EX-19.1 2 ex19-1.htm

 

Exhibit 19.1

 

Palisade Bio, Inc.

Insider Trading Policy

(As Amended December 15, 2023)

 

 

 

Introduction

 

During the course of your relationship with Palisade Bio, Inc. (the “Company”), you may receive material information that is not yet publicly available (“material nonpublic information”) about the Company or other publicly traded companies that the Company has business relationships with. Material nonpublic information may give you, or someone you pass that information on to, an advantage over others when deciding whether to buy, sell or otherwise transact in the Company’s securities or the securities of another publicly traded company. This policy sets forth guidelines with respect to transactions in Company securities by our employees, directors and consultants who may become aware of material non-public information and the other persons subject to this policy as described below.

 

Statement of Policy

 

It is the policy of the Company that employees, directors or consultants of the Company (or any other person subject to this policy) who are aware of material nonpublic information relating to the Company may not, directly or indirectly:

 

1.engage in any transactions in the Company’s securities, except as otherwise specified under the heading “Exceptions to this Policy” below;
   
2.recommend the purchase or sale of the Company’s securities;
   
3.disclose material nonpublic information to persons within the Company whose jobs do not require them to have that information, or outside of the Company to other persons, such as family, friends, business associates and investors, unless the disclosure is made in accordance with the Company’s policies regarding the protection or authorized external disclosure of information regarding the Company; or
   
4.assist anyone engaged in the above activities.

 

The prohibition against insider trading is absolute. It applies even if the decision to trade is not based on such material nonpublic information. It also applies to transactions that may be necessary or justifiable for independent reasons (such as the need to raise money for an emergency expenditure) and applies to very small transactions as well. All that matters is whether you are aware of any material nonpublic information relating to the Company at the time of the transaction.

 

The U.S. federal securities laws do not recognize any mitigating circumstances to insider trading. In addition, even the appearance of an improper transaction must be avoided to preserve the Company’s reputation for adhering to the highest standards of conduct. In some circumstances, you may need to forgo a planned transaction even if you planned it before becoming aware of the material nonpublic information. So, even if you believe you may suffer an economic loss or sacrifice an anticipated profit by waiting to trade, you must wait.

 

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It is also important to note that the laws prohibiting insider trading are not limited to trading by the insider alone; advising others to trade based on material nonpublic information is illegal and prohibited by this policy and U.S. federal securities laws. Liability in such cases can extend both to the “tippee”—the person to whom the insider disclosed material nonpublic information—and to the “tipper,” the insider himself or herself. In such cases, you can be held liable for your own transactions, as well as the transactions by a tippee and even the transactions of a tippee’s tippee. For these and other reasons, it is the policy of the Company that no employee, director or consultant of the Company (or any other person subject to this policy) may either (a) recommend to another person that they buy, hold or sell Company securities at any time or (b) disclose material nonpublic information to persons within the Company whose jobs do not require them to have that information, or outside of the Company to other persons (unless the disclosure is made in accordance with the Company’s policies regarding the protection or authorized external disclosure of information).

 

In addition, it is the policy of the Company that no employee, director or consultant of the Company (or any other person subject to this policy) who, in the course of working for the Company, learns of or is otherwise aware of material nonpublic information about another publicly traded company with which the Company does business, including a customer or supplier of the Company, may trade in that company’s securities until the information becomes public or is no longer material.

 

There are no exceptions to this policy, except as specifically noted above or below.

 

Transactions Subject to this Policy

 

This policy applies to all transactions in securities issued by the Company, as well as derivative securities that are not issued by the Company, such as exchange-traded put or call options or swaps relating to the Company’s securities. Accordingly, for purposes of this policy, the terms “trade,” “trading” and “transactions” include not only purchases and sales of the Company’s common stock in the public market but also any other purchases, sales, transfers or other acquisitions and dispositions of common or preferred equity, options, warrants and other securities (including debt securities) and other arrangements or transactions that affect economic exposure to changes in the prices of these securities.

