UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
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Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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Definitive Proxy Statement |
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Definitive Additional Materials |
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 |
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Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11 |
Autonomix Medical, Inc.
21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(713) 588-6150
To the Stockholders of Autonomix Medical, Inc.:
On behalf of the Board of Directors (the "Board") and management of Autonomix Medical, Inc. (the "Company"), you are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company on October 30, 2025 (the "Annual Meeting"). The Annual Meeting will be held at the principal executive offices of the Company, 21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300, The Woodlands, TX 77380 and begin at 10:00 a.m. Central Time.
In accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s “notice and access” model, we are providing our Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Proxy Statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, and Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended March 31, 2025 to you online with paper copies available, free of charge, upon request. On or about September 12, 2025, we will begin mailing a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials detailing how to access the proxy materials electronically and how to submit your proxy via the Internet. The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials also provides instructions on how to request and obtain paper copies of the proxy materials and proxy card or voting instruction form, as applicable. The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials is not a proxy card and cannot be used to vote your shares. We believe this process provides our shareholders with a convenient way to access the proxy materials and submit their proxies online, while allowing us to reduce our environmental impact as well as the costs of printing and distribution.
Shareholders of record at the close of business on September 8, 2025 are entitled to vote on the matters presented at the Annual Meeting.
We intend to hold our Annual Meeting in person and we look forward to seeing you on October 30, 2025. We encourage you to attend the Annual Meeting, but if you are unable to attend, it is important that you vote in advance via the Internet, or by signing, dating and returning the proxy card. Your cooperation is appreciated since a majority of the common stock must be represented, either in person or by proxy, to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting.
Very truly yours,
Autonomix Medical, Inc.
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By: |
/s/ Walter V. Klemp |
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Walter V. Klemp |
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Executive Chairman of the Board |
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials
for the Annual Shareholder Meeting to be Held on October 30, 2025:
Electronic Copies of the Proxy Statement, our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K, and Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A are available at https://www.AMIX.vote
Autonomix Medical, Inc.
21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(713) 588-6150
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held October 30, 2025
TO THE STOCKHOLDERS OF AUTONOMIX MEDICAL, INC.:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Autonomix Medical, Inc. (the “Company”) will be held at the principal executive offices of the Company, 21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300, The Woodlands, TX 77380 and begin at 10:00 a.m. Central Time, for the following purposes, as described in the accompanying Proxy Statement:
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To elect five Board nominees to the Board of Directors of the Company, each to serve until the 2026 annual meeting of stockholders of the Company or until such person’s successor is qualified and elected ("Proposal 1"); |
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To ratify the appointment of Forvis Mazars, LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending March 31, 2026 ("Proposal 2"); |
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To approve an amendment to the Company's amended and restated certificate of incorporation to grant our Board of Directors authority to effect a reverse stock split of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock, at a reverse stock split ratio of between 1-for-2 to 1-for-25 (or any whole number in between), as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, prior to the one-year anniversary of this Annual Meeting ("Proposal 3"); |
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| 4. | To approve the amended and restated 2023 Equity Incentive Plan ("Proposal 4"); and | |
| 5. | To approve, for purposes of complying with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), the issuance of more than 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock pursuant to the Company’s purchase agreement with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Proposal 5”). |
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) is not aware of any other business that will be presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters should be properly presented at the Annual Meeting or any adjournments or postponements of the Annual Meeting for action by stockholders, the persons named in the form of proxy will vote the proxy in accordance with their best judgment on that matter.
Only stockholders of record of the Company at the close of business on September 8, 2025 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. A complete list of these stockholders will be open for the examination of any stockholder of record at the Company’s principal executive offices located at 21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300, The Woodlands, TX 77380 for a period of ten days prior to the Annual Meeting. The list will also be available for the examination of any stockholder of record present at the Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting may be adjourned or postponed from time to time without notice other than by announcement at the meeting.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE SIGN AND DATE THE ENCLOSED PROXY AND RETURN IT IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED.
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By Order of the Board of Directors, |
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AUTONOMIX MEDICAL, INC. |
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/s/ Walter V. Klemp |
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The Woodlands, Texas |
Walter V. Klemp |
| September 12, 2025 |
Executive Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer |
AUTONOMIX MEDICAL, INC.
PROXY STATEMENT
FOR
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held October 30, 2025
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND VOTING
WHAT IS THE NOTICE OF INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS THAT I RECEIVED IN THE MAIL AND WHY AM I RECEIVING IT?
In accordance with rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), except for stockholders who have requested otherwise, we have generally mailed to our stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice of Internet Availability”). The Notice of Internet Availability provides instructions either for accessing our proxy materials, including this Proxy Statement, the form of Proxy, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, and Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 (the “2025 Annual Report”), at the website address referred to in the Notice of Internet Availability, or for requesting printed copies of the proxy materials by mail or electronically by e-mail. If you would like to receive a paper or e-mail copy of our proxy materials either for this Annual Meeting or for all future meetings, you should follow the instructions for requesting such materials included in the Notice of Internet Availability we mailed to you.
Our Board provided the Notice of Internet Availability and is making the proxy materials available to you in connection with the Annual Meeting, to be held at the principal executive offices of the Company, 21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300, The Woodlands, TX 77380 on October 30, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time. As a stockholder of record as of September 8, 2025, you are invited to attend the Annual Meeting and are entitled to and requested to vote on the items of business described in this Proxy Statement.
The terms “Autonomix,” “Company,” “we,” or “our” refer to Autonomix Medical, Inc.
WHAT PROPOSALS WILL BE ADDRESSED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING?
We will address the following proposals at the Annual Meeting:
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To elect five Board nominees to the Board of Directors of the Company, each to serve until the 2026 annual meeting of stockholders of the Company or until such person’s successor is qualified and elected ("Proposal 1"); |
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To ratify the appointment of Forvis Mazars, LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending March 31, 2026 ("Proposal 2"); |
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To approve an amendment to the Company's amended and restated certificate of incorporation to grant our Board of Directors authority to effect a reverse stock split of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock, at a reverse stock split ratio of between 1-for-2 to 1-for-25 (or any whole number in between), as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, prior to the one-year anniversary of this Annual Meeting ("Proposal 3"); |
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| 4. | To approve the amended and restated 2023 Equity Incentive Plan ("Proposal 4"); and | |
| 5. | To approve, for purposes of complying with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), the issuance of more than 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock pursuant to the Company’s purchase agreement with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Proposal 5”). |
WHO MAY VOTE ON THESE PROPOSALS?
We will send this proxy statement, the attached Notice of Annual Meeting and the enclosed proxy card on or about September 12, 2025 to all stockholders as of September 8, 2025 (the “Record Date”). Stockholders who owned shares of our common stock at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting on all matters properly brought before the Annual Meeting.
On the Record Date, we had 5,941,992 shares of issued and outstanding common stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.
Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote on each matter presented at the Annual Meeting. Cumulative voting is not permitted.
WHY WOULD THE ANNUAL MEETING BE POSTPONED?
The Annual Meeting will be postponed if a quorum is not present on October 30, 2025. The presence in person or by proxy of the holders of one-third in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting as of the Record Date, will constitute a quorum and is required to transact business at the Annual Meeting. If a quorum is not present, the Annual Meeting may be adjourned until a quorum is obtained.
Abstentions and broker non-votes are treated as shares present or represented at the meeting but are not counted as votes cast. Shares held by brokers who do not have discretionary authority to vote on a particular matter and who have not received voting instructions from their customers (broker non-votes) are not considered to be "entitled to vote" on that matter and are not counted or deemed to be present or represented for the purpose of determining whether stockholders have approved that matter, but they are counted as present for the purposes of determining the existence of a quorum at the Annual Meeting.
HOW DO I VOTE WITHOUT ATTENDING THE MEETING?
If you are the stockholder of record, you may vote by one of the following methods as instructed on the Notice of Internet Availability:
• Voting over the Internet : If you are a stockholder of record, you may use the Internet to transmit your vote up until 11:59 P.M., Eastern Time, October 29, 2025 (the day before the Annual Meeting). Visit www.AMIX.vote and have your proxy card in hand when you access the website and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.
• By mail : If you elect to vote by mail and you requested and received a printed set of proxy materials, you may mark, sign, date and mail the proxy card you received from us in the return envelope. If you did not receive a printed proxy card and wish to vote by mail, you may do so by requesting a paper copy of the proxy materials (as described below), which will include a proxy card.
Whichever method of voting you use, the proxies identified on the proxy card will vote the shares of which you are the stockholder of record in accordance with your instructions. If you submit a proxy card properly voted and returned through available channels without giving specific voting instructions, the proxies will vote the shares as recommended by our Board.
If you own your shares in “street name,” that is through a brokerage account or in another nominee form, you must provide instructions to the broker or nominee as to how your shares should be voted. Your broker or nominee will usually provide you with the appropriate instruction forms at the time you receive the proxy materials. If you own your shares in this manner, you cannot vote in person at the Annual Meeting unless you receive a proxy to do so from the broker or the nominee.
If you plan to attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person on October 30, 2025, or at a later date if the meeting is adjourned or postponed, we will give you a ballot when you arrive. However, if your shares are held in the name of your broker, bank or other nominee, you must bring a power of attorney executed by the broker, bank or other nominee that owns the shares of record for your benefit and authorizing you to vote the shares.
If you give a proxy, you may revoke it at any time before it is exercised. You may revoke your proxy in three ways:
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You may send in another proxy with a later date. |
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You may notify us in writing (or if the stockholder is a corporation, under its corporate seal, by an officer or attorney of the corporation) at our principal executive offices before the Annual Meeting that you are revoking your proxy. |
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You may vote in person at the Annual Meeting. |
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If you are a record owner of your shares and you submitted your proxy by telephone or via the Internet, you may change your vote or revoke your proxy with a later telephone or Internet proxy, as the case may be. |
WHAT VOTE IS REQUIRED TO APPROVE EACH PROPOSAL?
Proposal 1: Election of Directors .
A plurality of the votes cast is required to elect director nominees, and as such, the five nominees who receive the greatest number of “FOR” votes cast by stockholders, entitled to vote at the meeting, will be elected. A nominee who receives a plurality means he or she has received more “FOR” votes than any other nominee for the same director’s seat. Broker non-votes and "WITHHOLD" votes will have no effect on this proposal.
Proposal 2: Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
The approval of Proposal 2 requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least the majority of the voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) at the Annual Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of this proposal. We believe this proposal will be considered to be a “routine” matter and, accordingly, if you hold your shares in street name and do not provide voting instructions to your broker, bank or other agent that holds your shares, your broker, bank or other agent has discretionary authority to vote on this proposal.
Proposal 3: To approve an amendment to the Company's amended and restated certificate of incorporation to grant our Board of Directors authority to effect a reverse stock split of the outstanding shares of the Company ’ s common stock, at a reverse stock split ratio of between 1-for-2 to 1-for-25 (or any whole number in between), as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, prior to the one-year anniversary of this Annual Meeting.
The approval of Proposal 3 requires the votes cast for the proposal to exceed the votes cast against the proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of this proposal.
Proposal 4: To approve the amended and restated 2023 Equity Incentive Plan.
The approval of Proposal 4 requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least the majority of the voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) at the Annual Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of this proposal.
Proposal 5: To approve, for purposes of complying with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), the issuance of more than 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock pursuant to the Company’s purchase agreement with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC.
The approval of Proposal 5 requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least the majority of the voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) at the Annual Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of this proposal.
Other Business That Is Properly Brought Before the Annual Meeting
If you do not give instructions to your bank or brokerage firm, it will nevertheless be entitled to vote your shares in its discretion on routine matters. However, absent your instructions, the record holder will not be permitted to vote your shares on a non-routine matter, which are referred to as "broker non-votes", properly brought before the meeting. Broker non-votes (shares held by brokers that do not have discretionary authority to vote on the matter and have not received voting instructions from their clients) are not counted or deemed to be present or represented for the purpose of determining whether stockholders have approved that proposal but will be counted in determining whether there is a quorum present.
ARE THERE ANY RIGHTS OF APPRAISAL?
The Board of Directors is not proposing any action for which the laws of the State of Delaware, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws provide a right of a stockholder to obtain appraisal of or payment for such stockholder’s shares.
WHO BEARS THE COST OF SOLICITING PROXIES?
We will bear the cost of soliciting proxies in the accompanying form and will reimburse brokerage firms and others for expenses involved in forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners or soliciting their execution.
WHERE ARE AUTONOMIX MEDICAL ’ S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES?
The principal executive offices of Autonomix are located at 21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300, The Woodlands, TX 77380, and our telephone number is (713) 588-6150.
HOW CAN I OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT AUTONOMIX?
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which requires that we file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding companies, including Autonomix, that file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website address is www.sec.gov. In addition, our filings may be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities of the SEC located at 100 F Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20549.
STOCK OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth information, as of August 26, 2025, regarding beneficial ownership of our common stock by:
• each of our directors;
• each of our named executive officers;
• all directors and executive officers as a group; and
• each person, or group of affiliated persons, known by us to beneficially own more than five percent of our shares of common stock.
Beneficial ownership is determined according to the rules of the SEC, and generally means that person has beneficial ownership of a security if he or she possesses sole or shared voting or investment power of that security and includes options, convertible notes and warrants that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days. Each director or officer, as the case may be, has furnished us with information with respect to beneficial ownership. Except as otherwise indicated, we believe that the beneficial owners of common stock listed below, based on the information each of them has given to us, have sole investment and voting power with respect to their shares, except where community property laws may apply. Except as otherwise noted below, the address for each person or entity listed in the table is c/o Autonomix Medical, Inc., 21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300, The Woodlands, TX 77380.
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As of August 26, 2025 |
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Shares beneficially owned |
Percent
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Name of Beneficial Owner |
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Executive officers and directors: |
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Lori Bisson |
3,750 | (1) | * | |||||
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Dr. Robert Schwartz |
35,765 | * | ||||||
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Landy Toth |
101,315 | 1.7 | % | |||||
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Walter Klemp |
150,750 | (1) | 2.6 | % | ||||
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Jonathan P. Foster |
36,563 | (1) | * | |||||
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David Robins |
26,582 | (1)(2) | * | |||||
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Trent Smith |
3,750 | (1) | * | |||||
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All Executive Officers and Directors as a group (7 persons) |
358,475 | 6.2 | % | |||||
*Less than 1%.
(1) Consists of shares of common stock underlying convertible notes and warrants to purchase common stock that vest within 60 days of August 25 , 202 5 .
(2) Includes a portion of 80,000 warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock that was held by Impulse Medical, Inc., in which Mr. Robins owns 19.5% through Portsmouth Therapeutics, Inc., an entity in which Mr. Robins also owns a 33.33% interest. The shares underlying the warrants are subject to a lockup agreement for a period of six months after the closing of the Company’s IPO with respect to 12.5% of the shares issued and twelve months after the closing of the Company’s IPO for the remainder of the shares.
INFORMATION ABOUT DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Directors and Executive Officers
The following table sets forth the names and ages of all of our directors and executive officers as of August 26, 2025. Our officers are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Board of Directors.
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Name |
Age |
Position |
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Brad Hauser |
48 |
Chief Executive Officer and President |
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Dr. Robert Schwartz |
74 |
Chief Medical Officer |
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Landy Toth |
48 |
Chief Technology Officer |
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Trent Smith |
56 |
Chief Financial Officer |
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Walter V. Klemp |
66 |
Executive Chairman |
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| Lori Bisson | 55 | Executive Vice Chairman | ||
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Jonathan P. Foster |
61 |
Director |
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David Robins |
56 |
Director |
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Christopher Capelli |
65 |
Director |
Set forth below is biographical information about each of the individuals named in the table above:
Brad Hauser, Chief Executive Officer and President. Mr. Hauser became our President and Chief Executive Officer effective June 17, 2024. Prior to his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Hauser served as the Chief Operating Officer at Beauty Health from January 2023 to June 2024. Mr. Hauser previously served as the President and Chief Executive Officer at Soliton, Inc., a medical device company focused on developing new technology for use in aesthetics, from November 2020 to December 2021. Soliton was purchased by AbbVie in 2021 and he continued to provide transition support post-acquisition as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Soliton with Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, until July 2022. Mr. Hauser previously served as Vice President, Research and Development and General Manager for CoolSculpting at Allergan Pharmaceuticals since ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. was acquired by Allergan in April 2017. Previously, he served as the Senior Vice President of Research and Development at ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. from January 2017 to April 2017 and as its Vice President of Research and Development from July 2015 to January 2017. Mr. Hauser joined ZELTIQ in December 2013 as Vice President of Product and Clinical Strategy. Prior to joining ZELTIQ, he held multiple roles in the aesthetic industry, including Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations at Cutera, Director of Research and Development at Medicis and Managing Director of Product and Clinical Marketing at Solta Medical. Mr. Hauser received his B.A. degree in Human Biology from Stanford University.
Dr. Robert Schwartz, Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Schwartz was a co-founder of our company, has served as our Chief Medical Officer since June 2023, and served as our Chief Executive Officer from February 2022 until June 2023. Dr. Schwartz is President of the Jon DeHaan Center for Medical Innovation. He was previously Director at the Center for Applied Vascular Biology and Interventions, Mayo Foundation. Dr. Schwartz has also served as Professor and Associate Professor at the Mayo Medical School. He holds Board Certifications on the National Board of Medical Examiners, American Board of Internal Medicine, and the American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases. He has published numerous articles in peer review journals dealing with various topics in interventional cardiology. Dr. Schwartz is the recipient of various awards including the Andreas Gruentzig Award for Basic Research in Coronary Restenosis from the Thoraxcenter/European Society of Cardiology. He holds professional memberships as Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and The Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions. Dr. Schwartz is also a member of the Society of Atherosclerosis Imaging. Dr. Schwartz received a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, and his doctorate from the University of Colorado-Denver and continued his internship, residency, and Fellowship at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine. Dr. Schwartz has agreed to provide services to us on a part-time basis of 25% of his working time.
Landy Toth, Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Toth is a key inventor and is responsible for Autonomix’s development efforts to date. Mr. Toth founded Tricord Holdings, LLC in 2012 and Autonomix in August 2014 and has been the Chief Technology Officer since that time. In addition to these efforts, he founded and has filled the role of Chief Technology Officer of LifeLens Technologies, Inc. since September 2016 and also assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer in November 2024. Over the past 20 years, Mr. Toth has successfully commercialized medical device technologies within startup environments. His focus has been the development and commercialization of wearable and interventional diagnostic medical technologies. He presently has 647 publications across 56 patent families. His portfolio has a grant rate greater than 70% after 2 years. Mr. Toth holds a MASc from the University of Toronto and a BASc from the University of Waterloo. Mr. Toth has also been an employee of Davos Chemical Corporation since January 2011. Mr. Toth has agreed to provide services to us on a part-time basis of 25% of his working time.
Trent Smith, Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Smith joined us in July 2023 as our Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Smith has extensive management, accounting, financial and international experience. From June 2018 to September 2022, Mr. Smith served as the Corporate Controller and Vice-President of Soliton, Inc., a medical device company focused on developing new technology for use in aesthetics that was acquired by AbbVie, Inc. in December 2021 and he continued to provide transition support post acquisition. From 2011 to 2018, Mr. Smith held various positions with InfuSystem Holdings, Inc., a national provider of infusion pumps and related services to the healthcare industry, where he served as Corporate Controller and Vice-President before a promotion to Chief Accounting Officer and Executive Vice President. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Smith served as the Director of External Reporting of Syncreon Holdings, Inc., an international leader in global supply chain management, where he was responsible for creating the external reporting department to be compliant with SEC type reporting. From 2006 to 2010, Mr. Smith served as the Director of Accounting and Financial Reporting of Champion Homes, Inc., a leader in the manufactured housing industry and one of the largest modular homebuilders in North America. From 2005 to 2006, Mr. Smith served as the Director of External Financial Reporting for Dura Automotive Systems, a Tier 1 international designer and manufacturer of automotive components headquartered in Auburn Hills, MI. From 1999 to 2006, Mr. Smith served in various roles and divisions for Valeo, Inc., an international Tier 1 automotive supplier, including as Financial Controller and Treasurer of Valeo Distribution North America and Director of Accounting and Internal Controls for Valeo Wiper Systems, Valoe’s largest division in North America. Mr. Smith began his professional career as an auditor with Deloitte Touche, LLP in 1995. Mr. Smith served on active duty in the United States Navy from 1987 through 1991 and the reserves until 1993. Mr. Smith is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of the University of Illinois where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
Walter V. Klemp, Executive Chairman. Mr. Klemp joined us in January 2022 as our Executive Chairman. Mr. Klemp is a co-founder of Moleculin Biotech, Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, and has served as its Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since July 2015 and as president since August 2017. From July 2018 until December 2021, Mr. Klemp served as Executive Chairman on the Board of Directors of Soliton, Inc., a medical device company focused on developing new technology for use in aesthetics. In December 2021 Soliton, Inc. was acquired by AbbVie, Inc. From November 2011 to July 2018, Mr. Klemp served as Chief Executive Officer of Soliton. Mr. Klemp served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Zeno Corporation from 2004 to April 2011, where he developed and marketed dermatology devices and drugs from concept through FDA approval and market launch. From 1987 to 2000, Mr. Klemp served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Drypers Corporation, a publicly traded multinational consumer products company that was listed as #1 on the INC 500 List of America’s Fastest Growing Companies. We believe that Mr. Klemp’s extensive experience in the medical device field provide him with the qualifications to serve as a Chairman of the Board.
Lori Bisson, Executive Vice Chairman. Ms. Bisson joined us in July 2023 as a director and served as our Chief Executive Officer from July 2023 until June 2024 and as Vice Chair since June 2024. From January 2015 until June 2022, Ms. Bisson served as Chief Financial Officer of Soliton, Inc., a medical device company focused on developing new technology for use in aesthetics. Soliton was purchased by AbbVie in 2021 and she continued to provide transition support post-acquisition. Prior to joining Soliton, Ms. Bisson worked as a financial and business development consultant as a shareholder in Condon Company, PC, from 2009 through December 2014, where she advised a number of life science companies. From 2005 to 2009, Ms. Bisson served as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Operations for Zeno Corporation, a medical device company focused on new technology in the aesthetics area. Ms. Bisson previously served as the Chief Financial Officer of Gulfstream Trading, Ltd., an international oil trading organization from 2001 to 2005. From 1995 to 2001, Ms. Bisson held various positions with Drypers Corporation, a publicly traded multinational consumer products company, where she ultimately held the title of Vice President of Integrated Solutions and oversaw accounting, information technology, and logistics for the U.S. operation. Ms. Bisson began her career at Arthur Andersen, LLP as an auditor focused on consumer products companies. Ms. Bisson also serves as an advisor to Moleculin Biotech, Inc., a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development of oncology drug candidates. Ms. Bisson is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a B.A. degree in Accounting from Baylor University. We believe that Ms. Bisson’s extensive experience in the medical device field provides her with the qualifications to serve as a director.
Jonathan P. Foster, Director. Mr. Foster joined us in January 2022 as a director. Mr. Foster has served as the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Moleculin Biotech, Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, since August 2016. Mr. Foster brings more than 30 years in financial experience holding a variety of executive and senior financial positions with public, private, start-up to large corporate and international companies. From February 2012 to August 2016, Mr. Foster served as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of InfuSystem Holdings, Inc., a national provider of infusion pumps and related services to the healthcare industry. From May 2011 to January 2012, Mr. Foster served as a consultant to the Chief Financial Officer of LSG Sky Chefs, USA, Inc., a subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. Prior to that Mr. Foster served in various C-suite capacities with public and private companies with his start beginning as Manager at Deloitte Touche, LLP. Mr. Foster served on the Board of Financial Institutions for the State of South Carolina from 2006 to 2012 and from June 2018 until December 2021 served on the Board of Directors of Soliton, Inc., a medical device company focused on developing new technology for use in aesthetics, where he was the Chairman of the Audit and Compensation Committees and the past Chairman of the Nominating Governance Committee. In December 2021 Soliton, Inc. was acquired by AbbVie, Inc. Since June 2021, Mr. Foster has served on the Board of Directors of Volcon, Inc. where he is the past Chairman and current member of the Audit Committee, a member of the Nominating Governance Committee and is the Chairman of the Compensation Committee. Mr. Foster is a Certified Public Accountant (South Carolina) and holds the designation of Chartered Global Management Accountant from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He received his BS in Accounting from Clemson University in 1985. We believe that Mr. Foster’s extensive experience in the medical field provide him with the qualifications to serve as a director.
David Robins, Director . Mr. Robins was a co-founder of our company and has served as a director since February 2022. Mr. Robins is also a founder and board member of LifeLens that is currently developing on the body sensing devices. Since 2013, Mr. Robins has served as co-CEO of DavosPharma, a privately held corporation that focuses on supporting biotechnology and medical device companies with manufacturing their products for clinical trials and commercialization. He received his BS in Engineering Chemistry from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and a MS in Chemical Engineering from Syracuse University. Mr. Robins has a significant background in taking medical devices and drugs from clinical trials to commercialization and FDA approvals. We believe that Mr. Robins’ extensive experience in medical device development provide him with the qualifications to serve as a director.
Christopher Capelli, Director . Dr. Capelli currently works at AbbVie as Research Fellow and Scientific Officer Medical Device Advisor/Soliton for Allergan Aesthetics RD Surgical Devices. Prior to being acquired by AbbVie in December 2021, he was the Vice Chairman of the Board, Chief Science Officer and Co-founder for Soliton, Inc., a medical device company that was commercializing RESONIC™ for the dermatologic esthetics marketplace based on its Rapid Acoustic Pulse (“RAP”) technology. Dr. Capelli is the lead inventor in Soliton’s RAP technology. A graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (“MIT”) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Capelli earned his MD from the University of Wisconsin Medical School and maintains a medical license in the State of Wisconsin. As a result of his scientific work since graduating from MIT, Dr. Capelli holds over 100 issued patents and patent applications worldwide. These patents served as the basis for the creation of five companies having a total market capitalization greater than $36 billion. As a businessman, Dr. Capelli has been directly involved in the start-up of numerous venture-capital backed biomedical company ventures. We believe that Dr. Capelli’s extensive experience in medical device development provide him with the qualifications to serve as a director.
No director is related to any other director or executive officer of our company or our subsidiaries and there are no arrangements or understandings between a director and any other person pursuant to which such person was elected as director.
Our Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors oversees the business affairs of Autonomix and monitors the performance of management. Pursuant to our Bylaws, the Board of Directors shall consist of no less than one director. Members of the Board of Directors discussed various business matters informally on numerous occasions throughout the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 (“fiscal 2025”). The Board held 10 meetings during fiscal 2025. In addition to meetings of the full Board of Directors, our Board has established an Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. During fiscal 2025, these Board committees held an additional 12 meetings during the year. Specifically, the breakdown of the committee meetings for fiscal 2025 are as follows: 6 for the Audit Committee and 6 for the Compensation Committee. We believe that such interaction between fellow Board members and with management provided proper oversight of the Company. Each incumbent director attended more than 75% of the total number of meetings of the Board of Directors and committee meetings of which such director was a member (held during the period for which such director was in office).
Director Independence
The rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, or the Nasdaq Rules, require a majority of a listed company’s board of directors to be composed of independent directors. In addition, the Nasdaq Rules require that, subject to specified exceptions, each member of a listed company’s audit, compensation and nominating and governance committees be independent. Under the Nasdaq Rules, a director will only qualify as an independent director if, in the opinion of our 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. The Nasdaq Rules also require that audit committee members satisfy independence criteria set forth in Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. In order to be considered independent for purposes of Rule 10A-3, a member of an audit committee of a listed company may not, other than in his or her capacity as a member of the audit committee, the board of directors, or any other board committee, accept, directly or indirectly, any consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fee from the listed company or any of its subsidiaries or otherwise be an affiliated person of the listed company or any of its subsidiaries. In considering the independence of compensation committee members, the Nasdaq Rules require that our board of directors must consider additional factors relevant to the duties of a compensation committee member, including the source of any compensation we pay to the director and any affiliations with our company.
Our board of directors undertook a review of the composition of our board of directors and its committees and the independence of each director. Based upon information requested from and provided by each director concerning his or her background, employment and affiliations, including family relationships, our board of directors has determined that each of our directors, with the exception of Ms. Bisson and Mr. Klemp, are independent as defined under the Nasdaq Rules.
Board Committees
We established a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, an Audit Committee and a Compensation Committee. Our Board of Directors has adopted and approved a charter for each of these standing committees. The charters, which include the functions and responsibilities of each of the committees, can be found in the “Investors - Corporate Governance” section on our web site at https://ir.autonomix.com/corporate-governance.
Audit Committee . The members of the Audit Committee are Jonathan Foster (Chair), David Robins and Christopher Capelli. Each member of the Audit Committee is independent as defined by the Nasdaq Rules. In addition, each member of the Audit Committee satisfies the additional requirements of the SEC and Nasdaq Rules for audit committee membership, including the additional independence requirements and the financial literacy requirements. The Board has determined that at least one member of the Audit Committee, Mr. Foster, is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in the SEC’s rules and regulations. The primary purpose of the Audit Committee is to oversee the quality and integrity of our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audit of our financial statements. The Audit Committee is responsible for selecting, compensating, overseeing and terminating the selection of our independent registered public accounting firm.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee . The members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are David Robins (Chair), Jonathan Foster and Christopher Capelli. Each member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is independent as defined by Nasdaq Rules. The primary functions and responsibilities of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are to: (a) determine the qualifications, qualities, skills, and other expertise required to be a director; (b) identify and screen individuals qualified to become members of the Board; (c) make recommendations to the Board regarding the selection and approval of the nominees for director; and (d) review and assess the adequacy of our corporate governance policies and procedures.
