Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-256304
PROSPECTUS
Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
616,655 Shares of Common Stock
This prospectus relates to the resale by the investor listed in the section of this prospectus entitled “Selling Stockholder,” or the Selling Stockholder, of up to 616,655 shares, or the Shares, of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, or Common Stock. Pursuant to that certain Asset Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 23, 2021, by and between us and Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc., or the Purchase Agreement, we issued to the Selling Stockholder 616,655 shares of Common Stock. We are registering the resale of 616,655 of the shares as required by the Purchase Agreement. Our registration of the Shares covered by this prospectus does not mean that the Selling Stockholder will offer or sell any of the Shares. The Selling Stockholder may sell the Shares covered by this prospectus in a number of different ways and at varying prices. For additional information on the possible methods of sale that may be used by the Selling Stockholder, you should refer to the section of this prospectus entitled “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page 9 of this prospectus. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the Shares sold by the Selling Stockholder.
No underwriter or other person has been engaged to facilitate the sale of the Shares in this offering. The Selling Stockholder may be deemed an underwriter of the Shares that it is offering pursuant to this prospectus. We will bear all costs, expenses and fees in connection with the registration of the Shares. The Selling Stockholder will bear all commissions and discounts, if any, attributable to its sales of the Shares.
You should read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus carefully before you invest.
Investing in our Common Stock involves a high degree of risk. You should review carefully the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 4 of this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and in any applicable free writing prospectuses, and under similar headings in the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Our Common Stock is currently listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “SRNE”. On May 28, 2021, the last reported sales price for our Common Stock was $7.52 per share. Our Common Stock has recently experienced price volatility. For example, from January 4, 2021 to May 28, 2021, sales of our Common Stock were effected at prices as low as $6.14 and as high as $17.25. The high sales price of $17.25 occurred on February 8, 2021, on which day the last reported sales price for our Common Stock was $16.51. We have not experienced any material changes in our financial condition or results of operations that explain such price volatility. The trading price of our Common Stock has been, and may continue to be, subject to wide price fluctuations in response to various factors, many of which are beyond our control, including those described under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 4 of this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is June 1, 2021.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
You should rely only on the information we have provided or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representation. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the Shares offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. You should assume that the information in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of the document and that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of a security.
The Selling Stockholder is offering the Shares only in jurisdictions where such issuances are permitted. The distribution of this prospectus and the issuance of the Shares in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the issuance of the Shares and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States. This prospectus does not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, the Shares offered by this prospectus by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, under which the Selling Stockholder may offer from time to time up to an aggregate of 616,655 shares of our Common Stock in one or more offerings. If required, each time the Selling Stockholder offers Common Stock, in addition to this prospectus, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to that offering. We may also use a prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus to add, update or change any of the information contained in this prospectus or in documents we have incorporated by reference. This prospectus, together with any applicable prospectus supplements, any related free writing prospectuses and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, includes all material information relating to this offering. To the extent that any statement that we make in a prospectus supplement is inconsistent with statements made in this prospectus, the statements made in this prospectus will be deemed modified or superseded by those made in a prospectus supplement. Please carefully read both this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus together with the additional information described below under “Important Information Incorporated by Reference”.
This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and does not contain all of the information that you need to consider in making your investment decision. You should carefully read the entire prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, including the risks of investing in our Common Stock discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should also carefully read the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including our financial statements, and the exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus to “Sorrento”, “the Company”, “we”, “us”, “our” or similar references mean Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries.
Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRNE), together with its subsidiaries, or collectively, Sorrento, the Company, we, us and our, is a clinical stage and commercial biopharmaceutical company focused on delivering innovative and clinically meaningful therapies to address unmet medical needs.
At our core, we are antibody-centric and leverage our proprietary G-MAB™ library and targeted delivery modalities to generate the next generation of cancer therapeutics. Our fully human antibodies include PD-1, PD-L1, CD38, CD123, CD47, CTLA-4, CD137 and SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies, among others. We also have programs assessing the use of our technologies and products in autoimmune, inflammatory, viral and neurodegenerative diseases.
