def14a
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
Filed by the
Registrant x
Filed by a Party other than the
Registrant o
Check the appropriate box:
o Preliminary
Proxy Statement
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
x Definitive Proxy
Statement
o Definitive
Additional Materials
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o |
Soliciting Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12 |
Solexa, Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
o Fee computed on
table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
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(1) |
Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
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(2) |
Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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(3) |
Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on
which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
determined): |
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(4) |
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials: |
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by
Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which
the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous
filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule
and the date of its filing. |
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Amount Previously Paid: |
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(2) |
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
SOLEXA, INC.
25861 Industrial Blvd.
Hayward, California 94545
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held on July 7, 2005
Dear Stockholder:
You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders of Solexa, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
Company). The meeting will be held on Thursday,
July 7, 2005 at 9:00 a.m., local time, at the
Companys principal executive offices, located at 25861
Industrial Blvd., Hayward, California 94545, for the following
purposes:
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1. To approve the issuance of common stock and warrants to
purchase common stock in connection with a financing transaction. |
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2. To elect seven directors to serve for the ensuing year
and until their successors are elected. |
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3. To adopt the Companys 2005 Equity Incentive Plan. |
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4. To ratify the selection by the Audit Committee of the
Board of Directors of Ernst & Young LLP as independent
auditors of the Company for its fiscal year ending
December 31, 2005. |
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5. To conduct any other business properly brought before
the meeting. |
These items of business are more fully described in the Proxy
Statement accompanying this Notice.
The record date for the Annual Meeting is May 27, 2005.
Only stockholders of record at the close of business on that
date may vote at the meeting or any adjournment thereof.
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By Order of the Board of Directors |
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Linda M. Rubinstein |
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Secretary |
Hayward, California
June 21, 2005
You are cordially invited to attend the meeting in person.
Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, please
complete, date, sign and return the enclosed proxy, or vote over
the telephone or the Internet as instructed in these materials,
as promptly as possible in order to ensure your representation
at the meeting. A return envelope (which is postage prepaid if
mailed in the United States) is enclosed for your convenience.
Even if you have voted by proxy, you may still vote in person if
you attend the meeting. Please note, however, that if your
shares are held of record by a broker, bank or other nominee and
you wish to vote at the meeting, you must obtain a proxy issued
in your name from that record holder.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SOLEXA, INC.
25861 Industrial Blvd.
Hayward, California 94545
PROXY STATEMENT
FOR THE 2005 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
July 7, 2005
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THIS PROXY MATERIAL AND VOTING
Why am I receiving these materials?
We sent you this proxy statement and the enclosed proxy card
because the Board of Directors of Solexa, Inc. (sometimes
referred to as the Company or Solexa) is
soliciting your proxy to vote at the 2005 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders. You are invited to attend the annual meeting, and
we request that you vote on the proposals described in this
proxy statement. However, you do not need to attend the meeting
to vote your shares. Instead, you may simply complete, sign and
return the enclosed proxy card, or follow the
instructions below to submit your proxy over the telephone or on
the Internet.
We intend to mail this proxy statement and accompanying proxy
card on or about June 21, 2005 to all stockholders of
record entitled to vote at the annual meeting.
Who can vote at the annual meeting?
Only stockholders of record at the close of business on
May 27, 2005 will be entitled to vote at the annual
meeting. On this record date, there were 19,972,809 shares
of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote.
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Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your
Name |
If on May 27, 2005 your shares were registered directly in
your name with Solexas transfer agent, EquiServe Trust
Company N.A., then you are a stockholder of record. As a
stockholder of record, you may vote in person at the meeting or
vote by proxy. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, we
urge you to fill out and return the enclosed proxy card or vote
by proxy over the telephone or on the Internet as instructed
below to ensure your vote is counted.
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Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of a
Broker or Bank |
If on May 27, 2005 your shares were held, not in your name,
but rather in an account at a brokerage firm, bank, dealer or
other similar organization, then you are the beneficial owner of
shares held in street name, and these proxy
materials are being forwarded to you by that organization. The
organization holding your account is considered the stockholder
of record for purposes of voting at the annual meeting. As a
beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker or
other agent on how to vote the shares in your account. You are
also invited to attend the annual meeting. However, since you
are not the stockholder of record, you may not vote your shares
in person at the meeting unless you request and obtain a valid
proxy from your broker or other agent.
What am I voting on?
There are four matters scheduled for a vote:
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Issuance of common stock and warrants to purchase common stock
in connection with a financing transaction. |
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Election of seven directors. |
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Adoption of the Companys 2005 Equity Incentive Plan. |
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Ratification of Ernst & Young LLP as independent
auditors of the Company for its fiscal year ending
December 31, 2005. |
How do I vote?
You may either vote For all the nominees to the
Board of Directors or you may abstain from voting for any
nominee you specify. For each of the other matters to be voted
on, you may vote For or Against or
abstain from voting. The procedures for voting are as follows:
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Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your
Name |
If you are a stockholder of record, you may vote in person at
the annual meeting or vote by proxy using the enclosed proxy
card. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, we urge you
to vote by proxy to ensure your vote is counted. You may still
attend the meeting and vote in person if you have already voted
by proxy.
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To vote in person, come to the annual meeting and we will give
you a ballot when you arrive. |
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To vote using the proxy card, simply complete, sign and date the
enclosed proxy card and return it promptly in the envelope
provided. If you return your signed proxy card to us before the
annual meeting, we will vote your shares as you direct. |
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Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of a
Broker or Bank |
If you are a beneficial owner of shares registered in the name
of your broker, bank or other agent, you should have received a
proxy card and voting instructions with these proxy materials
from that organization rather than from Solexa. Simply complete
and mail the proxy card to ensure that your vote is counted.
A number of brokers and banks are participating in a program
provided through ADP Investor Communication Services that offers
the means to grant proxies to vote shares by means of the
telephone and Internet. If your shares are held in an account
with a broker or bank participating in the ADP Investor
Communications Services program, you may grant a proxy to vote
those shares telephonically by calling the telephone number
shown on the instruction form received from your broker or bank,
or via the Internet at ADP Investor Communication Services
web site at (www.proxyvote.com). To vote in person at the
meeting, you must obtain a valid proxy from your broker, bank or
other agent. Follow the instructions from your broker or bank
included with these proxy materials, or contact your broker or
bank to request a proxy form.
Votes submitted via the Internet or by telephone must be
received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on July 6, 2005,
by submitting your proxy via the Internet or by telephone will
not affect your right to vote in person should you decide to
attend the annual meeting.
The telephone and Internet voting procedures are designed to
authenticate stockholders identities, to allow
stockholders to give their voting instructions and to confirm
that stockholders instructions have been recorded
properly. Please be aware that you must bear any costs
associated with your Internet access, such as usage charges from
Internet access providers and telephone companies.
How many votes do I have?
On each matter to be voted upon, you have one vote for each
share of common stock you own as of May 27, 2005.
What if I return a proxy card but do not make specific
choices?
If you return a signed and dated proxy card without marking any
voting selections, your shares will be voted:
(i) For the approval of the issuance of common
stock and warrants to purchase common stock in
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connection with a financing transaction;
(ii) For the election of all seven nominees for
director; (iii) For the approval of the
Companys 2005 Equity Incentive Plan; and
(iv) For the ratification of Ernst &
Young LLP as independent auditors of the Company for its fiscal
year ending December 31, 2005. If any other matter is
properly presented at the meeting, your proxy (one of the
individuals named on your proxy card) will vote your shares
using his or her best judgment.
Who is paying for this proxy solicitation?
We will pay for the entire cost of soliciting proxies. In
addition to these mailed proxy materials, our directors and
employees may also solicit proxies in person, by telephone or by
other means of communication. Directors and employees will not
be paid any additional compensation for soliciting proxies. We
will also reimburse brokerage firms, banks and other agents for
the cost of forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners.
What does it mean if I receive more than one proxy card?
If you receive more than one proxy card, your shares are
registered in more than one name or are registered in different
accounts. Please complete, sign and return each proxy
card to ensure that all of your shares are voted.
Can I change my vote after submitting my proxy?
Yes. You can revoke your proxy at any time before the final vote
at the meeting. You may revoke your proxy in any one of three
ways:
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You may submit another properly completed proxy card with a
later date. |
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You may send a written notice that you are revoking your proxy
to Solexas Secretary at 25861 Industrial Blvd., Hayward,
California 94545. |
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You may attend the annual meeting and vote in person. Simply
attending the meeting will not, by itself, revoke your proxy. |
When are stockholder proposals due for next years
annual meeting?
The deadline for submitting a stockholder proposal for inclusion
in the Companys proxy statement and form of proxy for our
2006 annual meeting of stockholders pursuant to Rule 14a-8
of the Securities and Exchange Commission is February 21,
2006. Stockholders wishing to submit a proposal or director
nomination at the Companys 2006 annual meeting must notify
the Company of such proposals or nominations in writing to the
Secretary of the Company not less than one hundred twenty
(120) calendar days in advance of the anniversary date of
this proxy statement, or by February 21, 2006. Unless a
stockholder at the Companys 2006 annual meeting of
stockholders notifies the Company of such proposals or
nominations prior to the meeting and in accordance with the
Companys Bylaws, the Chairman of the meeting will have
discretionary authority to declare at the meeting that such
matters cannot be transacted. Stockholders are also advised to
review the Companys Bylaws, which contain additional
requirements with respect to advance notice of stockholder
proposals and director nominations.
How are votes counted?
Votes will be counted by the inspector of election appointed for
the meeting, who will separately count For and (with
respect to proposals other than the election of directors)
Against votes, abstentions and broker non-votes. A
broker non-vote occurs when a nominee holding shares
for a beneficial owner does not vote on a particular proposal
because the nominee does not have discretionary voting power
with respect to that proposal and has not received instructions
with respect to that proposal from the beneficial owner (despite
voting on at least one other proposal for which it does have
discretionary authority or for which it has received
instructions). Discretionary items are proposals considered
routine under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange. on which
your broker may vote shares held in street name in the absence
of your voting
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instructions. On non-discretionary items for which you do not
give your broker instructions, the shares will be treated as
broker non-votes. Abstentions will be counted towards the vote
total for each proposal and will have the same effect as
Against votes. Broker non-votes have no effect and
will not be counted towards the vote total for any proposal.
How many votes are needed to approve each proposal?
To be approved, Proposal No. 1, the issuance of common
stock and warrants to purchase common stock in connection with a
financing transaction, must receive a For vote from
the majority of shares present and entitled to vote either in
person or by proxy, excluding shares sold and issued at the
first closing of the financing. If you Abstain from
voting, it will have the same effect as an Against
vote. Broker non-votes will have no effect.
For the election of directors, the seven nominees receiving the
most For votes (among votes properly cast in person
or by proxy) will be elected. Broker non-votes will have no
effect.
To be approved, Proposal No. 3, the adoption of the
Companys 2005 Equity Incentive Plan, must receive a
For vote from the majority of shares present and
entitled to vote either in person or by proxy. If you
Abstain from voting, it will have the same effect as
an Against vote. Broker non-votes will have no
effect.
To be approved, Proposal No. 4, the ratification of
Ernst & Young LLP as independent auditors of the
Company for its fiscal year ending December 31, 2005, must
receive a For vote from the majority of shares
present and entitled to vote either in person or by proxy. If
you Abstain from voting, it will have the same
effect as an Against vote. Broker non-votes will
have no effect.
What is the quorum requirement?
A quorum of stockholders is necessary to hold a valid meeting. A
quorum will be present if at least a majority of the outstanding
shares are represented by votes at the meeting or by proxy. On
the record date, there were 19,972,809 shares outstanding
and entitled to vote. Thus 9,986,405 must be represented by
votes at the meeting or by proxy to have a quorum.
Your shares will be counted towards the quorum only if you
submit a valid proxy vote or vote at the meeting. Abstentions
and broker non-votes will be counted towards the quorum
requirement. If there is no quorum, a majority of the votes
present at the meeting may adjourn the meeting to another date.
How can I find out the results of the voting at the annual
meeting?
Preliminary voting results will be announced at the annual
meeting. Final voting results will be published in the
Companys quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the third
quarter of 2005.
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PROPOSAL 1
APPROVAL OF ISSUANCE OF COMMON STOCK AND WARRANTS TO
PURCHASE
COMMON STOCK IN CONNECTION WITH A FINANCING TRANSACTION
Introduction
On April 25, 2005, we completed the first part of a
two-part sale of our securities to investors in a private
placement pursuant to a Purchase Agreement, dated April 21,
2005, by and among the Company and the purchasers of the common
stock and warrants named therein (the Purchase
Agreement). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, we agreed
to sell up to an aggregate of 8,125,000 shares of our
common stock at a price per share of $4.00 and warrants to
purchase up to 4,062,502 shares of our common stock at an
exercise price of $5.00 per share (the
Financing). The price per share of the common stock
and the exercise price of the warrants were approved by a
pricing committee of the board of directors of the Company (the
Board) composed of directors who are not affiliated
with any of the participants in the private placement.
The sale and issuance of our common stock and warrants to
purchase our common stock has been structured to close in two
closings. The first closing (the First Closing) was
completed on April 25, 2005, pursuant to which we sold and
issued an aggregate of 2,120,161 shares of our common stock
and warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of
1,060,085 shares of our common stock. In the second
closing, which is expected to close as soon as practicable
following stockholder approval (the Second Closing),
we expect to sell an additional 6,004,839 shares of our
common stock and warrants to purchase up to
3,002,417 shares of our common stock. The Second Closing is
subject to the approval of this Proposal 1 by our
stockholders. If stockholder approval of the Second Closing is
obtained, the Second Closing is expected to occur promptly after
the annual meeting.
In connection with the Financing, certain of the stockholders of
the Company beneficially owning approximately
13,528,033 shares of Companys common stock have
entered into amended support agreements, whereby they have
agreed to vote all outstanding shares of the Companys
capital stock beneficially held by them in favor of the Second
Closing.
THIS PROXY STATEMENT IS NEITHER AN OFFER TO SELL NOR A
SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY.
THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT HAVE NOT BEEN
REGISTERED FOR SALE BY THE COMPANY UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF
1933, AS AMENDED (THE SECURITIES ACT), OR ANY STATE
SECURITIES LAWS AND MAY NOT BE SO OFFERED OR SOLD ABSENT SUCH
REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH
APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS THEREOF.
Assuming stockholder approval of this Proposal 1, we would
receive approximately $24 million from the sale of
approximately 6 million shares of our common stock, or
$4.00 per share, at the Second Closing. Upon exercise of
the warrants to purchase up to approximately 3 million
shares of our common stock, to be issued at the Second Closing,
we would receive proceeds of approximately $15 million, or
$5.00 per share.
The purchasers in the Financing consist of a limited number of
accredited investors, and the sale of our common stock and
warrants will be made in reliance on Regulation D
promulgated under the Securities Act, which offers exemptions
from the registration requirements under the Securities Act. SG
Cowen & Co. LLC is serving as placement agent for the
Company in connection with the Financing.
The Purchasers; Interests of Certain Persons
Certain purchasers in the transactions are affiliated with
Abingworth Management Limited (defined below), OBP
Management IV L.P. (defined below), Amadeus Capital
Partners Limited (defined below), Schroder Venture Managers
Limited (defined below) and ValueAct Capital Management, L.P.
(ValueAct) and are affiliated with certain
individuals who are on the Board as follows: certain entities
affiliated with Abingworth Management Limited are affiliated
with Dr. Lloyd-Harris; certain entities affiliated
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with OBP Management IV L.P. are affiliated with
Mr. Carthy and Dr. Fambrough, a nominee for election
to the Board; certain entities affiliated with Schroder Venture
Managers are affiliated with Mr. Daniel; and certain
entities affiliated with Amadeus Capital Partners Limited are
affiliated with Dr. Hauser. ValueAct is affiliated with
G. Mason Morfit, a member of our Board. Messrs. Carthy
and Daniel have determined not to stand for election at the
annual meeting.
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Abingworth Management Limited |
Abingworth Management Limited is the investment advisor to
Abingworth Bioventures II SICAV and the investment manager
of Abingworth Bioventures II A LP, Abingworth
Bioventures III A LP, Abingworth Bioventures III C LP
and Abingworth Bioventures III Executives LP. Therefore,
for purposes of this proxy statement, these entities affiliated
with Abingworth Management Limited are collectively referred to
as Abingworth and shares of the Company beneficially
owned by these entities have been aggregated.
Entities affiliated with OBP Management IV L.P. are Oxford
Bioscience Partners IV L.P. and mRNA Fund II L.P. For
purposes of this proxy statement, these entities are
collectively referred to as Oxford Bioscience and
shares of the Company beneficially owned by these entities have
been aggregated.
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Amadeus Capital Partners Limited |
Entities affiliated with Amadeus Capital Partners Limited are
Amadeus II A LP, Amadeus II B LP, Amadeus II C
LP, Amadeus II D GmbH & Co KG and Amadeus II
Affiliates LP. For purposes of this proxy statement, these
entities are collectively referred to as Amadeus and
shares of the Company beneficially owned by these entities have
been aggregated.
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Schroder Venture Managers Limited |
Schroder Venture Managers Limited is the fund manager for
Schroder Ventures International Life Sciences Fund II
L.P. 1, Schroder Ventures International Life Sciences
Fund II L.P. 2, Schroder Ventures International Life
Sciences Fund II L.P. 3, Schroder Ventures
International Life Sciences Fund II Strategic Partners
L.P., Schroder Ventures International Life Sciences Fund II
Group Co-Investment Scheme and SV (nominees) Limited as
nominee to Schroder Ventures Investments Limited. Therefore, for
purposes of this proxy statement, these entities affiliated with
Schroder Venture Managers Limited are collectively referred to
as Schroder and shares of the Company beneficially
owned by these entities have been aggregated.
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The following table indicates the beneficial ownership of our
voting securities held by investors considered to be affiliates
of the Company: (1) upon the First Closing, and
(2) upon the Second Closing:
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Total Shares | |
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% Voting Securities | |
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Beneficially Owned | |
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Beneficially Owned | |
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(excludes warrant | |
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(excludes warrant | |
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Common Stock | |
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Warrants | |
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shares) | |
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shares) | |
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(1) First Closing
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Abingworth
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4,493,841 |
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0 |
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4,493,841 |
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22.78 |
% |
Amadeus
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3,487,465 |
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0 |
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3,487,465 |
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17.68 |
% |
Oxford Bioscience
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2,493,757 |
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0 |
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2,493,757 |
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12.64 |
% |
Schroder
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3,052,970 |
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0 |
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3,052,970 |
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15.48 |
% |
ValueAct
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809,367 |
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404,684 |
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809,367 |
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4.10 |
% |
(2) Second Closing
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Abingworth
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5,323,480 |
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414,820 |
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5,323,480 |
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20.49 |
% |
Amadeus
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4,256,717 |
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384,626 |
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4,256,717 |
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16.39 |
% |
Oxford Bioscience
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3,043,757 |
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275,000 |
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3,043,757 |
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11.72 |
% |
Schroder
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3,617,444 |
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282,237 |
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3,617,444 |
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13.93 |
% |
ValueAct
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1,875,000 |
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937,500 |
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1,875,000 |
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7.22 |
% |
Percentage ownership is determined by including shares
exercisable currently or within 60 days following the date
of this proxy statement, and excludes shares underlying the
warrants issued at the First Closing, which are not exercisable
until 180 days after the date of issuance.
Amended Support Agreements
Entities affiliated with Abingworth Management Limited, OBP
Management IV L.P., Amadeus Capital Partners Limited and
Schroder Venture Managers Limited have entered into amended
support agreements, whereby they have agreed to vote all
outstanding shares of the Companys capital stock
beneficially held by them in favor of the Financing. These
entities are also parties to the Purchase Agreement and expected
to purchase shares of common stock and warrants at the Second
Closing.
Reason for Stockholder Approval
Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq SmallCap Market, and,
as a result, we are subject to Nasdaqs rules. We are
required to seek stockholder approval for the Second Closing in
order to ensure compliance with Rule 4350 of the Nasdaq
rules. Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 4350(i)(1)(A) requires
stockholder approval prior to the issuance of securities to
officers or directors of the issuer at a price below the book or
market value of the common stock. Several of the potential
investors in the Second Closing are current stockholders and are
affiliated with certain individuals who are on the Board as
follows: certain entities affiliated with Abingworth Management
Limited are affiliated with Dr. Lloyd-Harris; certain
entities affiliated with OBP Management IV L.P. are
affiliated with Mr. Carthy and Dr. Fambrough, a
nominee for election to the board of directors of the Company;
certain entities affiliated with Schroder Venture Managers
Limited are affiliated with Mr. Daniel; certain entities
affiliated with Amadeus Capital Partners Limited are affiliated
with Dr. Hauser; and ValueAct is affiliated with
Mr. Morfit. We are seeking stockholder approval to ensure
compliance with the rule and allow participation by entities
affiliated with each of Abingworth Management Limited, OBP
Management IV L.P., Schroder Venture Managers Limited,
Amadeus Capital Partners Limited and ValueAct.
In addition, Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 4350(i)(1)(D) requires
stockholder approval prior to the sale or issuance or potential
issuance of shares of common stock (or of securities convertible
into or exercisable for shares of common stock) in a transaction
other than a public offering (as defined by Nasdaq), where the
number of shares of common stock issued or to be issued is equal
to 20% or more of a companys outstanding
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common stock or 20% or more of the voting power of the company
outstanding before the issuance, and where the effective sale
price of the common stock is less than the greater of the book
or market value of the common stock. All of our common stock
sold or to be sold and issued in the financing has been priced
at $4.00 per share. This was less than the price of our
common stock as reported on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market prior to
the pricing of such securities and, as such, the Second Closing
requires stockholder consent pursuant to Nasdaq Marketplace
Rule 4350(i)(1)(D).
If approved, this proposal would likely result in a significant
increase in the number of shares of our common stock
outstanding, and, as a result, current stockholders who are not
participating in the financing would own a smaller percentage of
our outstanding common stock and, accordingly, a smaller
percentage interest in the voting power, liquidation value and
book value of the Company. The sale or resale of any of our
common stock issued pursuant to these transactions could cause
the market price of the our common stock to decline.
