DEF 14A: Definitive proxy statements
Published on April 29, 2008
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE
14A
(Rule
14a-101)
INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE
14A INFORMATION
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by
the Registrant x
Filed by
a Party other than the Registrant o
Check the
appropriate box:
o |
Preliminary
Proxy Statement
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o |
Confidential,
for Use of the
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x |
Definitive
Proxy Statement
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Commission
Only (as permitted
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|
o |
Definitive
Additional Materials
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by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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o |
Soliciting
Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12
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REXAHN
PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
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(Name of
Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(Name of
Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
x
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No
fee required.
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o
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Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
0-11.
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(1)
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Title
of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
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(2)
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Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction
applies:
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(3)
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Per
unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to
Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
calculated and state how it was
determined):
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(4)
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Proposed
maximum aggregate value of
transaction:
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(5)
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Total
fee paid:
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Fee
paid previously with preliminary
materials.
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Check
box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration
statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its
filing.
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(1)
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Amount
Previously Paid:
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(2)
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Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement
No.:
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(3)
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Filing
Party:
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(4)
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Date
Filed:
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REXAHN
PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF
STOCKHOLDERS
To
be held June 12, 2008
TO OUR
STOCKHOLDERS:
Notice is
hereby given that the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of Rexahn
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) will be held on June 12, 2008, at 10:00
a.m. (local time), at the corporate headquarters of Rexahn Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., located at 9620 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850 (the “Annual
Meeting”). The Annual Meeting is called for the following
purposes:
1. To
elect seven (7) directors to a term of one year each, or until their successors
have been elected and qualified;
2. To
ratify the appointment of Lazar, Levine & Felix, LLP as the independent
registered public accounting firm of the Company for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2008; and
3. To
consider and take action upon such other matters as may properly come before the
Annual Meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof.
The Board
of Directors has fixed May 12, 2008 as the record date for the determination of
stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual
Meeting. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on that
date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual
Meeting.
You are
cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting. Whether or not you expect to
attend, you are respectfully requested by the Board of Directors to sign, date
and return the enclosed proxy card promptly. Stockholders who execute proxies
retain the right to revoke them at any time prior to the voting thereof. A
return envelope, which requires no postage if mailed in the United States, is
enclosed for your convenience.
By
Order of the Board of Directors,
|
|
/s/ Chang H. Ahn | |
Chang
H. Ahn
|
|
Chairman
of the Board
|
April 29,
2008
REXAHN
PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
9620
Medical Center Drive
Rockville,
Maryland 20850
(240) 268-5300
PROXY STATEMENT
ANNUAL MEETING OF
STOCKHOLDERS
To
be held June 12, 2008
This
Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by
the Board of Directors of Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the “Company”), the principal executive offices of which are located at 9620
Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, for the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders to be held at the corporate headquarters of Rexahn Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., located at 9620 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, on June 12, 2008, at
10:00 a.m. (local time) and for any postponement, or adjournments thereof (the
“Annual Meeting”), for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of
Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Any stockholder giving such a proxy
has the power to revoke it at any time before it is voted. Written
notice of such revocation should be forwarded directly to the Secretary of the
Company at the above stated address. Attendance at the Annual Meeting will not
have the effect of revoking the proxy unless such written notice is given or the
stockholder votes by ballot at the Annual Meeting.
If the
enclosed proxy is properly executed and returned, the shares represented thereby
will be voted in accordance with the directions thereon and otherwise in
accordance with the judgment of the persons designated as
proxies. Any proxy on which no direction is specified will be voted
in favor of the actions described in this Proxy Statement, including the
election of the director nominees set forth under the caption “Election of
Directors” and the ratification of the appointment of Lazar, Levine & Felix,
LLP as the independent auditors of the Company.
The
approximate date on which this Proxy Statement and the accompanying form of
proxy will first be mailed or given to the Company’s stockholders is May 19,
2008.
Your vote
is important. Accordingly, we urge you to sign and return the
accompanying proxy card whether or not you plan to attend the Annual
Meeting. If you do attend, you may vote by ballot at the Annual
Meeting, thereby canceling any proxy previously given.
1
Common Questions Regarding
Proxies
Q:
|
Why
am I receiving this Proxy Statement and proxy
card?
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A:
You are receiving a Proxy Statement and proxy card from us because you own
shares of common stock of the Company. This Proxy Statement describes
issues on which we would like you, as a stockholder, to vote. It also
gives you information on these issues so that you can make an informed
decision.
When you
sign the proxy card, you appoint Dr. Chang H. Ahn and Tae Heum Jeong as your
representatives at the meeting. Dr. Ahn and Mr. Jeong will vote your
shares at the meeting as you have instructed them on the proxy
card. This way, your shares will be voted whether or not you attend
the Annual Meeting. Even if you plan to attend the meeting, it is a
good idea to complete, sign and return your proxy card in advance of the meeting
just in case your plans change. You can always decide to vote in
person.
Q:
|
What
is the record date?
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A:
The record date is May 12, 2008. Only holders of common stock of
record as of the close of business on this date will be entitled to vote at the
Annual Meeting.
Q:
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How
many shares are outstanding?
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A:
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As
of April 22, 2008, the Company had 55,935,649 shares of common stock
outstanding.
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Q:
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What am I voting
on?
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A:
You are being asked to vote on the election of seven (7) directors to the
terms described in the Proxy Statement and the ratification of Lazar, Levine
& Felix, LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the
Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008.
Q:
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How
do I vote?
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A:
You may either vote by mail or in person at the Annual
Meeting. To vote by mail, please sign your proxy card and mail it in
the enclosed, prepaid and addressed envelope. If you mark your voting
instructions on the proxy card, your shares will be voted in accordance with
your instructions. If you return a signed proxy card but do not
provide voting instructions, your shares will be voted based on the
recommendations of the Board of Directors. We will pass out written
ballots to anyone who wants to vote at the Annual Meeting. If you
hold your shares through a brokerage account and do not have a physical share
certificate, you must request a legal proxy from your stockbroker in order to
vote at the Annual Meeting.
Q:
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What
does it mean if I receive more than one proxy
card?
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A:
It means that you have multiple accounts at the transfer agent and/or with
stockbrokers. Please sign and return all proxy cards to ensure that
all your shares are voted.
Q:
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How
many votes do you need to hold the
meeting?
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A:
A majority of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock
as of the record date must be present at the meeting in order to hold the Annual
Meeting and conduct business. This is called a quorum.
2
Q:
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What
if I abstain from voting?
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A:
Abstentions with respect to a proposal are counted as present or represented by
proxy for purposes of establishing a quorum. If a quorum is present,
abstentions have no effect on the outcome of the vote for directors, but will
count as a vote against the ratification of the Company’s independent
auditors.
Q:
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What
if I don’t provide voting instructions to my
broker?
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A:
If your shares are held in street name and you do not provide voting
instructions to your broker, then your shares will be counted as present or
represented by proxy for purposes of determining the existence of a quorum, and
will be voted in the broker's discretion for routine matters.
Q:
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How
many votes must the nominees have to be
elected?