Our vision is to leverage these antibodies in conjunction with proprietary targeted delivery modalities to generate the next generation of cancer therapeutics. These modalities include proprietary chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, or CAR-T, dimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, or DAR-T, antibody drug conjugates, or ADCs, as well as bispecific antibody approaches. We acquired Sofusa®, a drug delivery technology, in July 2018, which delivers biologics directly into the lymphatic system to potentially achieve improved efficacy and fewer adverse effects than standard parenteral immunotherapy. Additionally, our majority-owned subsidiary, Scilex Holding Company, acquired the assets of Semnur Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or Semnur, in March 2019. Semnur’s SEMDEXATM , or SP-102, compound has the potential to become the first Food and Drug Administration, or FDA,-approved epidural steroid product for the treatment of sciatica. In response to the global SARS-CoV-2, or COVID-19, pandemic, we are utilizing the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase, or BTK, inhibitor (in-licensed from ACEA Therapeutics, Inc.) in a U.S. Phase II study of cytokine storm associated with a COVID-19 infection and in a Phase II trial in Brazil in mild, moderate and severe COVID-19 patients. We are also internally developing potential coronavirus antiviral therapies and vaccines, including ACE-MABTM, COVIDTRAPTM, COVI-MABTM, COVIGUARDTM, COVISHIELDTM , COVI-AMG™ and T-VIVA-19TM; and diagnostic test solutions, including COVITRACK™, COVISTIX™ and COVITRACE™.
With each of our clinical and pre-clinical programs, we aim to tailor our therapies to treat specific stages in the evolution of a disease, from elimination, to equilibrium and escape. In addition, our objective is to focus on tumors that are resistant to current treatments and where we can design focused trials based on a genetic signature or biomarker to ensure patients have the best chance of a durable and significant response. We have several immuno-oncology programs that are in or near to entering the clinic. These include cellular therapies, oncolytic viruses (SeprehvecTM) and a palliative care program targeted to treat intractable cancer pain. Our cellular therapy programs focus on CAR-T and DAR-T for adoptive cellular immunotherapy to treat both solid and liquid tumors.
From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our mission has been to leverage our deep expertise in developing targeted antibodies for cancer immunotherapy to create best-in-category treatments and diagnostics to ease suffering and assist in the global response to COVID-19. We have leveraged, and continue to leverage, our G-MAB library and antibody development engineering capabilities to advance a number of promising diagnostics and neutralizing antibody candidates to test and treat COVID-19 and the immune reactions associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Our first generation SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody was STI-1499 (COVIGUARD™), which was engineered to prevent antibody dependent enhancement. This antibody was then optimized to produce the highly potent STI-2020, which is currently being developed in two outpatient formations: COVI-AMG (IV-push injection) and COVI-DROPS (nasal). COVI-AMG has been cleared by the FDA for a Phase I study of healthy volunteers, a Phase II study in outpatients with COVID-19 and a Phase II study in hospitalized patients with moderate or severe COVID-19, and we are awaiting FDA clearance for a Phase I study of COVIDROPS of healthy volunteers and patients with mild COVID-19. Sorrento also has developed two promising potential rescue treatments with Abivertinib, an oral next generation dual EGFR/BTK inhibitor, to treat moderate to severe hospitalized COVID-19 patients and COVI-MSC™, a human allogeneic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells for patients suffering from COVID-19-induced acute respiratory distress (ARD). Both have been cleared by the FDA and are in Phase Ib clinical studies. We are also working with Brazilian regulators, or ANVISA, to conduct a COVID-19 study with Abivertinib and potentially with COVI-AMG TM. In pre-clinical development, we are rapidly screening new neutralizing antibodies to address the multiple emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 to potentially add to STI-2020 in a cocktail (COVI-SHIELD™) and exploring novel mechanistic approaches such as soluble recombinant fusion protein traps (COVIDTRAPTM) to potentially inhibit the binding of SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein with host ACE2 receptors, thereby potentially preventing viral cell entry.
In furtherance of our goal to develop products across the entire continuum of COVID-19 solutions, we are further developing a number of highly sensitive and rapid diagnostic tests. COVISTIX™ is a lateral flow antigen test that uses a proprietary platinum-based colloid and antibody combination, resulting in high sensitivity and accuracy. This is a simple and rapid (15-minute) test with a shallow nasal swab and is designed for point-of-care and at-home use. COVITRACK™ is a rapid SARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM antibody test kit intended for use initially in clinical laboratories and in point of care settings to quickly identify individuals with anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies post-infection or post- vaccination. COVITRACE™ was licensed from Columbia University as a rapid single step on-site colorimetric detection test for SARS-COV-2 genomic RNA from a saliva sample using targeted nucleic acid amplification for high throughput point-of-care situations.
We have reported early data from Phase I trials of our carcinoembryonic antigen (“CEA”)-directed CAR-T program. We have treated five patients with stage 4, unresectable adenocarcinoma (four with pancreatic and one with colorectal cancer) and CEA-positive liver metastases with anti-CEA CAR-T. We successfully submitted an Investigational New Drug application (“IND”) for anti-CD38 CAR-T for the treatment of refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma (“RRMM”), obtained clearance from the FDA and commenced a human clinical trial for this indication in early 2018. We have dosed eleven patients. We intend to close this study to further enrollment and start up a similar anti-CD38 CAR-T construct without the myc-tag (which cannot be used in Europe), and to continue treating RRMM patients in a Phase Ib/IIa study, which will begin enrollment in the first quarter of 2021. We filed INDs for our CD47 mAb and the first of our DAR-T platform product candidates in the first quarter of 2021.