Reasons for the Financing
The Board has determined that obtaining additional funds is
critical to the Companys ability to execute on its current
business plan. However, because of the restrictions of Nasdaq
Marketplace Rule 4350, the Company is limited in the amount
it may raise through the private sale of its equity securities
without obtaining stockholder approval. If the approval sought
hereby is obtained and the other conditions to the Second
Closing of the Financing are satisfied, the Company will raise
up to $32.5 million in the Financing, including
approximately $24 million at the Second Closing, but
excluding the exercise of the warrants issued in connection with
the financing.
Summary of the Financing
The terms of the Financing and a description of the common stock
and warrants are summarized below. Copies of the Purchase
Agreement and the form of Warrant (collectively, the
Financing Documents) have been filed by the Company
as exhibits to the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on
April 26, 2005, and you are encouraged to review the full
text of the Financing Documents. The following summary is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the more detailed
terms set forth in the Financing Documents.
For each share of common stock purchased in the Financing, each
purchaser shall receive a warrant to purchase one-half share of
common stock. The warrants issued pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement are exercisable 180 days after issuance and
remain exercisable until the five year anniversary of issuance.
The warrants are exercisable at a per share price equal to
$5.00, subject to proportional adjustments for stock splits,
stock dividends, recapitalizations and the like. The exercise
price is also adjustable and as a result the purchaser receives
additional shares if, at any time prior to the two and one-half
year anniversary of the date of issuance, we issue additional
shares of common stock, warrants or other securities exercisable
or exchangeable for shares of common stock at a net price to us
of less than $4.00 per share of common stock. If not
exercised after five years, the right to purchase the common
stock will terminate.
Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, we agreed to use our best
efforts to prepare and file a registration statement on
Form S-3 (the Registration Statement) for the
resale of the shares of common stock issued pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement and shares of common stock issuable upon
exercise of the warrants issued pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement (collectively, the Registrable Shares)
within 10 days following the Second Closing, but in no
event later than 80 days following the First Closing, and
to use our best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to
become effective within 100 days following the First
Closing or within 150 days following the First Closing if
the Registration Statement is reviewed by the SEC. We also
agreed to make such filings as necessary to keep the
Registration Statement effective until such time as all of the
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Registrable Shares have been resold, such time as all of the
Registrable Shares may be resold in a three-month period
pursuant to Rule 144(k), or the fifth anniversary of later
of the First Closing Date or Second Closing Date.
We are entitled to suspend the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement for no more than 30 days in any 12 month
period. In the event we fail to cause the Registration Statement
to be timely filed, timely declared effective, or to be kept
effective (other than pursuant to the permissible suspension
periods), we agreed to pay as liquidated damages the amount of
1% per month of the aggregate amount invested by each
purchaser in the Financing (excluding any amount attributable to
the warrants acquired in the Financing). The stockholder
approval being sought hereby will constitute consent to the
payment of these cash penalties, if any.
Description of Common Stock
Our authorized capital stock consists of 60,000,000 shares
of common stock, $0.01 par value, and 2,000,000 shares
of preferred stock, $0.01 par value.
As of June 3, 2005, there were 19,972,809 shares of
common stock outstanding, held of record by approximately
1,100 stockholders. In addition, as of June 3, 2005,
there were 1,164,936 shares of common stock subject to
outstanding options with a weighted average exercise price of
approximately $9.67 per share and 1,779,381 shares of
common stock subject to warrants. We currently have no preferred
stock outstanding.
Each share of our common stock entitles its holder to one vote
on all matters to be voted upon by our stockholders. Holders of
our common stock may receive ratably any dividends that the
Board may declare out of funds legally available for that
purpose. In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up
of the Company, the holders of our common stock are entitled to
share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of
liabilities and any liquidation preference of any preferred
stock that may be issued in the future. Our common stock has no
preemptive rights, conversion rights, subscription rights or
redemption or sinking fund provisions. All outstanding shares of
our common stock are fully paid and non-assessable.
As of June 3, 2005, warrants to purchase an aggregate of
1,779,381 shares of our common stock were outstanding at a
weighted average exercise price of approximately $13.30 per
share.
We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, which regulates acquisitions of some Delaware
corporations. In general, Section 203 prohibits, with some
exceptions, a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging
in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a
period of three years following the date the person becomes an
interested stockholder, unless:
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the board of directors approved the business combination or the
transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder
prior to the date the person attained this status; |
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upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the person
becoming an interested stockholder, the person owned at least
85% of the companys voting stock outstanding at the time
the transaction commenced, excluding shares owned by persons who
are directors and also officers and by employee stock plans in
which employee participants do not have the right to determine
confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be
tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or |
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on or subsequent to the date the person became an interested
stockholder, the board of directors approved the business
combination and the stockholders other than the interested
stockholder authorized the transaction at an annual or special
meeting of stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least
66.67% of the outstanding stock not owned by the interested
stockholder. |
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Section 203 defines a business combination to
include:
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any merger or consolidation involving us and the interested
stockholder; |
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any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition involving the
interested stockholder of 10% or more of our assets; |
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in general, any transaction that results in the issuance or
transfer by us of any of our stock to the interested stockholder; |
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any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of
increasing the proportionate share of our stock owned by the
interested stock holders; or |
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the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any
loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits
provided by or through us. |
In general, Section 203 defines an interested
stockholder as any person who, together with the
persons affiliates and associates, owns, or within three
years prior to the determination of interested stockholder
status did own, 15% or more of a corporations voting stock.
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Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws Provisions |
Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws include a number of
provisions that may have the effect of deterring hostile
takeovers or delaying or preventing changes in control or
management of us. First, the bylaws provide that special
meetings of the stockholders may be called only by our board of
directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the
total number of authorized directors. Second, the certificate of
incorporation provides that our board of directors can issue
shares of preferred stock. Finally, the bylaws establish
procedures, including advance notice procedures with regard to
the nomination of candidates for election as directors and
stockholder proposals. These provisions of our certificate of
incorporation and bylaws could discourage potential acquisition
proposals and could delay or prevent a change in control or
management of us.
Use of Proceeds
The funds that may be raised are expected to be used for general
corporate purposes, more specifically, the research, development
and market launch of a new genetic analysis instrument system to
be sold to customers for use in their own research laboratories,
in the Companys genomics service business and to pay off
the Silicon Valley Bank loan in the aggregate principal amount
of $3 million.
Overall Effect of the Proposal
If the proposal is approved by the stockholders, we, in
compliance with the NASDAQ rules, will complete the sale or
issuance of up to approximately 12,187,502 shares of our
common stock (including warrants exercisable for or convertible
into our common stock) at a discount to market price and to book
value of our common stock, in an offering that is not a
public offering as defined by NASDAQ and in a
transaction involving investors who will include affiliates of
certain individuals who are on Board This approval would not
limit our ability to do a public offering, as defined by NASDAQ,
or to issue or sell a number of shares of our common stock
(including shares issuable upon conversion or exercise of
convertible debt, warrants or other securities exercisable for
or convertible into our common stock) that is less than 20% of
the outstanding shares on terms that might or might not be
similar to those in this proposal.
The issuance of our common stock in the transactions subject to
this proposal is not intended to have an anti-takeover effect
and is not part of a plan by management to institute
anti-takeover measures. We do not have knowledge of any effort
to accumulate our securities or to obtain control of us by means
of a merger, tender offer, solicitation in opposition to
management or otherwise.
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Required Vote
The affirmative vote of a majority of all of the votes present
or represented and entitled to vote at the annual meeting,
excluding for this purpose any shares sold and issued at the
First Closing of the Financing, is required to approve the
Second Closing of the Financing.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE IN FAVOR OF PROPOSAL 1.
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PROPOSAL 2
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
There are seven nominees for the seven Board of Directors of the
Company (the Board) positions presently authorized
pursuant to the terms of the Companys Bylaws. Each
director to be elected will hold office until the next annual
meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is
elected, or until the directors death, resignation or
removal. Each nominee listed below is currently a director of
the Company, except for Dr. Fambrough. Each of the nominees
listed below, except for Mr. Taylor and Dr. Fambrough,
is currently a director of the Company who was appointed by the
Board and recommended for election by the Board. Mr. Taylor
has served as a director of the Company since March 1994 and
Dr. Fambrough was recommended for election to the Board by
Mark Carthy, a colleague of Dr. Fambrough and current
director of the Company who is not standing for election.
Mr. Morfit is the nominee of ValueAct, a stockholder of the
Company. Pursuant to a letter agreement, dated April 21,
2005, ValueAct has the right to nominate one member of the Board
so long as it holds at least 738,000 shares of the
Companys common stock. It is the Companys policy to
invite nominees for director to attend the Annual Meeting.
Messrs. Taylor and West attended the 2004 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders.
Directors are elected by a plurality of the votes properly cast
in person or by proxy. The seven nominees receiving the highest
number of affirmative votes will be elected. Shares represented
by executed proxies will be voted, if authority to do so is not
withheld, for the election of the nine nominees named below. In
the event that any nominee should be unavailable for election as
a result of an unexpected occurrence, your shares will be voted
for the election of such substitute nominee as management may
propose. Each person nominated for election has agreed to serve
if elected, and management has no reason to believe that any
nominee will be unable to serve.
Nominees
The following is a brief biography of each nominee for director.
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Name |
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Position |
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Craig C. Taylor(1)(2)(3)
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54 |
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Chairman of the Board |
John West
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49 |
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Chief Executive Officer, Director |
Stephen D. Allen
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47 |
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Director |
Douglas M. Fambrough
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36 |
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Nominee |
Hermann Hauser(2)
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56 |
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Director |
Genghis Lloyd-Harris(1)(2)(3)
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47 |
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Director |
G. Mason Morfit(1)
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29 |
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Director |
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(1) |
Member of the Audit Committee |
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Member of the Compensation Committee |
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Member of the Nominating Committee |
Craig C. Taylor was elected Chairman of the Board in
December 2000, has served as a director of the company since
March 1994 and served as Acting Chief Financial Officer from
July 1994 to April 1997. He has been active in venture capital
since 1977, when he joined Asset Management Company, a venture
capital firm. He is a general partner of AMC Partners 89 L.P.,
which serves as the general partner of Asset Management
Associates 1989 L.P., a private venture capital partnership. He
currently serves as a director of Pharmacyclics, Inc., a
biotechnology company, Adeza Biomedical, Inc., a healthcare
company and several private companies.
John West joined the company in March 2005 as Chief
Executive Officer and a director upon the completion of the
business combination with Solexa Limited. Mr. West has
served as Chief Executive Officer and director of Solexa Limited
since August 2004. From January 2001 to July 2004, Mr. West
was Vice President at Applied Biosystems, Inc., where he was
responsible for the companys instrument and reagent
products for DNA sequencing, gene expression, genotyping, PCR
and DNA synthesis. From January 1999 to
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January 2001, Mr. West was the Marketing Director for
Microfluidics at Coventor, Inc. (fka Microcosm Technologies,
Inc.). From 1996 to June 1998, Mr. West was the President
of Princeton Instruments, Inc., and from June 1990 to 1996 he
was a General Manager at Princeton Instruments, Inc. Prior to
Princeton Instruments, Inc., Mr. West was the President and
founder of BioAutomation, Inc. Mr. West received BS and MS
degrees in engineering from MIT and an MBA in Finance from the
Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Stephen D. Allen, Ph.D., became a director of the
company in March 2005 upon the completion of the business
combination with Solexa Limited where Dr. Allen has served
as a director. Dr. Allen, an independent consultant, was
previously with Mettler-Toledo International Inc. from 2000 to
2004, as Head of Automated Chemistry, in which role he has been
responsible for the acquisition and integration of a series of
companies focused on drug discovery tools. From 1999 to 2000,
Dr. Allen was Vice President of European Operations for
Perkin-Elmer Instruments and from 1983 to 1999, Dr. Allen
held a series of senior management positions in the United
Kingdom and United States for PE Corporation (now Applera Corp),
including General Manager of a spectroscopy business and Vice
President of Product Development. Dr. Allen received his
BSc and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Nottingham University.
Hermann Hauser, Ph.D., became a director of the
company in March 2005 upon the completion of the business
combination with Solexa Limited, where Dr. Hauser has
served as a director. Dr. Hauser has founded, co-founded
and backed over 20 information technology companies, including
Acorn Computer Group and Virata (now GlobespanVirata). While
working at Olivetti as Vice President, Research, he established
Olivettis global network of research laboratories. In
1997, he co-founded Amadeus Capital Partners Ltd., a venture
capital company specializing in high-technology investments. He
has served as a Director of Amadeus since that time.
Dr. Hauser received an MA in Physics from Vienna University
and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Cambridge. He is a
Fellow of the Institute of Physics and of the Royal Academy of
Engineering, an honorary Fellow of Kings College,
Cambridge and in 2001 was awarded an honorary CBE for
innovative service to the UK enterprise sector.
Genghis Lloyd-Harris, M.D., Ph.D., MBA became a
director of the company in March 2005 upon the completion of the
business combination with Solexa Limited, where
Dr. Lloyd-Harris has served as a director. Since April
2004, Dr. Lloyd-Harris has been a partner at Abingworth
Management, a venture capital firm in the U.K. From 1996 to
2004, Dr. Lloyd-Harris was a biotechnology equity research
analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston in the European Equity
Research Group, based in London. From 1989 to 1996,
Dr. Lloyd-Harris worked for Credit Suisse First
Bostons Health Care Group in the Investment Banking
Division in New York and London. From 1981 to 1987, Dr
Lloyd-Harris was a pediatrician in Melbourne, Australia.
Dr. Lloyd-Harris received a Medical Degree from the
University of Liverpool in the U.K., a Ph.D. in Clinical
Pharmacology from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and an
MBA from Harvard Business School.
G. Mason Morfit, CFA, was appointed to the Solexa
board of directors in April 2005. Mr. Morfit has been a
Partner of ValueAct Capital since January 2003 and was an
associate at ValueAct Capital from January 2001 to December
2002. Prior to joining ValueAct Capital, Mr. Morfit worked
in equity research for Credit Suisse First Boston following the
managed care and physician services industries from September
1998 to November 2000. Mr. Morfit received his BA from
Princeton University and is a CFA charterholder. Mr. Morfit
is currently on the board of MSD Ignition, a privately held
performance auto parts company.
Douglas M. Fambrough, Ph.D., is a Partner with
Oxford Bioscience Partners. Prior to joining Oxford in 1999,
Dr. Fambrough spent 10 years in academic research,
most recently at the Whitehead/ MIT Center for Genome Research.
He graduated from Cornell University and obtained his Ph.D. in
genetics from the University of California, Berkeley. He
currently serves as a director of Solstice Neurosciences, a
neurology specialty pharma company and Sirna Therapeutics, a
restart of Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals around the new technology of
RNA interference, and as a board observer to Cambrios, RibX
Pharmaceuticals and Xantos Biomedicine AG.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMEND
A VOTE IN FAVOR OF EACH NAMED NOMINEE.
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Independence of the Board of Directors
As required under the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq)
listing standards, a majority of the members of a listed
companys Board of Directors must qualify as
independent, as affirmatively determined by the
Board of Directors. The Board consults with the Companys
counsel to ensure that the Boards determinations are
consistent with all relevant securities and other laws and
regulations regarding the definition of independent,
including those set forth in pertinent listing standards of
Nasdaq, as in effect time to time.
Consistent with these considerations, after review of all
relevant transactions or relationships between each director, or
any of his or her family members, and the Company, its senior
management and its independent auditors, the Board affirmatively
has determined that all of the Companys directors are
independent directors within the meaning of the applicable
Nasdaq listing standards, except for Mr. West, the Chief
Executive Officer of the Company.
As required under applicable Nasdaq listing standards, in fiscal
2004 the Companys independent directors met three times in
regularly scheduled executive sessions at which only independent
directors were present. Persons interested in communicating with
the independent directors with their concerns or issues may
address correspondence to a particular director, or to the
independent directors generally, c/o Solexa, Inc. at 25861
Industrial Blvd., Hayward, California 94545. If no particular
director is named, letters will be forwarded, depending on the
subject matter, to the Chair of the Audit, Compensation or
Governance and Nominating Committee.
Information Regarding the Board of Directors and Its
Committees
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004, the Board
held ten meetings. The Board has an Audit Committee, a
Compensation Committee and a Nominating Committee.
The Audit Committee of the Companys board of directors
oversees the Companys corporate accounting and financial
reporting process. For this purpose, the Audit Committee
performs several functions. The Audit Committee evaluates the
performance of and assesses the qualifications of the
independent registered public accounting firm; determines the
engagement of the independent registered public accounting firm;
determines whether to retain or terminate the existing
independent registered public accounting firm or to appoint and
engage a new independent registered public accounting firm;
reviews and approves the retention of the independent registered
public accounting firm to perform any proposed permissible
non-audit services; monitors the rotation of partners of the
independent registered public accounting firm on the
Companys engagement team as required by law; reviews the
financial statements to be included in the Companys annual
report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on
Form 10-Q; and discusses with management and the
independent registered public accounting firm the results of the
annual audit and the results of the accounting firms
review of the Companys quarterly financial statements.
The Audit Committee for the year ended December 31, 2004
was composed of three non-employee directors: Craig Taylor, Marc
Kozin and David UPrichard. The Audit Committee met four
times during such calendar year. Messrs. Kozin and
UPrichard resigned from the Board during March 2005 upon
the completion of the business combination with Solexa
Limited.
The current Audit Committee is composed of three non-employee
directors: Messrs. Taylor and Morfit and
Dr. Lloyd-Harris. All members of the Audit Committee are
independent (as independence is currently defined in
Rule 4200(a)(14) of the NASD listing standards). The Audit
Committee has adopted a written Audit Committee Charter.
The Companys board of directors annually reviews the
Nasdaq listing standards definition of independence for Audit
Committee members and has determined that all members of
Solexas Audit Committee are independent (as independence
is currently defined in Rule 4350(d)(2)(A)(i) and
(ii) of the Nasdaq listing standards). The Company
currently does not have an audit committee financial expert as
defined in Item 401(h) of Regulation S-K. At this
time, the board of directors believes that the interests of the
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Companys stockholders can be adequately served for the
time being by the current members but intends to add such an
expert to the board of directors once a suitable candidate can
be identified and recruited.
The Compensation Committee of the Companys board of
directors reviews and approves the overall compensation strategy
and policies for the Company. The Compensation Committee reviews
and approves corporate performance goals and objectives relevant
to the compensation of the Companys executive officers and
other senior management; reviews and recommends the compensation
and other terms of employment of the Companys Chief
Executive Officer; reviews and approves the compensation and
other terms of employment of the other executive officers; and
administers the Companys stock option and purchase plans,
pension and profit sharing plans, stock bonus plans, deferred
compensation plans and other similar programs. The Compensation
Committee also serves as the Stock Option Committee for the
Companys 1992 plan and the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan for
employees of Company and in that capacity approves employee
stock option grants. During the year ended December 31,
2004, the Compensation Committee was composed of two
non-employee directors: Messrs. Taylor and Kitch. The
Compensation Committee acted by unanimous consent one time
during such calendar year.
The current Compensation Committee is composed of four
non-employee directors: Craig Taylor, Tom Daniel, Hermann Hauser
and Genghis Lloyd-Harris. Mr. Daniel has decided not to
stand for election at the annual meeting. All members of the
Compensation Committee are independent, as
independence is currently defined in Rule 4200(a)(15) of
the NASDAQ listing standards.
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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee |
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the
Companys board of directors is responsible for
identifying, reviewing and evaluating candidates to serve as
directors of the Company (consistent with criteria approved by
the board of directors), reviewing and evaluating incumbent
directors, or recommending to the board of directors for
selection candidates for election to the board of directors,
making recommendations to the board of directors regarding the
membership of the committees of the board of directors,
assessing the performance of the board of directors, and
developing a set of corporate governance principles for the
Company. The Companys Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee Charter can be found on the Companys website at
www.lynxgen.com. During the year ended December 31,
2004, three directors comprised the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee: Messrs. Kitch, Kozin and Taylor. The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee did not meet
during such calendar year, but has met twice during the year
ended December 31, 2005.
Three directors currently comprise the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee: Messrs. Taylor, Daniel and
Lloyd-Harris. All members of the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee are independent (as independence is
currently defined in Rule 4200(a)(15) of the Nasdaq listing
standards). The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
was formed in October 2004.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee believes that
candidates for director should have certain minimum
qualifications, including being able to read and understand
basic financial statements, being over 21 years of age and
having the highest personal integrity and ethics. The Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee also intends to consider such
factors as possessing relevant expertise upon which to be able
to offer advice and guidance to management, having sufficient
time to devote to the affairs of the Company, demonstrated
excellence in his or her field, having the ability to exercise
sound business judgment and having the commitment to rigorously
represent the long-term interests of the Companys
stockholders. However, the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee retains the right to modify these qualifications from
time to time. Candidates for director nominees are reviewed in
the context of the current composition of the board of
directors, the operating requirements of the Company and the
long-term interests of stockholders. In conducting this
assessment, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
considers diversity, age, skills, and such other factors as it
deems appropriate given the current needs of the board of
directors and the Company, to maintain a balance of knowledge,
experience and capability. In the
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case of incumbent directors whose terms of office are set to
expire, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
reviews such directors overall service to the Company
during their term, including the number of meetings attended,
level of participation, quality of performance, and any other
relationships and transactions that might impair such
directors independence. In the case of new director
candidates, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
also determines whether the nominee must be independent for
NASDAQ purposes, which determination is based upon applicable
NASDAQ listing standards, applicable SEC rules and regulations
and the advice of counsel, if necessary. The Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee then uses its network of contacts
to compile a list of potential candidates, but may also engage,
if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee conducts any
appropriate and necessary inquiries into the backgrounds and
qualifications of possible candidates after considering the
function and needs of the board of directors. The Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee meets to discuss and consider
such candidates qualifications and then selects a nominee
for recommendation to the board of directors by majority vote.
