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Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration Statement No. 333-160123
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(to Prospectus dated June 19, 2009)
$25,000,000
Common Stock
We have entered into an equity distribution agreement, or the Agreement, with Roth Capital Partners, LLC, or Roth, relating to shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share.
Under the equity distribution agreement, we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $25,000,000 from time to time through Roth as our sales agent. Sales of our common stock through Roth, if any, will be made by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions on the NYSE Amex or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, in block transactions, or as otherwise agreed upon by us and Roth.
We will pay Roth a commission, or allow a discount, as the case may be, in each case equal to 3.0% of the gross sales prices of the shares sold through it as agent under the equity distribution agreement.
Under the equity distribution agreement, we may also sell shares of common stock to Roth, as principal for its own account, at a price to be agreed upon at the time of sale.
Our common stock is listed on the NYSE Amex under the symbol “INO.” On August 26, 2010, the last reported sales price of our common stock on the NYSE Amex was $0.80 per share.
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-3 of this prospectus supplement and the risk factors contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, which have been incorporated herein.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Roth Capital Partners
The date of this prospectus supplement is August 27, 2010
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A number of the statements we make or incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not historical or current facts, but instead signify potential future circumstances and developments. We intend these statements as “Forward-Looking Statements” under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue,” the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Moreover, neither we, nor any other person, assume responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements. We are under no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the filing of this prospectus supplement to conform such statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations.
We urge you to review carefully and consider the various disclosures we make that attempt to advise interested parties of the factors that affect our business, including without limitation the disclosures we make or incorporate by reference under the caption “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement.
Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements include but are not limited to:
| • | our history of losses; |
| • | our lack of products that have received regulatory approval; |
| • | uncertainties inherent in clinical trials and product development programs, including but not limited to the fact that pre-clinical and clinical results may not be indicative of results achievable in other trials or for other indications, that results from one study may not necessarily be reflected or supported by the results of other similar studies, that results from an animal study may not be indicative of results achievable in human studies, that clinical testing is expensive and can take many years to complete, that the outcome of any clinical trial is uncertain and failure can occur at any time during the clinical trial process, and that our electroporation technology and DNA vaccines may fail to show the desired safety and efficacy traits in clinical trials; |
| • | the availability of funding; |
| • | the ability to manufacture vaccine candidates; |
| • | the availability or potential availability of alternative therapies or treatments for the conditions we or our collaborators target, including alternatives that may be more efficacious or cost-effective than any therapy or treatment that we and our collaborators hope to develop; |
| • | whether our proprietary rights are enforceable or defensible or infringe or allegedly infringe on rights of others or can withstand claims of invalidity; and |
| • | the impact of government healthcare legislation and proposals. |
You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which we base on current expectations. Further, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date we make them, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly any of them in light of new information or future events.
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of this offering and sale of shares of our common stock and certain other matters, and may also add to, update or change information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference. Generally, when we refer to this prospectus, we are referring to both parts of this document combined. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, dated June 19, 2009, which provides general information about securities we may offer from time to time, some of which may not apply to this offering. To the extent that the information contained in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, differs or varies from the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or any document incorporated by reference, on the other hand, the information in this prospectus supplement will control and you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus—the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with additional information or information that is different from that contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our common stock only in jurisdictions where offers or sales are permitted. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the shares offered hereby in any jurisdiction where, or to any person to whom, it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.
The information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated herein and therein by reference is accurate only as of its respective date or dates or on the date or dates that are specified in these documents, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus or any sale of shares of our common stock. Our financial condition, results of operations and business prospects may have changed since those dates. We further note that the representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to any document that is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.
Information contained on our website does not constitute part of this prospectus supplement or accompanying prospectus.
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This summary highlights information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. Because it is only a summary, it does not contain all of the information that may be important to you or that you should consider before making an investment in our common stock. You should carefully read the entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the information contained under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2010 and June 30, 2010, the information under “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-3 of this prospectus supplement and other information that we file from time to time with the SEC as well as the financial statements and related notes and the other information incorporated by reference herein, before making an investment decision. See “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference” in this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement may add to, update or change information in the accompanying prospectus.
Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in this prospectus to “Inovio,” “we,” “us,” “our,” “the Company” or similar words refer to Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., together with our consolidated subsidiaries.
Our Company
We engage in the discovery, development, and delivery of a new generation of vaccines, called DNA vaccines, focused on cancers and infectious diseases. Our SynCon™ technology enables the design of “universal” DNA-based vaccines capable of providing cross-protection against new, unmatched strains of pathogens such as influenza. Our electroporation DNA delivery technology uses brief, controlled electrical pulses to increase cellular DNA vaccine uptake. Initial human data has shown this method can safely and significantly increase gene expression and immune responses. Our clinical programs include human papillomavirus cervical cancer (therapeutic), avian influenza (preventative), hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus vaccines. We are advancing preclinical research for a universal seasonal/pandemic influenza vaccine. Our partners and collaborators include University of Pennsylvania, National Microbiology Laboratory of the Public Health Agency of Canada, NIAID (NIH), Merck, Tripep, University of Southampton and HIV Vaccines Trial Network.
An investment in our common stock is subject to numerous risks as discussed more fully below and under the caption “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2010 and June 30, 2010, which we incorporate by reference herein, and other information that we file from time to time with the SEC after the date of this prospectus supplement and which we incorporate by reference herein. Any of these risks could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations or our ability to execute our business strategy. You should read and consider carefully all the information set forth and incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus before deciding whether to invest in our common stock. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones facing our company. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently consider immaterial may also affect our business operations. See “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.”
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Risks Related to this Offering
Resales of our common stock in the public market during this offering by our stockholders may cause the market price of our common stock to fall.
We may issue common stock from time to time in connection with this offering. This issuance from time to time of these new shares of our common stock, or our ability to issue these shares of common stock in this offering, could result in resales of our common stock by our current stockholders concerned about the potential dilution of their holdings. In turn, these resales could have the effect of depressing the market price for our common stock.
There may be future sales or other dilution of our equity, which may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
We are generally not restricted from issuing additional common stock, including any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, common stock. The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales of common stock or securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, common stock after this offering or the perception that such sales could occur.
We have broad discretion in how we use the net proceeds of this offering, and we may not use these proceeds effectively or in ways with which you agree.
