EX-1.1 2 d33957dex11.htm EX-1.1 EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

Gracell Biotechnologies Inc.

[●] Ordinary Shares ($0.0001 par value per share)

Each represented by American Depositary Shares

Underwriting Agreement

New York, New York

[insert date], 2021

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Jefferies LLC

Piper Sandler & Co.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters,

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

c/o Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

c/o Piper Sandler & Co.

800 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

500 West 33rd Street

New York, NY 10001

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Gracell Biotechnologies Inc., an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of Cayman Islands (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives, an aggregate of [●] American depository share (the “ADSs”, and each an “ADS”), each representing [●] ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value per share (“Ordinary Shares”) of the Company (said ADSs to be sold by the Company are hereinafter referred to as the “Underwritten ADSs”). The Company also proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to [●] additional ADSs solely to cover over-allotments, if any (the “Option ADSs”, together with the Underwritten ADSs, are hereinafter referred to as the “Offered ADSs”). The Ordinary Shares represented by the Underwritten ADSs are hereinafter referred to as the “Underwritten Shares,” together with the Underwritten ADSs, the “Underwritten Securities.” The Ordinary Shares represented by the Option ADSs are hereinafter referred to as the “Option Shares,” together with the Option ADSs, the “Option Securities.” The Underwritten Shares and Option Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Underlying Shares.” The Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Securities.”


The Representatives have also advised the Company that the Underwriters have elected to cause the Company to deposit on their behalf all of the Underlying Shares to be purchased by them hereunder pursuant to a deposit agreement, dated as of [●] 2021 (the “Deposit Agreement”), to be entered into among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary (the “Depositary”), and all holders from time to time of the ADSs (as hereinafter defined). Upon deposit of any Underlying Shares, the Depositary will issue ADSs representing the Ordinary Shares so deposited. The ADSs will be evidenced by American Depositary Receipts (the “ADRs”). Each ADR may represent any number of ADSs.

To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule I other than you, the term Representatives as used in this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”) shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires. The use of the neuter in this Agreement shall include the feminine and masculine wherever appropriate.

As used in this Agreement, the “Registration Statement” means the registration statement referred to in Section 1(a) hereof, including the exhibits, schedules and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or the “Commission”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act”) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act (“Rule 430A”), as amended at the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto (the “Execution Time”), and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”) becomes effective prior to the Closing Date (as defined in Section 3 hereof), shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be; the “Effective Date” means each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or becomes effective; the “Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary prospectus with respect to the offering of the Securities included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date that omits information with respect to the Securities and the offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A (“Rule 430A Information”); and the “Prospectus” means the prospectus relating to the Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (“Rule 424(b)”) after the Execution Time.

 

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As used in this Agreement, the “Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Preliminary Prospectus dated [●] 2021, as generally distributed to investors and used to offer the Securities (ii) any issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act (“Rule 433” and, any such issuer free writing prospectus, an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”), identified in Schedule III hereto, and (iii) any other free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (“Rule 405” and, any such free writing prospectus, a “Free Writing Prospectus”), that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.

1.    Representations and Warranties.

(i)    The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section 1.

(a)    The Company has prepared and filed with the SEC a registration statement (file number 333-251494) on Form F-1, including a related preliminary prospectus, for the registration of the offering and sale of the Securities under the Securities Act. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, has become effective. The Company may have filed one or more amendments thereto, including a related preliminary prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will file with the SEC a final prospectus relating to the Securities in accordance with Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time. As filed, such final prospectus shall contain all information with respect to the Underlying Shares and the offering thereof in the form of ADS required by the Securities Act and the rules thereunder and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the latest Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein.

(b)    On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Prospectus are first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined in this Agreement) and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “Settlement Date”), the Prospectus (and any supplements thereto) will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the rules thereunder; on the Effective Date, at the Execution Time and on the Closing Date, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any Settlement Date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

 

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(c)    The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement (file number [●]) on Form F-6 for the registration under the Securities Act of the offering and sale of the ADSs (such registration statement on Form F-6, including all exhibits thereto, as amended at the time such registration statement becomes effective which shall have been previously furnished to you, being hereafter referred to as the “ADR Registration Statement”). Such ADR Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness did comply and on the Closing Date, will comply, in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the rules thereunder and at the time of its Effective Date and at the Execution Time, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading.