To date, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has
not paid a fee to any third party to assist in the process of
identifying or evaluating director candidates. To date, the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has not rejected a
timely director nominee from a stockholder or stockholders
holding more than five percent of the Companys voting
stock.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider
director candidates recommended by Solexa stockholders. The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee does not intend to
alter the manner in which it evaluates candidates, including the
minimum criteria set forth above, based on whether the candidate
was recommended by a stockholder or not. Stockholders who wish
to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee to become nominees for election
to the board of directors may do so by delivering a written
recommendation to the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee at the following address: Solexa, Inc., 25861
Industrial Blvd., Hayward, California 94545, attention:
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee at least
120 days prior to the anniversary date of the mailing of
the Companys proxy statement for the last annual meeting
of stockholders. Submissions must include the full name of the
proposed nominee, a description of the proposed nominees
business experience for at least the previous five years,
complete biographical information, a description of the proposed
nominees qualifications as a director and a representation
that the nominating stockholder is a beneficial or record owner
of the Companys common stock. Any such submission must be
accompanied by the written consent of the proposed nominee to be
named as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected.
Meetings of the Board of Directors
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004, all
directors except Drs. Hood, Brenner, Woychik and
UPrichard attended at least 75% of the aggregate of the
meetings of the Board held during the period in which they were
a director. In addition, all of the committee members attended
at least 75% of the aggregate of the meetings of the committees
on which they served during the same period. Messrs. Kitch,
Mitchell and Kozin and Drs. Hood and UPrichard
resigned from the Board effective March 4, 2005, in
connection with the closing of the business combination
transaction with Solexa Limited.
Stockholder Communications with the Board of Directors
The Board has adopted a formal process by which the
Companys stockholders may communicate with the board or
any of its directors. Solexa stockholders who wish to
communicate with the Companys board of directors may do so
by sending a letter to Secretary, Solexa, Inc., 25861 Industrial
Blvd., Hayward, California 94545. All communications will be
compiled by the Secretary of the Company and submitted to the
board of directors or the individual directors on a periodic
basis. These communications will be reviewed by one or more
employees of the Company designated by the board of directors,
who will determine whether they should be presented to the
board. The purpose of the screening is to allow the Board to
avoid having to consider irrelevant or inappropriate
communications (such as advertisements, solicitations and
hostile communications). The screening procedures have been
approved by a majority of the independent directors of the Board.
16
Employee Communications with the Board of Directors
Each employee of the Company has a responsibility to promptly
report any suspected misconduct, illegal activities or fraud,
including any questionable accounting, internal accounting
controls, and auditing matters, or other violations of federal
and state laws. To facilitate the reporting of employee
complaints regarding suspected violations, the Audit Committee
of the Companys board of directors has adopted a
Whistleblower Policy and has established procedures for
(i) the submission by employees of suspected violations and
(ii) the receipt, retention and treatment of these
complaints.
Code of Conduct
The Companys written Code of Conduct applies to all of the
Companys officers, directors and employees, including its
executive officers. The Code of Conduct is available on the
Companys website at www.lynxgen.com. If the Company
makes any substantive amendments to the Code of Conduct or
grants any waiver from a provision of the Code of Conduct to any
executive officer or director, the Company will promptly
disclose the nature of the amendment or waiver on its website.
17
Report of the Audit Committee of the Board of
Directors(1)
The Audit Committee oversees the Companys financial
reporting process on behalf of the Board of Directors of Solexa.
Management has the primary responsibility for the financial
statements and the reporting process, including the systems of
internal controls. In fulfilling its oversight responsibilities,
the Audit Committee reviewed the audited financial statements
for fiscal year 2004 with management, including a discussion of
the quality, not just the acceptability, of the accounting
principles, the reasonableness of significant judgments and the
clarity of disclosures in the financial statements.
The Audit Committee reviewed with the independent auditors, who
are responsible for expressing an opinion on the conformity of
those audited financial statements with generally accepted
accounting principles, their judgments as to the quality, not
just the acceptability, of the Companys accounting
principles and such other matters as are required to be
discussed with the Audit Committee by the Statement on Auditing
Standards No. 61 (Communication With Audit Committees), as
amended. In addition, the Audit Committee discussed with the
independent auditors the auditors independence from
management and the Company, including the matters in the written
disclosures required by the Independence Standards Board
Standard No. 1 (Independence Discussion With Audit
Committees), and considered the compatibility of nonaudit
services with the auditors independence.
The Audit Committee discussed with the Companys
independent auditors the overall scope and plans for their
audit. The Audit Committee meets with the independent auditors,
with and without management present, to discuss the results of
their examinations, their evaluations of the Companys
internal controls and the overall quality of the Companys
financial reporting.
In reliance on the reviews and discussions referred to above,
the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors (and
the Board approved) that the audited financial statements be
included in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2004 for filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. The Audit Committee and the
Board have also recommended the selection of the Companys
independent auditors.
From the members of the Audit Committee:
|
|
|
Craig C. Taylor |
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Genghis Lloyd-Harris |
|
G. Mason Morfit |
(1) The
material in this report is not soliciting material,
is not deemed filed with the SEC and is not to be
incorporated by reference into any filing of the Company under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities
Act), or the Exchange Act 1934, as amended (the
Exchange Act) whether made before or after the date
hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language
contained in such filing.
18
PROPOSAL 3
APPROVAL OF THE 2005 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
In June 2005, the Board adopted the Companys 2005 Equity
Incentive Plan (Incentive Plan), subject to
stockholder approval. Stockholders are requested in this
Proposal 3 to approve the Incentive Plan. The affirmative
vote of the holders of a majority of the shares present in
person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on
Proposal 3 will be required to approve the Incentive Plan.
Abstentions will be counted toward the tabulation of votes cast
on proposals presented to the stockholders and will have the
same effect as negative votes. Broker non-votes are counted
towards a quorum, but are not counted for any purpose in
determining whether this matter has been approved.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE IN FAVOR OF PROPOSAL 3.
The essential features of the Incentive Plan are outlined below:
General
The Incentive Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock
options, nonstatutory stock options, stock purchase awards,
stock bonus awards, stock appreciation rights and other stock
awards (collectively awards). Incentive stock
options granted under the Incentive Plan are intended to qualify
as incentive stock options within the meaning of
Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the Code). Nonstatutory stock options
granted under the Incentive Plan are not intended to qualify as
incentive stock options under the Code. See Federal Income
Tax Information for a discussion of the tax treatment of
awards.
Purpose
The Board adopted the Incentive Plan to provide a means by which
employees, directors and consultants of the Company and its
affiliates may be given an opportunity to purchase stock in the
Company, to assist in retaining the services of such persons, to
secure and retain the services of persons capable of filling
such positions and to provide incentives for such persons to
exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company and its
affiliates. All of the approximately 68 domestic employees,
directors and consultants of the Company and its affiliates are
eligible to participate in the Incentive Plan. The Company
intends to establish a sub-plan in order to permit participation
in the Incentive Plan by employees, directors and consultants of
the Company and its affiliates who are foreign nationals or
employed outside of the United States.
Administration
The Board administers the Incentive Plan. Subject to the
provisions of the Incentive Plan, the Board has the power to
construe and interpret the Incentive Plan and to determine the
persons to whom and the dates on which awards will be granted,
the number of shares of common stock to be subject to each
award, the time or times during the term of each award within
which all or a portion of such award may be exercised, the
exercise price, the type of consideration and other terms of the
award.
The Board has the power to delegate administration of the
Incentive Plan to a committee composed of not fewer than one
member of the Board. In the discretion of the Board, a committee
may consist solely of two or more outside directors in
accordance with Section 162(m) of the Code or solely of two
or more non-employee directors in accordance with
Rule 16b-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the Exchange Act). The Board has delegated
administration of the Incentive Plan to the Compensation
Committee of the Board. As used herein with respect to the
Incentive Plan, the Board refers to any committee
the Board appoints as well as to the Board itself. The Board
also may delegate to one or more officers of the Company the
authority to do one or both of the following (i) designate
officers and employees of the Company to be recipients of stock
awards and (ii) determine the number of shares of common
stock to be subject to such stock awards granted to such
officers and employees of the Company. Such officer would be
19
able to grant only the number of stock awards specified by the
Board, and such officer would not be allowed to grant a stock
award to himself or herself.
The regulations under Section 162(m) of the Code require
that the directors who serve as members of the committee must be
outside directors. The Incentive Plan provides that,
in the Boards discretion, directors serving on the
committee may be outside directors within the
meaning of Section 162(m). This limitation would exclude
from the committee directors who are (i) current employees
of the Company or an affiliate, (ii) former employees of
the Company or an affiliate receiving compensation for past
services (other than benefits under a tax-qualified pension
plan), (iii) current and former officers of the Company or
an affiliate, (iv) directors currently receiving direct or
indirect remuneration from the Company or an affiliate in any
capacity (other than as a director), and (v) any other
person who is otherwise not considered an outside
director for purposes of Section 162(m).
Stock Subject to the Incentive Plan
An aggregate of one million nine hundred seventy-eight thousand
seven hundred sixty-seven (1,978,767) shares of common stock is
reserved for issuance under the Incentive Plan (which includes a
total of one hundred seventy-eight thousand seven hundred
sixty-seven (178,767) shares of common stock that were
previously held in reserve under the Lynx Therapeutics, Inc.
1992 Stock Option Plan, but which were unused, and which have
been transferred to the Incentive Plan). Additionally, if any
outstanding stock options granted under the Lynx Therapeutics,
Inc. 1992 Stock Option Plan expire or terminate without having
been exercised, the shares of common stock that are not acquired
under such stock options shall revert to, and become available
for issuance under the Incentive Plan. The maximum aggregate
number of additional shares of common stock that may revert to
the Incentive Plan under this provision is one million one
hundred seventy-one thousand seven hundred thirty-seven
(1,171,737) shares.
Reversion of Shares. There are certain circumstances
under which shares of Common Stock that are already subject to
an outstanding award under the Incentive Plan may revert to the
Plan and may become available for reissuance. Specifically, if a
stock award shall for any reason expire or otherwise terminate,
in whole or in part, without having been exercised in full
(i.e., in the case of a stock option, stock appreciation right
or stock unit award), or if any shares of Common Stock issued to
a participant pursuant to an award are forfeited back to or are
repurchased by the Company (i.e., in the case of restricted
stock), then the shares not acquired shall revert to and again
become available for issuance under the Incentive Plan. A
forfeiture or repurchase of stock may occur, for example, as a
result of a participants failure to satisfy a contingency
or condition that is required for the vesting of such shares.
Stock that has been issued, and which is then forfeited or
repurchased by the Company, shall only be reissued in the form
of awards other than incentive stock options.
Effect on Share Reserve of Use of Shares to Cover Tax
Withholding. The Board has discretion under the Incentive
Plan to allow a participant of a stock option to use shares of
Common Stock to satisfy the tax withholding requirement that may
arise upon exercise of such option. The shares may be shares
previously owned by the participant, or may be the shares
acquired from the exercise of the option. Any shares of Common
Stock that are not delivered to a participant because those
shares are used to satisfy the payment of taxes will revert to
the share reserve under the Incentive Plan (and shall again
become available for issuance in the future).
Effect on Share Reserve of a Net Exercise or
Cashless Exercise of Stock Options. Payment of the exercise
price of a stock option may be made in cash or check payable to
the Company. The Board may provide in the applicable stock
option agreement under the Incentive Plan that a participant may
use shares of already-owned Common Stock to satisfy payment of
the exercise price, or any other means approved by the Board
(including a net exercise in which the Company
withholds a number of shares that would otherwise be issued to a
participant upon the exercise of the option that have a fair
market value equal to the option exercise price). Any shares of
Common Stock that are not delivered to a participant because
those shares are used to satisfy the payment of the exercise
price will revert to the share reserve under the Incentive Plan
(and shall again become available for issuance in the future).
20
Maximum number of Shares Issued through Incentive Stock
Options.
The maximum aggregate number of shares that may be issued under
the Incentive Plan through the exercise of incentive stock
options is three million one hundred fifty thousand five hundred
four (3,150,504) (which includes a total of one million one
hundred seventy-one thousand seven hundred thirty-seven
(1,171,737) shares that may revert to the Incentive Plan from
the Lynx Therapeutics, Inc. 1992 Stock Option Plan).
Eligibility
Incentive stock options may be granted under the Incentive Plan
only to employees (including officers) of the Company and its
affiliates. Employees (including officers), directors, and
consultants of both the Company and its affiliates are eligible
to receive all other types of awards under the Incentive Plan.
No incentive stock option may be granted under the Incentive
Plan to any person who, at the time of the grant, owns (or is
deemed to own) stock possessing more than 10% of the total
combined voting power of the Company or any affiliate of the
Company, unless the exercise price is at least 110% of the fair
market value of the stock subject to the option on the date of
grant and the term of the option does not exceed five years from
the date of grant. Likewise, to the extent that certain
provisions of the California Code of Regulations is applicable
to the Incentive Plan, no award may be granted under the
Incentive Plan to any such 10% stockholder unless the exercise
price or the purchase price, as applicable, is at least 100% of
the fair market value of the stock subject to the award (or such
lower percentage permitted by applicable state law). In
addition, the aggregate fair market value, determined at the
time of grant, of the shares of common stock with respect to
which incentive stock options are exercisable for the first time
by a participant during any calendar year (under the Incentive
Plan and all other such plans of the Company and its affiliates)
may not exceed $100,000.
No employee may be granted options or stock appreciation rights
under the Incentive Plan exercisable for more than one million
five hundred thousand (1,500,000) shares of common stock during
any calendar year (Section 162(m) Limitation).
Terms of Options
The following is a description of the permissible terms of
options under the Incentive Plan. Individual option grants may
be more restrictive as to any or all of the permissible terms
described below.
Exercise Price; Payment. The exercise price of incentive
stock options may not be less than 100% of the fair market value
of the stock subject to the option on the date of the grant and,
in some cases (see Eligibility above), may not be
less than 110% of such fair market value. The exercise price of
nonstatutory options may not be less than 100% of the fair
market value of the stock on the date of grant. See
Federal Income Tax Information. As of June 3,
2005, the closing price of the Companys Common Stock as
reported on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market was $6.50 per share.
The exercise price of options granted under the Incentive Plan
must be paid either in cash at the time the option is exercised
or at the discretion of the Board, (i) by delivery of other
common stock of the Company, (ii) by a net
exercise of the option (as described above),
(iii) pursuant to a program developed under
Regulation T of the Federal Reserve Board that results in
the receipt of cash by the Company or irrevocable instructions
to pay the exercise proceeds to the Company from the proceeds of
the sale of the stock, or (iv) in any other form of legal
consideration acceptable to the Board.
Repricing. The Plan does not affirmatively give the Board
authority, in the event of a decline in the value of the
Companys Common Stock, to replace outstanding higher
priced options with new lower priced options, nor does it give
the Board authority to reprice any out-of-the-money options.
Option Exercise. Options granted under the Incentive Plan
may become exercisable in cumulative increments
(vest) as determined by the Board. Options granted
to an employee who is not an officer, director or consultant of
the Company will vest at a rate of at least twenty percent (20%)
per year over five years pursuant to applicable state law. The
Board has the power to accelerate the time during which an
option may vest or be exercised. In addition, options granted
under the Incentive Plan may permit exercise prior to
21
vesting, but in such event the participant may be required to
enter into an early exercise stock purchase agreement that
allows the Company to repurchase unvested shares, generally at
their exercise price, should the participants service
terminate before vesting. To the extent provided by the terms of
an option, a participant may satisfy any federal, state or local
tax withholding obligation relating to the exercise of such
option by a cash payment upon exercise, by authorizing the
Company to withhold a portion of the stock otherwise issuable to
the participant, by delivering already-owned common stock of the
Company or by a combination of these means.
Term. The maximum term of options under the Incentive
Plan is 10 years, except that in certain cases (see
Eligibility) the maximum term is five years. Options
under the Incentive Plan generally terminate three months after
termination of the participants service unless
(i) such termination is due to the participants
disability, in which case the option may, but need not, provide
that it may be exercised (to the extent the option was
exercisable at the time of the termination of service) at any
time within 12 months of such termination; (ii) the
participant dies before the participants service has
terminated, or within three months after termination of such
service, in which case the option may, but need not, provide
that it may be exercised (to the extent the option was
exercisable at the time of the participants death) within
18 months of the participants death by the person or
persons to whom the rights to such option pass by will or by the
laws of descent and distribution; or (iii) the option by
its terms specifically provides otherwise. A participant may
designate a beneficiary who may exercise the option following
the participants death. Individual option grants by their
terms may provide for exercise within a longer period of time
following termination of service. In no event, however, may an
option be exercised after the expiration of its maximum term of
10 years.
The option term generally is extended in the event that exercise
of the option within these periods is prohibited. A
participants option agreement may provide that if the
exercise of the option following the termination of the
participants service would be prohibited because the
issuance of stock would violate the registration requirements
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
Securities Act), then the option will terminate on
the earlier of (i) the expiration of the term of the option
or (ii) three months after the termination of the
participants service during which the exercise of the
option would not be in violation of such registration
requirements. In no event, however, may an option be exercised
after the expiration of its maximum term of 10 years.
Terms of Stock Purchase or Bonus Awards
Payment. Subject to certain limitations, the purchase
price for stock purchase awards must be at least the par value
of our common stock. The purchase price for a stock purchase
award may be payable in cash, or any other form of legal
consideration approved by the Board. Stock Bonus awards may be
granted in consideration for the recipients past services
for the Company or an affiliate or any other consideration
determined by the Board to be sufficient.
Vesting. Shares of stock sold or awarded under the
Incentive Plan may, but need not be, subject to a repurchase
option in favor of the Company in accordance with a vesting
schedule as determined by the Board. The Board has the power to
accelerate the vesting of stock acquired pursuant to a stock
purchase or bonus award agreement under the Incentive Plan.
Restrictions on Transfer. Rights under a stock bonus or
restricted stock bonus agreement may be transferred only as
expressly authorized by the terms of the applicable stock bonus
or restricted stock purchase agreement.
Stock Appreciation Rights
A stock appreciation right entitles the participant to a payment
equal in value to the appreciation in the value of the
underlying share of the Companys common stock for a
predetermined number of shares over a specified period. Stock
appreciation rights are granted through a stock appreciation
right agreement. Each stock appreciation right is denominated in
shares of common stock equivalents. The strike price of each
stock appreciation right is determined by the Board at the time
of grant of the stock appreciation right. The Board may impose
any restrictions or conditions upon the vesting of stock
appreciation rights that it deems
22
appropriate. If a stock appreciation right recipients
relationship with the Company, or any affiliate of the Company,
ceases for any reason, the recipient may exercise any vested
stock appreciation right up to three months following cessation
of service, unless the terms of the stock appreciation right
agreement provide for earlier or later termination. Stock
appreciation rights may be paid in our common stock, in cash, in
any combination of the two or in any other form of legal
consideration approved by the Board.
Stock Unit Awards
A stock unit award is a promise by the Company to issue shares
of the Companys common stock, or pay cash (or other
consideration) based on the value of shares of common stock,
equivalent to the number of units covered by the award of or
after vesting of the stock unit award. Stock unit awards are
purchased through a stock unit award agreement. The
consideration, if any, for stock unit awards, is determined by
the Board at the time of grant. Stock unit awards may be settled
by the delivery of shares of our common stock, in cash, in any
combination of the two or in any other form of legal
consideration approved by the Board. At the time of grant, the
Board may also determine any restrictions or conditions to the
vesting of the award or any other restrictions or conditions
that delay delivery of such shares or other consideration. If a
stock unit award recipients service relationship with the
Company terminates, any unvested portion of the stock unit award
is forfeited upon the recipients termination of service,
unless the award agreement provides otherwise.
Other Stock Awards
Other forms of stock awards based on our common stock may be
granted either alone or in addition to other stock awards under
the Incentive Plan. The Board has sole and complete authority to
determine the persons to whom and the time or times at which
such other stock awards will be granted, the number of shares of
our common stock to be granted and all other conditions of such
other stock awards.
Restrictions on Transfer
The participant may not transfer an incentive stock option
otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and
distribution. During the lifetime of the participant, only the
participant may exercise an incentive stock option. The Board
may grant nonstatutory stock options that are transferable to
the extent provided in the stock option agreement. Shares
subject to repurchase by the Company under an early exercise
stock purchase agreement may be subject to restrictions on
transfer that the Board deems appropriate.
Adjustment Provisions
Transactions not involving receipt of consideration by the
Company, such as a merger, consolidation, reorganization, stock
dividend, or stock split, may change the type(s), class(es) and
number of shares of common stock subject to the Incentive Plan
and outstanding awards. In that event, the Incentive Plan will
be appropriately adjusted as to the type(s), class(es) and the
maximum number of shares of common stock subject to the
Incentive Plan and the Section 162(m) Limitation, and
outstanding awards will be adjusted as to the type(s),
class(es), number of shares and price per share of common stock
subject to such awards.
Effect of Certain Corporate Transactions
In the event of certain corporate transactions, all outstanding
stock awards under the Incentive Plan may be assumed, continued
or substituted for by any surviving or acquiring entity. If the
surviving or acquiring entity does not assume such awards or
substitute similar awards, then the vesting of such stock awards
(in the case of participants who are still in the Companys
or affiliates service at the time of the corporate
transaction) will be accelerated and such stock awards will be
terminated if not exercised prior to the effective date of the
corporate transaction. A stock award may be subject to
acceleration of vesting in the event of a change in control as
may be provided in the applicable stock award agreement or other
written agreement between the award recipient and the Company.
The acceleration of an award in the event of a corporate
transaction or a change in control event may be viewed as an
anti-takeover provision, which may have the effect of
discouraging a proposal to acquire or otherwise obtain control
of the Company.
23
Duration, Amendment and Termination
The Board may suspend or terminate the Incentive Plan without
stockholder approval or ratification at any time or from time to
time. Unless sooner terminated, the Incentive Plan will
terminate in June 2015.
The Board may also amend the Incentive Plan at any time or from
time to time. No amendment or termination of the Incentive Plan
shall adversely affect any rights under awards already granted
to a participant unless agreed to by the affected participant.