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A:
In order for a director to be elected, he or she must receive the
affirmative vote of a plurality of the shares voted. In other words, the seven
nominees who receive the most number of votes cast will be elected.
Q:
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Where
can I find the voting results of the Annual
Meeting?
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A:
We will announce the voting results at the Annual
Meeting. We will also publish the results in our quarterly report on
Form 10-QSB for the second quarter of 2008. We will file that report
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and you can get a
copy:
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•
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by
contacting Rexahn’s corporate offices via phone at (240) 268-5300 or by
e-mail at IR@Rexahn.com; or
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•
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through
the SEC’s EDGAR system at www.sec.gov or by
contacting the SEC’s public reference room at 1-800-SEC-0330.
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3
VOTING SECURITIES
Holders
of record of shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $.0001 per share,
as of the close of business on May 12, 2008 (the “Record Date”), are entitled to
notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting on all matters. Each
outstanding share of common stock is entitled to one vote upon all matters to be
acted upon at the Annual Meeting. A majority of the issued and
outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote on any matter and
represented at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy, shall constitute a
quorum.
Abstentions
and broker non-votes are counted for purposes of determining the presence or
absence of a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual
Meeting. Assuming a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a
plurality of the shares cast in person or represented by proxy at the Annual
Meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors is required to elect
the director nominees. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not affect the
outcome of the election of directors.
The
affirmative vote of a majority of the shares cast in person or represented by
proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on the matter is necessary to
ratify the appointment of Lazar, Levine & Felix, LLP as the independent
registered public accounting firm of the Company for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2008. Thus, an abstention from voting on this proposal
will have the same legal effect as a vote “against” the proposal, even though
the stockholder may interpret such action differently.
The
Company is not currently aware of any matters that will be brought before the
Annual Meeting (other than procedural matters) that are not referred to in the
enclosed Notice of Annual Meeting.
4
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT
AND CERTAIN SECURITY HOLDERS
The table
below sets forth the beneficial ownership of common stock as of April 22, 2008
by the following individuals or entities:
·
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each
person, or group of affiliated persons, known to us to own beneficially
own 5% or more of the outstanding common
stock;
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·
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each
director;
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·
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each
executive officer; and
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·
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all
of the directors and executive officers as a
group.
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Beneficial
ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the
SEC. Except as indicated by footnote and subject to community
property laws where applicable, each person or entity named in the table has
sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock
shown as beneficially owned by him, her or it. In computing the
number of shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of
that person, shares of common stock that will be subject to options held by that
person that are exercisable as of April 22, 2008, or will become exercisable
within 60 days thereafter are deemed outstanding, while such shares are not
deemed outstanding for purposes of computing percentage ownership of any other
person.
Shares
of Rexahn Pharmaceuticals
Common
Stock
Beneficially
Owned
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|||||
Name
of Beneficial Owner
|
Number
of Shares
|
Percentage
|
|||
Directors
and Executive Officers:
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|||||
Chang
H. Ahn*
|
15,510,000 | (1) | 27.71 | % | |
Charles
Beever*
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50,000 | (2) |
Less than 1
|
% | |
Kwang
Soo Cheong*
|
40,000 | (3) |
Less than 1
|
% | |
Tae
Heum Jeong*
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1,255,000 | (4) | 2.24 | % | |
Y.
Michele Kang*
|
40,000 | (5) |
Less than 1
|
% | |
David
McIntosh*
|
185,000 | (6) |
Less than 1
|
% | |
Freddie
Ann Hoffman*
|
21,000 | (7) |
Less than 1
|
% | |
All
executive officers and directors as a group (7 persons)
|
17,091,000 | 30.55 | % | ||
Holders
of more than 5% of shares:
|
|||||
Rexgene
Biotech Co., Ltd.**
|
5,505,956 | (8) | 9.84 | % | |
Chong
Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp.***
|
3,000,000 | (8) (9) | 5.36 | % | |
KT&G
Corporation****
|
4,642,858 | (8) | 8.30 | % |
*
|
c/o
Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 9620 Medical Center Drive, Rockville,
MD 20850.
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**
|
9F
Wooyoung Venture Bldg. 1330-13, Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul
137-070, Korea.
|
***
|
368,
3 gu, Chungjeong-ro, Seodaemun gu, Seoul 120 756,
Korea.
|
****
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100
Pyongchon dong, Daedeog gu, Daejeon 306 130,
Korea.
|
5
(1)
|
Includes
Dr. Ahn’s options to purchase 1,000,000 shares of common stock that are
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 22, 2008,
500,000 shares held by Dr. Ahn’s wife, Inok Ahn, and Mrs. Ahn’s options to
purchase 500,000 shares of common stock that are currently exercisable or
exercisable within 60 days of April 22,
2008.
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(2)
|
Includes
Mr. Beever's options to purchase 40,000 shares of common stock that are
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 22,
2008.
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(3)
|
Includes
Dr. Cheong's options to purchase 40,000 shares of common stock that are
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 22,
2008.
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(4)
|
Includes
Mr. Jeong’s options to purchase 750,000 shares of common stock that
are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 22,
2008.
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(5)
|
Includes
Ms. Kang's options to purchase 40,000 shares of common stock that are
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 22,
2008.
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(6)
|
Includes
Mr. McIntosh’s options to purchase 185,000 shares of common stock
that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 22,
2008.
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(7)
|
Includes
Dr. Hoffman's options to purchase 20,000 shares of common stock that are
currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 22,
2008.
|
(8)
|
The
boards of directors of each of Rexgene, Chong Kun Dang and KT&G, each
a Korean corporation, have sole voting and sole investment power as to the
shares owned by their respective
corporations.
|
(9)
|
Includes
750,000 shares of common stock held by Kyungbo Pharm, a subsidiary of
Chong Kun Dang. Excludes 2,000,000 shares of common stock held
by Jang-Han Rhee, Chief Executive Officer of Chong Kun Dang and a former
director of the Company.
|
6
PROPOSAL
1
ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
Seven (7)
director nominees are seeking to be elected at the Annual Meeting to serve a
one-year term until the next Annual Meeting in 2008. All of the
nominees currently serve as directors of the Company. All nominees
have consented to being named in this Proxy Statement and to serve if
elected.
The Board
recommends that the persons named below be elected as directors of the Company,
and it is intended that the accompanying proxy will be voted for the election as
directors of the nominees, unless the proxy contains contrary
instructions. The Company has no reason to believe that any of the
nominees will not be a candidate or will be unable to serve. However,
in the event that any of the nominees should become unable or unwilling to serve
as a director, the persons named in the proxy have advised that they will vote
(unless authority has been withdrawn) for the election of such person or persons
as shall be designated by management.
The
following table sets forth the names, ages and positions of our
directors:
Name
|
Age
|
Position
|
Dr. Chang H. Ahn
|
56
|
Chairman
of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director
|
Charles Beever
|
55
|
Director
|
Kwang Soo Cheong
|
46
|
Director
|
Y.
