EXHIBIT 1.1
Published on October 19, 2018
Exhibit 1.1
October 16, 2018
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
15245 Shady Grove Road, Suite 455
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Attn: Douglas J. Swirsky, President & Chief Financial Officer
Dear Mr. Swirsky:
This letter agreement (this “Agreement”) constitutes the
agreement between Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“Wainwright”)
that Wainwright shall serve as the exclusive agent, advisor or underwriter (except as provided herein) in any offering (each, an “Offering”) of securities of the Company
sold by or on behalf of the Company (the “Securities”) during the Term (as defined below) of this Agreement. The terms of each Offering and the Securities issued in
connection therewith shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and Wainwright and nothing herein implies that Wainwright would have the power or authority to bind the Company and nothing herein implies that the Company shall have an obligation
to issue any Securities. It is understood that Wainwright’s assistance in an Offering will be subject to the satisfactory completion of such investigation and inquiry into the affairs of the Company as Wainwright deems appropriate under the
circumstances and to the receipt of all internal approvals of Wainwright in connection with the transaction. The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that Wainwright’s involvement in an Offering is strictly on a reasonable best efforts
basis and that the consummation of an Offering will be subject to, among other things, market conditions. The execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by Wainwright to purchase the Securities and does not ensure a successful
Offering of the Securities or the success of Wainwright with respect to securing any other financing on behalf of the Company. Wainwright may, with the prior written consent of the Company, retain other brokers, dealers, agents or underwriters
on its behalf in connection with an Offering, and Wainwright shall be solely responsible for the payment of any compensation or expenses to any such other broker, dealer, agent or underwriter. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the issuance of
Securities in connection with a debt facility, a license, partnership, acquisition or other strategic transaction or strategic relationship, the issuance of Securities as part of any compensation or consulting arrangement, or the issuance of
Securities outside of the United States shall not be considered an Offering.
As an integral part of its services hereunder, Wainwright will, among such other activities that are usual and customary, do the
following:
(a) assist the Company in its capital raising efforts;
(b) review any offering documents,
including any prospectus supplement used in connection with the Offering describing the Company and the Securities;
(c) review with the Company the
investors to whom the Offering will be made prior to contacting such investors;
(d) assist and advise the Company with respect to the
negotiation of the terms of the sale of the Securities to the investors; and
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(e) assist and advise the Company in managing the process
of negotiating and closing the Offering.
A. Compensation; Reimbursement. At the closing
of each Offering (each, a “Closing”), the Company shall compensate Wainwright as follows:
1. Cash Fee.
The Company shall pay to Wainwright a cash fee, or as to an underwritten Offering an underwriter discount, equal to 6% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised by the Company in each Offering.
2. Warrant
Coverage. The Company shall issue to Wainwright, or its designees at each Closing, warrants (the “Wainwright Warrants”) to purchase that number of shares of
common stock of the Company (“Common Stock”) equal to 6% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock or pre-funded warrants, if applicable, placed by Wainwright in
each Offering (if the Offering includes a “greenshoe” or “additional investment” option component, such shares of Common Stock underlying such option shall be included only upon the exercise of such option). The Wainwright Warrants shall have
the same terms as the warrants issued to investors in the applicable Offering, except that the Wainwright Warrants shall have an exercise price equal to 125% of the per share Offering price. If no warrants are issued to investors in an Offering,
the Wainwright Warrants shall be in a customary form reasonably acceptable to Wainwright and the Company, have a term of 5 years and an exercise price equal to 125% of the per share Offering price.
3. Expense Allowance.
Out of the proceeds of each Closing, the Company also agrees to pay Wainwright a non-accountable expense allowance of $30,000; provided, however, that such amount in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement.
B. Term and Termination of Engagement; Exclusivity.
The term of Wainwright’s exclusive engagement will begin on the date hereof and end three (3) months thereafter (the “Term”); provided, however, that if an Offering has not consummated within 30 days following the date hereof, the Company may terminate
Wainwright’s engagement hereunder. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company agrees that the provisions relating to the payment of fees, reimbursement of expenses, indemnification and contribution, confidentiality,
conflicts, independent contractor and waiver of the right to trial by jury will survive any termination or expiration of this Agreement. During the Term: (i) the Company will not, and will not permit its representatives to, other than in
coordination with Wainwright, contact or solicit institutions, corporations or other entities or individuals as potential purchasers of the Securities; and (ii) the Company will not pursue any equity financing transaction that would be in lieu of
an Offering.