Broadly speaking, we believe we are one of the world’s leading CAR-T and DAR-T companies today due to our investments in technology and infrastructure, which have enabled significant progress in developing our next-generation non-viral, “off-the-shelf” allogeneic DAR-T solutions. With “off-the-shelf” solutions, DAR-T therapy can truly become a drug product platform rather than a treatment procedure.
With respect to our ADC program, we began enrolling patients in the first quarter of 2021 in a Phase Ib ascending dose study of our CD38 ADC for systemic Amyloid light-chain amyloidosis. Based upon our recently announced exclusive license from Mayo Clinic for its antibody-drug-nanoparticle albumin-bound (“ADNAB”) platform, the next generation in ADC technology, we intend to file several INDs to treat various cancer targets.
Outside of immuno-oncology programs, as part of our global aim to provide a wide range of therapeutic products to meet underserved markets, we have made investments in non-opioid pain management. These include resiniferatoxin, or RTX, which is a non-opioid-based toxin that specifically targets transient receptor potential vanilloid-1, or TRPV1, which, depending on the site of injection, can ablate, or destroy, nerves expressing TRPV1 or temporarily defunctionalize them. TRPV1 is responsible for the noxious chronic and inflammatory pain signaling that occurs post injury or trauma, but leaves other nerve functions intact. RTX has been granted orphan drug status for the treatment of intractable pain with end-stage cancer and two Phase Ib trials (intrathecal and epidural routes) in that indication have or will soon be completed. A Phase Ib trial studying tolerance and efficacy of RTX for the control of moderate to severe osteoarthritis knee pain was initiated in late 2018 and intermediate results have shown efficacy with no dose limiting toxicities. The osteoarthritis trial enrolled the last patient in the first quarter of 2020, and we expect to release the final safety clinical data by the middle of 2021. We plan to start knee arthritis registrational trials after the completion of required preclinical studies.
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Also, in this area, we have developed in-house and acquired proprietary technologies to responsibly develop next generation, branded pharmaceutical products to better manage patients’ medical conditions, maximize the quality of life of patients and assist healthcare providers. The flagship product of our majority-owned subsidiary, Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc., or Scilex Pharma, ZTlido® (lidocaine topical system 1.8%), or ZTlido, is a next-generation lidocaine delivery system, which was approved by the FDA for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia, a severe neuropathic pain condition in February 2018, and was commercially launched in October 2018. Scilex Pharma has now built a full commercial organization, which includes sales, marketing, market access and medical affairs. ZTlido has demonstrated superior adhesion in comparative head-to-head studies as compared to Lidoderm and is manufactured by our Japanese partner in their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.
For a complete description of our business, financial condition, results of operations and other important information, we refer you to our filings with the SEC that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. For instructions on how to find copies of these documents, see “Where You Can Find More Information”.
On September 21, 2009, QuikByte Software, Inc., a Colorado corporation and shell company, or QuikByte, consummated its acquisition of Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation and private concern, or STI, in a reverse merger, or the Merger. We were originally incorporated as San Diego Antibody Company in California in 2006 and were renamed “Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.” and reincorporated in Delaware in 2009, prior to the Merger. QuikByte was originally incorporated in Colorado in 1989. Following the Merger, on December 4, 2009, QuikByte reincorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, or the Reincorporation. Immediately following the Reincorporation, on December 4, 2009, we merged with and into QuikByte, the separate corporate existence of STI ceased and QuikByte continued as the surviving corporation, or the Roll-Up Merger. Pursuant to the certificate of merger filed in connection with the Roll-Up Merger, QuikByte’s name was changed from “QuikByte Software, Inc.” to “Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.”
Risk Factors
An investment in shares of our Common Stock involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the risk factors beginning on page 4 of this prospectus before investing in our Common Stock.
Use of Proceeds
Although we will incur expenses in connection with the registration of the Shares covered by this prospectus, we will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholder.
Principal Executive Offices and Additional Information
Our principal executive offices are located at 4955 Directors Place, San Diego, CA 92121, and our telephone number at that address is (858) 203-4100. Our website is www.sorrentotherapeutics.com. Any information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into, nor is it in any way part of this prospectus and should not be relied upon in connection with making any decision with respect to an investment in our securities. We are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may obtain any of the documents filed by us with the SEC at no cost from the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
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Investing in shares of our Common Stock involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described below, under “Risk Factors” in any applicable prospectus supplement and in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, or in any updates in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, together with all of the other information appearing in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, before deciding whether to purchase any of the Common Stock being offered. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks. The trading price of shares of our Common Stock could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly, and investors in our common stock may lose all or a part of their investment.
