exv10w9

EXHIBIT 10.9

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS, INC.
2003 STOCK OPTION PLAN
(As Amended Through August 15, 2006)

SECTION 1.
DEFINITIONS

As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated below:

(a) “Affiliates” shall mean a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company.

(b) “Committee” shall mean a Committee of two or more directors who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board. In the event the Company’s securities are registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, each of the members of the Committee shall be a “Non-Employee Director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3, or any successor provision, as then in effect, of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended.

(d) “Fair Market Value” as of any date shall mean (i) if such stock is listed on the Nasdaq National Market, Nasdaq SmallCap Market or an established stock exchange, the price of such stock at the close of the regular trading session of such market or exchange on such date, as reported by The Wall Street Journal or a comparable reporting service, or, if no sale of such stock shall have occurred on such date, on the next preceding day on which there was a sale of stock; (ii) if such stock is not so listed on the Nasdaq National Market, Nasdaq SmallCap Market or an established stock exchange, either the closing price or the average of the closing “bid” and “asked” prices, whichever is reported, as quoted by the OTC Bulletin Board, the National Quotation Bureau, or any comparable reporting service on such date or, if there are no quoted closing or “bid” and “asked” prices on such date, on the next preceding date for which there are such quotes; or (iii) if such stock is not publicly traded as of such date, the per share value as determined by the Board, or the Committee, in its sole discretion by applying principles of valuation with respect to the Company’s Common Stock.

(e) The “Internal Revenue Code” is the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

(f) “Option Stock” shall mean Common Stock of the Company (subject to adjustment as described in Section 12) reserved for options pursuant to this Plan.

(g) The “Optionee” means an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary to whom an incentive stock option has been granted pursuant to Section 9; or a consultant or advisor, to or director, employee or officer, of the Company or any Subsidiary to whom a nonqualified stock option has been granted pursuant to Section 10.

(h) “Parent” shall mean any corporation which owns, directly or indirectly in an unbroken chain, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power of the Company’s outstanding stock.

(i) The “Plan” means the Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. 2003 Stock Option Plan, as amended hereafter from time to time, including the form of Option Agreements as they may be modified by the Board from time to time.

(j) A “Subsidiary” shall mean any corporation of which fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power of outstanding stock is owned, directly or indirectly in an unbroken chain, by the Company.

SECTION 2.
PURPOSE

The purpose of the Plan is to promote the success of the Company and its Subsidiaries by facilitating the employment and retention of competent personnel and by furnishing incentive to officers, directors, employees, consultants, and advisors upon whose efforts the success of the Company and its Subsidiaries will depend to a large degree.

It is the intention of the Company to carry out the Plan through the granting of stock options which will qualify as “incentive stock options” under the provisions of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code, or any successor provision, and through the granting of “non-qualified stock options” pursuant to Section 10 of this Plan. Adoption of this Plan shall be and is expressly subject to the condition of approval by the shareholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the adoption of the Plan by the Board of Directors. In no event shall any stock options be granted prior to the date this Plan is approved by the shareholders of the Company.

SECTION 3.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN

The Plan shall be effective as of the date of adoption by the Board of Directors, subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company as required in Section 2.

SECTION 4.
ADMINISTRATION

The Plan shall be administered by the Board of Directors of the Company (hereinafter referred to as the “Board”) or by a Committee which may be appointed by the Board from time to time to administer the Plan (hereinafter the term “Board” includes any such Committee). The Board shall have all of the powers vested in it under the provisions of the Plan, including but not limited to exclusive authority (where applicable and within the limitations described herein) to determine, in its sole discretion, whether an incentive stock option or nonqualified stock option shall be granted, the individuals to whom, and the time or times at which, options shall be

- 2 -

granted, the number of shares subject to each option and the option price and terms and conditions of each option. The Board shall have full power and authority to administer and interpret the Plan, to make and amend rules, regulations and guidelines for administering the Plan, to prescribe the form and conditions of the respective stock option agreements (which may vary from Optionee to Optionee) evidencing each option and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. The Board’s interpretation of the Plan, and all actions taken and determinations made by the Board pursuant to the power vested in it hereunder, shall be conclusive and binding on all parties concerned.