C. Information; Reliance. The Company shall
furnish, or cause to be furnished, to Wainwright all information reasonably requested by Wainwright for the purpose of rendering services hereunder and conducting due diligence (all such information being the “Information”). In addition, the Company agrees to make available to Wainwright upon request from time to time the officers, directors, accountants, counsel and other advisors of the Company. The
Company recognizes and confirms that Wainwright (a) will use and rely on the Information, including any documents provided to investors in each Offering (the “Offering Documents,”
which shall include any Purchase Agreement (as defined below)), and on information available from generally recognized public sources in performing the services contemplated by this Agreement without having independently verified the same; (b)
does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the Offering Documents or the Information and such other information, in each case other than any information relating to, and provided by, Wainwright for inclusion therein; and
(c) will not make an appraisal of any of the assets or liabilities of the Company. Upon reasonable request, the Company will meet with Wainwright or its representatives to discuss all information relevant for disclosure in the Offering Documents
and will cooperate in any investigation undertaken by Wainwright thereof, including any document included or incorporated by reference therein. At each Offering, at the request of Wainwright, the Company shall deliver such opinions of counsel
and officers’ certificate(s), all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Wainwright and its counsel, as is customary for such Offering. Wainwright shall be a third party beneficiary of any representations, warranties and closing
conditions made by the Company in the Offering Documents, including representations, warranties and closing conditions made to any investor in an Offering.
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D. Related Agreements. At each Offering, the Company shall enter into the following additional agreements:
1. Underwritten
Offering. If an Offering is an underwritten Offering, the Company and Wainwright shall enter into a customary underwriting agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Company, Wainwright and their respective counsels.
2. Best Efforts
Offering. If an Offering is on a best efforts basis, the sale of Securities to the investors in the Offering will be evidenced by a purchase agreement (“Purchase
Agreement”) between the Company and such investors in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and Wainwright. Prior to the signing of any Purchase Agreement, an officer of the Company with responsibility for financial
affairs will be available to answer inquiries from prospective investors.
3. Escrow and
Settlement. In respect of each Offering, the Company and Wainwright shall enter into an escrow agreement with a third party escrow agent, which may also be Wainwright’s clearing agent, pursuant to which Wainwright’s compensation and
expenses shall be paid from the gross proceeds of the Securities sold. If the Offering is settled in whole or in part via delivery versus payment, Wainwright shall arrange for its clearing agent to provide the funds to facilitate such
settlement. The Company shall reimburse Wainwright for the actual out of pocket cost of such clearing agent settlement and financing, if any, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10,000.
4. FINRA Amendments.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in the event that Wainwright determines that any of the terms provided for hereunder shall not comply with a FINRA rule, including but not limited to FINRA Rule 5110, then the Company shall agree
to amend this Agreement (or include such revisions in the final underwriting agreement) in writing upon the request of Wainwright to comply with any such rules; provided that any such amendments shall not provide for terms that are less favorable
to the Company than are reflected in this Agreement.
E. Confidentiality. In the event of the
consummation or public announcement of any Offering, Wainwright shall have the right to disclose its participation in such Offering, including, without limitation, the Offering at its cost of “tombstone” advertisements in financial and other
newspapers and journals.
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F. Indemnity.
1. In connection with the Company’s engagement of Wainwright as Offering agent, the Company hereby agrees
to indemnify and hold harmless Wainwright and its affiliates, and the respective controlling persons, directors, officers, members, shareholders, agents and employees of any of the foregoing (collectively the “Indemnified Persons”), from and against any and all claims, actions, suits, proceedings (including those of shareholders), damages, liabilities and expenses incurred by any of them (including the
reasonable fees and expenses of counsel), as incurred, (collectively a “Claim”), that are (A) related to or arise out of (i) any actions taken or omitted to be taken
(including any untrue statements made or any statements omitted to be made) by the Company, or (ii) any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any Indemnified Person in connection with the Company’s engagement of Wainwright, or (B) otherwise
relate to or arise out of Wainwright’s activities on the Company’s behalf under Wainwright’s engagement, and the Company shall reimburse any Indemnified Person for all expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) as incurred
by such Indemnified Person in connection with investigating, preparing or defending any such claim, action, suit or proceeding, whether or not in connection with pending or threatened litigation in which any Indemnified Person is a party. The
Company will not, however, be responsible for any Claim that is finally judicially determined to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of any person seeking indemnification for such Claim, or that arises from any
information contained in the Offering Documents that was furnished to the Company by Wainwright in writing expressly for inclusion in the Offering Documents. The Company further agrees that no Indemnified Person shall have any liability to the
Company for or in connection with the Company’s engagement of Wainwright except for any Claim incurred by the Company as a result of such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
2. The Company further agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of Wainwright, settle,
compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened Claim in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Person is an actual or potential party to such Claim), unless such
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional, irrevocable release of each Indemnified Person from any and all liability arising out of such Claim.