The market prices for securities of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies have historically been highly volatile, and the market has from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. For example, from January 2, 2020 to December 31, 2020, our closing stock price ranged from $1.57 to $18.82 per share, and from January 4, 2021 to May 28, 2021, our closing stock price ranged from $6.35 to $16.51 per share. The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly and continue to be volatile in response to numerous factors that are not related to any material changes in our financial condition or results of operations, some of which are beyond our control, such as:
• | actual or anticipated adverse results or delays in our clinical trials; |
• | our failure to commercialize our product candidates, if approved; |
• | our inability to obtain adequate product supply for any approved product or inability to do so at acceptable prices; |
• | unanticipated serious safety concerns related to the use of any of our product candidates; |
• | adverse regulatory decisions; |
• | changes in laws or regulations applicable to our product candidates, including but not limited to clinical trial requirements for approvals; |
• | legal disputes or other developments relating to proprietary rights, including patents, litigation matters and our ability to obtain patent protection for our product candidates, government investigations and the results of any proceedings or lawsuits, including, but not limited to, patent or stockholder litigation; |
• | our decision to initiate a clinical trial, not initiate a clinical trial or to terminate an existing clinical trial; |
• | our dependence on third parties, including CROs; |
• | announcements of the introduction of new products by our competitors; |
• | market conditions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors; |
• | announcements concerning product development results or intellectual property rights of others; |
• | future issuances of common stock or other securities; |
• | the addition or departure of key personnel; |
• | our cash position; |
• | failure to meet or exceed any financial guidance or expectations regarding development milestones that we may provide to the public; |
• | actual or anticipated variations in quarterly operating results; |
• | our failure to meet or exceed the estimates and projections of the investment community; |
• | overall performance of the equity markets and other factors that may be unrelated to our operating performance or the operating performance of our competitors, including changes in market valuations of similar companies; |
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• | conditions or trends in the biotechnology and biopharmaceutical industries; |
• | introduction of new products offered by us or our competitors; |
• | our ability to effectively manage our growth; |
• | the size and growth of our target markets; |
• | changes in the market valuations of similar companies; |
• | announcements of significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments by us or our competitors; |
• | issuances of debt or equity securities; |
• | sales of our common stock by us or our stockholders in the future; |
• | trading volume of our common stock; |
• | ineffectiveness of our internal controls; |
• | publication of research reports about us or our industry or positive or negative recommendations or withdrawal of research coverage by securities analysts; |
• | failure to effectively integrate the acquired companies’ operations; |
• | general political and economic conditions; |
• | effects of natural or man-made catastrophic events; |
• | effects of public health crises, pandemics and epidemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; |
• | the sentiment of retail investors, speculation in the press and in the investment community generally, including on online forums and social media, about our company; |
• | the amount and status of short interests in our securities; and |
• | other events or factors, many of which are beyond our control. |
Further, the equity markets in general have recently experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Continued market fluctuations could result in extreme volatility in the price of our common stock, which could cause a decline in the value of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. Price volatility of our common stock might worsen if the trading volume of our common stock is low. The realization of any of the above risks or any of a broad range of other risks, including those described in these “Risk Factors,” could have a dramatic and material adverse impact on the market price of our common stock.
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DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, about us and our subsidiaries. These forward-looking statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact, and can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes”, “expects”, “may”, “will”, “could”, “should”, “projects”, “plans”, “goal”, “targets”, “potential”, “estimates”, “pro forma”, “seeks”, “intends” or “anticipates” or the negative thereof or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements include discussions of strategy, financial projections, guidance and estimates (including their underlying assumptions), statements regarding plans, objectives, expectations or consequences of various transactions, and statements about the future performance, operations, products and services of us and our subsidiaries. We caution our stockholders and other readers not to place undue reliance on such statements.
You should read this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we currently expect. Our business and operations are and will be subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. Consequently, actual results and experience may materially differ from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and experience to differ from those projected include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in Part I - Item 1A, “Risk Factors”, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and Part II – Item IA, “Risk Factors”, in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on May 5, 2021, and elsewhere in the other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and any document incorporated herein by reference is accurate as of its date only. Because the risk factors referred to above could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by us or on our behalf, you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict which factors will arise. In addition, we cannot assess the impact of each factor on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf made after the date of this prospectus are expressly qualified in their entirety by the risk factors and cautionary statements contained in and incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Unless legally required, we do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
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We will receive no proceeds from the sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholder.
The Selling Stockholder will pay any underwriting fees, discounts and commissions attributable to the sale of the Shares and any similar expenses it incurs in disposing of the Shares. We will bear all other costs, fees and expenses incurred in effecting the registration of the Shares covered by this prospectus. These may include, without limitation, all registration and filing fees, printing fees and fees and expenses of our counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares covered by this prospectus.