(d)    Upon issuance by the Depositary of ADSs evidenced by ADRs against deposit of the Shares in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement, such ADRs will be duly and validly issued and persons in whose names the ADRs are registered will be entitled to the rights specified in the ADRs and in the Deposit Agreement; and upon the sale and delivery to the Underwriters of the Securities, and payment therefor, pursuant to this Agreement, the Underwriters will acquire good, marketable and valid title to such Securities, free and clear of all pledges, liens, security interests, charges, claims or encumbrances of any kind.

(e)    No stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties and no capital gains, income, withholding or other taxes are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters in connection with (A) the issuance of the Ordinary Shares represented by the ADSs and the delivery of the ADSs to the Underwriters in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, (B) the deposit with the Depositary of the Ordinary Shares against issuance of the ADSs evidencing the ADSs or (C) the sale and delivery by the Underwriters of the Shares or the ADSs, as the case may be, as contemplated herein, except that Cayman Islands stamp duty may be payable in the Cayman Islands if the original of any document is executed in or brought to the Cayman Islands or produced before a court of the Cayman Islands.

(f)    Except as described in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all dividends and other distributions declared and payable on the Ordinary Shares may under current Cayman Islands law and regulations be paid to the Depositary and to the holders of Securities, as the case may be, in United State dollars and may be converted into other currencies that may be transferred out of Cayman Islands in accordance with the Deposit Agreement.

 

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(g)     (i) The Disclosure Package and the price to the public, the number of Underwritten Securities and the number of Option Securities to be included on the cover page of the Prospectus, when taken together as a whole, (ii) each electronic road show, when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package and the price to the public, the number of Underwritten Securities and the number of Option Securities to be included on the cover page of the Prospectus, and (iii) any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as defined below), when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package and the price to the public, the number of Underwritten Securities and the number of Option Securities to be included on the cover page of the Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

(h)    (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of any determination by the SEC pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

(i)    From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the SEC (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any Person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the Execution Time, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act.

(j)    The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act, and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule [III] hereto.

(k)    Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any document incorporated by reference therein that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

 

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(l)    Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been (i) duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (ii) is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and (iii) is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below).

(m)    All the outstanding shares of capital stock of each subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable except that the registered capital of each PRC subsidiaries of the Company is paid in accordance with its articles of association, and, except as otherwise set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the subsidiaries are owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any perfected security interest or any other security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances.

(n)    There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, ADR Registration Statement or Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required (and the Preliminary Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the foregoing matters contained in the Prospectus); and the statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the headings “Taxation,” “Regulation,” “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property,” “Business—Intellectual Property” and “Business—Legal Proceedings” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings.

(o)    Each of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(p)    The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(q)    No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein or in the Deposit Agreement, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and such as may be required under the listing rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, applicable rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., the applicable foreign securities laws and regulations, blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

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(r)    Neither the issue and sale of the Securities nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or of the Deposit Agreement will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the memorandum and articles of association of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties, except in the case of (ii) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below).

(s)    No holders of securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such securities under the Registration Statement.

(t)    The consolidated historical financial statements and schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein); The selected financial data set forth under the caption “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and Registration Statement fairly present, on the basis stated in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement, the information included therein.

(u)    No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

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(v)    Each of the Company and each of its subsidiaries owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted.

(w)    Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is in violation or default of (i) any provision of its memorandum and articles of association, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, except in the case of (ii) and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(x)    PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder.

(y)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries has timely filed all tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto)) and has timely paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been made in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). Except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, none of the Company or its subsidiaries has any knowledge of any tax deficiency which might be assessed against it. All governmental tax waivers from national and local governments of the PRC and other local and national PRC tax relief, concession and preferential treatment or obtained by the Company or its subsidiaries are valid, binding and enforceable.

(z)    No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened or imminent that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

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(aa)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as the Company reasonably believes are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no material claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

(bb)    No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

(cc)    The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by all applicable authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

(dd)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls that will be in compliance with the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) and sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “Prospectus Summary––Summary Risk Factors,” “Risk Factors––Risks Related to this Offering, Our Securities and Our Shares as a Public Company,” “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations––Internal Control Over Financial Reporting,” the Company and its subsidiaries’ internal controls over financial reporting are effective and the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any material weakness in their internal controls over financial reporting.

 

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(ee)    The Company and its subsidiaries maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms.

(ff)    The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(gg)    The Company and its subsidiaries are (i) in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under any environmental law, except in each case where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of the subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.

