F-3ASR
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 10, 2021

Registration No. 333-          

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM F-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Affimed N.V.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Not Applicable

(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)

 

 

 

Netherlands   Not Applicable
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

Technologiepark, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582

69120 Heidelberg, Germany

(+49) 6221-6743-60

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

Affimed Inc.

1209 Orange Street

Wilmington, Delaware 19801

(212) 450-4000

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

 

 

Copies to:

Sophia Hudson, P.C.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

601 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10022

(212) 446-4800

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:

From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933. Emerging growth company  ☐

If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of
Securities to be Registered(1)
  Amount
to be
Registered
  Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate Price
per Unit
 

Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate

Offering Price

  Amount of
Registration Fee

Common Shares, nominal value €0.01 per share

  (2)    (2)    (2)    (3) 

Debt securities

  (2)    (2)    (2)    (3) 

Warrants

  (2)    (2)    (2)    (3) 

Purchase Contracts

  (2)    (2)    (2)    (3) 

Units

  (2)    (2)    (2)    (3) 

Common Shares, nominal value €0.01 per share, offered pursuant to the sale agreement

  $100,000,000       $100,000,000   9,270.00(4)

 

 

(1)

Any securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or in combination with other securities registered hereunder.

(2)

There are being registered hereunder such indeterminate number of the securities of each identified class being registered as may be sold by the registrant from time to time at indeterminate prices, including securities that may be issued upon exercise, conversion or exchange of, or pursuant to anti-dilution adjustments with respect to any securities that provide for that issuance or adjustment. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable on exercise, conversion or exchange of other securities. Any securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or as units with other securities registered hereunder.

(3)

In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act, the registrant is deferring payment of the registration fee in connection with this registration statement. Registration fees will be paid subsequently on a “pay as you go” basis.

(4)

Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act, as amended.

 

 

 


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EXPLANATORY NOTE

This registration statement contains two prospectuses:

 

   

a base prospectus which covers the offering, issuance and sale of up an unspecified amount of the registrant’s common shares, debt securities, warrants, purchase contracts and units; and

 

   

a sale agreement prospectus supplement covering the offering, issuance and sale of up to $100,000,000 of the registrant’s common shares that may be issued and sold under the Sale Agreement between the registrant and Jefferies LLC.

The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory note. The specific terms of any securities to be offered pursuant to the base prospectus will be specified in a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus. The sale agreement prospectus supplement immediately follows the base prospectus.


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PROSPECTUS

 

 

Common Shares, Debt Securities, Warrants, Purchase Contracts and Units

 

 

LOGO

Affimed N.V.

(incorporated in the Netherlands)

 

 

We may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings, common shares, senior debt securities, subordinated debt securities, warrants, purchase contracts or units, which we collectively refer to as the “securities.” We may offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in different series, at times, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined at or prior to the time of each offering. This prospectus describes the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which these securities will be offered. We will provide the specific terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. The prospectus supplements will also describe the specific manner in which these securities will be offered and may also supplement, update or amend information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement before you invest.

The securities covered by this prospectus may be offered through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers. The names of any underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, will be included in a supplement to this prospectus. For general information about the distribution of securities offered, please see “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page 30.

YOU SHOULD READ THIS PROSPECTUS AND ANY SUPPLEMENT TO THIS PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU INVEST.

Our common shares are listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “AFMD.” Any shares of common stock sold pursuant to a prospectus supplement will be listed, subject to notice of issuance, on The Nasdaq Global Market. If the Company decides to list or seek a quotation for any of the debt securities, the prospectus supplement relating to those debt securities will disclose the exchange or market on which those debt securities will be listed or quoted.

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 4 of this prospectus. In addition, please review any additional risk factors in the accompanying prospectus supplement, any free writing prospectus and any documents we incorporate by reference.

The date of this prospectus is November 10, 2021.


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We have not authorized anyone to provide any information other than that contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement we provide to you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. We are not making an offer of securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus to “Affimed” “the Company,” “our company,” “we,” “us” or “our” refer to Affimed N.V. and its subsidiaries.

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     Page  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     1  

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     2  

AFFIMED N.V.

     4  

RISK FACTORS

     4  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     4  

DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

     5  

COMPARISON OF DUTCH LAW AND OUR ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND U.S. CORPORATE LAW

     10  

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     21  

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     25  

DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS

     26  

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

     27  

FORMS OF SECURITIES

     28  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     30  

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

     32  

ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

     33  

LEGAL MATTERS

     35  

EXPERTS

     36  

 

 

 

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement and/or free writing prospectus that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering, including amounts, prices and terms of the securities being offered. The prospectus supplement and/or free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Any statement made in this prospectus will be modified or superseded by any inconsistent statement made in a prospectus supplement and/or free writing prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the information in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, as the case may be. This prospectus may not be used to sell any securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.

We have filed or incorporated by reference exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You should read the exhibits carefully for provisions that may be important to you.

You should read this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and free writing prospectus together with the additional information described herein under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.” We have not authorized any person to provide you with different information and we take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus or any documents we incorporate by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any other date.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual reports on Form 20-F, reports on Form 6-K, and other information with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. You may read and copy this information at the following location of the SEC: Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.

You may obtain information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an Internet site that contains reports and other information about issuers like us who file electronically with the SEC. The address of the site is http://www.sec.gov.

As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under the Exchange Act from, among other things, the rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our managing directors and supervisory directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the financial statements and other documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus contain forward-looking statements, including statements concerning our industry, our operations, our anticipated financial performance and financial condition, and our business plans and growth strategy and product development efforts. These statements constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “expect,” “should,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate” and “potential,” among others. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. These forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions by our management that, although we believe to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain and subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.

The following represent some, but not necessarily all, of the factors that could cause actual results to differ from historical results or those anticipated or predicted by our forward-looking statements:

 

   

our operation as a development stage company with a history of operating losses; as of September 30, 2021, our accumulated deficit was €310.3 million;

 

   

the chance our clinical trials may be delayed or put on clinical hold, for example, due to slower than expected enrollment or regulatory actions, or not be successful and clinical results may not reflect results seen in previously conducted preclinical studies and clinical trials, or expectations based on these preclinical studies and clinical trials;

 

   

our reliance on contract manufacturers and contract research organizations over which we have limited control;

 

   

our lack of adequate funding to complete development of our product candidates and the risk we may be unable to access additional capital on reasonable terms or at all to complete development and begin commercialization of our product candidates;

 

   

our dependence on the success of AFM24 and AFM13 (which are still in clinical development) and certain of our other product candidates, each of which may eventually prove to be unsuccessful or commercially not viable;

 

   

uncertainty surrounding whether any of our product candidates will gain regulatory approval, which is necessary before they can be commercialized;

 

   

the outcome of any discussions we may enter regarding acquisitions, dispositions, partnerships, license transactions or changes to our capital structure, including our receipt of any milestone payments or royalties or any future securities offerings;

 

   

the chance that we may become exposed to costly and damaging liability claims resulting from the testing of our product candidates in the clinic or after they become commercial products;

 

   

if our product candidates obtain regulatory approval, our being subject to expensive ongoing obligations and continued regulatory oversight;

 

   

enacted and future legislation may increase the difficulty and cost for us to obtain marketing approval and commercialization;

 

   

future legislation may materially impact our ability to realize revenue from any approved and commercialized products;

 

   

the chance that our products may not gain market acceptance, in which case we may not be able to generate product revenues;

 

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our reliance on our current strategic relationships with LLS, The MD Anderson Cancer Center, Genentech, Roivant, Artiva and NKGen Biotech (formerly known as NKMax America), and the potential failure to enter into new strategic relationships;

 

   

our reliance on third parties to conduct our nonclinical and clinical trials and on third-party single-source suppliers to supply or produce our product candidates;

 

   

our ability to scale-up manufacturing processes of our product candidates and reduce the cost of manufacturing our product candidates in advance of any commercialization;

 

   

our future growth and ability to compete, which depends on retaining our key personnel and recruiting additional qualified personnel;

 

   

the length and severity of the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on our business, including our supply chain, clinical trials and operations; and

 

   

other risk factors discussed herein under “Risk Factors” or incorporated herein by reference.

Our actual results or performance could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, any forward-looking statements relating to those matters. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what impact they will have on our results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. Additionally, some of the risks and uncertainties identified above may be amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not possible to predict or identify all such risks. There may be additional risks that we consider immaterial or which are unknown. Except as required by law, we are under no obligation, and expressly disclaim any obligation, to update, alter or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

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AFFIMED N.V.

We are a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company focused on discovering and developing highly targeted cancer immunotherapies. Our product candidates represent an innovative approach to cancer treatment that seeks to harness the body’s own immune defenses to fight tumor cells. One of the most potent cells of the human defense arsenal are types of white blood cells called innate immune cells (Natural Killer cells, or NK cells, and macrophages). Leveraging our fit-for-purpose ROCK® (Redirected Optimized Cell Killing) platform, we develop proprietary, next-generation bispecific antibodies, so-called innate cell engagers, which are designed to direct innate immune cells and establish a bridge to cancer cells. Our innate cell engagers have the ability to bring innate immune cells into the proximity of tumor cells and trigger a signal cascade that leads to the destruction of cancer cells. Due to their novel tetravalent architecture with four binding domains, our innate cell engagers bind to their targets with high affinity and have half-lives that allow for regular intravenous administration. Different dosing schemes are being explored to allow for improved exposure in relapsed and refractory cancer patient populations. Based on their mechanism of action as well as the preclinical and clinical data we have generated to date, we believe that our product candidates as monotherapy or in combination, may ultimately improve response rates, clinical outcomes and survival in cancer patients, and could eventually become a cornerstone of modern targeted oncology care. Building on our leadership in the innate cell engager space, we are also developing novel antibody formats with the potential to tailor innate cell-engaging therapy to different indications and settings.

The common shares covered by this prospectus refer to the common shares of Affimed N.V. The offices of Affimed N.V. are located at Technologiepark, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Our telephone number is (+49) 6221-6743-60. Investors should contact us for any inquiries at the address and telephone number of our principal executive office. Our principal website is www.affimed.com. The information contained on our website is not a part of this prospectus.