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Unless the context otherwise requires, as used in this prospectus, “Selling Stockholder” includes the selling stockholder listed below and donees, pledgees, permitted transferees or other successors-in-interest selling shares received after the date of this prospectus from a selling stockholder as a gift, pledge or other non-sale related transfer.
We have prepared this prospectus to allow the Selling Stockholder or its successors, assignees or other permitted transferees to sell or otherwise dispose of, from time to time, up to 616,655 shares of our Common Stock. The Shares were issued to the Selling Stockholder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, we issued an aggregate of 616,655 shares of our Common Stock to the Selling Stockholder. The Shares were issued to the Selling Stockholder in reliance on the exemption from securities registration in Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder.
The shares of Common Stock to be offered by the Selling Stockholder are “restricted” securities under applicable federal and state securities laws and are being registered under the Securities Act to give the Selling Stockholder the opportunity to sell these shares publicly. The registration of these shares does not require that any of the shares be offered or sold by the Selling Stockholder. Subject to these resale restrictions, the Selling Stockholder may from time to time offer and sell all or a portion of their shares indicated below in privately negotiated transactions or on the Nasdaq Capital Market or any other market on which our Common Stock may subsequently be listed or quoted.
The registered shares may be sold directly or through brokers or dealers, or in a distribution by one or more underwriters on a firm commitment or best effort basis. To the extent required, the names of any agent or broker-dealer and applicable commissions or discounts and any other required information with respect to any particular offering will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Plan of Distribution”. The Selling Stockholder and any agents or broker-dealers that participate with the Selling Stockholder in the distribution of registered shares may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any commissions received by them and any profit on the resale of the registered shares may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act.
No estimate can be given as to the amount or percentage of Common Stock that will be held by the Selling Stockholder after any sales made pursuant to this prospectus because the Selling Stockholder is not required to sell any of the Shares being registered under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. The following table assumes that the Selling Stockholder will sell all of the Shares listed in this prospectus.
Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes below, the Selling Stockholder has not had any material relationship with us or any of our affiliates within the past three years other than as a security holder.
We have prepared this table based on written representations and information furnished to us by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder. Since the date on which the Selling Stockholder provided this information, the Selling Stockholder may have sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of all or a portion of the shares of Common Stock in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes below, we believe that (1) the Selling Stockholder is not a broker-dealer or affiliate of a broker-dealer, (2) the Selling Stockholder does not have direct or indirect agreements or understandings with any person to distribute its Shares, and (3) the Selling Stockholder has sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares beneficially owned, subject to applicable community property laws. To the extent the Selling Stockholder is, or is affiliated with, a broker-dealer, it could be deemed to be, under SEC Staff interpretations, an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act. Information about the Selling Stockholder may change over time. Any changed information will be set forth in supplements to this prospectus, if required.
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The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our Common Stock held, as of May 14, 2021, by the Selling Stockholder and the number of Shares being offered hereby and information with respect to shares to be beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholder after completion of this offering. The percentages in the following table reflect the shares beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholder as a percentage of the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of May 14, 2021. As of such date, 287,419,862 shares of Common Stock were outstanding.
Shares
Beneficially Owned Prior to the Offering (1) | Maximum Number of Shares of Common Stock to be Offered Pursuant to | Shares
Beneficially Owned After the Offering (1)(2) | ||||||||||||||||||
Name | Number | Percentage | this Prospectus | Number | Percentage | |||||||||||||||
Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc.(3) | 616,655 | * | 616,655 | — | — | |||||||||||||||
TOTAL | — | — | 616,655 | — | — |
* | Less than 1%. |
(1) | Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act. In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, shares of Common Stock subject to warrants, options and other convertible securities held by that person that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days (of May 14, 2021) are deemed outstanding. Shares subject to warrants, options and other convertible securities, however, are not deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. |
(2) | Assumes that the Selling Stockholder disposes of all of the shares of Common Stock covered by this prospectus and does not acquire beneficial ownership of any additional shares. The registration of these shares does not necessarily mean that the Selling Stockholder will sell all or any portion of the shares covered by this prospectus. |
(3) | Voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by the Selling Stockholder is held by Tien-Li-Lee, M.D., who is the Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Selling Stockholder. The address of the Selling Stockholder is 12707 High Bluff Drive, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92130-2035. |
Indemnification
Under the Purchase Agreement, we have agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholder, its affiliates and permitted transferees against certain losses, claims, damages, liabilities, settlement costs and expenses, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
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We are registering the shares of Common Stock to permit the resale of these shares of Common Stock by the holder of the Shares from time to time after the date of this prospectus. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale by the Selling Stockholder of the shares of Common Stock. We will bear all fees and expenses incident to our obligation to register the shares of Common Stock.