(hh)    In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

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(ii)    There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 relating to loans and Sections 302 and 906 relating to certifications, that are then in effect and with which the Company is required to comply as of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

(jj)    Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that could result in a violation or a sanction for violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, each as may be amended, or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction, or the rules or regulations thereunder; and the Company and its subsidiaries have instituted and maintain policies and procedures to ensure compliance therewith. No part of the proceeds of the offering will be used, directly or indirectly, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, each as may be amended, or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction, or the rules or regulations thereunder.

(kk)    The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements and the money laundering statutes and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(ll)    Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (i) is, or is controlled or 50% or more owned in the aggregate by or is acting on behalf of, one or more individuals or entities that are currently the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States (including any administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State or the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, a member state of the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions” and such persons, “Sanctioned Persons” and each such person, a “Sanctioned Person”), (ii) is located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (collectively, “Sanctioned Countries” and each, a “Sanctioned Country”), or (iii) will, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other individual or entity in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by, or could result in the imposition of Sanctions against, any individual or entity (including any individual or entity participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

 

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(mm)    Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has engaged in any dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country, in the preceding 3 years, nor does the Company or any of its subsidiaries have any plans to engage in dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country.

(nn)    The subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement are the only significant subsidiaries of the Company as defined by Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

(oo)    The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess, license or have other rights to use, on reasonable terms, all patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of the Company’s business as now conducted or, to the Company’s knowledge, necessary for the Company’s business to be conducted as proposed in the Disclosure Package and Prospectus. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Business—Intellectual Property” and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Intellectual Properties,” (a) to the Company’s knowledge, there are no rights of third parties to any such Intellectual Property, (b) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no infringement by third parties of any such Intellectual Property, (c) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s rights in or to any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, (d) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, (e) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any other fact which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, (f) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no valid and enforceable U.S. patent or published U.S. patent application which contains claims that dominate or may dominate any Intellectual Property described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being owned by or licensed to the Company or that interferes with the issued or pending claims of any such Intellectual Property, and (g) there is no prior art of which the Company is aware that may render any U.S. patent held by the Company invalid or any U.S. patent application held by the Company un-patentable which has not been disclosed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

 

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(pp)    Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of the Representatives and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of the Representatives.

(qq)    Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of its or their properties or assets has any immunity from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution or otherwise) under the laws of the State of New York.

(rr)    The Company has operated at all times and is currently in compliance in all material respects with all applicable statutes, rules, regulations and policies of applicable regulatory authorities, including but are not limited to the National Medical Product Administration of the People’s Republic of China (collectively, the “Regulatory Authorities”) and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign health care laws, including, without limitation:

(i)    the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder;

(ii)    the Public Health Service Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder;

(iii)    the Orphan Drug Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder;

(iv)    the PRC Drug Administration Law and the regulations promulgated thereunder;

(v)    the U.S. Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a7b(b)), the Civil Monetary Penalties Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a7a), the U.S. Civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. Section 3729 et seq.), all applicable federal, state, local and all foreign criminal laws relating to health care fraud and abuse, including but not limited to the U.S. False Statements Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(a)), 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287, and the health care fraud criminal provisions under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), the exclusions law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7), the statutes and regulations of applicable government funded or sponsored healthcare programs, and the regulations promulgated pursuant to such statutes;

(vi)    the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information, the Security Standards, and the Standards for Electronic Transactions and Code Sets promulgated under HIPAA, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.), and the regulations promulgated thereunder and any state or non-U.S. counterpart thereof;

 

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(vii)    the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, and the regulations promulgated thereunder;

(viii)    all other local, state, federal, national, supranational and foreign laws, relating to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product under development, manufactured or distributed by the Company; (clauses (i) through (viii), collectively, “Health Care Laws”).

(ss)    (i) The Company has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Health Care Laws, and, all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were timely, complete, accurate and not misleading on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission), except as would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any court or arbitrator or Regulatory Authority, other governmental entity or third party alleging that any Company or product operation or activity is in violation of any Health Care Laws, including, without limitation, notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from any applicable Regulatory Authority or governmental entity, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is any such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action threatened, (iii) the Company is not a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any Regulatory Authority or other governmental entity, and (iv) none of the Company, its officers and directors, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its employees has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S. federal health care program or human clinical research or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to an inquiry, investigation, proceeding or other similar action by a Regulatory Authority or other governmental entity that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.