Our management will have broad discretion as to the application of the net proceeds of this offering and could use them for purposes other than those contemplated at the time of this offering. Our stockholders may not agree with the manner in which our management chooses to allocate and spend the net proceeds. Moreover, our management may use the net proceeds for corporate purposes that may not increase the market price of our common stock.
Purchasers will experience immediate dilution in the book value per share of the common stock purchased in the Offering.
The expected offering price of our common stock will be substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our outstanding common stock. As a result, based on our capitalization as of June 30, 2010, investors purchasing shares in this offering would incur immediate dilution of $0.40 per share of common stock purchased, based on an assumed public offering price of our common stock of $0.80 per share, the last reported sale price of the common stock on August 26, 2010. In addition to this offering, subject to market conditions and other factors, it is likely that we will pursue additional financings in the future, as we continue to build our business. In future years, we will likely need to raise significant additional capital to finance our operations and to fund clinical trials, regulatory submissions and the development, manufacture and marketing of other products under development and new product opportunities. Accordingly, we may conduct substantial future offerings of equity or debt securities. The exercise of outstanding options and warrants and future equity issuances, including future public offerings or future private placements of equity securities and any additional shares issued in connection with acquisitions, will result in dilution to investors. In addition, the market price of our common stock could fall as a result of resales of any of these shares of common stock due to an increased number of shares available for sale in the market.
We expect to receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $24,100,000, after commissions and estimated expenses payable by us, assuming that an aggregate of $25,000,000 of common stock is sold pursuant to this offering. We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities under this prospectus supplement for general corporate purposes, including clinical trial expenses, research and development expenses, general and administrative expenses, manufacturing expenses and potential acquisitions of companies and technologies that complement our business.
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As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses of the proceeds from this offering. Accordingly, our management will retain broad discretion over the use of such proceeds. Pending the use of the net proceeds from this offering, we intend to invest the net proceeds in investment-grade, interest-bearing instruments.
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Our net tangible book value as of June 30, 2010 was $29.7 million, or $0.29 per share of common stock. Net tangible book value per share of common stock is calculated by subtracting our total liabilities from our total tangible assets, which is total assets less intangible assets, and dividing this amount by the number of shares of common stock outstanding. After giving effect to the sale of our common stock in the aggregate amount of $25 million offered at an assumed public offering price of minimum $0.80 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on August 26, 2010 and after deducting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our net tangible book value as of June 30, 2010 would have been $53.8 million, or $0.40 per share of common stock. This represents an immediate increase in the net tangible book value of $0.11 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate and substantial dilution in net tangible book value of $0.40 per share to new investors. The following table illustrates this per share dilution:
| Assumed public offering price per share |
$ | 0.80 | ||||
| Net tangible book value per share as of June 30, 2010 |
$ | 0.29 | ||||
| Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors |
0.11 | |||||
| As adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering |
0.40 | |||||
| Net dilution per share to new investors |
$ | 0.40 | ||||
The table above assumes for illustrative purposes only an aggregate of 31,250,000 shares of our common stock are sold at a price of $0.80 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $25 million. The shares, if any, sold in this offering will be sold from time to time at various prices. An increase of $0.25 per share to in the price at which the shares are sold from the assumed offering price of $0.80 per share shown in the table above, assuming all of our common stock in the aggregate amount of $25 million is sold at that price, would increase our adjusted net tangible book value per share after the offering to $0.42 per share and would increase the dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors in this offering to $0.63 per share, after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us. A decrease of $0.25 per share in the price at which the shares are sold from the assumed offering price of $0.80 per share shown in the table above, assuming all of our common stock in the aggregate amount of $25 million is sold at that price, would decrease our adjusted net tangible book value per share after the offering to $0.36 per share and would decrease the dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors in this offering to $0.19 per share, after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us. This information is supplied for illustrative purposes only.
The calculations above are based upon 102,889,930 shares of common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2010 and exclude:
| • | 12,892,621 shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding options pursuant to our stock incentive plans at a weighted average option exercise price of $1.50 per share as of June 30, 2010; |
| • | 14,161,360 shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding warrants, at a weighted average exercise price of $2.47 per share as of June 30, 2010. |
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The following information supplements the discussion set forth in the accompanying prospectus under the heading “Description of Capital Stock.”
A summary of some of the important terms of our common stock is set forth beginning on page 7 of the accompanying prospectus under the heading, “Description of Capital Stock.” You should refer to our certificate of incorporation, as amended, and our by-laws, as amended, for the actual terms of our capital stock. Copies of our current charter and bylaws may be obtained as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” in this prospectus.
As of August 13, 2010, 102,889,930 shares of common stock and 26 shares of Series C preferred stock were issued and outstanding.
Computershare Investor Services Inc. is the transfer agent and registrar for the common stock.
We have entered into the Agreement with Roth under which we may, from time to time, offer and sell our common stock having aggregate sales proceeds of up to $25,000,000 through Roth, or to Roth, for resale. Sales of our common stock through Roth, if any, will be made by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions on the NYSE Amex or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, in block transactions, or as otherwise agreed upon by us and Roth. Roth will not engage in any transactions that stabilize the price of our common stock.
Roth will use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell the common stock offered hereby, from time to time, based upon instructions from us (including any price, time or size limits or other customary parameters or conditions we may impose). Either Roth or we may suspend this offering of our common stock pursuant to the Agreement by notifying the other.
We will pay Roth a commission, or allow a discount, as the case may be, in each case equal to 3.0% of the gross sales proceeds of any common stock sold through Roth as agent under the Agreement. The remaining sales proceeds, after deducting any expenses payable by us and any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in connection with the sales, will equal our net proceeds for the sale of our common stock. We have agreed to reimburse Roth for certain expenses incurred by them in connection with this offering, up to an aggregate of $30,000, plus up to an additional $5,000 per calendar quarter related to ongoing maintenance, due diligence expenses and other expenses associated therewith. We expect our aggregate expenses in connection with this offering to be approximately $153,000 excluding the 3.0% gross sales commission.
Settlement for sales of our common stock will occur on the third business day following the date on which any sales were made in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
Under the terms of the Agreement, we also may sell our common stock to Roth, as principal for its own account, at a price to be agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell shares to Roth as principal, we will enter into a separate agreement with Roth and we will describe this agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or pricing supplement.
In connection with the sale of our common stock, Roth may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation paid to Roth may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to Roth against certain
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civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Roth may engage in transactions with, or perform other services for, us in the ordinary course of its business. In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), the maximum compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer may not exceed 8% of the aggregate offering price of the shares offered hereby.