Compensation Committee . The members of the Compensation Committee are Jonathan Foster (Chair), David Robins and Christopher Capelli. Each member of the Compensation Committee is independent as defined by Nasdaq Rules.
The Compensation Committee is responsible for, among other things, reviewing and making recommendations to the Board of Directors with respect to the annual compensation for our Chief Executive Officer. The Compensation Committee also is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the annual compensation and benefits for our other executive officers. The Compensation Committee also, among other things, reviews compensation of the Board, reviews and makes recommendations on all new executive compensation programs that are proposed for adoption and administers the Company’s equity incentive plans. The Compensation Committee is responsible for, among other things, reviewing and making recommendations to the Board of Directors with respect to the annual compensation for our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and other executive officers.
Our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer review the performance of our other executive officers (other than themselves) and, based on that review, they then make recommendations to the Compensation Committee about the compensation of executive officers (other than themselves). Neither our Chief Executive Officer nor Chief Financial Officer participate in any deliberations or approvals by the Board or the Compensation Committee with respect to their own compensation.
Board Member Attendance at Annual Meetings
We do not have a formal policy regarding Board attendance at our annual meetings, however, all of our directors are invited to the Annual Meeting. Four (4) of our directors attended our 2024 Annual Meeting.
Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight
Walter V. Klemp serves as our Executive Chairman of the Board and Brad Hauser serves as our Chief Executive Officer.
Our management is responsible for managing risks in our business, including developing processes to manage and monitor risks. The Board views its role as one of oversight. The Board focuses on understanding management’s risk management systems, the effectiveness of those systems, and the way in which management proactively manages risks. In addition, the Board utilizes the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee to manage risks that arise under each committee’s area of focus.
Nomination of Director Candidates
We receive suggestions for potential director nominees from many sources, including members of the Board, advisors, and stockholders. Any such nominations, together with appropriate biographical information, should be submitted to the Chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in the manner discussed below. Any candidates submitted by a stockholder or stockholder group are reviewed and considered in the same manner as all other candidates.
Qualifications for consideration as a Board nominee may vary according to the particular areas of expertise being sought as a complement to the existing board composition. However, minimum qualifications include high level leadership experience in business activities, breadth of knowledge about issues affecting the Company, experience on other boards of directors, preferably public company boards, and time available for meetings and consultation on Company matters. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee does not have a formal policy with regard to the consideration of diversity in identifying director candidates but seeks a diverse group of candidates who possess the background, skills and expertise to make a significant contribution to the Board, to the Company and our stockholders. Candidates whose evaluations are favorable are recommended by our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to the full Board for consideration. The full Board selects and recommends candidates for nomination as directors for stockholders to consider and vote upon at the annual meeting.
A stockholder wishing to nominate a candidate for election to our Board of Directors at any annual meeting at which the Board of Directors has determined that one or more directors will be elected must submit a written notice of his or her nomination of a candidate to the Chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (c/o the Corporate Secretary), providing the candidates name, biographical data and other relevant information together with a consent from the nominee. Pursuant to our Bylaws, the submission must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of our previous year’s annual meeting so as to permit the Board of Directors time to evaluate the qualifications of the nominee; provided, however, that if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90 th day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by us; provided, further, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received, not later than the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by us.
In addition to satisfying the foregoing requirements under our Bylaws, to comply with universal proxy rules, stockholders who intend to solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than our nominees must provide notice that sets forth the information required by Rule 14a-19 under the Exchange Act no later than August 31, 2026. The requirements under the universal proxy rules are in addition to the applicable procedural requirements under our Bylaws described above.
Stockholder Communications with Directors
Persons wishing to write to our Board of Directors, or to a specified director or committee of the Board, should send correspondence to the Corporate Secretary at 21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300, The Woodlands, TX 77380. Electronic submissions of stockholder correspondence will not be accepted.
The Corporate Secretary will forward to the directors all communications that, in his or her judgment, are appropriate for consideration by the directors. Examples of communications that would not be appropriate for consideration by the directors include commercial solicitations and matters not relevant to the stockholders, to the functioning of the Board or to the affairs of Autonomix. Any correspondence received that is addressed generically to the Board of Directors will be forwarded to the Chairman of the Board.
Anti-Hedging Policy
Our policies prohibit directors, officers and other employees from purchasing financial instruments (including prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars, and exchange funds), or otherwise engaging in transactions, that hedge or offset, or are designed to hedge or offset, any decrease in the market value of our equity securities without our prior approval.
Code of Ethics
We have adopted a written code of ethics that applies to our directors, principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller and any persons performing similar functions. The code of ethics is on the “Investors - Corporate Governance - Governance Documents” section of our web site at https://ir.autonomix.com/corporate-governance . We intend to disclose any future amendments to, or waivers from, the code of ethics within four business days of the waiver or amendment through a website posting or by filing a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC.
Insider Trading Policy
Our Board has
Delinquent Section 16(A) Reports
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors and executive officers and persons who own more than 10% of the outstanding shares of common stock to file reports with the SEC disclosing their ownership of common stock at the time they become subject to Section 16(a) and changes in such ownership that occur during the year. Based solely on a review of copies of such reports furnished to us, or on written representations that no reports were required, we believe that all directors, executive officers and holders of more than 10% of the common stock complied in a timely manner with the filing requirements applicable to them with respect to transactions during the year ended March 31, 2025, other than one Form 4 by David Robins reporting one transaction that was filed on July 26, 2024.
COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Executive Officer Compensation
Our named executive officers for the years ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, which consist of our principal executive officer and our most highly compensated executive officers, are:
Summary Compensation Table – 2025 and 2024
|
Name and Principal Position |
Year |
Salary
|
Non-Equity Incentive Plan
Compensation
|
Option
Awards
|
All Other
Compensation
|
Total
|
||||||||||||||||
| Brad Hauser - Chief Executive Officer and President (3) | 2025 | 356,250 | 202,350 | 1,103,961 | - | 1,662,561 | ||||||||||||||||
| Lori Bisson - Executive Vice Chairman (4) | 2025 | 210,000 | 93,813 | 355,285 | - | 659,098 | ||||||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
225,000 | 150,000 | 1,468,725 | 17,505 | 1,861,230 | ||||||||||||||||
| Dr. Robert Schwartz, Former Chief Executive Officer and current Chief Medical Officer (5) | 2025 | 100,000 | 33,250 | 247,861 | - | 381,111 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 100,000 | 35,000 | - | - | 135,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Landy Toth - Chief Technology Officer (6) | 2025 | 147,917 | - | 165,241 | - | 313,158 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 187,500 | - | - | - | 187,500 | |||||||||||||||||
| Trent Smith - Chief Financial Officer (7) | 2025 | 295,000 | 108,300 | 214,831 | - | 618,131 | ||||||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
159,375 | 74,250 | 673,783 | 18,114 | 925,522 | ||||||||||||||||
| Walter Klemp - Executive Chair (8) | 2025 | 160,417 | - | 165,241 | - | 325,658 | ||||||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
200,000 | - | - | - | 200,000 | ||||||||||||||||
|
(1) |
Represents the full grant date fair value of the option award our board approved and granted to each non-employee director, calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. These option awards have been updated from the prior year 10-K/A filed on July 26, 2024 to reflect the option awards broken down for fiscal years 2025 and 2024. These amounts do not necessarily correspond to the actual value that may be realized by the named executive officer. For a summary of the assumptions made in the valuation of the awards, please see Note 4 to our financial statements as of and for the period ended March 31, 2025 included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on May 29, 2025. |
|
(2) |
Other compensation amount represents health care insurance costs the Company currently pays for all employees, including $12,634 each for Ms. Bisson and Mr. Smith. In addition, the Company reimbursed Ms. Bisson $4,871 and Mr. Smith $5,480 each for COBRA reimbursements. |
| (3) | Mr. Hauser joined the Company on June 17, 2024. For fiscal year 2025, Mr. Hauser's annual base salary was $450,000. |
|
(4) |
Ms. Bisson joined the Company on July 1, 2023. Ms. Bisson’s annual base salary was $300,000. Ms. Bisson's annual base salary was increase to $375,000 on February 1, 2024. Ms. Bisson's annual base salary was decreased to $150,000 on June 17, 2024 upon transitioning from Chief Executive Officer to Vice Chair. |
| (5) | Mr. Schwartz took a voluntary pay reduction as follows: $50,000 effective April 2025 (fiscal year 2026), which will result in Mr. Schwartz' annual salary being $50,000 on a go-forward basis. |
| (6) | Mr. Toth took voluntary pay reductions as follows: $50,000 in fiscal year 2025 and $87,500 effective April 2025 (fiscal year 2026), which will result in Mr. Toth's annual salary being $50,000 on a go-forward basis. |
|
(7) |
Mr. Smith joined the Company on July 24, 2023. For fiscal year 2024, Mr. Smith’s annual base salary was $225,000. For fiscal year 2025, Mr. Smith's base salary was increased to $285,000 on February 1, 2024. In June 2024, Mr. Smith received a retroactive salary payment of $20,000. This payment covered the period February 1, 2024 through May 31, 2024. As such, $10,000 applied to fiscal year 2024 and $10,000 applied to fiscal year 2025. |
| (8) | Mr. Klemp took voluntary pay reductions as follows: $50,000 in fiscal year 2025 and $100,000 effective April 2025 (fiscal year 2026), which will result in Mr. Klemp's annual salary being $50,000 on a go-forward basis. |
Narrative to Summary Compensation Table
We have established for compensation purposes a compensation year that matches our fiscal year that ends March 31 st . Subsequent to the end of the fiscal year, our Compensation Committee completes its annual review of executive compensation and determines, after researching comparable companies, the compensation arrangements for the next compensation year.
We review compensation annually for all employees, including our executives. In setting executive base salaries and bonuses and granting equity incentive awards, we consider compensation for comparable positions in the market, the individual executive’s 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 do not target a specific competitive position or a specific mix of compensation among base salary, bonus or long-term incentives. 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 determines the compensation for each executive officer. Our Compensation Committee, without members of management present, discusses and ultimately approves the compensation of our executive officers.
Annual Base Salary
For the 2025 fiscal year, the annual base salaries for Ms. Bisson, Dr. Schwartz, Mr. Toth, Mr. Smith, Mr. Klemp and Mr. Hauser were $375,000, $100,000, $137,500, $285,000, $150,000 and $450,000, respectively. Upon Ms. Bisson's change in responsibilities in June 2024, her annual base salary was reduced to $150,000. For the 2026 fiscal year, the base salaries for Ms. Bisson, Dr. Schwartz, Mr. Toth, Mr. Smith, Mr. Klemp and Mr. Hauser will be $150,000, $50,000, $50,000, $296,400, $50,000 and $468,000, respectively.
Annual Bonus and Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation.
We seek to motivate and reward our executives for achievements relative to our corporate goals and objectives, and with respect to their respective individual goals, for each fiscal year. For the last fiscal year, the target bonus for Ms. Bisson, Dr. Schwartz, Mr. Toth, Mr. Smith, Mr. Klemp and Mr. Hauser were 50%, 35%, 0%, 40%, 0% and 60%, respectively, of their base salary. For the 2026 fiscal year, the target bonus each year for Ms. Bisson, Dr. Schwartz, Mr. Toth, Mr. Smith, Mr. Klemp and Mr. Hauser are 50%, 35%, 0%, 40%, 0%, and 60% respectively, of their base salary.
The actual performance-based annual bonus paid is calculated by multiplying the executive’s annual base salary, target bonus percentage, the percentage attainment of the corporate goals established by the Board for such year, which represents the total potential bonus payable to our named executive officers, and the percentage attainment of the individual goals approved by our Compensation Committee with respect to our other executive officers. However, the Compensation Committee is not required to calculate bonuses in this manner and retains discretion in the amounts it awards and the factors it takes into consideration in determining bonus amounts. At the end of the fiscal year, the Compensation Committee reviews our performance against our goals and objectives and approves the extent to which we achieved each of our corporate and individual goals and objectives, and, for each named executive officer, the amount of the bonus awarded.
For the last fiscal year, bonuses were awarded based on our achievement of specified corporate goals, including securing strategic partnerships, progress on our pivotal trial, completion of financings and completion of the ongoing clinical proof of concept trial. These corporate goals accounted for 100% of our base line bonuses. In addition, our Compensation Committee specified a series of "stretch goals," that, if achieved, would result in an additional 20%. Based on the level of achievement, our Compensation Committee awarded Ms. Bisson, Dr. Schwartz, Mr. Smith and Mr. Hauser 95%, respectively, of their potential bonuses for the year. These actual bonus amounts are reflected in the "Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation" column of the Summary Compensation Table above.
For the 2026 fiscal year, bonuses will be awarded based on our achievement of specified corporate goals, including securing strategic partnerships, progress on our pivotal trial, completion of financings, design lock for catheter and completion of the second phase of the clinical proof of concept trial. These corporate goals account for 100% of our base line bonuses. In addition, our Compensation Committee specified a series of “stretch goals,” that, if achieved, would result in an additional 20%.
Long-Term Incentives
Our 2023 Stock Plan provides for the grant of stock options, stock awards, stock unit awards and stock appreciation rights to key employees, non-employee directors and consultants.
Each year our Compensation Committee establishes a value for the expected equity grant issuable to each of our named executive officers. For options, we typically set the option exercise price and grant date fair value based on the closing price of our common stock on Nasdaq on the date of grant, however, there may be instances where we may use an average closing price, up to five days, to set the option exercise price (provided such average price is higher than the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant). The shares underlying options typically vest in four equal annual installments. For other equity awards, the grant date fair value is based on the closing price of our common stock on Nasdaq on the date of grant.
As of August 26, 2025, no equity grants for Ms. Bisson, Mr. Smith, Mr. Klemp and Mr. Hauser have been granted for fiscal year 2026. The final determination for any equity grants remain at the discretion of the Compensation Committee.
Equity Awards
The following table sets forth certain information concerning our outstanding equity awards for our named executive officers at March 31, 2025.
Outstanding Equity Awards At Fiscal Year-End
|
Option Awards |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Name and Principal Position |
Grant Date of Equity Award |
Number of
Securities Underlying Unexercised Options
|
Number of
Securities Underlying Unexercised Options
|
Option Exercise Price
|
Option Expiration
|
|||||||||||||||
| Brad Hauser - Chief Executive Officer and President | 06/17/24 | - | 45,000 | 27.00 | 6/17/34 | |||||||||||||||
|
Lori Bisson - Executive Vice Chairman |
06/21/24 |
- | 18,862 | 26.56 | 06/21/34 | |||||||||||||||
| 06/30/23 | 20,423 | 26,257 | 40.00 | 06/30/33 | ||||||||||||||||
|
Dr. Robert Schwartz, Chief Medical Officer |
06/21/24 | - | 13,159 | 26.56 | 06/21/34 | |||||||||||||||
|
Landy Toth - Chief Technology Officer |
06/21/24 | - | 8,773 | 26.56 | 06/21/34 | |||||||||||||||
|
Trent Smith - Chief Financial Officer |
06/21/24 | - | 11,405 | 26.56 | 06/21/34 | |||||||||||||||
| 07/24/23 | 5,313 | 15,937 | 40.00 | 07/24/33 | ||||||||||||||||
|
Walter Klemp - Executive Chairman |
06/21/24 | - | 8,773 | 26.56 | 06/21/34 | |||||||||||||||
(1) The shares underlying the options granted on June 30, 2023 for Ms. Bisson vest in equal monthly installments over a four-year period (i.e., 1/48 th of each grant vests each month on the anniversary of the grant date). The shares underlying the options granted on July 24, 2023 for Mr. Smith vest in annual installments over a four-year period (i.e., one-quarter of each grant vests on the first, second, third and fourth anniversary of the grant date), subject to continued service with us through each applicable vesting date. The shares underlying the options granted on June 21, 2024 vest in annual installments over a four-year period (i.e., one-quarter of each grant vests on the first, second, third and fourth anniversary of the grant date), subject to continued service with us through each applicable vesting date.
Employment Agreements
Brad Hauser Employment Agreement
On June 17, 2024, we entered into an employment agreement with Brad Hauser pursuant to which Mr. Hauser agreed to serve as our chief executive officer and president for an initial three-year period, which may be extended on a year-to-year basis. Mr. Hauser’s agreement provides for an initial annual base salary of $450,000 (subject to an annual review and increase at the discretion of our Compensation Committee) and a target annual bonus of 60% of his base salary. Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Hauser was granted a ten-year option (the “Inducement Options”) to purchase 45,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price equal to the closing price of our common stock on the date of the employment agreement. The option vests in four equal annual installments (or 11,250 shares each installment) on each of the succeeding four anniversary dates of the execution of the employment agreement, provided Mr. Hauser is employed by us on each vesting date. In the event of a “change of control” or the termination of the agreement by us without “cause” or by Mr. Hauser for “good reason,” all of the unvested options shall immediately vest. The Inducement Options were granted outside of our 2023 Stock Plan as an inducement material to Mr. Hauser’s entering into employment with us in accordance with Nasdaq Stock Market Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). Commencing with the year ending March 31, 2025, Mr. Hauser will be eligible to receive annual option grants as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, based on criteria established by the Compensation Committee. The number of shares underlying the target annual option grant will be equal to $1,000,000 divided by the Black-Scholes value per share of our common stock on the date of grant.
If Mr. Hauser’s employment is terminated at our election without “cause,” or by Mr. Hauser for “good reason,” Mr. Hauser shall be entitled to receive severance payments equal to twelve months of Mr. Hauser’s base salary and 100% of the target bonus for the year in which such termination occurs; provided that such amounts shall be increased by 50% if Mr. Hauser’s agreement is terminated without “cause” or by Mr. Hauser for “good reason” within three months prior to or twelve months after a “change of control.” In the event that any payments or benefits provided to Mr. Hauser would trigger the excise tax under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code or any similar provision, the Company agreed to provide Mr. Hauser with a gross-up payment to ensure that, after payment of all taxes (including the excise tax, federal, state, and local income taxes, and employment taxes) imposed on the gross-up payment, Mr. Hauser receives a net amount equal to the payments or benefits Mr. Hauser would have received if the excise tax didn't apply.
Lori Bisson Employment Agreement
On June 17, 2024, we entered into an employment agreement with Lori Bisson pursuant to which Ms. Bisson agreed to serve as our Executive Vice Chair and Strategic Adviser to the Chief Executive Officer (“Vice Chair”) for an initial two-year period. Ms. Bisson’s agreement provides for an initial annual base salary of $150,000 (subject to an annual review and increase at the discretion of our Compensation Committee) and a target annual bonus of 50% of her base salary. Pursuant to the agreement, Ms. Bisson continued to vest in the option grants issued to Ms. Bisson in her role as chief executive officer and president in accordance with the vesting schedule set out in her initial employment agreement. In the event of a “change of control” or the termination of the agreement by us without “cause” or by Ms. Bisson for “good reason,” all of the unvested options shall immediately vest. Ms. Bisson is entitled to receive any compensation, including incentive compensation, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 that has not been paid as of the date of the agreement. Commencing with the year ending March 31, 2025, Ms. Bisson will be eligible to receive annual option grants as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, based on criteria established by the Compensation Committee. Ms. Bisson agreed to waive any severance payments due to her in connection with the termination of the prior employment agreement that we entered into with her on June 30, 2023.
On June 30, 2023, we had entered into an employment agreement with Lori Bisson pursuant to which Ms. Bisson agreed to serve as our Chief Executive Officer commencing July 1, 2023 for an initial term of three years, which will be automatically renewed for additional one-year terms unless either party chooses not to renew the agreement. The agreement provided for an initial annual base salary of $300,000. Ms. Bisson was eligible to receive an annual bonus of up to 50% of her base salary, provided that the final determination on the amount of the annual bonus, if any, was to be made by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, based on criteria established by the Compensation Committee.
Pursuant to the agreement, Ms. Bisson was granted a ten-year option to purchase 46,680 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $40.00 per share. The option vests in 48 equal installments (or 973 shares each installment) on each of the succeeding forty-eight monthly anniversary dates of the execution of the employment agreement, provided Ms. Bisson is either CEO or a member of the Board of Directors on such vesting date. In the event of a “change of control” or the termination of the prior agreement by us without “cause” or by Ms. Bisson for “good reason,” all of the unvested options shall immediately vest. Commencing with the first full compensation year subsequent to the completion of this offering, Ms. Bisson will be eligible to receive annual option grants as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, based on criteria established by the Compensation Committee. The number of shares underlying the target annual option grant for the initial grant after the completion of the IPO was to be equal to $300,000 divided by the Black-Scholes value per share of our common stock on the date of grant. In the event Ms. Bisson’s agreement is terminated without “cause” or by Ms. Bisson for “good reason” within three months prior to or twelve months after of a “change of control”, all of the unvested options shall immediately vest.
If Ms. Bisson’s employment is terminated at our election without “cause”, which requires 90 days advance notice, or by Ms. Bisson for “good reason,” Ms. Bisson shall be entitled to receive severance payments equal to twelve months of Ms. Bisson’s base salary and 100% of the target bonus for the year in which such termination occurs; provided that such amounts shall be increased by 50% if Ms. Bisson’s agreement is terminated without “cause” or by Ms. Bisson for “good reason” within three months prior to or twelve months after of a “change of control.” Ms. Bisson agreed not to compete with us until twelve months after the termination of her employment.
Trent Smith – Chief Financial Officer
On July 24, 2023, we entered into an employment agreement with Trent Smith pursuant to which Mr. Smith agreed to serve as our Chief Financial Officer for an initial term of three years, which will be automatically renewed for additional one-year terms unless either party provides 90 days written notice to the other party of its decision not to renew the agreement. The agreement provided for an initial annual base salary of $225,000. Mr. Smith is eligible to receive an annual bonus of up to 33% of his base salary, provided that the final determination on the amount of the annual bonus, if any, will be made by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, based on criteria established by the Compensation Committee.
Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Smith was granted a ten-year option to purchase 21,250 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $40.00 per share. The option vests vest in four equal annual installments (or 5,313 shares each installment) on each of the succeeding four anniversary dates of the execution of the employment agreement, provided Mr. Smith is CFO on such vesting date. In the event of a “change of control” or the termination of the agreement by us without “cause” or by Mr. Smith for “good reason,” all of the unvested options shall immediately vest. Commencing with the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, Mr. Smith will be eligible to receive annual option grants as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, based on criteria established by the Compensation Committee.
If Mr. Smith’s employment is terminated upon his disability or death, at our election without “cause”, which requires 90 days advance notice, or by Mr. Smith for “good reason,” Mr. Smith shall be entitled to receive severance payments equal to nine months of Mr. Smith’s base salary and 100% of the target bonus for the year in which such termination occurs; provided that such amounts shall be increased to thirteen and one-half months of Mr. Smith’s base salary and 125% of the target bonus for the year in which such termination occurs if Mr. Smith’s agreement is terminated without “cause” or by Mr. Smith for “good reason” within three months prior to or twelve months after of a “change of control.” Mr. Smith agreed not to compete with us until twelve months after the termination of his employment.
Other Agreements
In January 2022, we entered into an at-will employment letter with Dr. Schwartz to serve as our Chief Executive Officer on a part-time basis comprising 25% of his working time until we identified a full-time Chief Executive Officer, at which time Dr. Schwartz would become our Chief Medical Officer. Pursuant to the letter, we agreed to pay Dr. Schwartz a base salary of $100,000 per year, and to pay Dr. Schwartz an annual incentive cash bonus of up to 35% of his base salary subject to the achievement of agreed upon goals and objectives and the approved of our Board of Directors or Compensation Committee. In connection with the employment letter, we issued Dr. Schwartz a grant of 20,000 shares of our common stock. Upon the appointment of Ms. Bisson as Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Schwartz agreed to serve as our Chief Medical Officer on a part-time basis comprising 25% of his working time.
Effective January 2022, we entered into an amended and restated consulting agreement with Mr. Toth to provide services to us on a part-time basis comprising 25% of his working time. Pursuant to the consulting agreement, we agreed to pay Mr. Toth a base salary of $187,500 per year commencing in June 2022. In connection with the consulting agreement, we issued Mr. Toth a stock grant of 77,500 shares of common stock. The consulting agreement may be terminated by either party on 30 days’ notice.
In January 2022, we entered into a director offer letter with Mr. Klemp to serve as our Executive Chairman. Pursuant to the letter, we agreed to pay Mr. Klemp annual board fees of $200,000 per year. In connection with Mr. Klemp’s appointment to the Board, we issued Mr. Klemp a stock grant of 144,500 shares of common stock.
Director Compensation
Commencing upon the closing of our IPO in January 2024, our non-employee directors began to receive annual compensation of $50,000. In May 2024, the Board of Directors approved an updated non-employee director compensation plan, pursuant to which upon the initial appointment (or election) of an non-employee director to the Board, the non-employee director shall be issued a 10-year option to purchase 3,750 shares of the Company’s common stock, under the 2023 Stock Plan, that will vest in three equal annual installments over a three-year period. Future grants are under review and will be determined in the future by the Compensation Committee.
In addition, each non-employee director receives annual compensation of $40,000 and special service pay amounts based on service for committee responsibilities as follows: Audit Committee Chair - $15,000; Compensation Committee Chair - $10,000; and Nominating and Governance Chair - $7,500. Each non-chair committee member also receives the following compensation: Audit Committee member - $7,500; Compensation Committee member - $5,000; and Nominating and Governance Committee member - $3,750.
The following table sets forth the total compensation earned by our non-employee directors in fiscal 2025. Mr. Klemp’s compensation is fully reflected in the “ Summary Compensation Table ” above:
|
Name |
Year |
Fees earned or paid in
cash
|
Option awards
|
Total
|
||||||||||
|
Jonathan P. Foster |
2025 |
68,750 | - | 68,750 | ||||||||||
|
David Robins |
2025 |
60,000 | - | 60,000 | ||||||||||
|
Christopher Capelli |
2025 |
56,250 | - | 56,250 | ||||||||||
(1) Represents the full grant date fair value of the option award our board approved and granted to each non-employee director, calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. These amounts do not necessarily correspond to the actual value that may be realized by the director. For a summary of the assumptions made in the valuation of the awards, please see Note 4 to our financial statements as of and for the period ended March 31, 202 5 included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on May 29 , 202 5 . As of March 31, 202 5 , the aggregate number of shares outstanding under all options to purchase our common stock held by our non-employee directors were: Mr. Capelli – 3,750 shares.
Recoupment Policy
We adopted the Autonomix Medical, Inc. Dodd-Frank Restatement Recoupment Policy. In the event that we are required to prepare a financial restatement, the Committee will recoup all erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation calculated on a pre-tax basis, by a person (i) after beginning service as an executive officer, (ii) who served as an executive officer at any time during the performance period for that incentive-based compensation, and (iii) during the three completed fiscal years immediately preceding the date that the Company is required to prepare a restatement, and any transition period (that results from a change in the Company’s fiscal year) of less than nine months within or immediately following those three completed fiscal years. “clawback” or recoupment policy in our executive compensation program contributes to creating and maintaining a culture that emphasizes integrity and accountability and reinforces the performance-based principles underlying our executive compensation program.
Granting of Certain Equity Awards Close in Time to the Release of Material Nonpublic Information
Risks from Compensation Policies and Practices
Our Compensation Committee reviews our compensation policies and practices to determine areas of potential risks and the actions we have taken, or should take, to mitigate any such identified risks. Based on the Compensation Committee’s review of our compensation policies and practices, we do not believe that any risks relating to our compensation policies and practices for our employees are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on our business.
Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans
The following table sets forth information regarding our equity compensation plans at March 31, 2025:
|
Plan category |
Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options,
warrants and rights
|
Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options,
warrants and rights
|
Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in
column (a))
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|||||||||
|
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders (1) |
171,483 | $ | 38.91 | 75,633 | ||||||||
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Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders (2) |
75,988 | $ | 22.48 | - | ||||||||
(1) Represents shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options under our current 2023 Stock Plan.
(2) Consists of warrants issued for services.
In December 2021, we granted a company affiliated with certain early investors in the Company a license to our technology for use in the field of cardiology. In July 2023, we entered into a termination agreement for the license agreement in exchange for the issuance, upon the closing of our IPO, of a warrant to purchase 80,0000 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $0.02 per share. The shares underlying the warrant are subject to a lockup agreement for a period of six months after the closing of the IPO with respect to 12.5% of the shares and twelve months after the closing of the IPO for the remainder of the shares. One of our directors, David Robins, holds a 19.5% interest in the company receiving the warrant.
In September 2023, we commenced a private placement for up to $2.0 million in principal amount of convertible notes with a maturity date of December 31, 2025. For each dollar in principal amount of convertible notes purchased, we issued a warrant to purchase 0.0125 shares of our common stock, with an exercise price of $20.00 per share. On the closing of our IPO, the principal amount of the convertible notes converted into our common stock at a conversion price of $40.00 per share. Subsequent to September 30, 2023, members of the Company’s management, Board of Directors and an immediate family member of the Company’s management, collectively purchased $500,000 ($400,000 and $100,000, respectively) in principal amount of convertible notes in the private placement.
