Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-282494
PROSPECTUS
$250,000,000
CERVOMED INC.
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Units
Rights to Purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities or Units
We may offer and sell from time to time shares of our common stock; shares of our preferred stock; debt securities, which may be issued in one or more series and which may be senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities; warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, shares of our preferred stock or our debt securities; units that include any of the foregoing securities; and rights to purchase shares of our common stock, shares of our preferred stock, our debt securities or units. We may sell any combination of these securities in one or more offerings, at prices and on terms to be determined prior to the time of the offering, with an aggregate offering price of up to $250,000,000.
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement containing specific terms of the particular offering together with this base prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as any documents incorporated by reference herein or therein, before you invest in any of our securities. This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of securities unless accompanied by the accompanying prospectus supplement.
Our common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “CRVO.” On October 9, 2024, the last reported sale price of our common stock was $12.82. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing, if any, on The NASDAQ Capital Market or any securities market or other securities exchange of the securities covered by the prospectus supplement. Prospective purchasers of our securities are urged to obtain current information as to the market prices of our securities, where applicable.
Investing in our securities involves a number of significant risks. We strongly recommend that you read carefully the risks we describe in this prospectus and in any accompanying prospectus supplement, as well as the risk factors that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus from our filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. See “Risk Factors” on page 6 of this base prospectus.
We may offer and sell securities to or through underwriting syndicates or dealers, through agents or directly to purchasers. The names of any underwriters, dealers or agents that participate in a sale or offer of securities pursuant to this prospectus, any applicable commissions or discounts, the price to the public of the securities offered or sold, and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will, in each case, be stated in an accompanying prospectus supplement. In addition, the underwriters, if any, may over-allot a portion of the securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is October 10, 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS |
1 |
MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA |
2 |
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY |
3 |
RISK FACTORS |
6 |
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS |
7 |
USE OF PROCEEDS |
9 |
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK |
10 |
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES |
12 |
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS |
17 |
DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS |
19 |
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS |
21 |
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION |
22 |
LEGAL MATTERS |
25 |
EXPERTS |
25 |
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION |
25 |
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE |
25 |
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell from time to time any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $250,000,000. This prospectus only provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities under this shelf registration, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering, including the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities offered. We may also provide or authorize to be provided one or more free writing prospectuses that may contain material information relating to an offering. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may provide or authorize to be provided may also add, update or change information contained in this base prospectus or in any documents that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should read this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us, together with the additional information described under the heading, “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Information Incorporated by Reference.”
This prospectus may not be used to offer and sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
You should rely only on the information that we have provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may provide or authorize to be provided to you. We have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement, or any related free writing prospectus. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement or related free writing prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you.
This prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, if any, do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction.
The information in this prospectus is accurate as of the date on the front cover. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front cover or that any information we have incorporated by reference herein is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus is delivered, or the applicable securities are sold, on a later date.
We may sell our securities to or through underwriters, initial purchasers, dealers, or agents, directly to purchasers or through a combination of any of these methods of sale, as designated from time to time. We and our agents, if any, reserve the sole right to accept or reject in whole or in part any proposed purchase of our securities. An accompanying prospectus supplement, which we will provide each time we offer the securities, will set forth the names of any underwriters, initial purchasers, dealers or agents involved in the sale of our securities, and any related fee, commission or discount arrangements. See “Plan of Distribution.”
We further note that the representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to any document that is incorporated by reference in this prospectus were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties or covenants were accurate only as of the date when made. Accordingly, such representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.
When used in this prospectus, the terms “CervoMed,” the “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer to CervoMed Inc., unless otherwise specified or the context otherwise requires.
“CervoMed,” the CervoMed logo and other trademarks, trade names or service marks of the Company appearing in this prospectus are the property of CervoMed Inc. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this prospectus may be referred to without the ® and ™ symbols, but such references or the omission thereof should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will or will not assert their rights thereto.
Except as otherwise noted, references to “common stock” in this registration statement refer to the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company and give effect to the Company’s one-for-1.5 reverse stock split effected on August 16, 2023.
MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA
Certain market and industry data included in this prospectus were obtained from independent third-party surveys, market research, publicly available information, reports of governmental agencies and industry publications and surveys. All of the market and industry data used in this prospectus involve a number of assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to such estimates. Although we are responsible for all of the disclosure contained in this prospectus and we believe the information from the industry publications and other third-party sources included in this prospectus is reliable, such information is inherently imprecise. The industry in which we operate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty, volatility, and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in the section titled “Risk Factors.” These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties and by us.
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights information contained in other parts of this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus from our filings with the SEC. As it is only a summary, it does not contain all of the information that you should consider before purchasing our securities and it is qualified in its entirety by, and should be read in conjunction with, the accompanying prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus, and the more detailed information appearing elsewhere or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should read the entire prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement, the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and the information incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, including the information contained under the heading “Risk Factors” and our financial statements and the related notes contained in and incorporated by reference into this prospectus, before purchasing our securities.
CervoMed Business Overview
We are a clinical-stage company developing treatments for age-related neurologic disorders. We are currently focused on developing our lead drug candidate, neflamapimod, an investigational, orally administered, small molecule brain penetrant that inhibits p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase alpha (“p38α”). Neflamapimod has the potential to treat synaptic dysfunction, the reversible aspect of the underlying neurodegenerative processes that cause disease in Dementia with Lewy Bodies (“DLB”), and certain other major neurological disorders, and is currently being evaluated in our ongoing Phase 2b clinical trial (“RewinD-LB Trial”), evaluating neflamapimod for treatment of patients with DLB who have not progressed to a point where they have biomarker or imaging evidence of hippocampal atrophy, or Early-Stage DLB, funded by a $21.0 million grant from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institute of Health (the “NIA”).