Unless an exemption applies, pursuant to Regulation M under the Exchange Act, Roth will be prohibited from engaging in certain activities in our common stock while shares of common stock are being offered pursuant to the terms of the Agreement.
The offering of our shares of common stock pursuant to the sales agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (1) the sale of all shares of common stock subject to the agreement or (2) termination of the sales agreement. The sales agreement may be terminated by Roth under certain circumstances described in the sales agreement or by either us or Roth in either of our sole discretion at any time by giving notice to the other party.
The validity of the common stock being offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus has been passed upon for us by Duane Morris LLP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed upon for Roth Capital Partners, LLC by Lowenstein Sandler PC.
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any reports, statements and other information filed by us at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call (800) SEC-0330 for further information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers, including us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address for the SEC’s website is http://www.sec.gov.
We make available, free of charge, through our investor relations website, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, statements of changes in beneficial ownership of securities and amendments to those reports and statements as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with the SEC. The address for our website is http://www.inovio.com. The contents on our website are not part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, and the reference to our website does not constitute incorporation by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus of the information contained at that site.
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus supplement the information in documents we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information we incorporate by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. Any statement contained in any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in or omitted from this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement, or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. We incorporate by reference the documents or information listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 until the offering is completed:
| • | The description of our common stock set forth in the accompanying prospectus; |
| • | Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, as filed with the SEC on March 26, 2010; |
| • | Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, as filed with the SEC on May 17, 2010; |
| • | Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2010, as filed with the SEC on August 13, 2010; and |
| • | Our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 12, 2010. |
You may request, and we will provide to you, a copy of these filings at no cost by writing or telephoning us at the following address:
Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
1787 Sentry Parkway West
Building 18, Suite 400
Blue Bell, Pennsylvania 19422
Telephone: (267) 440-4200
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act covering the common stock to be offered and sold by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not contain all of the information included in the registration statement, some of which is contained in exhibits to the registration statement. The registration statement, including the exhibits, can be read at the SEC website or at the SEC offices referred to above. Any statement made in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus concerning the contents of any contract, agreement or other document is only a summary of the actual contract, agreement or other document. If we have filed any contract, document, agreement or other document as an exhibit to the registration statement or a document incorporated by reference therein, you should read the exhibit for a more complete understanding of the document or matter involved. We qualify in its entirety each statement regarding a contract, agreement or other document by reference to the actual document.
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PROSPECTUS
INOVIO BIOMEDICAL CORPORATION
$75,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Units
From time to time, we may offer up to $75,000,000 of any combination of the securities described in this prospectus, either individually or in units. We may also offer common stock or preferred stock upon conversion of debt securities, common stock upon conversion of preferred stock, or common stock, preferred stock or debt securities upon the exercise of warrants.
We will provide the specific terms of these offerings and securities in one or more supplements to this prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as any documents incorporated by reference, before buying any of the securities being offered.
Our common stock is traded on the NYSE Amex under the symbol “INO.” On June 18, 2009, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the NYSE Amex was $0.86. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing, if any, on the NYSE Amex or any securities market or other exchange of the securities covered by the applicable prospectus supplement.
On June 18, 2009, the aggregate market value of our outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates was approximately $53 million. We have not previously offered pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6. of Form S-3 any securities during the prior twelve calendar month period that ends on, and includes, the date of this prospectus.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should review carefully the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of any securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
The securities may be sold directly by us to investors, through agents designated from time to time or to or through underwriters or dealers, on a continuous or delayed basis. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus. If any agents or underwriters are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such agents or underwriters and any applicable fees, commissions, discounts and over-allotment options will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds that we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is June 19, 2009
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer shares of our common stock and preferred stock, various series of debt securities and/or warrants to purchase any of such securities, either individually or in units, in one or more offerings, up to a total dollar amount of $75,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer a type or series of securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain more specific information about the terms of those securities. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. We may also add, update or change in the prospectus supplement (and in any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) any of the information contained in this prospectus or in the documents that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We urge you to carefully read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, together with the information incorporated herein by reference as described under the heading “Where You Can Find Additional Information,” before buying any of the securities being offered. THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO CONSUMMATE A SALE OF SECURITIES UNLESS IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.
You should rely only on the information that we have provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representation. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. You should assume that the information in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of the document and that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus, or any sale of a security.
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This prospectus contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed or will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described below under the heading “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
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Inovio Biomedical Corporation is engaged in the discovery, development, and delivery of a new generation of vaccines, called DNA vaccines, focused on cancers and infectious diseases. Our SynCon™ technology enables the design of DNA-based vaccines better-targeted to desired immune system mechanisms and capable of providing cross-protection against evolving, unmatched strains of pathogens such as influenza. Our electroporation DNA delivery technology uses brief, controlled electrical pulses to increase cellular DNA vaccine uptake. Initial human data has shown this method can safely and significantly increase gene expression and immune responses. Our clinical programs include HPV/cervical cancer (therapeutic) and HIV vaccines. We have also filed an IND with the FDA for an avian influenza vaccine. Our partners and collaborators include Merck, Tripep, University of Southampton, University of Pennsylvania, and HIV Vaccines Trial Network.
On June 1, 2009 we completed our acquisition of VGX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“VGX”) pursuant to the terms of an Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger dated December 8, 2008 (the “Merger Agreement”) by and among Inovio, Inovio’s wholly-owned subsidiary Inovio Acquisition, LLC and VGX (the “Merger”). We believe the Merger advances our ability to play a leadership role in the discovery, development, and delivery of DNA vaccines.