RISK FACTORS

Before making a decision to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and in our then most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, and in any updates to those risk factors in our reports on Form 6-K incorporated herein, together with all of the other information appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, in light of your particular investment objectives and financial circumstances.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, the net proceeds from our sale of the securities will be used for general corporate purposes and other business opportunities.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

General

We were incorporated pursuant to the laws of the Netherlands as Affimed Therapeutics B.V. in May 2014 to become a holding company for Affimed Therapeutics AG prior to consummation of our initial public offering. Affimed Therapeutics AG was founded in 2000 as a spin-off from Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, the German Cancer Research Centre, or the DKFZ, by Professor Melvyn Little in Heidelberg, Germany. Pursuant to the terms of a corporate reorganization that was completed prior to the consummation of our initial public offering, all of the interests in Affimed Therapeutics AG were exchanged for newly issued common shares of Affimed Therapeutics B.V. and, as a result, Affimed Therapeutics AG became a wholly owned subsidiary of Affimed Therapeutics B.V. Prior to consummation of our initial public offering, we converted into a public company with limited liability (naamloze vennootschap) pursuant to a Deed of Amendment and Conversion. Since then, our legal form has not changed and our legal name is Affimed N.V.

We are registered with the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce (handelsregister van de Kamer van Koophandel) under number 60673389. Our corporate seat is in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and our registered office is in Heidelberg, Germany.

Our authorized share capital is €3,119,500, divided into 311,950,000 common shares, each with a nominal value of €0.01. Our issued share capital is €1,197,971.65 as of September 30, 2021.

Under Dutch law, our authorized share capital is the maximum capital that we may issue without amending our Articles of Association. An amendment of our Articles of Association would require a resolution of the general meeting of shareholders upon proposal by the management board with the prior approval of the supervisory board.

Initial settlement of any common shares to be issued pursuant to this prospectus will take place through The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, in accordance with its customary settlement procedures for equity securities. Each person owning common shares held through DTC must rely on the procedures thereof and on institutions that have accounts therewith to exercise any rights of a holder of the common shares.

Stock Exchange Listing

Our common shares are listed on The Nasdaq Global Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “AFMD.”

Articles of Association and Dutch Law

Set forth below is a summary of relevant information concerning our share capital and material provisions of our Articles of Association and applicable Dutch law. This summary does not constitute legal advice regarding those matters and should not be regarded as such.

Company’s Shareholders’ Register

Subject to Dutch law and the Articles of Association, we must keep our shareholders’ register accurate and up-to-date. The management board keeps our shareholders’ register and records names and addresses of all holders of shares, showing the date on which the shares were acquired, the date of the acknowledgement by or notification of us as well as the amount paid on each share. The register also includes the names and addresses of those with a right of use and enjoyment (vruchtgebruik) in shares belonging to another or a pledge in respect of such shares. There is no restriction on the ownership of our shares. Any common shares to be issued pursuant to this prospectus will be held through DTC, therefore DTC or its nominee will be recorded in the shareholders’ register as the holder of the common shares.

 

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Corporate Objectives

Pursuant to the Articles of Association, our corporate objectives are:

 

   

the research, development, manufacture and commercialization of products for the detection, prevention and treatment of human and non-human diseases and conditions and to provide services therewith;

 

   

to incorporate, participate in, conduct the management of and take any other financial interest in other companies and enterprises;

 

   

to render administrative, technical, financial, economic or managerial services to other companies, persons or enterprises;

 

   

to acquire, dispose of manage and exploit real and personal property, including patents, marks, licenses, permits and other intellectual property rights;

 

   

to borrow and/or lend moneys, act as surety or guarantor in any other manner, and bind itself jointly and severally or otherwise in addition to or on behalf of others; and

 

   

the foregoing, whether or not in collaboration with third parties, and inclusive of the performance and promotion of all activities which directly and indirectly relate to those objects, all this in the broadest sense.

Limitation on Liability and Indemnification Matters

Under Dutch law, managing directors and supervisory directors and certain other officers may be held liable for damages in the event of improper or negligent performance of their duties. They may be held jointly and severally liable for damages to the Company and to third parties for infringement of the Articles of Association or of certain provisions of the Dutch Civil Code. In certain circumstances, they may also incur additional specific civil and criminal liabilities. Managing directors and supervisory directors and certain other officers are also insured under an insurance policy taken out by us against damages resulting from their conduct when acting in the capacities as such directors or officers, as applicable. In addition, our Articles of Association provide for indemnification of our current and former managing directors and supervisory directors. These provisions give managing directors and supervisory directors the right, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to recover from us amounts, including but not limited to litigation expenses, and any damages they are ordered to pay, in relation to acts or omissions in the performance of their duties. However, there is generally no entitlement to indemnification for acts or omissions that amount to willful (opzettelijk), intentionally reckless (bewust roekeloos) or seriously culpable (ernstig verwijtbaar) conduct.

Shareholders’ Meetings and Consents

General Meeting

General meetings of shareholders may be held in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Arnhem, Utrecht or the municipality of Haarlemmermeer (Schiphol Airport), the Netherlands. The annual general meeting of shareholders must be held within six months of the end of each financial year. Additional extraordinary general meetings of shareholders may also be held, whenever considered appropriate by the management board or the supervisory board. Pursuant to Dutch law, one or more shareholders, who jointly represent at least one-tenth of the issued capital may, on their application, be authorized by a Dutch district court to convene a general meeting of shareholders. The district court shall disallow the application if it does not appear that the applicants have previously requested the management board and the supervisory board to convene a general meeting of shareholders and neither the management nor the supervisory board has taken the necessary steps so that the general meeting of shareholders could be held within six weeks after the request.

General meetings of shareholders can be convened by a notice, which shall include an agenda stating the items to be discussed, including for the annual general meeting of shareholders, among other things, the adoption

 

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of the annual accounts, appropriation of our profits and proposals relating to the composition of the management board or supervisory board, including the filling of any vacancies in the management board or supervisory board. In addition, the agenda shall include such items as have been included therein by the management board or supervisory board. The agenda shall also include such items requested by one or more shareholders, and others entitled to attend general meetings of shareholders, representing at least 3% of the issued share capital. Requests must be made in writing and received by the management board at least 60 days before the day of the convocation of the meeting. No resolutions shall be adopted on items other than those which have been included in the agenda. In accordance with the Dutch Corporate Governance Code, or DCGC, a shareholder shall exercise the right of putting an item on the agenda only after consulting the management board in that respect. If one or more shareholders intend to request that an item be put on the agenda that may result in a change in the company’s strategy, pursuant to the DCGC the management board may invoke a response time of a maximum of 180 days until the day of the general meeting of shareholders. Next to the 180 days response time under the DCGC, as per May 1, 2021, a bill allowing the management board of a Dutch listed company a 250 days statutory response time took effect in the Netherlands. This response time may be invoked if (i) shareholders representing 3% of the issued share capital, request the board to put a proposal on the agenda of the general meeting to (a) appoint, suspend or dismiss members of the management board or supervisory board, or (b) amend the procedures laid down in the articles of association regarding the appointment, dismissal or suspension of a management board or supervisory board member or (ii) an unsolicited public offer is announced or made.

The general meeting is presided over by the chairman of the supervisory board. However, the chairman may charge another person to preside over the general meeting in his place even if he himself is present at the meeting. If the chairman of the supervisory board is absent and he has not charged another person to preside over the meeting in his place, the supervisory directors present at the meeting shall appoint one of them to be chairman. If no supervisory directors are present at the general meeting, the general meeting is to be presided over by one of the managing directors designated for that purpose by the management board. Managing directors and supervisory directors may attend a general meeting of shareholders. In these meetings, they have an advisory vote. The chairman of the meeting may decide at its discretion to admit other persons to the meeting.

All shareholders and others entitled to attend general meetings of shareholders are authorized to attend the general meeting of shareholders, to address the meeting and, in so far as they have such right, to vote.

Quorum and Voting Requirements

Each common share confers the right on the holder to cast one vote at the general meeting of shareholders. Shareholders may vote by proxy. No votes may be cast at a general meeting of shareholders on shares held by us or our subsidiaries or on shares for which we or our subsidiaries hold depositary receipts. Nonetheless, the holders of a right of use and enjoyment (vruchtgebruik) and the holders of a right of pledge in respect of shares held by us or our subsidiaries in our share capital are not excluded from the right to vote on such shares, if the right of use and enjoyment (vruchtgebruik) or the right of pledge was granted prior to the time such shares were acquired by us or any of our subsidiaries. Neither we nor any of our subsidiaries may cast votes in respect of a share on which we or such subsidiary holds a right of use and enjoyment (vruchtgebruik) or a right of pledge. Shares which are not entitled to voting rights pursuant to the preceding sentences will not be taken into account for the purpose of determining the number of shareholders that vote and that are present or represented, or the amount of the share capital that is provided or that is represented at a general meeting of shareholders.

Decisions of the general meeting of shareholders are taken by an absolute majority of votes cast, except where Dutch law or the Articles of Association provide for a qualified majority or unanimity.

Directors

Election of Directors

Under our Articles of Association, our managing directors and supervisory directors are appointed by the general meeting of shareholders upon a binding nomination by our supervisory board. The general meeting of

 

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shareholders may overrule the binding nomination by a resolution adopted with a two-thirds majority of the votes cast representing at least half of the issued share capital. If the general meeting of shareholders overrules the binding nomination, the supervisory board shall make a new binding nomination.

Duties and Liabilities of Directors

Under Dutch law, the management board is responsible for our management, strategy, policy and operations. The supervisory board is responsible for supervising the conduct of and providing advice to the management board and for supervising our business generally. Furthermore, each member of the management board and the supervisory board has a duty to act in the corporate interest of the company. Under Dutch law, the corporate interest extends to the interests of all corporate stakeholders, such as shareholders, creditors, employees, customers and suppliers. The duty to act in the corporate interest of the company also applies in the event of a proposed sale or break-up of the company, whereby the circumstances generally dictate how such duty is to be applied. Any resolution of the management board regarding a significant change in our identity or character requires shareholder approval.

Dividends and Other Distributions

Amount Available for Distribution

We may only make distributions to our shareholders if our shareholders’ equity exceeds the sum of the paid-in and called-up share capital plus the reserves as required to be maintained by Dutch law or by the Articles of Association.