No member of the Board or the Committee shall be liable for any action taken or determination made in good faith in connection with the administration of the Plan. In the event the Board appoints a Committee as provided hereunder, any action of the Committee with respect to the administration of the Plan shall be taken pursuant to a majority vote of the Committee members or pursuant to the written resolution of all Committee members.

SECTION 5.
PARTICIPANTS

The Board shall from time to time, at its discretion and without approval of the shareholders, designate those employees, officers, directors, consultants, and advisors of the Company or of any Subsidiary to whom nonqualified stock options shall be granted under this Plan; provided, however, that consultants or advisors shall not be eligible to receive stock options hereunder unless such consultant or advisor renders bona fide services to the Company or Subsidiary and such services are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities. The Board shall, from time to time, at its discretion and without approval of the shareholders, designate those employees of the Company or any Subsidiary to whom incentive stock options shall be granted under this Plan. The Board may grant additional incentive stock options or nonqualified stock options under this Plan to some or all participants then holding options or may grant options solely or partially to new participants. In designating participants, the Board shall also determine the number of shares to be optioned to each such participant. The Board may from time to time designate individuals as being ineligible to participate in the Plan.

SECTION 6.
STOCK

The Stock to be optioned under this Plan shall consist of authorized but unissued shares of Option Stock. Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand (3,800,000) shares of Option Stock shall be reserved and available for options under the Plan; provided, however, that the total number of shares of Option Stock reserved for options under this Plan shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12 of the Plan. In the event that any outstanding option under the Plan for any reason expires or is terminated prior to the exercise thereof, the shares of Option Stock allocable to the unexercised portion of such option shall continue to be reserved for options under the Plan and may be optioned hereunder.

- 3 -

SECTION 7.
DURATION OF PLAN

Incentive stock options may be granted pursuant to the Plan from time to time during a period of ten (10) years from the effective date as defined in Section 3. Nonqualified stock options may be granted pursuant to the Plan from time to time after the effective date of the Plan and until the Plan is discontinued or terminated by the Board.

SECTION 8.
PAYMENT

Optionees may pay for shares upon exercise of options granted pursuant to this Plan with cash, personal check, certified check or, if approved by the Board in its sole discretion, previously-owned shares of the Company’s Common Stock valued at such stock’s then Fair Market Value, or such other form of payment as may be authorized by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, limit the forms of payment available to the Optionee and may exercise such discretion any time prior to the termination of the Option granted to the Optionee or upon any exercise of the Option by the Optionee. “Previously-owned shares” means shares of the Company’s Common Stock which the Optionee has owned for at least six (6) months prior to the exercise of the stock option, or for such other period of time as may be required by generally accepted accounting principles.

With respect to payment in the form of Common Stock of the Company, the Board may require advance approval or adopt such rules as it deems necessary to assure compliance with Rule 16b-3, or any successor provision, as then in effect, of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, if applicable.

SECTION 9.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS

Each incentive stock option granted pursuant to this Section 9 shall be evidenced by a written stock option agreement (the “Option Agreement”). The Option Agreement shall be in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board and may vary from Optionee to Optionee; provided, however, that each Optionee and each Option Agreement shall comply with and be subject to the following terms and conditions:

(a) Number of Shares and Option Price. The Option Agreement shall state the total number of shares covered by the incentive stock option. To the extent required to qualify the Option as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code, or any successor provision, the option price per share shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock per share on the date the Board grants the option; provided, however, that if an Optionee owns stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of its parent or any Subsidiary, the option price per share of an incentive stock option granted to such Optionee shall

- 4 -

not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock per share on the date of the grant of the option. The Board shall have full authority and discretion in establishing the option price and shall be fully protected in so doing.