 

Persons Subject to this Policy

 

This policy applies to you and all other employees, directors and consultants of the Company and its subsidiaries. This policy also applies to members of your immediate family, persons with whom you share a household, persons who are your economic dependents and any other individuals or entities whose transactions in securities you influence, direct or control (including, e.g., a venture or other investment fund, if you influence, direct or control transactions by the fund). The foregoing persons who are deemed subject to this policy are referred to in this policy as “Related Persons.” You are responsible for making sure that your Related Persons comply with this policy.

 

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Material Nonpublic Information

 

Material information

 

It is not always easy to figure out whether you are aware of material nonpublic information. But there is one important factor to determine whether nonpublic information you know about a public company is material: whether the information could be expected to affect the market price of that company’s securities or to be considered important by investors who are considering trading that company’s securities. If the information makes you want to trade, it would probably have the same effect on others. Keep in mind that both positive and negative information can be material.

 

There is no bright-line standard for assessing materiality; rather, materiality is based on an assessment of all of the facts and circumstances, and is often evaluated by relevant enforcement authorities with the benefit of hindsight. Depending on the specific details, the following items may be considered material nonpublic information until publicly disclosed within the meaning of this policy. There may be other types of information that would qualify as material information as well; use this list merely as a non-exhaustive guide:

 

financial results or forecasts;
status of product or product candidate development or regulatory approvals;
clinical data relating to products or product candidates;
timelines for pre-clinical studies or clinical trials;
acquisitions or dispositions of assets, divisions or companies;
timing of public or private sales of debt or equity securities;
timing of stock splits, dividends or changes in dividend policy;
the establishment of a repurchase program for the Company’s securities;
gain or loss of a significant licensor, licensee or supplier;
changes or new corporate partner relationships or collaborations;
notice of issuance or denial of patents;
regulatory developments;
management or changes in control of the company;
employee layoffs;
a disruption in the Company’s operations or breach or unauthorized access of its property or assets, including its facilities and information technology infrastructure;
tender offers or proxy fights;
accounting restatements;
litigation or settlements; and
impending bankruptcy.

 

Also, mere discussions of the foregoing or other factors that may result in material nonpublic information would also be covered.

 

Exhibit A
Page -1

 

 

When information is considered public

 

The prohibition on trading when you have material nonpublic information ends once that information becomes publicly disseminated. For information to be considered publicly disseminated, it must be widely disseminated through a press release, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), or other widely disseminated announcement. Once information is publicly disseminated, it is still necessary to provide the investing public with sufficient time to absorb the information. Generally speaking, information will be considered publicly disseminated for purposes of this policy after two full trading days have elapsed since the information was publicly disclosed. For example, if we announce material nonpublic information before trading begins on Wednesday, then you may execute a transaction in our securities on Friday; if we announce material nonpublic information after trading ends on Wednesday, then you may execute a transaction in our securities on Monday. Depending on the particular circumstances, the Company may determine that a longer or shorter waiting period should apply to the release of specific material nonpublic information. In such instance, the Company will notify all you in writing of the longer or shorter waiting period.

 

STOCK TRADING BY DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

Pre-Clearance and Advance Notice of Transactions

 

For purposes of our Policy, members of our board of directors, officers, employees and employees of our consultants, as may be designated by our Chief Executive officer from time to time, because of their access to sensitive information shall be deemed “Covered Insiders”. Covered Insiders are required to notify and receive the written approval from the Company’s General Counsel or his or her designee, which consent can be withheld for any reason, prior to engaging in transactions in the Company’s securities. Also, such approval if granted, can be subject to other restrictions designed to minimize the risk of apparent or actual insider trading as set forth in the section below titled “Pre-Clearance and Advance Notice of Transactions.” From time to time, we may also require that certain persons limit their transactions in the Company’s securities to certain trading window periods as described below.

 

Quarterly Trading Blackouts

 

From time to time, the Company may generally prohibit Covered Insiders from trading securities outside of a time period the Company designates as an open trading window (such period when trading is allowed is referred to as a “trading window period” and such period when trading is not allowed is referred to as a “trading blackout period”). As of the effective date of this policy, the Company has not instituted a trading window period. In the event the Company institutes a trading window period after the effective date of this policy, Covered Insiders will additionally be subject to these requirements.