Under the Articles of Association, the management board may resolve, subject to the approval of the supervisory board, to reserve the profits or part of the profits. After reservation by the management board of any profit, the remaining profit will be at the disposal of the general meeting of shareholders. We only make a distribution of dividends to our shareholders after the adoption of our annual accounts demonstrating that such distribution is legally permitted. The management board may resolve, with the approval of the supervisory board, to make interim distributions to the shareholders if an interim statement of assets and liabilities shows that Affimed’s shareholders’ equity exceeds the sum of the paid-up and called-up part of the capital and the reserves which must be maintained by Dutch law. Dividends and other distributions shall be made payable no later than thirty days after the date when they were declared, unless the corporate body authorized to declare the dividend determines a different date. Claims to dividends and other distributions not made within five years and one day after the date that such dividends or distributions became payable, shall be forfeited to us (verjaring) and shall be carried to the reserves. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends for the foreseeable future.

Exchange Controls

Under existing laws of the Netherlands, there are no exchange controls applicable to the transfer to persons outside of the Netherlands of dividends or other distributions with respect to, or of the proceeds from the sale of, shares of a Dutch company.

Squeeze out Procedures

Pursuant to Section 92a, Book 2, Dutch Civil Code, a shareholder who for his own account holds at least 95% of our issued share capital may initiate proceedings against the other shareholders jointly for the transfer of their shares to such shareholder. The proceedings are held before the Enterprise Chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal, or the Enterprise Chamber, and can be instituted by means of a writ of summons served upon each of the other shareholders in accordance with the provisions of the Dutch Code of Civil Procedure (Wetboek van Burgerlijke Rechtsvordering). The Enterprise Chamber may grant the claim for squeeze out in relation to the other shareholders and will determine the price to be paid for the shares, if necessary after appointment of one or

 

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three experts who will offer an opinion to the Enterprise Chamber on the value to be paid for the shares of the other shareholders. Once the order to transfer becomes final before the Enterprise Chamber, the person acquiring the shares shall give written notice of the date and place of payment and the price to the holders of the shares to be acquired whose addresses are known to him. Unless the addresses of all of them are known to the acquiring person, such person is required to publish the same in a daily newspaper with a national circulation.

 

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COMPARISON OF DUTCH LAW AND OUR ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND

U.S. CORPORATE LAW

The following comparison between Dutch corporation law, which applies to us, and Delaware corporation law, the law under which many publicly listed corporations in the United States are incorporated, discusses additional matters not otherwise described in this prospectus. Although we believe this summary is materially accurate, the summary is subject to Dutch law, including Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code and the DCGC and Delaware corporation law, including the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Corporate Governance

Duties of directors

The Netherlands. We have a two-tier board structure consisting of our supervisory board (raad van commissarissen) and a separate management board (raad van bestuur).

Under Dutch law, the management board is collectively responsible for the management and the strategy, policy and operations of the company. The supervisory board is responsible for supervising the conduct of and providing advice to the management board and for supervising the business generally. Furthermore, each member of the management board and the supervisory board has a duty to act in the corporate interest of the company and the business connected with it. Under Dutch law, the corporate interest extends to the interests of all corporate stakeholders, such as shareholders, creditors, employees, customers and suppliers. The duty to act in the corporate interest of the company also applies in the event of a proposed sale or break-up of the company, whereby the circumstances generally dictate how such duty is to be applied.

Delaware. The board of directors bears the ultimate responsibility for managing the business and affairs of a corporation. In discharging this function, directors of a Delaware corporation owe fiduciary duties of care and loyalty to the corporation and to its stockholders. Delaware courts have decided that the directors of a Delaware corporation are required to exercise informed business judgment in the performance of their duties. Informed business judgment means that the directors have informed themselves of all material information reasonably available to them. Delaware courts have also imposed a heightened standard of conduct upon directors of a Delaware corporation who take any action designed to defeat a threatened change in control of the corporation. In addition, under Delaware law, when the board of directors of a Delaware corporation approves the sale or break-up of a corporation, the board of directors may, in certain circumstances, have a duty to obtain the highest value reasonably available to the stockholders.

Director terms

The Netherlands. Managing directors and supervisory directors of a Dutch listed company are generally appointed for an individual term of a maximum of four years. There is no limit to the number of consecutive terms managing directors may serve. Following the DCGC, supervisory directors of a Dutch listed company are appointed for a period of four years and may then be reappointed once for another four-year period. The supervisory board member may then subsequently be reappointed for a period of two years, which appointment may be extended by at most two years.

Our managing directors are appointed by the general meeting of shareholders pursuant to a binding nomination by the supervisory board. The general meeting may at all times overrule the binding nomination by a resolution adopted by at least a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, representing more than one-half of the issued share capital. If the binding nomination is not overruled in accordance with the preceding sentence, the person proposed for appointment will have been appointed. If the general meeting overrules the binding nomination, the supervisory board shall make a new nomination.

Our supervisory directors are also appointed by the general meeting of shareholders upon a binding nomination by the supervisory board. The general meeting may at all times overrule the binding nomination by a

 

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two-thirds majority of the votes cast, representing more than one-half of the issued share capital. If the binding nomination is not overruled in accordance with the preceding sentence, the person proposed for appointment will have been appointed. If the general meeting overrules the binding nomination, the supervisory board shall make a new nomination.

There are no restrictions on the number of reelections of our management directors. Pursuant to the Articles of Association, a supervisory director shall be appointed for a maximum term of four years, and may be reappointed for a term of not more than four years at a time. A supervisory director may be a supervisory director for a period not longer than twelve years, unless the general meeting of shareholders resolves otherwise. Under the DCGC, in the event of a reappointment of a supervisory director after he or she has served as supervisory director for eight years, the supervisory board report should include the reasons for such reappointment. As a result of our supervisory directors’ staggered four-year term of appointment, approximately one-fourth of our supervisory directors will be subject to election in any one year.

The general meeting of shareholders shall at all times be entitled to suspend or dismiss a member of the management board or supervisory board. The general meeting of shareholders may only adopt a resolution to suspend or dismiss such a member with a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, if such majority represents more than half of the issued share capital, unless the proposal was made by the supervisory board, in which case a simple majority is sufficient. The supervisory board may at all times suspend (but not dismiss) a member of the management board.

Delaware. The Delaware General Corporation Law generally provides for a one-year term for directors, but permits directorships to be divided into up to three classes with up to three-year terms, with the years for each class expiring in different years, if permitted by the certificate of incorporation, an initial bylaw or a bylaw adopted by the stockholders. A director elected to serve a term on a “classified” board may not be removed by stockholders without cause. There is no limit in the number of terms a director may serve.

Director vacancies

The Netherlands. Under Dutch law, new managing directors and supervisory directors are generally appointed by the general meeting of shareholders.

Under our Articles of Association, in case of a vacancy or vacancies of one or more managing directors, the remaining managing directors shall temporarily be in charge of the management, without prejudice to the right of the supervisory board to replace the managing director with a temporary managing director. In the case of a vacancy or vacancies of one or more supervisory directors, the remaining supervisory directors shall temporarily be in charge of the supervision, without prejudice to the right of the general meeting to appoint a temporary member of the supervisory board to replace the member of the supervisory board concerned.

Delaware. The Delaware General Corporation Law provides that vacancies and newly created directorships may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office (even though less than a quorum) unless (i) otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation or (ii) the certificate of incorporation directs that a particular class of stock is to elect such director, in which case any other directors elected by such class, or a sole remaining director elected by such class, will fill such vacancy.

Conflict-of-interest transactions

The Netherlands. Pursuant to Dutch law and our Articles of Association, a managing director or a supervisory director shall not take part in the deliberations and the decision-making process of the management board or the supervisory board, as applicable, if he or she has a direct or indirect personal conflict of interest with the company or the business connected with it. Our Articles of Association provide that if as a result of the conflict of interest of managing directors no resolution of the management board can be adopted, the resolution is

 

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adopted by the supervisory board. If as a result of the conflict of interest of supervisory directors no resolution of the supervisory board can be adopted, the resolution can nonetheless be adopted by the supervisory board. In that case, each supervisory board member is entitled to participate in the discussion and decision making process of the supervisory board and to cast a vote.

Delaware. The Delaware General Corporation Law generally permits transactions involving a Delaware corporation and an interested director of that corporation if:

 

   

the material facts as to the director’s relationship or interest are disclosed and a majority of disinterested directors consent;

 

   

the material facts are disclosed as to the director’s relationship or interest and a majority of shares entitled to vote thereon consent; or

 

   

the transaction is fair to the corporation at the time it is authorized by the board of directors, a committee of the board of directors or the stockholders.

Proxy voting by directors

The Netherlands. Under our Articles of Association, at a meeting of the management board, a managing director may only be represented by another managing director holding a written proxy. At a meeting of the supervisory board, a supervisory director may only be represented by another supervisory director holding a written proxy.

Delaware. A director of a Delaware corporation may not issue a proxy representing the director’s voting rights as a director.

Dutch Corporate Governance Code

The DCGC contains both principles and best practice provisions for management boards, supervisory boards, shareholders and general meetings of shareholders, financial reporting, auditors, disclosure, compliance and enforcement standards. A copy of the DCGC can be found on www.mccg.nl (which website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus). As a Dutch company, we are subject to the DCGC and are required to disclose in our annual report, filed in the Netherlands, whether we comply with the provisions of the DCGC. If we do not comply with the provisions of the DCGC (for example, because of a conflicting Nasdaq requirement or otherwise), we must list the reasons for any deviation from the DCGC in our annual report. Our deviations from the DCGC are summarized below.

Remuneration

 

   

We have granted and intend to grant options and restricted stock units in the future to members of our management board. These options provide for vesting conditions which allow exercise of one third of the options after the first anniversary of the grant date, which qualifies as a deviation from best practice provision 3.1.2 of the DCGC. Such vesting conditions are market practice among companies listed at Nasdaq. We are in competition with other companies in this field and intend to maintain an attractive compensation package for its current and any future management board members.