We believe we are a leader in the industry in developing a treatment for DLB, as we are the only company of which we are aware with an asset that has shown statistically significant improvements compared to placebo in a Phase 2a clinical trial (our AscenD-LB Trial) and has initiated a Phase 2b clinical evaluation (our ongoing RewinD-LB Trial), from which we expect topline results in December 2024. The clinical symptoms in DLB are most directly linked to synaptic dysfunction in cholinergic neurons (i.e., neurons producing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine) in a part of the brain named the basal forebrain. Based on available preclinical and clinical data, we believe if neflamapimod is given in the early stages of certain degenerative diseases of the brain, it may reverse synaptic dysfunction and improve neuron health and function. In preclinical studies, neflamapimod has been shown to reverse the neurodegenerative process in the basal forebrain cholinergic (“BFC”) system and correct the behavioral deficits that result from synaptic dysfunction in the BFC system. Following earlier clinical studies demonstrating blood-brain-barrier penetration, target engagement, and identification of dose-response, we obtained positive clinical data in patients with DLB in our Phase 2a clinical trial (“AscenD-LB Trial”). Specifically, statistically significant improvement was observed in patients treated with neflamapimod compared to patients treated with placebo on measures of dementia severity (as measured by Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes test (“CDR-SB”)) and functional mobility (i.e., walking ability, as measured by the Timed Up and Go test (“TUG”)) in the primary (intention-to-treat) analysis, which includes all patients randomized into the study that had at least one measurement of the endpoint analyzed. In addition, in a secondary analysis evaluating the higher of two doses in the study (40 mg three times daily), neflamapimod demonstrated statistically significant improvement compared to placebo in a battery of cognitive tests, particularly with respect to tests that measured attention. These preclinical results and the primary results of the AscenD-LB Trial were published in the journal Nature Communications in September 2022.
In October 2023, the major clinical neurology journal, Neurology, published additional analyses of the AscenD-LB Trial data that further strengthened these conclusions regarding neflamapimod’s potential and identified the DLB patient population most responsive to neflamapimod treatment. In these analyses, the study results were stratified by pre-treatment levels of plasma ptau181, which recent scientific literature has identified as a blood-based biomarker to differentiate advanced DLB patients – in whom there is significant, irreversible neuronal loss in the hippocampus and associated alzheimer’s disease (“AD”) co-pathology – from Early-Stage DLB patients — in whom the disease is limited to synaptic dysfunction in the basal forebrain, a reversible component of the disease, and there is no associated AD co-pathology. It is estimated that Early-Stage DLB patients comprise approximately 50% of the total diagnosed DLB patient population at any given time and that the remaining 50% is comprised of patients with advanced DLB, which is sometimes referred to in the scientific literature as “DLB-AD” or a form of “mixed dementia.” In patients with a plasma ptau181 level of less than 2.2 pg/mL, the treatment response to neflamapimod in the AscenD-LB Trial was substantially greater than the overall patient population, with a Cohen’s d effect size ≥ 0.7 and statistically significant vs. placebo on the CDR-SB, TUG, cognitive tests of attention and working memory. In a February 2024 publication in the Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, results from our prior clinical trials of neflamapimod in AD and DLB were integrated to show not only the demonstrated effects of neflamapimod on cognition and function, but on other biomarkers such as electroencephalogram and basal forebrain volume and functional connectivity by magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”).
Our ongoing RewinD-LB Trial is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 16-week Phase 2b study that enrolled 159 patients with Early-Stage DLB, and is funded by a $21.0 million grant from the NIA. The trial is intended to confirm the efficacy findings from the AscenD-LB Trial and definitively demonstrate proof-of-concept. We have utilized our subsequent analyses of the AscenD-LB Trial data and the other information described above to optimize the RewinD-LB Trial’s design and bolster the trial’s statistical power. Critically, the RewinD-LB Trial excluded patients with advanced DLB as evaluated by plasma ptau181 levels (i.e., the study only enrolled patients with Early-Stage DLB). To enrich for such patients during screening, the global Clinical Dementia Rating score at entry was limited to 0.5 or 1.0; based on the enrollment data in our AscenD-LB and RewinD-LB Trials, among these patients with mild or very mild dementia, we estimate that the percentage of patients with Early-Stage DLB is substantially higher (approximately 66% among patients screened in RewinD-LB) as compared to the overall DLB population as a whole (approximately 50%). Together with additional modifications to the AscenD-LB Trial design related to dosing regimen (40 mg three times daily) and primary endpoint (CDR-SB), sample size calculations indicate that the RewinD-LB Phase Trial has greater than 95% statistical power (approaching 100%) to meet its primary objective of demonstrating improvement relative to placebo on change in CDR-SB, a global measure of dementia severity, over the course of the study.
We completed enrollment in the RewinD-LB Trial in June 2024, anticipate the “last patient, last visit” for the 16-week placebo-controlled phase of the study to occur in October 2024, and expect to report topline results from the placebo-controlled phase of the study in December 2024. The results of the RewinD-LB Trial are intended to provide the data necessary to finalize our design of a Phase 3 clinical trial, the general framework of which, including a 24-week treatment duration, is based on prior discussions with and feedback from the FDA.
In August 2024, we initiated a Phase 2a study in Strasbourg, France, which will evaluate neflamapimod in up to 20 DLB patients with mild cognitive impairment (MoCA score >= 18 during screening). The primary objective of the study will be to obtain additional pharmacokinetic data on a dosing regimen not previously used in any of our clinical trials (80 mg BID) that may provide additional dosing flexibility for certain patient populations or indications we may target in the future. On an exploratory basis, we will also collect data on basal forebrain atrophy, as measured by MRI, and a broad range of clinical endpoints.
In addition to neflamapimod’s potential to treat DLB, we believe the benefit of targeting neuroinflammation-induced synaptic dysfunction in the BFC system can be applied to other neurologic indications in which treatment of BFC dysfunction and degeneration would be expected to be clinically beneficial, including as treatment promoting recovery in the three months after ischemic stroke, as a disease-modifying treatment for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, and as a treatment for certain forms of frontotemporal dementia.