Policies and Procedures for Related Party Transactions
Our audit committee charter provides that our audit committee is responsible for reviewing and approving in advance any related party transaction. This will cover, with certain exceptions set forth in Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, any transaction, arrangement or relationship, or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships in which we were or will be a participant to, where the amount involved exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or one percent of the average of our total assets at year-end for the last two completed fiscal years, and a related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, including, without limitation, purchases of goods or services by or from the related person or entities in which the related person has a material interest, indebtedness, guarantees of indebtedness and employment by us of a related person. In determining whether to approve a proposed transaction, our audit committee will consider all relevant facts and circumstances including: (i) the materiality and character of the related party’s direct or indirect interest; (ii) the commercial reasonableness of the terms; (iii) the benefit or perceived benefit, or lack thereof, to us; (iv) the opportunity cost of alternate transactions; and (v) the actual or apparent conflict of interest of the related party.
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Our Board of Directors currently consists of five members: Walter V. Klemp, Lori Bisson, Jonathan P. Foster, David Robins and Christopher Capelli. The Nominating and Governance Committee nominated, and the Board approved and recommended, all of the current members of our Board for re-election. All nominees have consented to being named herein and have indicated their intention to serve as our directors, if elected. The Board has no reason to believe that any nominee would be unable or unwilling to serve if elected. Unless authority to do so is withheld, the persons named as proxies will vote the shares represented by such proxies for the election of the named director nominees. In case any of the nominees becomes unavailable for election to the Board the persons named as proxies will have full discretion and authority to vote or refrain from voting for any other nominees in accordance with their judgment. The Board nominees, if elected, will serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until each successor is duly elected and qualified.
Biographical information for our directors is provided above in the section entitled “Information About Directors and Executive Officers.”
Vote Required and Recommendation of the Board of Directors
A plurality of the votes cast is required to elect director nominees, and as such, the five nominees who receive the greatest number of FOR votes cast by stockholders, entitled to vote at the meeting, will be elected. A nominee who receives a plurality means he or she has received more FOR votes than any other nominee for the same director’s seat. Broker non-votes and WITHHOLD votes will have no effect on this proposal.
The Board recommends that stockholders vote FOR each of the five nominees for election to our Board of Directors.
TO RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Our Audit Committee has selected Forvis Mazars, LLP (PCAOB Firm ID No. 686), located in Atlanta, Georgia, as our independent registered public accounting firm to audit our financial statements for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. Our stockholders are being asked to ratify this appointment. In the event that ratification of this selection of auditors is not approved by the stockholders, we will reassess our selection of auditors. Representatives of Forvis Mazars, LLP are expected to be present at the Annual Meeting, will be available to respond to appropriate questions and will have the opportunity to make a statement at the Annual Meeting.
Aggregate fees for professional services rendered by the independent registered public accounting firm Forvis Mazars, LLP for their services for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, were as follows:
|
2025 |
2024 |
|||||||
|
Audit Fees |
$ | 505,386 | $ | 221,550 | ||||
|
Audit-related fees |
- | - | ||||||
|
Tax fees |
61,110 | 6,825 | ||||||
|
All other fees |
- | - | ||||||
|
Total |
$ | 566,496 | $ | 228,375 | ||||
Audit Fees
Audit fees represent the aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by our independent accounting firm for the audit of our annual financial statements, review of financial statements included in our quarterly reports, comfort and consent procedures for registration statements or services that are normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years.
Audit-Related Fees
Audit-related fees represent the aggregate fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our financial statements and are not reported under Audit Fees.
Tax Fees
Tax fees represent the aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by our principal accountants for permissible tax compliance services.
All Other Fees
All other fees represent the aggregate fees billed for products and services other than the services reported in the other categories.
Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The Audit Committee on an annual basis reviews audit and non-audit services performed by the independent auditors. All audit and non-audit services are pre-approved by the Audit Committee, which considers, among other things, the possible effect of the performance of such services on the auditors’ independence.
Vote Required and Recommendation of the Board of Directors
The approval of Proposal 2 requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least the majority of the voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) at the Annual Meeting.
The Board recommends that stockholders vote FOR the ratification of the appointment of Forvis Mazars , LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026.
The Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors with its oversight responsibilities regarding the Company’s financial reporting process. The Company’s management is responsible for the preparation, presentation and integrity of the Company’s financial statements and the reporting process, including the Company’s accounting policies, internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. Forvis Mazars, LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, is responsible for performing an audit of the Company’s financial statements.
We have reviewed and discussed with management and Forvis Mazars, LLP the Company’s audited financial statements. We discussed with Forvis Mazars, LLP the overall scope and plans of their audit. We met with Forvis Mazars, LLP, with and without management present, to discuss the results of its examinations, its evaluation of the Company’s internal controls, and the overall quality of the Company’s financial reporting.
With regard to the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, the Audit Committee (i) reviewed and discussed with management the Company’s audited financial statements as of March 31, 2025, and for the year then ended; (ii) discussed with Forvis Mazars, LLP the matters required by Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and the Securities and Exchange Commission; (iii) received the written disclosures and the letter from Forvis Mazars, LLP required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB Forvis Mazars, LLP’s communications with the Audit Committee regarding independence; and (iv) discussed with Forvis Mazars, LLP their independence.
Based on the review and discussions described above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Company’s Board of Directors that the Company’s audited financial statements be included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Jonathan P. Foster (Chairperson)
David Robins
Christoper Capelli
TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY'S AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION TO GRANT OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUTHORITY TO AFFECT A REVERSE STOCK SPLIT OF THE OUTSTANDING SHARES OF THE COMPANY ’ S COMMON STOCK
General
Our stockholders are being asked to approve the reverse split amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation in substantially the form attached hereto as Appendix A (the “Reverse Split Amendment") to effect a reverse stock split of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock, at a reverse stock split ratio of between 1-for-2 to 1-for-25 (or any whole number in between), as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, prior to the one-year anniversary of this Annual Meeting. If stockholders approve and adopt the proposed Reverse Split Amendment to affect the reverse stock split, the Board will have the authority, but not the obligation, in its sole discretion, and without further action on the part of the stockholders, to select one of the approved reverse stock split ratios and effect the approved reverse stock split. The reverse stock split will become effective on the date set forth in the Reverse Split Amendment as filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Effective Date”). Notwithstanding any approval of the proposed Reverse Split Amendment by our stockholders, the Board may, at its sole discretion, abandon the proposed Reverse Split Amendment and determine prior to the Effective Date not to affect any reverse stock split, as permitted under Section 242(c) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
If implemented, the reverse stock split will be realized simultaneously for all outstanding common stock and the ratio determined by our Board will be the same for all outstanding shares of common stock. The reverse stock split will affect all holders of shares of our common stock uniformly and each stockholder will hold the same percentage of our common stock outstanding immediately following the reverse stock split as that stockholder held immediately prior to the reverse stock split, except for adjustments that may result from the treatment of fractional shares as described below. The proposed Reverse Split Amendment will not reduce the number of authorized shares of common stock (which will remain at 500,000,000) or preferred stock (which will remain at 10,000,000) or change the par values of our common stock (which will remain at $0.001 per share) or preferred stock (which will remain at $0.001 per share).
Purpose of the Reverse Stock Split Proposal
Our common stock currently trades on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “AMIX”. The Nasdaq Capital Market has several continued listing criteria that companies must satisfy in order to remain listed on the exchange. One of these criteria is that a company’s common stock has a trading price that is greater than or equal to $1.00 per share. The trading price of our common stock was $1.1700 on the Record Date which is close to this minimum price. We believe that approval of this Proposal 3 would significantly reduce the risk of our company not meeting this continued listing standard in the future. The Board intends to effect the proposed reverse stock split only if it believes that such split is necessary to maintain its listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
In addition to maintaining its listing, a decrease in the number of shares outstanding is likely to improve the trading price for our common stock. We believe that a number of institutional investors and investment funds are reluctant to invest, and in some cases may be prohibited from investing, in lower-priced stocks and that brokerage firms are reluctant to recommend lower-priced stocks to their clients. By effecting a reverse stock split, we believe we may be able to raise our common stock price to a level where our common stock could be viewed more favorably by potential investors.
Other investors may also be dissuaded from purchasing lower-priced stocks because the brokerage commissions, as a percentage of the total transaction, tend to be higher for lower-priced stocks. A higher stock price after a reverse stock split could alleviate this concern.
The combination of lower transaction costs and increased interest from institutional investors and investment funds could have the effect of improving the trading liquidity of our common stock.
The Board believes that stockholder approval of multiple reverse stock split ratios (rather than a single reverse stock split ratio) provides the Board with maximum flexibility to achieve the purposes of the reverse stock split. If the stockholders approve this Proposal 3, the reverse stock split will be affected, if at all, only upon determination by the Board that the reverse stock split is in the Company’s and its stockholders’ best interests at that time. In connection with any determination to affect the reverse stock split, the Board will set the time for such a split and select the specific ratio from the proposed reverse stock split ratios included in this Proposal 3. These determinations will be made by the Board with the intention to create the greatest marketability for the Company’s common stock based upon prevailing market conditions at that time.
The Board reserves its right to elect not to proceed, and abandon, the reverse stock split if it determines, in its sole discretion, that this proposal is no longer in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders.
Certain Risk Associated with the Reverse Stock Split
Before voting on this Proposal 3, you should consider the following risks associated with the implementation of the reverse stock split.
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● |
While the Board believes that a higher stock price may help generate investor interest, there can be no assurance that the reverse stock split will result in any particular price for the Company’s common stock or result in a per share price that will attract institutional investors or investment funds or that such share price will satisfy the investing guidelines of institutional investors or investment funds. As a result, the trading liquidity of the Company’s common stock may not necessarily improve. |
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● |
There can be no assurance that the market price per new share of the Company’s common stock after a reverse stock split will remain unchanged or increase in proportion to the reduction in the number of old shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding before the reverse stock split. Many companies have completed reverse splits and had their trading price fall significantly. Accordingly, the total market capitalization of the Company’s common stock after the reverse stock split may be lower than the total market capitalization before the reverse stock split. Moreover, in the future, the market price of the Company’s common stock following the reverse stock split may not exceed or remain higher than the market price prior to the reverse stock split. |
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● |
Although we expect that the reverse stock split will result in an increase in the market price of our common stock, we cannot assure you that the reverse stock split, if implemented, will increase the market price of our common stock in proportion to the reduction in the number of shares of common stock outstanding or result in a permanent increase in the market price. The effect the reverse stock split may have upon the market price of our common stock cannot be predicted with any certainty, and the history of similar reverse stock splits for companies in similar circumstances to ours is varied. If the reverse stock split is affected and the market price of the Company’s common stock declines, the percentage decline may be greater than would occur in the absence of a reverse stock split. The market price of the Company’s common stock will, however, also be based on performance and other factors, which are unrelated to the number of shares outstanding. Furthermore, the liquidity of the Company’s common stock could be adversely affected by the reduced number of shares that would be outstanding after the reverse stock split. |
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● |
The reverse stock split may result in some stockholders owing “odd lots” of less than 100 shares of our common stock on a post-split basis. These odd lots may be more difficult to sell, or require greater transaction costs per share to sell, than shares in “round lots” of even multiples of 100 shares. |
Determination of Ratio
The ratio of the reverse stock split, if approved and implemented, will be a ratio of between 1-for-2 to 1-for-25 (or any whole number in between), as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, prior to the one-year anniversary of this Annual Meeting. Even if approved, the Board will have discretion to delay or not to implement the reverse stock split.
In determining the reverse stock split ratio, our Board will consider numerous factors, including:
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● |
the historical and projected performance of our common stock; |
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● |
general economic and other related conditions prevailing in our industry and in the marketplace; |
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● |
the projected impact of the selected reverse stock split ratio on trading liquidity in our common stock; |
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● |
our capitalization (including the number of shares of our common stock issued and outstanding); |
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● |
the prevailing trading price for our common stock and the volume level thereof; and |
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● |
potential devaluation of our market capitalization as a result of a reverse stock split. |
The purpose of asking for authorization to amend our Certificate of Incorporation to implement the reverse stock split at a ratio to be determined by the Board, as opposed to a ratio fixed in advance, is to give our Board the flexibility to take into account then-current market conditions and changes in price of our common stock and to respond to other developments that may be deemed relevant when considering the appropriate ratio.
Board Discretion to Implement the Reverse Stock Split
If the reverse stock split is approved by the Company’s stockholders, it will be affected, if at all, only upon a determination by the Board that a reverse stock split (at a ratio determined by the Board as described above) is in the best interests of the Company and the stockholders. The Board’s determination as to whether the reverse stock split will be affected and, if so, at what ratio, will be based upon certain factors, including existing and expected marketability and liquidity of the Company’s common stock, prevailing market conditions and the likely effect on the market price of the Company’s common stock. If the Board determines to affect the reverse stock split, the Board will consider various factors in selecting the ratio including the overall market conditions at the time and the recent trading history of the common stock.
Principal Effects of the Reverse Stock Split
A reverse stock split refers to a reduction in the number of outstanding shares of a class of a corporation’s capital stock, which may be accomplished, as in this case, by reclassifying and combining all our outstanding shares of common stock into a proportionately smaller number of shares. For example, if our Board decides to implement a 1-for-5 reverse stock split of our common stock, then a stockholder holding 10,000 shares of our common stock before the reverse stock split would instead hold 2,000 shares of our common stock immediately after the reverse stock split. The reverse stock split will affect all our stockholders uniformly and will not affect any stockholder’s percentage ownership interests in our company or proportionate voting power, except for minor adjustments due to the treatment of fractional shares. No fractional shares will be issued in connection with the reverse stock split. Instead, in lieu of any fractional shares to which a stockholder of record would otherwise be entitled as a result of the reverse stock split, we will pay cash (without interest) equal to such fraction multiplied by the average of the closing sales prices of the common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market during regular trading hours for the five consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of the reverse stock split (with such average closing sales prices being adjusted to give effect to the reverse stock split).
The principal effect of the reverse stock split will be that (i) the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding will be reduced to a number of shares between and including one-half to one-twenty fifth that amount, as the case may be based on the ratio for the reverse stock split as determined by our Board, and (ii) all outstanding options, warrants, and convertible notes entitling the holders thereof to purchase shares of common stock will enable such holders to purchase, upon exercise of their options, warrants, or convertible notes, as applicable, between and including one-half to one-twenty fifth of the number of shares of common stock which such holders would have been able to purchase upon exercise of their options, warrants, or convertible notes, as applicable, immediately preceding the reverse stock split at an exercise price equal to between and including 2 to 25 times the exercise price specified before the reverse stock split, resulting in essentially the same aggregate price being required to be paid therefor upon exercise thereof immediately preceding the reverse stock split, as the case may be based on the ratio for the reverse stock split as determined by our Board.
The following table, which is for illustrative purposes only, illustrates the effects of the reverse stock split at certain exchange ratios within the foregoing range, without giving effect to any adjustments for fractional shares of common stock, on our outstanding shares of common stock and authorized shares of capital stock as of August 26, 2025.
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Before Reverse Stock Split |
After Reverse Stock Split |
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|
1-for-2 |
1-for-5 |
1-for-10 |
1-for-15 |
1-for-20 |
1-for-25 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Common Stock Authorized |
500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Preferred Stock Authorized |
10,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Common Stock Issued and Outstanding |
5,815,722 | 2,907,861 | 1,163,144 | 581,572 | 387,715 | 290,786 | 232,629 | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Common Stock Underlying Options |
13,500 | 6,750 | 2,700 | 1,350 | 900 | 675 | 540 | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Common Stock Underlying Warrants |
1,771,871 | 885,936 | 354,374 | 177,187 | 118,125 | 88,594 | 70,875 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Common Stock Available for Grant under 2023 Stock Plan |
370,968 | 185,484 | 74,194 | 37,097 | 24,731 | 18,548 | 14,839 | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Common Stock Authorized and Unreserved |
492,027,939 | 496,013,969 | 498,405,588 | 499,202,794 | 499,468,529 | 499,601,397 | 499,681,117 | |||||||||||||||||||||
The Reverse Split Amendment will not change the terms of our common stock. The shares of new common stock will have the same voting rights and rights to dividends and distributions and will be identical in all other respects to the common stock now authorized. The common stock issued pursuant to the reverse stock split will remain fully paid and non-assessable. The reverse stock split is not intended as, and will not have the effect of, a “going private transaction” covered by Rule 13e-3 under the Exchange Act. We will continue to be subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.
Accounting Matters
The reverse stock split will not affect the par value of our common stock. As a result, on the effective date of the reverse stock split, the stated capital on our balance sheet attributable to the common stock will be reduced to between and including one-half to one-twenty fifth of its present amount, as the case may be based on the ratio for the reverse stock split as determined by our Board, and the additional paid-in capital account shall be credited with the amount by which the stated capital is reduced. Our per share net loss will be retroactively increased for each period because there will be fewer shares of our common stock outstanding.
Effect on Authorized by Unissued Shares
The reverse stock split will have the effect of significantly increasing the number of authorized but unissued shares of common stock. The number of authorized shares of common stock will not be decreased and will remain at 500,000,000. Because the number of outstanding shares will be reduced as a result of the reverse stock split, the number of shares available for issuance will be increased. See the table above under the section titled “ Principal Effects of the Reverse Stock Split ” that shows the number of unreserved shares of common stock that would be available for issuance at various reverse stock split ratios.
Potential Anti-Takeover and Dilutive Effects
The purpose of the reverse stock split is not to establish any barriers to a change of control or acquisition of the Company. However, because the number of authorized shares of common stock will remain at 500,000,000, this proposal, if adopted and implemented, will result in a relative increase in the number of authorized but unissued shares of our common stock as compared to the outstanding shares of our common stock and could, under certain circumstances, have an anti-takeover effect. Shares of common stock that are authorized but unissued provide our Board with flexibility to effect, among other transactions, public or private financings, mergers, acquisitions, stock dividends, stock splits and the granting of equity incentive awards. However, these authorized but unissued shares may also be used by our Board, consistent with and subject to its fiduciary duties, to deter future attempts to gain control of us or make such actions more expensive and less desirable. After implementation of the proposed Reverse Split Amendment, our Board will continue to have authority to issue additional shares from time to time without delay or further action by the stockholders except as may be required by applicable law or the NASDAQ listing standards, assuming the Company remains listed on NASDAQ. Our Board is not aware of any attempt to take control of our business and has not considered the reverse stock split to be a tool to be utilized as a type of anti-takeover device. We currently have no plans, proposals or arrangements to issue any shares of common stock that would become newly available for issuance as a result of the reverse stock split.
In addition, if we do issue additional shares of our common stock, the issuance could have a dilutive effect on earnings per share and the book or market value of the outstanding common stock, depending on the circumstances, and would likely dilute a stockholder’s percentage voting power in the Company. Holders of common stock are not entitled to preemptive rights or other protections against dilution. Our Board intends to take these factors into account before authorizing any new issuance of shares.
Procedure for Effecting the Reverse Stock Split and Exchange of Stock Certificates
If this Proposal 3 is approved by our stockholders, the reverse stock split would become effective at such time prior to the one-year anniversary of this Annual Meeting as it is deemed by our Board to be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, and we file the Reverse Split Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. Even if this Proposal 3 is approved by our stockholders, our Board has discretion not to carry out or to delay in carrying out the reverse stock split. Upon the filing of the Reverse Split Amendment, all the old common stock will be converted into new common stock as set forth in the Reverse Split Amendment.
As soon as practicable after the Effective Date of the reverse stock split, stockholders will be notified that the reverse stock split has been affected. If you hold shares of common stock in a book-entry form, you will receive a transmittal letter from our transfer agent as soon as practicable after the Effective Date of the reverse stock split with instructions on how to exchange your shares. After you submit your completed transmittal letter, a transaction statement will be sent to your address of record as soon as practicable after the Effective Date of the reverse stock split indicating the number of post-reverse stock split shares of common stock you hold.
After the Effective Date, the Company’s common stock will each have new committee on uniform securities identification procedures (“CUSIP”) numbers, which is a number used to identify the Company’s equity securities, and stock certificates with the older CUSIP numbers will need to be exchanged for stock certificates with the new CUSIP numbers by following the procedures described above.
After the Effective Date, the Company will continue to be subject to periodic reporting and other requirements of the Exchange Act. We anticipate that our common stock will continue to be reported on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol “AMIX.”
Beginning on the Effective Date of the reverse stock split, each book-entry notation evidencing pre-split shares will be deemed for all corporate purposes to evidence ownership of post-split shares.
Fractional Shares
No fractional shares of common stock will be issued as a result of any reverse stock split. Instead, in lieu of any fractional shares to which a stockholder of record would otherwise be entitled as a result of the reverse stock split, we will pay cash (without interest) equal to such fraction multiplied by the average of the closing sales prices of the common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market during regular trading hours for the five consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of the reverse stock split (with such average closing sales prices being adjusted to give effect to the reverse stock split). After the reverse stock split, a stockholder otherwise entitled to a fractional interest will not have any voting, dividend or other rights with respect to such fractional interest except to receive payment as described above.
Upon stockholder approval of this Proposal 3, if our Board of Directors elects to implement the proposed reverse stock split, stockholders owning, prior to the reverse stock split, less than the number of whole shares of common stock that will be combined into one share of common stock in the reverse stock split would no longer be stockholders. For example, if a stockholder held six shares of common stock immediately prior to the reverse stock split and the reverse stock split ratio selected by the Board was 1-for-7, then such stockholder would cease to be a stockholder of the Company following the reverse stock split and would not have any voting, dividend or other rights except to receive payment for the fractional share as described above. We do not intend for this transaction to be the first step in a series of plans or proposals of a “going private transaction” within the meaning of Rule 13e-3 of the Exchange Act.
No Dissenter ’ s Rights
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, our stockholders are not entitled to dissenter’s rights with respect to the reverse stock split and we will not independently provide our stockholders with any such right.
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations of the Reverse Stock Split
The following is a general summary of certain important U.S. federal income tax considerations of the proposed reverse stock split. It addresses only stockholders who hold our common stock as capital assets (generally, property held for investment). It does not purport to be complete, does not address all U.S. federal income tax consequences relevant to a holder’s particular circumstances, such as the Medicare contribution tax on net investment income or the alternative minimum tax, and does not address stockholders subject to special rules, such as financial institutions, tax-exempt organizations, insurance companies, dealers in securities, foreign stockholders, U.S. expatriates and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States, stockholders who hold their pre-reverse stock split shares as part of a straddle, hedge or conversion transaction, S corporations, partnerships or other entities or arrangements treated as partnerships or pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and investors therein), and stockholders who acquired their pre-reverse stock split shares pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation, among others. This summary is based upon current law, which may change, possibly even retroactively. It does not address tax considerations under state, local, foreign and other laws, nor does it address the effects of other U.S. federal tax laws, such as gift and estate tax laws. The tax treatment of a stockholder may vary depending upon the particular facts and circumstances of such stockholder. Each stockholder is urged to consult with such stockholder’s own tax advisor with respect to the tax consequences of the reverse stock split.
If an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Accordingly, partnerships holding our common stock and the partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them.
This discussion is limited to holders of our common stock that are U.S. Holders. For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner of our common stock that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is or is treated as: an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; a corporation (or other entity taxable 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 if either a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more United States persons (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended) have the authority to control all substantial decisions of such trust, or the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Furthermore, the following discussion does not address any tax consequences of transactions effectuated before, after or at the same time as the reverse stock split, whether or not they are in connection with the reverse stock split.
THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS, AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE REVERSE STOCK SPLIT ARISING UNDER OTHER U.S. FEDERAL TAX LAWS (INCLUDING ESTATE AND GIFT TAX LAWS), UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAXING JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE TAX TREATY.
Generally, the reverse stock split is expected to be treated as a “recapitalization” for U.S. federal income tax purposes and therefore is not expected to result in the recognition of gain or loss for federal income tax purposes, except as described below with respect to cash received in lieu of fractional shares (which fractional share generally is treated as received and then exchanged for cash). The adjusted basis of the new shares of common stock will be the same as the adjusted basis of the common stock exchanged for such new shares. The holding period of the new, post-reverse stock split shares of the common stock resulting from implementation of the reverse stock split will include the stockholder’s respective holding periods for the pre-reverse stock split shares. Stockholders who acquired their shares of our common stock on different dates or at different prices should consult their tax advisors regarding the allocation of the tax basis of such shares.
A holder of pre-reverse stock split shares that receives cash in lieu of a fractional share of post-reverse stock split shares should generally be treated as having received such fractional share pursuant to the reverse stock split and then as having exchanged such fractional share for cash in a redemption by the Company. The amount of any gain or loss should be equal to the difference between the ratable portion of the tax basis of the pre-reverse stock split shares exchanged in the reverse stock split that is allocated to such fractional share and the cash received in lieu thereof. In general, any such gain or loss will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for such pre-reverse stock split shares exceeds one year at the time of the reverse stock split. Deductibility of capital losses by holders is subject to limitations. Special rules may apply to cause all or a portion of the cash received in lieu of a fractional share to be treated as a distribution under Section 301 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (rather than as a sale or exchange), with respect to certain U.S. Holders who own more than a minimal amount of our common stock and whose proportionate interest in the Company is not reduced (after taking into account certain constructive ownership rules), or who exercise more than a minimal degree of voting or other type of control over the affairs of the Company. Stockholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax effects to them of receiving cash in lieu of fractional shares based on their particular circumstances.
A U.S. Holder of our common stock may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding on cash paid in lieu of fractional shares in connection with the reverse stock split. A U.S. Holder of our common stock will be subject to backup withholding if such holder is not otherwise exempt and such holder does not provide its taxpayer identification number in the manner required or otherwise fails to comply with applicable backup withholding tax rules.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be refunded or allowed as a credit against a U.S. Holder’s federal income tax liability, if any, provided the required information is timely furnished to the Internal Revenue Service. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their qualification for an exemption from backup withholding and the procedures for obtaining such an exemption.
The foregoing views are not binding on the Internal Revenue Service or the courts. We have not sought and will not seek an opinion of counsel or any rulings from the Internal Revenue Service regarding the matters discussed above. Accordingly, each stockholder should consult with his or her own tax advisor with respect to all of the potential tax consequences to him or her of the reverse stock split.
Vote Required and Recommendation of the Board of Directors
To approve Proposal 3 at the Annual Meeting the votes cast for the proposal must exceed the votes cast against the proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of this proposal.
The Board recommends that stockholders vote FOR the approval of the amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to effect a reverse stock split of our outstanding shares of common stock at a reverse stock split ratio of between 1-for-2 to 1-for-25 (or any whole number in between), as determined by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, prior to the one-year anniversary of this Annual Meeting.
PROPOSAL 4: TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE AUTONOMIX MEDICAL, INC. 2023 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SHARES AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE THEREUNDER
In August 2025, our Board approved an amendment to the Autonomix Medical, Inc. 2023 Stock Plan (the “2023 Plan”) to increase the number of shares authorized under the 2023 Plan from 371,968 shares of common stock (of which 370,968 remain available for issuance) to 2,271,968 shares of common stock, subject to the receipt of stockholder approval, which the Company is seeking at this stockholders’ meeting.
Overview
Equity awards have been historically and, we believe, will continue to be, an integral component of our overall compensation program for our employees, directors and consultants. As of the Record Date, our 2023 Plan has 370,968 shares available for issuance. Approval of Proposal 4 will allow us to continue to grant equity awards at levels we determine to be appropriate in order to attract new employees and directors, retain our existing employees and directors and to provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for our success. The amended 2023 Plan will allow us to continue to utilize a broad array of equity incentives with flexibility in designing equity incentives, including stock option grants, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, and stock unit awards.
We believe it is critical for our long-term success that the interests of our employees and directors are tied to our success as “owners” of our business. The equity incentive programs we have in place are intended to build stockholder value by attracting and retaining talented employees and directors. We believe we must continue to offer competitive equity compensation packages in order to retain and motivate the talent necessary for our continued growth and success. We carefully monitor the equity compensation and equity holdings of our employees, directors and consultants as well as the type of equity awards we grant to ensure these awards continue to provide incentives for the recipients to work towards our success. To date, stock options and restricted stock units have been the sole component of our equity program. The potential value of stock options is realized only if our share price increases, and so stock options provide a strong incentive for individuals to work to build stockholder value.
The amended 2023 Plan would provide a total of 2,271,968 shares of common stock that may be issued under the 2023 Plan. This represents an overhang of 23% (sum of 1,000 shares in the 2023 Plan underlying outstanding awards and 2,270,968 available for grant in the 2023 Plan divided by the sum of the fully diluted shares outstanding plus shares allocated to the 2023 Plan). The fully diluted shares outstanding, including warrants and stock options, which are not entitled to vote, are 9,873,061 (including 5,815,722 shares of common shares outstanding, 13,500 shares of common stock underlying outstanding options, and 1,771,871 shares of common stock underlying warrants. We view this as a reasonable overhang percentage.
We have and we expect to continue to experience some growth in personnel as we progress our business and advance our device through clinical trials. Additionally, we aim to conserve cash for clinical trials and use equity as a significant part of our employee compensation. If our stockholders do not approve the amended 2023 Plan we believe that we will be unable to successfully use equity as part of our compensation program, as most of our competitors in the industry do, putting us at a significant disadvantage. Additionally, we would then have to utilize more cash to compensate our employees. Therefore, we believe that approval of this request is in the best interest of our stockholders and our company.
Key Features Designed to Protect Stockholders ’ Interests
The design of the 2023 Plan reflects our commitment to corporate governance and the desire to preserve stockholder value as demonstrated by the following features of the plan:
Independent administrator . The compensation committee of the board of directors, which is comprised solely of non-employee directors, administers the 2023 Plan.
Repricing prohibited . Stockholder approval is required for any repricing of any stock options or stock appreciation rights.
Limitations on Dividend Payments on Awards . Dividends and dividend equivalents on all stock units and stock awards are paid only to the extent the awards vest, and no dividends or dividend equivalents are ever paid on stock options or stock appreciation rights.