Inovio’s DNA vaccine programs currently include:
| • | Phase I clinical study, VGX-3100 HPV/cervical cancer vaccine (Inovio) |
| • | Phase I clinical study, PENNVAX-BTM preventive HIV vaccine without electroporation (Inovio, with HIV Vaccines Trial Network) |
| • | Phase I clinical study, PENNVAX-BTM therapeutic HIV vaccine without electroporation (Inovio, with University of Pennsylvania) |
| • | Phase I clinical study, hTERT vaccine against breast, lung, prostate cancers (Merck; licensed Inovio’s electroporation delivery technology) |
| • | Phase I proof-of-concept study, prostate cancer vaccine (University of Southampton, using Inovio’s electroporation delivery technology) |
| • | Phase I proof-of-concept study, hepatitis C virus vaccine (Tripep, using Inovio’s electroporation delivery technology) |
| • | IND, awaiting approval: VGX-3400 avian flu vaccine with cross-strain capability (Inovio) |
| • | Pre-IND: PENNVAX-B™ preventive HIV vaccine using electroporation (Inovio, with HIV Vaccines Trial Network) |
| • | Pre-clinical: PENNVAX-GP™ preventive HIV vaccine (Inovio; funded by $23.5 million grant from NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) |
| • | Pre-clinical: universal influenza vaccine with sufficiently broad cross-strain capability to encompass both seasonal and pandemic-potential influenza strains (Inovio) |
Other assets of the company currently include:
| • | VGX-1027, a rheumatoid arthritis/type 1 diabetes small molecule drug candidate, which successfully completed a Phase I clinical study and is being prepared for a phase II study. |
| • | 25% stake in VGX International, a publicly-traded company (Korean Stock Exchange: 011000) with a DNA vaccine manufacturing subsidiary operating in Texas. |
| • | VGX Animal Health, Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary that markets the LifeTideTM animal growth hormone for swine. LifeTide™ is one of only four DNA-based treatments approved for use in animals and is the only DNA-based agent delivered using electroporation that has been granted marketing approval (Australia). |
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Our executive offices are located at 11494 Sorrento Valley Road, San Diego, California 92121, and our telephone number is (858) 597-6006. We maintain an Internet website at www.inovio.com. Information contained in or accessible through our website does not constitute part of this prospectus.
Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus to “we,” “us,” “our” and “Inovio” refer to Inovio Biomedical Corporation, a Delaware corporation. We own the registered trademarks or trademark applications for INOVIO, MEDPULSER, SECTA, DNAVAX, GENESWITCH, GENETRONICS, PINC, MEDPULSER DNA ELECTROPORATION THERAPY SYSTEM, SynCon, OmniVax, PENNVAX, VGX, LifeTide, CELLECTRA, ChinaVax, among others, and are in the process of registering certain other of our trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. We also register certain trademarks, tradenames and service marks in countries outside of the United States. All other trademarks, tradenames and service marks included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus, are the property of their respective owners.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully review the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently believe are immaterial may also significantly impair our business operations.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those concerning the following:
| • | our expectations regarding our future operating results or financial performance; |
| • | our intentions, expectations and beliefs regarding anticipated growth, market penetration and trends in our business; |
| • | the timing and success of our regulatory submissions; |
| • | our ability to commercialize and achieve market acceptance of new products that we may develop; |
| • | our ability to successfully acquire and integrate VGX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and other businesses into our operations; |
| • | our ability to protect our intellectual property and operate our business without infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others; and |
| • | our estimates regarding the sufficiency of our cash resources. |
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “anticipates,” “believes”, “could”, “estimates”, “expects”, “intends”, “may”, “plans”, “potential”, “predicts”, “projects”, “should”, “will”, “would” as well as similar expressions. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events, are based on assumptions and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other important factors. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements include but are not
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limited to: our history of losses; our future capital needs; our ability to integrate our acquisition of VGX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; limited sources of revenue; the loss, or inability to secure, collaborators or partners; reliance on a small number of licensing partners and government contracts; fluctuations in quarterly operating results; our ability to obtain FDA approval of our electroporation systems and product candidates; the length and expense of clinical trials; delays in the commencement or completion of clinical trials; reliance on third parties to conduct clinical trials; the failure of our products to achieve broad acceptance; our failure to successfully compete; our failure to comply with government regulation; the loss of key members of our management team; our failure to protect our intellectual property; our exposure to intellectual property and product liability claims; changes in government policies and other risks, uncertainties and other important factors that we discuss in greater detail under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in our most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as any amendments thereto reflected in subsequent filings with the SEC. Given these risks, uncertainties and other important factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Also, these forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date such forward-looking statements are made. You should carefully read both this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, together with the information incorporated herein by reference as described under the heading “Where You Can Find Additional Information,” completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.
Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
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We may offer shares of our common stock and preferred stock, various series of debt securities and/or warrants to purchase any of such securities, either individually or in units, with a total value of up to $75,000,000 from time to time under this prospectus at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of any offering. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer a type or series of securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and other important terms of the securities, including, to the extent applicable:
| • | designation or classification; |
| • | aggregate principal amount or aggregate offering price; |
| • | maturity, if applicable; |
| • | original issue discount, if any; |
| • | rates and times of payment of interest or dividends, if any; |
| • | redemption, conversion, exercise, exchange or sinking fund terms, if any; |
| • | ranking; |
| • | restrictive covenants, if any; |
| • | voting or other rights, if any; |
| • | conversion prices, if any; and |
| • | important United States federal income tax considerations. |
The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in documents we have incorporated by reference. However, no prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will offer a security that is not registered and described in this prospectus at the time of the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO CONSUMMATE A SALE OF SECURITIES UNLESS IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.
We may sell the securities directly to investors or to or through agents, underwriters or dealers. We, and our agents or underwriters, reserve the right to accept or reject all or part of any proposed purchase of securities. If we do offer securities to or through agents or underwriters, we will include in the applicable prospectus supplement:
| • | the names of those agents or underwriters; |
| • | applicable fees, discounts and commissions to be paid to them; |
| • | details regarding over-allotment options, if any; and |
| • | the net proceeds to us. |
Common Stock. We may issue shares of our common stock from time to time. The holders of common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders and do not have cumulative voting rights. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding shares of
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preferred stock, the holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably only those dividends as may be declared by our board of directors out of legally available funds. Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of liabilities and the liquidation preferences of any outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Preferred Stock. We may issue shares of our preferred stock from time to time, in one or more series. Under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by stockholders, to designate up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications and restrictions granted to or imposed upon the preferred stock, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption, liquidation preference and sinking fund terms, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of the common stock.
If we sell any series of preferred stock under this prospectus, we will fix the designations, powers, preferences and rights of such series of preferred stock, as well as the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon, in the certificate of designation relating to that series. We will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of any certificate of designation that describes the terms of the series of preferred stock we are offering before the issuance of the related series of preferred stock. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement (and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) related to the series of preferred stock being offered, as well as the complete certificate of designation that contains the terms of the applicable series of preferred stock.