 

In the event the Company institutes a trading window period, except as described in this policy, all Covered Insiders will be able to trade in Company securities only during limited open trading window periods that generally will begin after two full trading days have elapsed since the public dissemination of the Company’s annual or quarterly financial results and end at the beginning of the next quarterly trading blackout period. Of course, even during an open trading window period, you may not (unless an exception applies) conduct any trades in Company securities if you are otherwise in possession of material nonpublic information. This window period may be closed early or may not open at all if, in the judgment of the Chief Executive Officer, there exists undisclosed information that would make trades inappropriate. In addition to a trading window period, the Company may close the trading window at any time and for any duration pending the public release of material news. It is important to note that the fact that the trading window is closed should itself be considered inside information.

 

Exhibit A
Page -2

 

 

A Covered Insider who believes that special circumstances require him or her to trade during a quarterly trading blackout period should consult the General Counsel. Permission to trade during a quarterly trading blackout period may be granted only where the circumstances are extenuating, the General Counsel concludes that the person is not in fact aware of any material nonpublic information relating to the Company or its securities, and there appears to be no significant risk that the trade may subsequently be questioned. Such determination will be at the sole discretion of the Company.

 

Event-Specific Trading Blackouts

 

From time to time, an event may occur that is material to the Company and is known by only a few directors, officers and/or employees. So long as the event remains material and nonpublic, the persons designated by the Chief Executive Officer may not trade in the Company’s securities. In that situation, the Company will notify the designated individuals in writing that neither they nor their Related Persons may trade in the Company’s securities. The existence of an event-specific trading blackout should also be considered material nonpublic information and should not be communicated to any other person, including any other employee or consultant of the Company. Even if you have not been designated as a person who should not trade due to an event-specific trading blackout, you should not trade while aware of material nonpublic information. Exceptions will not be granted during an event-specific trading blackout.

 

The quarterly and event-specific trading blackouts do not apply to those transactions to which this policy does not apply, as described under the heading “Exceptions to this Policy” below.

 

Exceptions to this Policy

 

This policy does not apply in the case of the following transactions, except as specifically noted:

 

1. Option Exercises. This policy does not apply to the exercise of options granted under the Company’s equity compensation plans for cash. This policy does, however, apply to any sale of stock as part of a broker-assisted cashless exercise or any other market sale, whether or not for the purpose of generating the cash needed to pay the exercise price or pay taxes.

 

2. Tax Withholding Transactions. This policy does not apply to the surrender of shares directly to the Company to satisfy tax withholding obligations as a result of the issuance of shares upon vesting or exercise of restricted stock units, options or other equity awards granted under the Company’s equity compensation plans. Of course, any market sale of the stock received upon exercise or vesting of any such equity awards remains subject to all provisions of this policy whether or not for the purpose of generating the cash needed to pay the exercise price or pay taxes.

 

3. ESPP. This policy does not apply to the purchase of stock by employees under the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) on periodic designated dates in accordance with the ESPP. This policy does, however, apply to any sale of stock acquired pursuant to the ESPP.

 

Exhibit A
Page -3

 

 

4. 10b5-1 Automatic Trading Programs. Under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), employees, directors and consultants may establish a trading plan under which a broker is instructed to buy and sell Company securities based on pre-determined criteria (a “Trading Plan”). So long as a Trading Plan is properly established, purchases and sales of Company securities pursuant to that Trading Plan are not subject to this policy. To be properly established, an employee’s, director’s or consultant’s Trading Plan must be established in compliance with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act, including any cooling off periods, and any applicable 10b5-1 trading plan guidelines of the Company at a time when such individual was unaware of any material nonpublic information relating to the Company and when the Company was not otherwise in a trading blackout period. Moreover, all Trading Plans must be reviewed and approved by the Company before being established to confirm that the Trading Plan complies with all pertinent company policies and applicable securities laws. It is the policy of the Company that it will not verify the existence or non-existence of a trading blackout to any person adopting a Trading Plan unless the Company has been permitted to review such Trading Plan in its entirety, and in no case will the Company approve any such Trading Plan unless the Company is permitted to review such Trading Plan in its entirety prior to such Trading Plan being established.