To the extent necessary to comply with applicable provisions of
federal securities laws, state corporate and securities laws,
the Internal Revenue Code, the rules of any applicable stock
exchange or national market system, and the rules of any
non-U.S. jurisdiction applicable to awards granted to
residents therein, the Company will obtain stockholder approval
of any such amendment to the Incentive Plan in such a manner and
to such a degree as may be required.
Federal Income Tax Information
Incentive Stock Options. Incentive stock options under
the Incentive Plan are intended to be eligible for the favorable
federal income tax treatment accorded incentive stock
options under the Code.
There generally are no federal income tax consequences to the
participant or the Company by reason of the grant or exercise of
an incentive stock option. However, the exercise of an incentive
stock option may increase the participants alternative
minimum tax liability, if any.
If a participant holds stock acquired through exercise of an
incentive stock option for more than two years from the date on
which the option is granted and more than one year from the date
on which the shares are transferred to the participant upon
exercise of the option, any gain or loss on a disposition of
such stock will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the
participant held the stock for more than one year.
Generally, if the participant disposes of the stock before the
expiration of either of these holding periods (a
disqualifying disposition), then at the time of
disposition the participant will realize taxable ordinary income
equal to the lesser of (i) the excess of the stocks
fair market value on the date of exercise over the exercise
price, or (ii) the participants actual gain, if any,
on the purchase and sale. The participants additional gain
or any loss upon the disqualifying disposition will be a capital
gain or loss, which will be long-term or short-term depending on
whether the stock was held for more than one year.
To the extent the participant recognizes ordinary income by
reason of a disqualifying disposition, the Company will
generally be entitled (subject to the requirement of
reasonableness, the provisions of Section 162(m) of the
Code and the satisfaction of a tax reporting obligation) to a
corresponding business expense deduction in the tax year in
which the disqualifying disposition occurs.
Nonstatutory Stock Options. Nonstatutory stock options
granted under the Incentive Plan generally have the following
federal income tax consequences.
There are no tax consequences to the participant or the Company
by reason of the grant. Upon acquisition of the stock, the
participant normally will recognize taxable ordinary income
equal to the excess, if any, of the stocks fair market
value on the acquisition date over the purchase price. However,
to the extent the stock is subject to certain types of vesting
restrictions, the taxable event will be delayed until the
vesting restrictions lapse unless the participant elects to be
taxed on receipt of the stock. With respect to employees, the
Company is generally required to withhold from regular wages or
supplemental wage payments an amount based on the ordinary
income recognized. Subject to the requirement of reasonableness,
the provisions of Section 162(m) of the Code and the
satisfaction of a tax reporting obligation, the Company will
generally be entitled to a business expense deduction equal to
the taxable ordinary income realized by the participant.
Upon disposition of the stock, the participant will recognize a
capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the selling
price and the sum of the amount paid for such stock plus any
amount recognized as ordinary income upon acquisition (or
vesting) of the stock. Such gain or loss will be long-term or
short-term depending on whether the stock was held for more than
one year. Slightly different rules may apply to participants who
acquire stock subject to certain repurchase options or who are
subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.
24
Stock Purchase Awards and Stock Bonuses. Stock purchase
awards and stock bonuses granted under the Incentive Plan
generally have the following federal income tax consequences.
Upon acquisition of the stock, the participant normally will
recognize taxable ordinary income equal to the excess, if any,
of the stocks fair market value on the acquisition date
over the purchase price. However, to the extent the stock is
subject to certain types of vesting restrictions, the taxable
event will be delayed until the vesting restrictions lapse
unless the participant elects to be taxed on receipt of the
stock. With respect to employees, the Company is generally
required to withhold from regular wages or supplemental wage
payments an amount based on the ordinary income recognized.
Subject to the requirement of reasonableness, the provisions of
Section 162(m) of the Code and the satisfaction of a tax
reporting obligation, the Company will generally be entitled to
a business expense deduction equal to the taxable ordinary
income realized by the participant.
Upon disposition of the stock, the participant will recognize a
capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the selling
price and the sum of the amount paid for such stock plus any
amount recognized as ordinary income upon acquisition (or
vesting) of the stock. Such gain or loss will be long-term or
short-term depending on whether the stock was held for more than
one year. Slightly different rules may apply to participants who
acquire stock subject to certain repurchase options or who are
subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.
Stock Appreciation Rights. No taxable income is realized
upon the receipt of a stock appreciation right, but upon
exercise of the stock appreciation right the fair market value
of the shares (or cash in lieu of shares) received must be
treated as compensation taxable as ordinary income to the
participant in the year of such exercise. Generally, with
respect to employees, the Company is required to withhold from
the payment made on exercise of the stock appreciation right or
from regular wages or supplemental wage payments an amount based
on the ordinary income recognized. Subject to the requirement of
reasonableness, Section 162(m) of the Code and the
satisfaction of a reporting obligation, the Company will be
entitled to a business expense deduction equal to the taxable
ordinary income recognized by the participant.
Notwithstanding the above, a stock appreciation right is
considered deferred compensation for purposes of
Section 409A of the Code, unless the following criteria are
met: (1) the SAR can be settled only in stock of the
service participant, (2) the stock underlying the SAR is
publicly traded on an established securities market,
(3) the service provider cannot elect upon exercise of the
SAR to defer payout of the stock to a later date, and
(4) the SAR pays only the excess in value of the underlying
stock on the exercise date over the value of such stock on the
grant date. Non-compliance with Section 409A can result in
the imposition of income tax and penalties on a participant at
the time of grant of the SAR or upon later vesting.
Stock Unit Awards. A participant does not have taxable
ordinary income upon the grant of a stock unit award. Ordinary
income arises on the actual or constructive receipt of the stock
underlying the units (or upon receipt of cash, if the award is
settled in cash) which generally occurs when the stock award
unit vests. The Board may permit deferral of the payout of the
stock or cash to a date beyond the vesting date in which case
the recognition of ordinary income is delayed until the date of
receipt (assuming that Section 409A of the Code does not
require earlier recognition of income).
Section 409A of the Code provides that a stock award unit
does not result in the deferral of compensation if the stock
must be issued shortly after vesting occurs. If the service
provider has the right to elect to defer payout of the stock to
a future taxable year, this will be considered a deferred
compensation arrangement under Section 409A. Non-compliance
with Section 409A can result in the imposition of income
tax and penalties on a participant at the time of grant of the
award or upon later vesting.
Potential Limitation on Company Deductions.
Section 162(m) of the Code denies a deduction to any
publicly held corporation for compensation paid to certain
covered employees in a taxable year to the extent
that compensation to such covered employee exceeds
$1 million. It is possible that compensation attributable
to awards, when combined with all other types of compensation
received by a covered employee from the Company, may cause this
limitation to be exceeded in any particular year.
25
Certain kinds of compensation, including qualified
performance-based compensation, are disregarded for
purposes of the deduction limitation. In accordance with
Treasury Regulations issued under Section 162(m),
compensation attributable to stock options and stock
appreciation rights will qualify as performance-based
compensation if the award is granted by a compensation committee
comprised solely of outside directors and either
(i) the plan contains a per-employee limitation on the
number of shares for which such awards may be granted during a
specified period, the per-employee limitation is approved by the
stockholders, and the exercise price of the award is no less
than the fair market value of the stock on the date of grant, or
(ii) the award is granted (or exercisable) only upon the
achievement (as certified in writing by the compensation
committee) of an objective performance goal established in
writing by the compensation committee while the outcome is
substantially uncertain, and the award is approved by
stockholders.
Awards to purchase restricted stock and stock bonus awards will
qualify as performance-based compensation under the Treasury
Regulations only if (i) the award is granted by a
compensation committee comprised solely of outside
directors, (ii) the award is granted (or exercisable)
only upon the achievement of an objective performance goal
established in writing by the compensation committee while the
outcome is substantially uncertain, (iii) the compensation
committee certifies in writing prior to the granting (or
exercisability) of the award that the performance goal has been
satisfied and (iv) prior to the granting (or
exercisability) of the award, stockholders have approved the
material terms of the award (including the class of employees
eligible for such award, the business criteria on which the
performance goal is based, and the maximum amount or
formula used to calculate the amount payable upon
attainment of the performance goal).
Effective Date of Incentive Plan
The Incentive Plan became effective on June 3, 2005, but no
Stock Award shall be exercised (or, in the case of a stock
bonus, shall be granted) unless and until the Plan has been
approved by the stockholders of the Company.
26
SECURITIES AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE UNDER
EQUITY COMPENSATION PLANS
The following table provides certain information with respect to
all of the Companys equity compensation plans in effect as
of December 31, 2004:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Securities | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remaining | |
|
|
Number of | |
|
|
|
Available for | |
|
|
Securities to be | |
|
|
|
Future Issuance | |
|
|
Issued upon | |
|
Weighted-Average | |
|
under Equity | |
|
|
Exercise of | |
|
Exercise Price of | |
|
Compensation | |
|
|
Outstanding | |
|
Outstanding | |
|
Plans (Excluding | |
|
|
Options, Warrants | |
|
Options, Warrants | |
|
Securities Reflected | |
|
|
and Rights | |
|
and Rights | |
|
in Column (a)) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(a) | |
|
(b) | |
|
(c) | |
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992 Stock Option Plan
|
|
|
366,862 |
|
|
$ |
40.69 |
|
|
|
|
|
1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan(1)
|
|
|
N/A |
|
|
|
N/A |
|
|
|
37,618 |
|
Equity compensation plans not approved by security
holders:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
366,862 |
|
|
$ |
40.69 |
|
|
|
37,618 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
In early 2003, pursuant to the Companys transfer from the
Nasdaq National Market to the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, we
suspended our Employee Stock Purchase Plan. |
All of the equity compensation plans of the Company that were in
effect as of December 31, 2004 were adopted with the
approval of the Companys security holders.
27
PROPOSAL 4
RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors has selected
Ernst & Young LLP as the Companys independent
auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005 and
has further directed that management submit the selection of
independent auditors for ratification by the stockholders at the
annual meeting. Ernst & Young LLP has audited the
Companys financial statements since the Companys
inception in 1992. Representatives of Ernst & Young LLP
are expected to be present at the annual meeting, will have an
opportunity to make a statement if they so desire and will be
available to respond to appropriate questions.
Stockholder ratification of the selection of Ernst &
Young LLP as the Companys independent auditors is not
required by the Companys Bylaws or otherwise. However, the
Audit Committee of the Board of Directors is submitting the
selection of Ernst & Young LLP to the stockholders for
ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. If the
stockholders fail to ratify the selection, the Audit Committee
and the Board will reconsider whether or not to retain that
firm. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee of
the Board in its discretion may direct the appointment of
different independent auditors at any time during the year if
they determine that such a change would be in the best interests
of the Company and its stockholders.
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares
present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote
at the annual meeting will be required to ratify the selection
of Ernst & Young LLP. Abstentions will be counted
towards the tabulation of votes cast on proposals presented to
stockholders and will have the same effect as negative votes.
Broker non-votes are counted towards a quorum, but are not
counted for any purpose in determining whether this matter has
been approved.
Principal Accountant Fees and Services
The following table represents aggregate fees billed to the
Company for fiscal years ended December 31, 2003 and 2004,
by Ernst & Young LLP, the Companys independent
registered public accounting firm (amounts in thousands).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003 | |
|
2004(1) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Audit fees
|
|
$ |
224,160 |
|
|
$ |
384,855 |
|
Audit-related fees
|
|
|
36,500 |
|
|
|
198,289 |
|
Tax fees
|
|
|
31,320 |
|
|
|
14,900 |
|
Other fees
|
|
|
7,144 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
299,124 |
|
|
$ |
598,044 |
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Includes audit fees of $14,500, audit-related fees of $49,000
and tax fees of $14,900 billed to Solexa Limited, a company
registered in England and Wales, for fiscal year ended
December 31, 2004. On March 4, 2005, the Company
closed a business combination with Solexa Limited, which became
a subsidiary of the Company. |
Audit Fees: this category includes fees for the audit of
the Companys annual financial statements, review of the
financial statements included in the Companys quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q and services that are normally
provided by the independent registered public accounting firm in
connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements
for those fiscal years. This category also includes advice on
audit and accounting matters that arose during, or as a result
of, the audit or the review of interim financial statements and
statutory audits required by non-U.S. jurisdictions.
Audit-Related Fees: this category consists of assurance
and related services by Ernst & Young LLP that are
reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of
the Companys financial statements and are not reported
above under Audit Fees.
28
Tax Fees: this category consists of professional services
rendered by Ernst & Young LLP for tax compliance and
tax advice. The services for the fees disclosed under this
category include tax return preparation and technical tax advice.
All Other Fees: this category consists of fees for
professional services rendered by Ernst & Young LLP in
connection with research and consultations regarding a foreign
joint venture and reorganization of Lynx GmbH. All of the fees
described above were approved by the Audit Committee. The Audit
Committee has determined the rendering of non-audit services by
Ernst & Young LLP is compatible with maintaining their
independence.
Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The Audit Committee has adopted a policy and procedures for the
pre-approval of audit and non-audit services rendered by the
Companys independent registered public accounting firm,
Ernst & Young LLP. The policy generally pre-approves
specified services in the defined categories of audit services,
audit-related services, and tax services up to specified
amounts. Pre-approval may also be given as part of the Audit
Committees approval of the scope of the engagement of the
independent registered public accounting firm or on an
individual explicit case-by-case basis before the independent
registered public accounting firm is engaged to provide each
service. The pre-approval of services may be delegated to one or
more of the Audit Committees members, but the decision
must be reported to the full Audit Committee at its next
scheduled meeting.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE IN FAVOR OF PROPOSAL 4.
29
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND
MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth certain information regarding
beneficial ownership of our common stock as of May 27, 2005
by: (i) each stockholder who is known by us to own
beneficially more than five percent of the common stock;
(ii) each executive officer named in the Summary
Compensation Table, which we refer to as the named
executive officers; (iii) each director and nominee
for director; and (iv) all of our current directors and
executive officers as a group.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beneficial Ownership(1) | |
|
|
| |
|
|
Number of | |
|
Percent of | |
Name of Beneficial Owner |
|
Shares | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Entities affiliated with Abingworth Management Limited(2)
|
|
|
4,493,841 |
|
|
|
22.5 |
% |
|
38 Jermyn Street
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
London SW1Y 6DN
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great Britain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Entities affiliated with Amadeus Capital Partners Limited(3)
|
|
|
3,487,465 |
|
|
|
17.5 |
% |
|
Mount Pleasant House, 2 Mount Pleasant
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Huntington Road, Cambridge CB3 ORN
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great Britain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Entities affiliated with OBP Management IV L.P.(4)
|
|
|
2,493,757 |
|
|
|
12.5 |
% |
|
222 Berkeley Street, Suite 1650
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Entities affiliated with Schroder Venture Managers Limited(5)
|
|
|
3,052,970 |
|
|
|
15.3 |
% |
|
c/o Church Street
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hamilton HM 11
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bermuda
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Craig C. Taylor(6)
|
|
|
44,927 |
|
|
|
* |
|
John West(7)
|
|
|
194,196 |
|
|
|
1.0 |
% |
Stephen D. Allen(8)
|
|
|
3,327 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Mark Carthy(9)
|
|
|
2,493,757 |
|
|
|
12.5 |
% |
|
c/o OBP Management IV L.P.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
222 Berkeley St., Suite 1650
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tom Daniel(10)
|
|
|
3,052,970 |
|
|
|
15.3 |
% |
|
c/o Schroder Venture Managers Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Church Street
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hamilton HM 11
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bermuda
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hermann Hauser(11)
|
|
|
3,487,465 |
|
|
|
17.5 |
% |
|
c/o Amadeus Capital Partners Limited
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mount Pleasant House, 2 Mount Pleasant
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Huntington Road, Cambridge CB3 ORN
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great Britain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Genghis Lloyd-Harris
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
G. Mason Morfit(12)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
Douglas M. Fambrough(13)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
c/o OBP Management IV L.P.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
222 Berkeley St., Suite 1650
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin P. Corcoran(14)
|
|
|
7,757 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
c/o Applied Biosystems
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
850 Lincoln Centre Drive
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foster City, CA 94404
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peter Lundberg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beneficial Ownership(1) | |
|
|
| |
|
|
Number of | |
|
Percent of | |
Name of Beneficial Owner |
|
Shares | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Omead Ostadan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
Linda Rubinstein(15)
|
|
|
11,750 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Kathy A. San Roman(16)
|
|
|
17,971 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Mary J. Schramke, Ph.D., MBA(17)
|
|
|
5,207 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Tony Smith, Ph.D.(18)
|
|
|
46,018 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Thomas J. Vasicek, Ph.D.(19)
|
|
|
11,385 |
|
|
|
* |
|
All directors and officers as a group (15 persons)(20)
|
|
|
9,376,730 |
|
|
|
46.3 |
% |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules
of the SEC and, unless otherwise indicated, includes voting or
investment power with respect to securities. Percentage of
beneficial ownership is based on 19,972,809 shares of
common stock outstanding as of May 27, 2005, except as
otherwise noted in the footnotes. Shares of common stock subject
to options currently exercisable or exercisable within
60 days of May 27, 2005, are deemed outstanding for
computing the percentage of beneficial ownership of the person
holding such options but are not deemed outstanding for
computing the percentage of beneficial ownership of any other
person. |
|
|
(2) |
Includes 2,266,436 shares of common stock held by
Abingworth Bioventures II SICAV; 363,278 shares of
common stock held by Abingworth Bioventures II A LP;
935,791 shares of common stock held by Abingworth
Bioventures III A LP; 571,244 shares of common stock
held by Abingworth Bioventures III B LP;
342,179 shares of common stock held by Abingworth
Bioventures III C LP; and 14,913 shares held by
Abingworth Bioventures III Executives LP. |
|
|
(3) |
Includes 1,569,359 shares of common stock held by
Amadeus II A LP; 1,046,240 shares held by
Amadeus II B LP; 732,368 shares of common stock held
by Amadeus II C LP; 34,875 shares of common stock held
by Amadeus II D GmbH & Co KG; and
104,623 shares of common stock held by Amadeus II
Affiliates LP. |
|
|
(4) |
Includes 2,468,986 shares of common stock held by Oxford
Bioscience Partners IV L.P. and 24,771 shares of
common stock held by mRNA Fund II L.P. |
|
|
(5) |
Includes 1,788,765 shares of common stock held by Schroder
Ventures International Life Sciences Fund II L.P.1;
761,826 shares of common stock held by Schroder Ventures
International Life Sciences Fund II L.P.2;
203,022 shares of common stock held by Schroder Ventures
International Life Sciences Fund II L.P.3;
27,596 shares of common stock held by Schroder Ventures
International Life Sciences Fund II Strategic Partners
L.P.; 51,441 shares of common stock held by Schroder
Ventures International Life Sciences Fund II Group
Co-Investment Scheme; and 220,320 shares of common stock
held by SV (nominees) Limited as Nominee to Schroder Ventures
Investments Limited. |
|
|
(6) |
Includes 8,303 shares of common stock, 2,521 shares of
common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options that are
exercisable within 60 days of May 27, 2005, and
1,135 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of
warrants held by Mr. Taylor. Also includes
26,007 shares of common stock held by Asset Management
Associates 1989 L.P. Mr. Taylor, the Chairman of the board
of directors of Solexa, is a general partner of AMC Partners 89,
which is the general partner of Asset Management Associates 1989
L.P. Mr. Taylor shares the power to vote and control the
disposition of shares held by Asset Management Associates 1989
L.P. and, therefore, may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of
such shares. Mr. Taylor disclaims beneficial ownership of
such shares, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest
therein. |
|
|
(7) |
Includes 194,196 shares of common stock issuable upon
exercise of stock options held by Mr. West that are
exercisable within 60 days of May 27, 2005. |
|
|
(8) |
Includes 3,327 Solexa ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of
stock options held by Mr. Allen that are exercisable within
60 days of May 27, 2005. |
31
|
|
|
|
(9) |
Includes 2,468,986 shares of common stock held by Oxford
Bioscience Partners IV L.P. and 24,771 shares of
common stock held by mRNA Fund II L.P. Mr. Carthy is a
General Partner of OBP Management IV L.P., which is the
general partner of Oxford Bioscience Partners IV L.P. and
mRNA Fund II L.P. Mr. Carthy may be deemed to share
voting and investment power of the shares held by Oxford
Bioscience Partners IV L.P. and mRNA Fund II L.P.
Mr. Carthy disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares,
except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. |
|
|
(10) |
Includes 1,788,765 shares of common stock held by Schroder
Ventures International Life Sciences Fund II L.P.1;
761,826 shares of common stock held by Schroder Ventures
International Life Sciences Fund II L.P.2;
203,022 shares of common stock held by Schroder Ventures
International Life Sciences Fund II L.P.3;
27,596 shares of common stock held by Schroder Ventures
International Life Sciences Fund II Strategic Partners
L.P.; 51,441 shares of common stock held by Schroder
Ventures International Life Sciences Fund II Group
Co-Investment Scheme; and 220,320 shares of common stock
held by SV (nominees) Limited as Nominee to Schroder Ventures
Investments Limited. Mr. Daniel, a director of Solexa, was
formerly a General Partner and a Venture Partner of Schroder
Ventures Life Sciences Advisers (UK) Limited which is an
advisor to Schroder Venture Managers Inc., the General Partner
of the entities known collectively as Schroder Ventures
International Life Sciences Fund II. Mr. Daniel has no
beneficial ownership of the shares owned by Schroder Ventures
International Life Sciences Fund II, except to the extent
of his pro-rata interest therein. |
|
(11) |
Includes 1,569,359 shares of common stock held by
Amadeus II A LP; 1,046,240 shares held by
Amadeus II B LP; 732,368 shares of common stock held
by Amadeus II C LP; 34,875 shares of common stock held
by Amadeus II D GmbH & Co KG; and
104,623 shares of common stock held by Amadeus II
Affiliates LP. Dr. Hauser shares the power to vote and
control the disposition of shares held by Amadeus II A LP,
Amadeus II B LP, Amadeus II C LP, Amadeus II D
GmbH & Co KG and Amadeus II Affiliates LP.