Debt Securities. We may issue debt securities from time to time, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. The senior debt securities will rank equally with any other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner described in the instrument governing the debt, to all of our senior indebtedness. Convertible debt securities will be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or our other securities. Conversion may be mandatory or at your option and would be at prescribed conversion rates.
The debt securities will be issued under one or more indentures, which are contracts between us and a national banking association or other eligible party, as trustee. In this prospectus, we have summarized certain general features of the debt securities. We urge you, however, to read the applicable prospectus supplement (and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) related to the series of debt securities being offered, as well as the complete indentures that contain the terms of the debt securities. Forms of indentures have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and supplemental indentures and forms of debt securities containing the terms of the debt securities being offered will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.
Warrants. We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities in one or more series. We may issue warrants independently or together with common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from these securities. In this prospectus, we have summarized certain general features of the warrants. We urge you, however, to read the applicable prospectus supplement (and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) related to the particular series of warrants being offered, as well as the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants. We will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, forms of the warrant agreements and forms of warrant certificates containing the terms of the warrants being offered.
We will evidence each series of warrants by warrant certificates that we will issue. Warrants may be issued under an applicable warrant agreement that we enter into with a warrant agent. We will indicate the name and address of the warrant agent, if applicable, in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of warrants being offered.
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Units. We may issue, in one or more series, units consisting of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and/or warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities in any combination. In this prospectus, we have summarized certain general features of the units. We urge you, however, to read the applicable prospectus supplement (and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) related to the series of units being offered, as well as the complete unit agreement that contains the terms of the units. We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of unit agreement and any supplemental agreements that describe the terms of the series of units we are offering before the issuance of the related series of units.
We will evidence each series of units by unit certificates that we will issue. Units may be issued under a unit agreement that we enter into with a unit agent. We will indicate the name and address of the unit agent, if applicable, in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of units being offered.
Except as described in any prospectus supplement or in any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you, we currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered hereby for research and development and general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to acquire or invest in businesses, products and technologies that are complementary to our own. Pending these uses, we expect to invest the net proceeds in short-term, investment-grade securities.
Our authorized capital stock consists of 300,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share. As of June 14, 2009, there were:
| • | 85,713,967 shares of common stock outstanding; and |
| • | 71 shares of Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock outstanding. |
The following summary description of our capital stock is based on the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law. This information is qualified entirely by reference to the applicable provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws and the Delaware General Corporation Law. For information on how to obtain copies of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, which are exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, see “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
Common Stock
The holders of Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders and do not have any cumulative voting rights. Any election at a meeting of stockholders is determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote at the election, and all other matters are generally determined by a majority of the votes cast on the matter. Holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive ratably such dividends, if any, as may be declared by the Company’s board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, after payment of all of the Company’s debts and liabilities, and subject to the preferential rights, if any, of any outstanding preferred stock, the holders of Common Stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets. The Common Stock has no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights, and there are no redemptive or sinking funds provisions applicable to the Common Stock. The Company has received full payment for all outstanding shares of Common Stock and cannot require its stockholders to make further payments on the stock.
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Preferred Stock
Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders (unless such stockholder action is required by applicable law or NYSE Amex rules), to designate and issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the designations, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each wholly unissued series, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon, and to increase or decrease the number of shares of any such series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding.
We will fix the designations, powers, preferences and rights of the preferred stock of each series, as well as the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon, in the certificate of designation relating to that series. We will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of any certificate of designation that describes the terms of the series of preferred stock we are offering before the issuance of that series of preferred stock. This description will include:
| • | the title and stated value; |
| • | the number of shares we are offering; |
| • | the liquidation preference per share; |
| • | the purchase price; |
| • | the dividend rate, period and payment date and method of calculation for dividends; |
| • | whether dividends will be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends will accumulate; |
| • | the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any; |
| • | the provisions for a sinking fund, if any; |
| • | the provisions for redemption or repurchase, if applicable, and any restrictions on our ability to exercise those redemption and repurchase rights; |
| • | any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange or market; |
| • | whether the preferred stock will be convertible into our common stock, and, if applicable, the conversion price, or how it will be calculated, and the conversion period; |
| • | whether the preferred stock will be exchangeable into debt securities, and, if applicable, the exchange price, or how it will be calculated, and the exchange period; |
| • | voting rights, if any, of the preferred stock; |
| • | preemptive rights, if any; |
| • | restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any; |
| • | whether interests in the preferred stock will be represented by depositary shares; |
| • | a discussion of any material United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the preferred stock; |
| • | the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs; |
| • | any limitations on the issuance of any class or series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the series of preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs; and |
| • | any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the preferred stock. |
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Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock. Preferred stock could be issued quickly with terms designed to delay or prevent a change in control of our company or make removal of management more difficult. Additionally, the issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of decreasing the market price of our common stock.
Stock Options and Warrants
As of June 11, 2009, there were 24,356,058 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our equity compensation plans, upon exercise of outstanding warrants or upon conversion of outstanding convertible subordinated promissory notes. Of this number, 13,317,080 shares were reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding options that were previously granted under our stock option plans, 275,504 shares were reserved for issuance upon exercise of options that may be granted in the future under our stock option plans, 0 shares were reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants and 4,788,100 shares were reserved for issuance upon conversion of outstanding convertible subordinated promissory notes.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Law and Certain Charter Provisions
Delaware Section 203. We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, the statute prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the date that the stockholder became an interested stockholder unless:
| • | prior to such date, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; |
| • | upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding, those shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers, and employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or |
| • | on or subsequent to such date, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
A “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale or other transaction resulting in financial benefit to the stockholder. An “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years prior, did own, 15% or more of a corporation’s outstanding voting stock.
Charter Provisions. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation includes the following provisions, among others:
| • | the authority of our board of directors to issue shares of undesignated preferred stock and to determine the rights, preferences and privileges of these shares, without stockholder approval; |
| • | all stockholder actions must be effected at a duly called meeting of stockholders and not by written consent; and |
| • | the elimination of cumulative voting. |
Indemnification. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws provide that we will indemnify officers and directors against losses as they incur in investigations and legal proceedings resulting from their services to us, which may include service in connection with takeover defense measures.
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These provisions may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in our control or management. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of our board of directors and in the policies they implement, and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened change of our control. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions also are intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our shares that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in our management.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare. Its address is 3rd Floor — 510 Burrard St., Vancouver, BC V6C 3B9, and its telephone number is (604) 661-0258. The transfer agent for any series of preferred stock that we may offer under this prospectus will be named and described in the prospectus supplement for that series.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
We may issue debt securities, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any debt securities offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. Unless the context requires otherwise, whenever we refer to the indentures, we also are referring to any supplemental indentures that specify the terms of a particular series of debt securities.