 

5. Gifts. This policy does not apply to bona fide gifts of Company securities that have been pre-cleared by the Company’s General Counsel or his or her designee. Whether a gift is truly bona fide will depend on the facts and circumstances surrounding each gift. Pre-clearance must be obtained at least two business days in advance of the proposed gift, and pre-cleared gifts not completed within five business days will require new pre-clearance. The Company may choose to shorten this period. If such transaction is approved by the General Counsel, the General Counsel or his or her designee will help comply with any required reporting requirements under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, if applicable.

 

6. 401(k) Plan. This policy does not apply to purchases of the Company’s securities in the Company’s 401(k) plan resulting from your periodic contribution of money to the plan pursuant to your payroll deduction election. This policy does apply, however, to certain elections you may make under the 401(k) plan, to the extent permitted or provided for under the 401(k) plan, including: (a) an election to increase or decrease the percentage of your periodic contributions that will be allocated to the Company stock fund; (b) an election to make an intra-plan transfer of an existing account balance into or out of the Company stock fund; (c) an election to borrow money against your 401(k) plan account if the loan will result in a liquidation of some or all of your the Company stock fund balance; and (d) an election to pre-pay a plan loan if the pre- payment will result in allocation of loan proceeds to the Company stock fund.

 

Special and Prohibited Transactions

 

1. Inherently Speculative Transactions. No Company employee, director or consultant may engage in short sales, transactions in put options, call options or other derivative securities on an exchange, any other organized market, through a private transaction or in any other inherently speculative transactions with respect to the Company’s securities.

 

Exhibit A
Page -4

 

 

2. Hedging Transactions. Hedging or monetization transactions can be accomplished through a number of possible mechanisms, including through the use of financial instruments such as prepaid variable forwards, equity swaps, collars and exchange funds. Such hedging transactions may permit a Company employee, director or consultant to continue to own the Company’s securities obtained through employee benefit plans or otherwise, but without the full risks and rewards of ownership. When that occurs, the Company employee, director or consultant may no longer have the same objectives as the Company’s other shareholders. Therefore, the Company employee, director and consultants are prohibited from engaging in any such transactions.

 

3. Margin Accounts and Pledged Securities. Securities held in a margin account as collateral for a margin loan may be sold by the broker without the customer’s consent if the customer fails to meet a margin call. Similarly, securities pledged (or hypothecated) as collateral for a loan may be sold in foreclosure if the borrower defaults on the loan. Because a margin sale or foreclosure sale may occur at a time when the pledgor is aware of material nonpublic information or otherwise is not permitted to trade in the Company’s securities, the Company employee, director and consultants are prohibited from holding Company securities in a margin account or otherwise pledging the Company’s securities as collateral for a loan.

 

4. Standing and Limit Orders. Standing and limit orders (except standing and limit orders under approved Trading Plans, as discussed above) create heightened risks for insider trading violations. There is no control over the timing of purchases or sales that result from standing instructions to a broker, and as a result the broker could execute a transaction when a Company employee, director or consultant is in possession of material nonpublic information. The Company therefore discourages placing standing or limit orders on the Company’s securities. If a person subject to this policy determines that they must use a standing order or limit order (other than under an approved Trading Plan as discussed above), the order should be limited to short duration and the person using such standing order or limit order is required to cancel such instructions immediately in the event restrictions are imposed on their ability to trade pursuant to the “Quarterly Trading Blackouts” and “Event-Specific Trading Blackouts” provisions above.

 

Pre-Clearance and Advance Notice of Transactions

 

In addition to the requirements above, Covered Insiders may not engage in any transaction in the Company’s securities without first obtaining pre-clearance of the transaction from the Company’s General Counsel or his or her designee at least two business days in advance of the proposed transaction. The General Counsel or his or her designee will then determine whether the transaction may proceed and, if so, the General Counsel or his or her designee will help comply with any required reporting requirements under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, if applicable. Pre-cleared transactions not completed within five business days will require new pre-clearance. The Company may choose to shorten this period.

