EX-3.1 2 a15-5312_1ex3d1.htm EX-3.1

Exhibit 3.1

 

RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

OF

 

BELLEROPHON THERAPEUTICS, INC.

 

(Pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)

 

Bellerophon Therapeutics, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “General Corporation Law”),

 

DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

 

1.             That the name of this corporation is Bellerophon Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Corporation”), and that the Corporation was originally incorporated pursuant to the General Corporation Law on February 12, 2015 under the name Bellerophon Therapeutics, Inc.

 

2.             A resolution was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law proposing this Restated Certificate of Incorporation and declaring the advisability of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation.  The stockholders of the Corporation duly approved and adopted this Restated Certificate of Incorporation by written consent in accordance with Sections 228, 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law.

 

Accordingly, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

FIRST:  The name of the Corporation is Bellerophon Therapeutics, Inc.

 

SECOND:  The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation Service Company, 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, 19808.  The name of its registered agent at that address is Corporation Service Company.

 

THIRD:  The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted by the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

FOURTH:  The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 130,000,000 shares, consisting of (i) 125,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (“Common Stock”), and (ii) 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”).

 

The following is a statement of the designations and the powers, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation.

 



 

A                                       COMMON STOCK.

 

1.             General.  The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights of the holders of the Preferred Stock of any series as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) upon any issuance of the Preferred Stock of any series.

 

2.             Voting.  The holders of the Common Stock shall have voting rights at all meetings of stockholders, each such holder being entitled to one vote for each share thereof held by such holder; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (which, as used herein, shall mean the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, as amended from time to time, including the terms of any certificate of designations of any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation.  There shall be no cumulative voting.

 

The number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting as a single class, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

3.             Dividends.  Dividends may be declared and paid on the Common Stock from funds lawfully available therefor as and when determined by the Board of Directors and subject to any preferential dividend or other rights of any then outstanding Preferred Stock.

 

4.             Liquidation.  Upon the dissolution or liquidation of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of Common Stock will be entitled to receive all assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, subject to any preferential or other rights of any then outstanding Preferred Stock.

 

B                                       PREFERRED STOCK.

 

Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated or expressed herein and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such series adopted by the Board of Directors as hereinafter provided.  Any shares of Preferred Stock which may be redeemed, purchased or acquired by the Corporation may be reissued except as otherwise provided by law.

 

Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and in connection with the creation of any such series, by adopting a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the shares thereof and by filing a certificate of designations relating thereto in accordance with the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, to determine and fix the number of shares of such series and such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and

 

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relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including, without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, as shall be stated and expressed in such resolution or resolutions, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law.

 

The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting as a single class, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

FIFTH:  Except as otherwise provided herein, the Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute and this Certificate of Incorporation, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.

 

SIXTH:  In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and subject to the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, the Board of Directors shall have the power to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the By-laws of the Corporation by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present.  The stockholders may not adopt, amend, alter or repeal the By-laws of the Corporation, or adopt any provision inconsistent therewith, unless such action is approved, in addition to any other vote required by this Certificate of Incorporation, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the votes that all the stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors or class of directors.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the By-laws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the votes which all the stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors or class of directors shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article SIXTH.

 

SEVENTH:  No director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that the foregoing shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.  If the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as so amended.  No amendment to or repeal of this Article SEVENTH shall apply

 

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to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any director of the Corporation for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.

 

EIGHTH:  The Corporation shall provide indemnification as follows:

 

1.             Actions, Suits and Proceedings Other than by or in the Right of the Corporation.  The Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time, indemnify each person who was or is a party or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the request of the Corporation, as a director, officer, partner, member, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including any employee benefit plan) (all such persons being referred to hereafter as an “Indemnitee”), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), liabilities, losses, damages, judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes (including excise taxes and penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time), and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action, suit or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.  The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action, suit or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

2.             Actions, Suits and Proceedings by or in the Right of the Corporation.  The Corporation shall indemnify any Indemnitee who was or is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the request of the Corporation, as a director, officer, partner, member, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including any employee benefit plan), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made under this Section 2 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation, unless, and only to the extent that, the Court of Chancery of Delaware or the court in which such action, suit or proceeding was brought shall determine upon

 

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application that, despite the adjudication of such liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) which the Court of Chancery of Delaware or such other court shall deem proper.