(tt)     (i) The studies, tests and preclinical and clinical trials participated or conducted by the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, on behalf of or sponsored by the Company, were, and if still pending are, being conducted in all material respects in accordance with applicable standard medical and experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to accepted professional scientific research standards and procedures, and all applicable Health Care Laws, the rules and regulations of the Regulatory Authorities and current Good Clinical Practices and Good Laboratory Practices, (ii) the descriptions of the results of such studies and trials contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are accurate in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such trials and studies, (iii) the Company has no knowledge of any other studies or trials not described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the results of which call into question the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and (iv) the Company has not received any written notices, correspondence or other communications from any Regulatory Authority or any other governmental entity alleging or asserting material noncompliance with any applicable Health Care Law or requiring or threatening the termination, modification or suspension of any studies or trials that are described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and, to the Company’s knowledge, there are no reasonable grounds for the same.

 

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(uu)    The Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications and databases (“IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform appropriately as required in connection with, the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, free and clear of all bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have taken all technical and organizational measures necessary to protect the IT Systems and Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company and its subsidiaries have used reasonable efforts to establish, maintain, implement, and comply with, reasonable information technology, information security, cyber security and data protection controls, policies and procedures, that are designed to protect against and prevent breach, destruction, loss, unauthorized distribution, use, access, disablement, misappropriation or modification, or other compromise or misuse of any IT Systems or Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses (“Breach”). To its knowledge, the Company has not experienced any such Breach, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any such Breach.

(vv)    (i) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have complied and are presently in compliance in all material respects with all internal and external Company privacy policies, contractual obligations, applicable laws, statutes, judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory authority and any other legal obligations, in each case, relating to the collection, use, transfer, import, export, storage, protection, disposal and disclosure by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Data Security Obligations”, and such data, “Data”), (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notification of or complaint regarding and is unaware of any other facts that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably indicate non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation and (iii) there is no action, suit, investigation or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body pending or threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries alleging non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation.

 

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Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

2.    Purchase and Sale.

(a)    Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $[●] per ADS, the amount of the Underwritten ADSs set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto.

(b)    Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [●] Option ADSs at the same purchase price per share as the Underwriters shall pay for the Underwritten ADSs, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten ADSs but not payable on the Option ADSs. Said option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Underwritten ADSs by the Underwriters. Said option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before the 30th day after the date of the Prospectus upon written or telegraphic notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the number of shares of the Option ADSs as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the Settlement Date. The maximum number of Option ADSs to be sold by the Company is [●]. In the event that the Underwriters exercise less than their full option to purchase Option ADSs, the number of Option ADSs to be sold by the Company shall be, as nearly as practicable, in the same proportion to each other as are the maximum number of Option ADSs to be sold by the Company and the number of Option ADSs listed opposite their names on Schedule II. The number of Option ADSs to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total number of ADSs of the Option ADSs to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten ADSs, subject to such adjustments as you in your absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any fractional shares.

3.    Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Underwritten ADSs and the Option ADSs (if the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof shall have been exercised on or before the third Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date) shall be made at 10:00 AM, New York City time, on [insert closing date], 2021, or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement among the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being called in this Agreement the “Closing Date”). As used herein, “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City. Delivery of the ADSs shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the respective aggregate purchase prices of the ADSs being sold by the Company to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to the accounts specified by the Company. Delivery of the Underwritten ADSs and the Option ADSs shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

 

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If the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof is exercised after the third Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date, the Company will deliver (at the expense of the Company) to the Representatives, at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, on the date specified by the Representatives (which shall be within three Business Days after exercise of said option), certificates for the Option ADSs in such names and denominations as the Representatives shall have requested for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to the account specified by the Company. If settlement for the Option ADSs occurs after the Closing Date, the Company will deliver to the Representatives on the Settlement Date for the Option ADSs, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the Option ADSs shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions, certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6 hereof.

The ADR certificates evidencing the Underwritten ADSs and Option ADSs shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives may request not less than one full business day prior to the applicable Closing Date.

4.     Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Prospectus.

5.    Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(a)    Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or the ADR Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object. The Company will cause the Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representatives with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (i) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or the ADR Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission, (ii) when, prior to termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement or the ADR Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, the ADR Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the ADR Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to their use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or the ADR Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.