Additional Information
For additional information related to our business and operations, please refer to the reports incorporated by reference, as described under the caption “Information Incorporated by Reference” on page 25 of this prospectus.
Corporation Information
We are a Delaware corporation that was incorporated in June 2015 and previously was named “Diffusion Pharmaceuticals Inc.” (“Diffusion”). Prior to June 2015, we were a Nevada corporation. On August 16, 2023, we completed a merger transaction (the “Merger”) with EIP Pharma, Inc. (“EIP”), a Delaware corporation, and changed our name to “CervoMed Inc.”
We maintain our principal executive offices at 20 Park Plaza, Suite 424, Boston, Massachusetts 02216.
Our telephone number there is (617) 744-4400. The address of our website is www.cervomed.com. The information set forth on, or connected to, our website is expressly not incorporated by reference into, and does not constitute a part of, this prospectus.
We are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and have elected to take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosure available for smaller reporting companies in this prospectus as well as our filings under the Exchange Act.
Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act are available free of charge through the investor relations page of our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.
Securities We May Offer
Under this prospectus, we may offer shares of our common stock and preferred stock, various series of debt securities, warrants and rights to purchase shares of common stock or preferred stock, debt securities or units, as well as units to purchase any of such securities, with a total aggregate offering price of up to $250,000,000, from time to time and at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of offering. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer a type or series of securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and other important terms of the securities, including, to the extent applicable:
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designation or classification; |
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aggregate principal amount or aggregate offering price; |
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maturity, if applicable; |
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original issue discount, if any; |
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rates and times of payment of interest or dividends, if any; |
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redemption, conversion, exchange or sinking fund terms, if any; |
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conversion or exchange prices or rates, if any, and, if applicable, any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the conversion or exchange prices or rates and in the securities or other property receivable upon conversion or exchange; |
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ranking, if any; |
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restrictive covenants, if any; |
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voting or other rights, if any; and |
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important United States federal income tax considerations. |
A prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may provide or authorize to be provided to you may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus or in documents we have incorporated by reference. However, no prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will offer a security that is not registered and described in this prospectus at the time of the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
We may sell the securities directly to or through underwriters, dealers or agents. We, and our underwriters or agents, reserve the right to accept or reject all or part of any proposed purchase of securities. If we do offer securities through underwriters or agents, we will include in the applicable prospectus supplement:
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the names of those underwriters or agents; |
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applicable fees, discounts and commissions to be paid to them; |
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details regarding over-allotment options or refreshable options, if any; and |
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the net proceeds to us. |
RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should consider carefully all of the information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, including, without limitation, the risk factors in the section entitled “Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, as well as the risk factors set forth in any applicable prospectus supplement and the other reports we file from time to time with the SEC that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement. Each of these risk factors could have a material and adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial position, or cash flows, which may result in the loss of all or part of your investment.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and the other information and documents incorporated by reference herein include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. We may, in some cases, use terms such as “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “approximately” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements appear in and are incorporated by reference into a number of places throughout this prospectus and include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things, our ongoing and planned preclinical development and clinical trials, the timing of and our ability to make regulatory filings and obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for our product candidates, our intellectual property position, the degree of clinical utility of our products, particularly in specific patient populations, expectations regarding clinical trial data, our ability to commercialize our product candidates, our results of operations, cash needs, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth and strategies, the industry in which we operate and the trends that may affect the industry or us.
By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events, competitive dynamics and industry change, and depend on the economic circumstances that may or may not occur in the future or may occur on longer or shorter timelines than anticipated. Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, we caution you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in and incorporated by reference into this prospectus. In addition, even if our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in and incorporated by reference into this prospectus, they may not be predictive of results or developments in future periods.
Actual results could differ materially from our forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including risks related to:
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our cash balances and our ability to obtain additional financing in the future and continue as a going concern; |
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the success and timing of our ongoing Phase 2b clinical trial in patients with DLB and our other clinical and preclinical studies, including our ability to enroll subjects in our studies at anticipated rates and our ability to manufacture an adequate amount of drug supply for our studies; |
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obtaining and maintaining intellectual property protection for our current or future product candidates and our proprietary technology; |
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the performance of third parties, including contract research organizations, manufacturers, suppliers, and outside consultants, to whom we outsource certain operational, staff and other functions; |
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our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of our current or future product candidates and, if approved, our products, including the labeling under any approval we may obtain; |
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our plans and ability to develop and commercialize our current or future product candidates and the outcomes of our research and development activities; |
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our estimates regarding expenses, future revenues, capital requirements, and needs for additional financing; |
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our future obligations under our license agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated; |
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our failure to recruit or retain key scientific or management personnel or to retain our executive officers; |
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the accuracy of our estimates of the size and characteristics of the potential markets for our current or future product candidates, the rate and degree of market acceptance of any of our current or future product candidates that may be approved in the future, and our ability to serve those markets; |
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the success of products that are or may become available which also target the potential markets for our current or future product candidates; |
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our ability to operate our business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others and the potential for others to infringe upon our intellectual property rights; |
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any significant breakdown, infiltration, or interruption of our information technology systems and infrastructure; |
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our ability to remediate our previously disclosed material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting in a timely manner; |
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our ability to successfully integrate the historical businesses of EIP and Diffusion and realize the anticipated benefits of the Merger; |
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recently enacted and future legislation related to the healthcare system; |
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other regulatory developments in the United States, European Union, and other foreign jurisdictions; |
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our ability to satisfy the continued listing requirements of The NASDAQ Capital Market or any other exchange on which our securities may trade in the future; |
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uncertainties related to general economic, political, business, industry, and market conditions, including the continued availability of funding for the NIA to support disbursements under our previously received grant and |
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other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" herein and in our other public filings. |
You should also read carefully the factors described in the “Risk Factors” section contained in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and incorporated by reference herein from our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024, as updated by annual, quarterly and other reports and documents we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and that are incorporated by reference herein to better understand the risks and uncertainties inherent in our business and underlying any forward-looking statements. As a result of these factors, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus will prove to be accurate. Furthermore, if our forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all.
