Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On September 15, 2009, we entered into a Committed Equity Financing Facility
("CEFF") with Kingsbridge Capital Limited ("Kingsbridge") pursuant to which
Kingsbridge has committed to provide up to $75 million of capital during the
next three years through the purchase of newly-issued shares of our common
stock. The component documents of the CEFF include a Common Stock Purchase
Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") and a Registration Rights Agreement (the
"Rights Agreement"). The funds that can be raised under the CEFF over the
three-year term will depend on the price of our common stock at the time of each
draw down and the number of shares actually sold by us to Kingsbridge, which may
not exceed an aggregate of 7,814,064 shares. We may access capital under the
CEFF by making draw downs up to a maximum of the lesser of (i) $15 million and
(ii) the greater of (x) 1.75% of our market capitalization as of the date of
delivery of the draw down notice once per calendar quarter and up to 1.25% of
our market capitalization as of the date of delivery of the draw down notice for
any additional draw downs during such calendar quarter and (y) the lesser of
(a) 2.75% of our market capitalization as of the date of delivery of the draw
down notice and (b) a number of shares determined by a formula based in part on
the average trading volume and trading price of our common stock prior to the
delivery of the draw down notice issued by us with respect to that draw down
pricing period, subject to certain conditions, including a minimum share price
threshold of $1.00. Kingsbridge may purchase shares of common stock pursuant to
the CEFF at discounts ranging from 5 to 10 percent, depending on the average
market price of our common stock during the applicable pricing period for a draw
down. During the term of the CEFF, without the prior written consent of
Kingsbridge, we may not issue securities that are, or may become, convertible or
exchangeable into shares of common stock where the purchase, conversion or
exchange price for that common stock is determined using any floating discount
or other post-issuance adjustable discount to the market price of the common
stock, including pursuant to an equity line financing that is substantially
similar to the arrangement provided for in the CEFF. We are not obligated to
utilize any of the funds available under the CEFF and there are no minimum
commitments or minimum use penalties. We have not sold any shares of common
stock to Kingsbridge under the CEFF at this point.
Under the terms of the Rights Agreement, we have agreed to file, within 60 days
of September 15, 2009, a registration statement with the SEC to register for
resale the 7,814,064 shares issuable pursuant to the CEFF, which registration
statement is to be effective within 180 days of September 15, 2009. We are
entitled, in certain circumstances, to deliver a "blackout" notice to
Kingsbridge to suspend the use of the prospectus covering the shares of common
stock that may be issued in connection with the CEFF and prohibit Kingsbridge
from selling shares under that prospectus for a period of not more than 30 days.
If we deliver a blackout notice in the 15 trading days following the settlement
of a draw down, or if the registration statement covering the resale of the
shares of common stock to be issued in connection with the CEFF is not effective
in circumstances not permitted by the Rights Agreement, then we must make a
payment to Kingsbridge, or issue Kingsbridge additional shares in lieu of this
payment, calculated on the basis of a varying percentage of an amount based on
the number of shares held by Kingsbridge that were purchased pursuant to such
draw down and the change in the market price of our common stock between the
date the blackout notice is delivered (or the registration statement is not
effective) and the date the prospectus again becomes available.
We relied on the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(2) of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 506 of Regulation D thereunder, in
connection with obtaining Kingsbridge's commitment under the CEFF.
The foregoing is a summary of the terms of the Rights Agreement and the Purchase
Agreement and does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to the full text of such documents, which are attached to this
Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2, respectively, and are
incorporated by reference herein.
On September 15, 2009, we also issued a press release announcing the entering
into of the CEFF. A copy of the press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this
Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 3.02. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.
The information under Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K regarding the
CEFF is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Number Description
10.1 Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of September 15, 2009, by and
between Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. and Kingsbridge Capital Limited.
10.2 Common Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 15, 2009, by
and between Kingsbridge Capital Limited and Neurocrine Biosciences,
Inc.
99.1 Press release of Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., dated September 15,
2009.
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