Dr. Hauser disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares,
except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. |
|
(12) |
Excludes 809,367 shares of common stock held by ValueAct Capital
Master Fund, L.P. Mr. Morfit is a non-managing member of
VA Partners, LLC, which is the general partner of ValueAct
Capital Master Fund, L.P. Mr. Morfit disclaims beneficial
ownership of the shares owned by ValueAct Capital Master Fund,
L.P. |
|
(13) |
Dr. Fambrough is affiliated with Oxford Bioscience Partners IV,
L.P. and mRNA Fund II L.P. and does not possess voting and/or
investment power of the shares held by these entities. |
|
(14) |
Mr. Corcoran, former President and Chief Executive Officer of
the Company, resigned from the Company in December 2004. |
|
(15) |
Includes 11,750 shares of common stock issuable upon
exercise of stock options held by Ms. Rubinstein that are
exercisable within 60 days of May 27, 2005. |
|
(16) |
Includes 17,971 shares of common stock issuable upon
exercise of stock options held by Ms. San Roman that
are exercisable within 60 days of May 27, 2005. |
|
(17) |
Includes 5,207 shares of common stock issuable upon
exercise of stock options held by Dr. Schramke that are
exercisable within 60 days of May 27, 2005. |
|
(18) |
Includes 46,018 shares of common stock issuable upon
exercise of stock options held by Dr. Smith that are
exercisable within 60 days of May 27, 2005. |
|
(19) |
Includes 363 shares of common stock and 11,022 shares
of common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options held by
Dr. Vasicek that are exercisable within 60 days of
May 27, 2005. Dr. Vasicek resigned from the Company in May
2005. |
|
(20) |
Includes 9,083,583 shares of common stock (including shares
of common stock held by entities affiliated with certain
directors), 292,012 shares of common stock issuable upon
exercise of stock options that are exercisable within
60 days of May 27, 2005 and 1,135 shares of
common stock issuable upon exercise of warrants held by current
directors and officers. See Notes 2 through 19 above. |
32
SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING
COMPLIANCE
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the
Companys directors and executive officers, and persons who
own more than ten percent of a registered class of the
Companys equity securities, to file with the SEC initial
reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of
common stock and other equity securities of the Company.
Officers, directors and greater than ten percent stockholders
are required by SEC regulation to furnish the Company with
copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.
To the Companys knowledge, based solely on a review of the
copies of such reports furnished to the Company and written
representations that no other reports were required, during the
fiscal year ended December 31 2004, all Section 16(a)
filing requirements applicable to its officers, directors and
greater than ten percent beneficial owners were complied with.
Compensation of Directors
In order to recruit and retain qualified members for the Board,
we implemented a director compensation program in June 2005 for
non-employee directors for their services as members of our
Board. Pursuant to the program, each non-employee director of
the Company receives an annual retainer of $15,000 (plus $10,000
for serving as chairman of the Board) and a fee of
$2,000 per meeting attended in person and $1,000 per
meeting attended via telephone. Members of the Audit Committee
receive an annual retainer of $5,000 (plus $2,500 for serving as
chairman of the Audit Committee) and a fee of $1,250 per
meeting attended in person (plus $750 per meeting for
chairman of the Audit Committee) and $1,000 per meeting
attended via telephone. Members of the Compensation Committee
receive an annual retainer fee of $5,000 (plus $2,500 for
serving as chairman of the Compensation Committee) and a fee of
$1,250 per meeting attended in person (plus $750 per
meeting attended in person by the chairman of the Compensation
Committee) and $1,000 per meeting attended via telephone.
Members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
receive a fee of $1,250 per meeting attended in person and
$1,000 per meeting attended via telephone. The meeting fee
amounts are subject to adjustment to the extent that board and
committee meetings are held on the same day.
Under the director compensation program, directors who are
affiliated with Abingworth Management Limited, OBP
Management IV L.P., Amadeus Capital Partners Limited and
ValueAct shall receive their retainer and meeting fees in the
form of shares of our common stock subject to a twelve month
restriction on resale. All other non-employee directors shall
receive one-half of their retainer and meeting fees in the form
of cash and one-half of their retainer and meeting fees in the
form of shares of our common stock subject to a twelve month
restriction on resale.
In addition, each non-employee director is entitled to receive
an option to purchase 20,000 shares of our common
stock (plus 5,000 shares for serving as chairman of the
Board) upon election or appointment to the Board and an annual
option to purchase 10,000 shares of our common stock
(plus 2,000 shares for serving as chairman of the Board).
The stock option grant will vest in equal monthly installments
over a period of twelve months. In addition, all non-employee
directors are reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection
with attendance at Board and committee meetings.
Non-employee directors are also eligible to participate in our
1992 Stock Option Plan and 2005 Equity Incentive Plan. Options
granted to non-employee directors under our 1992 Stock Option
Plan and 2005 Equity Incentive Plan are discretionary and
intended by Solexa not to qualify as incentive stock options
under the Internal Revenue Code.
The following table sets forth options granted to our directors
during the last fiscal year. The exercise price is equal to the
fair market value of the common stock on the last market trading
day prior to the date of
33
grant (based on the closing sales price reported on the Nasdaq
SmallCap Market). As of December 31, 2004, no options had
been exercised by non-employee directors under the 1992 Stock
Option Plan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Securities | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Underlying | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options | |
|
Exercise Price | |
Name |
|
Date of Grant | |
|
Granted | |
|
per Share | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Craig C. Taylor
|
|
|
10/26/04 |
|
|
|
625 |
|
|
$ |
5.92 |
|
Sydney Brenner, M.B., D. Phil
|
|
|
10/26/04 |
|
|
|
625 |
|
|
|
5.92 |
|
Leroy Hood, M.D., Ph.D.
|
|
|
10/26/04 |
|
|
|
625 |
|
|
|
5.92 |
|
James C. Kitch
|
|
|
10/26/04 |
|
|
|
625 |
|
|
|
5.92 |
|
Marc D. Kozin
|
|
|
10/26/04 |
|
|
|
625 |
|
|
|
5.92 |
|
James V. Mitchell
|
|
|
10/26/04 |
|
|
|
625 |
|
|
|
5.92 |
|
David C. UPrichard, Ph.D.
|
|
|
10/26/04 |
|
|
|
625 |
|
|
|
5.92 |
|
In June 2001, Dr. Brenner entered into a consulting
agreement with us. Pursuant to the agreement, Dr. Brenner,
a former member of our Board, is to perform consulting services
of at least eight to 16 hours per month in consideration of
his standard consulting fee. In 2004, Dr. Brenner did not
perform any consulting services for the Company.
Compensation of Executive Officers
The following table sets forth certain compensation paid by
Solexa during the calendar years ended December 31, 2004,
2003 and 2002, to (i) all persons who served as our Chief
Executive Officer and (ii) the other three most highly
compensated executive officers whose compensation exceeded
$100,000:
Summary Compensation Table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-Term Compensation Awards | |
|
|
|
|
Annual Compensation | |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Restricted |
|
Securities | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Annual | |
|
Stock |
|
Underlying | |
|
All Other | |
|
|
|
|
Salary | |
|
Bonus |
|
Compensation | |
|
Awards |
|
Options | |
|
Compensation | |
Name and Principle Position |
|
Year | |
|
($) | |
|
($) |
|
($) | |
|
($) |
|
(#) | |
|
($) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Kevin P. Corcoran
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
255,491 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
750 |
(1) |
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
23,100 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Former President and |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
245,713 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
750 |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chief Executive Officer |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
220,544 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
750 |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mary J. Schramke, Ph.D., MBA
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
183,722 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,637 |
(1)(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vice President and |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
157,690 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
750 |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
General Manager of |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
221,552 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
750 |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Genomic Services |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kathy A. San Roman
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
158,970 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
750 |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vice President, Human |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
154,619 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
750 |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Resources and Administration |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
159,032 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
750 |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas J. Vasicek, Ph.D.
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
198,615 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,624 |
(1)(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,750 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Former Vice President, |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
216,257 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,720 |
(1)(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Business Development |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
108,416 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,750 |
(1)(3) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,571 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Includes contributions of $750 made by Solexa to its 401(k) Plan
on behalf of such employee. Mr. Corcoran resigned from the
Company in December 2004. |
|
(2) |
Includes sales commissions received. |
|
(3) |
Includes a sign-on bonus received by Dr. Vasicek when he
joined Solexa in June 2002. Dr. Vasicek resigned from the
Company in May 2005. |
Except as disclosed above, we did not pay any compensation
characterized as long-term compensation, including restricted
stock awards issued at a price below fair market value or
long-term incentive plan payouts, to any of the Named Executive
Officers during the year ended December 31, 2004.
34
Stock Option Grants and Exercises
We grant options to our executive officers under our 1992 Stock
Option Plan, as amended (the 1992 Plan) and our 2005
Equity Incentive Plan adopted on June 3, 2005. As of
December 31, 2004, options to purchase a total of
366,862 shares were outstanding under the 1992 Plan.
The following table sets forth, for each of the Named Executive
Officers, certain information regarding options granted to,
exercised by and held during the year ended December 31,
2004.
Option Grants in Last Fiscal Year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Individual Grants | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Potential Realizable Value | |
|
|
|
|
% of Total | |
|
|
|
|
|
at Assumed Annual Rates | |
|
|
Number of | |
|
Options | |
|
|
|
|
|
of Stock Price | |
|
|
Securities | |
|
Granted to | |
|
Exercise | |
|
|
|
Appreciation for | |
|
|
Underlying | |
|
Employees | |
|
Price per | |
|
|
|
Option Term(2) | |
|
|
Options | |
|
in | |
|
Share | |
|
Expiration | |
|
| |
Name |
|
Granted (#) | |
|
2004(1) | |
|
($/share) | |
|
Date | |
|
5% ($) | |
|
10% ($) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Kevin P. Corcoran
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
9.46 |
|
|
$ |
8.16 |
|
|
|
04/28/14 |
|
|
$ |
103,893 |
|
|
$ |
263,286 |
|
|
|
|
3,100 |
|
|
|
1.46 |
|
|
|
5.92 |
|
|
|
10/26/14 |
|
|
|
11,541 |
|
|
|
29,248 |
|
Mary J. Schramke, Ph.D., MBA
|
|
|
6,000 |
|
|
|
2.84 |
|
|
|
8.26 |
|
|
|
04/28/14 |
|
|
|
31,168 |
|
|
|
78,986 |
|
|
|
|
3,000 |
|
|
|
1.42 |
|
|
|
5.92 |
|
|
|
10/26/14 |
|
|
|
11,169 |
|
|
|
28,305 |
|
|
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
|
1.18 |
|
|
|
7.80 |
|
|
|
12/15/14 |
|
|
|
12,263 |
|
|
|
31,078 |
|
Kathy A. San Roman
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
4.72 |
|
|
|
8.26 |
|
|
|
04/28/14 |
|
|
|
51,947 |
|
|
|
131,643 |
|
|
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
|
1.18 |
|
|
|
5.92 |
|
|
|
10/26/14 |
|
|
|
9,308 |
|
|
|
23,587 |
|
|
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
|
1.18 |
|
|
|
7.80 |
|
|
|
12/15/14 |
|
|
|
12,263 |
|
|
|
31,078 |
|
Thomas J. Vasicek, Ph.D.
|
|
|
1,250 |
|
|
|
0.59 |
|
|
|
5.92 |
|
|
|
10/26/14 |
|
|
|
4,654 |
|
|
|
11,794 |
|
|
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
|
1.18 |
|
|
|
7.80 |
|
|
|
12/15/14 |
|
|
|
12,263 |
|
|
|
31,078 |
|
|
|
(1) |
Based on options for an aggregate of 211,500 shares granted
to our employees and directors during the year ended
December 31, 2004, including the Named Executive Officers. |
|
(2) |
The potential realizable value is calculated based on the term
of the option at its time of grant (ten years). It is calculated
by assuming that the stock price on the date of grant
appreciates at the indicated annual rate, compounded annually
for the entire term of the option, and that the option is
exercised and sold on the last day of the term for the
appreciated stock price. The assumed annual rates of
appreciation are for illustrative purposes only. |
The following table sets forth certain information concerning
the number of options exercised by the Named Executive Officers
during the year ended December 31, 2004, and the number of
shares covered by both exercisable and unexercisable stock
options held by the Named Executive Officers.
Aggregated Option Exercises in the Year Ended
December 31, 2004 and Option Values
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Value of Unexercised | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Unexercised | |
|
In-the-Money Options at | |
|
|
Shares | |
|
|
|
Options at Year End | |
|
Year End | |
|
|
Acquired on | |
|
Value |
|
| |
|
| |
Name |
|
Exercise | |
|
Realized |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Kevin P. Corcoran
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
14,175 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
23,508 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
Mary J. Schramke, Ph.D., MBA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,183 |
|
|
|
12,817 |
|
|
|
4,611 |
|
|
|
12,659 |
|
Kathy A. San Roman
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13,091 |
|
|
|
23,090 |
|
|
|
15,280 |
|
|
|
32,270 |
|
Thomas J. Vasicek, Ph.D.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,701 |
|
|
|
16,120 |
|
|
|
15,208 |
|
|
|
30,192 |
|
35
Employment, Severance and Change of Control Agreements
In June 2002, we entered into an employment agreement with Kevin
P. Corcoran, Solexas former President and Chief Executive
Officer, providing for annual compensation of $250,000. In the
event Mr. Corcorans employment was terminated without
cause (as defined in the agreement) by us, or by any successor
or acquiring entity, upon or after certain change of control
events, Mr. Corcoran would have been eligible to receive
severance compensation: (a) if the termination occurs on or
prior to the first year anniversary of the effective date of the
agreement, equal to six months of his base salary; and
(b) if the termination occurs after the first year
anniversary of the effective date of the agreement, equal to
three months of his base salary. The severance would have been
the only severance, benefit or cash compensation, other than
accrued wages, to which Mr. Corcoran would have been
entitled from Solexa in the event of a termination without
cause. In the event, however, that a successor or acquiring
entity would have been obligated to pay such severance to
Mr. Corcoran, such severance shall have been in addition to
any equity compensation or benefits for which Mr. Corcoran
may have been eligible under the 1992 Plan. Mr. Corcoran
resigned from the Company in December 2004.
In January 2003, we entered into an employment agreement with
Mary J. Schramke, Ph.D., Solexas Vice President and
General Manager of Genomic Services, providing for annual
compensation of $185,000. In the event Dr. Schramkes
employment is terminated without cause (as defined in the
agreement) by us, or by any successor or acquiring entity, upon
or after certain change of control events, Dr. Schramke
shall be eligible to receive severance compensation: (a) if
the termination occurs on or prior to the first year anniversary
of the effective date of the agreement, equal to three months of
her base salary; and (b) if the termination occurs after
the first year anniversary of the effective date of the
agreement, equal to at least one month of her base salary. The
severance shall be the only severance, benefit or cash
compensation, other than accrued wages, to which
Dr. Schramke shall be entitled from Solexa in the event of
a termination without cause. In the event, however, that a
successor or acquiring entity is obligated to pay such severance
to Dr. Schramke, such severance shall be in addition to any
equity compensation or benefits for which Dr. Schramke may
be eligible under the 1992 Plan.
In January 2003, we entered into an employment agreement with
Kathy A. San Roman, Solexas Vice President, Human
Resources and Administration, providing for annual compensation
of $160,000. In the event Ms. San Romans
employment is terminated without cause (as defined in the
agreement) by us, or by any successor or acquiring entity, upon
or after certain change of control events,
Ms. San Roman shall be eligible to receive severance
compensation equal to three months of her base salary. The
severance shall be the only severance, benefit or cash
compensation, other than accrued wages, to which
Ms. San Roman shall be entitled from Solexa in the
event of a termination without cause. In the event, however,
that a successor or acquiring entity is obligated to pay such
severance to Ms. San Roman, such severance shall be in
addition to any equity compensation or benefits for which
Ms. San Roman may be eligible under the 1992 Plan.
In June 2002, we entered into an employment agreement with
Thomas J. Vasicek, Ph.D., Solexas former Vice
President, Business Development, providing for: (i) an
initial annual compensation of $200,000; (ii) subject to
certain performance-based criteria, a potential annualized base
salary increase to $240,000; and (iii) subject to the
achievement of certain milestones, a possible cash bonus equal
to one percent (1%) of the cash proceeds received by Solexa from
certain third-party transactions. Also under the terms of the
agreement, Dr. Vasicek was granted an option to
purchase 8,571 shares of common stock at an exercise
price of $16.10 per share, subject to a five-year vesting
schedule. In the event Dr. Vasiceks employment was
terminated without cause (as defined in the agreement) by
Solexa, or by any successor or acquiring entity, upon or after
certain change of control events, Dr. Vasicek may have been
eligible to receive severance compensation: (a) if the
termination occurred on or prior to the first year anniversary
of Dr. Vasiceks hire date, equal to six months of his
base salary; and (b) if the termination occurred after the
first year anniversary of Dr. Vasiceks hire date,
equal to three months of his base salary. The severance may have
been the only severance, benefit or cash compensation, other
than accrued wages, to which Dr. Vasicek may have been be
entitled from Solexa in the event of a termination without
cause. In the event, however, that a successor or acquiring
entity is obligated to pay such severance to Dr. Vasicek,
such severance may have been in addition to any equity
compensation or benefits for which Dr. Vasicek would have
been eligible under the 1992 Plan. Dr. Vasicek resigned
from the Company in May 2005.
36
REPORT OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS ON EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION(2)
General
The Company became a public reporting company in December l993,
when the Company registered its common stock and Series A
preferred stock under the Exchange Act, and the Compensation
Committee of the Board was established in March l994.
Accordingly, the Compensation Committee has made the primary
compensation determinations for the Companys officers,
including the establishment of base salaries, consideration of
bonuses and stock option grants. For the year ended
December 31, 2004, the Compensation Committee members were
Messrs. Taylor and Kitch. Since March 4, 2005, the
Compensation Committee members have consisted of
Messrs. Taylor, Daniel, Hauser and Lloyd-Harris. The
Compensation Committee has provided the following with respect
to the compensation of executive officers during the year ended
December 31, 2004.
Compensation Philosophy
The Company and its Compensation Committee believe that the
compensation of all employees, including executive officers,
must be sufficient to attract and retain highly qualified
personnel and that the Company must align compensation with
short-term and long-term business strategies and performance
goals. The current compensation philosophy is to emphasize
stockholder value linked with incentives such as stock options
over salary increases. The basic elements of executive officer
compensation are as follows:
|
|
|
Salary. To insure that its compensation practices remain
competitive, the Company compares its compensation of executives
with that of executives of other companies of similar industry,
size and geographic location. Salary increases are generally
granted on an annual basis and are based on both individual
performance and the standard percentage of salary increases
granted to other employees. |
|
|
Bonuses. During 2004, the Compensation Committee did not
consider bonuses when establishing executive compensation,
focusing instead on base salary and long-term incentives as the
primary compensation vehicles appropriate to the stages of the
Companys development. As part of its general compensation
philosophy, however, the Company believes that executive
performance may be maximized via a system of annual incentive
awards, and the Company may consider such awards in the future. |
|
|
Long-term Incentives. The Company believes that equity
ownership provides significant motivation to executive officers
to maximize value for the Companys stockholders. The
Compensation Committee grants stock options to executive
officers and other key employees based on a variety of factors,
including the financial performance of the Company and
assessment of personal performance. Through stock option grants,
executives receive significant equity incentives to build
long-term stockholder value. The exercise price of options
generally is 100% of the fair market value as quoted on the
Nasdaq Stock Market on the last market trading day prior to the
day of determination. Employees receive value from these grants
only if the common stock appreciates in the long term. |
Compensation of Former Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Corcorans compensation was established in
accordance with the criteria described above and pursuant to the
terms of his employment agreement. Mr. Corcoran received an
annual compensation of $250,000. In March 2003,
Mr. Corcoran received an option to
purchase 40,000 shares of common stock at an exercise
price of $2.09. The Compensation Committee set
Mr. Corcorans total annual compensation at a level it
believed was competitive with that of other Chief Executive
Officers at other companies in the biotechnology industry,
although at the middle of the range. In addition,
Mr. Corcorans stock option grant
(2) The
material in this report is not soliciting material,
is not deemed filed with the SEC and is not to be
incorporated by reference into any filing of the Company under
the Securities Act or the Exchange Act whether made before or
after the date hereof and irrespective of any general
incorporation language contained in such filing.
37
was at a level and subject to terms that the Compensation
Committee believed would properly motivate and retain
Mr. Corcoran as the President and Chief Executive Officer
of the Company.
Certain Tax Considerations
Section 162(m) of the Code limits the Company to a
deduction for federal income tax purposes of not more than
$1 million of compensation paid to certain executive
officers in a taxable year. Compensation above $1 million
may be deducted if it is performance-based
compensation within the meaning of the Code. The Board has
not yet established a policy for determining which forms of
incentive compensation awarded to executive officers shall be
designed to qualify as performance based compensation.
From the members of the Compensation Committee:
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Craig C. Taylor |
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Tom Daniel |
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Hermann Hauser |
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Genghis Lloyd-Harris |
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider
Participation
Our Compensation Committee was established in March 1994 and is
currently composed of four non-employee directors:
Messrs. Taylor, Daniel, Hauser and Lloyd-Harris. From
January 21, 2003 until March 4, 2005, the Compensation
Committee was comprised of Messrs. Taylor and Kitch.
Mr. Taylor served as Acting Chief Financial Officer of
Solexa from July 1994 to April 1997. No executive officer of
Solexa has served as a member of the board of directors or
compensation committee of any entity that has one or more
executive officers serving as a member of Solexas board of
directors or Compensation Committee. There were no officers or
employees of Solexa who participated in deliberations of the
Compensation Committee concerning executive officer compensation
during the year ended December 31, 2004.