No discount awards; maximum term specified . Stock options and stock appreciation rights must have an exercise price or base price no less than the fair market value on the date the award is granted and a term no longer than ten years’ duration.
Award design flexibility . Different kinds of awards may be granted under the 2023 Plan, giving us the flexibility to design our equity incentives to compliment the other elements of compensation and to support the attainment of our strategic goals.
Share counting . The number of shares available for grant under the 2023 Plan is reduced by the gross number of shares subject to awards, and shares withheld for taxes in connection with awards or tendered in payment of an option’s exercise price cannot be used for future grants.
Non-employee director limits . The 2023 Plan contains a limit on the compensation that may be paid to any non-employee member of our Board in any calendar year.
No tax gross-ups . The 2023 Plan does not provide for tax gross-ups.
Fixed term . The 2023 Plan has a fixed term of ten years from its initial effective date, or June 28, 2033.
Description of the 2023 Plan
The 2023 Plan is a stock-based compensation plan that provides for discretionary grants of stock options, stock awards, stock unit awards and stock appreciation rights to key employees, non-employee directors and consultants. The material features of the 2023 Plan are outlined below. The following description of the 2023 Plan is a summary only and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the 2023 Plan. Stockholders are urged to read the actual text of the 2023 Plan in its entirety, which is appended to this Proxy Statement as Appendix B.
Administration . The 2023 Plan is administered by our compensation committee of the board of directors (we refer to the body administering the 2023 Plan as the “Committee”). The Committee, which is comprised of directors who satisfy the non-employee director definition under Rule 16b-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, has full authority to select the individuals who will receive awards under the 2023 Plan, determine the form and amount of each of the awards to be granted and establish the terms and conditions of awards.
Limit on Non-Employee Director Compensation. Under the 2023 Plan, the following limits apply to non-employee directors. 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 under the 2023 Plan and cash fees paid to such non-employee director, will not exceed $500,000 in total value. For purposes of these limitations, the value of awards is calculated based on the grant date fair value of such awards for financial reporting purposes.
Number of Shares of Common Stock. Awards representing 1,000 shares are currently issued under the 2023 Plan and 2,270,968 shares will be available for issuance under the 2023 Plan if this Proposal 4 is approved. Shares issuable under the 2023 Plan may be authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares. If there is a lapse, forfeiture, expiration, termination or cancellation of any award made under the 2023 Plan for any reason, the shares subject to the award will again be available for issuance. Any shares subject to an award that are delivered to us by a participant, or withheld by us on behalf of a participant, as payment for an award or payment of withholding taxes due in connection with an award will not again be available for issuance, and all such shares will count toward the number of shares issued under the 2023 Plan. The number of shares of common stock issuable under the 2023 Plan is subject to adjustment, in the event of any reorganization, recapitalization, stock split, stock distribution, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, subdivision, consolidation or exchange of shares, any change in the capital structure of the company or any similar corporate transaction. In each case, the Committee has the discretion to make adjustments it deems necessary to preserve the intended benefits under the 2023 Plan. No award granted under the 2023 Plan may be transferred, except by will, the laws of descent and distribution.
Eligibility . All employees designated as key employees for purposes of the 2023 Plan, all non-employee directors and consultants are eligible to receive awards under the 2023 Plan. As of the Record Date, nine (9) employees and all five (5) non-employee directors were eligible to participate in the 2023 Plan.
Awards to Participants . The 2023 Plan provides for discretionary awards of stock options, stock awards, stock unit awards and stock appreciation rights to participants. Each award made under the 2023 Plan will be evidenced by a written award agreement specifying the terms and conditions of the award as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, consistent with the terms of the 2023 Plan.
Stock Options . The Committee has the discretion to grant non-qualified stock options or incentive stock options to participants and to set the terms and conditions applicable to the options, including the type of option, the number of shares subject to the option and the vesting schedule; provided that the exercise price of each stock option will be the closing price of the common stock on the date on which the option is granted ("fair market value"), each option will expire ten years from the date of grant and no dividend equivalents may be paid with respect to stock options.
In addition, an incentive stock option granted to a key employee is subject to the following rules: (i) the aggregate fair market value (determined at the time the option is granted) of the shares of common stock with respect to which incentive stock options are exercisable for the first time by a key employee during any calendar year (under all incentive stock option plans of the company and its subsidiaries) cannot exceed $100,000, and if this limitation is exceeded, that portion of the incentive stock option that does not exceed the applicable dollar limit will be an incentive stock option and the remainder will be a non-qualified stock option; (ii) if an incentive stock option is granted to a key employee who owns stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all class of stock of the company, the exercise price of the incentive stock option will be 110% of the closing price of the common stock on the date of grant and the incentive stock option will expire no later than five years from the date of grant; and (iii) no incentive stock option can be granted after ten years from the initial effective date of the 2023 Plan.
Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee has the discretion to grant stock appreciation rights to participants. The Committee determines the exercise price for a stock appreciation right, which cannot be less than 100% of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. Upon the exercise of a stock appreciation right, we will pay the participant in common stock or in cash, at our discretion, an amount equal to the product of (1) the excess of the per share fair market value of our common stock on the date of exercise over the exercise price, multiplied by (2) the number of shares of common stock with respect to which the stock appreciation right is exercised. The Committee has the discretion to set the terms and conditions applicable to the award, including the number of shares subject to the stock appreciation right and the vesting schedule, provided that each stock appreciation right will expire not more than ten years from the date of grant and no dividends or dividend equivalents shall be paid with respect to any stock appreciation right prior to the exercise of the stock appreciation right.
Stock Awards . The Committee has the discretion to grant stock awards to participants. Stock awards will consist of shares of common stock granted without any consideration from the participant or shares sold to the participant for appropriate consideration as determined by the Board. The number of shares awarded to each participant, and the restrictions, terms and conditions of the award, will be at the discretion of the Committee. Subject to the restrictions, a participant will be a shareholder with respect to the shares awarded to him or her and will have the rights of a shareholder with respect to the shares, including the right to vote the shares and receive dividends on the shares; provided that dividends otherwise payable on any stock award subject to restrictions will be held by us and will be paid to the holder of the stock award only to the extent the restrictions on such stock award lapse.
Stock Units. The Committee has the discretion to grant stock unit awards to participants. Each stock unit entitles the participant to receive, on a specified date or event set forth in the award agreement, one share of common stock or cash equal to the fair market value of one share on such date or event, as provided in the award agreement. The number of stock units awarded to each participant, and the terms and conditions of the award, will be at the discretion of the Committee. Unless otherwise specified in the award agreement, a participant will not be a shareholder with respect to the stock units awarded to him prior to the date they are settled in shares of common stock. The award agreement may provide that until the restrictions on the stock units lapse, the participant will be paid an amount equal to the dividends that would have been paid had the stock units been actual shares; provided that such dividend equivalents will be held by us and paid only to the extent the restrictions lapse.
Award Limits. The 2023 Plan contains a limit on the number of shares of common stock as to which any one recipient may receive stock options or stock appreciation rights in any calendar year to $1.0 million in total value (calculating the value of any such awards based on the grant date fair value of such awards for financial reporting purposes). In addition, the 2023 Plan contains a limit on the number of shares of common stock that may be used for stock awards and/or stock unit awards to any one recipient in any calendar year to $1.0 million in total value (calculating the value of any such awards based on the grant date fair value of such awards for financial reporting purposes). Each of the above limits is calculated separately and the issuance of stock options or stock appreciation rights will not limit the stock awards and/or stock unit awards that may also be issued to the same person. We believe these limits will prevent the volatility of our stock price from effecting our ability to plan future awards.
Payment for Stock Options and Withholding Taxes . The Committee may make one or more of the following methods available for payment of any award, including the exercise price of a stock option, and for payment of the tax obligation associated with an award: (i) cash; (ii) cash received from a broker-dealer to whom the holder has submitted an exercise notice together with irrevocable instructions to deliver promptly to us the amount of sales proceeds from the sale of the shares subject to the award to pay the exercise price or withholding tax; (iii) by directing us to withhold shares of common stock otherwise issuable in connection with the award having a fair market value equal to the amount required to be withheld; and (iv) by delivery of previously acquired shares of common stock that are acceptable to the Committee and that have an aggregate fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the exercise price or withholding tax, or certification of ownership by attestation of such previously acquired shares.
Provisions Relating to a "Change in Control" of the Company . Notwithstanding any other provision of the 2024 Plan or any award agreement, in the event of a "Change in Control" of the company, the Committee has the discretion to provide that all outstanding awards will become fully exercisable, all restrictions applicable to all awards will terminate or lapse, and performance goals applicable to any stock awards will be deemed satisfied at the target level. In addition, upon such Change in Control, the Committee has sole discretion to provide for the purchase of any outstanding stock option for cash equal to the difference between the exercise price and the then fair market value of the common stock subject to the option had the option been currently exercisable, make such adjustment to any award then outstanding as the Committee deems appropriate to reflect such Change in Control and cause any such award then outstanding to be assumed by the acquiring or surviving corporation after such Change in Control.
Amendment of Award Agreements; Amendment and Termination of the 2023 Plan; Term of the 2023 Plan . The Committee may amend any award agreement at any time, provided that no amendment may adversely affect the right of any participant under any agreement in any material way without the written consent of the participant, unless such amendment is required by applicable law, regulation or stock exchange rule.
The Board may terminate, suspend or amend the 2023 Plan, in whole or in part, from time to time, without the approval of the stockholders, unless such approval is required by applicable law, regulation or stock exchange rule, and provided that no amendment may adversely affect the right of any participant under any outstanding award in any material way without the written consent of the participant, unless such amendment is required by applicable law, regulation or rule of any stock exchange on which the shares are listed.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the 2023 Plan nor any outstanding award agreement can be amended in a way that results in the repricing of a stock option. Repricing is broadly defined to include reducing the exercise price of a stock option or stock appreciation right or cancelling a stock option or stock appreciation right in exchange for cash, other stock options or stock appreciation rights with a lower exercise price or other stock awards. (This prohibition on repricing without stockholder approval does not apply in case of an equitable adjustment to the awards to reflect changes in the capital structure of the company or similar events.)
No awards may be granted under the 2023 Plan on or after the tenth anniversary of the initial effective date of the 2023 Plan, or June 28, 2033.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
The information set forth below is a summary only and does not purport to be complete. The information is based upon current U.S. federal income tax rules and therefore is subject to change when those rules change. Because the tax consequences to any recipient of an award may depend on his or her particular situation, each recipient should consult the recipient’s tax adviser regarding the federal, state, local, and other tax consequences of the grant or exercise of an award or the disposition of shares acquired as a result of an award. The 2023 Plan will not be qualified under the provisions of section 401(a) of the Code and will not be subject to any of the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
Non-Qualified Stock Options . A participant will not recognize any income at the time of grant. On the date the participant exercises the non-qualified stock option, the participant will recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise over the exercise price. The participant will be responsible for remitting to us the withholding tax obligation that arises at the time the option is exercised. We generally will receive a tax deduction for the same amount of ordinary income recognized by the participant. When the participant sells these shares, any gain or loss recognized by the participant is treated as either short-term or long-term capital gain or loss depending on whether the participant has held the shares more than one year.
Incentive Stock Options. A participant will not recognize any income at the time of grant. If the participant is issued shares pursuant to the exercise of an incentive stock option, and if the participant does not make a disqualifying disposition of the shares within one year after the date of exercise or within two years after the date of grant, the participant will not recognize any income, for federal income tax purposes, at the time of the exercise. When the participant sells the shares issued pursuant to the incentive stock option, the participant will be taxed, for federal income tax purposes, as a long-term capital gain on any amount recognized by the participant in excess of the exercise price, and any loss sustained by the participant will be a long-term capital loss. No deduction will be allowed to us for federal income tax purposes. If, however, the participant sells the shares before the expiration of the holding periods, the participant will recognize ordinary income on the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value at exercise, and we generally will receive a tax deduction in the same amount. Upon exercise of an incentive stock option, the excess of the fair market value over the exercise price is an item of tax preference to the participant for purposes of determining the alternative minimum tax.
In order to qualify as an incentive stock option, the option must be exercised within three months after the participant’s termination of employment for any reason other than death or disability and within one year after termination of the participant’s employment due to disability. If the option is not exercised within this time period, it will be treated as a non-qualified stock option and taxed accordingly.
Stock Awards/Stock Units. If a participant receives a stock award, the participant will recognize ordinary income upon becoming entitled to transfer the shares at the end of the restriction period without forfeiture. A participant generally will recognize ordinary income when he receives cash or shares pursuant to the settlement of stock units, provided that if the shares are subject to any further restrictions on transfer, the participant will recognize ordinary income upon becoming entitled to transfer the shares at the end of the restriction period without forfeiture. The amount of income the participant recognizes will be equal to the fair market value of the shares on such date, or the amount of cash received less the amount paid by the participant for the shares. This amount will also be the participant’s tax basis for the shares. The participant will be responsible for remitting to us the withholding tax obligation that arises at the time the ordinary income is recognized. In addition, the holding period begins on the day the restrictions lapse, or the date the shares are received if not subject to any restrictions, for purposes of determining whether the participant has long-term or short-term capital gain or loss on a subsequent sale of the shares. We generally will be entitled to a deduction with respect to the ordinary income recognized by the participant.
If a participant who receives a stock award subject to restrictions makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code within 30 days after the date of the grant, the participant will have ordinary income equal to the fair market value on the date of grant, less the amount paid by the participant for the shares, and the participant will recognize no additional income until the participant subsequently sells the shares. The participant will be responsible for remitting to us the withholding tax obligation that arises at the time the ordinary income is recognized. When the participant sells the shares, the tax basis will be equal to the fair market value on the date of grant and the holding period for capital gains purposes begins on the date of the grant. If the participant forfeits the shares subject to the Section 83(b) election, the participant will not be entitled to any deduction, refund, or loss for tax purposes (other than a capital loss with respect to the amount previously paid by the participant), and we will have to include the amount that was previously deducted from our gross income in the taxable year of the forfeiture.
Stock Appreciation Rights . A participant will not recognize any income at the time of the grant of a stock appreciation right. Upon exercise of the stock appreciation right, the participant will recognize ordinary income equal to the amount received upon exercise. The participant will be responsible for remitting to us the withholding tax obligation that arises at the time the ordinary income is recognized. We generally will be entitled to a deduction with respect to the ordinary income recognized by the participant.
Interest of Certain Persons
All members of the Board and all of our executive officers are eligible for awards under the 2023 Plan and, thus, have a personal interest in the approval of the amendment of the 2023 Plan to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance thereunder.
Plan Amendment Benefits
With respect to the increased number of shares reserved under the 2023 Plan pursuant to the amendment, we cannot currently determine the benefits or number of shares subject to awards that may be granted in the future to eligible participants under the 2023 Plan because the grant of awards and terms of such awards are to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.
Awards Granted Under the 2023 Plan
The following awards have been granted under the 2023 Plan:
|
Name and Position |
Number of Units |
| Wally Klemp, Chairman of the Board | - |
| Lori Bisson, Vice-Chair of the Board | - |
| Brad Hauser, Chief Executive Officer | - |
| Trent Smith, Chief Financial Officer | - |
| Rob Schwartz, Chief Medical Officer |
- |
| Landy Toth, Chief Technology Officer | - |
|
Executive Group: |
- |
|
Non-Executive Director Group: |
- |
|
Non-Executive Officer Employee Group: |
- |
|
All Others: |
1,000 |
As previously disclosed in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 13, 2025, all prior stock option awards held by management and directors were voluntarily forfeited. Accordingly, the additional shares requested under this amendment will not layer on top of any previous outstanding management and director grants but rather will establish a refreshed pool to align long-term incentives with shareholder value creation.
Vote Required and Recommendation of the Board of Directors
To approve Proposal 4 at the Annual Meeting the votes cast for the proposal must exceed the votes cast against the proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of this proposal.
The Board recommends that stockholders vote FOR the approval of the amendment of the 2023 Plan to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance thereunder.
PROPOSAL 5: TO APPROVE, FOR PURPOSES OF COMPLYING WITH NASDAQ LISTING RULE 5635(D), THE ISSUANCE OF MORE THAN 20% OF THE COMPANY ’ S ISSUED AND OUTSTANDING COMMON STOCK PURSUANT TO THE COMPANY ’ S PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH LINCOLN PARK CAPITAL FUND, LLC
Background and Description of the Issuance Proposal
On August 25, 2025, we entered into a purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) and a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park”) pursuant to which Lincoln Park has committed to purchase from us up to an aggregate of $15.0 million worth of our common stock, subject to certain limitations and conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement which is attached hereto as Appendix C . As consideration for its commitment to purchase shares of our common stock under the Purchase Agreement, we issued 261,932 shares of common stock to Lincoln Park as commitment shares (the “Commitment Shares”).
We are submitting this Proposal 5 to you in order to obtain the requisite stockholder authorization in accordance with The Nasdaq Listing Rules to sell 20% or more of our issued and outstanding common stock to Lincoln Park (as of the date we entered into the Purchase Agreement), if we so choose, as more fully described below.
Agreements with Lincoln Park
Under the terms and subject to the conditions of the Purchase Agreement, we have the right, but not the obligation, to sell to Lincoln Park, and Lincoln Park is obligated to purchase up to $15.0 million worth of shares of common stock. Such sales of common stock by us, if any, will be subject to certain limitations, and may occur from time to time, at our sole discretion, over the 24-month period commencing after certain conditions have been satisfied (“Commencement Date”) pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
Regular Purchases
From and after the Commencement Date, provided the last closing sale price of our common stock on the applicable “regular purchase date” (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) is not below $0.25 (and provided all shares of common stock subject to all prior Regular Purchases have been properly delivered to Lincoln Park in accordance with the Purchase Agreement) (the “Regular Purchase Date”), we may, by written notice delivered by us to Lincoln Park within the time periods on such Regular Purchase Date, direct Lincoln Park to purchase up to 30,000 shares of our common stock (each, a “Regular Purchase”); provided that the maximum share amount the Company may sell to Lincoln Park under any single Regular Purchase may be increased incrementally to up to 40,000 shares, up to 50,000 and up to a maximum limit of 75,000 shares, if the closing sale price of our common stock is not below $1.00, $1.25 and $1.50, respectively, on the business day on which we initiate the Regular Purchase. In any event, however, Lincoln Park’s maximum commitment in any single Regular Purchase shall not exceed $500,000.
The purchase price per share for each Regular Purchase will be 97.0% of the lower of (i) the lowest sale price of our common stock on the business day on which we initiate the Regular Purchase and (ii) the average of the three lowest closing sale prices of our common stock during the 10-business day period immediately preceding the business day on which we initiate the Regular Purchase.
Accelerated Purchases
In addition to Regular Purchases described above, we may also direct Lincoln Park, on any business day on which we have properly submitted a Regular Purchase notice directing Lincoln Park to purchase the maximum number of shares of our common stock that we are then permitted to include in a single Regular Purchase notice (and provided all shares of common stock subject to all prior Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases effected prior to such Purchase Date have been properly delivered to Lincoln Park in accordance with the Purchase Agreement), to purchase an additional amount of our common stock, which we refer to as an “Accelerated Purchase”, on the business day immediately following the applicable Regular Purchase Date for such corresponding Regular Purchase, which we refer to as the “Accelerated Purchase Date,” not to exceed the lesser of:
● 30% of the aggregate number of shares of our common stock traded during the period on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date commencing at the time specified in the Purchase Agreement and ending at the close of regular trading on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date or, if certain trading volume or market price thresholds specified in the Purchase Agreement are crossed on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date, the portion of the normal trading hours on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date following such applicable commencement time and ending at such time that any one of such thresholds is crossed, which period of time on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date we refer to as the “Accelerated Purchase Measurement Period”; and
● 300% of the number of purchase shares purchased pursuant to the corresponding Regular Purchase.
The purchase price per share for the shares subject to an Accelerated Purchase will be equal to 97% of the lower of: (i) the volume weighted average price of our common stock during the applicable Accelerated Purchase Measurement Period on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date; and (ii) the closing sale price of our common stock on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date.
Additional Accelerated Purchases
We may also direct Lincoln Park, by written notice delivered to Lincoln Park, not later than 1:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the same Accelerated Purchase Date on which an Accelerated Purchase Measurement Period for an Accelerated Purchase has ended prior to such time (and provided all shares of common stock subject to all prior Regular Purchases, Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases, including those prior Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases effected on the same Accelerated Purchase Date as the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase have been properly delivered to Lincoln Park in accordance with the Purchase Agreement prior to such time), to purchase an additional amount of our common stock on such same Accelerated Purchase Date, which we refer to as an Additional Accelerated Purchase, of up to the lesser of:
● 30% of the aggregate number of shares of our common stock traded during the portion of the normal trading hours on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date determined in accordance with the Purchase Agreement, which period of time on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date we refer to as the “Additional Accelerated Purchase Measurement Period”; and
● 300% of the number of purchase shares purchased pursuant to the Regular Purchase corresponding to the Accelerated Purchase effected on such same Accelerated Purchase Date.
The purchase price per share for the shares subject to an Additional Accelerated Purchase will be equal to 97% of the lower of: (i) the volume weighted average price of our common stock during the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Measurement Period for such Additional Accelerated Purchase; and (ii) the closing sale price of our common stock on the applicable same Accelerated Purchase Date.
We may, in our sole discretion, submit multiple Additional Accelerated Purchase notices to Lincoln Park prior to 1:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on a single Accelerated Purchase Date, provided all shares of common stock subject to all prior Regular Purchases, Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases, including those prior Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases effected on the same Accelerated Purchase Date as the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase have been properly delivered to Lincoln Park in accordance with the Purchase Agreement prior to such time.
In the case of Regular Purchases, Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases, the purchase price per share will be equitably adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction occurring during the business days used to compute the purchase price.
Other than as described above, there are no trading volume requirements or restrictions and no upper limits on the price per share that Lincoln Park must pay for shares of our common stock under the Purchase Agreement, and we will control the timing and amount of any sales of our common stock to Lincoln Park.
In all instances, we may not sell shares of our common stock to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement if it would result in Lincoln Park beneficially owning more than 4.99% of our common stock.
We currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities to Lincoln Park for working capital and general corporate purposes.
Requirement to Seek Stockholder Approval
As a result of our listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market, issuances of our common stock are subject to the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules, including Rule 5635(d), which requires us to obtain stockholder approval prior to the issuance of securities in connection with a transaction, other than a public offering, involving the sale, issuance or potential issuance by us of shares of our common stock (or securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of our common stock) at a price less than the lower of: (i) the Nasdaq Official Closing Price (as reflected on Nasdaq.com) immediately preceding the signing of the binding agreement; or (ii) the average Nasdaq Official Closing Price of the common stock (as reflected on Nasdaq.com) for the five trading days immediately preceding the signing of the binding agreement if such issuance would result in the issuance of more than 19.99% of the shares of our common stock outstanding immediately prior to the execution of the agreements related to such issuance (the “Nasdaq 20% Rule”).
Under the Nasdaq 20% Rule, in no event may we issue or sell to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement more than 19.99% of the shares of our common stock outstanding immediately prior to the execution of the Purchase Agreement (which was 1,075,767 shares, including the Commitment Shares, based on 5,381,528 shares outstanding immediately prior to the execution of the Purchase Agreement) (the “Exchange Cap”), unless (i) we obtain stockholder approval to issue shares of common stock in excess of the Exchange Cap or (ii) the average price of all shares of common stock issued to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement equals or exceeds $1.3351 per share which represents the lower of (A) the official closing price of our Common Stock on Nasdaq on the trading day immediately preceding the date of the Purchase Agreement and (B) the average official closing price of our Common Stock on Nasdaq for the five consecutive trading days ending on the trading day immediately preceding the date of the Purchase Agreement, as adjusted under applicable Nasdaq rules to take into account the issuance of shares of the Commitment Shares to Lincoln Park for non-cash consideration as payment of the commitment fee described above so that the Exchange Cap limitation would not apply to issuances and sales of our common stock under the Purchase Agreement pursuant to the rules and regulations of Nasdaq (the “Minimum Price”).
As of the Record Date, we had issued the 261,932 Commitment Shares under the Purchase Agreement, leaving 813,835 shares of our common stock available for issuance under the Purchase Agreement without (i) seeking stockholder approval or (ii) assuming the average price per share of such shares equals or exceeds the Minimum Price. In any event, the Purchase Agreement specifically provides that we may not issue or sell any shares of our common stock under the Purchase Agreement if such issuance or sale would breach any applicable Nasdaq rules, including the Nasdaq 20% Rule. Based on the closing sale price of our common stock as reported on The Nasdaq Capital Market on August 25, 2025, to fully utilize the amount available to us, we would need to issue 14,851,485 shares of common stock to Lincoln Park (which includes the Commitment Shares), which would be in excess of the Nasdaq 20% Rule. Accordingly, in order to be able to sell to Lincoln Park the full amount available under the Purchase Agreement, we are seeking stockholder approval to issue 20% or more of our outstanding shares as of the date we entered into the Purchase Agreement with Lincoln Park.
Effect of Failure to Obtain Stockholder Approval
If the stockholders do not approve Proposal 5, we will be unable to issue shares of common stock to Lincoln Park pursuant to the Purchase Agreement in excess of the Exchange Cap if sold at a price less than the Minimum Price.
Effect of Approval
Upon obtaining the stockholder approval requested in this Proposal 5, we would no longer be bound by the Nasdaq 20% Rule restriction on issuances of common stock to Lincoln Park. If this Issuance Proposal is approved by our stockholders, we would be able to issue more than the original Exchange Cap (or 1,075,767 shares, which includes the Commitment Shares) to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement at a price less than the Minimum Price. The maximum number of shares of common stock that we may issue would fluctuate from time to time based on the price of our common stock; however we would seek additional stockholder approval before agreeing to any increase in the value of the shares of common stock we may issue to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement above $15.0 million. In addition, the additional shares that we could issue to Lincoln Park will result in greater dilution to existing stockholders and may result in a decline in our stock price or greater price volatility. Each additional share of common stock that would be issuable to Lincoln Park would have the same rights and privileges as each share of our currently authorized common stock.
Reasons for Transaction and Effect on Current Stockholders
Our Board has determined that the Purchase Agreement with Lincoln Park is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders because the right to sell shares to Lincoln Park provides the Company with a potential source of capital and the ability to access that capital when and as needed.
The Purchase Agreement does not affect the rights of the holders of outstanding common stock, but the sale of shares to Lincoln Park pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement will have a dilutive effect on the existing stockholders, including the voting power and economic rights of the existing stockholders.
Vote Required and Recommendation of the Board of Directors
To approve Proposal 5 at the Annual Meeting the votes cast for the proposal must exceed the votes cast against the proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of this proposal.
The Board recommends that stockholders vote FOR the approval, for purposes of complying with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), of the issuance of more than 20% of the Company ’ s issued and outstanding common stock pursuant to the Company ’ s Purchase Agreement with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC.
AVAILABILITY OF ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
Copies of the Autonomix Medical, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K and Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended March 31, 2025, are available without charge (except for exhibits, which are available upon payment of a reasonable fee) upon written request to Autonomix Medical, Inc., 21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300, The Woodlands, TX 77380.
Our Board of Directors does not intend to bring any other matters before the Annual Meeting, nor does it know of any matters which other persons intend to bring before the Annual Meeting. If, however, other matters not mentioned in this proxy statement properly come before the Annual Meeting, the persons named in the accompanying form of proxy will vote thereon in accordance with the recommendation of the Board of Directors.
HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS
The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries (e.g., brokers) to satisfy the delivery requirements for the Notice of Internet Availability with respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a single Notice of Internet Availability addressed to those stockholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as “householding,” potentially means extra convenience for stockholders and cost savings for companies.
A number of brokers with account holders who are the Company’s stockholders may be “householding” our proxy materials. A single copy of the Notice of Internet Availability may be delivered to multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received from the affected stockholders. Once you have received notice from your broker that they will be householding communications to your address, householding will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in householding and would prefer to receive a separate copy of the proxy materials or Notice of Internet Availability, please (1) notify your broker, or (2) direct your written request to Autonomix Medical, Inc., 21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300, The Woodlands, TX 77380, Attention: Corporate Secretary. Stockholders who currently receive multiple copies of the proxy materials or Notice of Internet Availability at their address and would like to request householding of their communications should contact their brokers. In addition, upon written request to the address set forth above, we will promptly deliver a separate copy of the proxy materials or Notice of Internet Availability to any stockholder at a shared address to which a single copy of the documents was delivered.
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS AND SUBMISSIONS
In order to be eligible for inclusion in our proxy statement and form of proxy for our next Annual Meeting, a proposal of a stockholder, including the submission of a stockholder nominee for election to our Board of Directors, must be received at our principal executive offices located in The Woodlands, Texas no later than May 11, 2026. For any proposal that a stockholder wishes to propose for consideration at our next Annual Meeting but does not wish to include in the proxy materials for that meeting, our Bylaws require that the submission must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of our previous year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received, not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90 th day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by us; provided, further, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received, not later than the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by us. The notice of the proposal also must comply with the content requirements for such notices set forth in our Bylaws.
To comply with the universal proxy rules, stockholders who intend to solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than our nominees must provide notice that sets forth the information required by Rule 14a-19 under the Exchange Act no later than August 31, 2026. The requirements under the universal proxy rules are in addition to the applicable procedural requirements under our Bylaws.