We will issue the senior debt securities under the senior indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the senior indenture. We will issue the subordinated debt securities under the subordinated indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the subordinated indenture. The indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. We use the term “debenture trustee” to refer to either the trustee under the senior indenture or the trustee under the subordinated indenture, as applicable. We have filed forms of indentures to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and supplemental indentures and forms of debt securities containing the terms of the debt securities being offered will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.
The following summaries of material provisions of the senior debt securities, the subordinated debt securities and the indentures are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements and any related free writing prospectuses related to the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as the complete indentures that contains the terms of the debt securities. Except as we may otherwise indicate, the terms of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are identical.
General
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of debt securities being offered, including:
| • | the title; |
| • | the principal amount being offered, and if a series, the total amount authorized and the total amount outstanding; |
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| • | any limit on the amount that may be issued; |
| • | whether or not we will issue the series of debt securities in global form, the terms and who the depositary will be; |
| • | the maturity date; |
| • | whether and under what circumstances, if any, we will pay additional amounts on any debt securities held by a person who is not a United States person for tax purposes, and whether we can redeem the debt securities if we have to pay such additional amounts; |
| • | the annual interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates; |
| • | whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt; |
| • | the terms of the subordination of any series of subordinated debt; |
| • | the place where payments will be payable; |
| • | restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any; |
| • | our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period; |
| • | the date, if any, after which, and the price at which, we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions and the terms of those redemption provisions; |
| • | the date, if any, on which, and the price at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the holder’s option to purchase, the series of debt securities and the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities are payable; |
| • | whether the indenture will restrict our ability and/or the ability of our subsidiaries to: |
| • | incur additional indebtedness; |
| • | issue additional securities; |
| • | create liens; |
| • | pay dividends and make distributions in respect of our capital stock and the capital stock of our subsidiaries; |
| • | redeem capital stock; |
| • | place restrictions on our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends, make distributions or transfer assets; |
| • | make investments or other restricted payments; |
| • | sell or otherwise dispose of assets; |
| • | enter into sale-leaseback transactions; |
| • | engage in transactions with stockholders and affiliates; |
| • | issue or sell stock of our subsidiaries; |
| • | effect a consolidation or merger; |
| • | whether the indenture will require us to maintain any interest coverage, fixed charge, cash flow-based, asset-based or other financial ratios; |
| • | a discussion of any material United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities; |
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| • | information describing any book-entry features; |
| • | provisions for a sinking fund purchase or other analogous fund, if any; |
| • | the applicability of the provisions in the indenture on discharge; |
| • | whether the debt securities are to be offered at a price such that they will be deemed to be offered at an “original issue discount” as defined in paragraph (a) of Section 1273 of the Internal Revenue Code; |
| • | the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof; |
| • | the currency of payment of debt securities if other than U.S. dollars and the manner of determining the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars; and |
| • | any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, including any additional events of default or covenants provided with respect to the debt securities, and any terms that may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations. |
Conversion or Exchange Rights
We will set forth in the prospectus supplement the terms on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or our other securities. We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of our common stock or our other securities that the holders of the series of debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.
Consolidation, Merger or Sale
Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the indentures will not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. However, any successor to or acquirer of such assets must assume all of our obligations under the indentures or the debt securities, as appropriate. If the debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for our other securities or securities of other entities, the person with whom we consolidate or merge or to whom we sell all of our property must make provisions for the conversion of the debt securities into securities that the holders of the debt securities would have received if they had converted the debt securities before the consolidation, merger or sale.
Events of Default Under the Indenture
Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the following are events of default under the indentures with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:
| • | if we fail to pay interest when due and payable and our failure continues for 90 days and the time for payment has not been extended or deferred; |
| • | if we fail to pay the principal, premium or sinking fund payment, if any, when due and payable and the time for payment has not been extended or delayed; |
| • | if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant contained in the debt securities or the indentures, other than a covenant specifically relating to another series of debt securities, and our failure continues for 90 days after we receive notice from the debenture trustee or holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series; and |
| • | if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur. |
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If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, other than an event of default specified in the last bullet point above, the debenture trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice to us in writing, and to the debenture trustee if notice is given by such holders, may declare the unpaid principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, due and payable immediately. If an event of default specified in the last bullet point above occurs with respect to us, the principal amount of and accrued interest, if any, of each issue of debt securities then outstanding shall be due and payable without any notice or other action on the part of the debenture trustee or any holder.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or event of default with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults or events of default regarding payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, unless we have cured the default or event of default in accordance with the indenture. Any waiver shall cure the default or event of default.
Subject to the terms of the indentures, if an event of default under an indenture shall occur and be continuing, the debenture trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the debenture trustee reasonable indemnity. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the debenture trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the debenture trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series, provided that:
| • | the direction so given by the holder is not in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and |
| • | subject to its duties under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the debenture trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding. |
A holder of the debt securities of any series will have the right to institute a proceeding under the indentures or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies only if:
| • | the holder has given written notice to the debenture trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to that series; |
| • | the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and such holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the debenture trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee; and |
| • | the debenture trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series other conflicting directions within 90 days after the notice, request and offer. |
These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities.
We will periodically file statements with the debenture trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the indentures.
Modification of Indenture; Waiver
We and the debenture trustee may change an indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to specific matters:
| • | to fix any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indenture; |
| • | to comply with the provisions described above under “Description of Debt Securities — Consolidation, Merger or Sale;” |
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| • | to comply with any requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of any indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939; |
| • | to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations, and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of debt securities, as set forth in the indenture; |
| • | to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of the debt securities of any series as provided under “Description of Debt Securities — General” to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of the indenture or any series of debt securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of any series of debt securities; |
| • | to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor trustee; |
| • | to provide for uncertificated debt securities in addition to or in place of certificated debt securities and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose; |
| • | to add to our covenants such new covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the protection of the holders, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and the continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an event of default; or |
| • | to change anything that does not materially adversely affect the interests of any holder of debt securities of any series. |
In addition, under the indentures, the rights of holders of a series of debt securities may be changed by us and the debenture trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series that is affected. However, unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we and the debenture trustee may make the following changes only with the consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities affected:
| • | extending the fixed maturity of the series of debt securities; |
| • | reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or reducing any premium payable upon the redemption of any debt securities; or |
| • | reducing the percentage of debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver. |
Discharge
Each indenture provides that we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except for specified obligations, including obligations to:
| • | register the transfer or exchange of debt securities of the series; |
| • | replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series; |
| • | maintain paying agencies; |
| • | hold monies for payment in trust; |
| • | recover excess money held by the debenture trustee; |
| • | compensate and indemnify the debenture trustee; and |
| • | appoint any successor trustee. |
In order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must deposit with the debenture trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, any premium, if any, and interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due.
