termination or forfeiture of any unvested equity awards eligible for acceleration of vesting pursuant to Section 6.3(a)(v) that otherwise would have occurred on or within the three (3) month period following the date of Executive’s termination will be delayed until the end of such three (3) month period (but, in the case of any stock option, not later than the expiration date of such stock option specified in the applicable option agreement) and will only occur to the extent such equity awards do not vest pursuant to this Section and, for purposes of clarity, no additional vesting of any equity awards shall occur during such three (3) month period, except as expressly provided above.

(b)    For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall have the meaning set forth in the Company’s 2019 Stock Option Plan, or any successor equity incentive plan.

(c)    The CIC Severance Benefits provided to Executive pursuant to this Section 6.3 are in lieu of, and not in addition to, any benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any Company severance plan, policy or program.

(d)    Any damages caused by the termination of Executive’s employment without Cause during the Change in Control Measurement Period would be difficult to ascertain; therefore, the CIC Severance Benefits for which Executive is eligible pursuant to Section 6.3(a) above in exchange for the Release are agreed to by the parties as liquidated damages, to serve as full compensation, and not a penalty.

6.4    Resignation by Executive (other than for Good Reason).

(a)    Executive may resign from Executive’s employment with the Company by giving notice as described in Section 6.6 below.

(b)    In the event Executive resigns from Executive’s employment with the Company other than for Good Reason, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits, the CIC Severance Benefits, or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations.

6.5    Termination by Virtue of Death or Disability of Executive.

(a)    In the event of Executive’s death while employed pursuant to this Agreement, all obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate immediately. In the event Executive’s employment is terminated by virtue of Executive’s death, then pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive’s legal representatives the Accrued Obligations.

 

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(b)    Subject to applicable state and federal law, the Company shall at all times have the right, upon written notice to Executive, to terminate this Agreement based on Executive’s Disability (as defined below). Termination by the Company of Executive’s employment based on “Disability” shall mean termination because Executive is unable due to a physical or mental condition to perform the essential functions of Executive’s position with or without reasonable accommodation for six (6) months in the aggregate during any twelve (12) month period or based on the written certification by two licensed physicians of the likely continuation of such condition for such period. This definition shall be interpreted and applied consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and other applicable law. In the event Executive’s employment is terminated based on Executive’s Disability, then pursuant to the Company’s standard payroll policies, the Company shall provide to Executive the Accrued Obligations.

(c)    In the event Executive’s employment is terminated based on Executive’s death or Disability, Executive will not receive the Non-CIC Severance Benefits, the CIC Severance Benefits, or any other severance compensation or benefit, except that, the Company will provide the Accrued Obligations (as stated in Sections 6.5(a) and 6.5(b)).

6.6    Notice; Effective Date of Termination.

(a)    Termination of Executive’s employment pursuant to this Agreement shall be effective on the earliest of:

(i)    immediately after the Company gives notice to Executive of Executive’s termination, with or without Cause, unless pursuant to Sections 6.1(b)(i), (iv), (v), or (vi) above in which case ten (10) days after notice if not cured or unless the Company specifies a later date, in which case, termination shall be effective as of such later date;

(ii)    immediately upon Executive’s death;

(iii)    ten (10) days after the Company gives notice to Executive of Executive’s termination on account of Executive’s Disability, unless the Company specifies a later date, in which case, termination shall be effective as of such later date, provided that Executive has not returned to the full-time performance of Executive’s duties prior to such date;

(iv)    ten (10) days after Executive gives written notice to the Company of Executive’s resignation other than for Good Reason (in connection with Section 6.4), provided that the Company may set a termination date at any time between the date of notice and the date of resignation, in which case Executive’s resignation shall be effective as of such other date. Executive will receive compensation through any required notice period; or

(v)    for a termination for Good Reason, immediately upon Executive’s full satisfaction of the requirements of Section 6.2(d).

 

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(b)    In the event notice of a termination under subsections (a)(i) and (iii) is given orally, at the other party’s request, the party giving notice must provide written confirmation of such notice within five (5) business days of the request in compliance with the requirements of Section 7.1 below. In the event of a termination for Cause, written confirmation shall specify the subsection(s) of the definition of Cause relied on to support the decision to terminate.

6.7    Cooperation With Company After Termination of Employment. Executive agrees to cooperate fully with the Company in all matters relating to the transition of Executive’s work and responsibilities on behalf of the Company, including, but not limited to, any present, prior or subsequent relationships and the orderly transfer of any such work and institutional knowledge to such other persons as may be designated by the Company, by making Executive reasonably available during regular business hours. Executive further agrees to cooperate with the Company in responding to the reasonable requests of the Company or its legal counsel, in connection with any and all existing or future litigation, arbitrations, mediations or investigations brought by or against the Company, or its or their respective affiliates, agents, officers, directors or employees, whether administrative, civil or criminal in nature, in which the Company reasonably deems Executive’s cooperation necessary or desirable. In such matters, Executive agrees to provide the Company with reasonable advice, assistance, and information, including offering and explaining evidence, providing sworn statements, and participating in discovery and trial preparation and testimony. Executive also agrees to promptly send the Company copies of all correspondence (for example, but not limited to, subpoenas) received by Executive in connection with any such legal proceedings, unless Executive is expressly prohibited by law from so doing.