 

3.             Indemnification for Expenses of Successful Party.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article EIGHTH, to the extent that an Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Sections 1 and 2 of this Article EIGHTH, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, or on appeal from any such action, suit or proceeding, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection therewith.  Without limiting the foregoing, if any action, suit or proceeding is disposed of, on the merits or otherwise (including a disposition without prejudice), without (i) the disposition being adverse to Indemnitee, (ii) an adjudication that Indemnitee was liable to the Corporation, (iii) a plea of guilty or nolo contendere by Indemnitee, (iv) an adjudication that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Corporation, and (v) with respect to any criminal proceeding, an adjudication that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful, Indemnitee shall be considered for the purposes hereof to have been wholly successful with respect thereto.

 

4.             Notification and Defense of Claim.  Indemnitee shall notify the Corporation in writing as soon as practicable of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation involving such Indemnitee for which indemnity will or could be sought, but failure to do so shall not adversely affect Indemnitee’s rights to indemnification unless, and then only to the extent that, the Corporation was materially and adversely affected thereby.  With respect to any action, suit, proceeding or investigation of which the Corporation is so notified, the Corporation will be entitled to participate therein at its own expense and/or to assume the defense thereof at its own expense, with legal counsel reasonably acceptable to Indemnitee.  After notice from the Corporation to Indemnitee of its election so to assume such defense, the Corporation shall not be liable to Indemnitee for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit, proceeding or investigation, other than as provided below in this Section 4.  Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his or her own counsel in connection with such action, suit, proceeding or investigation, but the fees and expenses of such counsel incurred after notice from the Corporation of its assumption of the defense thereof shall be at the expense of Indemnitee unless (i) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been authorized by the Corporation, (ii) counsel to Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest or position on any significant issue between the Corporation and Indemnitee in the conduct of the defense of such action, suit, proceeding or investigation or (iii) the Corporation shall not in fact have employed counsel to assume the defense of such action, suit, proceeding or investigation, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel for Indemnitee shall be at the expense of the Corporation, except as otherwise expressly provided by this Article EIGHTH.  The Corporation shall not be entitled, without the consent of Indemnitee, to assume the defense of any claim brought by or in the right of the Corporation or as to which counsel for Indemnitee shall have reasonably made the conclusion provided for in clause (ii) above.  The Corporation shall not be required to indemnify Indemnitee under this Article EIGHTH for any amounts paid in settlement of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation effected without its written consent.  The Corporation shall not settle any action, suit, proceeding or investigation in any manner which would impose any penalty or limitation on Indemnitee, or

 

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any payment obligation on Indemnitee (unless the Corporation has irrevocably agreed in writing that it is responsible for such payment obligation and will make such payment without seeking any reimbursement or contribution from Indemnitee) without Indemnitee’s written consent.  Neither the Corporation nor Indemnitee will unreasonably withhold or delay its consent to any proposed settlement.

 

5.             Advance of Expenses.  In the event of any threatened or pending action, suit, proceeding or investigation of which the Corporation receives notice under this Article EIGHTH, any expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in defending an action, suit, proceeding or investigation or any appeal therefrom shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such matter; provided, however, that the payment of such expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in advance of the final disposition of such matter shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay all amounts so advanced in the event that it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision of a court of competent jurisdiction from which there is no further right to appeal that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article EIGHTH.  Such undertaking shall be accepted without reference to the financial ability of Indemnitee to make such repayment.  Any such advancement of expenses shall be made promptly, and in any event within 20 days, after receipt by the Corporation of the written request of Indemnitee therefor.