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Form, Exchange and Transfer
We will issue the debt securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The indentures provide that we may issue debt securities of a series in temporary or permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company or another depositary named by us and identified in a prospectus supplement with respect to that series. See “Legal Ownership of Securities” for a further description of the terms relating to any book-entry securities.
At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holder of the debt securities of any series can exchange the debt securities for other debt securities of the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.
Subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the debt securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange, we will impose no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.
We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that we initially designate for any debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.
If we elect to redeem the debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:
| • | issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or |
| • | register the transfer of or exchange any debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt securities we are redeeming in part. |
Information Concerning the Debenture Trustee
The debenture trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under an indenture, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable indenture. Upon an event of default under an indenture, the debenture trustee must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this provision, the debenture trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given it by the indentures at the request of any holder of debt securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.
Payment and Paying Agents
Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of the interest on any debt securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest.
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We will pay principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities of a particular series at the office of the paying agents designated by us, except that unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make interest payments by check that we will mail to the holder or by wire transfer to certain holders. Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will designate the corporate trust office of the debenture trustee in the City of New York as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any other paying agents that we initially designate for the debt securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.
All money we pay to a paying agent or the debenture trustee for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt securities that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.
Governing Law
The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is applicable.
Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities
The subordinated debt securities will be unsecured and will be subordinate and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other indebtedness to the extent described in a prospectus supplement. The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of subordinated debt securities that we may issue, nor does it limit us from issuing any other secured or unsecured debt.
We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities in one or more series. We may issue warrants independently or together with common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from these securities. While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any warrants offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.
We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of warrant agreement, including a form of warrant certificate, that describes the terms of the particular series of warrants we are offering before the issuance of the related series of warrants. The following summaries of material provisions of the warrants and the warrant agreements are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the warrant agreement and warrant certificate applicable to the particular series of warrants that we may offer under this prospectus. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements related to the particular series of warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as any related free writing prospectuses, and the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants.
General
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants being offered, including:
| • | the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered; |
| • | the currency for which the warrants may be purchased; |
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| • | if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security; |
| • | if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable; |
| • | in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at, and currency in which, this principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise; |
| • | in the case of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock, as the case may be, purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise; |
| • | the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreements and the warrants; |
| • | the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants; |
| • | any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; |
| • | the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire; |
| • | the manner in which the warrant agreements and warrants may be modified; |
| • | a discussion of any material or special United States federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants; |
| • | the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; and |
| • | any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants. |
Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including:
| • | in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the right to receive payments of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities purchasable upon exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture; or |
| • | in the case of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the right to receive dividends, if any, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise voting rights, if any. |
Exercise of Warrants
Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the securities that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to the specified time on the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.
Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants by delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to be exercised together with specified information, and paying the required amount to the warrant agent in immediately available funds, as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will set forth on the reverse side of the warrant certificate and in the applicable prospectus supplement the information that the holder of the warrant will be required to deliver to the warrant agent.
Upon receipt of the required payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus
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supplement, we will issue and deliver the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, then we will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining amount of warrants. If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may surrender securities as all or part of the exercise price for warrants.
Governing Law
Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the warrants and warrant agreements will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants
Each warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, its warrants.
We may issue, in one more series, units consisting of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and/or warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities in any combination. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any units that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any series of units in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any units offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.
We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of unit agreement that describes the terms of the series of units we are offering, and any supplemental agreements, before the issuance of the related series of units. The following summaries of material terms and provisions of the units are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the unit agreement and any supplemental agreements applicable to a particular series of units. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements related to the particular series of units that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as any related free writing prospectuses and the complete unit agreement and any supplemental agreements that contain the terms of the units.
General
Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of units being offered, including:
| • | the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
| • | any provisions of the governing unit agreement that differ from those described below; and |
| • | any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units. |
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The provisions described in this section, as well as those described under “Description of Capital Stock,” “Description of Debt Securities” and “Description of Warrants” will apply to each unit and to any common stock, preferred stock, debt security or warrant included in each unit, respectively.
Issuance in Series
We may issue units in such amounts and in such numerous distinct series as we determine.
Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Units
Each unit agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable unit agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any unit. A single bank or trust company may act as unit agent for more than one series of units. A unit agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable unit agreement or unit, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a unit may, without the consent of the related unit agent or the holder of any other unit, enforce by appropriate legal action its rights as holder under any security included in the unit.
Title
We, and any unit agent and any of their agents, may treat the registered holder of any unit certificate as an absolute owner of the units evidenced by that certificate for any purpose and as the person entitled to exercise the rights attaching to the units so requested, despite any notice to the contrary. See “Legal Ownership of Securities” below.
We can issue securities in registered form or in the form of one or more global securities. We describe global securities in greater detail below. We refer to those persons who have securities registered in their own names on the books that we or any applicable trustee, depositary or warrant agent maintain for this purpose as the “holders” of those securities. These persons are the legal holders of the securities. We refer to those persons who, indirectly through others, own beneficial interests in securities that are not registered in their own names, as “indirect holders” of those securities. As we discuss below, indirect holders are not legal holders, and investors in securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be indirect holders.
Book-Entry Holders
We may issue securities in book-entry form only, as we will specify in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means securities may be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a financial institution that holds them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, which are referred to as participants, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.
Only the person in whose name a security is registered is recognized as the holder of that security. Securities issued in global form will be registered in the name of the depositary or its participants. Consequently, for securities issued in global form, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the securities, and we will make all payments on the securities to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.
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As a result, investors in a book-entry security will not own securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the securities.
Street Name Holders
We may terminate a global security or issue securities in non-global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their securities in their own names or in “street name.” Securities held by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest in those securities through an account he or she maintains at that institution.