3. Promptly upon receipt by an Indemnified Person of notice of any complaint or the assertion or
institution of any Claim with respect to which indemnification is being sought hereunder, such Indemnified Person shall notify the Company in writing of such complaint or of such assertion or institution but failure to so notify the Company shall
not relieve the Company from any obligation it may have hereunder, except and only to the extent such failure results in the forfeiture by the Company of substantial rights and defenses. If the Company is requested by such Indemnified Person,
the Company will assume the defense of such Claim, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person and the payment of the fees and expenses of such counsel. In the event, however, that legal counsel to such
Indemnified Person reasonably determines that having common counsel would present such counsel with a conflict of interest or if the defendant in, or target of, any such Claim, includes an Indemnified Person and the Company, and legal counsel to
such Indemnified Person reasonably concludes that there may be legal defenses available to it or other Indemnified Persons different from or in addition to those available to the Company, then such Indemnified Person may employ its own separate
counsel to represent or defend him, her or it in any such Claim and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the Company fails timely or diligently to defend,
contest, or otherwise protect against any Claim, the relevant Indemnified Person shall have the right, but not the obligation, to defend, contest, compromise, settle, assert crossclaims, or counterclaims or otherwise protect against the same, and
shall be fully indemnified by the Company therefor, including without limitation, for the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel and all amounts paid as a result of such Claim or the compromise or settlement thereof. In addition, with
respect to any Claim in which the Company assumes the defense, the Indemnified Person shall have the right to participate in such Claim and to retain his, her or its own counsel therefor at his, her or its own expense.
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4. The Company agrees that if any indemnity sought by an Indemnified Person hereunder is held by a court
to be unavailable for any reason then (whether or not Wainwright is the Indemnified Person), the Company and Wainwright shall contribute to the Claim for which such indemnity is held unavailable in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and Wainwright on the other, in connection with Wainwright’s engagement referred to above, subject to the limitation that in no event shall the amount of Wainwright’s contribution to such Claim
exceed the amount of fees actually received by Wainwright from the Company pursuant to Wainwright’s engagement. The Company hereby agrees that the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and Wainwright on the other, with respect to
Wainwright’s engagement shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as (a) the total value paid or proposed to be paid or received by the Company pursuant to the applicable Offering (whether or not consummated) for which Wainwright is engaged to
render services bears to (b) the fee paid or proposed to be paid to Wainwright in connection with such engagement.
5. The Company’s indemnity, reimbursement and contribution obligations under this Agreement (a) shall be
in addition to, and shall in no way limit or otherwise adversely affect any rights that any Indemnified Person may have at law or at equity and (b) shall be effective whether or not the Company is at fault in any way.
G. Limitation of Engagement to the Company. The
Company acknowledges that Wainwright has been retained only by the Company, that Wainwright is providing services hereunder as an independent contractor (and not in any fiduciary or agency capacity) and that the Company’s engagement of Wainwright
is not deemed to be on behalf of, and is not intended to confer rights upon, any shareholder, owner or partner of the Company or any other person not a party hereto as against Wainwright or any of its affiliates, or any of its or their respective
officers, directors, controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)),
employees or agents. Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing by Wainwright, no one other than the Company is authorized to rely upon this Agreement or any other statements or conduct of Wainwright, and no one other than the Company is
intended to be a beneficiary of this Agreement. The Company acknowledges that any recommendation or advice, written or oral, given by Wainwright to the Company in connection with Wainwright’s engagement is intended solely for the benefit and use
of the Company’s management and directors in considering a possible Offering, and any such recommendation or advice is not on behalf of, and shall not confer any rights or remedies upon, any other person or be used or relied upon for any other
purpose. Wainwright shall not have the authority to make any commitment binding on the Company. The Company, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to reject any investor introduced to it by Wainwright.