 

   

We have granted and intend to grant options and restricted stock units in the future to members of our supervisory board, which qualifies as a deviation from best practice provision 3.3.2 of the DCGC. Such remuneration is in accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements and market practice among companies listed at Nasdaq. We are in competition with other companies in this field and intend to maintain an attractive compensation package for our current and any future supervisory board members. The number of option rights granted to each supervisory board member is determined by the general meeting of shareholders.

 

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The compensation committee of the Supervisory Board has not prepared a remuneration report, which qualifies as a deviation from best practice provision 3.4.1 of the DCGC. Instead, an overview of the implementation and planning of the remuneration of managing and supervisory directors is described in more detail in our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 15, 2021 (available on our website at http://www.affimed.com/sec) (our website is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus).

 

   

The severance payments for our managing directors may exceed 100% of their annual fixed salary. This is a deviation from best practice provisions 3.2.3 of the DCGC.

Board nominations and shareholder voting

 

   

Pursuant to our Articles of Association, the supervisory board will nominate one or more candidates for each vacant seat on the management board or the supervisory board. A resolution of our general meeting of shareholders to appoint a member of the management board or the supervisory board other than pursuant to a nomination by our supervisory board requires at least two-thirds of the votes cast representing more than half of our issued share capital, which qualifies as a deviation from best practice provision 4.3.3 of the DCGC. Although a deviation from the provision 4.3.3 of the DCGC, the supervisory board and the management board hold the view that these provisions will enhance the continuity of our management and policies.

Chairman of the compensation committee

 

   

Until June 2020, Thomas Hecht, chairman of our supervisory board, chaired the compensation committee, which qualified as a deviation from best practice provision 2.3.4 of the DCGC. We have opted out of the director independence requirements under applicable Nasdaq rules.

Shareholder rights

Voting rights

The Netherlands. In accordance with Dutch law and our Articles of Association, each issued common share confers the right to cast one vote at the general meeting of shareholders. Each holder of shares may cast as many votes as it holds shares. Shares that are held by us or our direct or indirect subsidiaries do not confer the right to vote.

In accordance with our Articles of Association, for each general meeting of shareholders, the management board may determine that a record date will be applied in order to establish which shareholders are entitled to attend and vote at the general meeting of shareholders. Such record date shall be the 28th day prior to the day of the general meeting. The record date and the manner in which shareholders can register and exercise their rights will be set out in the notice of the meeting.

Delaware. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, each stockholder is entitled to one vote per share of stock, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. In addition, the certificate of incorporation may provide for cumulative voting at all elections of directors of the corporation, or at elections held under specified circumstances. Either the certificate of incorporation or the bylaws may specify the number of shares and/or the amount of other securities that must be represented at a meeting in order to constitute a quorum, but in no event will a quorum consist of less than one third of the shares entitled to vote at a meeting.

Stockholders as of the record date for the meeting are entitled to vote at the meeting, and the board of directors may fix a record date that is no more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of the meeting, and if no record date is set then the record date is the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or if notice is waived then the record date is the close of business on the day next preceding the

 

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day on which the meeting is held. The determination of the stockholders of record entitled to notice or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting, but the board of directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

Shareholder proposals

The Netherlands. Pursuant to our Articles of Association and in accordance with Dutch law, general meetings of shareholders will be held whenever our supervisory board or management board deems such to be necessary. Pursuant to Dutch law, one or more shareholders representing at least ten percent of the issued capital may, on their application, be authorized by a Dutch district court to convene a general meeting of shareholders. The district court shall disallow the application if it does not appear that the applicants have previously requested the management board and the supervisory board to convene a general meeting of shareholders and neither the management nor the supervisory board has taken the necessary steps so that the general meeting of shareholders could be held within six weeks after the request.

Also, the agenda for a general meeting of shareholders shall include such items requested by one or more shareholders representing at least 3% of the issued share capital, except where the articles of association state a lower percentage. Our Articles of Association do not state such lower percentage. Requests must be made in writing and received by the management board at least 60 days before the day of the convocation of the meeting. In accordance with the DCGC, a shareholder shall exercise the right of putting an item on the agenda only after consulting the management board in that respect. If one or more shareholders intend to request that an item be put on the agenda that may result in a change in the company’s strategy, the management board may invoke a response time of a maximum of 180 days from the moment the management board is informed by one or more shareholders of their intention to put an item on the agenda to the day of the general meeting of shareholders at which the item is to be considered. Next to the 180 days response time under the DCGC, as per May 1, 2021, a bill allowing the management board of a Dutch listed company a 250 days statutory response time took effect in the Netherlands. This response time may be invoked if (i) shareholders representing 3% of the issued share capital, request the board to put a proposal on the agenda of the general meeting to (a) appoint, suspend or dismiss members of the management board or supervisory board, or (b) amend the procedures laid down in the articles of association regarding the appointment, dismissal or suspension of a management board or supervisory board member or (ii) an unsolicited public offer is announced or made.

Delaware. Delaware law does not specifically grant stockholders the right to bring business before an annual or special meeting. However, if a Delaware corporation is subject to the SEC’s proxy rules, a stockholder who owns at least $2,000 in market value, or 1% of the corporation’s securities entitled to vote, and has owned such securities for at least one year, may propose a matter for a vote at an annual or special meeting in accordance with those rules.

Action by written consent

The Netherlands. Under Dutch law, resolutions of the general meeting of shareholders of a Dutch public limited liability company may be adopted in writing without holding a meeting of shareholders, provided that (i) the articles of association allow such action by written consent and (ii) the resolution is adopted unanimously by all shareholders that are entitled to vote. The requirement of unanimity renders the adoption of shareholder resolutions without holding a meeting not feasible for publicly traded companies. Therefore, our Articles of Association do not provide for shareholder action by written consent.

Delaware. Although permitted by Delaware law, publicly listed companies do not typically permit stockholders of a corporation to take action by written consent.

Appraisal rights

The Netherlands. The concept of appraisal rights is not known as such under Dutch law.

 

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However, in accordance with the directive 2005/56/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 26 October 2005 on cross-border mergers of limited liability companies, Dutch law provides that, to the extent that the acquiring company in a cross-border merger is organized under the laws of another EU member state, a shareholder of a Dutch disappearing company who has voted against the cross-border merger may file a claim with the Dutch company for compensation. Such compensation is to be determined by one or more independent experts. The independent experts will take into account any provisions in the articles of association or agreements between the company and shareholders concerning the determination of the fair value of shares and the compensation to be paid to shareholders demanding their shares to be acquired at fair value. If the articles of association or an agreement between the company and the shareholders contains criteria for the unequivocal determination of the fair value of shares and the compensation to be paid to shareholders demanding their shares to be acquired at fair value, no independent experts are required to be appointed. The shares of such shareholder that are subject to such appraisal claim will cease to exist as of the moment of effectiveness of the cross-border merger. If the acquiring company is a company incorporated under the laws of another member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area, the Dutch notary may only issue a declaration stating that the pre-merger formalities have been complied with if no appraisal claim has been filed, the compensation shareholders have been demanding has been paid or the other merging companies have decided that the acquiring company must pay the compensation due to shareholders.

Delaware. The Delaware General Corporation Law provides for stockholder appraisal rights, or the right to demand payment in cash of the judicially determined fair value of the stockholder’s shares, in connection with certain mergers and consolidations.

Shareholder suits

The Netherlands. In the event a third party is liable to a Dutch company, only the company itself can bring a civil action against that party. The individual shareholders do not have the right to bring an action on behalf of the company. Only in the event that the cause for the liability of a third party to the company also constitutes a tortious act directly against a shareholder does that shareholder have an individual right of action against such third party in its own name. The DCC provides for the possibility to initiate such actions collectively. A foundation or an association whose objective is to protect the rights of a group of persons having similar interests can institute a collective action if such representative organization meets certain statutory criteria. Until recently a collective action could only result in a declaratory judgment (verklaring voor recht). In order to obtain compensation for damages, the foundation or association and the defendant may reach— for instance, on the basis of such declaratory judgment—a settlement. Pursuant to the Dutch Act on the Collective Settlement of Mass Claims (the “WCAM”), a Dutch court may declare the settlement agreement binding upon all the injured parties with an opt-out choice for an individual injured party. However, as of January 1, 2020, new legislation allows Dutch courts to award monetary damages in class action cases. The new legislation encourages parties to explore the options of a collective settlement pending the class action. The new legislation also introduces higher thresholds for class actions and statutory criteria on the basis of which representative organizations can only bring a collective claim before the Dutch courts if they, inter alia, have sufficient expertise on the matter brought before the court, their governance meets certain threshold criteria and are sufficiently funded and transparent concerning their funding. The new legislation also contains stricter rules with regard to the jurisdiction of the Dutch courts. A class action will only be admissible if it has a sufficiently substantive connection with the Netherlands. This will be the case if the majority of the claimants are based in the Netherlands, the defendant is domiciled in the Netherlands or where the unlawful event took place in the Netherlands. Finally, class actions under the new legislation will, as a rule, only apply to injured Dutch parties that have not chosen to opt-out of the class action. Foreign plaintiffs will, in principle, only be bound by the outcome of the class action proceedings if they explicitly opt-in. If a settlement is reached during the proceedings, there is an additional possibility for an injured party to opt-out. This is different than under the WCAM (see above), which does not feature an opt-in for foreign injured parties. If a settlement is declared binding by the Dutch courts pursuant to the WCAM, all intended beneficiaries are bound by the settlement unless they opt-out. An individual injured party may also itself—outside the collective action—institute a civil claim for damages.

 

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Delaware. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a stockholder may bring a derivative action on behalf of the corporation to enforce the rights of the corporation. An individual also may commence a class action suit on behalf of himself and other similarly situated stockholders where the requirements for maintaining a class action under Delaware law have been met. A person may institute and maintain such a suit only if that person was a stockholder at the time of the transaction which is the subject of the suit. In addition, under Delaware case law, the plaintiff normally must be a stockholder at the time of the transaction that is the subject of the suit and throughout the duration of the derivative suit. Delaware law also requires that the derivative plaintiff make a demand on the directors of the corporation to assert the corporate claim before the suit may be prosecuted by the derivative plaintiff in court, unless such a demand would be futile.