38
Performance Measurement
Comparison(3)
The following graph shows the initial stockholder return of an
investment of $100 in cash on December 31, 1999 for:
(i) the common stock of the Company; (ii) the Nasdaq
Stock Market; (iii) the S&P Biotechnology Index and
(iv) RDG Micro Cap Biotechnology. All values assume
reinvestment of the full amount of all dividends and are
calculated as of December 31 of each year.
(3) This
Section is not soliciting material, is not deemed
filed with the SEC and is not to be incorporated by
reference in any filing of the Company under the Securities Act
or the Exchange Act whether made before or after the date hereof
and irrespective of any general incorporation language in any
such filing.
39
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
On September 28, 2004, we entered into support agreements
and irrevocable undertakings with certain shareholders of Solexa
Limited, namely (i) entities affiliated with Abingworth
Management Limited, which are Abingworth Bioventures II
SICAV, Abingworth Bioventures II A LP, Abingworth
Bioventures III A LP, Abingworth Bioventures III B LP,
Abingworth Bioventures III C LP and Abingworth
Bioventures III Executives LP; (ii) entities
affiliated with Amadeus Capital Partners Limited, which are
Amadeus II A LP, Amadeus II B LP, Amadeus II C
LP, Amadeus II D GmbH & Co KG and Amadeus II
Affiliates Fund LP; (iii) entities affiliated with OBP
Management IV L.P., which are Oxford Bioscience
Partners IV L.P. and mRNA Fund II L.P.;
(iv) entities affiliated with Schroder Venture Managers
Limited, which are Schroder Ventures International Life Sciences
Fund II Strategic Partners L.P., Schroder Ventures
International Life Sciences II L.P. 1, Schroder
Ventures International Life Sciences II L.P. 2,
Schroder Ventures International Life Sciences II
L.P. 3 and Schroder Ventures International Life Sciences
Fund II Group Co-Investment Scheme and SV (Nominee) Limited
as Nominee to Schroder Ventures Investments Limited; and
(v) John West, our Chief Executive Officer (collectively
the Supporting Shareholders).
Under the support agreements, each Supporting Shareholder agreed
to accept or procure acceptance of the business combination
transaction of Solexa Limited and Solexa and to vote all the
shares held in Solexa Limited in favor of a delivery notice to
invoke the compulsory transfer to the Company of any remaining
share capital of Solexa Limited. The Supporting Shareholders
also agreed not to convert any Solexa Limited B preferred shares
and Solexa Limited A ordinary shares held by them into Solexa
Limited ordinary shares and waived their pre-emption and rights
of first refusal under Solexa Limiteds articles of
association with respect to the business combination transaction.
Under the support agreements, the Supporting Shareholders also
agreed not to, directly or indirectly, transfer (except as may
be specifically required by court order), sell, pledge,
hypothecate or otherwise dispose of or encumber, for a period
ending on 180 days following March 4, 2005, the first
closing date of the business combination transaction between the
Company and Solexa Limited. We have agreed to file a resale
registration statement covering the resale of shares of our
common stock received by the Supporting Shareholders who may be
deemed to be affiliates of Solexa Limited, as the term affiliate
is defined for purposes of paragraphs (c) and
(d) of Rule 145 of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
Hermann Hauser, a director of the Company and member of the
Compensation Committee of the Board, shares the power to vote
and control the disposition of the shares held by the entities
affiliated with Amadeus Capital Partners Limited. Mark Carthy, a
director of the Company, is a General Partner of OBP
Management IV L.P. and is deemed to share voting and
investment power over the shares held by the entities affiliated
with OBP Management IV L.P. Tom Daniel, a director of the
Company and member of the Audit, Compensation and Nominating
Committees of the Board, was formerly a General Partner and a
Venture Partner of Schroder Ventures Life Sciences Advisers
(UK) Limited which is an advisor to Schroder Venture
Managers Inc., the General Partner of the entities known
collectively as Schroder Ventures International Life Sciences
Fund II. G. Mason Morfit, a director of the Company
and member of the Audit, Committees of the Board, is a Partner
of ValueAct Capital Management, L.P.
Entities affiliated with Abingworth Management Limited, entities
affiliated with Amadeus Capital Partners Limited, entities
affiliated with OBP Management IV L.P., entities affiliated
with Schroder Venture Managers Limited and ValueAct are each
beneficial owners of more than 5% of our common stock.
For legal services rendered during the calendar year ended
December 31, 2004, we paid approximately $807,000 to Cooley
Godward LLP, Solexas counsel, of which Mr. Kitch, a
former director of Solexa, is a partner. Mr. Kitch resigned
from the board effective March 4, 2005, in connection with
the closing of the business combination transaction with Solexa
Limited.
For business development consulting services and expenses during
the calendar year ended December 31, 2004, Solexa paid
approximately $6,400 to L.E.K. Consulting LLC, of which Marc
Kozin, a former director of Solexa is President of their North
American practice. Mr. Kozin resigned from the board
effective March 4, 2005, in connection with the closing of
the business combination transaction with Solexa Limited.
40
During the calendar year ended December 31, 2004, Solexa
Limited paid approximately $64,000 for consulting services
provided by i2r Ltd, a private company of which Stephen D.
Allen, a director of the Company, is a shareholder and a
director. Solexa Limited expects to continue to pay i2r, Ltd for
consulting services on a per diem basis.
Abingworth Management Inc., a member of a group of companies
that manages funds that are collectively significant holders of
the Companys common stock and Solexa Limited, a subsidiary
of the Company, agreed to pay John West an annualized salary of
approximately $275,000 and a monthly housing allowance of $2,700
during 2004 in exchange for his services to Solexa limited
pursuant to an employment agreement with him and until such time
as an employment agreement is entered into between Mr. West
and the Company. Solexa Limited incurred a liability of
approximately $54,000 to Abingworth Management Inc. for salary
and expenses of Mr. West in 2005. Mr. West is
currently a director and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
In June 2001, Dr. Brenner entered into a consulting
agreement with us. Pursuant to the agreement, Dr. Brenner
is to perform consulting services of at least eight to
16 hours per month in consideration of his standard
consulting fee. In 2004, Dr. Brenner received no consulting
fees for services performed for us. Dr. Brenner resigned
from the board effective March 4, 2005, in connection with
the closing of the business combination transaction with Solexa
Limited.
For genomics discovery services performed during the calendar
year ended December 31, 2003, Solexa received approximately
$60,000 from the Institute for Systems Biology, of which Leroy
Hood, a former director of Solexa is President and Director.
Dr. Hood resigned from the board effective March 4,
2005, in connection with the closing of the business combination
transaction with Solexa Limited.
Our Bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors and
executive officers and may indemnify our other officers,
employees and other agents to the fullest extent permitted by
Delaware law. We are also empowered under our Bylaws to enter
into indemnification agreements with our directors and officers
and to purchase insurance on behalf of any person whom we are
required or permitted to indemnify. Pursuant to this provision,
we have entered into indemnity agreements with each of our
directors and executive officers, as well as certain other
employees.
HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS
The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and
intermediaries (e.g., brokers) to satisfy the delivery
requirements for proxy statements and annual reports with
respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by
delivering a single proxy statement addressed to those
stockholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as
householding, potentially means extra convenience
for stockholders and cost savings for companies.
This year, a number of brokers with account holders who are
Solexa stockholders may be householding our proxy
materials. A single proxy statement will be delivered to
multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary
instructions have been received from the affected stockholders.
Once you have received notice from your broker that they will be
householding communications to your address,
householding will continue until you are notified
otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you
no longer wish to participate in householding and
would prefer to receive a separate proxy statement and annual
report, please notify your broker, direct your written request
to: Investor Relations, Solexa, Inc., 25861 Industrial
Blvd., Hayward, CA 94545 at (510) 670-9300. Stockholders
who currently receive multiple copies of the proxy statement at
their address and would like to request householding
of their communications should contact their broker.
41
OTHER MATTERS
The Board of Directors knows of no other matters that will be
presented for consideration at the annual meeting. If any other
matters are properly brought before the meeting, it is the
intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote
on such matters in accordance with their best judgment.
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By Order of the Board of Directors |
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Linda M. Rubinstein |
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Secretary |
June 21, 2005
A copy of the Companys Annual Report to the Securities
and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2004, is available without charge upon
written request to: Investor Relations, Solexa, Inc.,
25861 Industrial Blvd., Hayward, California 94545.
42
Appendix A
Solexa, Inc.
2005 Equity Incentive
Plan
Adopted: June 3,
2005
Approved By
Stockholders: ,
2005
Termination Date:
June 2, 2015
(a) Eligible Stock Award Recipients. The persons
eligible to receive Stock Awards are Employees, Directors and
Consultants.
(b) Available Stock Awards. The Plan provides for
the grant of the following Stock Awards: (i) Incentive
Stock Options, (ii) Nonstatutory Stock Options,
(iii) Stock Purchase Awards, (iv) Stock Bonus Awards,
(v) Stock Appreciation Rights, (vi) Stock Unit Awards
and (vii) Other Stock Awards.
(c) General Purpose. The Company, by means of the
Plan, seeks to secure and retain the services of the group of
persons eligible to receive Stock Awards, to provide incentives
for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the
Company and its Affiliates and to provide a means by which such
eligible recipients may be given an opportunity to benefit from
increases in value of the Common Stock through the granting of
Stock Awards.
2. Definitions.
(a) Affiliate means any parent
corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company, as of the
day of determination, as those terms are defined in
Sections 424(e) and (f), respectively, of the Code.
(b) Board means the Board of
Directors of the Company.
(c) Capitalization Adjustment has
the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 11(a).
(d) Change in Control means the
occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related
transactions, of any one or more of the following events:
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(i) any Exchange Act Person becomes the Owner,
directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company
representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined
voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities
other than by virtue of a merger, consolidation or similar
transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control
shall not be deemed to occur (A) on account of the
acquisition of securities of the Company by an investor, any
affiliate thereof or any other Exchange Act Person from the
Company in a transaction or series of related transactions the
primary purpose of which is to obtain financing for the Company
through the issuance of equity securities, or (B) solely
because the level of Ownership held by any Exchange Act Person
(the Subject Person) exceeds the designated
percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a
result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities
by the Company reducing the number of shares outstanding,
provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the
operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of
voting securities by the Company, and after such share
acquisition, the Subject Person becomes the Owner of any
additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or
other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of
the then outstanding voting securities Owned by the Subject
Person over the designated percentage threshold, then a Change
in Control shall be deemed to occur; |
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(ii) there is consummated a merger, consolidation or
similar transaction involving (directly or indirectly) the
Company and, immediately after the consummation of such merger,
consolidation or similar transaction, the stockholders of the
Company immediately prior thereto do not Own, directly or
indirectly, either (A) outstanding voting securities
representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined
outstanding voting power of the surviving Entity in such merger,
consolidation or similar transaction or (B) more than fifty
percent (50%) of the combined outstanding voting power of the
parent |
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of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or similar
transaction, in each case in substantially the same proportions
as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the
Company immediately prior to such transaction; |
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(iii) the stockholders of the Company approve or the
Board approves a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of
the Company, or a complete dissolution or liquidation of the
Company shall otherwise occur; or |
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(iv) there is consummated a sale, lease, license or
other disposition of all or substantially all of the
consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, other
than a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and
its Subsidiaries to an Entity, more than fifty percent (50%) of
the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are
Owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same
proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting
securities of the Company immediately prior to such sale, lease,
license or other disposition. |
The term Change in Control shall not include a sale of assets,
merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose
of changing the domicile of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this
Plan, the definition of Change in Control (or any analogous
term) in an individual written agreement between the Company or
any Affiliate and the Participant shall supersede the foregoing
definition with respect to Stock Awards subject to such
agreement (it being understood, however, that if no definition
of Change in Control or any analogous term is set forth in such
an individual written agreement, the foregoing definition shall
apply).
(e) Code means the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(f) Committee means a committee
of one (1) or more members of the Board appointed by the
Board in accordance with Section 3(c).
(g) Common Stock means the common
stock of the Company.
(h) Company means Solexa, Inc., a
Delaware corporation.
(i) Consultant means any person,
including an advisor, who (i) is engaged by the Company or
an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services and is
compensated for such services or (ii) is serving as a
member of the Board of Directors of an Affiliate and is
compensated for such services. However, service solely as a
Director, or payment of a fee for such service, shall not cause
a Director to be considered a Consultant for
purposes of the Plan.
(j) Continuous Service means that
the Participants service with the Company or an Affiliate,
whether as an Employee, Director or Consultant, is not
interrupted or terminated. A change in the capacity in which the
Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an
Employee, Consultant or Director or a change in the entity for
which the Participant renders such service, provided that there
is no interruption or termination of the Participants
service with the Company or an Affiliate, shall not terminate a
Participants Continuous Service. For example, a change in
status from an employee of the Company to a consultant of an
Affiliate or to a Director shall not constitute an interruption
of Continuous Service. The Board or the chief executive officer
of the Company, in that partys sole discretion, may
determine whether Continuous Service shall be considered
interrupted in the case of any leave of absence approved by that
party, including sick leave, military leave or any other
personal leave. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a leave of
absence shall be treated as Continuous Service for purposes of
vesting in a Stock Award only to such extent as may be provided
in the Companys leave of absence policy or in the written
terms of the Participants leave of absence.
(k) Corporate Transaction means
the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of
related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:
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(i) a sale or other disposition of all or
substantially all, as determined by the Board in its sole
discretion, of the consolidated assets of the Company and its
Subsidiaries; |
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(ii) a sale or other disposition of at least fifty
percent (50%) of the outstanding securities of the Company; |
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(iii) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction
following which the Company is not the surviving
corporation; or |
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(iv) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction
following which the Company is the surviving corporation but the
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately preceding the
merger, consolidation or similar transaction are converted or
exchanged by virtue of the merger, consolidation or similar
transaction into other property, whether in the form of
securities, cash or otherwise. |
(l) Covered Employee means the
chief executive officer and the four (4) other highest
compensated officers of the Company for whom total compensation
is required to be reported to stockholders under the Exchange
Act, as determined for purposes of Section 162(m) of the
Code.
(m) Director means a member of
the Board.
(n) Disability means the
permanent and total disability of a person within the meaning of
Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.
(o) Employee means any person
employed by the Company or an Affiliate. However, service solely
as a Director, or payment of a fee for such service, shall not
cause a Director to be considered an Employee for
purposes of the Plan.
(p) Entity means a corporation,
partnership or other entity.
(q) Exchange Act means the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(r) Exchange Act Person means any
natural person, Entity or group (within the meaning
of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), except that
Exchange Act Person shall not include (i) the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or
any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an
employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding
securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, or
(iv) an Entity Owned, directly or indirectly, by the
stockholders of the Company in substantially the same
proportions as their Ownership of stock of the Company; or
(v) any natural person, Entity or group (within
the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act)
that, as of the effective date of the Plan as set forth in
Section 14, is the Owner, directly or indirectly, of
securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent
(50%) of the combined voting power of the Companys then
outstanding securities.
(s) Fair Market Value means, as
of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows
and, if applicable, in a manner consistent with
Section 260.140.50 of Title 10 of the California Code
of Regulations:
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(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established
stock exchange or traded on the Nasdaq National Market, the
Nasdaq SmallCap Market or over-the-counter market, the Fair
Market Value of a share of Common Stock shall be the closing
sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were
reported) as quoted on such exchange or market (or the exchange
or market with the greatest volume of trading in the Common
Stock) on the last market trading day prior to the day of
determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or
such other source as the Board deems reliable. |
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(ii) In the absence of such markets for the Common
Stock, the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Board in
good faith. |
(t) Incentive Stock Option means
an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option
within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and the
regulations promulgated thereunder.
(u) Non-Employee Director means a
Director who either (i) is not a current employee or
officer of the Company or an Affiliate, does not receive
compensation, either directly or indirectly, from the Company or
an Affiliate for services rendered as a consultant or in any
capacity other than as a Director (except for an
A-3
amount as to which disclosure would not be required under
Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated pursuant to
the Securities Act (Regulation S-K)), does not
possess an interest in any other transaction for which
disclosure would be required under Item 404(a) of
Regulation S-K, and is not engaged in a business
relationship for which disclosure would be required pursuant to
Item 404(b) of Regulation S-K; or (ii) is
otherwise considered a non-employee director for
purposes of Rule 16b-3.
(v) Nonstatutory Stock Option
means an Option not intended to qualify as an Incentive
Stock Option.
(w) Officer means a person who is
an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16
of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
(x) Option means a stock option
to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the Plan.
(y) Option Agreement means a
written agreement between the Company and an Optionholder
evidencing the terms and conditions of an Option grant. Each
Option Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of
the Plan.
(z) Optionholder means a person
to whom an Option is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if
applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Option.
(aa) Other Stock Award means an
award based in whole or in part by reference to the Common Stock
which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of
Section 7(e).
(bb) Other Stock Award Agreement
means a written agreement between the Company and a
holder of an Other Stock Award evidencing the terms and
conditions of an Other Stock Award grant. Each Other Stock Award
Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the
Plan.
(cc) Outside Director means a
Director who either (i) is not a current employee of the
Company or an affiliated corporation (within the
meaning of Treasury Regulations promulgated under
Section 162(m) of the Code), is not a former employee of
the Company or an affiliated corporation who
receives compensation for prior services (other than benefits
under a tax-qualified retirement plan) during the taxable year,
has not been an officer of the Company or an affiliated
corporation, and does not receive remuneration from the
Company or an affiliated corporation, either
directly or indirectly, in any capacity other than as a Director
or (ii) is otherwise considered an outside
director for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(dd) Own, Owned,
Owner, Ownership A person or
Entity shall be deemed to Own, to have
Owned, to be the Owner of, or to have
acquired Ownership of securities if such person or
Entity, directly or indirectly, through any contract,
arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or
shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to
direct the voting, with respect to such securities.
(ee) Participant means a person
to whom a Stock Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if
applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Stock
Award.
(ff) Plan means this Solexa, Inc.
2005 Equity Incentive Plan.
(gg) Rule 16b-3 means
Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any
successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect from time to time.
(hh) Securities Act means the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(ii) Stock Appreciation Right
means a right to receive the appreciation on Common
Stock that is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of
Section 7(d).
(jj) Stock Appreciation Right Agreement
means a written agreement between the Company and a
holder of a Stock Appreciation Right evidencing the terms and
conditions of a Stock Appreciation Right grant. Each Stock
Appreciation Right Agreement shall be subject to the terms and
conditions of the Plan.
(kk) Stock Award means any right
granted under the Plan, including an Option, a Stock Purchase
Award, Stock Bonus Award, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Stock
Unit Award or any Other Stock Award.
A-4
(ll) Stock Award Agreement means
a written agreement between the Company and a Participant
evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Award grant. Each
Stock Award Agreement shall be subject to the terms and
conditions of the Plan.
(mm) Stock Bonus Award means an
award of shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the
terms and conditions of Section 7(b).
(nn) Stock Bonus Award Agreement
means a written agreement between the Company and a
holder of a Stock Bonus Award evidencing the terms and
conditions of a Stock Bonus Award grant. Each Stock Bonus Award
Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the
Plan.
(oo) Stock Purchase Award means
an award of shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to
the terms and conditions of Section 7(a).
(pp) Stock Purchase Award Agreement
means a written agreement between the Company and a
holder of a Stock Purchase Award evidencing the terms and
conditions of a Stock Purchase Award grant. Each Stock Purchase
Award Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of
the Plan.
(qq) Stock Unit Award means a
right to receive shares of Common Stock which is granted
pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 7(c).
(rr) Stock Unit Award Agreement
means a written agreement between the Company and a
holder of a Stock Unit Award evidencing the terms and conditions
of a Stock Unit Award grant. Each Stock Unit Award Agreement
shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(ss) Subsidiary means, with
respect to the Company, (i) any corporation of which more
than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding capital stock having
ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of
directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the
time, stock of any other class or classes of such corporation
shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening
of any contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly,
Owned by the Company, and (ii) any partnership in which the
Company has a direct or indirect interest (whether in the form
of voting or participation in profits or capital contribution)
of more than fifty percent (50%).
(tt) Ten Percent Stockholder
means a person who Owns (or is deemed to Own pursuant to
Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than ten
percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes
of stock of the Company or of any of its Affiliates.
3. Administration.
(a) Administration by Board. The Board shall
administer the Plan unless and until the Board delegates
administration of the Plan to a Committee, as provided in
Section 3(c).
(b) Powers of Board. The Board shall have the power,
subject to, and within the limitations of, the express
provisions of the Plan:
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(i) To determine from time to time which of the
persons eligible under the Plan shall be granted Stock Awards;
when and how each Stock Award shall be granted; what type or
combination of types of Stock Award shall be granted; the
provisions of each Stock Award granted (which need not be
identical), including the time or times when a person shall be
permitted to receive Common Stock pursuant to a Stock Award; and
the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which a
Stock Award shall be granted to each such person. |
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(ii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Stock
Awards granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke
rules and regulations for its administration. The Board, in the
exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or
inconsistency in the Plan or in any Stock Award Agreement, in a
manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to
make the Plan fully effective. |
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(iii) To amend the Plan or a Stock Award as provided
in Section 12. |
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(iv) To terminate or suspend the Plan as provided in
Section 13. |
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(v) Generally, to exercise such powers and to
perform such acts as the Board deems necessary or expedient to
promote the best interests of the Company and that are not in
conflict with the provisions of the Plan. |
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(vi) To adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are
necessary or appropriate to permit participation in the Plan by
Employees who are foreign nationals or employed outside the
United States. |
(c) Delegation to Committee.
