Item 1.01.Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On April 30, 2020, Acer Therapeutics Inc. (the “Company”) 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 up to $15.0 million of the Company’s common stock, $0.0001 par value per share.
Under the terms and subject to the conditions of the Purchase Agreement, the Company has the right, but not the obligation, to sell to Lincoln Park, and Lincoln Park is obligated to purchase up to $15.0 million of the Company’s common stock. Such sales of common stock by the Company, if any, will be subject to certain limitations, and may occur from time to time, at the Company’s sole discretion, over the 36-month period commencing on the date that a registration statement covering the resale of shares of common stock that have been and may be issued under the Purchase Agreement, which the Company agreed to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, is declared effective by the SEC and a final prospectus in connection therewith is filed and the other conditions set forth in the purchase agreement are satisfied (such date on which all of such conditions are satisfied, the “Commencement Date”).
Thereafter, under the Purchase Agreement, on any business day selected by the Company, the Company may direct Lincoln Park to purchase up to 50,000 shares of common stock on such business day so long as the closing sale price of the common stock is not below the floor price stated in the Purchase Agreement (each, a “Regular Purchase”), provided, however, that (i) the Regular Purchase may be increased to up to 75,000 shares, provided that the closing sale price of the common stock is not below $1.50 on the purchase date (subject to adjustment for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction as provided in the Purchase Agreement) and (ii) the Regular Purchase may be increased to up to 100,000 shares, provided that the closing sale price of the common stock is not below $2.00 on the purchase date (subject to adjustment for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction as provided in the Purchase Agreement). In each case, Lincoln Park’s maximum commitment in any single Regular Purchase may not exceed $1,000,000. The purchase price per share for each such Regular Purchase will be based on prevailing market prices of the Company’s common stock immediately preceding the time of sale as computed under the Purchase Agreement. In addition to Regular Purchases, the Company may also direct Lincoln Park to purchase other amounts as accelerated purchases or as additional accelerated purchases if the closing sale price of the common stock exceeds certain threshold prices as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
Under applicable rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market, in no event may the Company issue or sell to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement more than 19.99% of the shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding immediately prior to the execution of the Purchase Agreement (which is 2,020,205 shares based on 10,101,034 shares outstanding immediately prior to the execution of the Purchase Agreement) (the “Exchange Cap”), unless (i) the Company obtains stockholder approval to issue shares of common stock in excess of the Exchange Cap or (ii) the average price of all applicable sales of common stock to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement equals or exceeds $2.135 (which represents the average closing price of the Company’s common stock for the five trading days ending April 29, 2020, the trading day immediately preceding the date the Purchase Agreement was executed) plus an incremental amount, such that issuances and sales of the common stock to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement would be exempt from the Exchange Cap limitation under applicable Nasdaq rules. In any event, the Purchase Agreement specifically provides that the Company may not issue or sell any shares of its common stock under the Purchase Agreement if such issuance or sale would breach any applicable Nasdaq rules.
Lincoln Park has no right to require the Company to sell any shares of common stock to Lincoln Park, but Lincoln Park is obligated to make purchases as the Company directs, subject to certain conditions. In all instances, the Company may not sell shares of its common stock to Lincoln Park under the purchase agreement if it would result in Lincoln Park beneficially owning more than 9.99% of its common stock. There are no upper limits on the price per share that Lincoln Park must pay for shares of common stock.
The Company has agreed with Lincoln Park that it will not enter into any “variable rate” transactions with any third party for a period defined in the Purchase Agreement. The Company issued 148,148 restricted shares of common stock as a commitment fee in connection with entering into the Purchase Agreement.
The Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement contain customary representations, warranties, conditions and indemnification obligations of the parties. The Company has the right to terminate the Purchase Agreement at any time, at no cost or penalty. During any “event of default” under the Purchase Agreement, Lincoln Park does not have the right to terminate the Purchase Agreement; however, the Company may not initiate any regular or other purchase of shares by Lincoln Park, until such event of default is cured. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy proceedings by or against the Company, the purchase agreement will automatically terminate.
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Actual sales of shares of common stock to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement will depend on a variety of factors to be determined by the Company from time to time, including, among others, market conditions, the trading price of the common stock and determinations by the Company as to the appropriate sources of funding for the Company and its operations. Lincoln Park has covenanted not to cause or engage in any manner whatsoever, any direct or indirect short selling or hedging of the Company’s shares.
The net proceeds under the Purchase Agreement to the Company will depend on the frequency and prices at which the Company sells shares of its stock to Lincoln Park. The Company expects that any proceeds received by the Company from such sales to Lincoln Park will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes.
The foregoing descriptions of the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of such agreements, copies of which are attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and 10.2, respectively, and each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. The representations, warranties and covenants contained in such agreements were made only for purposes of such agreements and as of specific dates, were solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreements, and may be subject to limitations agreed upon by the contracting parties.
This current report on Form 8-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any shares of common stock, nor shall there be any sale of shares of common stock in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.