Michele Kang
|
48
|
Director
|
David McIntosh
|
49
|
Director
|
Dr. Freddie Ann Hoffman
|
57
|
Director
|
Tae Heum Jeong
|
37
|
Chief
Financial Officer, Secretary and
Director
|
Chang H.
Ahn. Dr. Ahn has
served as Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and a Director since
May 2005. Dr. Ahn served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Rexahn, Corp from its incorporation in March 2001 to May 2005. From
1988 to 2001, Dr. Ahn held dual positions as both Expert Regulatory
Pharmacologist and Lab Head at the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and
Research. Prior to joining the FDA in 1988, Dr. Ahn carried out
cancer research at the National Cancer Institute, as well as at Emory
University's School of Medicine. In 2003 and 2004, Dr. Ahn organized
and chaired the U.S.-Korea Bio Business and Partnership Forum, for which
Maryland State and Montgomery County are partners. He also served as
president of the Society of Biomedical Research from 2000 to
2003. Dr. Ahn holds a Ph.D. in pharmacology from Ohio State
University. He also holds two B.S. degrees in pharmacy from Creighton
University and Seoul National University.
Charles
Beever. Mr. Beever has served as a director since May
2006. He has been a partner and Vice President of Booz Allen &
Hamilton, Inc. since October 1993, and served as staff member and Engagement
Manager at Booz Allen Hamilton from January 1984 to October
2003. Prior to joining Booz Allen Hamilton, Mr. Beever served as
Plant Production Manager from October 1981 to January 1984, Industrial
Engineering Manager from June 1979 to October 1981 and Production Supervisor
from July 1978 to June 1979 at McGraw-Edison Company. Mr. Beever
holds a B.A. in Economics from Haverford College, where he was elected to Phi
Beta Kappa, and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Graduate School of Business
Administration.
7
Kwang Soo
Cheong. Dr. Cheong has served as a director since May
2006. He is a faculty member at the Department of Finance of the
Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School (Assistant Professor: 2001-2005
& Associate Professor: 2006 to date). Dr. Cheong was an Assistant
Professor of Economics at the University of Hawaii from 1994 to 2001, and he was
a lecturer at the Department of Economics of Stanford University from 1993 to
1994. During the summer of 1995, Dr. Cheong was a Visiting Fellow in
the Taxation and Welfare Division at the Korea Development Institute in
Korea. Dr. Cheong holds a B.A. in Economics and an M.A. in Economics
from Seoul National University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford
University.
Y. Michele
Kang. Ms. Kang has served as a
director since May 2006. She is currently Chief Executive Officer of
Cognosante, a Health IT company founded in March 2008. She has been
Vice President and General Manager of Northrop Grumman Information Technology's
Health Solutions division since 2003; Vice President and Deputy General Manager,
Global Information Technology of Northrop Grumman Mission Systems from 2001 to
2003; and Vice President, e-Business of Northrop Grumman Mission Systems from
2000 to 2001. She is a member of the eHealth Initiative Leadership
Council and a member of the steering committee of Connecting for
Health. Prior to joining Northrop Grumman, Ms. Kang was a partner in
the Strategic Advisory Services group of Ernst & Young LLP. Ms.
Kang received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago and a Master's
degree in Public and Private Management from the Yale School of
Management.
David
McIntosh. Mr. McIntosh has served as a director since May
2005. Mr. McIntosh served as a director of Rexahn, Corp from March
2004 to May 2005. He has been a partner at Mayer Brown LLP (law firm)
since 2001. Mr. McIntosh was a member of the United States House of
Representatives, representing the 2nd District of Indiana from 1995 to
2001. From 1993 to 1994, he was a director of the Hudson Institute
Competitiveness Center. He served on President Bush's Council on
Competitiveness as Executive Director from 1989 to 1993. He also
served as the Special Assistant to President Reagan for Domestic Affairs from
1987 to 1989 and was the Special Assistant to the Attorney General of the United
States from 1986 to 1987. Mr. McIntosh received a B.A. from Yale
College and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.
Freddie Ann Hoffman. Dr. Hoffman
has served as a director since June 2007. Dr. Hoffman is CEO of
HeteroGeneity, LLC, a Washington-DC based consulting firm, which she founded in
2003. She served as Senior Medical Director for New Product
Development for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare from 1999 to 2003. From
1986 until 1999, Dr. Hoffman served as Chief of the Cytokines, Growth
Factors and Oncologic Products Branch, in the FDA Center for Biologics
Evaluation and Review, where she was involved with the licensing of 15 biologic
drugs. While at the FDA, she also served as deputy director of the
Medicine Branch, within the Office of the FDA Commissioner. Before
joining FDA, Dr. Hoffman completed a fellowship in pediatric
hematology-oncology at the National Cancer Institute, where she spent a decade
conducting clinical and laboratory research, and serving as Director of
Extramural Clinical Trials in the Biological Response Modifiers Branch,
NCI. She has a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry from UCLA, and a
Medical Degree and general pediatric residency training from the University of
California at Davis.
Tae Heum Jeong. Mr. Jeong has
served as Chief Financial Officer and Secretary since May 2005 and as a director
since June 2005. Mr. Jeong served as Chief Financial Officer of
Rexahn, Corp from December 2002 to May 2005. From 1997 to November
2002, Mr. Jeong served as a senior investment manager at Hyundai Venture
Investment Corporation, a venture capital firm where he managed the biotech
investment team. He was also a committee member of the Industrial
Development Fund of Korea's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy from 2000
to 2002. Mr. Jeong holds an M.S. in Finance from Johns Hopkins
University, and a B.S. and an M.S., in Chemistry, from POSTECH.
8
The Board
of Directors has determined that Messrs. Beever and McIntosh, Dr.Cheong, Ms.
Kang and Dr. Hoffman, constituting a majority of the Board members, are
“independent directors” as that term is defined in listing standards of the
Nasdaq Stock Market, as applicable and as may be modified or
supplemented.
Board of Directors and Board
Meetings
The Board
of Directors of the Company held four meetings during the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2007. Each current director attended 75% or more of the meetings of
the Board of Directors and committees of which they were members during the
period in which he or she served as a director during the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2007.
Any
stockholder who wishes to send any communications to the Board or to individual
directors should deliver such communications to the Company’s executive offices,
9620 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, ATTN: Corporate Secretary
(secretary@Rexahn.com). Any such communication should indicate
whether the communication is intended to be directed to the entire Board or to a
particular director(s), and must indicate the number of shares of common stock
beneficially owned by the stockholder. The Secretary will forward
appropriate communications to the Board and/or the appropriate
director(s). Inappropriate communications include correspondence that
does not relate to the business or affairs of the Company or the functioning of
the Board or its committees, advertisements or other commercial solicitations or
communications, and communications that are frivolous, threatening, illegal or
otherwise not appropriate for delivery to directors.
Members
of our Board of Directors are encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders if they are available. All members of our Board of
Directors except for David McIntosh attended the Annual Meeting held in
2007.
Board
Committees
The Board
of Directors has three standing committees, the Audit Committee, the
Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee,
each composed of three members.