Whether or not you expect to be present at the Annual Meeting, please sign and return the enclosed proxy promptly. Your vote is important. If you are a stockholder of record and attend the Annual Meeting and wish to vote in person, you may withdraw your proxy at any time prior to the vote.
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By Order of the Board of Directors AUTONOMIX MEDICAL, INC. |
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/s/ WALTER V. KLEMP |
|
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Walter V. Klemp |
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Executive Chairman of the Board |
The Woodlands, Texas
September 12, 2025
Appendix A
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
TO THE
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
AUTONOMIX MEDICAL, INC.
Autonomix Medical, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”) for the purpose of amending its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation in accordance with the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, does hereby make and execute this Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and does hereby certify that:
1. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”), acting in accordance with the provisions of Sections 141 and 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, adopted resolutions amending Article IV of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), so that effective upon the effective time of this Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, [●] 1 shares of the Corporation’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (hereinafter the “Common Stock”), issued and outstanding shall, automatically and without any action on the part of the respective holders thereof, be combined and converted into one share of Common Stock without increasing or decreasing the par value of each share of Common Stock (the “Reverse Stock Split”) and without increasing or decreasing the authorized number of shares of Common Stock (which shall be Five Hundred Million (500,000,000) shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, authorized) or the Corporation’s preferred stock (which shall be Ten Million (10,000,000) shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, authorized (hereinafter the “Preferred Stock”)); provided, however, no fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split, and instead, in lieu of any fractional shares to which a stockholder of record would otherwise be entitled as a result of the reverse stock split, we will pay cash (without interest) equal to such fraction multiplied by the average of the closing sales prices of the common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market during regular trading hours for the five consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of the reverse stock split (with such average closing sales prices being adjusted to give effect to the reverse stock split).
2. Thereafter, pursuant to a resolution of the Board, a meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation was duly called and held upon notice in accordance with Section 222 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware at which meeting the necessary number of shares as required by statute were voted in favor of the foregoing amendment.
3. The foregoing amendment has been duly adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation law of the State of Delaware.
4. This amendment shall be effective as of [●] p.m., Eastern Time, on [●].
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed this Certificate this [●] day of [●].
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AUTONOMIX MEDICAL, INC.
Name: _______________________
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(1) The Board of Directors will determine the reverse split ratio in its sole discretion. The ratio will be one of the following: 1-for-2, 1-for-3, 1-for-4, 1-for-5, 1-for-6, 1-for-7, 1-for-8, 1-for-9, 1-for-10, 1-for-11, 1-for-12, 1-for-13, 1-for-14, 1-for-15, 1-for-16, 1-for-17, 1-for-18, 1-for-19, 1-for-20, 1-for-21, 1-for-22, 1-for-23, 1-for-24, or 1-for-25, as determined by the Board
Appendix B
AUTONOMIX MEDICAL, INC.
2023 STOCK PLAN
(AS AMENDED AND RESTATED)
Section 1. Establishment and Purpose.
1.1 The Board of Directors of Autonomix Medical, Inc. (the “Company”) established the Autonomix Medical, Inc. 2023 Stock Plan (the “Plan”) effective as of June 28, 2023, which Plan was amended and restated as of August 18, 2023 and as of October 30, 2025. The Company’s stockholders approved the Plan, as amended and restated, on October 30, 2025.
1.2 The purpose of the Plan is to attract and retain outstanding individuals as Key Employees, Directors and Consultants of the Company and its Subsidiaries, to recognize the contributions made to the Company and its Subsidiaries by Key Employees, Directors and Consultants, and to provide such Key Employees, Directors and Consultants with additional incentive to expand and improve the profits and achieve the objectives of the Company and its Subsidiaries, by providing such Key Employees, Directors and Consultants with the opportunity to acquire or increase their proprietary interest in the Company through receipt of Awards.
Section 2. Definitions.
As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
2.1 “ Award ” means any award or benefit granted under the Plan, which shall be a Stock Option, a Stock Award, a Stock Unit Award or an SAR.
2.2 “ Award Agreement ” means, as applicable, a Stock Option Agreement, Stock Award Agreement, Stock Unit Award Agreement or SAR Agreement evidencing an Award granted under the Plan.
2.3 “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.4 “ Change in Control ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2 of the Plan.
2.5 “ Cause ” means that the Participant: (A) pleads “guilty” or “no contest” to, or is convicted of an act which is defined as a felony under federal or state law, or is indicted or formally charged with acts involving criminal fraud or embezzlement; (B) in carrying out his or her duties, engages in conduct that constitutes gross negligence or willful misconduct; (C) engages in substantiated fraud, misappropriation or embezzlement against the Company; (D) engages in any inappropriate or improper conduct that causes material harm to the reputation of the Company; or (E) materially breaches the terms of any agreement between the Participant and the Company.
2.6 “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
2.7 “ Committee ” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee as may be designated by the Board from time to time to administer the Plan, or, if no such committee has been designated at the time of any grants, it shall mean the Board.
2.8 “ Common Stock ” means the Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company.
2.9 “ Company ” means Autonomix Medical, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
2.10 “ Consultant ” means any person, including an advisor, who is engaged by the Company or an affiliate to render consulting or advisory services 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.
2.11 “ Director ” means a director of the Company who is not an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary.
2.12 “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
2.13 “ Fair Market Value ” means as of any date, the closing price of a share of Common Stock on the national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed, or, if the Common Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange, the over-the-counter market on which the Common Stock trades, or, if the Common Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange or an over-the-counter market, as determined by the Board as of such date, or, if no trading occurred on such date, as of the trading day immediately preceding such date.
2.14 “ Incentive Stock Option ” or “ ISO ” means a Stock Option granted under Section 5 of the Plan that meets the requirements of Section 422(b) of the Code or any successor provision.
2.15 “ Key Employee ” means an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary selected to participate in the Plan in accordance with Section 3. A Key Employee may also include a person who is granted an Award (other than an Incentive Stock Option) in connection with the hiring of the person prior to the date the person becomes an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, provided that such Award shall not vest prior to the commencement of employment.
2.16 “ Non-Qualified Stock Option ” or “ NSO ” means a Stock Option granted under Section 5 of the Plan that is not an Incentive Stock Option.
2.17 “ Participant ” means a Key Employee, Director or Consultant selected to receive an Award under the Plan.
2.18 “ Plan ” means the Autonomix Medical, Inc. 2023 Stock Plan.
2.19 “ Stock Appreciation Right ” or “ SAR ” means a grant of a right to receive shares of Common Stock or cash under Section 8 of the Plan.
2.20 “ Stock Award ” means a grant of shares of Common Stock under Section 6 of the Plan.
2.21 “ Stock Option ” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option granted under Section 5 of the Plan.
2.22 “ Stock Unit Award ” means a grant of a right to receive shares of Common Stock or cash under Section 7 of the Plan.
2.23 “ Subsidiary ” means an entity of which the Company is the direct or indirect beneficial owner of not less than 50% of all issued and outstanding equity interest of such entity.
Section 3. Administration.
3.1 The Committee .
The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which shall be comprised of at least two members of the Board who satisfy the “non-employee director” definition set forth in Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, unless the Board otherwise determines.
3.2 Authority of the Committee .
(a) The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine the Key Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom, and the time or times at which Awards will be granted, the form and amount of each Award, the expiration date of each Award, the time or times within which the Awards may be exercised, the cancellation of the Awards and the other limitations, restrictions, terms and conditions applicable to the grant of the Awards. The terms and conditions of the Awards need not be the same with respect to each Participant or with respect to each Award.
(b) To the extent permitted by applicable law, regulation, and rules of a stock exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or traded, the Committee may delegate its authority to grant Awards to Key Employees and to determine the terms and conditions thereof to such officer of the Company as it may determine in its discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may impose, except with respect to Awards to officers subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
(c) The Committee may, subject to the provisions of the Plan, establish such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or advisable for the proper administration of the Plan, and may make determinations and may take such other action in connection with or in relation to the Plan as it deems necessary or advisable. Each determination or other action made or taken pursuant to the Plan, including interpretation of the Plan and the specific terms and conditions of the Awards granted hereunder, shall be final and conclusive for all purposes and upon all persons.
(d) No member of the Board or the Committee shall be liable for any action taken or determination made hereunder in good faith. Service on the Committee shall constitute service as a Director so that the members of the Committee shall be entitled to indemnification and reimbursement as Directors of the Company pursuant to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws.
3.3 Award Agreements .
(a) Each Award shall be evidenced by a written Award Agreement specifying the terms and conditions of the Award. In the sole discretion of the Committee, the Award Agreement may condition the grant of an Award upon the Participant’s entering into one or more of the following agreements with the Company: (i) an agreement not to compete with the Company and its Subsidiaries which shall become effective as of the date of the grant of the Award and remain in effect for a specified period of time following termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company; (ii) an agreement to cancel, to the extent permitted under Section 409A of the Code, any employment agreement, fringe benefit or compensation arrangement in effect between the any employment agreement, fringe benefit or compensation arrangement in effect between the Company and the Participant; and (iii) an agreement to retain the confidentiality of certain information. Such agreements may contain such other terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine. If the Participant shall fail to enter into any such agreement at the request of the Committee, then the Award granted or to be granted to such Participant shall be forfeited and cancelled.
(b) Performance-Based Awards .
(i) The Committee may, in its discretion, provide that any Award granted under the Plan shall be subject to the attainment of performance goals.
(ii) Performance goals may be based on one or more business criteria, including, but not limited to: earnings, earnings per share or earnings per share growth; earnings before interest and taxes, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and/or amortization; Share price; total stockholder return, return on assets; net asset turnover; inventory turnover; return on capital or return on invested capital; return on equity; cash flow; net or pre-tax income; profit margin; working capital turns; market share; expense management; revenue; revenue growth; stockholder equity; leverage ratio; investment rating; debt coverage; the achievement of clinical milestones; and the achievement of technological milestones. Performance goals may be absolute in their terms or measured against or in relationship to the performance of other companies or indices selected by the Committee, and may be particular to one or more lines of business or Subsidiaries or may be based on the performance of the Company and its Subsidiaries as a whole. In addition, the Committee may adjust performance goals for any events that occur during a performance period, including significant acquisitions or dispositions of businesses or assets by the Company; litigation, judgments or settlements; changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or provisions affecting reported results; any reorganization and restructuring programs; unusual and/or non-recurring items; and fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
(iii) With respect to each performance period established by the Committee, the Committee shall establish such performance goals relating to one or more of the business criteria identified above, and shall establish targets for Participants for achievement of performance goals. The performance goals and performance targets established by the Committee may be identical for all Participants for a given performance period or, at the discretion of the Committee, may differ among Participants. Following the completion of each performance period, the Committee shall determine the extent to which performance goals for that performance period have been achieved, and the related performance-based restrictions shall lapse in accordance with the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.
Section 4. Shares of Common Stock Subject to Plan.
4.1 Total Number of Shares .
(a) The total number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan shall be 2,271,968 (which reflects the 371,968 shares previously authorized under the Plan and 1,900,000 shares to be issued under the Plan pursuant to this amendment and restatement) plus any additional shares of Common Stock that become available for issuance under the Plan under Sections 4.1(c)-(d) below. Such shares may be either authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares, and shall be adjusted in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.3 of the Plan.
(b) The number of shares of Common Stock delivered by a Participant or withheld by the Company on behalf of any such Participant as full or partial payment of an Award, including the exercise price of a Stock Option or of any required withholding taxes, shall not again be available for issuance pursuant to subsequent Awards, and shall count towards the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan. Any shares of Common Stock purchased by the Company with proceeds from a Stock Option exercise shall not again be available for issuance pursuant to subsequent Awards, shall count against the aggregate number of shares that may be issued under the Plan and shall not increase the number of shares available under the Plan.
(c) If there is a lapse, forfeiture, expiration, termination or cancellation of any Award for any reason (including for reasons described in Section 3.3), or if shares of Common Stock are issued under such Award and thereafter are reacquired by the Company pursuant to rights reserved by the Company upon issuance thereof, the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award or reacquired by the Company shall again be available for issuance pursuant to subsequent Awards, and shall not count towards the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan.
(d) The number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan will automatically increase on April 1st of each calendar year, beginning on April 1, 2024 and ending on (and including) April 1, 2033 (each, an “Evergreen Date”) in an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on the March 31st immediately preceding the applicable Evergreen Date (the “Evergreen Increase”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may act prior to the Evergreen Date of a given year to provide that there will be no Evergreen Increase for such year, or that the Evergreen Increase for such year will be a lesser number of shares of Common Stock than would otherwise occur pursuant to the preceding sentence.
4.2 Shares Under Awards .
Of the shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 4.1:
(a) Commencing on or after the date the Company’s Common Stock begins trading on a national securities exchange, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock as to which a Key Employee or Consultant may receive Stock Options or SARs in any calendar year will not exceed $1,000,000 in total value (calculating the value of any such Stock Options or SARs based on the grant date fair value of such Stock Options or SARs for financial reporting purposes). For the avoidance of doubt, shares of Common Stock that may be used for Stock Awards and/or Stock Unit Awards pursuant to Section 4.2(c) shall not be included in the foregoing calculation.
(b) The maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be subject to Stock Options (ISOs and/or NSOs) is the full number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under Section 4.1 of the Plan.
(c) Commencing on or after the date the Company’s Common Stock begins trading on a national securities exchange, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be used for Stock Awards and/or Stock Unit Awards that may be granted to any Key Employee or Consultant in any calendar year will not exceed $1,000,000 in total value (calculating the value of any such Stock Awards and/or Stock Unit Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Stock Awards and/or Stock Unit Awards for financial reporting purposes). For the avoidance of doubt, shares of Common Stock that may be used for Stock Options and/or SARs pursuant to Section 4.2(a) shall not be included in the foregoing calculation.
(d) The maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to Awards granted under the Plan or otherwise during any one calendar year to any Director, taken together with any cash fees paid by the Company to such Director during such calendar year for service on the Board, will not exceed $500,000 in total value (calculating the value of any such Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Awards for financial reporting purposes).
The numbers of shares described herein shall be as adjusted in accordance with Section 4.3 of the Plan.
4.3 Adjustment .
In the event of any reorganization, recapitalization, stock split, stock distribution, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, subdivision, consolidation or exchange of shares, any change in the capital structure of the Company or any similar corporate transaction, the Committee shall make such adjustments as it deems appropriate, in its sole discretion, to preserve the benefits or intended benefits of the Plan and Awards granted under the Plan. Such adjustments may include: (a) adjustment in the number and kind of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan; (b) adjustment in the number and kind of shares covered by outstanding Awards; (c) adjustment in the exercise price of outstanding Stock Options or SARs or the price of Stock Awards or Stock Unit Awards under the Plan; (d) adjustments to any of the shares limitations set forth in Section 4.1 or 4.2 of the Plan; and (e) any other changes that the Committee determines to be equitable under the circumstances.
Section 5. Grants of Stock Options.
5.1 Grant .
Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may from time to time grant Stock Options to Participants. Unless otherwise expressly provided at the time of the grant, Stock Options granted under the Plan to Key Employees will be NSOs. Stock Options granted under the Plan to Directors or Consultants who, in each case are not employees of the Company or any Subsidiary will be NSOs. Only Key Employees of the Company, any “parent corporation” (as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code or any Subsidiary that is a “subsidiary company” (as defined in Section 424(f) and (g) of the Code) are eligible to be granted ISOs.
5.2 Stock Option Agreement .
The grant of each Stock Option shall be evidenced by a written Stock Option Agreement specifying the type of Stock Option granted, the exercise period, the exercise price, the terms for payment of the exercise price, the expiration date of the Stock Option, the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to each Stock Option and such other terms and conditions established by the Committee, in its sole discretion, not inconsistent with the Plan.
5.3 Exercise Price and Exercise Period .
With respect to each Stock Option granted to a Participant:
(a) The per share exercise price of each Stock Option shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Stock Option on the date on which the Stock Option is granted.
(b) Each Stock Option shall vest and become exercisable as provided in the Stock Option Agreement and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee; provided that the Committee shall have the discretion to accelerate the date as of which any Stock Option shall become exercisable in the event of the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company, or service on the Board or as a Consultant, for any reason other than Cause.
(c) Each Stock Option shall expire, and all rights to purchase shares of Common Stock thereunder shall expire, on the date ten years after the date of grant.
5.4 Required Terms and Conditions of ISOs .
In addition to the foregoing, each ISO granted to a Key Employee shall be subject to the following specific rules:
(a) The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined with respect to each ISO at the time such Option is granted) of the shares of Common Stock with respect to which ISOs are exercisable for the first time by a Key Employee during any calendar year (under all incentive stock option plans of the Company and its Subsidiaries) shall not exceed $100,000. If the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of grant) of the Common Stock subject to an ISO which first becomes exercisable in any calendar year exceeds the limitation of this Section 5.4(a), so much of the ISO that does not exceed the applicable dollar limit shall be an ISO and the remainder shall be a NSO; but in all other respects, the original Stock Option Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if an ISO is granted to a Key Employee who owns stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company (or its parent or subsidiaries within the meaning of Section 422(b)(6) of the Code): (i) the purchase price of each share of Common Stock subject to the ISO shall be not less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the ISO is granted; and (ii) the ISO shall expire, and all rights to purchase shares of Common Stock thereunder shall expire, no later than the fifth anniversary of the date the ISO was granted.
(c) No ISOs shall be granted under the Plan after ten years from the earlier of the date the Plan is adopted or approved by shareholders of the Company.
5.5 Exercise of Stock Options .
(a) A Participant entitled to exercise a Stock Option may do so by delivering written notice to that effect specifying the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Stock Option is being exercised and any other information the Committee may prescribe. Such notice will be accompanied by payment in full of the purchase price. All notices or requests provided for herein shall be delivered to the Chief Financial Officer of the Company.
(b) The Committee in its sole discretion may make available one or more of the following alternatives for the payment of the Stock Option exercise price: (i) in cash or by certified or bank check; (ii) in cash received from a broker-dealer to whom the Participant has submitted an exercise notice together with irrevocable instructions to deliver promptly to the Company the amount of sales proceeds from the sale of the shares subject to the Stock Option to pay the exercise price; (iii) by directing the Company to withhold such number of shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable in connection with the exercise of the Stock Option having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the exercise price; (iv) by delivering previously acquired shares of Common Stock that are acceptable to the Committee and that have an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the Stock Option exercise price; (v) by certifying to ownership by attestation of such previously acquired shares of Common Stock; or (vi) by combination of any of the foregoing methods.
The Committee shall have the sole discretion to establish the terms and conditions applicable to any alternative made available for payment of the Stock Option exercise price.
Section 6. Stock Awards.
6.1 Grant .
The Committee may, in its discretion, (a) grant shares of Common Stock under the Plan to any Participant without consideration from such Participant or (b) sell shares of Common Stock under the Plan to any Participant for such amount of cash, Common Stock or other consideration as the Committee deems appropriate.
6.2 Stock Award Agreement .
Each share of Common Stock granted or sold hereunder shall be subject to such restrictions, conditions and other terms as the Board may determine at the time of grant or sale, the general provisions of the Plan, the restrictions, terms and conditions of the related Stock Award Agreement, and the following specific rules:
(a) The Award Agreement shall specify whether the shares of Common Stock are granted or sold to the Participant and such other provisions, not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine.
(b) The restrictions to which the shares of Common Stock awarded hereunder are subject shall lapse as provided in Stock Award Agreement; provided that the Committee shall have the discretion to accelerate the date as of which the restrictions lapse with respect to any Award held by a Participant in the event of the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company, or service on the Board or as a Consultant, for any reason other than Cause.
(c) Except as provided in this subsection (c) and unless otherwise set forth in the related Stock Award Agreement, the Participant receiving a grant of or purchasing Common Stock pursuant to an Award Agreement shall thereupon be a stockholder with respect to such shares and shall have the rights of a stockholder with respect to such shares, including the right to vote such shares and to receive dividends and other distributions paid with respect to such shares; provided that any dividends or other distributions payable with respect to the Stock Award shall be accumulated and held by the Company and paid to the Participant only upon, and to the extent, the restrictions lapse in accordance with the terms of the applicable Stock Award Agreement. Any such dividends or other distributions held by the Company attributable to the portion of a Stock Award that is forfeited shall also be forfeited.
Section 7. Stock Unit Awards.
7.1 Grant .
The Committee may, in its discretion, grant Stock Unit Awards to any Participant. Each Stock Unit subject to the Award shall entitle the Participant to receive, on the date or the occurrence of an event (including the attainment of performance goals) as described in the Stock Unit Award Agreement, a share of Common Stock or cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on such date or the date of such event as provided in the Stock Unit Award Agreement.
7.2 Stock Unit Agreement .
Each Stock Unit Award shall be subject to such restrictions, conditions and other terms as the Committee may determine at the time of grant, the general provisions of the Plan, the restrictions, terms and conditions of the related Stock Unit Award Agreement and the following specific rules:
(a) The Stock Unit Agreement shall specify such provisions, not inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine.
(b) The restrictions to which the shares of Stock Units awarded hereunder are subject shall lapse as provided in Stock Unit Agreement; provided that the Committee shall have the discretion to accelerate the date as of which the restrictions lapse with respect to any Award held by a Participant in the event of the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company, or service on the Board or as a Consultant, for any reason other than Cause.
(c) Except as provided in this subsection (c) and unless otherwise set forth in the Stock Unit Agreement, the Participant receiving a Stock Unit Award shall have no rights of a stockholder, including voting or dividends or other distributions rights, with respect to any Stock Units prior to the date they are settled in shares of Common Stock; provided that a Stock Unit Award Agreement may provide that until the Stock Units are settled in shares or cash, the Participant shall be entitled to receive on each dividend or distribution payment date applicable to the Common Stock an amount equal to the dividends or other distributions that the Participant would have received had the Stock Units held by the Participant as of the related record date been actual shares of Common Stock. Such amounts shall be accumulated and held by the Company and paid to the Participant only upon, and to the extent, the restrictions lapse in accordance with the terms of the applicable Stock Unit Award Agreement. Such amounts held by the Company attributable to the portion of the Stock Unit Award that is forfeited shall also be forfeited.
Section 8. SARs.
8.1 Grant .
The Committee may grant SARs to Participants. Upon exercise, an SAR entitles the Participant to receive from the Company the number of shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of one share as of the date on which the SAR is exercised over the exercise price, multiplied by the number of shares with respect to which the SAR is being exercised. The Committee, in its discretion, shall be entitled to cause the Company to elect to settle any part or all of its obligations arising out of the exercise of an SAR by the payment of cash in lieu of all or part of the shares it would otherwise be obligated to deliver in an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of such shares on the date of exercise. Cash shall be delivered in lieu of any fractional shares. The terms and conditions of any such Award shall be determined at the time of grant.
8.2 SAR Agreement .
(a) Each SAR shall be evidenced by a written SAR Agreement specifying the terms and conditions of the SAR as the Committee may determine, including the SAR exercise price, expiration date of the SAR, the number of shares of Common Stock to which the SAR pertains, the form of settlement and such other terms and conditions established by the Committee, in its sole discretion, not inconsistent with the Plan.
(b) The per Share exercise price of each SAR shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the SAR is granted.
(c) Each SAR shall expire and all rights thereunder shall cease on the date fixed by the Committee in the related SAR Agreement, which shall not be later than the ten years after the date of grant; provided however, to the extent permitted under Section 409A of the Code and regulations thereunder, if a Participant is unable to exercise an SAR because trading in the Common Stock is prohibited by law or the Company’s insider-trading policy, the SAR exercise date shall be extended to the date that is 30 days after the expiration of the trading prohibition.
(d) Each SAR shall become exercisable as provided in the related SAR Agreement; provided that notwithstanding any other Plan provision, the Committee shall have the discretion to accelerate the date as of which any SAR shall become exercisable in the event of the Participant’s termination of employment, or service on the Board or as a Consultant, for any reason other than Cause.
(e) No dividends or dividend equivalents shall be paid with respect to any SAR prior to the exercise of the SAR.
(f) A person entitled to exercise an SAR may do so by delivery of a written notice in accordance with procedures established by the Committee specifying the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the SAR is being exercised and any other information the Committee may prescribe. As soon as reasonably practicable after the exercise of an SAR, the Company shall (i) issue the total number of full shares of Common Stock to which the Participant is entitled and cash in an amount equal to the Fair Market Value, as of the date of exercise, of any resulting fractional share, and (ii) if the Committee causes the Company to elect to settle all or part of its obligations arising out of the exercise of the SAR in cash, deliver to the Participant an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value, as of the date of exercise, of the shares it would otherwise be obligated to deliver.
Section 9. Change in Control.
9.1 Effect of a Change in Control .
(a) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of the Plan or any outstanding Award Agreement, upon a Change in Control of the Company (as defined in Section 9.2), the Committee is authorized and has sole discretion to provide that (i) all outstanding Awards shall become fully exercisable, (ii) all restrictions applicable to all Awards shall terminate or lapse and (iii) performance goals applicable to any Awards shall be deemed satisfied at the highest level, as applicable, in order that Participants may realize the benefits thereunder.
(b) In addition to the Committee’s authority set forth in Section 3 and except as set forth in any written employment agreement between the Company and the Participant, upon such Change in Control of the Company, the Board is authorized and has sole discretion as to any Award, either at the time such Award is granted hereunder or any time in anticipation of or thereafter, as applicable, to take any one or more of the following actions: (i) cause any outstanding Stock Option or SAR to become fully vested and immediately exercisable for a reasonable period in advance of the Change in Control and, to the extent exercised prior to the Change in Control, cancel that Stock Option or SAR upon the Change in Control; (ii) cancel any Award in exchange for a substitute award; (iii) redeem any shares subject to an outstanding Stock Award or Stock Unit Award for cash and/or other substitute consideration with value equal to the Fair Market Value of an unrestricted share of Common Stock on the date of the Change in Control; (iv) provide for the purchase of any outstanding Stock Option or SAR, for an amount of cash equal to the difference between the exercise price and the then Fair Market Value of the Common Stock covered thereby had such Stock Option been currently exercisable, provided that, if the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the date of the Change in Control does not exceed the exercise price of the Stock Option or SAR, can the Stock Option or SAR without any consideration; (v) make such adjustment to any such Award then outstanding as the Board deems appropriate to reflect such Change in Control; and (vi) cause any such Award then outstanding to be assumed by the acquiring or surviving corporation after such Change in Control or (viii) take such other action as the Committee shall determine to be reasonable under the circumstances.
(c) In the discretion of the Committee, any cash or substitute consideration payable upon cancellation of an Award may be subjected to (i) vesting terms substantially identical to those that applied to the cancelled Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, or (ii) earn-out, escrow, holdback or similar arrangements, to the extent such arrangements are applicable to any consideration paid to stockholders in connection with the Change in Control.
(d) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 9.1, in the case of any Award subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Committee shall only be permitted to take actions under this Section 9.1 to the extent that such actions would be consistent with the intended treatment of such Award under Section 409A of the Code.
9.2 Definition of Change in Control .
“Change in Control” of the Company shall be deemed to have occurred if at any time during the term of an Award granted under the Plan any of the following events occurs:
(a) any Person (other than the Company, a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, or a corporation owned directly or indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of Common Stock of the Company) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (“Person” and “Beneficial Owner” being defined in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Exchange Act);
(b) the Company is party to a merger, consolidation, reorganization or other similar transaction with another corporation or other Person unless, following such transaction, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the outstanding securities of the surviving, resulting or acquiring corporation or Person or its parent entity entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (or Persons performing similar functions) is then beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners of the Company’s outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such transaction, in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such transaction, of the Company’s outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors;
(c) the election to the Board, without the recommendation or approval of two-thirds of the incumbent Board, of the lesser of: (i) three Directors; or (ii) Directors constituting a majority of the number of Directors of the Company then in office; provided, however, that Directors whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of Directors of the Company will not be considered as incumbent members of the Board for purposes of this Section; or
(d) there is a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company, or the Company sells all or substantially all of its business and/or assets to another corporation or other Person unless, following such sale, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the outstanding securities of the acquiring corporation or Person or its parent entity entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (or Persons performing similar functions) is then beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners of the Company’s outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such sale, in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such sale, of the Company’s outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
In no event, however, shall a Change in Control be deemed to have occurred, with respect to a Participant, if that Participant is part of a purchasing group which consummates the Change in Control transaction. A Participant shall be deemed “part of a purchasing group” for purposes of the preceding sentence if the Participant is an equity participant or has agreed to become an equity participant in the purchasing company or group (except for (a) passive ownership of less than 3% of the shares of the purchasing company; or (b) ownership of equity participation in the purchasing company or group which is otherwise not deemed to be significant, as determined prior to the Change in Control by a majority of the disinterested Directors).
Section 10. Payment of Taxes.
(a) In connection with any Award, and as a condition to the issuance or delivery of any shares of Common Stock to the Participant in connection therewith, the Company shall require the Participant to pay the Company the minimum amount of federal, state, local or foreign taxes required to be withheld, and in the Company’s sole discretion, the Company may permit the Participant to pay the Company up to the maximum individual statutory rate of applicable withholding.
(b) The Company in its sole discretion may make available one or more of the following alternatives for the payment of such taxes: (i) in cash; (ii) in cash received from a broker-dealer to whom the Participant has submitted notice together with irrevocable instructions to deliver promptly to the Company the amount of sales proceeds from the sale of the shares subject to the Award to pay the withholding taxes; (iii) by directing the Company to withhold such number of shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable in connection with the Award having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld; (iv) by delivering previously acquired shares of Common Stock of the Company that are acceptable to the Board that have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the amount required to be withheld; or (v) by certifying to ownership by attestation of such previously acquired shares of Common Stock.