 

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(b)    If, at any time prior to the filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented, (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to correct such statement or omission, and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

(c)    If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act (“Rule 172”)), any event occurs as a result of which either of the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement either of the Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or the rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representatives of any such event, (ii) prepare and file with the SEC, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (i)(a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, and (iii) supply any supplemented Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

(d)    As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act, provided that the Company will be deemed to have furnished such statements to its security holders and the Representatives to the extent such statements are filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system.

(e)    Upon request, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement and the ADR Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement and the ADR Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172) by the Securities Act, as many copies of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering.

 

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(f)    The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

(g)    The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company) directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the SEC in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any Ordinary Shares or ADSs or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Ordinary Shares or ADSs; or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 180 days after the date of this Agreement (the “Restricted Period”), provided, however, that the Company may (i) issue and sell Ordinary Shares or ADSs or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Ordinary Shares or ADSs pursuant to any employee stock option plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the Execution Time, (ii) issue Ordinary Shares issuable upon the conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants outstanding at the Execution Time, (iii) file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 relating to stock options or employee benefit plans of the Company described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (iv) facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a shareholder, officer or director of the Company pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Ordinary Shares or ADSs, provided that (A) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Ordinary Shares or ADSs during the Restricted Period and (B) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Ordinary Shares or ADSs may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period, (v) offer, issue and sell Ordinary Shares or ADSs, or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Ordinary Shares or ADSs, in connection with any merger, acquisition or strategic investment (including any joint ventures, strategic alliance, partnerships, the acquisition or license of the business, property, technology or other assets of another individual or entity, or the assumption of an employee benefit plan in connection with such a merger or acquisition), or (vi) offer, issue and sell Ordinary Shares or ADSs, or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Ordinary Shares or ADSs, on an arm’s length basis to any unaffiliated collaborators, manufacturers, distributors, or any other similar parties pursuant to a collaboration, licensing agreement, strategic alliance, manufacturing or distribution agreement or similar transaction, provided that (x) the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares or ADSs, or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Ordinary Shares or ADSs (on an as-converted, as-exercised or as-exchanged basis) that the Company may issue or agree to issue pursuant to clause (v) and (vi) shall not exceed 7.5% of the total outstanding Ordinary Shares or ADSs immediately following the completion of the Offering, and (y) the recipients of such securities shall provide to the Representatives a signed lock-up letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

 

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(h)    If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up letter described in Section 6(s) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto through a major news service at least two Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

(i)    The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Ordinary Shares or the ADSs.

(j)    The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the ADR Registration Statement, and each amendment or supplement to any of them, (ii) the preparation of the Deposit Agreement, the deposit of the Shares under the Deposit Agreement, the issuance thereunder of ADSs representing such deposited Shares, the issuance of ADRs evidencing such ADSs and the fees of the Depositary, (iii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the ADR Registration Statement, and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities, (iv) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Securities, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities, (v) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities, (vi) the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq Global Market, (vii) any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification), (viii) any filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings), (ix) the transportation and other expenses incurred by the Company or representatives of the Company in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities, (x) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company, and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, provide that the amount payable by the Company with respect to fees and disbursement of counsel for the Underwriters incurred pursuant to subsections (vii) and (viii) of this Section 5(j) shall not exceed US$35,000 in the aggregate. It is understood, that save for this Section 5 and Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement, the Underwriters shall be responsible for all of their costs and expenses, including out-of-pocket expenses and any other costs and expenses incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, including those relating to any investor presentations, Testing The Waters Communications or “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities.

 

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(k)    The Company agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees with the Company that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, in each case such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a Free Writing Prospectus required to be filed by the Company with the SEC or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule II hereto and any electronic road show. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives or the Company is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (y) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rule 164 under the Securities Act (“Rule 164”) and Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the SEC, legending and record keeping.

(l)    The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (a) completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the Securities Act and (b) completion of the 180-day restricted period referred to in Section 5(g) hereof.

(m)    If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any event occurs as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that use of the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication may cease until it is amended or supplemented, (ii) amend or supplement the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to correct such statement or omission, and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Representatives in such quantities as may be reasonably requested.

 

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(n)    The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters against any stamp, transaction, issuance, registration, value-added, documentary, transfer tax or other similar taxes or governmental charges, including any interest or penalties thereon, on the creation, issue, sale, resale and delivery of the Ordinary Shares or Securities to or by the Underwriters and the execution, delivery, performance and enforcement of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement. All payments to be made by the Company hereunder shall be made without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes, duties or governmental charges whatsoever unless the Company is compelled by law to deduct or withhold such taxes, duties or charges. In that event, the Company shall pay such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the net amounts received after such withholding or deduction shall equal the amounts that would have been received if no withholding or deduction had been made.