6.8    Section 409A.

(a)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, any payments and benefits provided under this Agreement that constitute “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and the regulations and other guidance thereunder and any state law of similar effect (collectively, “Section 409A”) shall not commence in connection with Executive’s termination of employment until Executive has also incurred a Separation from Service , unless the Company reasonably determines that such amounts may be provided to Executive without causing Executive to incur the additional twenty percent (20%) tax under Section 409A. It is intended that each installment of severance pay provided for in this Agreement is a separate “payment” for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(i). For the avoidance of doubt, it is intended that severance payments set forth in this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exceptions from the application of Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.409A-1(b)(4) and 1.409A-1(b)(9). If the Company (or, if applicable, the successor entity thereto) determines that any payments or benefits constitute “deferred compensation” under Section 409A and Executive is, on the termination of service, a “specified employee” of the Company or any successor entity thereto, as such term is defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, then, solely to the extent necessary to avoid the incurrence of the adverse personal tax consequences under Section 409A, the timing of the payments and benefits shall be delayed until the earlier to occur of: (a) the date that is six months and one day after Executive’s Separation from Service, or (b) the date of Executive’s death (such applicable date, the “Specified Employee Initial Payment Date”). On the Specified Employee Initial Payment Date, the Company (or the successor entity thereto, as

 

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applicable) shall (i) pay to Executive a lump sum amount equal to the sum of the payments and benefits that Executive would otherwise have received through the Specified Employee Initial Payment Date if the commencement of the payment of such amounts had not been so delayed pursuant to this Section, and (ii) commence paying the balance of the payments and benefits in accordance with the applicable payment schedules set forth in this Agreement.

(b)    It is intended that all payments and benefits under this Agreement shall either comply with or be exempt from the requirements of Section 409A, and any ambiguity contained herein shall be interpreted in such manner so as to avoid adverse personal tax consequences under Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall in no event be obligated to indemnify Executive for any taxes or interest that may be assessed by the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to Section 409A of the Code to payments made pursuant to this Agreement.

6.9    Excise Tax Adjustment.

(a)    If any payment or benefit Executive will or may receive from the Company or otherwise (a “280G Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this Section, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then any such 280G Payment provided pursuant to this Agreement (a “Payment”) shall be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax, or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount (i.e., the amount determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state, and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in Executive’s receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction shall occur in the manner (the “Reduction Method”) that results in the greatest economic benefit for Executive. If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the “Pro Rata Reduction Method”).

(b)    Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 6.9 to the contrary, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A that would not otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction Method, as the case may be, shall be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A as follows: (A) as a first priority, the modification shall preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for Executive as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events (e.g., being terminated without Cause), shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and (C) as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A.

 

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(c)    Unless Executive and the Company agree on an alternative accounting firm or law firm, the accounting firm engaged by the Company for general tax compliance purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control transaction shall perform the foregoing calculations. If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity, or group effecting the Change in Control transaction, the Company shall appoint a nationally-recognized accounting or law firm to make the determinations required by this Section 6.9. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting or law firm required to be made hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the accounting or law firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder to provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to Executive and the Company within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which Executive’s right to a 280G Payment becomes reasonably likely to occur (if requested at that time by Executive or the Company) or such other time as requested by Executive or the Company.

(d)    If Executive receives a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of Section 6.9(a) and the Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, Executive agrees to promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of Section 6.9(a)) so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) of Section 6.9(a), Executive shall have no obligation to return any portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.

7.    GENERAL PROVISIONS.

7.1    Notices. Any notices required hereunder to be in writing shall be deemed effectively given: (a) upon personal delivery to the party to be notified, (b) when sent by electronic mail or confirmed facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and if not, then on the next business day, (c) five (5) days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (d) one (1) day after deposit with a nationally-recognized overnight courier, specifying next-day delivery, with written verification of receipt. All communications shall be sent to the Company at its primary office location and to Executive at Executive’s address as listed on the Company payroll or Executive’s Company-provided email address, or at such other address as the Company or Executive may designate by ten (10) days’ advance written notice to the other.

7.2    Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions had never been contained herein.

7.3    Waiver. If either party should waive any breach of any provisions of this Agreement, Executive or it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.

 

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7.4    Complete Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between Executive and the Company with regard to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of their agreement with regard to this subject matter and supersedes any prior oral discussions or written communications and agreements, including the Prior Agreement. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation other than those expressly contained herein, and it cannot be modified or amended except in writing signed by Executive and an authorized officer of the Company. The parties have entered into a separate Confidential Information Agreement, and have entered into and may subsequently enter into separate agreements regarding equity. Any such separate agreements govern other aspects of the relationship between the parties, have or may have provisions that survive termination of Executive’s employment under this Agreement, may be amended or superseded by the parties without regard to this Agreement and are enforceable according to their terms without regard to the enforcement provision of this Agreement.

7.5    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but all of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement.

7.6    Headings. The headings of the sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof nor to affect the meaning thereof.

7.7    Successors and Assigns. The Company shall assign this Agreement and its rights and obligations hereunder in whole, but not in part, to any company or other entity with or into which the Company may hereafter merge or consolidate or to which the Company may transfer all or substantially all of its assets, if in any such case said company or other entity shall by operation of law or expressly in writing assume all obligations of the Company hereunder as fully as if it had been originally made a party hereto, but may not otherwise assign this Agreement or its rights and obligations hereunder. Executive may not assign or transfer this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder, other than to Executive’s estate upon Executive’s death.

7.8    Choice of Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the law of the State of Ohio.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Second Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement as of December 29, 2021.

 

CINCOR PHARMA, INC.
By:  

/s/ Marc de Garidel

    Name: Marc de Garidel
    Title: Chief Executive Officer
Executive:

/s/ Catherine Pearce

Catherine Pearce, DHSc, MBA

 

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Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” and to the use of our report dated June 23, 2021, except for the matter discussed in Note 8, as to which the date is November 30, 2021, and the matters discussed in Note 2 and Note 10, as to which the date is January 3, 2022, in Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement (Form S-1) and related Prospectus of CinCor Pharma, Inc. for the registration of shares of its common stock.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Cincinnati, Ohio

January 3, 2022



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