Audit
Committee
The Audit
Committee Charter provides that such committee, among other things:
|
·
|
appoints
or replaces and oversee our independent auditors and approves all audit
engagement fees and terms;
|
|
·
|
preapproves
all audit (including audit-related) services, internal control-related
services and permitted non-audit services (including fees and terms
thereof) to be performed for us by our independent
auditors;
|
|
·
|
reviews
and discusses with our management and independent auditors significant
issues regarding accounting and auditing principles and practices and
financial statement
presentations;
|
9
|
·
|
reviews
and approves our procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of
complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing
matters and the confidential, anonymous submission by our employees of
concerns regarding accounting or auditing matters;
and
|
|
·
|
reviews
and oversees our compliance with legal and regulatory
requirements.
|
Kwang Soo
Cheong, Charles Beever, and Y. Michele Kang serve as members of our Audit
Committee. Dr. Cheong serves as Chair of the Audit Committee and as
the Audit Committee's audit committee financial expert. Each of the
members meets the criteria for independence required by the Nasdaq Stock Market
and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. During the year ended December
31, 2007, the Audit Committee met four times. A copy of the Audit
Committee Charter, which we recently amended, is available on our website at
www.rexahn.com.
Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter provides that such
committee, among other things:
|
·
|
reviews,
evaluates and seeks out candidates qualified to become Board
members;
|
|
·
|
reviews
committee structure and recommends directors for appointment to
committees;
|
|
·
|
develops,
reevaluates (not less frequently than every three years) and recommends
the selection criteria for Board and committee
membership;
|
|
·
|
establishes
procedures to oversee evaluation of our Board, its committees, individual
directors and management; and
|
|
·
|
develops
and recommends guidelines on corporate
governance.
|
Y.
Michele Kang, David McIntosh and Freddie Ann Hoffman currently serve as members
of our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Ms. Kang serves
as Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Each
of the members meets the criteria for independence required by the Nasdaq Stock
Market.
The
Committee reviews, evaluates and seeks out candidates qualified to become Board
members, consistent with criteria approved by the Board, who may be submitted by
Directors, officers, employees, shareholders and others for recommendation to
the Board of Directors. In fulfilling this responsibility, the
Committee shall also consult with the Board of Directors and the chief executive
officer concerning director candidates. While we do not have in place
formal procedures by which shareholders may recommend director candidates to the
Committee, shareholders may communicate with the members of the Board of
Directors, including the Committee by writing to the Secretary of the Company at
our headquarters address. In addition, our amended By-Laws establish
a procedure with regard to shareholder proposals for the annual meeting of
shareholders, including nominations of persons for election to the Board of
Directors. During the year ended December 31, 2007, Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee met one time. A copy of the Nominating
and Corporate Governance Charter is available on our website at www.rexahn.com.
10
Compensation
Committee
The
Compensation Committee Charter provides that such committee, among other
things:
|
·
|
fixes
salaries of executive officers and reviews salary plans for other
executives in senior management
positions;
|
|
·
|
reviews
and makes recommendations with respect to the compensation and benefits
for non-employee directors, including through equity-based
plans;
|
|
·
|
evaluates
the performance of our CEO and other senior executives and assists the
Board in developing and evaluating potential candidates for executive
positions; and
|
|
·
|
administers
our incentive compensation, deferred compensation and equity-based plans
pursuant to the terms of the respective
plans.
|
David
McIntosh, Charles Beever, and Kwang Soo Cheong serve as members of our
Compensation Committee. Mr. McIntosh serves as Chairman of the
Compensation Committee. Each of the members meets the criteria for
independence required by the Nasdaq Stock Market. During the year
ended December 31, 2007, the Compensation Committee met three
times. A copy of the Compensation Committee Charter is available on
our website at www.rexahn.com.
The
Board recommends a vote FOR the approval of the persons named above be elected
as directors of the Company, and signed proxy cards that are returned will be so
voted unless otherwise instructed on the proxy card.
11
PROPOSAL
2
RATIFICATION
OF
THE APPOINTMENT OF THE INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Board
of Directors recommends a vote for the ratification of the appointment of Lazar,
Levine & Felix, LLP, as the Company’s independent registered public
accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008. Lazar,
Levine & Felix, LLP has been the Company’s auditors for fiscal years 2005,
2006 and 2007 and has no direct or indirect financial interest in the
Company. A representative of Lazar, Levine & Felix, LLP is
expected to be present at the Annual Meeting with the opportunity to make a
statement if he or she desires to do so, and will be available to respond to
appropriate questions.
If the
stockholders do not ratify this appointment, the Audit Committee may consider
other independent public accountants or continue the appointment of Lazar,
Levine & Felix, LLP. The following table presents fees for
professional audit services rendered by Lazar Levine & Felix LLP and SF
Partnership, LLP for the audits of the
Company’s annual financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2007 and
2006.
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||
Audit
Fees
|
$ | 83,000 | 1 | $ | 77,500 | |||
Audit-Related
Fees
|
— | — | ||||||
Tax
Fees
|
— | — | ||||||
All
Other Fees
|
— | — |
1 Audit
Fees relate to the audit of the Company's financial statements and reviews of
certain financial statements included in the Company's quarterly reports on Form
10-QSB. The amount shown represents the maximum fees for such
services.
All audit
and non-audit services to be performed by the Company's independent accountant
must be approved in advance by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee may
delegate to one member of the Committee the authority to grant pre-approvals
with respect to non-audit services. For audit services, each year the
independent accountant provides the Audit Committee with an engagement letter
outlining the scope of proposed audit services to be performed during the year,
which must be formally accepted by the Audit Committee before the audit
commences. The independent accountant also submits an audit services fee
proposal, which also must be approved by the Audit Committee before the audit
commences.
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the ratification of the appointment of
Lazar, Levine & Felix, LLP as the Company’s independent registered public
accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008.
12
REPORT
OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
The Board
of Directors of the Company has appointed an Audit Committee composed of three
directors, each of whom meets the independence, qualification and experience
requirements under the listing standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market, Section
10A(m)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and applicable
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, in each case as may be modified
or supplemented. The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter
for the Audit Committee. A copy of the Charter is available on the
Company's website at www.rexahn.com.
The Audit
Committee’s job is one of oversight. It is not the duty of the Audit Committee
to prepare the Company’s financial statements, to plan or conduct audits, or to
determine that the Company’s financial statements are complete and accurate and
are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable
rules and regulations. The Company’s management is responsible for
preparing the Company’s financial statements and for maintaining internal
control. The independent auditors are responsible for auditing the
financial statements and for expressing an opinion as to whether those audited
financial statements fairly present the financial position, results of
operations, and cash flows to the Company in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles.
The Audit
Committee reviewed and discussed the Company’s audited financial statements with
both management and with Lazar, Levine & Felix, LLP, the Company’s
independent registered auditors for 2007.
The Audit
Committee had discussions with Lazar, Levine & Felix, LLP regarding the
matters required to be discussed by the statement on Auditing Standards No. 61,
as amended and as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the
"PCAOB") in Rule 3200T.