6.    Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwritten ADSs and the Option ADSs, as the case may be, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained in this Agreement as of the Execution Time, the Closing Date and any Settlement Date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement and to the following additional conditions:

(a)    The Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) shall have been filed with the SEC within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the ADR Registration Statement or any notice objecting to their use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.

(b)    The Company shall have requested and caused Cooley LLP, U.S. counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives, the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, its opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives.

(c)    The Company shall have requested and caused CYL & Partners in Association with Cooley HK, Hong Kong counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives, in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, its opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives.

 

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(d)    The Company shall have requested and caused AllBright Law Offices, PRC counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives, in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, its opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives.

(e)    The Company shall have requested and caused Harney Westwood & Riegels, Cayman Islands counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives, in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, its opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives.

(f)    The Company shall have requested and caused Harney Westwood & Riegels, British Virgin Island counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives, in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, its opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives.

(g)    The Company shall have requested and caused Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, U.S. intellectual property counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives, in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, its opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives.

(h)    The Company shall have requested and caused AllBright Law Offices, PRC intellectual property counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives, in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, its opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives.

(i)    The Depositary shall have requested and caused Emmet, Marvin & Martin, LLP, counsel for the Depositary, to have furnished to the Representatives in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, its opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives.

(j)    The Representatives shall have received from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and Zhong Lun Law Firm, counsels for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Registration Statement, the ADR Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(k)    The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board or the President and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the ADR Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as well as each electronic road show used in connection with the offering of the Securities, and this Agreement and that:

 

23


(i)    the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

(ii)    no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the ADR Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to their use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and

(iii)    since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

(l)    The Company shall have requested and caused PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian LLP to have furnished to the Representatives, at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that they are independent accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and contain statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letters delivered on the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three days prior to the date of this Agreement or such Closing Date, as the case may be. References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (l) include any supplement thereto at the date of the letter.

(m)    Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Prospectus (exclusive of supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (l) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

24


(n)    The Company and the Depositary shall have executed and delivered the Deposit Agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and the Deposit Agreement shall be in full force and effect.

(o)    The Depositary shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representatives certificates satisfactory to the Representatives evidencing the deposit with the Custodian of the Shares in respect of which ADSs to be purchased by the Underwriters on such Closing Date are to be issued, and the execution, issuance, countersignature (if applicable) and delivery of the ADRs evidencing such ADSs pursuant to the Deposit Agreement and such other matters related thereto as the Representatives reasonably request.

(p)    Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(q)    Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(r)    The Securities shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the Nasdaq Global Market, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Representatives.

(s)     At the Execution Time, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto from each executive officer, director and existing shareholder of the Company addressed to the Representatives.

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at The Hong Kong Club Building, 3A Chater Road, Hong Kong, on the Closing Date.

 

25


7.    Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for in this Agreement is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through Citigroup Global Markets Inc. on demand for all expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

8.    Indemnification and Contribution.

(a)    The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in the ADR Registration Statement as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any Preliminary Prospectus, or in the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or in any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

(b)    Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement or the ADR Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth (i) in the last paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of the Securities and, under the heading “Underwriting” or “Plan of Distribution,” (ii) the list of Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Securities, (iii) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances and (iv) the paragraph related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

26


(c)    Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld) of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

27


(d)    In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the same) (collectively, “Losses”) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), in no event shall any Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee, affiliate and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and the ADR Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).

 

28


9.    Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters under this Agreement and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement, the ADR Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default under this Agreement.

10.    Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment (i) trading in the Company’s ADSs shall have been suspended by the SEC or Nasdaq Global Market or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Global Market shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on either of such exchanges, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by U.S. Federal, New York State or PRC authorities, (iii) there shall have occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States or PRC of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

11.    Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers or directors and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

12.    Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered, emailed or telefaxed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, Attention: General Counsel, facsimile number: +1 (646) 291-1469, to Jefferies LLC at 520 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: General Counsel, facsimile: (646) 619-4437 and to Piper Sandler & Co. at 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attention: Piper Legal, email: LegalCapMarkets@psc.com, to Wells Fargo Securities, LLC at 500 West 33rd Street, New York, NY 10001, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department, facsimile: +1 (212) 214-5918 or, if sent to Gracell Biotechnologies Inc., will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Gracell Biotechnologies Inc., Building 12, Block B, Phase II, Biobay industrial Par, 218 Sangtian St. Suzhou Industrial Park, 215123, People’s Republic of China, facsimile number: +86-021-64031522, Attention: Kevin Xie.