 

Persons subject to pre-clearance must also give advance notice of their plans to exercise an outstanding stock option to the General Counsel. Once any transaction takes place, the officer, director or employee must immediately notify the General Counsel and any other individuals identified under the heading “Notification of Execution of Transaction” in the Company’s Section 16 Compliance Program so that the Company may assist in any Section 16 reporting obligations.

 

Exhibit A
Page -5

 

 

Short-Swing Trading, Control Stock and Section 16 Reports

 

Officers and directors subject to the reporting obligations under Section 16 of the Exchange Act should take care to avoid short-swing transactions (within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act) and the restrictions on sales by control persons (Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), and should file all appropriate Section 16(a) reports (Forms 3, 4 and 5), which are described in the Company’s Section 16 Compliance Program, and any notices of sale required by Rule 144.

 

Prohibition of Trading During Pension Plan Blackouts

 

No director or executive officer of the Company may, directly or indirectly, purchase, sell or otherwise transfer any equity security of the Company (other than an exempt security) during any “blackout period’’ (as defined in Regulation BTR under the Exchange Act) if a director or executive officer acquires or previously acquired such equity security in connection with his or her service or employment as a director or executive officer. This prohibition does not apply to any transactions that are specifically exempted, including but not limited to, purchases or sales of the Company’s securities made pursuant to, and in compliance with, a Trading Plan; compensatory grants or awards of equity securities pursuant to a plan that, by its terms, permits executive officers and directors to receive automatic grants or awards and specifies the terms of the grants and awards; or acquisitions or dispositions of equity securities involving a bona fide gift or by will or the laws of descent or pursuant to a domestic relations order. The Company will notify each director and executive officer of any blackout periods in accordance with the provisions of Regulation BTR. Because Regulation BTR is very complex, no director or executive officer of the Company should engage in any transactions in the Company’s securities, even if believed to be exempt from Regulation BTR, without first consulting with the General Counsel.

 

Policy’s Duration

 

This policy continues to apply to your transactions in the Company’s securities or the securities of other public companies engaged in business transactions with the Company even after your relationship with the Company has ended. If you are aware of material nonpublic information when your relationship with the Company ends, you may not trade the Company’s securities or the securities of other applicable companies until the material nonpublic information has been publicly disseminated or is no longer material. Further, if you leave the Company during a trading blackout period, then you may not trade the Company’s securities or the securities of other applicable companies until the trading blackout period has ended.

 

Individual Responsibility

 

Persons subject to this policy have ethical and legal obligations to maintain the confidentiality of information about the Company and to not engage in transactions in the Company’s securities while aware of material nonpublic information. Each individual is responsible for making sure that he or she complies with this policy, and that any family member, household member or other person or entity whose transactions are subject to this policy, as discussed under the heading “Persons Subject to this Policy” above, also comply with this policy. In all cases, the responsibility for determining whether an individual is aware of material nonpublic information rests with that individual, and any action on the part of the Company or any employee or director of the Company pursuant to this policy (or otherwise) does not in any way constitute legal advice or insulate an individual from liability under applicable securities laws. You could be subject to severe legal penalties and disciplinary action by the Company for any conduct prohibited by this policy or applicable securities laws. See “Penalties” below.

 

Penalties

 

Anyone who engages in insider trading or otherwise violates this policy may be subject to both civil liability and criminal penalties. Violators also risk disciplinary action by the Company, including termination of employment. Anyone who has questions about this policy should contact their attorney or the Company’s General Counsel. Please also see Frequently Asked Questions, which are attached as Exhibit A.

 

Amendments

 

The Company is committed to continuously reviewing and updating its policies and procedures. The Company therefore reserves the right to amend, alter or terminate this policy at any time and for any reason. A current copy of the Company’s policies regarding insider trading may be obtained by contacting the Company.

 

Exhibit A
Page -6