The Audit
Committee received from Lazar, Levine & Felix, LLP the written disclosures
and the letter required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1,
Independence Discussions with Audit Committees, as adopted by the PCAOB in Rule
3600T, and had discussions with Lazar, Levine & Felix, LLP regarding their
independence.
Both the
company’s management and auditors responded appropriately to issues raised by
the Audit Committee. Based on the review and discussions referred to
above, the Audit Committee determined that the audited consolidated financial
statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the
year ended December 31, 2007 for filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
By
the Audit Committee:
|
|
Kwang
Soo Cheong (Chairman)
|
|
Charles
Beever
|
|
Y.
Michele Kang
|
13
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND OTHER MATTERS
The following table sets forth the annual and long-term compensation, from all
sources, of the two highest paid officers and directors of the Company for
services rendered in all capacities to Rexahn for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2007, and December 31, 2006, except as noted below. The
compensation described in this table does not include medical, group life
insurance or other benefits which are available generally to all of our salaried
employees.
Summary
Compensation Table
Name
and Principal Position(s)
|
Year
|
Salary
($)
|
Bonus
($)
|
Stock
Awards
($)
|
Option
Awards
($)
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compen-sation
($)
|
Non-Qualified
Deferred Compen-sation Earnings
($)
|
All
Other Compen-sation
($)
|
Total
($)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chang H. Ahn
|
2007
|
337,000 | 35,000 | - | 183,000 | - | - | - | 555,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chairman
of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
|
2006
|
330,769 | - | - | 183,000 | - | - | - | 513,769 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tae Heum Jeong
|
2007
|
151,931 | 16,000 | 91,500 | - | - | - | 259,431 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief
Financial
Officer
|
2006
|
148,829 | - | - | 91,500 | - | - | - | 240,329 |
Employment
Agreements
Chang H. Ahn. Dr.
Ahn's employment agreement dated September 12, 2005 provides that Dr. Ahn will
serve as Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of the Company until September 12,
2010, unless Dr. Ahn's employment is sooner terminated as further described
below. If Dr. Ahn's employment continues beyond September 12, 2010,
such employment will become "at-will," unless his employment agreement is
expressly extended.
Dr. Ahn
will be paid an annual base salary of $350,000, subject to periodic review and
potential increase at the Board's sole discretion. During his
employment, Dr. Ahn will be eligible to receive an annual cash bonus, as
determined by the Board in its sole discretion, not exceeding 75% of his annual
base salary. In order to receive such cash bonus, Dr. Ahn must be
actively employed by the Company on the date on which such cash bonus is
scheduled to be paid to him. Dr. Ahn will also be eligible to receive
options to purchase shares of the Company's stock, to be awarded in the Board's
sole discretion under the Company's Stock Option Plan (the "Stock Option
Plan"). In addition, Dr. Ahn will be eligible for additional bonus in
the form of cash and/or stock that may be awarded in the Board's sole
discretion.
If Dr.
Ahn suffers a "Disability" (as defined in his employment agreement), the Board,
in its sole discretion, may terminate the employment agreement immediately upon
written notice to Dr. Ahn. The Board may terminate Dr. Ahn's
employment with or without "Cause" (as defined in his employment agreement) or
Dr. Ahn may voluntarily terminate his employment, in each case, upon 30 days'
written notice.
14
If the
Company terminates Dr. Ahn's employment without Cause (other than following a
"Change of Control" (as defined in his employment agreement)), the Company will
pay to Dr. Ahn (1) his then current base salary through the termination date,
(2) any accrued but unused vacation days as of the termination date, (3) a
pro-rata portion of Dr. Ahn's bonus for fiscal year in which the termination
occurs, assuming a bonus of 75% of his then current base salary, (4) an amount
equaling 6 months of his then current base salary, and (5) continued coverage
under the Company's health insurance plan for 18 months. If Dr. Ahn's
employment is terminated by the Board without Cause within the one-year period
immediately following a Change of Control, the Company will pay to Dr. Ahn the
termination compensation and benefits subject to the conditions as described in
clauses (1), (2), (3) and (5) of the first sentence of this
paragraph. In addition, the Company will pay to Dr. Ahn an amount
equaling his then current base salary for the greater of the remainder of the
term of his employment under the employment agreement or a period of one
year. The payments and benefits to Dr. Ahn described in this
paragraph are subject to reimbursement by Dr. Ahn and reduction by any
compensation or benefits actually earned or received by Dr. Ahn as an employee
of or consultant to any other entity during the period for which Dr. Ahn
continues to receive salary payments post-termination, the requirement that Dr.
Ahn, in good faith, seek other employment in a comparable position and otherwise
mitigate the Company's obligations and Dr. Ahn's execution of a customary
release in a form satisfactory to the Company.
Tae Heum
Jeong. Mr. Jeong's employment agreement dated September 12,
2007 provides that Mr. Jeong will serve as Chief Financial Officer of the
Company until September 12, 2009, unless Mr. Jeong's employment is sooner
terminated as further described below. If Mr. Jeong's employment
continues beyond September 12, 2009, such employment will become "at-will,"
unless his employment agreement is expressly extended.
Mr. Jeong
will be paid an annual base salary of $160,000, subject to periodic review and
potential increase at the Board's sole discretion. During his
employment, Mr. Jeong will be eligible to receive an annual cash bonus, as
determined by the CEO in his sole discretion, in an amount not exceeding 50% of
his annual base salary. In order to receive such cash bonus, Mr.
Jeong must be actively employed by the Company on the date on which such cash
bonus is scheduled to be paid to him. Mr. Jeong will also be eligible
to receive options to purchase shares of the Company's stock, to be awarded in
the Board's sole discretion under the Stock Option Plan. In addition,
Mr. Jeong will be eligible for additional bonus in the form of cash and/or stock
that may be awarded in the Board's sole discretion.
The
circumstances under which Mr. Jeong's employment agreement may terminate and the
related terms and conditions of any payments and benefits payable to Mr. Jeong
as a result of the termination are substantially similar to Dr. Ahn's employment
agreement, except that if the Company terminates Mr. Jeong's employment without
Cause (other than following a Change of Control), the Company will pay to Mr.
Jeong a pro-rata portion of Mr. Jeong's bonus for fiscal year in which the
termination occurs, assuming a bonus of 50% of his then current
salary.
Mr. Jeong
is restricted from soliciting employees or customers of the Company during and
for 12 months after the employment period.
To the
extent that any amounts payable to Dr. Ahn, or Mr. Jeong described above
constitute an amount payable under a "nonqualified deferred compensation plan,"
as defined in Section 409A, following a "separation from service," as defined in
Section 409A, such payment will not be made until the date that is six months
following the executive's "separation from service," but only if the executive
is then deemed to be a "specified employee" under Section 409A.
15
Outstanding
Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
Shown
below is information with respect to (i) the unexercised options to purchase
Rexahn Pharmaceuticals common stock derived from options to purchase Rexahn
common stock granted to the named executive officers in fiscal year 2007 and
prior years and held by them at December 31, 2007, after giving effect to the
Merger exchange ratio of five shares of Rexahn Pharmaceuticals common stock for
each share of Rexahn common stock, (ii) common stock awards that have not vested
and (iii) equity incentive plan awards for each named executive officer
outstanding as of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007. See "Stock Option
Plan."