The Selling Stockholder may sell all or a portion of the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by it and offered hereby from time to time directly or through one or more underwriters, broker-dealers or agents. If the shares of Common Stock are sold through underwriters or broker-dealers, the Selling Stockholder will be responsible for underwriting fees, discounts or commissions or agent’s commissions. The shares of Common Stock may be sold in one or more transactions at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices. The Selling Stockholder will act independently of us in making decisions with respect to the timing, manner and size of each sale. Except as otherwise prohibited under the Purchase Agreement, these sales may be effected in transactions, which may involve cross or block transactions. The Selling Stockholder may use one or more of the following methods when disposing of the Shares or interests therein:
• | on any national securities exchange or quotation service on which the securities may be listed or quoted at the time of sale; |
• | in the over-the-counter market; |
• | in transactions otherwise than on these exchanges or systems or in the over-the-counter market; |
• | through the writing of options, whether such options are listed on an options exchange or otherwise; |
• | in ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
• | in block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
• | through purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account; |
• | in an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; |
• | in privately negotiated transactions; |
• | in short sales; |
• | through the distribution of the Common Stock by the Selling Stockholder to its partners, members or stockholders; |
• | through one or more underwritten offerings on a firm commitment or best efforts basis; |
• | in sales pursuant to Rule 144; |
• | whereby broker-dealers may agree with the Selling Stockholder to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share; |
• | in a combination of any such methods of sale; and |
• | via any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
If the Selling Stockholder effects such transactions by selling shares of Common Stock to or through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents, such underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the Selling Stockholder or commissions from purchasers of the shares of Common Stock for whom they may act as agent or to whom they may sell as principal (which discounts, concessions or commissions as to particular underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may be in excess of those customary in the types of transactions involved). In connection with sales of the shares of Common Stock or otherwise, the Selling Stockholder may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers, which may in turn engage in short sales of the shares of Common Stock in the course of hedging in positions they assume. The Selling Stockholder may also sell shares of Common Stock short and deliver shares of Common Stock covered by this prospectus to close out short positions and to return borrowed shares in connection with such short sales. The Selling Stockholder may also loan or pledge shares of Common Stock to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such shares.
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The Selling Stockholder may pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the shares of Common Stock owned by it and, if it defaults in the performance of its secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the shares of Common Stock from time to time pursuant to this prospectus or any amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act amending, if necessary, the list of Selling Stockholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as a Selling Stockholder under this prospectus. The Selling Stockholder also may transfer and donate the shares of Common Stock in other circumstances in which case the transferees, donees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.
The Selling Stockholder and any broker-dealer participating in the distribution of the shares of Common Stock may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any commission paid, or any discounts or concessions allowed to, any such broker-dealer may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. At the time a particular offering of the shares of Common Stock is made, a prospectus supplement, if required, will be distributed which will set forth the aggregate amount of shares of Common Stock being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name or names of any broker-dealers or agents, any discounts, commissions and other terms constituting compensation from the Selling Stockholder and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to broker-dealers. The Selling Stockholder may indemnify any broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving the sale of the shares of Common Stock against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.
Under the securities laws of some states, the shares of Common Stock may be sold in such states only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states the shares of Common Stock may not be sold unless such shares have been registered or qualified for sale in such state or an exemption from registration or qualification is available and is complied with.
The aggregate proceeds to the Selling Stockholder from the sale of the Common Stock offered will be the purchase price of the Common Stock less discounts or commissions, if any. The Selling Stockholder reserves the right to accept and, together with its agents from time to time, to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of Common Stock to be made directly or through agents. There can be no assurance that the Selling Stockholder will sell any or all of the shares of Common Stock registered pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
The Selling Stockholder and any other person participating in such distribution will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including, without limitation, Regulation M of the Exchange Act, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the shares of Common Stock by the Selling Stockholder and any other participating person. Regulation M may also restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the shares of Common Stock to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares of Common Stock. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the shares of Common Stock and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares of Common Stock.
We will pay all expenses of the registration of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, SEC filing fees and expenses of compliance with state securities or “Blue Sky” laws; provided, however, that the Selling Stockholder will pay all underwriting fees, discounts or commissions attributable to the sale of the Shares or any legal fees and expenses of counsel to the Selling Stockholder, if any. We will indemnify the Selling Stockholder against certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. We may be indemnified by the Selling Stockholder against certain liabilities, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, that may arise from any written information furnished to us by the Selling Stockholder specifically for use in this prospectus.
Once sold under the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, the shares of Common Stock will be freely tradable in the hands of persons other than our affiliates.
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General Matters
As of May 14, 2021, our authorized capital stock consisted of 750,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share. Our board of directors, or our Board, may establish the rights and preferences of the preferred stock from time to time. As of May 14, 2021, there were 287,419,862 shares of our Common Stock issued and outstanding and no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding.