 

6.             Procedure for Indemnification.  In order to obtain indemnification pursuant to Section 1, 2 or 3 of this Article EIGHTH, an Indemnitee shall submit to the Corporation a written request.  Any such indemnification, unless ordered by a court, shall be made with respect to requests under Section 1 or 2 of this Article EIGHTH only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination by the Corporation that the indemnification of Indemnitee is proper because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 1 or 2 of this Article EIGHTH, as the case may be.  Such determination shall be made in each instance (a) by a majority vote of the directors of the Corporation consisting of persons who are not at that time parties to the action, suit or proceeding in question (“disinterested directors”), whether or not a quorum, (b) by a committee of disinterested directors designated by majority vote of disinterested directors, whether or not a quorum, (c) if there are no disinterested directors, or if the disinterested directors so direct, by independent legal counsel (who shall not be regular legal counsel to the Corporation) in a written opinion, or (d) by the stockholders of the Corporation.  In making any determination hereunder, Indemnitee shall be presumed to have met the applicable standard of conduct so as to be entitled to indemnification, and the Corporation shall have the burden of proving otherwise.  Any indemnification under this Article EIGHTH shall be made promptly, and in any event within 60 days, upon the written request of Indemnitee.

 

7.             Remedies.  The right to indemnification or advancement of expenses as granted by this Article EIGHTH shall be enforceable by Indemnitee in any court of competent jurisdiction.  Neither the failure of the Corporation to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action, suit or proceeding that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Corporation pursuant to Section 6 of this Article EIGHTH that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action, suit or proceeding or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of

 

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conduct.  In any action, suit or proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification, or brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article EIGHTH.  Indemnitee’s expenses (including attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred in connection with successfully establishing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification, in whole or in part, in any such proceeding shall also be indemnified by the Corporation.  Subject to the foregoing, in any action, suit or proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder it shall be a defense that Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

8.             Limitations.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article EIGHTH, except as set forth in Section 7 of this Article EIGHTH, the Corporation shall not indemnify an Indemnitee pursuant to this Article EIGHTH in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Indemnitee unless the initiation thereof was approved by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof designated by the Board of Directors.  This Section 8 shall not apply to counterclaims or affirmative defenses asserted by Indemnitee in any action, suit or proceeding brought against Indemnitee, nor shall it apply to any action, suit or proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under any liability insurance policy paid for by the Company and insuring Indemnitee.

 

9.             Subsequent Amendment.  No amendment, termination or repeal of this Article EIGHTH or of the relevant provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or any other applicable laws shall adversely affect or diminish in any way the rights of any Indemnitee to indemnification under the provisions hereof with respect to any action, suit, proceeding or investigation arising out of or relating to any actions, transactions or facts occurring prior to the final adoption of such amendment, termination or repeal.

 

10.          Other Rights.  The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by this Article EIGHTH shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which an Indemnitee seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any law (common or statutory), agreement or vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitee’s official capacity and as to action in any other capacity while holding office for the Corporation, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or officer, or has ceased to serve in such other capacity, and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors and administrators of Indemnitee.  All rights to indemnification under this Article EIGHTH shall be deemed to be a contract between the Corporation and Indemnitee.  Nothing contained in this Article EIGHTH shall be deemed to prohibit, and the Corporation is specifically authorized to enter into, agreements with officers and directors providing indemnification rights and procedures different from (including rights and procedures which provide broader indemnification or are otherwise more favorable to Indemnitee than) those set forth in this Article EIGHTH.  In addition, the Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by its Board of Directors, grant indemnification rights to other employees or agents of the Corporation or other persons serving the Corporation and such rights may be equivalent to, or greater or less than, those set forth in this Article EIGHTH.

 

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11.          Partial Indemnification.  If an Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Article EIGHTH to indemnification by the Corporation for some or a portion of the expenses (including attorneys’ fees), liabilities, losses, judgments, fines (including excise taxes and penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) or amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any action, suit, proceeding or investigation and any appeal therefrom but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such expenses (including attorneys’ fees), liabilities, losses, damages, judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes (including excise taxes and penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time) or amounts paid in settlement to which Indemnitee is entitled.