Any forward-looking statements that we make in or incorporate by reference into this prospectus speak only as of the date of such statement, and, except as required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update such statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Comparisons of results for current and any prior periods are not intended to express any future trends or indications of future performance, unless expressed as such, and should only be viewed as historical data.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise indicated in any applicable prospectus supplement and in any free writing prospectuses in connection with a specific offering, we currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities offered hereby, if any, to fund research and development of our lead product candidate, neflamapimod, including clinical trial activities, and for other general corporate purposes, including working capital, capital expenditures and general and administrative expenses. We have not determined the amounts we plan to spend on any of the areas listed above or the timing of these expenditures. As a result, our management will have broad discretion to allocate the net proceeds, if any, we receive in connection with securities offered pursuant to this prospectus for any purpose. Pending these uses, we intend to invest the net proceeds of any offering under this prospectus in short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing securities, money market funds, and/or certificates of deposit.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
Company Capitalization
Our authorized capital stock consists of 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock and 30,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value, all of which remains undesignated. The following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to our certificate of incorporation (as amended, the “Certificate of Incorporation”), a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to our previous filings with the SEC and incorporated herein by reference.
Common Stock
Authorized. We are authorized to issue 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock, of which 8,253,741 shares were issued and outstanding as of September 15, 2024. We may amend from time to time our Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock. Any such amendment would require the approval of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares entitled to vote thereon.
Voting Rights. For all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote for each share registered in the holder’s name on our books. Our common stock does not have cumulative voting rights. At all meetings of the stockholders, except where otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Company’s Bylaws (as amended, the “Bylaws”), the presence, in person or by proxy duly authorized, of the holders of at least 33.4% of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. Except as otherwise provided by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares of common stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, directors are elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares of common stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the election of directors.
Dividends. Subject to limitations under Delaware law and any preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, as may be declared by our board of directors (the “Board”) out of legally available funds.
Liquidation. Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities of our company, subject to any prior rights of any preferred stock then outstanding.
Fully Paid and Non-assessable. All shares of our outstanding common stock are fully paid and non-assessable and any additional shares of common stock that we issue will be fully paid and non-assessable.
Other Rights and Restrictions. Holders of common stock do not have preemptive or subscription rights, and they have no right to convert their common stock into any other securities. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of common stockholders are subject to the rights of the stockholders of any series of preferred stock which we may designate in the future. Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws do not restrict the ability of a holder of common stock to transfer the holder’s shares of common stock.
Listing. Our common stock is quoted on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “CRVO.” As of June 30, 2024, there were 114 record holders of our common stock.
Transfer Agent and Registrar. The transfer agent and registrar for common stock is Computershare Investor Services, LLC, 150 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts, telephone number: 1-800-942-5909.
Preferred Stock
As of June 30, 2024, no shares of preferred stock of the Company were issued or outstanding. Our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes our Board to provide for the issuance of up to 30,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series. Our Board is authorized to classify or reclassify any unissued portion of our authorized shares of preferred stock to provide for the issuance of shares of other classes or series, including preferred stock in one or more series. We may issue preferred stock from time to time in one or more classes or series, with the exact terms of each class or series established by our Board. Without seeking stockholder approval, our Board may issue preferred stock with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power of the holders of our common stock. Additionally, the issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of decreasing the market price of the common stock.
The rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of the preferred stock of each series will be fixed by the certificate of designation relating to each series. A prospectus supplement relating to each series will specify the terms of the preferred stock, including, but not limited to:
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the distinctive designation and the maximum number of shares in the series; |
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the terms on which dividends, if any, will be paid; |
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the voting rights, if any, on the shares of the series; |
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the terms and conditions, if any, on which the shares of the series shall be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or classes of capital stock; |
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the terms on which the shares may be redeemed, if at all; |
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the liquidation preference, if any; and |
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any or all other preferences, rights, restrictions, including restrictions on transferability, and qualifications of shares of the series. |
The issuance of preferred stock may delay, deter or prevent a change in control.
We will describe the specific terms of a particular series of preferred stock in the prospectus supplement relating to that series. The description of preferred stock above and the description of the terms of a particular series of preferred stock in the prospectus supplement are not complete. You should refer to the applicable certificate of designation for complete information. The prospectus supplement will contain a description of United States federal income tax consequences relating to the preferred stock.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
Delaware Anti-Takeover Law
We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Section 203 generally prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless:
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prior to the date of the transaction, the Board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; |
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the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding (a) shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers of the corporation and (b) shares issued under employee stock plans under which employee participants do not have the right to determine whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or |
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on or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by the Board and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2⁄3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
Section 203 defines a business combination to include:
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any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder; |
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any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition involving the interested stockholder of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation; |
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subject to exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder; |
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any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of its stock owned by the interested stockholder; or |
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the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation. |
In general, Section 203 defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by the entity or person.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any future debt securities we may offer pursuant to this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we so indicate in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any debt securities offered under such prospectus supplement may differ from the terms we describe below, and to the extent the terms set forth in a prospectus supplement differ from the terms described below, the terms set forth in the prospectus supplement shall control.
The debt securities (the “Debt Securities”) will be either senior debt securities (the “Senior Debt Securities”) or subordinated debt securities (the “Subordinated Debt Securities”). The Senior Debt Securities and the Subordinated Debt Securities will be issued under separate indentures among us, the subsidiary guarantors of such Debt Securities, if any, each a Subsidiary Guarantor, if applicable, and a trustee to be determined, the Trustee. Senior Debt Securities will be issued under a senior indenture (the “Senior Indenture”) and Subordinated Debt Securities will be issued under a subordinated indenture (the “ Subordinated Indenture,” and together with the Senior Indenture, the “Indentures”). The form of each Indenture has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you should read the Indentures for provisions that may be important to you.
The Indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as in effect on the date of the indenture (the “Trust Indenture Act”). We use the term “debenture trustee” to refer to either the trustee under the senior indenture or the trustee under the subordinated indenture, as applicable. The following summaries of material provisions of the Debt Securities are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities.
General
The Debt Securities may be issued from time to time in one or more series and may be denominated and payable in foreign currencies or units based on or relating to foreign currencies. Neither Indenture limits the amount of Debt Securities that may be issued thereunder, and each Indenture provides that the specific terms of the Debt Securities shall be set forth in, or determined pursuant to, an authorizing resolution and/or a supplemental indenture, if any, relating to such series.
The applicable prospectus supplement will contain, where applicable, the following terms of and other information relating to the Debt Securities:
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the title of the Debt Securities; |
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the aggregate principal amount and any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities; |
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the currency or units based on or relating to currencies in which Debt Securities are denominated and the currency or units in which principal or interest or both will or may be payable; |
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whether we will issue the series of Debt Securities in global form, the terms of any global securities and who the depositary will be; |
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whether or not the Debt Securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt; |
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our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period; |
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whether the Indenture will restrict our ability to pay dividends, or will require us to maintain any asset ratios or reserves; |
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whether we will be restricted from incurring any additional indebtedness; |
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a discussion on any material or special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to Debt Securities; |
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the denominations in which we will issue Debt Securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof; |
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whether the Debt Securities are Senior Debt Securities or Subordinated Debt Securities and, if Subordinated Debt Securities, the related subordination terms; |
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whether any subsidiary guarantor will provide a subsidiary guarantee of the Debt Securities; |
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each date on which the principal of the Debt Securities will be payable; |
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the interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and date interest will begin to accrue, that the Debt Securities will bear and the interest payment dates for the Debt Securities; |
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each place where payments on the Debt Securities will be payable; |
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any terms upon which the Debt Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at our option; |
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any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to redeem or otherwise repurchase the Debt Securities; |
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the portion of the principal amount, if less than all, of the Debt Securities that will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the Debt Securities; |
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whether the Debt Securities are defeasible; |
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any addition to or change in the events of default; |
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whether the Debt Securities are convertible into our common stock and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which conversion will be effected, including the initial conversion price or conversion rate and any adjustments thereto and the conversion period; |
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any addition to or change in the covenants in the Indenture applicable to the Debt Securities; |
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any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the Debt Securities; and |
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any other terms of the Debt Securities not inconsistent with the provisions of the Indenture. |
We may issue debt securities that provide for an amount less than their stated principal amount to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity pursuant to the terms of the indenture. We will provide you with information on the federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to any of these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Debt Securities, including any Debt Securities that provide for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof, or original issue discount securities (“Original Issue Discount Securities”) may be sold at a substantial discount below their principal amount. Special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to Original Issue Discount Securities may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. In addition, special United States federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any Debt Securities that are denominated in a currency or currency unit other than United States dollars may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Conversion or Exchange Rights
We will set forth in the prospectus supplement the terms, if any, on which Debt Securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or our other securities. We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of our common stock or our other securities that the holders of the series of Debt Securities receive would be subject to adjustment.
Consolidation, Merger or Sale; No Protection in Event of a Change of Control or Highly Leveraged Transaction
The Indentures do not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. However, any successor to or acquirer of such assets must assume all of our obligations under the Indentures or the Debt Securities, as appropriate, satisfactory in form to the debenture trustee.
Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the Debt Securities will not contain any provisions that may afford holders of the Debt Securities protection in the event we have a change of control or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction (whether or not such transaction results in a change of control), which could adversely affect holders of Debt Securities.
Events of Default Under the Indenture
The following are events of default under the Indentures with respect to any series of Debt Securities that we may issue:
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if we fail to pay interest when due and our failure continues for 90 days and the time for payment has not been extended or deferred; |
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if we fail to pay the principal, or premium, if any, when due and the time for payment has not been extended or delayed; |
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if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant set forth in the Debt Securities of such series or the applicable Indentures, other than a covenant specifically relating to and for the benefit of holders of another series of Debt Securities, and our failure continues for 90 days after we receive written notice from the debenture trustee or holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of the applicable series; and |
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if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur as to us. |
No event of default with respect to a particular series of Debt Securities (except as to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) necessarily constitutes an event of default with respect to any other series of Debt Securities. The occurrence of an event of default may constitute an event of default under any bank credit agreements we may have in existence from time to time. In addition, the occurrence of certain events of default or acceleration under any applicable Indenture may constitute an event of default under certain of our other indebtedness outstanding from time to time.
If an event of default with respect to Debt Securities of any series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of that series may, by a notice in writing to us (and to the debenture trustee if given by the holders), declare to be due and payable immediately the principal (or, if the Debt Securities of that series are discount securities, that portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of and premium and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all Debt Securities of that series. Before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained with respect to Debt Securities of any series, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of that series (or, at a meeting of holders of such series at which a quorum is present, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Debt Securities) default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, with respect to Debt Securities of that series, have been cured or waived as provided in the applicable Indenture (including payments or deposits in respect of principal, premium or interest that had become due other than as a result of such acceleration). We refer you to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of Debt Securities that are discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of a portion of the principal amount of such discount securities upon the occurrence of an event of default.
Subject to the terms of the Indentures, if an event of default under an Indenture shall occur and be continuing, the debenture trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such Indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the debenture trustee reasonable indemnity. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the debenture trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the debenture trustee, with respect to the Debt Securities of that series, provided that:
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the direction so given by the holder is not in conflict with any law or the applicable Indenture; and |
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subject to its duties under the Trust Indenture Act, the debenture trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding. |
A holder of the Debt Securities of any series will only have the right to institute a proceeding under the Indentures or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies if:
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the holder previously has given written notice to the debenture trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to that series; |
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the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of that series have made written request, and such holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the debenture trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee; and |
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the debenture trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of that series (or at a meeting of holders of such series at which a quorum is present, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Debt Securities of such series represented at such meeting) other conflicting directions within 60 days after the notice, request and offer. |
These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of Debt Securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest on, the Debt Securities. We will periodically file statements with the applicable debenture trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the applicable Indenture.