For securities held in street name, we will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the securities are registered as the holders of those securities, and we will make all payments on those securities to them. These institutions pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold securities in street name will be indirect holders, not holders, of those securities.
Legal Holders
Our obligations, as well as the obligations of any applicable trustee and of any third parties employed by us or a trustee, run only to the legal holders of the securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a security or has no choice because we are issuing the securities only in global form.
For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, we may want to obtain the approval of the holders to amend an indenture, to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of the indenture or for other purposes. In such an event, we would seek approval only from the holders, and not the indirect holders, of the securities. Whether and how the holders contact the indirect holders is up to the holders.
Special Considerations For Indirect Holders
If you hold securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:
| • | how it handles securities payments and notices; |
| • | whether it imposes fees or charges; |
| • | how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required; |
| • | whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future; |
| • | how it would exercise rights under the securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and |
| • | if the securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters. |
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Global Securities
A global security is a security that represents one or any other number of individual securities held by a depositary. Generally, all securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms.
Each security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, will be the depositary for all securities issued in book-entry form.
A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary, its nominee or a successor depositary, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated.” As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.
If the prospectus supplement for a particular security indicates that the security will be issued in global form only, then the security will be represented by a global security at all times unless and until the global security is terminated. If termination occurs, we may issue the securities through another book-entry clearing system or decide that the securities may no longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.
Special Considerations For Global Securities
The rights of an indirect holder relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not recognize an indirect holder as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.
If securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:
| • | an investor cannot cause the securities to be registered in his or her name, and cannot obtain non-global certificates for his or her interest in the securities, except in the special situations we describe below; |
| • | an investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the securities, as we describe above; |
| • | an investor may not be able to sell interests in the securities to some insurance companies and to other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form; |
| • | an investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a global security in circumstances where certificates representing the securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective; |
| • | the depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in a global security; |
| • | we and any applicable trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in a global security, nor do we or any applicable trustee supervise the depositary in any way; |
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| • | the depositary may, and we understand that DTC will, require that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security within its book-entry system use immediately available funds, and your broker or bank may require you to do so as well; and |
| • | financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in a global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the securities. |
There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of those intermediaries.
Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated
In a few special situations described below, the global security will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing those interests. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in securities transferred to their own name, so that they will be direct holders. We have described the rights of holders and street name investors above.
Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the global security will terminate when the following special situations occur:
| • | if the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global security and we do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within 90 days; |
| • | if we notify any applicable trustee that we wish to terminate that global security; or |
| • | if an event of default has occurred with regard to securities represented by that global security and has not been cured or waived. |
The prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of securities covered by the applicable prospectus supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary, and not we or any applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.
We may sell the securities from time to time pursuant to underwritten public offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades or a combination of these methods. We may sell the securities to or through underwriters or dealers, through agents, or directly to one or more purchasers. We may distribute securities from time to time in one or more transactions:
| • | at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed; |
| • | at market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
| • | at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or |
| • | at negotiated prices. |
A prospectus supplement or supplements will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including:
| • | the name or names of the underwriters, if any; |
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| • | the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds we will receive from the sale; |
| • | any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us; |
| • | any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation; |
| • | any public offering price; |
| • | any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and |
| • | any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed. |
Only underwriters named in the prospectus supplement will be underwriters of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement.
If underwriters are used in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account and may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement. We may offer the securities to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or by underwriters without a syndicate. Subject to certain conditions, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement, other than securities covered by any over-allotment option. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may change from time to time. We may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe in the prospectus supplement, naming the underwriter, the nature of any such relationship.
We may sell securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of securities and we will describe any commissions we will pay the agent in the prospectus supplement. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, our agent will act on a best-efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
We may authorize agents or underwriters to solicit offers by certain types of institutional investors to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. We will describe the conditions to these contracts and the commissions we must pay for solicitation of these contracts in the prospectus supplement.
We may provide agents and underwriters with indemnification against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the agents or underwriters may make with respect to these liabilities. Agents and underwriters may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.
All securities we may offer, other than common stock, will be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters may make a market in these securities, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot guarantee the liquidity of the trading markets for any securities.
Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum price. Syndicate-covering or other short-covering transactions involve purchases of the securities, either through exercise of the over-allotment option or in the open market after the distribution is completed, to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are
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purchased in a stabilizing or covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.
Any underwriters that are qualified market makers on the NYSE Amex may engage in passive market making transactions in the common stock on the NYSE Amex in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the common stock. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
In compliance with guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, the maximum consideration or discount to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker dealer may not exceed 8% of the aggregate amount of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.
The validity of the securities being offered by this prospectus will be passed upon by Morrison & Foerster LLP, San Diego, California.
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the public reference room. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including Inovio Biomedical Corporation. The SEC’s Internet site can be found at www.sec.gov.
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document that we have filed separately with the SEC. You should read the information incorporated by reference because it is an important part of this prospectus. We incorporate by reference the following information or documents that we have filed with the SEC (Commission File No. 001-14888):
| • | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2009; |
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| • | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2009 filed with the SEC on May 14, 2009; |
| • | our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 6, 2009, March 26, 2009, March 31, 2009, April 8, 2009, May 1, 2009, May 18, 2009 and June 2, 2009 (as amended by a Form 8-K/A filed on June 16, 2009); and |
| • | the description of our capital stock contained in our registration statement filed under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, as modified by our Current Report on Form 8-K filed June 18, 2009. |
Any information in any of the foregoing documents will automatically be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that information in this prospectus or in a later filed document that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference modifies or replaces such information.
We also incorporate by reference any future filings (other than current reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits filed on such form that are related to such items) made with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, until we file a post-effective amendment that indicates the termination of the offering of the securities made by this prospectus. Information in such future filings updates and supplements the information provided in this prospectus. Any statements in any such future filings will automatically be deemed to modify and supersede any information in any document we previously filed with the SEC that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference to the extent that statements in the later filed document modify or replace such earlier statements.
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, without charge upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus but not delivered with the prospectus, including exhibits which are specifically incorporated by reference into such documents. Requests should be directed to: Inovio Biomedical Corporation, Attention: Investor Relations, 11494 Sorrento Valley Road, San Diego, California, 92121, telephone (858) 597-6006.
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$25,000,000
Common Stock
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
Roth Capital Partners
August 27, 2010