Option
Awards
|
Stock
Awards
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Name
|
Number
of Securities Underlying Unexer-cised Options
(#) Exer-cisable
|
Number
of Securities Underlying Unexer-cised Options
(#) Unexer-cisable
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised
Unearned Options (#)
|
Option
Exercise Price ($)
|
Option
Expiration Date
|
Number
of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested (#)
|
Market
Value of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested ($)
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights
That Have Not Vested (#)
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Market or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units or
Other Rights That Have Not Vested ($)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chang H. Ahn
|
600,000
|
* |
400,000
|
* | - | 0.80 |
1/20/2015
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Tae Heum Jeong
|
150,000
|
** | - | - | 0.24 |
8/5/2013
|
- | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
100,000
|
** | - | - | 0.80 |
8/5/2013
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
300,000
|
* |
200,000
|
* | - | 0.80 |
1/20/2015
|
- | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
*Represents
option awards under the Company's Stock Option Plan which vested 30%, 30% and
40% on 01/20/2006, 01/20/2007 and 01/20/2008, respectively.
**Represents
option awards under the Company's Stock Option Plan which vested 30%, 30% and
40% on 12/01/2003, 12/01/2004 and 12/01/2005, respectively.
16
Director
Compensation
The table
below sets forth information concerning the compensation of the directors of the
Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007.
Director
Compensation
Name
|
Fees
Earned Or Paid In Cash ($)
|
Stock
Awards ($)
|
Option
Awards ($)
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compensation ($)(1)
|
Non-qualified
Deferred Compensation Earnings ($)
|
All
Other Compensation ($)
|
Total
($)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Yong-Soon Park(1)
|
1,000 | - | 39,754 | (2) | - | - | - | 40,754 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Charles Beever
|
5,000 | - | 10,493 | (3) | - | - | - | 15,493 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Kwang Soo Cheong
|
6,000 | - | 10,493 | (4) | - | - | - | 16,493 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Y. Michele Kang
|
4,000 | - | 10,493 | (5) | - | - | - | 13,993 | ||||||||||||||||||||
David McIntosh
|
5,000 | - | 30,269 | (6) | - | - | - | 35,269 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Freddie Ann Hoffman
|
2,000 | - | 6,388 | (7) | - | - | - | 8,388 |
(1) Dr.
Park's term as a member of the Board of Directors expired on June 11,
2007.
(2) As of
December 31, 2007, Dr. Park had 240,000 option awards outstanding.
(3) As of
December 31, 2007, Mr. Beever had 40,000 option awards outstanding.
(4) As of
December 31, 2007, Dr. Cheong had 40,000 option awards outstanding.
(5) As of
December 31, 2007, Ms. Kang had 40,000 option awards outstanding.
(6) As of
December 31, 2007, Mr. McIntosh had 185,000 option awards
outstanding.
(7) As of
December 31, 2007, Dr. Hoffman had 20,000 option awards
outstanding.
Our
non-employee director compensation policy is as follows:
|
(a)
|
each
of the non-employee directors of the Company will receive 20,000 options
to purchase shares of the common stock of the Company for each year he or
she serves on the Board; and
|
|
(b)
|
each
of the non-employee directors of the Company will be compensated for their
service on the Board and the Committees as set forth on the following
chart:
|
Position
|
Compensation
|
Director
|
$1,000
per board meeting and limited to maximum of $4,000 per
annum
|
Audit
Committee (Chairman)
|
$3,000
per annum
|
Audit
Committee (Member)
|
$1,500
per annum
|
Compensation
Committee (Chairman)
|
$2,000
per annum
|
Compensation
Committee (Member)
|
$1,000
per annum
|
Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee (Chairman)
|
$1,000
per annum
|
Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee (Member)
|
$1,000
per annum
|
No
director is compensated for more than one committee membership per year in
addition to their board stipend, and directors who are officers of the Company
receive no compensation for the board related work whatsoever.
17
EQUITY
COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION
The
following table provides information, as of December 31, 2007, about shares of
our common stock that may be issued upon the exercise of options, warrants and
rights granted to employees, consultants or directors under all of our existing
equity compensation plans:
Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights | Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants rights | Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plan (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) | ||||
Plan
category
|
||||||
(a)
|
(b)
|
(c)
|
||||
Equity
compensation plans approved by security holders
|
6,045,795 |
$ 0.97
|
10,954,205
|
|||
Equity
compensation plans not approved by security holders
|
-0- |
-0-
|
||||
Total
|
6,045,795 |
$ 0.97
|
10,954,205
|
Stock
Option Plan
In July
2003 the Board of Directors adopted, and in August 2003 our stockholders
approved, the Rexahn stock option plan. In connection with the
Merger, we assumed the plan and converted all outstanding options to purchase
Rexahn common stock into options to purchase Rexahn Pharmaceuticals common
stock. The number of shares subject to the converted options was
multiplied by five and the exercise price per share was divided by
five.
The plan
permits grants to be made from time to time as non-qualified stock options or
incentive stock options.
Administration. The
plan is currently administered by our Compensation Committee. In
order to meet the requirements of the rules under Section 16 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), all future grants under
the plan will be made by a committee whose members are "non-employee directors"
as defined for purposes of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and outside directors
within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
Participation. The
persons to whom grants are made under the plan will be selected from time to
time by the stock option committee in its sole discretion from among our
employees, officers, directors and consultants.
Shares Subject to Stock Option
Plan. The plan authorizes the issuance or delivery of an
aggregate of 17,000,000 shares of common
stock. Shares of common stock subject to the unexercised,
undistributed or unearned portion of any terminated or forfeited grant under the
plan will be available for further awards.
18
Stock Options. The
plan authorizes grants of stock options, which may be either incentive stock
options eligible for special tax treatment or non-qualified stock
options. Incentive stock options may be granted only to our
employees.
Under the
provisions of the plan authorizing the grant of stock options:
·
|
the
option price will be determined by the stock option committee; provided,
however, that the option price for an incentive stock option may not be
less than 100% of the fair market value of the shares of our common stock
on the date of grant (110% for grants to an optionee owning more than 10%
of our total combined voting
power);
|
·
|
the
term during which each stock option may be exercised will be determined by
the stock option committee; provided, however, that incentive stock
options generally may not be exercised more than ten years from the date
of grant (five years for grants to an optionee owning more than 10% of our
total combined voting power); and
|
·
|
at
the time of exercise of a stock option the option price must be paid in
full in cash or in shares of our common stock or in a combination of cash
and shares of our common stock or by such other means as the stock option
committee may determine.
|
All
grants made under the plan will be evidenced by a letter to the optionee,
together with the terms and conditions applicable to the grants, as determined
by the stock option committee consistent with the terms of the
plan. These terms and conditions will include, among other things, a
provision describing the treatment of grants in the event of certain triggering
events, such as a sale of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common
stock, a merger or consolidation in which we are not the surviving company, and
termination of an optionee's employment, including terms relating to the
vesting, time for exercise, forfeiture or cancellation of a grant under such
circumstances.