(b) Term and Exercisability of Incentive Stock Option. The term during which any incentive stock option granted under the Plan may be exercised shall be established in each case by the Board. To the extent required to qualify the Option as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code, or any successor provision, in no event shall any incentive stock option be exercisable during a term of more than ten (10) years after the date on which it is granted; provided, however, that if an Optionee owns stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of its parent or any Subsidiary, the incentive stock option granted to such Optionee shall be exercisable during a term of not more than five (5) years after the date on which it is granted. The Option Agreement shall state when the incentive stock option becomes exercisable and shall also state the maximum term during which the option may be exercised. In the event an incentive stock option is exercisable immediately, the manner of exercise of the option in the event it is not exercised in full immediately shall be specified in the Option Agreement. The Board may accelerate the exercise date of any incentive stock option granted hereunder which is not immediately exercisable as of the date of grant.

(c) Withholding. The Company or its Subsidiary shall be entitled to withhold and deduct from future wages of the Optionee all legally required amounts necessary to satisfy any and all withholding and employment-related taxes attributable to the Optionee’s exercise of an incentive stock option or a “disqualifying disposition” of shares acquired through the exercise of an incentive stock option as defined in Code Section 421(b). In the event the Optionee is required under the Option Agreement to pay the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Company respecting payment of, such withholding and employment-related taxes, the Board may, in its discretion and pursuant to such rules as it may adopt, permit the Optionee to satisfy such obligation, in whole or in part, by electing to have the Company withhold shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to the Optionee as a result of the option’s exercise having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum required tax withholding, based on the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal and state tax purposes, including payroll taxes, that are applicable to the supplemental income resulting from the option. In no event may the Company or any Affiliate withhold shares having a Fair Market Value in excess of such statutory minimum required tax withholding. The Optionee’s election to have shares withheld for this purpose shall be made on or before the date the option is exercised or, if later, the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is determined under applicable tax law. Such election shall be approved by the Board and otherwise comply with such rules as the Board may adopt to assure compliance with Rule 16b-3, or any successor provision, as then in effect, of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, if applicable.

(d) Other Provisions. The Option Agreement authorized under this Section 9 shall contain such other provisions as the Board shall deem advisable. Any such Option Agreement shall contain such limitations and restrictions upon the exercise of the option as shall be necessary to ensure that such option will be considered an “incentive stock option” as defined in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code or to conform to any change therein.

- 5 -

SECTION 10.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTIONS

Each nonqualified stock option granted pursuant to this Section 10 shall be evidenced by a written Option Agreement. The Option Agreement shall be in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board and may vary from Optionee to Optionee; provided, however, that each Optionee and each Option Agreement shall comply with and be subject to the following terms and conditions:

(a) Number of Shares and Option Price. The Option Agreement shall state the total number of shares covered by the nonqualified stock option. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the option price per share shall be one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock per share on the date the Board grants the option; provided, however, that the option price may not be less than eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock per share on the date of grant.

(b) Term and Exercisability of Nonqualified Stock Option. The term during which any nonqualified stock option granted under the Plan may be exercised shall be established in each case by the Board. The Option Agreement shall state when the nonqualified stock option becomes exercisable and shall also state the maximum term during which the option may be exercised. In the event a nonqualified stock option is exercisable immediately, the manner of exercise of the option in the event it is not exercised in full immediately shall be specified in the stock option agreement. The Board may accelerate the exercise date of any nonqualified stock option granted hereunder which is not immediately exercisable as of the date of grant.