The Committee shall have the sole discretion to establish the terms and conditions applicable to any alternative made available for payment of the required withholding taxes.
Section 11. Postponement.
The Committee may postpone any grant or settlement of an Award or exercise of a Stock Option or SAR for such time as the Board in its sole discretion may deem necessary in order to permit the Company:
(a) to effect, amend or maintain any necessary registration of the Plan or the shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to an Award, including upon the exercise of a Stock Option or SAR, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any applicable jurisdiction;
(b) to permit any action to be taken in order to (i) list such shares of Common Stock on a stock exchange if shares of Common Stock are then listed on such exchange or (ii) comply with restrictions or regulations incident to the maintenance of a public market for its shares of Common Stock, including any rules or regulations of any stock exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed; or
(c) to determine that such shares of Common Stock and the Plan are exempt from such registration or that no action of the kind referred to in (b)(ii) above needs to be taken; and the Company shall not be obligated by virtue of any terms and conditions of any Award or any provision of the Plan to sell or issue shares of Common Stock in violation of the Securities Act of 1933 or the law of any government having jurisdiction thereof.
Any such postponement shall not extend the term of an Award and neither the Company nor its Directors or officers shall have any obligation or liability to a Participant, the Participant’s successor or any other person with respect to any shares of Common Stock as to which the Award shall lapse because of such postponement.
Section 12. Nontransferability.
Awards granted under the Plan, and any rights and privileges pertaining thereto, may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any manner, or be subject to execution, attachment or similar process, by operation of law or otherwise, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.
Section 13. Delivery of Shares.
Shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to a Stock Award, the exercise of a Stock or SAR or the settlement of a Stock Unit Award shall be represented by stock certificates or on a non-certificated basis, with the ownership of such shares by the Participant evidenced solely by book entry in the records of the Company’s transfer agent; provided, however, that upon the written request of the Participant, the Company shall issue, in the name of the Participant, stock certificates representing such shares of Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, shares granted pursuant to a Stock Award shall be held by the Secretary of the Company until such time as the shares are forfeited or settled.
Section 14. Termination or Amendment of Plan and Award Agreements.
14.1 Termination or Amendment of Plan .
(a) Except as described in Section 14.3 below, the Board may terminate, suspend, or amend the Plan, in whole or in part, from time to time, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, unless such approval is required by applicable law, regulation or rule of any stock exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed. No amendment or termination of the Plan shall adversely affect the right of any Participant under any outstanding Award in any material way without the written consent of the Participant, unless such amendment or termination is required by applicable law, regulation or rule of any stock exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed. Subject to the foregoing, the Committee may correct any defect or supply an omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award granted hereunder in the manner and to the extent it shall deem desirable, in its sole discretion, to effectuate the Plan.
(b) The Board shall have the authority to amend the Plan to the extent necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable law, regulation or accounting rules in order to permit Participants who are located outside of the United States to participate in the Plan.
14.2 Amendment of Award Agreements .
The Committee shall have the authority to amend any Award Agreement at any time; provided however, that no such amendment shall adversely affect the right of any Participant under any outstanding Award Agreement in any material way without the written consent of the Participant, unless such amendment is required by applicable law, regulation or rule of any stock exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed.
14.3 No Repricing of Stock Options .
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and except as described in Section 4.3, there shall be no amendment to the Plan or any outstanding Stock Option Agreement or SAR Agreement that results in the repricing of Stock Options or SARs without stockholder approval. For this purpose, repricing includes (i) a reduction in the exercise price of the Stock Option or SARs or (ii) the cancellation of a Stock Option in exchange for cash, Stock Options or SARs with an exercise price less than the exercise price of the cancelled Options or SARs, other Awards or any other consideration provided by the Company, but does not include any adjustment described in Section 4.3.
Section 15. No Contract of Employment.
Neither the adoption of the Plan nor the grant of any Award under the Plan shall be deemed to obligate the Company or any Subsidiary to continue the employment or service of any Participant for any particular period, nor shall the granting of an Award constitute a request or consent to postpone the retirement date of any Participant.
Section 16. Applicable Law.
All questions pertaining to the validity, construction and administration of the Plan and all Awards granted under the Plan shall be determined in conformity with the laws of Delaware, without regard to the conflict of law provisions of any state, and, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, Section 422 of the Code and regulations issued thereunder.
Section 17. Effective Date and Term of Plan.
17.1 Effective Date .
The Plan as amended and restated has been adopted by the Board and stockholders of the Company, and is effective, as of June 28, 2023.
17.2 Term of Plan .
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, no Awards shall be granted on or after June 28, 2033.
Appendix C
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “ Agreement ”), dated as of August 25, 2025, by and between AUTONOMIX MEDICAL, INC. , a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and LINCOLN PARK CAPITAL FUND, LLC , an Illinois limited liability company (the “ Investor ”).
WHEREAS:
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company wishes to sell to the Investor, and the Investor wishes to buy from the Company, up to Fifteen Million Dollars ($15,000,000) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “ Common Stock ”). The shares of Common Stock to be purchased by the Investor hereunder are referred to herein as the “ Purchase Shares .”
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Investor hereby agree as follows:
1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “ Accelerated Purchase Date ” means, with respect to any Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, the Business Day immediately following the applicable Purchase Date with respect to the corresponding Regular Purchase referred to in clause (i) of the second sentence of Section 2(b) hereof.
(b) “ Accelerated Purchase Minimum Price Threshold ” means, with respect to any Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, the greater of (i) seventy-five percent (75%) of the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the applicable Purchase Date with respect to the corresponding Regular Purchase referred to in clause (i) of the second sentence of Section 2(b) hereof and (ii) the minimum per share price threshold set forth in the applicable Accelerated Purchase Notice.
(c) “ Accelerated Purchase Notice ” means, with respect to an Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, an irrevocable written notice from the Company to the Investor directing the Investor to purchase the number of Purchase Shares specified by the Company therein as the Accelerated Purchase Share Amount to be purchased by the Investor (such specified Accelerated Purchase Share Amount subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof as necessary to give effect to the Purchase Share amount limitations applicable to such Accelerated Purchase Share Amount as set forth in this Agreement) at the applicable Accelerated Purchase Price on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date for such Accelerated Purchase.
(d) “ Accelerated Purchase Price ” means, with respect to an Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, ninety-seven percent (97%) of the lower of (i) the VWAP for the period beginning at 9:30:01 a.m., Eastern time, on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date, or such other time publicly announced by the Principal Market as the official open (or commencement) of trading on the Principal Market on such applicable Accelerated Purchase Date (the “ Accelerated Purchase Commencement Time ”), and ending at the earliest of (A) 4:00:00 p.m., Eastern time, on such applicable Accelerated Purchase Date, or such other time publicly announced by the Principal Market as the official close of trading on the Principal Market on such applicable Accelerated Purchase Date, (B) such time, from and after the Accelerated Purchase Commencement Time for such Accelerated Purchase, that the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Principal Market has exceeded the applicable Accelerated Purchase Share Volume Maximum, and (C) such time, from and after the Accelerated Purchase Commencement Time for such Accelerated Purchase, that the Sale Price has fallen below the applicable Accelerated Purchase Minimum Price Threshold (such earliest of (i)(A), (i)(B) and (i)(C) above, the “ Accelerated Purchase Termination Time ”), and (ii) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on such applicable Accelerated Purchase Date (to be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction).
(e) “ Accelerated Purchase Share Amount ” means, with respect to an Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, the number of Purchase Shares directed by the Company to be purchased by the Investor in an Accelerated Purchase Notice, which number of Purchase Shares shall not exceed the lesser of (i) 300% of the number of Purchase Shares directed by the Company to be purchased by the Investor pursuant to the corresponding Regular Purchase Notice for the corresponding Regular Purchase referred to in clause (i) of the second sentence of Section 2(b) hereof (subject to the Purchase Share limitations contained in Section 2(a) hereof) and (ii) an amount equal to (A) the Accelerated Purchase Share Percentage multiplied by (B) the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Principal Market during the period on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date beginning at the Accelerated Purchase Commencement Time for such Accelerated Purchase and ending at the Accelerated Purchase Termination Time for such Accelerated Purchase.
(f) “ Accelerated Purchase Share Percentage ” means, with respect to an Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, thirty percent (30%).
(g) “ Accelerated Purchase Share Volume Maximum ” means, with respect to an Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to (i) the number of Purchase Shares specified by the Company in the applicable Accelerated Purchase Notice as the Accelerated Purchase Share Amount to be purchased by the Investor in such Accelerated Purchase, divided by (ii) the Accelerated Purchase Share Percentage (to be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction).
(h) “ Additional Accelerated Purchase Date ” means, with respect to an Additional Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof, the Business Day (i) that is the Accelerated Purchase Date with respect to the corresponding Accelerated Purchase referred to in clause (i) of the proviso in the second sentence of Section 2(c) hereof and (ii) on which the Investor receives, prior to 1:00 p.m., Eastern time, on such Business Day, a valid Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice for such Additional Accelerated Purchase in accordance with this Agreement.
(i) “ Additional Accelerated Purchase Minimum Price Threshold ” means, with respect to an Additional Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof, the greater of (i) seventy-five percent (75%) of the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the Business Day immediately preceding the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Date with respect to such Additional Accelerated Purchase and (ii) the minimum per share price threshold set forth in the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice.
(j) “ Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice ” means, with respect to an Additional Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof, an irrevocable written notice from the Company to the Investor directing the Investor to purchase the number of Purchase Shares specified by the Company therein as the Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Amount to be purchased by the Investor (such specified Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Amount subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(c) hereof as necessary to give effect to the Purchase Share amount limitations applicable to such Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Amount as set forth in this Agreement) at the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Price on the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Date for such Additional Accelerated Purchase.
(k) “ Additional Accelerated Purchase Price ” means, with respect to an Additional Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof, ninety-seven percent (97%) of the lower of (i) the VWAP for the period on the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Date, beginning at the latest of (A) the applicable Accelerated Purchase Termination Time with respect to the corresponding Accelerated Purchase referred to in clause (i) of the proviso in the second sentence of Section 2(c) hereof on such Additional Accelerated Purchase Date, (B) the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Termination Time with respect to the most recently completed prior Additional Accelerated Purchase on such Additional Accelerated Purchase Date, as applicable, and (C) the time at which all Purchase Shares subject to all prior Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases (as applicable), including, without limitation, those that have been effected on the same Business Day as the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Date with respect to which the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase relates, have theretofore been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement (such latest of (i)(A), (i)(B) and (i)(C) above, the “ Additional Accelerated Purchase Commencement Time ”), and ending at the earliest of (X) 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on such Additional Accelerated Purchase Date, or such other time publicly announced by the Principal Market as the official close of trading on the Principal Market on such Additional Accelerated Purchase Date, (Y) such time, from and after the Additional Accelerated Purchase Commencement Time for such Additional Accelerated Purchase, that total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Principal Market has exceeded the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Volume Maximum, and (Z) such time, from and after the Additional Accelerated Purchase Commencement Time for such Additional Accelerated Purchase, that the Sale Price has fallen below the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Minimum Price Threshold (such earliest of (i)(X), (i)(Y) and (i)(Z) above, the “ Additional Accelerated Purchase Termination Time ”), and (ii) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on such Additional Accelerated Purchase Date (to be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction).
(l) “ Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Amount ” means, with respect to an Additional Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof, the number of Purchase Shares directed by the Company to be purchased by the Investor on an Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice, which number of Purchase Shares shall not exceed the lesser of (i) 300% of the number of Purchase Shares directed by the Company to be purchased by the Investor pursuant to the corresponding Regular Purchase Notice for the corresponding Regular Purchase referred to in clause (i) of the proviso in the second sentence of Section 2(c) hereof (subject to the Purchase Share limitations contained in Section 2(a) hereof) and (ii) an amount equal to (A) the Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Percentage multiplied by (B) the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Principal Market during the period on the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Date beginning at the Additional Accelerated Purchase Commencement Time for such Additional Accelerated Purchase and ending at the Additional Accelerated Purchase Termination Time for such Additional Accelerated Purchase.
(m) “ Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Percentage ” means, with respect to an Additional Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof, thirty percent (30%).
(n) “ Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Volume Maximum ” means, with respect to an Additional Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to (i) the number of Purchase Shares specified by the Company in the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice as the Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Amount to be purchased by the Investor in such Additional Accelerated Purchase, divided by (ii) the Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Percentage (to be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction).
(o) “ Alternate Adjusted Regular Purchase Share Limit ” means, with respect to a Regular Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, the maximum number of Purchase Shares which, taking into account the applicable per share Purchase Price therefor calculated in accordance with this Agreement, would enable the Company to deliver to the Investor, on the applicable Purchase Date for such Regular Purchase, a Regular Purchase Notice for a Purchase Amount equal to, or as closely approximating without exceeding, Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000).
(p) “ Available Amount ” means, initially, Fifteen Million Dollars ($15,000,000) in the aggregate, which amount shall be reduced by the Purchase Amount each time the Investor purchases Purchase Shares pursuant to Section 2 hereof.
(q) “ Average Price ” means a price per Purchase Share (rounded to the nearest tenth of a cent) equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the aggregate gross purchase price paid by the Investor for all Purchase Shares purchased pursuant to this Agreement, by (ii) the aggregate number of Purchase Shares issued pursuant to this Agreement.
(r) “ Bankruptcy Law ” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
(s) “ Base Price ” means a price per Purchase Share equal to the sum of (i) the Signing Market Price and (ii) $0.32507 (subject to adjustment for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction that occurs on or after the date of this Agreement).
(t) “ Business Day ” means any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading, including any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading for a period of time less than the customary time.
(u) “ Closing Sale Price ” means, for any security as of any date, the last closing sale price for such security on the Principal Market as reported by the Principal Market.
(v) “ Confidential Information ” means any information disclosed by either party to the other party, either directly or indirectly, in writing, orally or by inspection of tangible objects (including, without limitation, documents, prototypes, samples, plant and equipment), which is designated as "Confidential," "Proprietary" or some similar designation. Information communicated orally shall be considered Confidential Information if such information is confirmed in writing as being Confidential Information within ten (10) Business Days after the initial disclosure. Confidential Information may also include information disclosed to a disclosing party by third parties. Confidential Information shall not, however, include any information which (i) was publicly known and made generally available in the public domain prior to the time of disclosure by the disclosing party; (ii) becomes publicly known and made generally available after disclosure by the disclosing party to the receiving party through no action or inaction of the receiving party; (iii) is already in the possession of the receiving party without confidential restriction at the time of disclosure by the disclosing party as shown by the receiving party’s files and records immediately prior to the time of disclosure; (iv) is obtained by the receiving party from a third party without a breach of such third party’s obligations of confidentiality; (v) is independently developed by the receiving party without use of or reference to the disclosing party’s Confidential Information, as shown by documents and other competent evidence in the receiving party’s possession; or (vi) is required by law to be disclosed by the receiving party, provided that the receiving party gives the disclosing party prompt written notice of such requirement prior to such disclosure and assistance in obtaining an order protecting the information from public disclosure.
(w) “ Custodian ” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
(x) “ DTC ” means The Depository Trust Company, or any successor performing substantially the same function for the Company.
(y) “ DWAC Shares ” means shares of Common Stock that are (i) issued in electronic form, (ii) freely tradable and transferable and without restriction on resale and (iii) timely credited by the Company to the Investor’s or its designee’s specified Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian (DWAC) account with DTC under its Fast Automated Securities Transfer (FAST) Program, or any similar program hereafter adopted by DTC performing substantially the same function.
(z) “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(aa) “ Floor Price ” means, with respect to a Regular Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, $0.25, which shall be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction and, effective upon the consummation of any such reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction, the Floor Price shall mean the lower of (i) the adjusted price and (ii) $0.50.
(bb) “ Fully Adjusted Regular Purchase Share Limit ” means, with respect to any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction from and after the date of this Agreement, the Regular Purchase Share Limit (as defined in Section 2(a) hereof) in effect on the applicable date of determination, after giving effect to the full proportionate adjustment thereto made pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof for or in respect of such reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction.
(cc) “ Material Adverse Effect ” means any material adverse effect on (i) the enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) the results of operations, assets, business or financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than any material adverse effect that resulted exclusively from (A) any change in the United States or foreign economies or securities or financial markets in general that does not have a disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (B) any change that generally affects the industry in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate that does not have a disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (C) any change arising in connection with earthquakes, hostilities, acts of war, sabotage or terrorism or military actions or any escalation or material worsening of any such hostilities, acts of war, sabotage or terrorism or military actions existing as of the date hereof, (D) any action taken by the Investor, its affiliates or its or their successors and assigns with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (E) the effect of any change in applicable laws or accounting rules that does not have a disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (F) any change resulting from compliance with terms of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or (iii) the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document to be performed as of the date of determination.
(dd) “ Maturity Date ” means the first day of the month immediately following the twenty-four (24) month anniversary of the Commencement Date.
(ee) “ PEA Period ” means the period commencing at 9:30 a.m., Eastern time, on the fifth (5 th ) Business Day immediately prior to the filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement (as defined herein) or New Registration Statement (as such term is defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), and ending at 9:30 a.m., Eastern time, on the Business Day immediately following, the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement (as defined herein) or New Registration Statement (as such term is defined in the Registration Rights Agreement).
(ff) “ Person ” means an individual or entity including but not limited to any limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization and a government or any department or agency thereof.
(gg) “ Principal Market ” means The Nasdaq Capital Market (or any nationally recognized successor thereto); provided, however, that in the event the Company’s Common Stock is ever listed or traded on The Nasdaq Global Market, The Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the NYSE Arca, or The OTCQX Best Market or The OTCQB Venture Market operated by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or any nationally recognized successor to any of the foregoing), then the “ Principal Market ” shall mean such other market or exchange on which the Company’s Common Stock is then listed or traded.
(hh) “ Purchase Amount ” means, with respect to any Regular Purchase, any Accelerated Purchase or any Additional Accelerated Purchase made hereunder, as applicable, the portion of the Available Amount to be purchased by the Investor pursuant to Section 2 hereof.
(ii) “ Purchase Date ” means, with respect to a Regular Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, the Business Day on which the Investor receives, after 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on such Business Day, a valid Regular Purchase Notice for such Regular Purchase in accordance with this Agreement.
(jj) “ Purchase Price ” means, with respect to any Regular Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, ninety-seven percent (97%) of the lower of: (i) the lowest Sale Price on the applicable Purchase Date for such Regular Purchase and (ii) the arithmetic average of the three (3) lowest Closing Sale Prices for the Common Stock during the ten (10) consecutive Business Days ending on the Business Day immediately preceding such Purchase Date for such Regular Purchase (in each case, to be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction that occurs on or after the date of this Agreement).
(kk) “ Regular Purchase Notice ” means, with respect to any Regular Purchase pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, an irrevocable written notice from the Company to the Investor directing the Investor to buy such applicable amount of Purchase Shares at the applicable Purchase Price as specified by the Company therein on the applicable Purchase Date for such Regular Purchase.
(ll) “ Sale Price ” means any trade price for the shares of Common Stock on the Principal Market as reported by the Principal Market.
(mm) “ SEC ” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
(nn) “ Securities ” means, collectively, the Purchase Shares and the Commitment Shares.
(oo) “ Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(pp) “ Signing Market Price ” means $1.01, representing the official closing price of the Common Stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market (as reflected on Nasdaq.com) on the trading day immediately preceding the date of this Agreement.
(qq) “ Subsidiary ” means any Person the Company wholly-owns or controls, or in which the Company, directly or indirectly, owns a majority of the voting stock or similar voting interest, in each case that would be disclosable pursuant to Item 601(b)(21) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act.
(rr) “ Transaction Documents ” means, collectively, this Agreement and the schedules and exhibits hereto, the Registration Rights Agreement and the schedules and exhibits thereto, and each of the other agreements, documents, certificates and instruments entered into or furnished by the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
(ss) “ Transfer Agent ” means Equity Stock Transfer LLC, or such other Person who is then serving as the transfer agent for the Company in respect of the Common Stock.
(tt) “ VWAP ” means in respect of an Accelerated Purchase Date and an Additional Accelerated Purchase Date, as applicable, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock on the Principal Market, as reported on the Principal Market or by another reputable source such as Bloomberg, L.P.
2. PURCHASE OF COMMON STOCK.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company has the right to sell to the Investor, and the Investor has the obligation to purchase from the Company, Purchase Shares as follows:
(a) Commencement of Regular Sales of Common Stock . Upon the satisfaction of all of the conditions set forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof (the “ Commencement ” and the date of satisfaction of such conditions the “ Commencement Date ”) and thereafter, the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, to direct the Investor, by its delivery to the Investor of a Regular Purchase Notice from time to time, to purchase up to Thirty Thousand (30,000) Purchase Shares, subject to adjustment as set forth below in this Section 2(a) (such maximum number of Purchase Shares, as may be adjusted from time to time, the “ Regular Purchase Share Limit ”), at the Purchase Price on the Purchase Date (each such purchase a “ Regular Purchase ”); provided , however , that (i) the Regular Purchase Share Limit shall be increased to Forty Thousand (40,000) Purchase Shares, if the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the applicable Purchase Date is not below $1.00, (ii) the Regular Purchase Share Limit shall be increased to Fifty Thousand (50,000) Purchase Shares, if the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the applicable Purchase Date is not below $1.50, and (iii) the Regular Purchase Share Limit shall be increased to Seventy-Five Thousand (75,000) Purchase Shares, if the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the applicable Purchase Date is not below $2.00 (all of which share and dollar amounts shall be appropriately proportionately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction; provided that if, after giving effect to the full proportionate adjustment to the Regular Purchase Share Limit therefor, the Fully Adjusted Regular Purchase Share Limit then in effect would preclude the Company from delivering to the Investor a Regular Purchase Notice hereunder for a Purchase Amount (calculated by multiplying (X) the number of Purchase Shares equal to the Fully Adjusted Regular Purchase Share Limit, by (Y) the Purchase Price per Purchase Share covered by such Regular Purchase Notice on the applicable Purchase Date therefor) equal to or greater than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000), the Regular Purchase Share Limit for such Regular Purchase Notice shall not be fully adjusted to equal the applicable Fully Adjusted Regular Purchase Share Limit, but rather the Regular Purchase Share Limit for such Regular Purchase Notice shall be adjusted to equal the applicable Alternate Adjusted Regular Purchase Share Limit as of the applicable Purchase Date for such Regular Purchase Notice); and provided , further , however , that the Investor’s committed obligation under any single Regular Purchase, other than any Regular Purchase with respect to which an Alternate Adjusted Regular Purchase Share Limit shall apply, shall not exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000). If the Company delivers any Regular Purchase Notice for a Purchase Amount in excess of the limitations contained in the immediately preceding sentence, such Regular Purchase Notice shall be void ab initio to the extent of the amount by which the number of Purchase Shares set forth in such Regular Purchase Notice exceeds the number of Purchase Shares which the Company is permitted to include in such Purchase Notice in accordance herewith, and the Investor shall have no obligation to purchase such excess Purchase Shares in respect of such Regular Purchase Notice; provided , however , that the Investor shall remain obligated to purchase the number of Purchase Shares which the Company is permitted to include in such Regular Purchase Notice. The Company may deliver a Regular Purchase Notice to the Investor as often as every Business Day, so long as (i) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on such Business Day is not less than the Floor Price and (ii) all Purchase Shares subject to all prior Regular Purchases, Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases initiated by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, as applicable, have theretofore been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not deliver any Regular Purchase Notices to the Investor during the PEA Period.
(b) Accelerated Purchases . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, from and after the Commencement Date, in addition to purchases of Purchase Shares as described in Section 2(a) above, the Company shall also have the right, but not the obligation, to direct the Investor, by its delivery to the Investor of an Accelerated Purchase Notice from time to time in accordance with this Agreement, to purchase the applicable Accelerated Purchase Share Amount at the Accelerated Purchase Price on the Accelerated Purchase Date therefor in accordance with this Agreement (each such purchase, an “ Accelerated Purchase ”). The Company may deliver an Accelerated Purchase Notice to the Investor only (i) on a Purchase Date on which the Company also properly submitted a Regular Purchase Notice providing for a Regular Purchase of a number of Purchase Shares not less than the Regular Purchase Share Limit then in effect on such Purchase Date in accordance with this Agreement (including, without limitation, giving effect to any automatic increase to the Regular Purchase Share Limit as a result of the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock exceeding certain thresholds set forth in Section 2(a) above on such Purchase Date and any other adjustments to the Regular Purchase Share Limit, in each case pursuant to Section 2(a) above) and (ii) if all Purchase Shares subject to all prior Regular Purchases (excluding the corresponding Regular Purchase referred to in clause (i) above), Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases initiated by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, as applicable, have theretofore been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement. If the Company delivers any Accelerated Purchase Notice directing the Investor to purchase an amount of Purchase Shares that exceeds the Accelerated Purchase Share Amount that the Company is then permitted to include in such Accelerated Purchase Notice, such Accelerated Purchase Notice shall be void ab initio to the extent of the amount by which the number of Purchase Shares set forth in such Accelerated Purchase Notice exceeds the Accelerated Purchase Share Amount that the Company is then permitted to include in such Accelerated Purchase Notice (which shall be confirmed in an Accelerated Purchase Confirmation), and the Investor shall have no obligation to purchase such excess Purchase Shares in respect of such Accelerated Purchase Notice; provided , however , that the Investor shall remain obligated to purchase the Accelerated Purchase Share Amount which the Company is permitted to include in such Accelerated Purchase Notice. Within one (1) Business Day after completion of each Accelerated Purchase Date for an Accelerated Purchase, the Investor will provide to the Company a written confirmation of such Accelerated Purchase setting forth the applicable Accelerated Purchase Share Amount and Accelerated Purchase Price for such Accelerated Purchase (each, an “ Accelerated Purchase Confirmation ”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not deliver any Accelerated Purchase Notices to the Investor during the PEA Period.
(c) Additional Accelerated Purchases . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, from and after the Commencement Date, in addition to purchases of Purchase Shares as described in Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) above, the Company shall also have the right, but not the obligation, to direct the Investor, by its timely delivery to the Investor of an Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice on an Additional Accelerated Purchase Date in accordance with this Agreement, to purchase the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Amount at the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Price therefor in accordance with this Agreement (each such purchase, an “ Additional Accelerated Purchase ”). The Company may deliver multiple Additional Accelerated Purchase Notices to the Investor on an Additional Accelerated Purchase Date; provided , however , that the Company may deliver an Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice to the Investor only (i) on a Business Day that is also the Accelerated Purchase Date for an Accelerated Purchase with respect to which the Company properly submitted to the Investor an Accelerated Purchase Notice in accordance with this Agreement on the applicable Purchase Date for a Regular Purchase of a number of Purchase Shares not less than the Regular Purchase Share Limit then in effect in accordance with this Agreement (including, without limitation, giving effect to any automatic increase to the Regular Purchase Share Limit as a result of the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock exceeding certain thresholds set forth in Section 2(a) above on such Purchase Date and any other adjustments to the Regular Purchase Share Limit, in each case pursuant to Section 2(a) above), and (ii) if all Purchase Shares subject to all prior Regular Purchases, Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases, including, without limitation, those that have been effected on the same Business Day as the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Date with respect to which the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase relates, in each case have theretofore been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement. If the Company delivers any Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice directing the Investor to purchase an amount of Purchase Shares that exceeds the Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Amount that the Company is then permitted to include in such Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice, such Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice shall be void ab initio to the extent of the amount by which the number of Purchase Shares set forth in such Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice exceeds the Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Amount that the Company is then permitted to include in such Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice (which shall be confirmed in an Additional Accelerated Purchase Confirmation), and the Investor shall have no obligation to purchase such excess Purchase Shares in respect of such Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice; provided , however , that the Investor shall remain obligated to purchase the Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Amount which the Company is permitted to include in such Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice. Within one (1) Business Day after completion of each Additional Accelerated Purchase Date, the Investor will provide to the Company a written confirmation of each Additional Accelerated Purchase on such Additional Accelerated Purchase Date setting forth the applicable Additional Accelerated Purchase Share Amount and Additional Accelerated Purchase Price for each such Additional Accelerated Purchase on such Additional Accelerated Purchase Date (each, an “ Additional Accelerated Purchase Confirmation ”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not deliver any Additional Accelerated Purchase Notices to the Investor during the PEA Period.
(d) Payment for Purchase Shares. For each Regular Purchase, the Investor shall pay to the Company an amount equal to the Purchase Amount with respect to such Regular Purchase as full payment for such Purchase Shares via wire transfer of immediately available funds on the same Business Day that the Investor receives such Purchase Shares, if such Purchase Shares are received by the Investor before 1:00 p.m., Eastern time, or, if such Purchase Shares are received by the Investor after 1:00 p.m., Eastern time, the next Business Day. For each Accelerated Purchase and each Additional Accelerated Purchase, the Investor shall pay to the Company an amount equal to the Purchase Amount with respect to such Accelerated Purchase and Additional Accelerated Purchase, respectively, as full payment for such Purchase Shares via wire transfer of immediately available funds on the second Business Day following the date that the Investor receives such Purchase Shares. If the Company or the Transfer Agent shall fail for any reason or for no reason to electronically transfer any Purchase Shares as DWAC Shares in respect of a Regular Purchase, an Accelerated Purchase or an Additional Accelerated Purchase (as applicable) within two (2) Business Days following the receipt by the Company of the Purchase Price, Accelerated Purchase Price and Additional Accelerated Purchase Price, respectively, therefor in compliance with this Section 2(d) , and if on or after such Business Day the Investor purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Investor of such Purchase Shares that the Investor anticipated receiving from the Company in respect of such Regular Purchase, Accelerated Purchase or Additional Accelerated Purchase (as applicable), then the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days after the Investor’s request, either (i) pay cash to the Investor in an amount equal to the Investor’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased (the “ Cover Price ”), at which point the Company’s obligation to deliver such Purchase Shares as DWAC Shares shall terminate, or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to deliver to the Investor such Purchase Shares as DWAC Shares and pay cash to the Investor in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Cover Price over the total Purchase Amount paid by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement for all of the Purchase Shares to be purchased by the Investor in connection with such Regular Purchase, Accelerated Purchase and Additional Accelerated Purchase (as applicable). The Company shall not issue any fraction of a share of Common Stock upon any Regular Purchase, Accelerated Purchase or Additional Accelerated Purchase. If the issuance would result in the issuance of a fraction of a share of Common Stock, the Company shall round such fraction of a share of Common Stock up or down to the nearest whole share. All payments made under this Agreement shall be made in lawful currency of the United States of America by wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account as the Company (or the Investor, as applicable) may from time to time designate by written notice in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. Whenever any amount expressed to be due by the terms of this Agreement is due on any day that is not a Business Day, the same shall instead be due on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day.