Under the
plan, stock options may not be granted after August 5, 2013.
Tax Matters. The
following is a brief summary of the material federal income tax consequences of
benefits under the plan under present law and regulations:
(a)
|
Incentive Stock
Options. The grant of an incentive stock option will not
result in any immediate tax consequences to us or the
optionee. An optionee will not realize taxable income, and we
will not be entitled to any deduction, upon the timely exercise of an
incentive stock option, but the excess of the fair market value of the
shares of our common stock acquired over the option exercise price will be
includable in the optionee's "alternative minimum taxable income" for
purposes of the alternative minimum tax. If the optionee does
not dispose of the shares of our common stock acquired within one year
after their receipt, and within two years after the option was granted,
gain or loss realized on the subsequent disposition of the shares of our
common stock will be treated as long-term capital gain or
loss. Capital losses of individuals are deductible only against
capital gains and a limited amount of ordinary income. In the
event of an earlier disposition, the optionee will realize ordinary income
in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the excess of the fair market
value of the shares of our common stock on the date of exercise over the
option exercise price or (ii) if the disposition is a taxable sale or
exchange, the amount of any gain realized. Upon such a
disqualifying disposition, we will be entitled to a deduction in the same
amount as the optionee realizes such ordinary
income.
|
19
(b)
|
Non-qualified Stock
Options. In general, the grant of a non-qualified stock
option will not result in any immediate tax consequences to us or the
optionee. Upon the exercise of a non-qualified stock option,
generally the optionee will realize ordinary income and we will be
entitled to a deduction, in each case, in an amount equal to the
excess of the fair market value of the shares of our common stock acquired
at the time of exercise over the option exercise price.
|
Amendment, Suspension or Termination
of Stock Option Plan. Our Board of Directors may at any time
amend, suspend or discontinue the plan and the stock option committee may at any
time alter or amend awards and award agreements made thereunder to the extent
permitted by law, provided that no such alteration or amendment will be
effective without the approval of our stockholders to the extent that such
approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement
applicable to the plan and no such alteration and amendment will impair the
rights of any recipient of grants without such recipient's
consent. In the event of any change in or affecting the outstanding
shares of our common stock by reason of a stock dividend, stock split,
combination of shares or other similar event, our Board of Directors will make
such amendments to the plan and outstanding grants and award agreements, and
make such adjustments and take such actions as it deems appropriate and
equitable. In the event of any proposed change in control (as defined
by the plan), the stock option committee will take such action as it deems
appropriate and equitable to effectuate the purposes of the plan and to protect
the optionees, including, but not limited to, accelerating or changing the
exercise dates of stock options, payment of appropriate consideration for the
cancellation and surrender of stock options or if equity securities of any other
corporation will be exchanged for outstanding shares of our common stock,
providing for stock options to become options with respect to such other equity
securities. For purposes of the plan, a change in control means the
sale, exchange or disposition of substantially all of our assets or any merger,
share exchange, consolidation or other reorganization or business combination in
which we are not the surviving corporation or in which our stockholders become
entitled to receive cash, securities of our company other than voting common
stock or securities of another issuer.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership
Reporting Compliance
Section
16(a) of the 1934 Securities and Exchange Act (the “1934 Act”) requires the
Company’s executive officers, directors and persons who beneficially own more
than 10% of a registered class of the Company’s equity securities to file with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) initial reports of ownership
and reports of changes in ownership of Common Stock and other equity securities
of the Company. Such executive officers, directors, and greater than 10%
beneficial owners are required by SEC regulation to furnish the Company with
copies of all Section 16(a) reports filed by such reporting
persons.
We
believe that during fiscal year 2007, our executive officers and directors and
more than 10% beneficial owners timely filed all forms required to be filed
under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act.
20
Code of Ethics
We have
adopted a code of conduct and ethics that applies to our principal executive
officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or
controller, or persons performing similar functions, in accordance with
applicable federal securities laws and as required by the Nasdaq Stock
Market. The Code is available on our corporate website at
www.rexahn.com.
21
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED
TRANSACTIONS
On
February 6, 2003, we entered into a research collaboration agreement with
Rexgene Biotech Co., Ltd. ("Rexgene"), the holder of approximately 9.84% of our
outstanding common stock. Under the terms of the agreement, we agreed
to collaborate with Rexgene to develop and implement a research and development
plan (including conducting clinical and animal trials in various countries and
exchanging data derived from such trials) in order to register Archexin, one of
our drug candidates, for sale and use in Asian countries. In exchange
for Rexgene's initial contribution of $1,500,000, we licensed the technology
relating to Archexin to Rexgene. Rexgene agreed to conduct clinical
trials in Asian countries at its own expense, and we agreed to conduct clinical
and animal trials in the United States and in non-Asian countries at our own
expense. We agreed to share data, improvements, developments,
discoveries and inventions resulting from the agreement. Rexgene
received an exclusive license from us to exploit any results from the research
development in Asian countries, and we received an exclusive license to exploit
any results from the research and development in non-Asian countries. Rexgene
agreed to pay us 3% of the profits derived from the sale of Archexin in Asian
countries. The agreement, if not earlier terminated by either party,
will terminate on the expiration of the patents resulting from the agreement, or
if no such patents are granted, February 6, 2023.
On
September 3, 2003, we entered into a joint research and development agreement
with Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp. ("CKD"), the holder of approximately
5.36% of our outstanding common stock. Under the terms of the
agreement, we agreed to cooperate in the research and development of a variety
of new pharmaceutical compounds for human use in their own
capacities. Each party under the agreement has performed and will
continue to perform research, development and other obligations under the
agreement at its own expense, and both parties will equally share ownership of
all information, data, discoveries and all other results, either patentable or
non-patentable, made or developed in connection with or arising out of the
agreement. All profits derived from or in connection with the
agreement will be allocated to both parties in proportion to relative
contributions based on certain ratios, which vary depending upon a particular
research and development phase during which the profits are
earned. The agreement, if not earlier terminated by either party,
will last until the expiration of any intellectual property rights pertaining to
information, data, discoveries and all other results made or developed in
connection with or arising out of the agreement.
Our Audit
Committee charter requires that our Audit Committee review and approve all
proposed transactions between the Company and any director, officer or other
employee of the Company, and any holder of five percent or more of the Company's
voting capital stock, in order to ensure that any such transaction is on an
arm's length basis and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations
and the requirements of any exchange on which the Company's securities may be
listed from time to time.
See also
“Election of Directors” for information related to corporate governance and
director independence.
22
GENERAL
Management
of the Company does not know of any matters other than those stated in this
Proxy Statement that are to be presented for action at the Annual Meeting. If
any other matters should properly come before the Annual Meeting, it is intended
that proxies in the accompanying form will be voted on any such other matters in
accordance with the judgment of the persons voting such proxies. Discretionary
authority to vote on such matters is conferred by such proxies upon the persons
voting them.