H. Limitation of Wainwright’s Liability to the Company.
Wainwright and the Company further agree that neither Wainwright nor any of its affiliates or any of its their respective officers, directors, controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act), employees or agents shall have any liability to the Company, its security holders or creditors, or any person asserting claims on behalf of or in the right of the Company (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort, for an act
of negligence or otherwise) for any losses, fees, damages, liabilities, costs, expenses or equitable relief arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the services rendered hereunder, except for losses, fees, damages, liabilities, costs or
expenses that arise out of or are based on any action of or failure to act by Wainwright and that are finally judicially determined to have resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Wainwright.
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I. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be fully performed therein. Any disputes that arise under this Agreement, even after the termination of this Agreement, will be
heard only in the state or federal courts located in the City of New York, State of New York. The parties hereto expressly agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the foregoing courts in the City of New York, State of New York. The
parties hereto expressly waive any rights they may have to contest the jurisdiction, venue or authority of any court sitting in the City and State of New York. In the event of the bringing of any action, or suit against the other party hereto,
arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the party in whose favor the final judgment or award shall be entered shall be entitled to have and recover from the other party the costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith, including its
reasonable attorneys’ fees. Any rights to trial by jury with respect to any such action, proceeding or suit are hereby waived by Wainwright and the Company.
J. Notices. All notices hereunder will be in
writing and sent by certified mail, hand delivery, overnight delivery or fax, if sent to Wainwright, to H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, at the address set forth on the first page hereof, e-mail: notices@hcwco.com, Attention: Head of Investment
Banking, and if sent to the Company, to the address set forth on the first page hereof, fax number: (240) 268-5310, Attention: Chief Executive Officer, with a copy to Hogan Lovells US LLP, 100 International Drive, Suite 2000, Baltimore, Maryland,
Attention: Asher Rubin and William Intner, fax number: (410) 659-2701, email: asher.rubin@hoganlovells.com and william.intner@hoganlovells.com. Notices sent by certified mail shall be deemed received five days thereafter, notices sent by hand
delivery or overnight delivery shall be deemed received on the date of the relevant written record of receipt, notices delivered by fax shall be deemed received as of the date and time printed thereon by the fax machine, and notices sent by
e-mail shall be deemed received as of the date and time they were sent.
K. Conflicts. The Company acknowledges that
Wainwright and its affiliates may have and may continue to have investment banking and other relationships with parties other than the Company pursuant to which Wainwright may acquire information of interest to the Company. Wainwright shall have
no obligation to disclose such information to the Company or to use such information in connection with any contemplated transaction.
L. Anti-Money Laundering. To help the United
States government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, the federal laws of the United States require all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person with whom they do business. This
means Wainwright must ask the Company for certain identifying information, including a government-issued identification number (e.g., a U.S. taxpayer identification number) and such other information or documents that Wainwright considers
appropriate to verify the Company’s identity, such as certified articles of incorporation, a government-issued business license, a partnership agreement or a trust instrument.
M. Miscellaneous. Each party hereto represents
and warrants that it has all requisite power and authority to enter into and carry out the terms and provisions of this Agreement and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement does not breach or conflict with any agreement,
document or instrument to which it is a party or bound. This Agreement shall not be modified or amended except in writing signed by Wainwright and the Company. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of both Wainwright and
the Company and their respective assigns, successors, and legal representatives. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of Wainwright and the Company with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior agreements with
respect to the subject matter hereof. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect, and the remainder of the Agreement
shall remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (including facsimile or electronic counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
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In acknowledgment that the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding reached by Wainwright and the Company, please sign in the
space provided below, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding Agreement as of the date indicated above.
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Very truly yours,
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H.C. WAINWRIGHT & CO., LLC
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By
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/s/ Edward Silvera
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Name: Edward Silvera
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Title: Chief Operating Officer
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Accepted and Agreed:
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REXAHN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
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By
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/s/ Douglas J. Swirsky
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Name: Douglas J. Swirsky
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Title: President & CFO
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