(e) Compliance with Rules of Principal Market .
(i) Exchange Cap . Subject to Section 2(e)(ii) below, the Company shall not issue or sell any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement, and the Investor shall not purchase or acquire any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement, to the extent that after giving effect thereto, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that would be issued pursuant to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby would exceed 1,075,767 (such number of shares equal to 19.99% of the shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the execution of this Agreement), which number of shares shall be (i) reduced, on a share-for-share basis, by the number of shares of Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any transaction or series of transactions that may be aggregated with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement under applicable rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market and (ii) appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction that occurs after the date of this Agreement (such maximum number of shares, the “ Exchange Cap ”), unless and until the Company elects to solicit stockholder approval of the issuance of Common Stock as contemplated by this Agreement, and the stockholders of the Company have in fact approved the issuance of Common Stock as contemplated by this Agreement in accordance with the applicable rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company may, but shall be under no obligation to, request its stockholders to approve the issuance of Common Stock as contemplated by this Agreement; provided, that if stockholder approval is not obtained in accordance with this Section 2(e)(i) , the Exchange Cap shall be applicable for all purposes of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby at all times during the term of this Agreement (except as set forth in Section 2(e)(ii) below).
(ii) At-Market Transaction . Notwithstanding Section 2(e)(i) above, the Exchange Cap shall not be applicable for any purposes of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, solely to the extent that (and only for so long as) the Average Price shall equal or exceed the Base Price (it being hereby acknowledged and agreed that the Exchange Cap shall be applicable for all purposes of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby at all other times during the term of this Agreement, unless the stockholder approval referred to in Section 2(e)(i) is obtained). The parties acknowledge and agree that the Signing Market Price used to determine the Base Price hereunder represents the lower of (i) the official closing price of the Common Stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market (as reflected on Nasdaq.com) on the trading day immediately preceding the date of this Agreement and (ii) the average official closing price of the Common Stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market (as reflected on Nasdaq.com) for the five (5) consecutive trading days ending on the trading day immediately preceding the date of this Agreement.
(iii) General . The Company shall not issue any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement if such issuance would reasonably be expected to result in (A) a violation of the Securities Act or (B) a breach of the rules and regulations of the Principal Market. The provisions of this Section 2(e) shall be implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms hereof only if necessary to ensure compliance with the Securities Act, the rules and regulations of the Principal Market.
(f) Beneficial Ownership Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company shall not issue or sell, and the Investor shall not purchase or acquire, any shares of Common Stock under this Agreement which, when aggregated with all other shares of Common Stock then beneficially owned by the Investor and its affiliates (as calculated pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 promulgated thereunder), would result in the beneficial ownership by the Investor of more than 4.99% of the then issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock (the “ Beneficial Ownership Limitation ”). Upon the written or oral request of the Investor, the Company shall promptly (but not later than 24 hours) confirm orally or in writing to the Investor the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. The Investor and the Company shall each cooperate in good faith in the determinations required hereby and the application hereof. The Investor’s written certification to the Company of the applicability of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the resulting effect thereof hereunder at any time, shall be conclusive with respect to the applicability thereof and such result absent manifest error.
3. INVESTOR'S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
The Investor represents and warrants to the Company that as of the date hereof and as of the Commencement Date:
(a) Investment Purpose . The Investor is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account for investment only and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other Persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law (this representation and warranty not limiting the Investor’s right to sell the Securities at any time pursuant to the Registration Statement described herein or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). The Investor is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.
(b) Accredited Investor Status . The Investor is an "accredited investor" as that term is defined in Rule 501(a)(3) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act.
(c) Reliance on Exemptions . The Investor understands that the Securities are being offered and sold to it in reliance on specific exemptions from the registration requirements of United States federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying in part upon the truth and accuracy of, and the Investor's compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Investor set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of the Investor to acquire the Securities.
(d) Information . The Investor understands that its investment in the Securities involves a high degree of risk. The Investor (i) is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities including a total loss thereof, (ii) has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the proposed investment in the Securities and (iii) has had an opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from the officers of the Company concerning the financial condition and business of the Company and other matters related to an investment in the Securities. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by the Investor or its representatives shall modify, amend or affect the Investor's right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in Section 4 below. The Investor has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice from its own independent advisors as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to its acquisition of the Securities.
(e) No Governmental Review . The Investor understands that no U.S. federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of an investment in the Securities nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.
(f) Transfer or Sale . The Investor understands that (i) the Securities may not be offered for sale, sold, assigned, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise transferred unless (A) registered pursuant to the Securities Act or (B) an exemption exists permitting such Securities to be sold, assigned or transferred without such registration; (ii) any sale of the Securities made in reliance on Rule 144 may be made only in accordance with the terms of Rule 144 and further, if Rule 144 is not applicable, any resale of the Securities under circumstances in which the seller (or the Person through whom the sale is made) may be deemed to be an underwriter (as that term is defined in the Securities Act) may require compliance with some other exemption under the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder.
(g) Validity; Enforcement . This Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement have been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of the Investor and each is a valid and binding agreement of the Investor enforceable against the Investor in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforceability to general principles of equity and to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation and other similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors' rights and remedies.
(h) Residency . The Investor is a resident of the State of Illinois.
(i) No Short Selling . The Investor represents and warrants to the Company that at no time prior to the date of this Agreement has any of the Investor, its agents, representatives or affiliates engaged in or effected, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, any (i) "short sale" (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the Exchange Act) of the Common Stock or (ii) hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock.
4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
The Company represents and warrants to the Investor that, except as set forth in the disclosure schedules attached hereto, which exceptions shall be deemed to be a part of the representations and warranties made hereunder, as of the date hereof and as of the Commencement Date:
(a) Organization and Qualification . The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite corporate power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and no proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification. The Company has no Subsidiaries required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 601(b)(21) of Regulation S-K, except as set forth in Exhibit 21.1 (as applicable) to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 filed with the SEC on May 29, 2025, as amended by Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on July 28, 2025 (as amended, the “ 2025 Form 10-K ”). If the Company has no Subsidiaries, all other references, except as set forth in this Section 4(a), to the Subsidiaries or any of them in this Agreement shall be disregarded.
(b) Authorization; Enforcement; Validity . (i) The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents, and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, (ii) the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including without limitation, the issuance of the Commitment Shares (as defined below in Section 5(e) ) and the reservation for issuance and the issuance of the Purchase Shares issuable under this Agreement, have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors and no further consent or authorization is required by the Company, its Board of Directors or its stockholders (except as provided in this Agreement), (iii) each of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement has been, and each other Transaction Document shall be on the Commencement Date, duly executed and delivered by the Company and (iv) each of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement constitutes, and each other Transaction Document upon its execution on behalf of the Company, shall constitute, the valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of creditors’ rights and remedies. The Board of Directors of the Company has approved the resolutions (the “ Signing Resolutions ”) substantially in the form as set forth as Exhibit B attached hereto to authorize this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. The Signing Resolutions are valid, in full force and effect and have not been modified or supplemented in any respect. The Company has delivered to the Investor a true and correct copy of minutes of a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company at which the Signing Resolutions were duly adopted by the Board of Directors or a unanimous written consent adopting the Signing Resolutions executed by all of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company. Except as set forth in this Agreement, no other approvals or consents of the Company’s Board of Directors, any authorized committee thereof, or stockholders (except as provided in this Agreement) is necessary under applicable laws and the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws to authorize the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents or any of the transactions contemplated thereby, including, but not limited to, the issuance of the Commitment Shares and the issuance of the Purchase Shares.
(c) Capitalization . As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company is set forth in the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2025, filed with the SEC on August 13, 2025. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents (as defined below), (i) no shares of the Company’s capital stock are subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or any liens or encumbrances suffered or permitted by the Company, (ii) there are no outstanding debt securities, (iii) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of their securities under the Securities Act (except the Registration Rights Agreement), (v) there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (vi) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Securities as described in this Agreement and (vii) the Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or "phantom stock" plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. The Company has furnished to the Investor true and correct copies of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “ Certificate of Incorporation ”), and the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “ Bylaws ”), and summaries of the material terms of all securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, if any, and copies of any documents containing the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto that are not disclosed in the SEC Documents.
(d) Issuance of Securities . Upon issuance and payment therefor in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Purchase Shares shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens, charges, restrictions, rights of first refusal and preemptive rights with respect to the issue thereof, with the holders being entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock. Upon issuance in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Commitment Shares (as defined in Section 5(e) ) shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens, charges, restrictions, rights of first refusal and preemptive rights with respect to the issue thereof, with the holders being entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock. 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon purchase under this Agreement as Purchase Shares.
(e) No Conflicts . The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Commitment Shares and the reservation for issuance and issuance of the Purchase Shares) will not (i) result in a violation of the Certificate of Incorporation, any Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of any outstanding series of preferred stock of the Company or the Bylaws or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws and regulations, the rules of the Principal Market applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected, except in the case of conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, accelerations, cancellations and violations under clause (ii), which could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries is in violation of any term of or in default under its certificate or articles of incorporation, any certificate of designation, preferences and rights of any outstanding series of preferred stock of the Company or bylaws or other organizational documents. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree, or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority or (iii) is in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement and as required under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws and the rules of the Principal Market, the Company is not required to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency or any regulatory or self-regulatory agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under or contemplated by the Transaction Documents in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof. Except as set forth elsewhere in this Agreement, all consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations which the Company is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be obtained or effected on or prior to the Commencement Date. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, since one year prior to the date hereof, the Company has not received nor delivered any notices or correspondence from or to the Principal Market, other than notices with respect to listing of additional shares of Common Stock and other routine correspondence. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Principal Market has not commenced any delisting proceedings against the Company.
(f) SEC Documents; Financial Statements . The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the twelve months preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “ SEC Documents ”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Documents prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable. None of the SEC Documents, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The consolidated financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the SEC Documents, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company for the periods specified and have been prepared in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and Exchange Act, as applicable, as in effect as of the time of filing and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect as of the time of filing (“ GAAP ”) applied on a consistent basis (except (i) for such adjustments to accounting standards and practices as are noted therein and (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) during the periods involved; the other financial and statistical data with respect to the Company contained or incorporated by reference in the SEC Documents, are accurately and fairly presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis materially consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the SEC Documents that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; the Company does not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off balance sheet obligations), not described in the SEC Documents (including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference thereto), which are required to be described in the SEC Documents (including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference thereto); and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the SEC Documents, if any, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the SEC) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. The Company does not have pending before the SEC any request for confidential treatment of information.
(g) Absence of Certain Changes; No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments; Solvency . Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, since March 31, 2025, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the SEC, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans and as may be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement. Except for the issuance of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least one (1) Business Day prior to the date that this representation is made. The Company has not taken any steps, and does not currently expect to take any steps, to seek protection pursuant to any Bankruptcy Law nor does the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have any knowledge or reason to believe that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings. The Company is financially solvent and is generally able to pay its debts as they become due.
(h) Absence of Litigation . Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, there is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “ Action ”), which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty, which would, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the SEC involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The SEC has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.
(i) Acknowledgment Regarding Investor ’ s Status . The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Investor is acting solely in the capacity of arm's length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The Company further acknowledges that the Investor is not acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and any advice given by the Investor or any of its representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to the Investor's purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to the Investor that the Company’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company and its representatives and advisors.
(j) No General Solicitation; No Integrated Offering . Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf, has engaged in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities. Neither the Company, nor or any of its affiliates, nor any Person acting on their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would require registration of the offer and sale of any of the Securities under the Securities Act, whether through integration with prior offerings or otherwise, or cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company in a manner that would require stockholder approval pursuant to the rules of the Principal Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not contravene the rules and regulations of the Principal Market.
(k) Intellectual Property Rights . The Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the SEC Documents and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “ Intellectual Property Rights ”). None of, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Documents, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person, except as could not have or reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of the Intellectual Property Rights, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(l) Environmental Laws . The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “ Hazardous Materials ”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands, or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations, issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder (“ 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 where in each clause (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) Title . The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects (“ Liens ”), except as otherwise set forth in the SEC Documents, and except for (i) Liens 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 (ii) Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes for which appropriate reserves have been made therefor in accordance with GAAP and the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
(n) Insurance . 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 management of the Company reasonably believes to be prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and its Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors’ and officers’ (DO) insurance coverage. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary 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 without a significant increase in cost.
(o) Regulatory Permits . The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Documents, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“ Material Permits ”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of any Proceeding relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit. For all purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Proceeding ” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
(p) Tax Status . Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries each (i) has made or filed all United States federal, state and local income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations, except for taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim. The term “ taxes ” means all federal, state, local, foreign, and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties, or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “ returns ” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.
(q) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees . Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, none of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, stockholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any equity incentive plan of the Company.
(r) Application of Takeover Protections . The Company and its board of directors have taken or will take prior to the Commencement Date all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Certificate of Incorporation or the laws of the state of its incorporation which is or could become applicable to the Investor as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Investor's ownership of the Securities.
(s) Disclosure . Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents that will be timely publicly disclosed by the Company, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person authorized to act on its behalf has provided the Investor or its agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information which is not otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement or the SEC Documents. The Company understands and confirms that the Investor will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting purchases and sales of securities of the Company. All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company by a Person authorized by the Company to the Investor regarding the Company, its business and the transactions contemplated hereby is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Investor neither makes nor has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 3 hereof.
(t) Foreign Corrupt Practices . Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has, and to the Company’s Knowledge, no agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company and each Subsidiary has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company and each Subsidiary (or made by any person acting on behalf of the Company and each Subsidiary of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “ FCPA ”). The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the FCPA.
(u) DTC Eligibility . The Company, through the Transfer Agent, currently participates in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer (FAST) Program and the Common Stock can be transferred electronically to third parties via the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer (FAST) Program.
(v) Sarbanes-Oxley Act; Internal Controls . The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder that are effective as of the Commencement Date. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient 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 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. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company and the Subsidiaries have established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and the Subsidiaries and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the end of the period covered by the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act (such date, the “ Evaluation Date ”). The Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no changes in the internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) of the Company and its Subsidiaries that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the internal control over financial reporting of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
(w) Certain Fees . No brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Investor shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section 4(w) that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(x) Investment Company . The Company is not, and is not an affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Purchase Shares will not be or be an affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that it will not be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(y) Listing and Maintenance Requirements . The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock pursuant to the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the SEC is currently contemplating terminating such registration. The issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock are listed and posted for trading on the Principal Market, and except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company is in compliance in all respects with the current listing requirements of the Principal Market; and the Securities will be listed and posted for trading on the Principal Market at or prior to Commencement, with respect to the Commitment Shares, and prior to the time of sale to the Investor pursuant to this Agreement, with respect to the Purchase Shares. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company has not, in the twelve (12) months preceding the date hereof, received any notice from any Person to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of the Principal Market. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements, other than such requirements relating to the bid price of the Common Stock.
(z) Accountants . As of the date hereof, the Company’s accounting firm is Forvis Mazars, LLP (the “ Auditor ”). The Auditor has expressed its opinion with respect to the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in the 2025 Form 10-K filed by the Company with the SEC. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, the Auditor is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act. The Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the 2025 Form 10-K, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act, excluding any non-audit services approved in compliance with Section 10A(h) of the Exchange Act.
(aa) No Market Manipulation . The Company has not, and to its knowledge no Person acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.
(bb) Shell Company Status . The Company is not currently, and has never been, an issuer identified in Rule 144(i)(1) under the Securities Act.
(cc) Office of Foreign Assets Control . Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“ OFAC ”).
(dd) U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation . The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(ee) Bank Holding Company Act . Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “ BHCA ”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “ Federal Reserve ”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.
(ff) Money Laundering . The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “ Money Laundering Laws ”), and no Action or Proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened.
(gg) Labor Matters . No labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(hh) Cybersecurity . Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company (i) has operated its business in a manner compliant with all United States federal, state, and local, and non-United States, privacy, data security, and data protection laws and regulations applicable to the Company’s collection, use, transfer, protection, disposal, disclosure, handling, storage, and analysis of data that is defined as “personal data” under applicable law (“ Personal Data ”), (ii) has been and is in compliance with its internal policies and procedures designed to ensure the integrity and security of the Personal Data collected, handled or stored by the Company in connection with its business, (iii) has been and is in compliance with its internal policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with, to the extent applicable to the Company, health care laws that govern privacy and data security and takes, and has taken, reasonably appropriate steps designed to assure its compliance with such policies and procedures. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company has taken reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of its Personal Data, protected health information, consumer information, and other confidential information of the Company and any third parties in the possession and control of the Company (“ Sensitive Company Data ”). Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company’s tangible or digital information technology systems (including computers, screens, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, networks, data communications lines, technical data and hardware), software, websites, applications and telecommunications systems (the “ Company IT Assets ”) are adequate in capacity and operation for, in accordance with their documentation and functional specifications, the business of the Company as now operated as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, free and clear of all Trojan horses, time bombs, malware, and other bugs, errors, or defects that, in each case, create material risk of a security breach with respect to such Company IT Assets or Sensitive Company Data processed thereon. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company has used reasonable efforts to establish, and has established, commercially reasonable disaster recovery and security plans, procedures and facilities for the business of the Company consistent with industry standards and practices, including, without limitation, for the Company IT Assets and Sensitive Company Data held or used by the Company. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) to the Company’s knowledge, the Company has not suffered or incurred any security breaches, compromises or incidents with respect to any Company IT Asset or Sensitive Company Data and (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, there has been no unauthorized or illegal use of, or access to, any Company IT Asset or Sensitive Company Data by any unauthorized third party. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, to the Company’s knowledge, the Company has not been required to notify any individual of any information security breach, compromise or incident involving Sensitive Company Data.
(ii) Stock Option Plans . Each stock option granted by the Company under the Company’s stock option plan was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the Company’s stock option plan and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock option plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.
(jj) Enforceability of Material Agreements . The agreements and documents described in the SEC Documents conform to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder to be described in the SEC Documents or to be filed with the SEC as exhibits to the SEC Documents, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the SEC Documents, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefore may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses, including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.
(kk) Smaller Reporting Company Status . As of the date hereof, the Company was, and as of the Commencement Date, the Company believes in good faith that it will be, a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
(ll) Emerging Growth Company Status . As of the date of this Agreement, the Company was, and as of the Commencement Date, the Company will be, an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012.
(mm) Regulatory Matters . As to each product subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“ FDA ”) under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended, and the regulations thereunder (“ FDCA ”) that is manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold, and/or marketed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each such product, a “ Pharmaceutical Product ”), such Pharmaceutical Product is being manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold and/or marketed by the Company in compliance with all applicable requirements under FDCA and similar laws, rules and regulations relating to registration, investigational use, premarket clearance, licensure, or application approval, good manufacturing practices, good laboratory practices, good clinical practices, product listing, quotas, labeling, advertising, record keeping and filing of reports, except where the failure to be in compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no pending, completed or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, action (including any lawsuit, arbitration, or legal or administrative or regulatory proceeding, charge, complaint, or investigation) against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice, warning letter or other communication from the FDA or any other governmental entity, which (i) contests the premarket clearance, licensure, registration, or approval of, the uses of, the distribution of, the manufacturing or packaging of, the testing of, the sale of, or the labeling and promotion of any Pharmaceutical Product, (ii) withdraws its approval of, requests the recall, suspension, or seizure of, or withdraws or orders the withdrawal of advertising or sales promotional materials relating to, any Pharmaceutical Product, (iii) imposes a clinical hold on any clinical investigation by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) enjoins production at any facility of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (v) enters or proposes to enter into a consent decree of permanent injunction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (vi) otherwise alleges any violation of any laws, rules or regulations by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and which, either individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. The properties, business and operations of the Company have been and are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the FDA. The Company has not been informed by the FDA that the FDA will prohibit the marketing, sale, license or use in the United States of any product proposed to be developed, produced or marketed by the Company nor has the FDA expressed any concern as to approving or clearing for marketing any product being developed or proposed to be developed by the Company.
(nn) Consents and Permits . The Company and the Subsidiaries have made all filings, applications and submissions required by, and possess and are operating in compliance in all material respects with all approvals, licenses, certificates, certifications, clearances, consents, grants, exemptions, marks, notifications, orders, permits and other authorizations issued by, the appropriate federal, state or foreign governmental authority (including the FDA, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services (“ CMS ”), or any other foreign, federal, state, provincial or local Government Authorities engaged in the regulation of clinical trials, pharmaceuticals, biologics or biohazardous substances or materials) necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or to conduct their businesses as described in the SEC Documents (collectively, “ Permits ”), except for such Permits the failure of which to possess, obtain or file would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Permits, except where the failure to be in compliance would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Permits are valid and in full force and effect, except where any invalidity would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has received any notice relating to the limitation, revocation, cancellation, suspension, modification or non-renewal of any such Permit which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course. To the extent required by applicable laws of the FDA, the Company or the applicable Subsidiary has submitted to the FDA an Investigational Device Exemption Application or amendment or supplement thereto for each clinical trial it has conducted or sponsored or is conducting or sponsoring; all such submissions were in material compliance with applicable laws when submitted and no material deficiencies have been asserted by the FDA with respect to any such submissions. The Company and each Subsidiary possess such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, or has any reason to believe that it will receive, any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not applied for “approved enterprise”, “benefited enterprise” or “preferred enterprise” status with respect to any of the Company’s facilities or operations.
(oo) Regulatory Filings . Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has failed to file with the applicable governmental authority (including the FDA, or any foreign, federal, state, provincial or local governmental authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA) any required filing, declaration, listing, registration, report or submission, except for such failures that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. All such filings, declarations, listings, registrations, reports or submissions were in substantial compliance with applicable laws when filed and no deficiencies have been asserted by any applicable regulatory authority with respect to any such filings, declarations, listings, registrations, reports or submissions, except for any deficiencies that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has operated and currently is, in all material respects, in compliance with the United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and all applicable rules and regulations of the FDA and other federal, state, local and foreign governmental authority exercising comparable authority. The Company has no knowledge of any studies, tests or trials not described in the SEC Documents, the results of which reasonably call into question in any material respect the results of the studies, tests and trials described in the SEC Documents.
(pp) Healthcare Laws . The Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, its directors, officers, employees, and agents (while acting in such capacity) are in compliance with all health care laws and regulations applicable to the Company or any of its product candidates or activities, including development and testing of medical devices and pharmaceutical products, kickbacks, recordkeeping, documentation requirements, the hiring of employees, quality, safety, privacy, security, licensure, accreditation or any other aspect of developing and testing medical devices or pharmaceutical products (collectively, “ Health Care Laws ”), except where such noncompliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not received any notification, correspondence or any other written or oral communication, including notification of any pending or threatened claim, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any governmental or regulatory authority or third party, including, without limitation, the FDA, CMS, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General or Officer of Civil Rights, of potential or actual non-compliance by, or liability of, the Company under any Health Care Laws, except for any such communication (i) that asserts any such non-compliance that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that the Company believes has been resolved to the satisfaction of such governmental or regulatory authority or third party as of the date hereof. No such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened. The Company has not received any FDA Form 483, notice including a determination of adverse finding by the FDA, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from the FDA or any other governmental authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Health Care Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Health Care Laws (“ Authorizations ”), except for any such letter or other correspondence or notice (A) that asserts any such non-compliance that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (B) that the Company believes has been resolved to the satisfaction of the FDA or other such governmental authority as of the date hereof. The Company reasonably believes it is not a “covered entity”, as defined under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended (“ HIPAA ”), and has not received any requests or demands from a covered entity or governmental authority to make available its internal practices, books, and/or records relating to its use and disclosure of health information for purposes of determining a covered entity’s or the Company’s compliance with HIPAA or with other applicable privacy law.
(qq) Clinical Studies . The preclinical studies and tests and clinical trials described in the SEC Documents were, and, if still pending, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with the experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to, where applicable, accepted professional and scientific standards for products or product candidates comparable to those being developed by the Company; the descriptions of such studies, tests and trials, and the results thereof, contained in the SEC Documents are accurate and complete in all material respects; the Company is not aware of any tests, studies or trials not described in the SEC Documents, the results of which reasonably call into question in any material respect the results of the tests, studies and trials described in the SEC Documents; and the Company has not received any written notice or correspondence from the FDA or any foreign, state or local governmental authority exercising comparable authority or any institutional review board or comparable authority requiring the termination, suspension, clinical hold or material modification of any tests, studies or trials described in the SEC Documents.
(rr) No Disqualification Events . None of the Company, any of its predecessors, any affiliated issuer, any director, executive officer, other officer of the Company participating in the offering contemplated hereby, any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power, nor any promoter (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) connected with the Company in any capacity at the time of sale (each, an “ Issuer Covered Person ”) is subject to any of the “Bad Actor” disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the Securities Act (a “ Disqualification Event ”), except for a Disqualification Event covered by Rule 506(d)(2) or (d)(3) under the Securities Act. The Company has exercised reasonable care to determine whether any Issuer Covered Person is subject to a Disqualification Event.
5. COVENANTS.
(a) Filing of Current Report and Registration Statement . The Company agrees that it shall, within the time required under the Exchange Act, file with the SEC a report on Form 8-K relating to the transactions contemplated by, and describing the material terms and conditions of, the Transaction Documents (the “ Current Report ”). The Company shall also file with the SEC, within twenty (20) Business Days from the date hereof, a new registration statement (the “ Registration Statement ”) covering only the resale of the Purchase Shares and all of the Commitment Shares, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement between the Company and the Investor, dated as of the date hereof (the “ Registration Rights Agreement ”). The Company shall permit the Investor to review and comment upon (1) the final pre-filing draft version of the Current Report at least two (2) Business Days prior to its filing with the SEC, and the Company shall give due consideration to all such comments. The Investor shall use its reasonable best efforts to comment upon the Current Report within one (1) Business Day from the date the Investor receives the final versions thereof from the Company. The Investor shall cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the Current Report with the SEC.
(b) Blue Sky . The Company shall take all such action, if any, as is reasonably necessary in order to obtain an exemption for or to register or qualify (i) the issuance of the Commitment Shares and the sale of the Purchase Shares to the Investor under this Agreement and (ii) any subsequent resale of all Commitment Shares and all Purchase Shares by the Investor, in each case, under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States in such states as is reasonably requested by the Investor from time to time, and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Investor.
(c) Listing/DTC . The Company shall promptly secure the listing of all of the Purchase Shares and Commitment Shares to be issued to the Investor hereunder on the Principal Market (subject to official notice of issuance) and upon each other national securities exchange or automated quotation system, if any, upon which the Common Stock is then listed, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain, so long as any shares of Common Stock shall be so listed, such listing of all such Securities from time to time issuable hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Common Stock on the Principal Market and shall comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules and regulations of the Principal Market. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall take any action that would reasonably be expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Common Stock on the Principal Market. The Company shall promptly, and in no event later than the following Business Day, provide to the Investor copies of any notices it receives from any Person regarding the continued eligibility of the Common Stock for listing on the Principal Market; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to provide the Investor copies of any such notice that the Company reasonably believes constitutes material non-public information and the Company would not be required to publicly disclose such notice in any report or statement filed with the SEC and under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 5(c) . The Company shall take all action necessary to ensure that its Common Stock can be transferred electronically as DWAC Shares.
(d) Prohibition of Short Sales and Hedging Transactions . The Investor agrees that beginning on the date of this Agreement and ending on the date of termination of this Agreement as provided in Section 11, the Investor and its agents, representatives and affiliates shall not in any manner whatsoever enter into or effect, directly or indirectly, any (i) “short sale” (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the Exchange Act) of the Common Stock or (ii) hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock.
(e) Issuance of Commitment Shares . In consideration for the Investor’s execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company shall cause to be issued to the Investor a total of 261,932 shares of Common Stock (the “ Commitment Shares ”) immediately upon the execution of this Agreement and shall deliver to the Transfer Agent the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions with respect to the issuance of such Commitment Shares. For the avoidance of doubt, all of the Commitment Shares shall be fully earned as of the date of this Agreement, whether or not the Commencement shall occur or any Purchase Shares are purchased by the Investor under this Agreement and irrespective of any subsequent termination of this Agreement.