 

29


13.    Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

14.    Jurisdiction. Each of the Company agrees that any suit, action or proceeding against the Company brought by any Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of any Underwriter, or by any person who controls any Underwriter, arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in any State or U.S. federal court in The City of New York and County of New York, and waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding, and irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding. The Company has appointed Cogency Global Inc. at 10E 40th Street, 10th Floor, New York, New York 10016, as its authorized agent (the “Authorized Agent”) upon whom process may be served in any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein that may be instituted in any State or U.S. federal court in The City of New York and County of New York, by any Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of any Underwriter, or by any person who controls any Underwriter, and expressly accepts the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any such court in respect of any such suit, action or proceeding. The Company hereby represents and warrants that the Authorized Agent has accepted such appointment and has agreed to act as said agent for service of process, and the Company agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect as aforesaid. Service of process upon the Authorized Agent shall be deemed, in every respect, effective service of process upon the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action arising out of or based upon this Agreement may be instituted by any Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of any Underwriter, or by any person who controls any Underwriter, in any court of competent jurisdiction in Cayman Islands.

15.    Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

(a)     In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

30


(b)     In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

As used in this Section 15, “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k); “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b), (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b) or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b); “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable; and “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

16.    No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making their own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

17.    Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

18.    Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

19.    Currency. Each reference in this Agreement to U.S. Dollars (the “relevant currency”) is of the essence. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the obligations of each of the Company in respect of any amount due under this Agreement will, notwithstanding any payment in any other currency (whether pursuant to a judgment or otherwise), be discharged only to the extent of the amount in the relevant currency that the party entitled to receive such payment may, in accordance with its normal procedures, purchase with the sum paid in such other currency (after any premium and costs of exchange) on the Business Day immediately following the day on which such party receives such payment. If the amount in the relevant currency that may be so purchased for any reason falls short of the amount originally due, the Company making such payment will pay such additional amounts, in the relevant currency, as may be necessary to compensate for the shortfall. Any obligation of any of the Company not discharged by such payment will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be due as a separate and independent obligation and, until discharged as provided herein, will continue in full force and effect.

 

31


20.    Waiver of Immunity. To the extent that the Company has or hereafter may acquire any immunity (sovereign or otherwise) from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from jurisdiction of any court or from set-off or any legal process (whether service or notice, attachment in aid or otherwise) with respect to itself or any of its property, the Company hereby irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim such immunity in respect of its obligations under this Agreement

21.    Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

22.    Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

23.    Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.

 

Very truly yours,

 

Gracell Biotechnologies Inc.

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.

    

 

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
By:  

 

 

Name:

Title:

Jefferies LLC
By:  

 

 

Name:

Title:

Piper Sandler & Co.
By:  

 

 

Name:

Title:

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
By:  

 

 

Name:

Title:

 

For themselves and the other several Underwriters named in Schedule I to the foregoing Agreement.

    

 

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriters

  

Number of Underwritten
Securities to be Purchased

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.   
Jefferies LLC   

Piper Sandler & Co.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

  
  

 

Total

  
  

 

 

I-1


SCHEDULE II

Schedule of Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package

[list all Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package]

 

II-1


SCHEDULE III

Schedule of Written Testing-the-Waters Communication

[list all Written Testing-the-Waters Communications]

 

III-1


Form of Lock-Up Agreement       EXHIBIT A

Lock-Up Agreement

Gracell Biotechnologies Inc.

Initial Public Offering of Ordinary Shares represented by American Depositary Shares

[insert date], 2020

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Jefferies LLC

Piper Sandler & Co.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters

named in Schedule I of the Underwriting Agreement

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

c/o Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

c/o Piper Sandler & Co.

800 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

500 West 33rd Street

New York, New York 10001

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the proposed Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between Gracell Biotechnologies Inc., an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability (the “Company”), and each of you as representatives of a group of Underwriters named therein (the “Representatives”), relating to an underwritten initial public offering of Ordinary Shares, $0.0001 par value per share, of the Company, represented by American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), (the “Offering”).