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(i) General. The Board may delegate some or all of
the administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees of
one (1) or more members of the Board, and the term
Committee shall apply to any person or
persons to whom such authority has been delegated. If
administration is delegated to a Committee, the Committee shall
have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the
powers theretofore possessed by the Board that have been
delegated to the Committee, including the power to delegate to a
subcommittee any of the administrative powers the Committee is
authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board
shall thereafter be to the Committee or subcommittee), subject,
however, to such resolutions, not inconsistent with the
provisions of the Plan, as may be adopted from time to time by
the Board. The Board may retain the authority to concurrently
administer the Plan with the Committee and may, at any time,
revest in the Board some or all of the powers previously
delegated. |
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(ii) Section 162(m) and Rule 16b-3
Compliance. In the sole discretion of the Board, the
Committee may consist solely of two or more Outside Directors,
in accordance with Section 162(m) of the Code, and/or
solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors, in accordance with
Rule 16b-3. In addition, the Board or the Committee, in its
sole discretion, may (1) delegate to a committee of one or
more members of the Board who need not be Outside Directors the
authority to grant Stock Awards to eligible persons who are
either (a) not then Covered Employees and are not expected
to be Covered Employees at the time of recognition of income
resulting from such Stock Award, or (b) not persons with
respect to whom the Company wishes to comply with
Section 162(m) of the Code, and/or (2) delegate to a
committee of one or more members of the Board who need not be
Non-Employee Directors the authority to grant Stock Awards to
eligible persons who are not then subject to Section 16 of
the Exchange Act. |
(d) Delegation to an Officer. The Board may delegate
to one or more Officers of the Company the authority to do one
or both of the following (i) designate Officers and
Employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to be
recipients of Stock Awards and (ii) determine the number of
shares of Common Stock to be subject to such Stock Awards
granted to such Officers and Employees of the Company;
provided, however, that the Board resolutions regarding
such delegation shall specify the total number of shares of
Common Stock that may be subject to the Stock Awards granted by
such Officer and that such Officer may not grant a Stock Award
to himself or herself. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
in this Section 3(d), the Board may not delegate to an
Officer authority to determine the Fair Market Value of the
Common Stock pursuant to Section 2(s)(ii) above.
(e) Effect of Boards Decision. All
determinations, interpretations and constructions made by the
Board in good faith shall not be subject to review by any person
and shall be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.
4. Shares
Subject to the Plan.
(a) Initial Share Reserve. Subject to the provisions
of Section 11(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments,
the Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Stock Awards
shall not exceed in the aggregate one million nine hundred
seventy-eight thousand seven hundred sixty-seven (1,978,767)
shares of Common Stock (which includes a total of one hundred
seventy-eight thousand seven hundred sixty-seven (178,767)
shares of Common Stock that were previously held in reserve
under the Lynx Therapeutics, Inc. 1992 Stock Option Plan, but
which were unused, and which have been transferred to this
Plan). Additionally, if any outstanding stock options granted
under the Lynx Therapeutics, Inc. 1992 Stock Option Plan shall
for any reason expire or otherwise terminate, in whole or in
part, without having been exercised in full, the shares of
Common Stock that are not acquired under any such stock options
shall revert to, and become available for
A-6
issuance under this Plan. The maximum aggregate number of
additional shares of Common Stock that may revert to this Plan
under this provision is one million one hundred seventy-one
thousand seven hundred thirty-seven (1,171,737) shares.
(b) Reversion of Shares to the Share Reserve. If any
Stock Award under this Plan shall for any reason expire or
otherwise terminate, in whole or in part, without having been
exercised in full, or if any shares of Common Stock issued to a
Participant pursuant to a Stock Award are forfeited to or
repurchased by the Company, including, but not limited to, any
repurchase or forfeiture caused by the failure to meet a
contingency or condition required for the vesting of such
shares, then the shares of Common Stock not issued under such
Stock Award, or forfeited to or repurchased by the Company,
shall revert to and again become available for issuance under
the Plan. If any shares subject to a Stock Award are not
delivered to a Participant because such shares are withheld for
the payment of taxes or the Stock Award is exercised through a
reduction of shares subject to the Stock Award (i.e.,
net exercised), the number of shares that are not
delivered to the Participant shall remain available for issuance
under the Plan. If the exercise price of any Stock Award is
satisfied by tendering shares of Common Stock held by the
Participant (either by actual delivery or attestation), then the
number of shares so tendered shall remain available for issuance
under the Plan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Section 4(b), subject to the provisions of
Section 11(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the
aggregate maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be
issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options shall
be three million one hundred fifty thousand five hundred four
(3,150,504) shares of Common Stock (which includes a total of
one million one hundred seventy-one thousand seven hundred
thirty-seven (1,171,737) shares of Common Stock that may revert
to this Plan under Section 4(a)).
(c) Source of Shares. The shares of Common Stock
subject to the Plan may be unissued shares or reacquired shares,
bought on the market or otherwise.
(d) Share Reserve Limitation. Notwithstanding
Section 4(a), to the extent required by
Section 260.140.45 of Title 10 of the California Code
of Regulations, the total number of shares of Common Stock
issuable upon exercise of all outstanding Options and the total
number of shares of Common Stock provided for under any stock
bonus or similar plan of the Company shall not exceed the
applicable percentage as calculated in accordance with the
conditions and exclusions of Section 260.140.45 of
Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations, based on
the shares of Common Stock of the Company that are outstanding
at the time the calculation is made.
5. Eligibility.
(a) Eligibility for Specific Stock Awards. Incentive
Stock Options may be granted only to Employees. Stock Awards
other than Incentive Stock Options may be granted to Employees,
Directors and Consultants.
(b) Ten Percent Stockholders.
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(i) A Ten Percent Stockholder shall not be granted
an Incentive Stock Option unless the exercise price of such
Option is at least one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair
Market Value of the Common Stock on the date of grant and the
Option is not exercisable after the expiration of five
(5) years from the date of grant. |
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(ii) To the extent Section 260.140.41 of
Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations is
applicable, a Ten Percent Stockholder shall not be granted a
Nonstatutory Stock Option unless the exercise price of the
Option is at least (a) one hundred ten percent (110%) of
the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date of grant,
or (b) such lower percentage of the Fair Market Value of
the Common Stock on the date of grant as is permitted by Section
260.140.41 of Title 10 of the California Code of
Regulations at the time of the grant of the Option. |
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(iii) To the extent Section 260.140.42 of
Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations is
applicable, a Ten Percent Stockholder shall not be granted a
Stock Purchase Award, Stock Appreciation Right (if such award
could be settled in shares of Common Stock), or a Stock Unit
Award (if such award could be settled in shares of Common
Stock), unless the purchase price of the stock is at least |
A-7
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(i) one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of
the Common Stock on the date of grant, or (ii) such lower
percentage of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the
date of grant as is permitted by Section 260.140.42 of
Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations at the time
of the grant of the award. |
(c) Section 162(m) Limitation on Annual Grants.
Subject to the provisions of Section 11(a) relating to
Capitalization Adjustments, no Employee shall be eligible to be
granted Options or Stock Appreciation Rights covering more than
one million five hundred thousand (1,500,000) shares of Common
Stock during any calendar year.
(d) Consultants. A Consultant shall not be eligible
for the grant of a Stock Award if, at the time of grant, a
Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act
(Form S-8) is not available to
register either the offer or the sale of the Companys
securities to such Consultant because of the nature of the
services that the Consultant is providing to the Company,
because the Consultant is not a natural person, or because of
any other rule governing the use of Form S-8.
6. Option
Provisions.
Each Option shall be in such form and shall contain such terms
and conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. All Options
shall be separately designated Incentive Stock Options or
Nonstatutory Stock Options at the time of grant, and, if
certificates are issued, a separate certificate or certificates
shall be issued for shares of Common Stock purchased on exercise
of each type of Option. The provisions of separate Options need
not be identical, provided, however, that each Option
Agreement shall include (through incorporation of provisions
hereof by reference in the Option or otherwise) the substance of
each of the following provisions:
(a) Term. The Board shall determine the term of an
Option; provided, however, that subject to the provisions
of Section 5(b) regarding Ten Percent Stockholders, no
Incentive Stock Option shall be exercisable after the expiration
of ten (10) years from the date on which it was granted.
(b) Exercise Price of an Incentive Stock Option.
Subject to the provisions of Section 5(b) regarding Ten
Percent Stockholders, the exercise price of each Incentive Stock
Option shall be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the
Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Option on
the date the Option is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
an Incentive Stock Option may be granted with an exercise price
lower than that set forth in the preceding sentence if such
Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for
another option in a manner satisfying the provisions of
Section 424(a) of the Code.
(c) Exercise Price of a Nonstatutory Stock Option.
Subject to the provisions of Section 5(b) regarding Ten
Percent Stockholders, the exercise price of each Nonstatutory
Stock Option shall be not less than one hundred percent (100%)
of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the
Option on the date the Option is granted. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, a Nonstatutory Stock Option may be granted with an
exercise price lower than that set forth in the preceding
sentence if such Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or
substitution for another option in a manner consistent with the
provisions of Section 424(a) of the Code.
(d) Consideration. The purchase price of Common
Stock acquired pursuant to an Option shall be paid, to the
extent permitted by applicable statutes and regulations, either
(i) in cash at the time the Option is exercised or
(ii) at the sole discretion of the Board at the time of the
grant of the Option (or subsequently in the case of a
Nonstatutory Stock Option) (1) by delivery to the Company
(either by actual delivery or attestation) of other Common Stock
at the time the Option is exercised, (2) by a net
exercise of the Option (as further described below),
(3) pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T
as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the
issuance of Common Stock, results in either the receipt of cash
(or check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable
instructions to pay the aggregate exercise price to the Company
from the sales proceeds, or (4) in any other form of legal
consideration that may be acceptable to the Board. Unless
otherwise specifically provided in the Option, the purchase
price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to an Option that is
paid by delivery to the Company of other Common Stock acquired,
directly or indirectly from the Company, shall be paid only by
shares of the Common Stock of the Company
A-8
that have been held for more than six (6) months (or such
longer or shorter period of time required to avoid a charge to
earnings for financial accounting purposes). At any time that
the Company is incorporated in Delaware, payment of the Common
Stocks par value, as defined in the Delaware
General Corporation Law, shall not be made by deferred payment.
In the case of a net exercise of an Option, the
Company will not require a payment of the exercise price of the
Option from the Participant but will reduce the number of shares
of Common Stock issued upon the exercise by the largest number
of whole shares that has a Fair Market Value that does not
exceed the aggregate exercise price. With respect to any
remaining balance of the aggregate exercise price, the Company
shall accept a cash payment from the Participant. Shares of
Common Stock will no longer be outstanding under an Option (and
will therefore not thereafter be exercisable) following the
exercise of such Option to the extent of (i) shares used to
pay the exercise price of an Option under the net
exercise, (ii) shares actually delivered to the
Participant as a result of such exercise and (iii) shares
withheld for purposes of tax withholding.
(e) Transferability of an Incentive Stock Option. An
Incentive Stock Option shall not be transferable except by will
or by the laws of descent and distribution and shall be
exercisable during the lifetime of the Optionholder only by the
Optionholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Optionholder
may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form
provided by or otherwise satisfactory to the Company, designate
a third party who, in the event of the death of the
Optionholder, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise the
Option.
(f) Transferability of a Nonstatutory Stock Option.
A Nonstatutory Stock Option shall be transferable pursuant to a
domestic relations order and to such further extent provided in
the Option Agreement; provided, however, if the
Nonstatutory Stock Option does not provide for transferability,
then the Nonstatutory Stock Option shall not be transferable
except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and
shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the Optionholder
only by the Optionholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Optionholder may, by delivering written notice to the Company,
in a form provided by or otherwise satisfactory to the Company,
designate a third party who, in the event of the death of the
Optionholder, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise the
Option. Notwithstanding the above, to the extent
Section 260.140.41(d) of Title 10 of the California
Code of Regulations is applicable at the time of grant of the
Nonstatutory Stock Option, the Option shall not be transferable
except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution or as
otherwise permitted by Section 260.141.41(d) and shall be
exercisable during the lifetime of the Optionholder only by the
Optionholder.
(g) Vesting Generally. The total number of shares of
Common Stock subject to an Option may vest and therefore become
exercisable in periodic installments that may be equal. The
Option may be subject to such other terms and conditions on the
time or times when it may be exercised (which may be based on
performance or other criteria) as the Board may deem
appropriate. The vesting provisions of individual Options may
vary. The provisions of this Section 6(g) are subject to
any Option provisions governing the minimum number of shares of
Common Stock as to which an Option may be exercised.
(h) Minimum Vesting. Notwithstanding the foregoing
Section 6(g), to the extent that the following restrictions
on vesting are required by Section 260.140.41(f) of
Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations at the time
of the grant of the Option, then:
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(i) Options granted to an Employee who is not an
Officer, Director or Consultant shall provide for vesting of the
total number of shares of Common Stock at a rate of at least
twenty percent (20%) per year over five (5) years from the
date the Option was granted, subject to reasonable conditions
such as continued employment; and |
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(ii) Options granted to Officers, Directors or
Consultants may be made fully exercisable, subject to reasonable
conditions such as continued employment, at any time or during
any period established by the Company. |
(i) Termination of Continuous Service. In the event
that an Optionholders Continuous Service terminates (other
than upon the Optionholders death or Disability), the
Optionholder may exercise his or her
A-9
Option (to the extent that the Optionholder was entitled to
exercise such Option as of the date of termination of Continuous
Service) but only within such period of time ending on the
earlier of (i) the expiration of the term of the Option as
set forth in the Option Agreement, or (ii) the date three
(3) months following the termination of the
Optionholders Continuous Service (or such longer or
shorter period specified in the Option Agreement, which period
shall not be less than thirty (30) days in the case of an
Option subject to Section 260.140.41(g) of Title 10 of
the California Code of Regulations, unless such termination is
for cause). If, after termination of Continuous Service, the
Optionholder does not exercise his or her Option within the time
specified herein or in the Option Agreement (as applicable), the
Option shall terminate.
(j) Extension of Termination Date. An
Optionholders Option Agreement may provide that if the
exercise of the Option following the termination of the
Optionholders Continuous Service (other than upon the
Optionholders death or Disability) would be prohibited at
any time solely because the issuance of shares of Common Stock
would violate the registration requirements under the Securities
Act, then the Option shall terminate on the earlier of
(i) the expiration of the term of the Option set forth in
the Option Agreement or (ii) the expiration of a period of
three (3) months after the termination of the
Optionholders Continuous Service during which the exercise
of the Option would not be in violation of such registration
requirements.
(k) Disability of Optionholder. In the event that an
Optionholders Continuous Service terminates as a result of
the Optionholders Disability, the Optionholder may
exercise his or her Option (to the extent that the Optionholder
was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of
termination of Continuous Service), but only within such period
of time ending on the earlier of (i) the expiration of the
term of the Option as set forth in the Option Agreement, or
(ii) the date twelve (12) months following such
termination of Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter
period specified in the Option Agreement, which period shall not
be less than six (6) months in the case of an Option
subject to Section 260.140.41(g) of Title 10 of the
California Code of Regulations). If, after termination of
Continuous Service, the Optionholder does not exercise his or
her Option within the time specified herein or in the Option
Agreement (as applicable), the Option shall terminate.
(l) Death of Optionholder. In the event that
(i) an Optionholders Continuous Service terminates as
a result of the Optionholders death, or (ii) the
Optionholder dies within the period (if any) specified in the
Option Agreement after the termination of the
Optionholders Continuous Service, then the Option may be
exercised (to the extent the Optionholder was entitled to
exercise such Option as of the date of death) by the
Optionholders estate, by a person who acquired the right
to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance or by a person
designated to exercise the option upon the Optionholders
death pursuant to Sections 6(e) or 6(f), but only within
the period ending on the earlier of (i) the expiration of
the term of such Option as set forth in the Option Agreement or
(ii) the date eighteen (18) months following the date
of death (or such longer or shorter period specified in the
Option Agreement, which period shall not be less than six
(6) months in the case of an Option subject to
Section 260.140.41(g) of Title 10 of the California
Code of Regulations). If, after the Optionholders death,
the Option is not exercised within the time specified herein or
in the Option Agreement (as applicable), the Option shall
terminate.
(m) Early Exercise. The Option may include a
provision whereby the Optionholder may elect at any time before
the Optionholders Continuous Service terminates to
exercise the Option as to any part or all of the shares of
Common Stock subject to the Option prior to the full vesting of
the Option. Subject to the Repurchase Limitation in
Section 10(i), any unvested shares of Common Stock so
purchased may be subject to a repurchase option in favor of the
Company or to any other restriction the Board determines to be
appropriate. Provided that the Repurchase Limitation
in Section 10(i) is not violated, the Company shall not be
required to exercise its repurchase option until at least six
(6) months (or such longer or shorter period of time
required to avoid a charge to earnings for financial accounting
purposes) have elapsed following exercise of the Option unless
the Board otherwise specifically provides in the Option.
(n) Right of Repurchase. Subject to the
Repurchase Limitation in Section 10(i), the
Option may, but need not, include a provision whereby the
Company may elect to repurchase all or any part of the vested
shares of Common Stock acquired by the Optionholder pursuant to
the exercise of the Option. Provided that the Repurchase
Limitation in Section 10(i) is not violated, the
Company will not exercise its repurchase
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option until at least six (6) months (or such longer or
shorter period of time required to avoid a charge to earnings
for financial accounting purposes) have elapsed following
exercise of the Option unless otherwise specifically provided in
the Option.
(o) Right of First Refusal. The Option may, but need
not, include a provision whereby the Company may elect to
exercise a right of first refusal following receipt of notice
from the Optionholder of the intent to transfer all or any part
of the shares of Common Stock received upon the exercise of the
Option. Except as expressly provided in this Section 6(o)
or in the Stock Award Agreement for the Option, such right of
first refusal shall otherwise comply with any applicable
provisions of the Bylaws of the Company. The Company will not
exercise its right of first refusal until at least six
(6) months (or such longer or shorter period of time
required to avoid a charge to earnings for financial accounting
purposes) have elapsed following exercise of the Option unless
otherwise specifically provided in the Option.
7. Provisions
of Stock Awards other than Options.
(a) Stock Purchase Awards. Each Stock Purchase Award
Agreement shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. At the
Boards election, shares of Common Stock may be
(i) held in book entry form subject to the Companys
instructions until any restrictions relating to the Stock
Purchase Award lapse, or (ii) evidenced by a certificate,
which certificate shall be held in such form and manner as
determined by the Board. The terms and conditions of Stock
Purchase Award Agreements may change from time to time, and the
terms and conditions of separate Stock Purchase Award Agreements
need not be identical, provided, however, that each Stock
Purchase Award Agreement shall include (through incorporation of
the provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or
otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:
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(i) Purchase Price. At the time of the grant of a
Stock Purchase Award, the Board will determine the price to be
paid by the Participant for each share subject to the Stock
Purchase Award. To the extent required by applicable law, the
price to be paid by the Participant for each share of the Stock
Purchase Award will not be less than the par value of a share of
Common Stock. |
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(ii) Consideration. At the time of the grant of a
Stock Purchase Award, the Board will determine the consideration
permissible for the payment of the purchase price of the Stock
Purchase Award. The purchase price of Common Stock acquired
pursuant to the Stock Purchase Award shall be paid either:
(i) in cash at the time of purchase, or (ii) in any
other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the
Board in its sole discretion and permissible under applicable
law. |
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(iii) Vesting. Subject to the Repurchase
Limitation in Section 10(i), shares of Common Stock
acquired under a Stock Purchase Award may be subject to a share
repurchase right or option in favor of the Company in accordance
with a vesting schedule to be determined by the Board. |
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(iv) Termination of Participants Continuous
Service. Subject to the Repurchase Limitation in
Section 10(i), in the event that a Participants
Continuous Service terminates, the Company shall have the right,
but not the obligation, to repurchase or otherwise reacquire,
any or all of the shares of Common Stock held by the Participant
that have not vested as of the date of termination under the
terms of the Stock Purchase Award Agreement. At the Boards
election, the repurchase right may be the lesser of:
(i) the Fair Market Value on the relevant date, or
(ii) the Participants original cost. Provided that
the Repurchase Limitation in Section 10(i) is
not violated, the Company shall not be required to exercise its
repurchase option until at least six (6) months (or such
longer or shorter period of time required to avoid a charge to
earnings for financial accounting purposes) have elapsed
following the purchase of the restricted stock unless otherwise
determined by the Board or provided in the Stock Purchase Award
Agreement. |
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(v) Transferability. Rights to purchase or receive
shares of Common Stock granted under a Stock Purchase Award
shall be transferable by the Participant only upon such terms
and conditions as are set forth in the Stock Purchase Award
Agreement, as the Board shall determine in its sole discretion,
and so long as Common Stock awarded under the Stock Purchase
Award remains subject to the terms of the Stock Purchase Award
Agreement. |
A-11
(b) Stock Bonus Awards. Each Stock Bonus Award
Agreement shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. At the
Boards election, shares of Common Stock may be
(i) held in book entry form subject to the Companys
instructions until any restrictions relating to the Stock Bonus
Award lapse; or (ii) evidenced by a certificate, which
certificate shall be held in such form and manner as determined
by the Board. The terms and conditions of Stock Bonus Award
Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and
conditions of separate Stock Bonus Award Agreements need not be
identical, provided, however, that each Stock Bonus Award
Agreement shall include (through incorporation of provisions
hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise) the substance
of each of the following provisions:
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(i) Consideration. A Stock Bonus Award may be
awarded in consideration for (i) past services actually
rendered to the Company or an Affiliate or (ii) any other
form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board
in its sole discretion and permissible under applicable law. |
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(ii) Vesting. Subject to the Repurchase
Limitation in Section 10(i), shares of Common Stock
awarded under the Stock Bonus Award Agreement may be subject to
forfeiture to the Company in accordance with a vesting schedule
to be determined by the Board. |
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(iii) Termination of Participants Continuous
Service. Subject to the Repurchase Limitation in
Section 10(i), in the event a Participants Continuous
Service terminates, the Company may receive via a forfeiture
condition, any or all of the shares of Common Stock held by the
Participant which have not vested as of the date of termination
of Continuous Service under the terms of the Stock Bonus Award
Agreement. |
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(iv) Transferability. Rights to acquire shares of
Common Stock under the Stock Bonus Award Agreement shall be
transferable by the Participant only upon such terms and
conditions as are set forth in the Stock Bonus Award Agreement,
as the Board shall determine in its sole discretion, so long as
Common Stock awarded under the Stock Bonus Award Agreement
remains subject to the terms of the Stock Bonus Award Agreement. |
(c) Stock Unit Awards. Each Stock Unit Award
Agreement shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. The terms and
conditions of Stock Unit Award Agreements may change from time
to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Stock Unit
Award Agreements need not be identical, provided, however,
that each Stock Unit Award Agreement shall include (through
incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the
agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following
provisions:
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(i) Consideration. At the time of grant of a Stock
Unit Award, the Board will determine the consideration, if any,
to be paid by the Participant upon delivery of each share of
Common Stock subject to the Stock Unit Award. The consideration
to be paid (if any) by the Participant for each share of Common
Stock subject to a Stock Unit Award may be paid in any form of
legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board in its
sole discretion and permissible under applicable law. |
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(ii) Vesting. At the time of the grant of a Stock
Unit Award, the Board may impose such restrictions or conditions
to the vesting of the Stock Unit Award as it, in its sole
discretion, deems appropriate; provided, however, that a Stock
Unit Award that could be settled in shares of Common Stock shall
be subject to the provisions of Section 10(i). |
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(iii) Payment. A Stock Unit Award may be settled by
the delivery of shares of Common Stock, their cash equivalent,
any combination thereof or in any other form of consideration as
determined by the Board and contained in the Stock Unit Award
Agreement. |
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(iv) Additional Restrictions. At the time of the
grant of a Stock Unit Award, the Board, as it deems appropriate,
may impose such restrictions or conditions that delay the
delivery of the shares of Common Stock (or their cash
equivalent) subject to a Stock Unit Award after the vesting of
such Stock Unit Award. |
A-12
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(v) Dividend Equivalents. Dividend equivalents may
be credited in respect of shares of Common Stock covered by a
Stock Unit Award, as determined by the Board and contained in
the Stock Unit Award Agreement. At the sole discretion of the
Board, such dividend equivalents may be converted into
additional shares of Common Stock covered by the Stock Unit
Award in such manner as determined by the Board. Any additional
shares covered by the Stock Unit Award credited by reason of
such dividend equivalents will be subject to all the terms and
conditions of the underlying Stock Unit Award Agreement to which
they relate. |
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(vi) Termination of Participants Continuous
Service. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable
Stock Unit Award Agreement, such portion of the Stock Unit Award
that has not vested will be forfeited upon the
Participants termination of Continuous Service. |
(d) Stock Appreciation Rights. Each Stock
Appreciation Right Agreement shall be in such form and shall
contain such terms and conditions as the Board shall deem
appropriate. The terms and conditions of Stock Appreciation
Right Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and
conditions of separate Stock Appreciation Right Agreements need
not be identical, provided, however, that each Stock
Appreciation Right Agreement shall include (through
incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the
agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following
provisions:
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(i) Strike Price and Calculation of Appreciation.