Repurchase of shares

The Netherlands. Under Dutch law, when issuing shares, a public company with limited liability such as ours may not subscribe for newly issued shares in its own capital. Such company may, however, subject to certain restrictions of Dutch law and its articles of association, acquire shares in its own capital. A listed public company with limited liability may acquire fully paid shares in its own capital at any time for no valuable consideration. Furthermore, subject to certain provisions of Dutch law and its articles of association, such company may repurchase fully paid shares in its own capital if (i) the company’s shareholders’ equity less the payment required to make the acquisition does not fall below the sum of paid-up and called-up capital and any reserves required by Dutch law or its articles of association and (ii) the company and its subsidiaries would not thereafter hold shares or hold a pledge over shares with an aggregate par value exceeding 50% of its then current issued share capital. Such company may only acquire its own shares if its general meeting of shareholders has granted the management board the authority to effect such acquisitions.

An acquisition of common shares for a consideration must be authorized by our general meeting of shareholders. Such authorization may be granted for a maximum period of 18 months and must specify the number of common shares that may be acquired, the manner in which common shares may be acquired and the price limits within which common shares may be acquired. Authorization is not required for the acquisition of common shares in order to transfer them to our employees. The actual acquisition may only be effected by a resolution of our management board. At the general meeting held on June 15, 2021, the general meeting of shareholders authorized our management board acting with the approval of our supervisory board, for a period of 18 months (until December 15, 2022) to cause the repurchase of common shares by us of up to 10% of our issued share capital, for a price per share not exceeding 110% of the most recent closing price of a common share on any stock exchange where the common shares are listed.

No authorization of the general meeting of shareholders is required if common shares are acquired by us with the intention of transferring such common shares to our employees under an applicable employee stock purchase plan.

If we would decide to repurchase any of our shares, no votes could be cast at a general meeting of shareholders on the shares held by us or our subsidiaries or on shares for which we or our subsidiaries hold depositary receipts. Nonetheless, the holders of a right of use and enjoyment (vruchtgebruik) and the holders of a right of pledge in respect of shares held by us or our subsidiaries in our share capital are not excluded from the right to vote on such shares, if the right of use and enjoyment (vruchtgebruik) or the right of pledge was granted prior to the time such shares were acquired by us or any of our subsidiaries. Neither we nor any of our subsidiaries may cast votes in respect of a share on which we or such subsidiary holds a right of use and enjoyment (vruchtgebruik) or a right of pledge.

Delaware. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may purchase or redeem its own shares unless the capital of the corporation is impaired or the purchase or redemption would cause an impairment of the capital of the corporation. A Delaware corporation may, however, purchase or redeem out of capital any of its preferred shares or, if no preferred shares are outstanding, any of its own shares if such shares will be retired upon acquisition and the capital of the corporation will be reduced in accordance with specified limitations.

 

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Anti-Takeover Provisions

The Netherlands. Under Dutch law, various protective measures are possible and permissible within the boundaries set by Dutch law and Dutch case law. We have adopted several provisions that may have the effect of making a takeover of our company more difficult or less attractive, including:

 

   

the staggered four-year terms of our supervisory directors, as a result of which only approximately one-fourth of our managing directors and supervisory directors will be subject to election in any one year;

 

   

a provision that our managing directors and supervisory directors may only be removed at the general meeting of shareholders by a two-thirds majority of votes cast representing at least 50% of our outstanding share capital if such removal is not proposed by our supervisory board;

 

   

requirements that certain matters, including an amendment of our Articles of Association, may only be brought to our shareholders for a vote upon a proposal by our management board that has been approved by our supervisory board; and

 

   

a statutory response period. Under Dutch law, the management board can invoke a response period by which a shareholder is prevented from convening a general meeting putting new items on the agenda. As per May 1, 2021, a bill took effect extending the statutory response period from 180 to 250 days.

Delaware. In addition to other aspects of Delaware law governing fiduciary duties of directors during a potential takeover, the Delaware General Corporation Law also contains a business combination statute that protects Delaware companies from hostile takeovers and from actions following the takeover by prohibiting some transactions once an acquirer has gained a significant holding in the corporation.

Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law prohibits “business combinations,” including mergers, sales and leases of assets, issuances of securities and similar transactions by a corporation or a subsidiary with an interested stockholder that beneficially owns 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock, within three years after the person becomes an interested stockholder, unless:

 

   

the transaction that will cause the person to become an interested stockholder is approved by the board of directors of the target prior to the transactions;

 

   

after the completion of the transaction in which the person becomes an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder holds at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation not including shares owned by persons who are directors and officers of interested stockholders and shares owned by specified employee benefit plans; or

 

   

after the person becomes an interested stockholder, the business combination is approved by the board of directors of the corporation and holders of at least 66.67% of the outstanding voting stock, excluding shares held by the interested stockholder.

A Delaware corporation may elect not to be governed by Section 203 by a provision contained in the original certificate of incorporation of the corporation or an amendment to the original certificate of incorporation or to the bylaws of the company, which amendment must be approved by a majority of the shares entitled to vote and may not be further amended by the board of directors of the corporation. In most cases, such an amendment is not effective until twelve months following its adoption.

Inspection of Books and Records

The Netherlands. The management board and the supervisory board provide the general meeting of shareholders in good time with all information that the shareholders require for the exercise of their powers, unless this would be contrary to an overriding interest of us.

 

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Delaware. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, any stockholder may inspect for any proper purpose certain of the corporation’s books and records during the corporation’s usual hours of business.

Removal of Directors

The Netherlands. Under our Articles of Association, the general meeting of shareholders shall at all times be entitled to suspend or dismiss a member of the management board or supervisory board. The general meeting of shareholders may only adopt a resolution to suspend or dismiss such a member by at least a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, if such majority represents more than half of the issued share capital, unless the proposal was made by the supervisory board in which case a simple majority is sufficient.

Delaware. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, any director or the entire board of directors may be removed, with or without cause, by the holders of a majority of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors, except (i) unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise, in the case of a corporation whose board is classified, stockholders may effect such removal only for cause, or (ii) in the case of a corporation having cumulative voting, if less than the entire board is to be removed, no director may be removed without cause if the votes cast against his removal would be sufficient to elect him if then cumulatively voted at an election of the entire board of directors, or, if there are classes of directors, at an election of the class of directors of which he is a part.

Preemptive Rights

The Netherlands. Under Dutch law, upon the issue of common shares, each holder of common shares shall have a preemptive right to acquire such newly issued shares in proportion to the aggregate amount of such holder’s common shares, it being understood that this preemptive right shall not apply to (i) the issuance of shares to employees of the company or employees of a group company; and (ii) the issuance of shares against payment in kind.

Under our Articles of Association, if and insofar as the management board is not authorized to limit or exclude pre-emptive rights, the preemptive rights in respect of newly issued common shares may be restricted or excluded by a resolution of the general meeting of shareholders upon proposal of the management board, which proposal has been approved by the supervisory board. The management board, subject to approval of the supervisory board, may also resolve to restrict or exclude the preemptive rights in respect of newly issued common shares if it has been designated as the authorized body to do so by the general meeting of shareholders. Such designation can be granted for a period not exceeding five years. A resolution of the general meeting of shareholders to restrict or exclude the preemptive rights or to designate the management board as the authorized body to do so requires a majority of not less than two-thirds of the votes cast, if less than one-half of our issued share capital is represented at the meeting.

At a general meeting held on June 25, 2019, the general meeting of shareholders authorized our management board, subject to the approval of our supervisory board, for a period of five years from the date of the meeting (up to and including June 25, 2024) to restrict or exclude pre-emptive rights accruing to shareholders in connection with the issue of common shares and/or rights to subscribe for common shares in relation to any issuance or granting of rights to subscribe for common shares in the share capital of Affimed, up to the maximum number of common shares that can be issued under the size of the authorized share capital of Affimed as per the date of adoption of such resolution.

Delaware. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, stockholders have no preemptive rights to subscribe for additional issues of stock or to any security convertible into such stock unless, and to the extent that, such rights are expressly provided for in the certificate of incorporation.

 

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Dividends

The Netherlands. Dutch law provides that dividends may be distributed after adoption of the annual accounts by the general meeting of shareholders from which it appears that such dividend distribution is allowed. Moreover, dividends may be distributed only to the extent the shareholders’ equity exceeds the amount of the paid-up and called-up part of the issued share capital and the reserves that must be maintained under the law or the articles of association. Interim dividends may be declared as provided in the articles of association and may be distributed to the extent that the shareholders’ equity exceeds the amount of the issued and paid-up and called-up part of the issued share capital and the required legal reserves as described above as apparent from our financial statements.

Under the Articles of Association, the management board may resolve, subject to the approval of the supervisory board, to reserve the profits or part of the profits. After reservation by the management board of any profit, the remaining profit will be at the disposal of the general meeting of shareholders. We only make a distribution of dividends to our shareholders after the adoption of our annual accounts demonstrating that such distribution is legally permitted. The management board may resolve, with the approval of the supervisory board, to make interim distributions to the shareholders if an interim statement of assets and liabilities shows that Affimed’s shareholders’ equity exceeds the sum of the paid-up and called-up part of the capital and the reserves which must be maintained by Dutch law.

Dividends and other distributions shall be made payable no later than thirty days after the date when they were declared, unless the corporate body authorized to declare the dividend determines a different date. Claims to dividends and other distribution not made within five years from the date that such dividends or distributions became payable, shall be forfeited to us (verjaring) and shall be carried to the reserves.

Delaware. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a Delaware corporation may pay dividends out of its surplus (the excess of net assets over capital), or in case there is no surplus, out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year (provided that the amount of the capital of the corporation is not less than the aggregate amount of the capital represented by the issued and outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets). In determining the amount of surplus of a Delaware corporation, the assets of the corporation, including stock of subsidiaries owned by the corporation, must be valued at their fair market value as determined by the board of directors, without regard to their historical book value. Dividends may be paid in the form of common stock, property or cash.