 

12.          Insurance.  The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including any employee benefit plan) against any expense, liability or loss incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

13.          Savings Clause.  If this Article EIGHTH or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each Indemnitee as to any expenses (including attorneys’ fees), liabilities, losses, judgments, fines (including excise taxes and penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) and amounts paid in settlement in connection with any action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal or administrative, including an action by or in the right of the Corporation, to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Article EIGHTH that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

 

14.          Definitions.  Terms used herein and defined in Section 145(h) and Section 145(i) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in such Section 145(h) and Section 145(i).

 

NINTH:  This Article NINTH is inserted for the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation.

 

1.             General Powers.  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.

 

2.             Number of Directors; Election of Directors.  Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the number of directors of the Corporation shall be established by the Board of Directors.  Election of directors need not be by written ballot, except as and to the extent provided in the By-laws of the Corporation.

 

3.             Classes of Directors.  Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors shall be and is divided into three classes,

 

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designated Class I, Class II and Class III.  Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the total number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors already in office to Class I, Class II or Class III at the time such classification becomes effective.

 

4.             Terms of Office.  Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, each director shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders following the annual meeting of stockholders at which such director was elected; provided that each director initially assigned to Class I shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s first annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation; each director initially assigned to Class II shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s second annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation; and each director initially assigned to Class III shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s third annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation; provided further, that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of his or her successor and be subject to his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

5.             Quorum.  The greater of (i) a majority of the directors at any time in office and (ii) one-third of the number of directors fixed pursuant to Section 2 of this Article NINTH shall constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors.  If at any meeting of the Board of Directors there shall be less than such a quorum, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.

 

6.             Action at Meeting.  Every act or decision done or made by a majority of the directors present at a meeting duly held at which a quorum is present shall be regarded as the act of the Board of Directors unless a greater number is required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation.

 

7.             Removal.  Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock and/or any agreement binding upon the Corporation, directors of the Corporation may be removed only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the votes which all the stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors or class of directors.

 

8.             Vacancies.  Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock and/or any agreement binding upon the Corporation, any vacancy or newly created directorship in the Board of Directors, however occurring, shall be filled only by vote of a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director and shall not be filled by the stockholders.  A director elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen, subject to the election and qualification of a successor and to such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

9.             Stockholder Nominations and Introduction of Business, Etc.  Advance notice of stockholder nominations for election of directors and other business to be brought by

 

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stockholders before a meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner provided by the By-laws of the Corporation.

 

10.          Amendments to Article.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the By-laws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the votes which all the stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors or class of directors shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article NINTH.

 

TENTH:  Stockholders of the Corporation may not take any action by written consent in lieu of a meeting.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the By-laws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the votes which all the stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors or class of directors shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article TENTH.

 

ELEVENTH:  Special meetings of stockholders for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by only the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Lead Director or the Chief Executive Officer, and may not be called by any other person or persons.  Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to matters relating to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of meeting.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the By-laws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the votes which all the stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors or class of directors shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article ELEVENTH.

 

TWELFTH:  Except as otherwise agreed in writing, (i) to the fullest extent permitted by Section 122(17) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Corporation hereby renounces any interest or expectancy of the Corporation in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any Corporate Opportunity; and (ii) the Corporation acknowledges that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no Specified Person shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for breach of any fiduciary or other duty by reason of the fact that such Specified Person pursues or acquires a Corporate Opportunity for itself, directs a Corporate Opportunity to another Person, or does not communicate or offer information regarding a Corporate Opportunity to the Corporation; provided, that, in the case of a Specified Person that is a director, officer or employee of the Corporation, the Corporation does not renounce any interest or expectancy in any Corporate Opportunity that is expressly offered to such Specified Person in writing solely in his or her capacity as a director, officer or employee of the Corporation.  In the event any Specified Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter which may constitute a Corporate Opportunity, such Specified Person shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have no duty to offer or communicate information regarding any Corporate Opportunity to the Corporation, and such Specified Person shall have the right to take for his, her or its own account (individually or as a partner or fiduciary) or to recommend to another Person any such Corporate Opportunity, unless in the case of a Specified Person that is a

 

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director, officer or employee of the Corporation, such Corporate Opportunity is expressly offered to such Specified Person in writing solely in his or her capacity as a director, officer or employee of the Corporation.  No Specified Person shall be obligated to finance any Corporate Opportunity for the Corporation.