(c) Withholding. The Company or its Subsidiary shall be entitled to withhold and deduct from future wages of the Optionee all legally required amounts necessary to satisfy any and all withholding and employment-related taxes attributable to the Optionee’s exercise of a nonqualified stock option. In the event the Optionee is required under the Option Agreement to pay the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Company respecting payment of, such withholding and employment-related taxes, the Board may, in its discretion and pursuant to such rules as it may adopt, permit the Optionee to satisfy such obligation, in whole or in part, by electing to have the Company withhold shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to the Optionee as a result of the option’s exercise having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum required tax withholding, based on the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal and state tax purposes, including payroll taxes, that are applicable to the supplemental income resulting from the option. In no event may the Company or any Affiliate withhold shares having a Fair Market Value in excess of such statutory minimum required tax withholding. The Optionee’s election to have shares withheld for this purpose shall be made on or before the date the option is exercised or, if later, the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is determined under applicable tax law. Such election shall be approved by the Board and otherwise comply with such rules as the Board may adopt to assure compliance with Rule 16b-3, or any successor provision, as then in effect, of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, if applicable.

(d) Other Provisions. The Option Agreement authorized under this Section 10 shall contain such other provisions as the Board shall deem advisable.

- 6 -

SECTION 11.
TRANSFER OF OPTION

No incentive stock option shall be transferable, in whole or in part, by the Optionee other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and, during the Optionee’s lifetime, the option may be exercised only by the Optionee. If the Optionee shall attempt any transfer of any incentive stock option granted under the Plan during the Optionee’s lifetime, such transfer shall be void and the incentive stock option, to the extent not fully exercised, shall terminate.

No nonqualified stock option shall be transferred, except that the Board may, in its sole discretion, permit the Optionee to transfer any or all nonqualified stock options to any member of the Optionee’s “immediate family” as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or any successor provision, or to one or more trusts whose beneficiaries are members of such Optionee’s “immediate family” or partnerships in which such family members are the only partners; provided, however, that the Optionee receives no consideration for the transfer and such transferred nonqualified stock option shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable to such nonqualified stock option immediately prior to its transfer.

SECTION 12.
RECAPITALIZATION, SALE,
MERGER, EXCHANGE OR LIQUIDATION

If, following adoption of this Plan, the Company effects an increase or decrease in the number of shares of Common Stock in the form of a subdivision or consolidation of shares, or the payment of a stock dividend, or effects any other increase or decrease in the number of shares of Common Stock without receipt of consideration by the Company, the number of shares of Option Stock reserved under Section 6 hereof and the number of shares of Option Stock covered by each outstanding option and the price per share thereof shall be appropriately adjusted by the Board to reflect such change. Additional shares which may be credited pursuant to such adjustment shall be subject to the same restrictions as are applicable to the shares with respect to which the adjustment relates.

Unless otherwise provided in the Option Agreement, in the event of an acquisition of the Company through the sale of substantially all of the Company’s assets and the consequent discontinuance of its business or through a merger, consolidation, exchange, reorganization, reclassification, extraordinary dividend, divestiture or liquidation of the Company (collectively referred to as a “transaction”), the Board may provide for one or more of the following:

(a) That all outstanding stock options shall become immediately exercisable, whether or not such options had become exercisable prior to the transaction;

(b) The complete termination of this Plan, the cancellation of outstanding options not exercised prior to a date specified by the Board (which date shall give Optionees a reasonable period of time in which to exercise the options prior to the effectiveness of such transaction);

- 7 -

(c) That Optionees holding outstanding stock options shall receive, with respect to each share of Stock subject to such options, as of the effective date of any such transaction, cash in an amount equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of such Stock on the date immediately preceding the effective date of such transaction over the option price per share of such options; provided that the Board may, in lieu of such cash payment, distribute to such Optionees shares of stock of the Company or shares of stock of any corporation succeeding the Company by reason of such transaction, such shares having a value equal to the cash payment herein;

(d) the continuance of the Plan with respect to the exercise of options which were outstanding as of the date of adoption by the Board of such plan for such transaction and provide to Optionees holding such options the right to exercise their respective options as to an equivalent number of shares of stock of the corporation succeeding the Company by reason of such transaction.

The Board may restrict the rights of or the applicability of this Section 12 to the extent necessary to comply with Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Internal Revenue Code or any other applicable law or regulation. The grant of an option pursuant to the Plan shall not limit in any way the right or power of the Company to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations or changes of its capital or business structure or to merge, exchange or consolidate or to dissolve, liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.