Shareholder Vote on Certain Reorganizations

The Netherlands. Under Dutch law, the general meeting of shareholders must approve resolutions of the management board relating to a significant change in the identity or the character of the company or the business of the company, which includes:

 

   

a transfer of the business or virtually the entire business to a third party;

 

   

the entry into or termination of a long-term cooperation of the company or a subsidiary with another legal entity or company or as a fully liable partner in a limited partnership or general partnership, if such cooperation or termination is of a far-reaching significance for the company; and

 

   

the acquisition or divestment by the company or a subsidiary of a participating interest in the capital of a company having a value of at least one third of the amount of its assets according to its balance sheet and explanatory notes or, if the company prepares a consolidated balance sheet, according to its consolidated balance sheet and explanatory notes in the last adopted annual accounts of the company.

Delaware. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote thereon generally is necessary to approve a merger or consolidation or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of a corporation. The Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation

 

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to include in its certificate of incorporation a provision requiring for any corporate action the vote of a larger portion of the stock or of any class or series of stock than would otherwise be required.

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, no vote of the stockholders of a surviving corporation to a merger is needed, however, unless required by the certificate of incorporation, if (i) the agreement of merger does not amend in any respect the certificate of incorporation of the surviving corporation, (ii) the shares of stock of the surviving corporation are not changed in the merger and (iii) the number of shares of common stock of the surviving corporation into which any other shares, securities or obligations to be issued in the merger may be converted does not exceed 20% of the surviving corporation’s common stock outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger. In addition, stockholders may not be entitled to vote in certain mergers with other corporations that own 90% or more of the outstanding shares of each class of stock of such corporation, but the stockholders will be entitled to appraisal rights.

Remuneration of Directors

The Netherlands. Under Dutch law and our Articles of Association, we must adopt a remuneration policy for our managing directors. Such remuneration policy shall be adopted by the general meeting of shareholders upon the proposal of the supervisory board. The supervisory board determines the remuneration of the management board in accordance with the remuneration policy. A proposal with respect to remuneration schemes in the form of shares or rights to shares must be submitted to the general meeting of shareholders for its approval.

The general meeting may determine the remuneration of supervisory directors. The supervisory directors shall be reimbursed for their expenses.

Delaware. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, the stockholders do not generally have the right to approve the compensation policy for directors or the senior management of the corporation, although certain aspects of executive compensation may be subject to stockholder vote due to the provisions of U.S. federal securities and tax law, as well as exchange requirements.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The debt securities will be our direct general obligations. The debt securities will be either senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities and may be secured or unsecured and may be convertible into other securities, including our common shares. The debt securities will be issued under one or more separate indentures between our company and a financial institution that will act as trustee. Senior debt securities will be issued under a senior indenture. Subordinated debt securities will be issued under a subordinated indenture. Each of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture is referred to individually as an indenture and collectively as the indentures. Each of the senior debt trustee and the subordinated debt trustee is referred to individually as a trustee and collectively as the trustees. The material terms of any indenture will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We have summarized certain terms and provisions of the indentures. The summary is not complete. The indentures are subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. The senior indenture and subordinated indenture are substantially identical, except for the provisions relating to subordination.

Neither indenture will limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue. We may issue debt securities up to an aggregate principal amount as we may authorize from time to time. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any debt securities being offered. These terms will include some or all of the following:

 

   

classification as senior or subordinated debt securities;

 

   

ranking of the specific series of debt securities relative to other outstanding indebtedness, including subsidiaries’ debt;

 

   

if the debt securities are subordinated, the aggregate amount of outstanding indebtedness, as of a recent date, that is senior to the subordinated securities, and any limitation on the issuance of additional senior indebtedness;

 

   

the designation, aggregate principal amount and authorized denominations;

 

   

the date or dates on which the principal of the debt securities may be payable;

 

   

the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum at which the debt securities shall bear interest, if any;

 

   

the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, on which such interest shall be payable, and on which a record shall be taken for the determination of holders of the debt securities to whom interest is payable;

 

   

the place or places where the principal and interest shall be payable;

 

   

our right, if any, to redeem the debt securities, in whole or in part, at our option and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and any terms and conditions upon which such debt securities may be so redeemed, pursuant to any sinking fund or otherwise;

 

   

our obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, purchase or repay any debt securities pursuant to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other provisions or at the option of a holder of the debt securities;

 

   

if other than denominations of $2,000 and any higher integral multiple of $1,000, the denominations in which the debt securities will be issuable;

 

   

if other than the currency of the United States, the currency or currencies, in which payment of the principal and interest shall be payable;

 

   

whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of global securities;

 

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provisions, if any, for the defeasance of the debt securities;

 

   

any material U.S. federal income tax consequences; and

 

   

other specific terms, including any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the events of default or covenants described below or in the applicable indenture.

Senior Debt

We may issue under the senior indenture the debt securities that will constitute part of our senior debt. These senior debt securities will rank equally and pari passu with all our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt.

Subordinated Debt

We may issue under the subordinated indenture the debt securities that will constitute part of our subordinated debt. These subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the subordinated indenture, to all our “senior indebtedness.” “Senior indebtedness” is defined in the subordinated indenture and generally includes obligations of, or guaranteed by, us for borrowed money, or as evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, or in respect of letters of credit or other similar instruments, or to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services, or as a lessee under capital leases, or as secured by a lien on any asset of ours. “Senior indebtedness” does not include the subordinated debt securities or any other obligations specifically designated as being subordinate in right of payment to, or pari passu with, the subordinated debt securities. In general, the holders of all senior indebtedness are first entitled to receive payment in full of such senior indebtedness before the holders of any of the subordinated debt securities are entitled to receive a payment on account of the principal or interest on the indebtedness evidenced by the subordinated debt securities in certain events. These events include:

 

   

subject to Dutch law, any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings, or any receivership, dissolution, winding up, total or partial liquidation, reorganization or other similar proceedings in respect of us or a substantial part of our property, whether voluntary or involuntary;

 

   

(i) a default having occurred with respect to the payment of principal or interest on or other monetary amounts due and payable with respect to any senior indebtedness or (ii) an event of default (other than a default described in clause (i) above) having occurred with respect to any senior indebtedness that permits the holder or holders of such senior indebtedness to accelerate the maturity of such senior indebtedness. Such a default or event of default must have continued beyond the period of grace, if any, provided in respect of such default or event of default, and such a default or event of default shall not have been cured or waived or shall not have ceased to exist; and

 

   

the principal of, and accrued interest on, any series of the subordinated debt securities having been declared due and payable upon an event of default pursuant to the subordinated indenture. This declaration must not have been rescinded and annulled as provided in the subordinated indenture.

Authentication and Delivery

We will deliver the debt securities to the trustee for authentication, and the trustee will authenticate and deliver the debt securities upon our written order.

Events of Default

When we use the term “Event of Default” in the indentures with respect to the debt securities of any series, set forth below are some examples of what we mean:

 

  (1)

default in the payment of the principal on the debt securities when it becomes due and payable at maturity or otherwise;

 

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  (2)

default in the payment of interest on the debt securities when it becomes due and payable, and such default continues for a period of 30 days;

 

  (3)

default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant in the indenture (other than defaults specified in clauses (1) or (2) above) and the default or breach continues for a period of 90 consecutive days or more after written notice to us by the trustee or to us and the trustee by the holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series affected thereby;

 

  (4)

the occurrence of certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar proceedings with respect to us or any substantial part of our property; or

 

  (5)

any other Events of Default that may be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (4) above) with respect to the debt securities of any series then outstanding occurs and is continuing, then either the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the securities of all such series then outstanding in respect of which an Event of Default has occurred may by notice in writing to us declare the entire principal amount of all debt securities of the affected series, and accrued interest, if any, to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default described in clause (4) above occurs and is continuing, then the principal amount of all the debt securities then outstanding and accrued interest shall be and become due immediately and payable without any declaration, notice or other action by any holder of the debt securities or the trustee.

The trustee will, within 90 days after the occurrence of any default actually known to it, give notice of the default to the holders of the debt securities of that series, unless the default was already cured or waived. Unless there is a default in paying principal or interest when due, the trustee can withhold giving notice to the holders if it determines in good faith that the withholding of notice is in the interest of the holders.

Satisfaction, Discharge and Defeasance

We may discharge our obligations under each indenture, except as to:

 

   

the rights of registration of transfer and exchange of debt securities, and our right of optional redemption, if any;

 

   

substitution of mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities;

 

   

the rights of holders of the debt securities to receive payments of principal and interest;

 

   

the rights, obligations and immunities of the trustee; and

 

   

the rights of the holders of the debt securities as beneficiaries with respect to the property deposited with the trustee payable to them (as described below);

when:

 

   

either:

 

   

all debt securities of any series issued that have been authenticated and delivered have been delivered by us to the trustee for cancellation; or

 

   

all the debt securities of any series issued that have not been delivered by us to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable or will become due and payable within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by such trustee in our name and at our expense, and we have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds the entire amount

 

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sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption all debt securities of such series not delivered to the trustee for cancellation, including principal and interest due or to become due on or prior to such date of maturity or redemption;

 

   

we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums then due and payable under such indenture; and

 

   

we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent under such indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge of such indenture have been complied with.

In addition, unless the applicable prospectus supplement and supplemental indenture otherwise provide, we may elect either (i) to have our obligations under each indenture discharged with respect to the outstanding debt securities of any series (“legal defeasance”) or (ii) to be released from our obligations under each indenture with respect to certain covenants applicable to the outstanding debt securities of any series (“covenant defeasance”). Legal defeasance means that we will be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by the outstanding debt securities of such series under such indenture and covenant defeasance means that we will no longer be required to comply with the obligations with respect to such covenants (and an omission to comply with such obligations will not constitute a default or event of default).

In order to exercise legal defeasance or covenant defeasance with respect to outstanding debt securities of any series:

 

   

we must irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to the benefits of the holders of the debt securities of a series:

 

   

money in an amount;

 

   

U.S. government obligations; or

 

   

a combination of money and U.S. government obligations,

in each case sufficient without reinvestment, in the written opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the trustee to pay and discharge, all of the principal and interest at due date or maturity or if we have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the trustee, the redemption date;

 

   

we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that, under then applicable U.S. federal income tax law, the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance and will be subject to the same federal income tax as would be the case if the defeasance did not occur;

 

   

no default relating to bankruptcy or insolvency and, in the case of a covenant defeasance, no other default has occurred and is continuing at any time;

 

   

if at such time the debt securities of such series are listed on a national securities exchange, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the debt securities of such series will not be delisted as a result of such defeasance; and

 

   

we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel stating that all conditions precedent with respect to the defeasance have been complied with.