Common Stock
Holders of our Common Stock are entitled to one vote per share. Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or our Certificate of Incorporation, does not provide for cumulative voting. Holders of our Common Stock are entitled to receive ratably such dividends, if any, as may be declared by our Board out of legally available funds. However, the current policy of our Board is to retain earnings, if any, for our operations and potential expansion of our business. Upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the holders of our Common Stock are entitled to share ratably in all of our assets which are legally available for distribution, after payment of or provision for all liabilities. The holders of our Common Stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights.
Preferred Stock
As of the date of this prospectus, no shares of preferred stock are issued and outstanding. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that our Board may by resolution, without further vote or action by the stockholders, establish one or more classes or series of preferred stock having the number of shares and relative voting rights, designation, dividend rates, liquidation, and other rights, preferences, and limitations as may be fixed by them without further stockholder approval. Once designated by our Board, each series of preferred stock will have specific financial and other terms that will be set forth in the applicable certificate of designation for the series. Prior to the issuance of shares of each series of preferred stock, our Board is required by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or the DGCL, and our Certificate of Incorporation to adopt resolutions and file a certificate of designation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The certificate of designation fixes for each class or series the designations, powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions, including, but not limited to, some or all of the following:
(a) The distinctive designation of such series and the number of shares which shall constitute such series, which number may be increased (except where otherwise provided by our Board in creating such series) or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) from time to time by resolution of our Board;
(b) The rate and manner of payment of dividends payable on shares of such series, including the dividend rate, date of declaration and payment, whether dividends shall be cumulative, and the conditions upon which and the date from which such dividends shall be cumulative;
(c) Whether shares of such series shall be redeemable, the time or times when, and the price or prices at which, shares of such series shall be redeemable, the redemption price, the terms and conditions of redemption, and the sinking fund provisions, if any, for the purchase or redemption of such shares;
(d) The amount payable on shares of such series and the rights of holders of such shares in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of our Company;
(e) The rights, if any, of the holders of shares of such series to convert such shares into, or exchange such shares for, shares of Common Stock, other securities, or shares of any other class or series of preferred stock and the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange;
(f) The voting rights, if any, and whether full or limited, of the shares of such series, which may include no voting rights, one vote per share, or such higher or lower number of votes per share as may be designated by our Board; and
(g) The preemptive or preferential rights, if any, of the holders of shares of such series to subscribe for, purchase, receive, or otherwise acquire any part of any new or additional issue of stock of any class, whether now or hereafter authorized, or of any bonds, debentures, notes, or any of our other securities, whether or not convertible into shares of our Common Stock.
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Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and the DGCL
Certain provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and our Amended and Restated Bylaws, or our Bylaws, which are summarized in the following paragraphs, may have the effect of discouraging potential acquisition proposals or tender offers or delaying or preventing a change in control, including changes a stockholder might consider favorable. Such provisions may also prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our management. In particular, our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and Delaware law, as applicable, among other things:
• | provide our Board with the ability to alter our Bylaws without stockholder approval; |
• | place limitations on the removal of directors; and |
• | provide that vacancies on our Board may be filled by a majority of directors in office, although less than a quorum. |
These provisions are expected to discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of our company to first negotiate with our Board. These provisions may delay or prevent someone from acquiring or merging with us, which may cause the market price of our Common Stock to decline.
Blank Check Preferred. Our Board is authorized to create and issue from time to time, without stockholder approval, up to an aggregate of 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to establish the number of shares of any series of preferred stock and to fix the designations, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions of the shares of each series.
The authority to designate preferred stock may be used to issue a series of preferred stock, or rights to acquire preferred stock, that could dilute the interest of, or impair the voting power of, holders of the Common Stock or could also be used as a method of determining, delaying or preventing a change of control.
Advance Notice Bylaws. The Bylaws contain an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before any meeting of stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our Board. Stockholders at any meeting will only be able to consider proposals or nominations specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of our Board or by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has given our corporate secretary timely written notice, in proper form, of the stockholder’s intention to bring that business before the meeting. Although our Bylaws do not give our Board the power to approve or disapprove of stockholder nominations of candidates or proposals regarding other business to be conducted at a special or annual meeting, our Bylaws may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed or may discourage or deter a potential acquiror from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.
Choice of Forum. The Bylaws provide that, unless our Board consents to an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought by or on our behalf; (ii) any direct action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors or officers pursuant to any of the provisions of the DGCL, our Certificate of Incorporation or our Bylaws; (iii) any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duties owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to our stockholders; or (iv) any action asserting a violation of Delaware decisional law relating to our internal affairs. This provision does not apply to (a) actions in which the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware concludes that an indispensable party is not subject to the jurisdiction of Delaware courts, or (b) actions in which a federal court has assumed exclusive jurisdiction to a proceeding. This choice of forum provision is not intended to apply to any actions brought under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. However, the Bylaws do not relieve us of our duties to comply with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with these laws, rules and regulations. The Bylaws also provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of and consented to this choice of forum provision.
