EX-99.6 2 tm247653d1_ex99-6.htm EXHIBIT 99.6

Exhibit 99.6

 

LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

 

February 26, 2024

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

COWEN AND COMPANY, LLC

As Representatives of

the several Underwriters listed in

Schedule 1 to the Underwriting

Agreement referred to below

 

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

 

c/o Cowen and Company, LLC

599 Lexington Avenue, 20th Floor

New York, NY 10022

 

Re: Absci Corporation – Public Offering

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Absci Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of common stock, $0.0001 par value, of the Company (the “Securities”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

 

 

 

In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Securities, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the several Underwriters, the undersigned will not, and will not cause any direct or indirect affiliate to, in each case subject to the exceptions set forth herein, during the period beginning on the date of this letter agreement (this “Letter Agreement”) and ending at the close of business on the 90th day after the date set forth on the cover of the final prospectus supplement relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”) (such period, the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of common stock, $0.0001 per share par value, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) (collectively with the Common Stock, “Lock-Up Securities”), (2) enter into any hedging, swap or other agreement or transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any Lock-Up Securities, or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing precludes the undersigned from engaging during the Restricted Period in any hedging or other transactions or arrangements (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) designed or intended, or which could reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale or disposition or transfer (whether by the undersigned or any other person) of any economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) would be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise. The undersigned further confirms that it has furnished the Representatives with the details of any transaction the undersigned, or any of its affiliates, is a party to as of the date hereof, which transaction would have been restricted by this Letter Agreement if it had been entered into by the undersigned during the Restricted Period.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer or dispose of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities:

 

(i)as a bona fide gift or gifts, or for bona fide estate planning purposes;

 

(ii)by will, other testamentary document or intestacy;

 

(iii)   to any member of the undersigned’s immediate family or to any trust or other entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, or if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustor or beneficiary of the trust or to the estate of a beneficiary of such trust (for purposes of this Letter Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, current or former marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin);

 

(iv)   to a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity of which the undersigned and/or one or more members of the immediate family of the undersigned are, directly or indirectly, the legal and beneficial owner of all of the outstanding equity securities or similar interests or are under common control with the undersigned;

 

(v)   to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (i) through (iv) above, and in each such case, subject to the same conditions;

 

 

 

 

(vi)   if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (A) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned, or to any investment fund or other entity controlling, controlled by, managing or managed by or under common control or management or common investment management or common investment advisor with the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where the undersigned is a partnership, to its general partner or a successor partnership or fund, or any other funds managed by such partnership), or (B) as part of a distribution or other transfer to direct or indirect members, limited partners, general partners, subsidiaries, affiliates, shareholders or other equity holders of the undersigned;

 

(vii)   by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree, separation agreement or court order;

 

(viii)   to the Company from an employee, independent contractor or other service provider of the Company upon death, disability or termination of employment or cessation of services, in each case, of such employee, independent contractor or service provider;

 

(ix)   as part of a sale of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities acquired in (1) the Public Offering or (2) open market transactions after the closing date for the Public Offering;

 

(x)   to the Company in connection with the vesting, settlement, or exercise of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock (including, in each case, by way of “net” or “cashless” exercise), including for the payment of exercise price and tax and remittance payments due as a result of the vesting, settlement, or exercise of such restricted stock units, options, warrants or rights, provided that any such shares of Common Stock received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement shall be subject to the terms of this Letter Agreement, and provided further that any such restricted stock units, options, warrants or rights are held by the undersigned pursuant to an agreement or equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, each such agreement or plan which is described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; or

 

(xi)   pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction that is approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and made to all holders of the Company’s capital stock involving a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Company (for purposes hereof, “Change of Control” shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons, of shares of capital stock if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity)); provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction is not completed, the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities shall remain subject to the provisions of this Letter Agreement;

 

 

 

 

provided that (A) in the case of any transfer, distribution or other disposition pursuant to clause (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii), such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value and each donee, devisee, transferee or distributee shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up letter in the form of this Letter Agreement, (B) in the case of any transfer, distribution or other disposition pursuant to clause (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (ix) and (x), no filing by any party (donor, donee, devisee, transferor, transferee, distributer or distributee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 or any required Schedule 13D, Schedule 13D/A, Schedule 13F, Schedule 13G or Schedule 13G/A, so long as such required filing includes a reasonably detailed explanation of transfer or distribution) and (C) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (vii), (viii) and (x) it shall be a condition to such transfer that no public filing, report or announcement shall be voluntarily made and if any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, or other public filing, report or announcement reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock in connection with such transfer or distribution shall be legally required during the Restricted Period, such filing, report or announcement shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto the nature and conditions of such transfer.

 

Furthermore, notwithstanding the restrictions imposed by this Letter Agreement, the undersigned may exercise an option or other equity award to purchase shares of Common Stock or exercise warrants, provided that the shares of Common Stock issued upon such exercise shall continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Letter Agreement.

 

If the undersigned is not a natural person, the undersigned represents and warrants that no single natural person, entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the common equity interests, or 50% or more of the voting power, in the undersigned.

 

Nothing in this Letter Agreement shall prevent the establishment by the undersigned of any contract, instruction or plan (a “Plan”) meeting the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (1) such Plan does not provide for the sale of Lock-up Securities during the Restricted Period and (2) no filing by any person under the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with the establishment of such Plan, except for such disclosure as may be required under the Exchange Act or Regulation S-K of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Furthermore, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to transactions relating to Common Stock or other securities of the Company currently held, or subsequently acquired in the Public Offering or otherwise, by Redmile Biopharma Investments II, L.P., RedCo II Master Fund, L.P. or any other pooled investment vehicle advised by Redmile Group, LLC.

 

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.

 

 

 

 

The undersigned hereby consents to receipt of this Letter Agreement in electronic form and understands and agrees that this Letter Agreement may be signed electronically. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, electronic mail, or otherwise by electronic transmission evidencing an intent to sign this Letter Agreement, such facsimile transmission, electronic mail or other electronic transmission shall create a valid and binding obligation of the undersigned with the same force and effect as if such signature were an original. Execution and delivery of this Letter Agreement by facsimile transmission, electronic mail or other electronic transmission is legal, valid and binding for all purposes.

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

 

The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the Underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the Public Offering of the Securities and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Representatives may be required or choose to provide certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures to you in connection with the Public Offering, the Representatives and the other Underwriters are not making a recommendation to you to participate in the Public Offering, enter into this Letter Agreement, or sell any Securities at the price determined in the Public Offering, and nothing set forth in such disclosures is intended to suggest that the Representatives or any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.

 

The undersigned understands that, (i) if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective by March 8, 2024, (ii) if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, (iii) either the Company, on the one hand, or the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, on the other hand, notifies the other in writing prior to execution of the Underwriting Agreement that it does not intend to proceed with the Public Offering or (iv) the Registration Statement filed with the SEC in connection with the Public Offering is withdrawn prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, the Letter Agreement shall automatically, and without any action on the part of any other party, terminate and be of no further force and effect and the undersigned shall automatically be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement. The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.

 

This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

 

 

 

Very truly yours,
   
 By:/s/Amrit Nagpal
  Name: Amrit Nagpal

 

 

[Signature Page to Lock-Up

Agreement]