We are required to furnish to each trustee an annual statement as to compliance with all conditions and covenants under the indenture.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants to purchase debt securities, common shares or other securities. We may issue warrants independently or together with other securities. Warrants sold with other securities may be attached to or separate from the other securities. We will issue warrants under one or more warrant agreements between our company and a warrant agent that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The prospectus supplement relating to any warrants we offer will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:

 

   

the title of the warrants;

 

   

the aggregate number of warrants offered;

 

   

the designation, number and terms of the debt securities, common shares or other securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants and procedures by which those numbers may be adjusted;

 

   

the exercise price of the warrants;

 

   

the dates or periods during which the warrants are exercisable;

 

   

the designation and terms of any securities with which the warrants are issued;

 

   

if the warrants are issued as a unit with another security, the date on and after which the warrants and the other security will be separately transferable;

 

   

if the exercise price is not payable in U.S. dollars, the foreign currency, currency unit or composite currency in which the exercise price is denominated;

 

   

any minimum or maximum amount of warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 

   

any terms relating to the modification of the warrants;

 

   

any terms, procedures and limitations relating to the transferability, exchange or exercise of the warrants; and

 

   

any other specific terms of the warrants.

The terms of any warrants to be issued and a description of the material provisions of the applicable warrant agreement will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS

We may issue purchase contracts for the purchase or sale of debt or equity securities issued by us or securities of third parties, a basket of such securities, an index or indices or such securities or any combination of the above as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Each purchase contract will entitle the holder thereof to purchase or sell, and obligate us to sell or purchase, on specified dates, such securities at a specified purchase price, which may be based on a formula, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may, however, satisfy our obligations, if any, with respect to any purchase contract by delivering the cash value of such purchase contract or the cash value of the property otherwise deliverable as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also specify the methods by which the holders may purchase or sell such securities and any acceleration, cancellation or termination provisions or other provisions relating to the settlement of a purchase contract.

The purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders thereof or vice versa, which payments may be deferred to the extent set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, and those payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The purchase contracts may require the holders thereof to secure their obligations in a specified manner to be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Alternatively, purchase contracts may require holders to satisfy their obligations thereunder when the purchase contracts are issued. Our obligation to settle such pre-paid purchase contracts on the relevant settlement date may constitute indebtedness. Accordingly, pre-paid purchase contracts will be issued under either the senior indenture or the subordinated indenture.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue units consisting of one or more common shares, debt securities, warrants, purchase contracts or any combination of such securities. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe:

 

   

the terms of the units and of the common shares, debt securities, warrants and/ or purchase contracts comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances the securities comprising the units may be traded separately;

 

   

a description of the terms of any unit agreement governing the units; and

 

   

a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units.

 

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FORMS OF SECURITIES

Each debt security, warrant and unit will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of securities. Certificated securities in definitive form and global securities will be issued in registered form. Definitive securities name you or your nominee as the owner of the security, and in order to transfer or exchange these securities or to receive payments other than interest or other interim payments, you or your nominee must physically deliver the securities to the trustee, registrar, paying agent or other agent, as applicable. Global securities name a depositary or its nominee as the owner of the debt securities, warrants or units represented by these global securities. The depositary maintains a computerized system that will reflect each investor’s beneficial ownership of the securities through an account maintained by the investor with its broker/dealer, bank, trust company or other representative, as we explain more fully below.

Registered Global Securities

We may issue the registered debt securities, warrants and units in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depositary or nominee. In those cases, one or more registered global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by registered global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a registered global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depositary for the registered global security, the nominees of the depositary or any successors of the depositary or those nominees.

If not described below, any specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any securities to be represented by a registered global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depositary or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a registered global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some states may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in registered global securities.

So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a registered global security, that depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the registered global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the registered global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a registered global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for that registered global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a registered global security

 

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desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement, the depositary for the registered global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.

Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on debt securities, and any payments to holders with respect to warrants or units, represented by a registered global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the registered global security. None of Affimed N.V., its affiliates, the trustees, the warrant agents, the unit agents or any other agent of Affimed N.V., agent of the trustees or agent of the warrant agents or unit agents will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the registered global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.

We expect that the depositary for any of the securities represented by a registered global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest or other distribution of underlying securities or other property to holders on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that registered global security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.

If the depositary for any of these securities represented by a registered global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue securities in definitive form in exchange for the registered global security that had been held by the depositary. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a registered global security will be registered in the name or names that the depositary gives to the relevant trustee, warrant agent, unit agent or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depositary’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the registered global security that had been held by the depositary.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities in one or more of the following ways (or in any combination) from time to time:

 

   

through underwriters or dealers;

 

   

directly to a limited number of purchasers or to a single purchaser;

 

   

in “at-the-market” offerings, within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act, to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market on an exchange or otherwise;

 

   

through agents; or

 

   

through any other method permitted by applicable law and described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The prospectus supplement will state the terms of the offering of the securities, including:

 

   

the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents;

 

   

the purchase price of such securities and the proceeds to be received by us, if any;

 

   

any underwriting discounts or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation;

 

   

any initial public offering price;

 

   

any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

 

   

any securities exchanges on which the securities may be listed.

Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

If underwriters are used in the sale, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including:

 

   

negotiated transactions;

 

   

at a fixed public offering price or prices, which may be changed;

 

   

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

   

at prices related to prevailing market prices; or

 

   

at negotiated prices.

Unless otherwise stated in a prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase any securities will be conditioned on customary closing conditions and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of such series of securities, if any are purchased.

The securities may be sold through agents from time to time. The prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities and any commissions paid to them. Generally, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

Sales to or through one or more underwriters or agents in at-the-market offerings will be made pursuant to the terms of a distribution agreement with the underwriters or agents. Such underwriters or agents may act on an agency basis or on a principal basis. During the term of any such agreement, shares may be sold on a daily basis on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the common shares are traded, in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise as agreed with the underwriters or agents. The distribution agreement will provide that

 

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any common share sold will be sold at negotiated prices or at prices related to the then prevailing market prices for our common shares. Therefore, exact figures regarding proceeds that will be raised or commissions to be paid cannot be determined at this time and will be described in a prospectus supplement. Pursuant to the terms of the distribution agreement, we may also agree to sell, and the relevant underwriters or agents may agree to solicit offers to purchase, blocks of our common shares or other securities. The terms of each such distribution agreement will be described in a prospectus supplement.

We may authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by certain purchasers to purchase the securities at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth any commissions paid for solicitation of these contracts.

Underwriters and agents may be entitled under agreements entered into with us to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which the underwriters or agents may be required to make.

The prospectus supplement may also set forth whether or not underwriters may over-allot or effect transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities at levels above those that might otherwise prevail in the open market, including, for example, by entering stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate covering transactions or imposing penalty bids.

Underwriters and agents may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

Each series of securities will be a new issue of securities and will have no established trading market, other than our common shares, which are listed on The Nasdaq Global Market. Any underwriters to whom securities are sold for public offering and sale may make a market in the securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. The securities, other than our common shares, may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange.

 

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference information into this document. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this document, except for any information superseded by information that is included directly in this prospectus or incorporated by reference subsequent to the date of this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference the following documents or information that we have filed with the SEC:

 

   

Our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020;

 

   

Our Forms 6-K filed on May 20, 2021 (other than Exhibit 99.1), June  16, 2021, July  1, 2021, September 8, 2021 and November 10, 2021 (other than Exhibit 99.1); and

 

   

The description of our common shares contained in Exhibit 2 to our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

All annual reports we file with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act on Form 20-F after the date of this prospectus and prior to termination or expiration of this registration statement shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this prospectus and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. We may incorporate by reference any Form 6-K subsequently submitted to the SEC by identifying in such Form 6-K that it is being incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

Documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus are available from us without charge upon written or oral request, excluding any exhibits to those documents that are not specifically incorporated by reference into those documents. You can obtain documents incorporated by reference in this document by requesting them from us in writing at Technologiepark, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany or via telephone at (+49) 6221-6743-60.

 

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ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

We are incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands and our headquarters are located in Germany. Substantially all of our assets are located outside the United States. The majority of our managing directors and supervisory directors reside outside the United States. As a result, it may not be possible for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon such persons or to enforce against them or us in U.S. courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States.

The United States and the Netherlands currently do not have a treaty providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments, other than arbitration awards, in civil and commercial matters. Consequently, a final judgment for payment given by a court in the United States, whether or not predicated solely upon U.S. securities laws, would not automatically be recognized or enforceable in the Netherlands. In order to obtain a judgment which is enforceable in the Netherlands, the party in whose favor a final and conclusive judgment of the U.S. court has been rendered will be required to file its claim with a court of competent jurisdiction in the Netherlands. Such party may submit to the Dutch court the final judgment rendered by the U.S. court. If and to the extent that the Dutch court finds that the jurisdiction of the U.S. court has been based on grounds which are internationally acceptable, that the proceedings before the U.S. court complied with principles of proper procedures, that recognition and/or enforcement of such judgment would not contravene the public policy of the Netherlands, and that recognition and/or enforcement of the judgment is not irreconcilable with a decision of a Dutch court rendered between the same parties or with an earlier decision of a foreign court rendered between the same parties in a dispute that is about the same subject matter and that is based on the same cause, provided that earlier judgment can be recognized in the Netherlands, the court of the Netherlands will, in principle, give binding effect to the judgment of the U.S. court. A Dutch court may reduce the amount of damages granted by a U.S. court and recognize damages only to the extent that they are necessary to compensate actual losses or damages, and refuse to award punitive damages if that would contravene public policy of the Netherlands. In addition, there is doubt as to whether a Dutch court would impose civil liability on us, our managing directors or supervisory directors or certain experts named herein in an original action predicated solely upon the U.S. federal securities laws brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the Netherlands against us or such directors or experts, respectively. Enforcement and recognition of judgments of U.S. courts in the Netherlands are solely governed by the provisions of the Dutch Civil Procedure Code.