(f) Due Diligence; Non-Public Information . The Investor shall have the right, from time to time as the Investor may reasonably deem appropriate and upon reasonable advance notice to the Company, to perform reasonable due diligence on the Company during normal business hours. The Company and its officers and employees shall provide information and reasonably cooperate with the Investor in connection with any reasonable request by the Investor related to the Investor's due diligence of the Company. Each party hereto agrees not to disclose any Confidential Information of the other party to any third party and shall not use the Confidential Information for any purpose other than in connection with, or in furtherance of, the transactions contemplated hereby. Each party hereto acknowledges that the Confidential Information shall remain the property of the disclosing party and agrees that it shall take all reasonable measures to protect the secrecy of any Confidential Information disclosed by the other party. The Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf shall provide the Investor or its agents or counsel with any information that constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information, unless a simultaneous public announcement thereof is made by the Company in the manner contemplated by Regulation FD. In the event of a breach of the foregoing covenant by the Company or any Person acting on its behalf (as determined in the reasonable good faith judgment of the Investor), in addition to any other remedy provided herein or in the other Transaction Documents, if the Investor is holding any Securities at the time of the disclosure of material, non-public information, the Investor shall have the right to make a public disclosure, in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such material, non-public information without the prior approval by the Company; provided the Investor shall have first provided notice to the Company that it believes it has received information that constitutes material, non-public information, the Company shall have at least 24 hours to publicly disclose such material, non-public information prior to any such disclosure by the Investor, the Company shall have failed to demonstrate to the Investor in writing within such time period that such information does not constitute material, non-public information, and the Company shall have failed to publicly disclose such material, non-public information within such time period. The Investor shall not have any liability to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, stockholders or agents, for any such disclosure. The Company understands and confirms that the Investor shall be relying on the foregoing covenants in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.
(g) Purchase Records . The Investor and the Company shall each maintain records showing the remaining Available Amount at any given time and the dates and Purchase Amounts for each Regular Purchase, Accelerated Purchase and Additional Accelerated Purchase or shall use such other method, reasonably satisfactory to the Investor and the Company.
(h) Taxes. The Company shall pay any and all transfer, stamp or similar taxes that may be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of any shares of Common Stock to the Investor made under this Agreement.
(i) Use of Proceeds . The Company will use the net proceeds from the offering as described in the Registration Statement or the SEC Documents.
(j) Other Transactions . The Company shall not enter into, announce or recommend to its stockholders any agreement, plan, arrangement or transaction in or of which the terms thereof would restrict, materially delay, conflict with or impair the ability or right of the Company to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents, including, without limitation, the obligation of the Company to deliver the Purchase Shares subject to any outstanding Regular Purchase Notice, Accelerated Purchase Notice or Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice and the Commitment Shares to the Investor in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents.
(k) Integration . From and after the date of this Agreement, neither the Company, nor or any of its affiliates will, and the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to ensure that no Person acting on their behalf will, directly or indirectly, make any offers or sales of any security or solicit any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would (i) require registration of the offer and sale by the Company to the Investor of any of the Securities under the Securities Act, or (ii) cause this offering of the Securities by the Company to the Investor to be integrated with other offerings by the Company in a manner that would require stockholder approval pursuant to the rules of the Principal Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated, unless in the case of this clause (ii), stockholder approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction in accordance with the rules of such Principal Market.
(l) Limitation on Substantially Similar Transactions. From and after the date of this Agreement until the later of (i) the 24-month anniversary of the date of this Agreement and (ii) the 24-month anniversary of the Commencement Date (if the Commencement has occurred), irrespective of any earlier termination of this Agreement, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (or any combination of units thereof) in any “equity line of credit” or other substantially similar offering whereby an investor is irrevocably bound to purchase securities over a period of time from the Company at a price based on the market price of the Common Stock at the time of each such purchase, other than in connection with an Exempt Issuance. The Investor shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief against the Company and its Subsidiaries to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required. “ Common Stock Equivalents ” means any securities of the Company or its Subsidiaries which entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time shares of Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, shares of Common Stock. “ Exempt Issuance ” means the issuance of (a) any Securities issued or issuable to the Investor pursuant to this Agreement, and any securities, including, without limitation, Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (or any combination of units thereof), issued or issuable to the Investor or any affiliate of the Investor pursuant to any other existing agreement or arrangement between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the Investor or any of its affiliates, on the other hand, if any, (b) any securities issued or issuable upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents owned or held, directly or indirectly, by the Investor or any of its affiliates or designees at any time, (c) any securities, including, without limitation, Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (or any combination of units thereof), issuable to the Investor or any of its affiliates or designees pursuant to any other future agreement or arrangement between the Investor or any of its affiliates or designees, on the one hand, and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the other hand, entered into after the date of this Agreement, if any, or (d) shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to an “at-the-market offering” under Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act by the Company exclusively through one or more registered broker-dealer(s) acting as agent(s) of the Company pursuant to a written agreement between the Company and such registered broker-dealer(s).
6. TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONS.
(a) On the date of this Agreement, the Company shall issue irrevocable instructions to the Transfer Agent substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D to issue the Commitment Shares in accordance with the terms of this Agreement (the “ Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions ”). The certificate(s) or book-entry statement(s) representing the Commitment Shares, except as set forth below, shall bear the following restrictive legend (the “ Restrictive Legend ”):
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO: (1) RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (2) AN OPINION OF HOLDER ’ S COUNSEL, IN A CUSTOMARY FORM, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
(b) On the earlier of (i) the Commencement Date and (ii) such time that the Investor shall request, provided all conditions of Rule 144 under the Securities Act are met, the Company shall, no later than one (1) Business Day following the delivery by the Investor to the Company or the Transfer Agent of one or more legended certificates or book-entry statements representing the Commitment Shares (which certificates or book-entry statements the Investor shall promptly deliver on or prior to the first to occur of the events described in clauses (i) and (ii) of this sentence), as directed by the Investor, issue and deliver (or cause to be issued and delivered) to the Investor, as requested by the Investor, either: (A) a certificate or book-entry statement representing such Commitment Shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends or (B) a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Commitment Shares represented by the certificate(s) or book-entry statement(s) so delivered by the Investor as DWAC Shares. The Company shall take all actions to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of the immediately preceding sentence, including, without limitation, delivering all such legal opinions, consents, certificates, resolutions and instructions to the Transfer Agent, and any successor transfer agent of the Company, as may be requested from time to time by the Investor or necessary or desirable to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of the immediately preceding sentence. On the Commencement Date, the Company shall issue to the Transfer Agent, and any subsequent transfer agent, (i) irrevocable instructions in the form substantially similar to those used by the Investor in substantially similar transactions (the “ Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions ”) and (ii) the notice of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in the form attached as an exhibit to the Registration Rights Agreement (the “ Notice of Effectiveness of Registration Statement ”), in each case to issue the Commitment Shares and the Purchase Shares in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement. All Purchase Shares and Commitment Shares to be issued from and after Commencement to or for the benefit of the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall be issued only as DWAC Shares. The Company represents and warrants to the Investor that, while this Agreement is effective, no instruction other than the Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions and the Notice of Effectiveness of Registration Statement referred to in this Section 6(b) will be given by the Company to the Transfer Agent with respect to the Purchase Shares or the Commitment Shares from and after Commencement, and the Purchase Shares and the Commitment Shares covered by the Registration Statement shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company. If the Investor effects a sale, assignment or transfer of the Purchase Shares, the Company shall permit the transfer and shall promptly instruct the Transfer Agent (and any subsequent transfer agent) to issue DWAC Shares in such name and in such denominations as specified by the Investor to effect such sale, transfer or assignment. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Investor. Accordingly, the Company acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its obligations under this Section 6 will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Company of the provisions of this Section 6 , that the Investor shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an order and/or injunction restraining any breach and requiring immediate issuance and transfer, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required. The Company agrees that if the Company fails to fully comply with the provisions of this Section 6(b) within five (5) Business Days of the Investor providing the deliveries referred to above, the Company shall, at the Investor’s written instruction, purchase such shares of Common Stock containing the restrictive legend from the Investor at the greater of the (i) purchase price paid for such shares of Common Stock (as applicable) and (ii) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the date of the Investor’s written instruction.
7. CONDITIONS TO THE COMPANY ’ S RIGHT TO COMMENCE SALES OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK.
The right of the Company hereunder to commence sales of the Purchase Shares on the Commencement Date is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions:
(a) The Investor shall have executed each of the Transaction Documents and delivered the same to the Company;
(b) The Registration Statement covering the resale of the Purchase Shares and all of the Commitment Shares shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act by the SEC, and no stop order with respect to the Registration Statement shall be pending or threatened by the SEC; and
(c) The representations and warranties of the Investor shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Commencement Date as though made at that time.
8. CONDITIONS TO THE INVESTOR'S OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK.
The obligation of the Investor to buy Purchase Shares under this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions on or prior to the Commencement Date and, once such conditions have been initially satisfied, there shall not be any ongoing obligation to satisfy such conditions after the Commencement has occurred:
(a) The Company shall have executed each of the Transaction Documents and delivered the same to the Investor;
(b) The Company shall have issued or caused to be issued to the Investor (i) one or more certificates or book-entry statements representing the Commitment Shares free from all restrictive and other legends or (ii) a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Commitment Shares as DWAC Shares, in each case in accordance with Section 6(b) ;
(c) The Common Stock shall be listed or quoted on the Principal Market, subject only to customary listing conditions, trading in the Common Stock shall not have been within the last 365 days suspended by the SEC, the Principal Market, and all Securities to be issued by the Company to the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall have been approved for listing or quotation on the Principal Market in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Principal Market, subject only to official notice of issuance and any standard listing conditions for transactions of this nature;
(d) The Investor shall have received the opinions and negative assurances of the Company’s legal counsel, dated as of the Commencement Date, substantially in the forms heretofore agreed by the parties hereto;
(e) The representations and warranties of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent that any of such representations and warranties is already qualified as to materiality in Section 4 above, in which case, the portion of such representations and warranties so qualified shall be true and correct without further qualification) as of the date hereof and as of the Commencement Date as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by the Transaction Documents to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Commencement Date. The Investor shall have received a certificate, executed by the President, CEO and CFO of the Company, dated as of the Commencement Date, to the foregoing effect substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A ;
(f) The Board of Directors of the Company shall have adopted resolutions substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B which shall be in full force and effect without any amendment or supplement thereto as of the Commencement Date;
(g) As of the Commencement Date, the Company shall have reserved out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting purchases of Purchase Shares hereunder, 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock;
(h) The Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions and the Notice of Effectiveness of Registration Statement each shall have been delivered to and acknowledged in writing by the Company and the Company’s Transfer Agent (or any successor transfer agent);
(i) The Company shall have delivered to the Investor a certificate evidencing the incorporation and good standing of the Company in the State of Delaware issued by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as of a date within ten (10) Business Days of the Commencement Date;
(j) The Company shall have delivered to the Investor a certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation as certified by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware within ten (10) Business Days of the Commencement Date;
(k) The Company shall have delivered to the Investor a secretary’s certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company, dated as of the Commencement Date, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C ;
(l) The Registration Statement covering the resale of the Purchase Shares and all of the Commitment Shares shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act by the SEC, and no stop order with respect to the Registration Statement shall be pending or threatened by the SEC. The Company shall have prepared and filed with the SEC, not later than one (1) Business Day after the effective date of the Registration Statement, a final and complete prospectus (the preliminary form of which shall be included in the Registration Statement) and shall have delivered to the Investor a true and complete copy thereof. Such prospectus shall be current and available for the resale by the Investor of all of the Securities covered thereby. The Current Report shall have been filed with the SEC as required pursuant to Section 5(a) . All reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents required to have been filed by the Company with the SEC at or prior to the Commencement Date pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act shall have been filed with the SEC within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings under the Exchange Act;
(m) No Suspension Event has occurred, or any event which, after notice and/or lapse of time, would become a Suspension Event has occurred;
(n) All federal, state and local governmental laws, rules and regulations applicable to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and necessary for the execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby in accordance with the terms thereof shall have been complied with, and all consents, authorizations and orders of, and all filings and registrations with, all federal, state and local courts or governmental agencies and all federal, state and local regulatory or self-regulatory agencies necessary for the execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby in accordance with the terms thereof shall have been obtained or made, including, without limitation, in each case those required under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws or applicable rules and regulations of the Principal Market, or otherwise required by the SEC, the Principal Market or any state securities regulators;
(o) No statute, regulation, order, decree, writ, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated, threatened or endorsed by any federal, state or local court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction which prohibits the consummation of or which would materially modify or delay any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents; and
(p) No action, suit or proceeding before any federal, state, local or foreign arbitrator or any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction shall have been commenced or threatened, and no inquiry or investigation by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental authority of competent jurisdiction shall have been commenced or threatened, against the Company, or any of the officers, directors or affiliates of the Company, seeking to restrain, prevent or change the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, or seeking material damages in connection with such transactions.
9. INDEMNIFICATION.
In consideration of the Investor's execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and acquiring the Securities hereunder and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents, the Company shall defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless the Investor and all of its affiliates, stockholders, members, officers, directors, employees and direct or indirect investors and any of the foregoing Person's agents or other representatives (including, without limitation, those retained in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) (collectively, the " Indemnitees ") from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and expenses in connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including reasonable attorneys' fees and disbursements (the " Indemnified Liabilities "), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of, or relating to (a) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company in the Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (b) any breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of the Company contained in the Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, or (c) any cause of action, suit or claim brought or made against such Indemnitee and arising out of or resulting from the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of the Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, other than, in the case of clause (c), with respect to Indemnified Liabilities which directly and primarily result from the fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct of an Indemnitee. The indemnity in this Section 9 shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. To the extent that the foregoing undertaking by the Company may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities which is permissible under applicable law. Payment under this indemnification shall be made within thirty (30) days from the date Investor makes written request for it; provided, however, that the Indemnitee must undertake to repay any amounts paid to it hereunder if it is ultimately determined, by a final and non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction, that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against such Indemnified Liabilities by the Company pursuant to this Agreement. A certificate containing reasonable detail as to the amount of such indemnification submitted to the Company by Investor shall be conclusive evidence, absent manifest error, of the amount due from the Company to Investor. If any action shall be brought against any Indemnitee in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Indemnitee shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Indemnitee. Any Indemnitee shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnitee, except to the extent that (i) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of such separate counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Indemnitee, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel.
10. SUSPENSION EVENTS.
A " Suspension Event " shall be deemed to have occurred at any time as any of the following events occurs:
(a) the effectiveness of a registration statement registering the resale of the Securities lapses for any reason (including, without limitation, the issuance of a stop order or similar order) or such registration statement (or the prospectus forming a part thereof) is unavailable to the Investor for resale of any or all of the Securities to be issued to the Investor under the Transaction Documents, and such lapse or unavailability continues for a period of ten (10) consecutive Business Days or for more than an aggregate of thirty (30) Business Days in any 365-day period, but excluding a lapse or unavailability where (i) the Company terminates a registration statement after the Investor has confirmed in writing that all of the Securities covered thereby have been resold or (ii) the Company supersedes one registration statement with another registration statement, including (without limitation) by terminating a prior registration statement when it is effectively replaced with a new registration statement covering Securities (provided in the case of this clause (ii) that all of the Securities covered by the superseded (or terminated) registration statement that have not theretofore been resold are included in the superseding (or new) registration statement);
(b) the suspension of the Common Stock from trading on the Principal Market for a period of one (1) Business Day, provided that the Company may not direct the Investor to purchase any shares of Common Stock during any such suspension;
(c) the delisting of the Common Stock from The Nasdaq Capital Market (or any nationally recognized successor thereto), provided, however, that the Common Stock is not immediately thereafter trading on The Nasdaq Global Market, The Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the NYSE Arca, or The OTCQX Best Market or The OTCQB Venture Market operated by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or any nationally recognized successor to any of the foregoing);
(d) the failure for any reason by the Transfer Agent to issue Purchase Shares to the Investor within two (2) Business Days after the Purchase Date, Accelerated Purchase Date or Additional Accelerated Purchase Date, as applicable, on which the Investor is entitled to receive such Purchase Shares;
(e) the Company breaches any representation, warranty, covenant or other term or condition under any Transaction Document if such breach would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and except, in the case of a breach of a covenant which is reasonably curable, only if such breach continues for a period of at least five (5) Business Days;
(f) if any Person commences a proceeding against the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law;
(g) if the Company, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, (i) commences a voluntary case, (ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (iii) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, or (iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors or is generally unable to pay its debts as the same become due;
(h) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that (i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case, (ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or (iii) orders the liquidation of the Company or any Subsidiary;
(i) if at any time the Company is not eligible to transfer its Common Stock electronically as DWAC Shares;
(j) if at any time after the Commencement Date, the Exchange Cap is reached (to the extent such Exchange Cap is applicable pursuant to Section 2(e) hereof), and the stockholder approval referred to in Section 2(e)(i) has not been obtained in accordance with the applicable rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market; or
(k) if at any time the Investor’s broker is unable to accept Commitment Shares or Purchase Shares for deposit for reasons not within the Investor's control.
In addition to any other rights and remedies under applicable law and this Agreement, so long as a Suspension Event has occurred and is continuing, or if any event which, after notice and/or lapse of time, would reasonably be expected to become a Suspension Event has occurred and is continuing, the Company shall not deliver to the Investor any Regular Purchase Notice, Accelerated Purchase Notice or Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice.
11. TERMINATION
This Agreement may be terminated only as follows:
(a) If pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, the Company commences a voluntary case or any Person commences a proceeding against the Company which is not discharged within 90 days, a Custodian is appointed for the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors (any of which would be a Suspension Event as described in Sections 10(f) , 10(g) and 10(h) hereof), this Agreement shall automatically terminate without any liability or payment to the Company (except as set forth below) without further action or notice by any Person.
(b) In the event that (i) the Company fails to file the Registration Statement with the SEC within the period specified in Section 5(a) hereof in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement or (ii) the Commencement shall not have occurred on or before December 15, 2025, due to the failure to satisfy the conditions set forth in Sections 7 and 8 above with respect to the Commencement, then, in the case of clause (i) above, this Agreement may be terminated by the Investor at any time prior to the filing of the Registration Statement and, in the case of clause (ii) above, this Agreement may be terminated by either party at the close of business on December 31, 2025 or thereafter, in each case without liability of such party to the other party (except as set forth below); provided, however, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 11(b) shall not be available to any party if such party is then in breach of any covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement or any representation or warranty of such party contained in this Agreement fails to be true and correct such that the conditions set forth in Section 7(c) or Section 8(e) , as applicable, could not then be satisfied.
(c) At any time after the Commencement Date, the Company shall have the option to terminate this Agreement for any reason or for no reason by delivering notice (a “ Company Termination Notice ”) to the Investor electing to terminate this Agreement without any liability whatsoever of any party to any other party under this Agreement (except as set forth below). The Company Termination Notice shall not be effective until one (1) Business Day after it has been received by the Investor.
(d) This Agreement shall automatically terminate on the date that the Company sells and the Investor purchases the full Available Amount as provided herein, without any action or notice on the part of any party and without any liability whatsoever of any party to any other party under this Agreement (except as set forth below).
(e) If, for any reason or for no reason, the full Available Amount has not been purchased in accordance with Section 2 of this Agreement by the Maturity Date, this Agreement shall automatically terminate on the Maturity Date, without any action or notice on the part of any party and without any liability whatsoever of any party to any other party under this Agreement (except as set forth below).
Except as set forth in Sections 11(a) (in respect of a Suspension Event under Sections 10(f) , 10(g) and 10(h)), 11(d) and 11(e) , any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11 shall be effected by written notice from the Company to the Investor, or the Investor to the Company, as the case may be, setting forth the basis for the termination hereof. The representations and warranties and covenants of the Company and the Investor contained in Sections 3 , 4 , 5 , and 6 hereof, the indemnification provisions set forth in Section 9 hereof and the agreements and covenants set forth in Sections 10 , 11 and 12 shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and any termination of this Agreement. No termination of this Agreement shall (i) affect the Company’s or the Investor’s rights or obligations under (A) this Agreement with respect to pending Regular Purchases, Accelerated Purchases or Additional Accelerated Purchases and the Company and the Investor shall complete their respective obligations with respect to any pending Regular Purchases, Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases under this Agreement and (B) the Registration Rights Agreement, which shall survive any such termination, or (ii) be deemed to release the Company or the Investor from any liability for intentional misrepresentation or willful breach of any of the Transaction Documents.
12. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial . The corporate laws of the State of Delaware shall govern all issues concerning the relative rights of the Company and its stockholders. All other questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the other Transaction Documents shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of Illinois, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Illinois or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Illinois. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the State of Illinois, County of Cook, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or under the other Transaction Documents or in connection herewith or therewith, or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
(b) Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party; provided that a facsimile signature or signature delivered by e-mail in a “.pdf” format data file, including any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com, www.echosign.adobe.com, etc., shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original signature.
(c) Headings . The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement.
(d) Severability . If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
(e) Entire Agreement . The Transaction Documents supersede all other prior oral or written agreements between the Investor, the Company, their affiliates and Persons acting on their behalf with respect to the subject matter thereof, and this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and the instruments referenced herein contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the matters covered herein and therein and, except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor the Investor makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. The Company acknowledges and agrees that is has not relied on, in any manner whatsoever, any representations or statements, written or oral, other than as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents.
(f) Notices . Any notices, consents or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt when sent by facsimile or email (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one Business Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Autonomix Medical, Inc.
21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300
The Woodlands, Texas 77380
Telephone: (713) 588-6150
E-mail: bhauser@autonomix.com
Attention: Brad Hauser
Chief Executive Officer and President
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice or service of process):
ArentFox Schiff LLP
1717 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: (202) 724-6847
Facsimile: (202) 778-6460
E-mail: cavas.pavri@afslaw.com
Attention: Cavas S. Pavri, Esq.
If to the Investor:
Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC
415 N. LaSalle Drive, Suite 700B
Chicago, IL 60654
Telephone: (312) 822-9300
Facsimile: (312) 822-9301
E-mail: jscheinfeld@lpcfunds.com/jcope@lpcfunds.com
Attention: Joshua Scheinfeld/Jonathan Cope
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice or service of process):
Reed Smith LLP
599 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Telephone: (212) 549-0285
Facsimile: (212) 521-5450
E-mail: amarsico@reedsmith.com
Attention: Anthony J. Marsico, Esq.
If to the Transfer Agent:
Equity Stock Transfer LLC
237 W 37 th Street, Suite 602
New York, NY 10018
Telephone: (212) 575-5757
Facsimile: (347) 584-3644
E-mail: info@equitystock.com
Attention: Operations
or at such other address and/or facsimile number and/or email address and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party three (3) Business Days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender's facsimile machine or email account containing the time, date, and recipient facsimile number or email address, as applicable, and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
(g) Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns. The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Investor, including by merger or consolidation. The Investor may not assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement.
(h) No Third Party Beneficiaries . This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns and, except as set forth in Section 9, is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
(i) Publicity . The Company shall afford the Investor and its counsel with the opportunity to review and comment upon, shall consult with the Investor and its counsel on the form and substance of, and shall give due consideration to all such comments from the Investor or its counsel on, any press release, SEC filing or any other public disclosure by or on behalf of the Company relating to the Investor, its purchases hereunder or any aspect of the Securities, the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby, not less than 24 hours prior to the issuance, filing or public disclosure thereof. The Investor must be provided with a final version of any portion of such press release, SEC filing or other public disclosure relating to the Investor, its purchases hereunder or any aspect of the Securities, the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby at least 24 hours prior to any release, issuance, filing or use by the Company thereof. The Company agrees and acknowledges that its failure to fully comply with this Section 12(i) shall constitute a Material Adverse Effect
(j) Further Assurances . Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other party may reasonably request in order to consummate and make effective, as soon as reasonably possible, the Commencement, and to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(k) No Financial Advisor, Placement Agent, Broker or Finder . The Company represents and warrants to the Investor that it has not engaged any financial advisor, placement agent, broker or finder in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. The Investor represents and warrants to the Company that it has not engaged any financial advisor, placement agent, broker or finder in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company shall be responsible for the payment of any fees or commissions, if any, of any financial advisor, placement agent, broker or finder relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company shall pay, and hold the Investor harmless against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees and out of pocket expenses) arising in connection with any such claim.
(l) No Strict Construction . The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and shares of Common Stock in this Agreement shall be subject to adjustment as provided in this Agreement for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement.
(m) Remedies, Other Obligations, Breaches and Injunctive Relief . The Investor’s remedies provided in this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Investor’s remedies provided in Section 9, shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available to the Investor under this Agreement, at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief), no remedy of the Investor contained herein shall be deemed a waiver of compliance with the provisions giving rise to such remedy and nothing herein shall limit the Investor's right to pursue actual damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Agreement. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Investor and that the remedy at law for any such breach may be inadequate. The Company therefore agrees that, in the event of any such breach or threatened breach, the Investor shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any breach, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
(n) Enforcement Costs . If: (i) this Agreement is placed by the Investor in the hands of an attorney for enforcement or is enforced by the Investor through any legal proceeding; (ii) an attorney is retained to represent the Investor in any bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership or other proceedings affecting creditors' rights and involving a claim under this Agreement; or (iii) an attorney is retained to represent the Investor in any other proceedings whatsoever in connection with this Agreement, then the Company shall pay to the Investor, as incurred by the Investor, all reasonable costs and expenses including reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in connection therewith, in addition to all other amounts due hereunder.
(o) Amendment and Waiver; Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver . No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived by the parties from and after the date that is one (1) Business Day immediately preceding the initial filing of the Registration Statement with the SEC. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, (i) no provision of this Agreement may be amended other than by a written instrument signed by both parties hereto and (ii) no provision of this Agreement may be waived other than in a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. No failure or delay in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privilege.
** Signature Page Follows **
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Investor and the Company have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
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THE COMPANY: |
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| AUTONOMIX MEDICAL, INC. | |||
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By: |
/s/ Brad Hauser |
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Name: Brad Hauser |
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Title: Chief Executive Officer and President |
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INVESTOR: |
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LINCOLN PARK CAPITAL FUND, LLC BY: LINCOLN PARK CAPITAL, LLC BY: ROCKLEDGE CAPITAL CORPORATION |
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By: |
/s/ Joshua Scheinfeld |
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Name: Joshua Scheinfeld |
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Title: President |
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This Proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors
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VOTE BY INTERNET https://www.AMIX.vote
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Autonomix Medical, Inc. Common Stock |
Use the Internet to vote by Proxy up until October 29, 2025 at 10:59 PM Central Time . Have your proxy card in hand when you access the website and then follow the instructions. Enter the 16 character Voting Control Code below and follow the instructions to vote your proxy.
VOTE BY MAIL Mark, sign and date this proxy card and promptly return to Equity Stock Transfer, LLC
ATTN: Shareholder Services 237 W 37th St Suite 602, New York, NY 10018
VOTE BY FAX or BY EMAIL Mark, sign and date this proxy card and promptly return it by fax to: (347)-584-3644
ATTN: Shareholder Services or by email to: info@equitystock.com ATTN: Shareholder Services
SHARES HELD Common Stock |
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VOTING CONTROL CODE: AAAA - BBBB - CCCC - DDDD |
The undersigned hereby appoints Mr. Brad Hauser or Mr. Trent Smith the true and lawful proxy of the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to vote all shares of the Common Stock of Autonomix Medical, Inc. (the "Company"), which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company to be held at 10:00 AM Central Time October 30, 2025, at the principal executive offices of the Company at 21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300, The Woodlands, TX 77380 and any adjournment or postponement thereof.
Please see the enclosed Proxy Materials from the Company for more details. The undersigned hereby revokes any proxy or proxies previously given to represent or vote such Common Stock and hereby ratifies and confirms all actions that said proxy, their substitutes, or an of them, may lawfully take in accordance with the terms hereof.
The Board of Directors recommend that you vote For on Proposal 1 for the Election of the Director Nominees
| 1. To elect 5 Board nominees to the Board of Directors of the Company, each to serve until the 2026 annual meeting of stockholders of the Company or until such person's successor is qualified and elected. |
TO VOTE, MARK THE BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS
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| For | Withhold | ||
| 1a. Walter V. Klemp | ☐ | ☐ |
| 1b. Lori Bisson | ☐ | ☐ |
| 1c. Jonathan P. Foster | ☐ | ☐ |
| 1d. David Robins | ☐ | ☐ |
| 1e. Christopher Capelli | ☐ | ☐ |
The Board of Directors recommend that you vote For on Proposal 2
| 2. To ratify the appointment of Forvis Mazars, LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending March 31, 2026. | For | Against | Abstain | |
| ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
The Board of Directors recommend that you vote For on Proposal 3
| 3. To approve an amendment to the Company's amended and restated certificate of incorporation to grant our Board of Directors authority to affect a reverse stock split of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock, at a reverse stock split ratio of between 1-for-2 to 1-for-25 (or any whole number in between), as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, prior to the one-year anniversary of this Annual Meeting. | For | Against | Abstain | |
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The Board of Directors recommend that you vote For on Proposal 4
| 4. To approve the amended and restated 2023 Equity Incentive Plan. | For | Against | Abstain | |
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The Board of Directors recommend that you vote For on Proposal 5
| 5. To approve, for purposes of complying with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), the issuance of more than 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock pursuant to the Company’s purchase agreement with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC. | For | Against | Abstain | |
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To transact any other business that is properly brought before the Annual meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
Please sign exactly as your name appears hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee, guardian, or corporate officer, please indicate full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation, please sign the full corporate or partnership name, by authorized officer.
| Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN THE BOX] | Date | Signature (Joint Owner) | Date |