SECTION 13.
INVESTMENT PURPOSE

No shares of Common Stock shall be issued pursuant to the Plan unless and until there has been compliance, in the opinion of Company’s counsel, with all applicable legal requirements, including without limitation, those relating to securities laws and stock exchange listing requirements. As a condition to the issuance of Option Stock to Optionee, the Board may require Optionee to (a) represent that the shares of Option Stock are being acquired for investment and not resale and to make such other representations as the Board shall deem necessary or appropriate to qualify the issuance of the shares as exempt from the Securities Act of 1933 and any other applicable securities laws, and (b) represent that Optionee shall not dispose of the shares of Option Stock in violation of the Securities Act of 1933 or any other applicable securities laws.

As a further condition to the grant of any stock option or the issuance of Stock to Optionee, Optionee agrees to the following:

(a) In the event the Company advises Optionee that it plans an underwritten public offering of its Common Stock in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the underwriter(s) seek to impose restrictions under which certain shareholders may not sell or contract to sell or grant any option to buy or otherwise dispose of part or all of their stock purchase rights of the underlying Common Stock, Optionee will not, for a period not to exceed 180 days from the prospectus, sell or contract to sell or grant an option to buy or otherwise dispose of any stock option or restricted stock award granted

- 8 -

to Optionee pursuant to the Plan or any of the underlying shares of Common Stock without the prior written consent of the underwriter(s) or its representative(s).

(b) In the event the Company makes any public offering of its securities and determines in its sole discretion that it is necessary to reduce the number of issued but unexercised stock purchase rights so as to comply with any states securities or Blue Sky law limitations with respect thereto, the Board of Directors of the Company shall have the right (i) to accelerate the exercisability of any stock option and the date on which such option must be exercised, provided that the Company gives Optionee prior written notice of such acceleration, and (ii) to cancel any options or portions thereof which Optionee does not exercise prior to or contemporaneously with such public offering.

(c) In the event of a transaction (as defined in Section 12 of the Plan), Optionee will comply with Rule 145 of the Securities Act of 1933 and any other restrictions imposed under other applicable legal or accounting principles if Optionee is an “affiliate” (as defined in such applicable legal and accounting principles) at the time of the transaction, and Optionee will execute any documents necessary to ensure compliance with such rules.

The Company reserves the right to place a legend on any stock certificate issued upon exercise of an option granted or upon the grant of a restricted stock award pursuant to the Plan to assure compliance with this Section 13.

SECTION 14.
RIGHTS AS A SHAREHOLDER

An Optionee (or the Optionee’s successor or successors) shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any shares covered by an option until the date of the issuance of a stock certificate evidencing such shares. No adjustment shall be made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash, securities or other property), distributions or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date such stock certificate is actually issued (except as otherwise provided in Section 12 of the Plan).

SECTION 15.
AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN

The Board may from time to time, insofar as permitted by law, suspend or discontinue the Plan or revise or amend it in any respect; provided, however, that no such revision or amendment, except as is authorized in Section 12, shall impair the terms and conditions of any option which is outstanding on the date of such revision or amendment to the material detriment of the Optionee without the consent of the Optionee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such revision or amendment shall (i) materially increase the number of shares subject to the Plan except as provided in Section 12 hereof, (ii) change the designation of the class of employees eligible to receive options, (iii) decrease the price at which options may be granted, or (iv) materially increase the benefits accruing to Optionees under the Plan without the approval of the shareholders of the Company if such approval is required for compliance with the requirements of any applicable law or regulation. Furthermore, the Plan may not, without the approval of the

- 9 -

shareholders, be amended in any manner that will cause incentive stock options to fail to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code.

SECTION 16.
NO OBLIGATION TO EXERCISE OPTION

The granting of an option shall impose no obligation upon the Optionee to exercise such option. Further, the granting of an option hereunder shall not impose upon the Company or any Subsidiary any obligation to retain the Optionee in its employ for any period.

- 10 -