 

A-1


In order to induce you and the other Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned hereby agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned or any person in privity with the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, any Ordinary Shares or ADSs or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or ADSs, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period from the date hereof until 180 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement (the “Restricted Period”). The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) transactions relating to Ordinary Shares, ADSs or other securities acquired in the Offering or in open market transactions after the completion of the Offering, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Ordinary Shares, ADSs or other securities acquired in such open market transactions, (b) transfers of Ordinary Shares to a depository, solely for the purpose of converting such Ordinary Shares into restricted ADSs that are not freely tradeable in open market, whose restrictive legend shall not be removed prior to the end of the Restricted Period and whose holder shall have entered into a lock-up letter substantially in the form of this letter, (c) transfer of Ordinary Shares, ADSs or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or ADSs as bona fide gifts, or through will or intestacy, or to “immediate family members” (as defined in Rule 16a-1(e) under the Exchange Act), to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or any immediate family member of the undersigned, or to any entity beneficially owned and controlled by the undersigned, provided that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition of value, (d) distributions of Ordinary Shares, ADSs or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or ADSs to limited partners, stockholders or “affiliates” (as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act) of the undersigned; provided that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition of value, and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (c) or (d), each done, transferee or distributee shall agrees in writing to be bound by the same restrictions in place for the undersigned pursuant to this letter for the duration that such restrictions remain in effect at the time of transfer, or (e) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Ordinary Shares or ADSs, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Ordinary Shares or ADSs during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Ordinary Shares or ADSs may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period. If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed shares of Ordinary Shares or ADSs the undersigned may purchase in the Offering.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representatives agree that, at least three Business Days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Ordinary Shares or ADSs, the Representatives will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representatives hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

 

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Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. The Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters. This letter shall automatically terminate and be of no further force and effect on the earlier of (i) the date that the Company advises the Representatives in writing, prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that it has determined not to proceed with the Offering, (ii) the termination of the Underwriting Agreement before the closing of the Offering, (iii) the withdrawal of the registration statement filed with the SEC in connection with the Offering, or (iv) March 31, 2021 if the Offering has not been completed by or before such date.

This letter is governed by, and to be construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

[Signature Page to Follow]

 

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IF AN INDIVIDUAL:

  

IF AN ENTITY:

   (duly authorized signature)       (please print complete name of entity)
Name:   

 

   By:   

 

   (please print full name)       (duly authorized signature)
      Name:   

 

         (please print full name)
      Title:   

 

         (please print full title)
Address:       Address:   

 

  

 

 

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[Form of Press Release]       EXHIBIT B

Gracell Biotechnologies Inc.

[insert date]

Gracell Biotechnologies Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Jefferies LLC, Piper Sandler & Co. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, the lead book-running managers in the Company’s recent public sale of [●] American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) representing the Company’s ordinary shares, US$0.0001 par value per share (“Ordinary Shares”), is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to [●] [ADSs] [Ordinary Shares] held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on [insert date], 20__, and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

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[Form of Waiver of Lock-up]       ADDENDUM

[insert letterhead of the Representative]

Gracell Biotechnologies Inc.

Public Offering of American Depositary Shares representing Ordinary Shares

[insert date], 20    

[name and address of officer or director requesting waiver]

Dear Mr./Ms. [insert name]:

This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the offering by Gracell Biotechnologies Inc. (the “Company”) of [●] American depositary shares (the “ADSs”), each representing [●] ordinary shares, US$0.0001 par value per share, of the Company (“the Ordinary Shares”) and the lock-up letter dated [insert date], 20     (the “Lock-up Letter”), executed by you in connection with such offering, and your request for a [waiver] [release] dated [insert date], 20    , with respect to [●][ADSs] [Ordinary Shares] (the “Shares”).

[Representative] hereby agrees to [waive] [release] the transfer restrictions set forth in the Lock-up Letter, but only with respect to the Shares, effective [insert date], 20    ; provided, however, that such [waiver] [release] is conditioned on the Company announcing the impending [waiver] [release] by press release through a major news service at least two business days before effectiveness of such [waiver] [release]. This letter will serve as notice to the Company of the impending [waiver] [release].

Except as expressly [waived] [released] hereby, the Lock-up Letter shall remain in full force and effect.

 

Yours very truly,
[Representative]
By:  

 

 

Name:

Title:

cc: Gracell Biotechnologies Inc.