 

For purposes of this Article TWELFTH, (i) the term “Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such Person, where “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise; (ii) the term “Corporate Opportunity” shall mean an investment, business opportunity or prospective economic or competitive advantage, including, without limitation, any matter (A) in which the Corporation could have an interest or expectancy, (B) which the Corporation is financially able to undertake, or with respect to which the Corporation would reasonably be able to obtain debt or equity financing, and (C) which is, from its nature, in the line or lines of the Corporation’s business or reasonable expansion thereof; (iii) the term “Corporation” shall mean the Corporation and all corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, associations and other entities in which the Corporation beneficially owns (directly or indirectly) 50% or more of the outstanding voting stock, voting power, partnership interests or similar voting interests; (iv) the term “Person” shall mean an individual, partnership, association, corporation, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, trust, estate or joint venture, or a nation, government, governmental agency or political subdivision thereof, or any person exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory, administrative or taxing functions of or pertaining to government, including any court, or any other entity of any kind; and (v) the term “Specified Person” shall mean a stockholder of the Corporation or any of such stockholder’s Affiliates, or any officer, director, manager, member, partner, stockholder, employee, advisor or agent of such stockholder or any of its Affiliates (including any individual serving as a director of the Corporation), except those stockholders who are employees of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, provided, however, that for purposes of this definition of “Specified Person,” none of the Specified Persons, on one hand, or the Corporation, on the other hand, shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of one another.

 

Neither the alteration, amendment or repeal of this Article TWELFTH nor the adoption of any provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article TWELFTH shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article TWELFTH in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Article TWELFTH, would accrue or arise prior to such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption.

 

THIRTEENTH:  Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as it may be amended from time to time, shall (a) prior to the NMP Holder Transition Time, not apply to the Corporation and (b) from and after the NMP Holder Transition Time, apply to the Corporation in accordance with its terms.

 

For purposes of this Article THIRTEENTH, (i) the term “NMP Affiliate” shall mean an Affiliate of the NMP Entities, (ii) the term “NMP Holder Transition Time” shall mean the first time that neither (A) the NMP Entities and the NMP Affiliates nor (B) any Qualified Transferee Beneficially Owns 15% or more of the Quarterly Outstanding Common Stock, (iii) the term “Qualified Transferee” shall mean any Person that has acquired at least 15% of the Quarterly

 

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Outstanding Common Stock, as of the date of such acquisition, from the NMP Entities and/or the NMP Affiliates in a transaction other than a Public Offering or a sale pursuant to Rule 144 and (iv) the terms “Affiliate,” “Beneficially Own,” “NMP Entities,” “Person,” “Public Offering,” “Quarterly Outstanding Common Stock” and “Rule 144”shall have the respective meanings given to such terms in the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of February 12, 2015, by and among the Corporation and the other parties thereto, as the same may be amended, restated, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

FOURTEENTH:  Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum (including by entering into a written agreement or executing a written instrument which provides for a different forum to have jurisdiction or provides that an action, suit or proceeding may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction or provides for arbitration), and except as otherwise provided in this Certificate of Incorporation, the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) to bring (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law or this Certificate of Incorporation or the By-laws of the Corporation or (iv) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine, except for, as to each of clauses (i) through (iv) above, any claim as to which the Court of Chancery determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, or for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction.  If any provision or provisions of this Article FOURTEENTH shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article FOURTEENTH (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Article FOURTEENTH containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.  Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have received notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article FOURTEENTH.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which restates, integrates and amends the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, and which has been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 228, 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, has been executed by its duly authorized officer this    19th day of February, 2015.

 

 

BELLEROPHON THERAPEUTICS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Jonathan Peacock

 

 

Name:  Jonathan Peacock

 

 

Title:  President and Chief Executive Officer