Each Stock Appreciation Right will be denominated in share of
Common Stock equivalents. The appreciation distribution payable
on the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right will be not
greater than an amount equal to the excess of (A) the
aggregate Fair Market Value (on the date of the exercise of the
Stock Appreciation Right) of a number of shares of Common Stock
equal to the number of share of Common Stock equivalents in
which the Participant is vested under such Stock Appreciation
Right, and with respect to which the Participant is exercising
the Stock Appreciation Right on such date, over (B) an
amount (the strike price) that will be determined by the Board
at the time of grant of the Stock Appreciation Right. |
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(ii) Vesting. At the time of the grant of a Stock
Appreciation Right, the Board may impose such restrictions or
conditions to the vesting of such Stock Appreciation Right as
it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate; provided,
however, that a Stock Appreciation Right that could be settled
in shares of Common Stock shall be subject to the provisions of
Section 10(i). |
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(iii) Exercise. To exercise any outstanding Stock
Appreciation Right, the Participant must provide written notice
of exercise to the Company in compliance with the provisions of
the Stock Appreciation Right Agreement evidencing such Stock
Appreciation Right. |
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(iv) Payment. The appreciation distribution in
respect to a Stock Appreciation Right may be paid in Common
Stock, in cash, in any combination of the two or in any other
form of consideration as determined by the Board and contained
in the Stock Appreciation Right Agreement evidencing such Stock
Appreciation Right. |
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(v) Termination of Continuous Service. In the event
that a Participants Continuous Service terminates, the
Participant may exercise his or her Stock Appreciation Right (to
the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such
Stock Appreciation Right as of the date of termination) but only
within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the
date three (3) months following the termination of the
Participants Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter
period specified in the Stock Appreciation Right Agreement) or
(ii) the expiration of the term of the Stock Appreciation
Right as set forth in the Stock Appreciation Right Agreement.
If, after termination, the Participant does not exercise his or
her Stock Appreciation Right within the time specified herein or
in the Stock Appreciation Right Agreement (as applicable), the
Stock Appreciation Right shall terminate. |
(e) Other Stock Awards. Other forms of Stock Awards
valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based
on, Common Stock may be granted either alone or in addition to
Stock Awards provided for under Section 6 and the preceding
provisions of this Section 7. Subject to the provisions of
the Plan, the Board shall have sole and complete authority to
determine the persons to whom and the time or times at which
such Other Stock Awards will be granted, the number of shares of
Common Stock (or the cash equivalent thereof)
A-13
to be granted pursuant to such Other Stock Awards and all other
terms and conditions of such Other Stock Awards.
8. Covenants
of the Company.
(a) Availability of Shares. During the terms of the
Stock Awards, the Company shall keep available at all times the
number of shares of Common Stock required to satisfy such Stock
Awards.
(b) Securities Law Compliance. The Company shall
seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or agency having
jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be required to
grant Stock Awards and to issue and sell shares of Common Stock
upon exercise of the Stock Awards; provided, however,
that this undertaking shall not require the Company to
register under the Securities Act the Plan, any Stock Award or
any Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any such Stock
Award. If, after reasonable efforts, the Company is unable to
obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the
authority which counsel for the Company deems necessary for the
lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, the
Company shall be relieved from any liability for failure to
issue and sell Common Stock upon exercise of such Stock Awards
unless and until such authority is obtained.
9. Use
of Proceeds from Stock.
Proceeds from the sale of Common Stock pursuant to Stock Awards
shall constitute general funds of the Company.
10. Miscellaneous.
(a) Acceleration of Exercisability and Vesting. The
Board shall have the power to accelerate the time at which a
Stock Award may first be exercised or the time during which a
Stock Award or any part thereof will vest in accordance with the
Plan, notwithstanding the provisions in the Stock Award stating
the time at which it may first be exercised or the time during
which it will vest.
(b) Stockholder Rights. No Participant shall be
deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a
holder with respect to, any shares of Common Stock subject to
such Stock Award unless and until such Participant has satisfied
all requirements for exercise of the Stock Award pursuant to its
terms.
(c) No Employment or other Service Rights. Nothing
in the Plan, any Stock Award Agreement or other instrument
executed thereunder or any Stock Award granted pursuant thereto
shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve
the Company or an Affiliate in the capacity in effect at the
time the Stock Award was granted or shall affect the right of
the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (i) the employment
of an Employee with or without notice and with or without cause,
(ii) the service of a Consultant pursuant to the terms of
such Consultants agreement with the Company or an
Affiliate or (iii) the service of a Director pursuant to
the Bylaws of the Company or an Affiliate, and any applicable
provisions of the corporate law of the state in which the
Company or the Affiliate is incorporated, as the case may be.
(d) Incentive Stock Option $100,000 Limitation. To
the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at
the time of grant) of Common Stock with respect to which
Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by
any Optionholder during any calendar year (under all plans of
the Company and its Affiliates) exceeds one hundred thousand
dollars ($100,000), the Options or portions thereof that exceed
such limit (according to the order in which they were granted)
shall be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options, notwithstanding
any contrary provision of the applicable Option Agreement(s).
(e) Investment Assurances. The Company may require a
Participant, as a condition of exercising or acquiring Common
Stock under any Stock Award, (i) to give written assurances
satisfactory to the Company as to the Participants
knowledge and experience in financial and business matters
and/or to employ a purchaser representative reasonably
satisfactory to the Company who is knowledgeable and experienced
in financial and business matters and that he or she is capable
of evaluating, alone or together with the purchaser
representative, the merits and risks of exercising the Stock
Award; and (ii) to give written assurances satisfactory to
the Company stating that the Participant is acquiring Common
Stock subject to the Stock Award for the Participants own
account and not with any present intention of selling or
otherwise distributing
A-14
the Common Stock. The foregoing requirements, and any assurances
given pursuant to such requirements, shall be inoperative if
(1) the issuance of the shares of Common Stock upon the
exercise or acquisition of Common Stock under the Stock Award
has been registered under a then currently effective
registration statement under the Securities Act or (2) as
to any particular requirement, a determination is made by
counsel for the Company that such requirement need not be met in
the circumstances under the then applicable securities laws. The
Company may, upon advice of counsel to the Company, place
legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan as such
counsel deems necessary or appropriate in order to comply with
applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to,
legends restricting the transfer of the Common Stock.
(f) Withholding Obligations. To the extent provided
by the terms of a Stock Award Agreement, the Company may in its
sole discretion, satisfy any federal, state or local tax
withholding obligation relating to a Stock Award by any of the
following means (in addition to the Companys right to
withhold from any compensation paid to the Participant by the
Company) or by a combination of such means: (i) causing the
Participant to tender a cash payment; (ii) withholding
shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or
otherwise issuable to the Participant in connection with the
Stock Award; or (iii) by such other method as may be set
forth in the Stock Award Agreement.
(g) Electronic Delivery. Any reference herein to a
written agreement or document shall include any
agreement or document delivered electronically or posted on the
Companys intranet.
(h) Information Obligation. To the extent required
by Section 260.140.46 of Title 10 of the California
Code of Regulations, the Company shall deliver financial
statements to Participants at least annually. This
Section 10(h) shall not apply to key Employees whose duties
in connection with the Company assure them access to equivalent
information.
(i) Repurchase Limitation. The terms of any
repurchase option shall be specified in the Stock Award, and the
repurchase price may be either the Fair Market Value of the
shares of Common Stock on the date of termination of Continuous
Service, or the lower of (i) the Fair Market Value of the
shares of Common Stock on the date of repurchase or
(ii) their original purchase price. To the extent required
by Section 260.140.41 and Section 260.140.42 of
Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations at the time
a Stock Award is made, any repurchase option contained in a
Stock Award granted to a person who is not an Officer, Director
or Consultant shall be upon the terms described below:
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(i) Fair Market Value. If the repurchase option
gives the Company the right to repurchase the shares of Common
Stock upon termination of Continuous Service at not less than
the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock to be
purchased on the date of termination of Continuous Service, then
(i) the right to repurchase shall be exercised for cash or
cancellation of purchase money indebtedness for the shares of
Common Stock within ninety (90) days of termination of
Continuous Service (or in the case of shares of Common Stock
issued upon exercise of Stock Awards after such date of
termination, within ninety (90) days after the date of the
exercise) or such longer period as may be agreed to by the
Company and the Participant (for example, for purposes of
satisfying the requirements of Section 1202(c)(3) of the
Code regarding qualified small business stock) and
(ii) the right terminates when the shares of Common Stock
become publicly traded. |
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(ii) Original Purchase Price. If the repurchase
option gives the Company the right to repurchase the shares of
Common Stock upon termination of Continuous Service at the lower
of (i) the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock
on the date of repurchase or (ii) their original purchase
price, then (x) the right to repurchase at the original
purchase price shall lapse at the rate of at least twenty
percent (20%) of the shares of Common Stock per year over five
(5) years from the date the Stock Award is granted (without
respect to the date the Stock Award was exercised or became
exercisable) and (y) the right to repurchase shall be
exercised for cash or cancellation of purchase money
indebtedness for the shares of Common Stock within ninety
(90) days of termination of Continuous Service (or in the
case of shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of Options
after such date of termination, within ninety (90) days
after the date of the exercise) or such longer period as may be
agreed to by the Company and the Participant (for example, for
purposes of satisfying the requirements of
Section 1202(c)(3) of the Code regarding qualified
small business stock). |
A-15
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11. |
Adjustments upon Changes
in Stock.
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(a) Capitalization Adjustments. If any change is
made in, or other event occurs with respect to, the Common Stock
subject to the Plan or subject to any Stock Award without the
receipt of consideration by the Company (through merger,
consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization,
reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than
cash, stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares,
exchange of shares, change in corporate structure or other
transaction not involving the receipt of consideration by the
Company (each a Capitalization Adjustment), the Plan
will be appropriately adjusted in the class(es) and maximum
number of securities subject to the Plan pursuant to
Sections 4(a) and 4(b) and the maximum number of securities
subject to award to any person pursuant to Section 5(c),
and the outstanding Stock Awards will be appropriately adjusted
in the class(es) and number of securities and price per share of
Common Stock subject to such outstanding Stock Awards. The Board
shall make such adjustments, and its determination shall be
final, binding and conclusive. (Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the conversion of any convertible securities of the Company
shall not be treated as a transaction without receipt of
consideration by the Company.)
(b) Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of a
dissolution or liquidation of the Company, all outstanding Stock
Awards (other than Stock Awards consisting of vested and
outstanding shares of Common Stock not subject to the
Companys right of repurchase) shall terminate immediately
prior to the completion of such dissolution or liquidation, and
the shares of Common Stock subject to the Companys
repurchase option may be repurchased by the Company
notwithstanding the fact that the holder of such Stock Award is
providing Continuous Service, provided, however, that the
Board may, in its sole discretion, cause some or all Stock
Awards to become fully vested, exercisable and/or no longer
subject to repurchase or forfeiture (to the extent such Stock
Awards have not previously expired or terminated) before the
dissolution or liquidation is completed but contingent on its
completion.
(c) Corporate Transaction. In the event of a
Corporate Transaction, any surviving corporation or acquiring
corporation may assume or continue any or all Stock Awards
outstanding under the Plan or may substitute similar stock
awards for Stock Awards outstanding under the Plan (including
but not limited to, awards to acquire the same consideration
paid to the stockholders of the Company, as the case may be,
pursuant to the Corporate Transaction), and any reacquisition or
repurchase rights held by the Company in respect of Common Stock
issued pursuant to Stock Awards may be assigned by the Company
to the successor of the Company (or the successors parent
company), if any, in connection with such Corporate Transaction.
A surviving corporation or acquiring corporation may not choose
to assume or continue only a portion of a Stock Award or
substitute a similar stock award for only a portion of a Stock
Award. The terms of any assumption, continuation or substitution
shall be set by the Board in accordance with the provisions of
Section 3. In the event that any surviving corporation or
acquiring corporation does not assume or continue all such
outstanding Stock Awards or substitute similar stock awards for
all such outstanding Stock Awards, then with respect to Stock
Awards that have been not assumed, continued or substituted and
that are held by Participants whose Continuous Service has not
terminated prior to the effective time of the Corporate
Transaction, the vesting of such Stock Awards (and, if
applicable, the time at which such Stock Awards may be
exercised) shall (contingent upon the effectiveness of the
Corporate Transaction) be accelerated in full to a date prior to
the effective time of such Corporate Transaction as the Board
shall determine (or, if the Board shall not determine such a
date, to the date that is five (5) days prior to the
effective time of the Corporate Transaction), and such Stock
Awards shall terminate if not exercised (if applicable) at or
prior to such effective time, and any reacquisition or
repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to such Stock
Awards shall (contingent upon the effectiveness of the Corporate
Transaction) lapse. With respect to any other Stock Awards
outstanding under the Plan that have not been assumed, continued
or substituted, the vesting of such Stock Awards (and, if
applicable, the time at which such Stock Award may be exercised)
shall not be accelerated, unless otherwise provided in a written
agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the holder of
such Stock Award, and such Stock Awards (other than Stock Awards
consisting of vested and outstanding shares of Common Stock not
subject to the Companys right of repurchase) shall
terminate if not exercised (if applicable) prior to the
effective time of the Corporate Transaction.
A-16
(d) Change in Control. A Stock Award may be subject
to additional acceleration of vesting and exercisability upon or
after a Change in Control as may be provided in the Stock Award
Agreement for such Stock Award or as may be provided in any
other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and
the Participant, but in the absence of such provision, no such
acceleration shall occur.
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12. |
Amendment of the Plan and
Stock Awards.
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(a) Amendment of Plan. Subject to the limitations,
if any, of applicable law, the Board at any time, and from time
to time, may amend the Plan. However, except as provided in
Section 11(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, no
amendment shall be effective unless approved by the stockholders
of the Company to the extent stockholder approval is necessary
to satisfy applicable law.
(b) Stockholder Approval. The Board, in its sole
discretion, may submit any other amendment to the Plan for
stockholder approval, including, but not limited to, amendments
to the Plan intended to satisfy the requirements of
Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder
regarding the exclusion of performance-based compensation from
the limit on corporate deductibility of compensation paid to
Covered Employees.
(c) Contemplated Amendments. It is expressly
contemplated that the Board may amend the Plan in any respect
the Board deems necessary or advisable to provide eligible
Employees with the maximum benefits provided or to be provided
under the provisions of the Code and the regulations promulgated
thereunder relating to Incentive Stock Options and/or to bring
the Plan and/or Incentive Stock Options granted under it into
compliance therewith.
(d) No Impairment of Rights. Rights under any Stock
Award granted before amendment of the Plan shall not be impaired
by any amendment of the Plan unless (i) the Company
requests the consent of the Participant and (ii) the
Participant consents in writing.
(e) Amendment of Stock Awards. The Board at any
time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of any one or
more Stock Awards, including, but not limited to, amendments to
provide terms more favorable than previously provided in the
agreement evidencing a Stock Award, subject to any specified
limits in the Plan that are not subject to Board discretion;
provided, however, that the rights under any Stock Award
shall not be impaired by any such amendment unless (i) the
Company requests the consent of the Participant and
(ii) the Participant consents in writing.
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13. |
Termination or Suspension
of the Plan.
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(a) Plan Term. The Board may suspend or terminate
the Plan at any time. Unless sooner terminated, the Plan shall
terminate on the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the
date the Plan is adopted by the Board or approved by the
stockholders of the Company, whichever is earlier. No Stock
Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended
or after it is terminated.
(b) No Impairment of Rights. Suspension or
termination of the Plan shall not impair rights and obligations
under any Stock Award granted while the Plan is in effect except
with the written consent of the Participant.
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14. |
Effective Date of Plan.
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The Plan shall become effective on June 3, 2005, but no
Stock Award shall be exercised (or, in the case of a stock
bonus, shall be granted) unless and until the Plan has been
approved by the stockholders of the Company, which approval
shall be within twelve (12) months before or after the date
the Plan is adopted by the Board.
The law of the State of Delaware shall govern all questions
concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this
Plan, without regard to such states conflict of laws rules.
A-17
DETACH HERE
PROXY
SOLEXA, INC.
PROXY
SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON JULY 7, 2005
The
undersigned hereby appoints John West and Linda Rubinstein, and each
of them, as attorneys and proxies of the undersigned, with full power
of substitution, to vote all of the shares of stock of Solexa, Inc.
(the Company) that the undersigned may be entitled to
vote at the 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Solexa, Inc. to
be held at the Companys offices located at
25861 Industrial Blvd., Hayward, California 94545 on Thursday,
July 7, 2005 at 9:00 a.m., local time, and at any and all
postponements, continuations and adjournments thereof, with all powers
that the undersigned would possess if personally present, upon and in
respect of the following matters and in accordance with the following
instructions, with discretionary authority as to any and all other
matters that may properly come before the meeting.
UNLESS
A CONTRARY DIRECTION IS INDICATED, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR ALL
NOMINEES LISTED IN PROPOSAL 2 AND FOR PROPOSALS 1, 3 AND 4
AS MORE SPECIFICALLY DESCRIBED IN THE PROXY STATEMENT. IF SPECIFIC
INSTRUCTIONS ARE INDICATED, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE
THEREWITH.
SEE REVERSE
SIDE
CONTINUED AND TO BE SIGNED AND DATED ON REVERSE
SEE REVERSE
SIDE
SOLEXA, INC.
C/O EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY N.A.
P.O. BOX 8694
EDISON, NJ 08818-8694
DETACH HERE IF YOU ARE RETURNING YOUR PROXY CARD BY MAIL |
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Please mark votes as in this example. |
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#LYT |
MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDS A
VOTE FOR ALL THE NOMINEES NAMED IN PROPOSAL 2 AND A VOTE FOR
PROPOSALS 1, 3 AND 4.
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FOR |
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AGAINST |
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ABSTAIN |
2. |
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To elect seven directors to serve for the ensuing
year and until their successors are elected: |
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1. |
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To approve the issuance of common stock and warrants to
purchase common stock in connection with a financing transaction. |
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NOMINEES: |
(01) |
Craig C. Taylor; (02) John West; (03) Stephen
D. Allen; |
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(04) |
Douglas M. Fambrough; (05) Hermann Hausor; |
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(06) |
Genghis Lloyd-Harris; and (07) G. Mason
Morfit. |
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FOR |
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AGAINST |
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ABSTAIN |
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FOR ALL NOMINEES |
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WITHHELD FROM
ALL NOMINEES |
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MARK
HERE IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND
THE MEETING |
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To approve and adopt the Solexa, Inc. 2005 Equity Incentive Plan. |
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MARK
HERE FOR ADDRESS CHANGE AND
NOTE BELOW |
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For
all nominee(s) except as written above |
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FOR |
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AGAINST |
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ABSTAIN |
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4. |
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To ratify the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as
independent auditors of the Company for its fiscal year ending
December 31, 2005. |
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Please sign exactly as your name appears hereon, if
the stock is registered in the names of two or more persons, each
should sign. Executors, administrators, trustees, guardians and
attorneys-in-fact should add their titles. If signer is a
corporation, please give full corporate name and have a duly
authorized officer sign, stating titles. If signer is a partnership,
please sign in partnership name by authorized person. |
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Please vote, date and promptly return this proxy
in the enclosed return envelope that is postage prepaid if mailed in
the United States. |
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Signature: |
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Date: |
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Signature: |
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Date: |
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