The
Company will bear the cost of preparing, printing, assembling, and mailing the
proxy, Proxy Statement and other material that may be sent to stockholders in
connection with this solicitation. It is contemplated that brokerage houses will
forward the proxy materials to beneficial owners at the request of the Company.
In addition to the solicitation of proxies by use of the mails, officers and
regular employees of the Company may solicit proxies by telephone without
additional compensation. The Company does not expect to pay any compensation for
the solicitation of proxies.
Our
Annual Report on Form 10-KSB, including financial statements for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2007, was mailed to shareholders with this Proxy
Statement.
STOCKHOLDER
PROPOSALS
Stockholders
interested in submitting a proposal for inclusion in the proxy statement for the
2009 Annual Meeting may do so by submitting the proposal in writing to the
Company’s executive offices, 9620 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland
20850, Attention: Corporate Secretary. Pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under
the Exchange Act, to be eligible for inclusion in our proxy statement,
stockholder proposals must be received no later than January 19,
2009. The submission of a stockholder proposal does not guarantee
that it will be included in the proxy statement.
Our
amended and restated bylaws also establish an advance notice procedure with
regard to nominations of persons for election to the board and stockholder
proposals to be brought before an annual meeting. Stockholder
proposals and nominations may be not be brought before the 2009 Annual Meeting
unless, among other things, the stockholder’s submission contains certain
information concerning the proposal or the nominee, as the case may be, and
other information specified in our amended and restated bylaws, and the
stockholder’s submission is received by us no earlier than the close of business
on February 13, 2009, and no later than March 14, 2009. Proposals or
nominations not meeting these requirements will not be entertained at the 2009
Annual Meeting. Stockholders recommending candidates for
consideration by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee must provide
the candidate’s name, biographical data and qualifications. Any such
recommendation should be accompanied by a written statement from the individual
of his or her consent to be named as a candidate and, if nominated and elected,
to serve as a director. These requirements are separate from, and in
addition to, the SEC’s requirements that a stockholder must meet in order to
have a stockholder proposal included in the proxy statement. A copy
of the full text of these bylaw provisions may be obtained from our website at
www.rexahn.com.
EXPENSES
OF SOLICITATION
The cost
of the solicitation of proxies will be borne by the Company. The
Company will also reimburse brokers and other persons holding stock in their
names, or in the names of nominees, for their expenses for sending proxy
materials to principals and obtaining their proxies.
23
WHERE
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual and quarterly reports,
proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Stockholders may read and
copy any reports, statements or other information that we file at the SEC’s
public reference rooms in Washington, D.C., New York, New York, and Chicago,
Illinois. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further
information about the public reference rooms. Our public filings are
also available from commercial document retrieval services and at the Internet
Web site maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. The Company’s Annual
Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2007 was mailed along with
this Proxy Statement.
STOCKHOLDERS
SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN
THIS PROXY STATEMENT TO VOTE THEIR SHARES AT THE MEETING. NO ONE HAS BEEN
AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IS CONTAINED
IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT. THIS PROXY STATEMENT IS DATED APRIL 29,
2008. STOCKHOLDERS SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED
IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT IS ACCURATE AS OF ANY DATE OTHER THAN THAT
DATE.
AVAILABILITY
OF FORM 10-KSB
We are providing without charge to
each person solicited by this Proxy Statement a copy of our Annual Report on
Form 10-KSB, including our financial statements but excluding the exhibits to
Form 10-KSB. The Annual Report includes a list of the exhibits that were filed
with the Form 10-KSB, and we will furnish a copy of any such exhibit to any
person who requests it upon the payment of our reasonable expenses in providing
the requested exhibit. For further information, please contact our
Secretary, Tae Heum Jeong at or write us at 9620 Medical Center Drive,
Rockville, Maryland 20850. You may also send an email to us at
IR@rexahn.com. Our Annual Report on Form 10-KSB and our other filings
with the SEC, including the exhibits, are also available for free on the SEC’s
Internet site (http://www.sec.gov).
HOUSEHOLDING
We have
adopted a procedure approved by the SEC called “householding.” Under this
procedure, a householding notice will be sent to stockholders who have the same
address and last name and do not participate in electronic delivery of proxy
materials, and they will receive only one copy of our Annual Report and Proxy
Statement unless one or more of these stockholders notifies us that they wish to
continue receiving individual copies. This procedure reduces our printing costs
and postage fees. Each stockholder who participates in householding will
continue to receive a separate proxy card.
If
any stockholders in your household wish to receive a separate Annual Report and
a separate Proxy Statement, they may call our Secretary, Tae Heum Jeong, at
240-268-5300 or write us at 9620 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland
20850. They may also send an email to us at
IR@rexahn.com. Other stockholders who have multiple accounts in their
names or who share an address with other stockholders can authorize us to
discontinue mailings of multiple annual reports and Proxy Statements by calling
or writing to the our Secretary at 9620 Medical Center Drive, Rockville,
Maryland 20850 or by emailing us at IR@rexahn.com.
April 29,
2008
24
PROXY
REXAHN
PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
SOLICITED
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SHAREHOLDER
NAME:_________________________________
NO.
SHARES AS OF MAY 12, 2008:________________________
The
undersigned hereby appoints Chang H. Ahn and Tae Heum Jeong, and each of them,
with power to act without the other and with full power of substitution, as
proxies and attorneys-in-fact and hereby authorizes them to represent and vote,
as provided below, all the shares of Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Common Stock
which the undersigned is entitled to vote, and, in their discretion, to vote
upon such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting of
Shareholders of the Company to be held on June 12, 2008, or any adjournment
thereof, with all powers which the undersigned would possess if present at the
meeting.
To vote
in accordance with the Board of Directors' recommendations just sign and date
this card; no boxes need to be checked.
Where
a vote is not specified, the proxies will vote the shares represented by the
proxy FOR the election of directors and FOR proposal 2 and will vote in
accordance with their discretion on such other matters as may properly come
before the meeting.
Please
mark your votes as indicated in this example S
1.
ELECTION OF SEVEN DIRECTORS -
01
Chang H. Ahn
|
02
Charles Beever
|
03
Kwang Soo Cheong
|
04
Tae Heum Jeong
|
05
Y.Michelle Kang
|
06
David McIntosh
|
07
Freddie Ann Hoffman
|
FOR
|
WITHHOLD
FOR
ALL
|
£
|
£
|
Instruction:
To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, write that nominee's
name in the space provided below.
___________________________________
2.
RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM
FOR
|
AGAINST
|
ABSTAIN
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
I/We plan
to attend the meeting.
£
Signature
|
|
Signature
if held jointly
|
|
Date:
______________, 2008
If
signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give
full title as such, and, if signing for a corporation, please give your title.
When shares are in the name of more than one person, each person should sign the
proxy card. Please sign, date and return the proxy card promptly using the
enclosed envelope.
Mark,
sign and date your proxy card and return it in the enclosed postage-paid
envelope.
To
view the Annual Report and Proxy materials online go to:
www.Rexahn.com