Modification of Indenture; Waiver
The debenture trustee and we may change the applicable Indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to specific matters, including:
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to fix any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the Indenture; and |
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to change anything that does not materially adversely affect the interests of any holder of Debt Securities of any series issued pursuant to such Indenture. |
In addition, under the Indentures, the rights of holders of a series of Debt Securities may be changed by us and the debenture trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of each series (or, at a meeting of holders of such series at which a quorum is present, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Debt Securities of such series represented at such meeting) that is affected. However, the debenture trustee and we may make the following changes only with the consent of each holder of any outstanding Debt Securities affected:
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extending the fixed maturity of the series of Debt Securities; |
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reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or any premium payable upon the redemption of any Debt Securities; |
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reducing the principal amount of discount securities payable upon acceleration of maturity; |
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making the principal of or premium or interest on any Debt Security payable in currency other than that stated in the debt security; or |
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reducing the percentage of Debt Securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment or waiver. |
Except for certain specified provisions, the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of any series (or, at a meeting of holders of such series at which a quorum is present, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Debt Securities of such series represented at such meeting) may on behalf of the holders of all Debt Securities of that series waive our compliance with provisions of the Indenture. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all the Debt Securities of such series waive any past default under the Indenture with respect to that series and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal of, premium or any interest on any debt security of that series or in respect of a covenant or provision, which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security of the series affected; provided, however, that the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of any series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from the acceleration.
Discharge
Each Indenture provides that we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except for obligations to:
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register the transfer or exchange of Debt Securities of the series; |
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replace stolen, lost or mutilated Debt Securities of the series; |
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duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid amounts owing with respect to the Debt Securities; |
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maintain paying agencies; |
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hold monies for payment in trust; |
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compensate and indemnify the trustee; and |
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appoint any successor trustee. |
In order to exercise our rights to be discharged with respect to a series, we must deposit with the trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, the premium, if any, and interest on, the Debt Securities of the series on the dates payments are due.
Form, Exchange, and Transfer
We will issue the Debt Securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The Indentures provide that we may issue Debt Securities of a series in temporary or permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company or another depositary named by us and identified in a prospectus supplement with respect to that series.
At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the Indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holder of the Debt Securities of any series can exchange the Debt Securities for other Debt Securities of the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.
Subject to the terms of the Indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the Debt Securities may present the Debt Securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the Debt Securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange or in the applicable Indenture, we will make no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.
We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that we initially designate for any Debt Securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the Debt Securities of each series.
If we elect to redeem the Debt Securities of any series, we will not be required to:
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issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any Debt Securities of that series during a period beginning at the opening of 15 business days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any Debt Securities that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or |
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register the transfer of or exchange any Debt Securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Debt Securities we are redeeming in part. |
Information Concerning the Debenture Trustee
The debenture trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under the applicable Indenture, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable Indenture. Upon an event of default under an Indenture, the debenture trustee under such Indenture must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this provision, the debenture trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given it by the Indentures at the request of any holder of Debt Securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.
Payment and Paying Agents
Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of the interest on any Debt Securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest.
We will pay principal of and any premium and interest on the Debt Securities of a particular series at the office of the paying agents designated by us, except that unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, will we make interest payments by check which we will mail to the holder. Unless we otherwise indicate in a prospectus supplement, we will designate the corporate trust office of the debenture trustee in the City of New York as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to Debt Securities of each series. We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any other paying agents that we initially designate for the Debt Securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the Debt Securities of a particular series.
All money we pay to a paying agent or the debenture trustee for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Debt Securities which remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.
Governing Law
The Indentures and the Debt Securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the Trust Indenture Act is applicable.
Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities
Our obligations pursuant to any subordinated Debt Securities will be subordinate and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other indebtedness to the extent described in a prospectus supplement. The Indentures do not limit the amount of indebtedness we may incur. The Indentures also do not limit us from issuing any other secured or unsecured debt.
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplements and free writing prospectuses, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, which may consist of warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities and may be issued in one or more series. Warrants may be offered independently or together with common stock, preferred stock or debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement, and may be attached to or separate from those securities. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus. The terms of any warrants offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.
We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from a current report on Form 8-K that we file with the SEC, the form of warrant agreement, if any, including a form of warrant certificate, if any, that describes the terms of the particular series of warrants we are offering before the issuance of the related series of warrants. The following summaries of material provisions of the warrants and the warrant agreements are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the warrant agreement and warrant certificate applicable to a particular series of warrants. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus related to the particular series of warrants that we sell under this prospectus, as well as the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants.
General
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms relating to a series of warrants, including:
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the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered; |
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the currency for which the warrants may be purchased; |
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if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security; |
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if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable; |
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in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at, and currency in which, this principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise; |
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in the case of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock, as the case may be, purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise; |
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the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreements and the warrants; |
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the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants; |
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any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; |
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the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire; |
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the manner in which the warrant agreements and warrants may be modified; |
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United States federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants; |
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the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; and |
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any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants. |
Exercise of Warrants
Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the securities that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to the specified time on the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.
Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants by delivering the warrant certificate or agreement representing the warrants to be exercised together with specified information, and paying the required amount to the warrant agent in immediately available funds, as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will set forth on the reverse side of the warrant certificate or agreement and in the applicable prospectus supplement the information that the holder of the warrant will be required to deliver to the warrant agent.
Upon receipt of the required payment and the warrant certificate or agreement properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue and deliver the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate or agreement are exercised, then we will issue a new warrant certificate or agreement for the remaining amount of warrants. If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may surrender securities as all or part of the exercise price for warrants.
Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants
Each warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, its warrants.
DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS
The following is a general description of the terms of the rights we may issue from time to time unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. Particular terms of any rights we offer will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to such rights.
General
We may issue rights to purchase common stock, preferred stock, debt securities or units. Rights may be issued independently or together with other securities and may or may not be transferable by the person purchasing or receiving the rights. In connection with any rights offering to our stockholders, we may enter into a standby underwriting, backstop or other arrangement with one or more underwriters or other persons pursuant to which such underwriters or other persons would purchase any offered securities remaining unsubscribed for after such rights offering. In connection with a rights offering to our stockholders, we would distribute certificates evidencing the rights and a prospectus supplement to our stockholders on or about the record date that we set for receiving rights in such rights offering.
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the following terms of any rights we may issue, including some or all of the following:
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the title and aggregate number of the rights; |
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the subscription price or a formula for the determination of the subscription price for the rights and the currency or currencies in which the subscription price may be payable; |
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if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the rights are issued and the number of rights issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security; |
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the number or a formula for the determination of the number of the rights issued to each stockholder; |
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the extent to which the rights are transferable; |
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in the case of rights to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one right; |
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in the case of rights to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the type of stock and number of shares of stock purchasable upon exercise of one right; |
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the date on which the right to exercise the rights will commence, and the date on which the rights will expire (subject to any extension); |
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if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the rights that may be exercised at any one time; |
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the extent to which such rights include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities; |
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if applicable, the procedures for adjusting the subscription price and number of shares of common stock or preferred stock purchasable upon the exercise of each right upon the occurrence of certain events, including stock splits, reverse stock splits, combinations, subdivisions or reclassifications of common stock or preferred stock; |
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the effect on the rights of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business; |
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the terms of any rights to redeem or call the rights; |
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information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; |
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the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the rights; |
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if applicable, the material terms of any standby underwriting, backstop or other purchase arrangement that we may enter into in connection with the rights offering; |
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if applicable, a discussion of certain United States Federal income tax considerations; and |
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any other terms of the rights, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the rights. |
Exercise of Rights
Each right will entitle the holder to purchase for cash or other consideration such shares of stock or principal amount of securities at the subscription price as shall in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the prospectus supplement relating to the rights offered thereby. Rights may be exercised as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement beginning on the date specified therein and continuing until the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the rights offered thereby. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised rights will become void.
Upon receipt of payment and a subscription certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the subscription agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If less than all of the rights represented by such subscription certificate are exercised, a new subscription certificate will be issued for the remaining rights. If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the rights may surrender securities as all or part of the exercise price for rights.
We may determine to offer any unsubscribed offered securities directly to stockholders, persons other than stockholders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, including pursuant to standby underwriting, backstop or other arrangements, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Prior to exercising their rights, holders of rights will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon subscription, including, in the case of rights to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the right to receive dividends, if any, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise any voting rights or, in the case of rights to purchase debt securities, the right to receive principal, premium, if any, or interest payments, on the debt securities purchasable upon exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplements and free writing prospectuses, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the units that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any units that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any series of units in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any units offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. However, no prospectus supplement will fundamentally change the terms that are set forth in this prospectus or offer a security that is not registered and described in this prospectus at the time of its effectiveness.
We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from a current report on Form 8-K that we file with the SEC, the form of unit agreement that describes the terms of the series of units we are offering, and any supplemental agreements, before the issuance of the related series of units. The following summaries of material terms and provisions of the units are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the unit agreement and any supplemental agreements applicable to a particular series of units. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements related to the particular series of units that we sell under this prospectus, as well as the complete unit agreement and any supplemental agreements that contain the terms of the units.
General
We may issue units comprised of one or more debt securities, shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock and warrants in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of units, including:
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the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
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any provisions of the governing unit agreement that differ from those described below; and |
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any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units. |
The provisions described in this section, as well as those described under “Description of Capital Stock,” “Description of Debt Securities” and “Description of Warrants” will apply to each unit and to any common stock, preferred stock, debt security or warrant included in each unit, respectively.
Issuance in Series
We may issue units in such amounts and in numerous distinct series as we determine.
Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Units
Each unit agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable unit agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any unit. A single bank or trust company may act as unit agent for more than one series of units. A unit agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable unit agreement or unit, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a unit may, without the consent of the related unit agent or the holder of any other unit, enforce by appropriate legal action its rights as holder under any security included in the unit.
We, the unit agents and any of their agents may treat the registered holder of any unit certificate as an absolute owner of the units evidenced by that certificate for any purpose and as the person entitled to exercise the rights attaching to the units so requested, despite any notice to the contrary.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell the securities, from time to time, to or through underwriters or dealers, through agents or remarketing firms, or directly to one or more purchasers pursuant to:
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underwritten public offerings; |
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negotiated transactions; |
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block trades; |
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“At the Market Offerings,” within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act, into an existing trading market, at prevailing market prices; or |
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through a combination of these methods. |
We may sell the securities to or through one or more underwriters or dealers (acting as principal or agent), through agents, or directly to one or more purchasers.
We may distribute securities from time to time in one or more transactions:
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at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed; |
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at market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
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at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or |
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at negotiated prices. |
A prospectus supplement or supplements (and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including, to the extent applicable:
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the name or names of the underwriters, dealers or agents, if any; |
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if the securities are to be offered through the selling efforts of brokers or dealers, the plan of distribution and the terms of any agreement, arrangement, or understanding entered into with broker(s) or dealer(s) prior to the effective date of the registration statement, and, if known, the identity of any broker(s) or dealer(s) who will participate in the offering and the amount to be offered through each; |
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the purchase price of the securities or other consideration therefor, and the proceeds, if any, we will receive from the sale; |
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if any of the securities being registered are to be offered otherwise than for cash, the general purposes of the distribution, the basis upon which the securities are to be offered, the amount of compensation and other expenses of distribution, and by whom they are to be borne; |
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any delayed delivery arrangements; |
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any over-allotment or other options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us; |
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any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation; |
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any public offering price; |
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any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; |
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the identity and relationships of any finders, if applicable; and |
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any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed. |
In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the maximum compensation to the underwriters or dealers in connection with the sale by the Company of its securities pursuant to this prospectus and the accompanying supplement to this prospectus may not exceed 8% of the aggregate offering price of the securities as set forth on the cover page of any prospectus supplement.