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This choice of forum provision in the Bylaws may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. In addition, stockholders who do bring a claim in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware could face additional litigation costs in pursuing any such claim, particularly if they do not reside in or near Delaware. Furthermore, the enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ governing documents has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that a court could find these types of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable.
Interested Stockholder Transactions. We are subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, which prohibits “business combinations” between a publicly-held Delaware corporation and an “interested stockholder,” which is generally defined as a stockholder who is a beneficial owner of 15% or more of a Delaware corporation’s voting stock for a three-year period following the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless: (i) the transaction is approved by the board of directors before the date the interested stockholder attained that status; (ii) upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced; or (iii) on or after the date of the transaction, the transaction is approved by the board of directors and authorized at a meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder. In general, the DGCL defines a business combination to include the following: (a) any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder; (b) any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder; (c) subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder; (d) any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or (e) the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.
Warrants
As of May 14, 2021, warrants to purchase 16,020,254 shares of Common Stock with a weighted-average exercise price of $3.49 per share were outstanding. All of our outstanding warrants are currently exercisable, except to the extent that certain of them may be subject to a blocker provision, which restricts the exercise of a warrant if, as a result of such exercise, the warrant holder, together with its affiliates and any other person whose beneficial ownership of Common Stock would be aggregated with the warrant holder’s for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, would beneficially own in excess of 4.99%, 9.99%, 19.99% or 19.9% of our then issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock (including the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise), as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of such warrant. All of our outstanding warrants contain provisions for the adjustment of the exercise price in the event of stock dividends, stock splits or similar transactions. In addition, certain of the warrants contain a “cashless exercise” feature that allows the holders thereof to exercise the warrants without a cash payment to us under certain circumstances.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The Transfer Agent and Registrar for our Common Stock is Philadelphia Stock Transfer, Inc., 2320 Haverford Road, Suite 230, Ardmore, PA 19003.
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Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the Common Stock offered by this prospectus, and any supplement thereto, will be passed upon for us by Paul Hastings LLP, Palo Alto, California.
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, as set forth in their reports, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP's reports, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The financial statements as of December 31, 2019, and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2019, incorporated by reference in this prospectus from Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) Annual Report on Form 10-K, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated by reference herein (which report expresses an unqualified opinion on the consolidated financial statements and includes an explanatory paragraph referring to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern). Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are a reporting company and file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the Common Stock being offered under this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. For further information with respect to us and the shares of Common Stock being offered under this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. The SEC’s Internet site can be found at http://www.sec.gov. Additional information with respect to us can be found on our website at www.sorrentotherapeutics.com. Any information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into, nor is it in any way part of this prospectus and should not be relied upon in connection with making any decision with respect to an investment in our securities.
DISCLOSURE OF COMMISSION POSITION ON INDEMNIFICATION FOR SECURITIES ACT LIABILITIES
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers, and persons controlling us pursuant to the provisions described in Item 15 of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than our payment of expenses incurred or paid by our directors, officers, or controlling persons in the successful defense of any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by our directors, officers or controlling persons in connection with the Common Stock being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of our counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by us is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of the issue.
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus contain important information that you should read about us.
The following documents are incorporated by reference into this prospectus:
(a) | Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on February 19, 2021; |
(b) | Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on May 5, 2021; |
(c) | Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 11, 2021, January 27, 2021, March 1, 2021, March 9, 2021, March 10, 2021 and April 5, 2021; and |
We also incorporate by reference any future filings (other than current reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits filed on such form that are related to such items unless such Form 8-K expressly provides to the contrary) made with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, including those made after the date of the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and prior to effectiveness of such registration statement, until we file a post-effective amendment that indicates the termination of the offering of the Common Stock made by this prospectus and such future filings will become a part of this prospectus from the respective dates that such documents are filed with the SEC. Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes hereof or of the related prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.
Documents incorporated by reference are available from us, without charge. You may obtain documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus by requesting them in writing or by telephone at the following address:
Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
4955 Directors Place
San Diego, CA 92121
Attn: Corporate Secretary
Phone: (858) 203-4100
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SORRENTO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
616,655 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
PROSPECTUS
June 1, 2021
Neither we nor the Selling Stockholder have authorized any dealer, salesperson or other person to give any information or to make any representations not contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. You must not rely on any unauthorized information. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where an offer or sale is not permitted. The information in this prospectus is current as of the date of this prospectus. You should not assume that this prospectus is accurate as of any other date.
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