Only underwriters named in the prospectus supplement will be underwriters of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement.
If underwriters are used in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account and may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement. We may offer the securities to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or by underwriters without a syndicate. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, subject to certain conditions, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement, other than securities covered by any over-allotment option. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may change from time to time. We may use underwriters, dealers or agents with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe in the prospectus supplement, naming the underwriter, dealer or agent, the nature of any such relationship.
We may use a remarketing firm to offer the securities in connection with a remarketing arrangement upon their purchase. Remarketing firms will act as principals for their own account or as agents for us. These remarketing firms will offer or sell the securities pursuant to the terms of the securities. A prospectus supplement will identify any remarketing firm and the terms of its agreement, if any, with us and will describe the remarketing firm’s compensation. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters in connection the securities they remarket.
If we offer and sell securities through a dealer, we or an underwriter will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale. The name of the dealer and the terms of the transaction will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
We may sell securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of securities and we will describe any commissions payable to the agent in the prospectus supplement. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, the agent will act on a best-efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
Dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and compensation received by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts. If such dealers or agents were deemed to be underwriters, they may be subject to statutory liabilities under the Securities Act.
We may sell securities directly to one or more purchasers without using underwriters or agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act, and any discounts or commissions they receive from us and any profit on their resale of the securities may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act.
We may authorize agents or underwriters to solicit offers by certain types of institutional investors to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. We will describe the conditions to these contracts and the commissions we must pay for solicitation of these contracts in the prospectus supplement.
We may provide agents, underwriters, and dealers with indemnification against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the agents, underwriters, or dealers may make with respect to these liabilities. Agents, underwriters and dealers, or their respective affiliates, may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.
The securities we offer may be new issues of securities and may have no established trading market. The securities may or may not be listed on a securities exchange. Underwriters may make a market in these securities, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We can make no assurance as to the liquidity of, or the existence of trading markets for, any of the securities.
Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum price. Syndicate-covering or other short-covering transactions involve purchases of the securities, either through exercise of the over-allotment option or in the open market after the distribution is completed, to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a stabilizing or covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.
Any underwriters that are qualified market makers on The NASDAQ Capital Market may engage in passive market making transactions in the common stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the common stock. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
The underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in other transactions with us, or perform other services for us, in the ordinary course of their business.
LEGAL MATTERS
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo, P.C., Boston Massachusetts, will pass for us upon the validity of the securities being offered by this prospectus. Additional legal matters may be passed upon for any underwriters, dealers or agents by counsel that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for each of the years then ended incorporated in this prospectus by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 have been audited by RSM US LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report thereon (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph relating to our ability to continue as a going concern), incorporated herein by reference, and have been incorporated in this prospectus and registration statement in reliance upon such report and upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
This prospectus is only part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we have filed with the SEC under the Securities Act, and therefore this prospectus does not contain all of the information in the registration statement and its exhibits. For further information with respect to us and the securities offered by this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and its exhibits. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or any other document referred to are not necessarily complete, and in each instance, we refer you to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. Each of these statements is qualified in all respects by this reference.
We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and file annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and other information and amendments to those reports filed or furnished with the SEC. SEC filings are available at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
We also maintain a website at www.cervomed.com, through which you can access our SEC filings. The information set forth on our website is not part of this prospectus.
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus. This means we can disclose information to you by referring you to another document we filed with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, and subsequent information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We filed a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with the SEC with respect to the securities we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. This prospectus omits certain information contained in the registration statement, as permitted by the SEC. You should refer to the registration statement, including the exhibits, for further information about us and the securities we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. Statements in this prospectus regarding the provisions of certain documents filed with, or incorporated by reference in, the registration statement are not necessarily complete and each statement is qualified in all respects by that reference. Copies of all or any part of the registration statement, including the documents incorporated by reference or the exhibits, may be obtained from the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. This prospectus incorporates by reference the following documents (other than any portion of the respective filings furnished, rather than filed, under the applicable SEC rules) that we have filed with the SEC but have not included or delivered with this prospectus:
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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024; |
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our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended (i) March 31, 2024 filed with the SEC on May 14, 2024, and (ii) June 30, 2024 filed with the SEC on August 9, 2024; |
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our Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC on January 5, 2024, February 2, 2024, February 7, 2024, February 28, 2024, March 18, 2024, March 28, 2024, April 23, 2024, May 20, 2024, June 14, 2024, July 12, 2024, August 1, 2024, October 1, 2024, and October 3, 2024; and |
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the description of our common stock included in the description of securities filed as Exhibit 4.16 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024, as such description has been amended, and any amendment or report the Registrant may file with the SEC for the purpose of updating such description. |
In addition, all documents subsequently filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date of this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement and prior to the termination of the offering shall also be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus. The most recent information that we file with the SEC automatically updates and supersedes older information. The information contained in any such filing will be deemed to be a part of this prospectus, commencing on the date on which the document is filed.
We are not, however, incorporating by reference any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed in the future, that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including our compensation committee report, performance graph and the certifications of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer required by Rule 13a-14(b) or Rule 15d-14(b) under the Exchange Act and Section 1350 of Chapter 63 of Title 18 of the United States Code (included in or accompanying our latest Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference herein) or any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or certain exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K.
You may request a free copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus by writing or telephoning us at the following address:
CervoMed Inc.
20 Park Plaza, Suite 424
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
(617) 744-4400
Attention: Investor Relations
You may also access these documents on our website, www.cervomed.com. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus.
You should rely only on information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We are not making offers to sell the securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.
$ 250,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Units
Rights to Purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities or Units
P R O S P E C T U S
OCTOBER 10, 2024