The United States and Germany currently do not have a treaty providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments, other than arbitration awards, in civil and commercial matters. Consequently, a final judgment for payment given by a court in the United States, whether or not predicated solely upon U.S. securities laws, would not automatically be recognized or enforceable in Germany. German courts may deny the recognition and enforcement of a judgment rendered by a U.S. court if they consider the U.S. court not to be competent or the decision not in line with German public policy principles. For example, recognition of court decisions based on class actions brought in the United States typically raises public policy concerns and judgments awarding punitive damages are generally not enforceable in Germany.

In addition, actions brought in a German court against us, our managing directors or supervisory directors, our senior management and the experts named herein to enforce liabilities based on U.S. federal securities laws may be subject to certain restrictions. In particular, German courts generally do not award punitive damages. Litigation in Germany is also subject to rules of procedure that differ from the U.S. rules, including with respect to the taking and admissibility of evidence, the conduct of the proceedings and the allocation of costs. Proceedings in Germany would have to be conducted in the German language and all documents submitted to the court would, in principle, have to be translated into German. For these reasons, it may be difficult for a U.S. investor to bring an original action in a German court predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us, our managing directors or supervisory directors, our senior management and the experts named in this prospectus.

 

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Based on the lack of a treaty as described above, U.S. investors may not be able to enforce against us or managing directors or supervisory directors, officers or certain experts named herein who are residents of the Netherlands, Germany, or other countries other than the United States any judgments obtained in U.S. courts in civil and commercial matters, including judgments under the U.S. federal securities laws.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the common shares and certain other matters of Dutch law will be passed upon for us by De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V. Certain matters of U.S. federal and New York State law will be passed upon for us by Kirkland and Ellis LLP, New York, New York.

 

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EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Affimed N.V. as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2020, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020 have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference elsewhere herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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Affimed N.V.

Common Shares

Debt Securities

Warrants

Purchase Contracts

Units

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

 

 

 

 


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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus dated November 10, 2021)

$100,000,000

 

LOGO

Common Shares

 

 

We have entered into an Open Market Sale AgreementSM, or sale agreement, with Jefferies LLC, or Jefferies, dated November 10, 2021, relating to the sale of our common shares offered by this prospectus supplement. In accordance with the terms of the sale agreement, under this prospectus supplement we may offer and sell our common shares, nominal value €0.01 per share, having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 from time to time through Jefferies, acting as our agent.

Sales of our common shares, if any, under this prospectus supplement will be made by any method permitted that is deemed an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, including sales made directly on or through The Nasdaq Global Market, or Nasdaq, the existing trading market for our common shares, sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange or otherwise, in negotiated transactions at market prices, and/or any other method permitted by law. Jefferies is not required to sell any specific amount, but will act as our sales agent using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

Jefferies will be entitled to compensation at a commission rate of up to 3.00% of the gross sales price per share sold under the sale agreement. See “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page S-21 for additional information regarding the compensation to be paid to Jefferies.

In connection with the sale of the common shares on our behalf, Jefferies may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of Jefferies may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have also agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to Jefferies with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

Our common shares trade on The Nasdaq Global Market, or Nasdaq, under the trading symbol “AFMD.” On November 9, 2021, the last sale price of our common shares as reported on Nasdaq was $6.23 per share.

 

 

Investing in our common shares involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference herein.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus supplement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

Jefferies

November 10, 2021


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION

     S-ii  

TRADEMARKS

     S-ii  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

     S-iii  

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     S-iv  

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY

     S-1  

RISK FACTORS

     S-6  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     S-9  

DIVIDEND POLICY

     S-9  

DILUTION

     S-10  

DUTCH TAX CONSIDERATIONS

     S-11  

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

     S-16  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     S-21  

LEGAL MATTERS

     S-23  

EXPERTS

     S-23  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     S-23  

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

     S-23  

PROSPECTUS

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     1  

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     2  

AFFIMED N.V.

     4  

RISK FACTORS

     4  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     4  

DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

     5  

COMPARISON OF DUTCH LAW AND OUR ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND U.S. CORPORATE LAW

     10  

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     21  

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     25  

DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS

     26  

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

     27  

FORMS OF SECURITIES

     28  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     30  

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

     32  

ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

     33  

LEGAL MATTERS

     35  

EXPERTS

     36  

 

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PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION

We report under International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or the IASB. None of the financial statements incorporated by reference herein were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. We present our consolidated financial statements in euros and in accordance with IFRS. We have made rounding adjustments to some of the figures included in this prospectus supplement. Accordingly, numerical figures shown as totals in some tables may not be an arithmetic aggregation of the figures that preceded them.

In this prospectus supplement, unless otherwise indicated, translations from U.S. dollars to euros (and vice versa):

 

   

relating to payments made on or before September 30, 2021 were made at the rate in effect at the time of the relevant payment; and

 

   

relating to future payments were made at the rate of $1.1579 to €1.00, the official exchange rate quoted as of September 30, 2021 by the European Central Bank.

The terms “$” or “dollar” refer to U.S. dollars, and the terms “€ “ or “euro” refer to the currency introduced at the start of the third stage of European economic and monetary union pursuant to the treaty establishing the European Community, as amended.

TRADEMARKS

ROCK® (“Redirected Optimized Cell Killing”) and ICE® (“Innate Cell Engager”) are our registered trademarks. The trademarks, trade names and service marks appearing in this prospectus supplement are property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this prospectus supplement are referred to without the symbols ® and , but such references should not be construed as any indication that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto.

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This document consists of two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. The accompanying prospectus describes more general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. Under this shelf registration process, we may from time to time sell our common shares under a prospectus supplement at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of the offering.

Before buying any of the common shares that we are offering, we urge you to carefully read both this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus together with all of the information incorporated by reference herein, as well as the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation by Reference.” These documents contain important information that you should consider when making your investment decision.

To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, and the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or in any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement, provided that if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement—the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

We have not authorized anyone to provide any information other than that contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus filed by us with the SEC. We have not, and Jefferies has not, authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of any other information that others may give you. This prospectus supplement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the securities described in this prospectus supplement or an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy such securities in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the documents incorporated by reference and any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of their respective dates. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed materially since those dates.

You should also read and consider the information in the documents to which we have referred you in the sections entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation by Reference” in this prospectus supplement.

Unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, all references in this prospectus supplement to “Affimed N.V.,” “Affimed,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “ours,” “us” or similar terms refer to Affimed N.V.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus supplement and the financial statements and other documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement contain forward-looking statements, including statements concerning our industry, our operations, our anticipated financial performance and financial condition, and our business plans and growth strategy and product development efforts. These statements constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “expect,” “should,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate” and “potential,” among others. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. These forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions by our management that, although we believe to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain and subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.

The following represent some, but not necessarily all, of the factors that could cause actual results to differ from historical results or those anticipated or predicted by our forward-looking statements:

 

   

our operation as a development stage company with a history of operating losses; as of September 30, 2021, our accumulated deficit was €310.3 million;

 

   

the chance our clinical trials may be delayed or put on clinical hold, for example, due to slower than expected enrollment or regulatory actions, or not be successful and clinical results may not reflect results seen in previously conducted preclinical studies and clinical trials, or expectations based on these preclinical studies and clinical trials;

 

   

our reliance on contract manufacturers and contract research organizations over which we have limited control;

 

   

our lack of adequate funding to complete development of our product candidates and the risk we may be unable to access additional capital on reasonable terms or at all to complete development and begin commercialization of our product candidates;

 

   

our dependence on the success of AFM24 and AFM13 (which are still in clinical development) and certain of our other product candidates, each of which may eventually prove to be unsuccessful or commercially not viable;

 

   

uncertainty surrounding whether any of our product candidates will gain regulatory approval, which is necessary before they can be commercialized;

 

   

the outcome of any discussions we may enter regarding acquisitions, dispositions, partnerships, license transactions or changes to our capital structure, including our receipt of any milestone payments or royalties or any future securities offerings;

 

   

the chance that we may become exposed to costly and damaging liability claims resulting from the testing of our product candidates in the clinic or after they become commercial products;

 

   

if our product candidates obtain regulatory approval, our being subject to expensive ongoing obligations and continued regulatory oversight;

 

   

enacted and future legislation may increase the difficulty and cost for us to obtain marketing approval and commercialization;

 

   

future legislation may materially impact our ability to realize revenue from any approved and commercialized products;

 

   

the chance that our products may not gain market acceptance, in which case we may not be able to generate product revenues;

 

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our reliance on our current strategic relationships with LLS, The MD Anderson Cancer Center, Genentech, Roivant, Artiva and NKGen Biotech (formerly known as NKMax America), and the potential failure to enter into new strategic relationships;

 

   

our reliance on third parties to conduct our nonclinical and clinical trials and on third-party single-source suppliers to supply or produce our product candidates;

 

   

our ability to scale-up manufacturing processes of our product candidates and reduce the cost of manufacturing our product candidates in advance of any commercialization;

 

   

our future growth and ability to compete, which depends on retaining our key personnel and recruiting additional qualified personnel;

 

   

the length and severity of the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on our business, including our supply chain, clinical trials and operations; and

 

   

other risk factors discussed herein under “Risk Factors” or incorporated herein by reference.

Our actual results or performance could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, any forward-looking statements relating to those matters. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what impact they will have on our results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. Additionally, some of the risks and uncertainties identified above may be amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not possible to predict or identify all such risks. There may be additional risks that we consider immaterial or which are unknown. Except as required by law, we are under no obligation, and expressly disclaim any obligation, to update, alter or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and in the documents we incorporate by reference. This summary does not contain all of the information you should consider before making an investment decision. You should read this entire prospectus supplement carefully, especially the risks related to this offering discussed under “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement, along with the other risk factors, our consolidated financial statements and notes to those consolidated financial statements and the other information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

Affimed N.V.

Our Business

We are a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company focused on discovering and developing highly targeted cancer immunotherapies. Our product candidates represent an innovative approach to cancer treatment that seeks to harness the body’s own immune defenses to fight tumor cells. One of the most potent cells of the human defense arsenal are types of white blood cells called innate immune cells (Natural Killer cells, or NK cells, and macrophages). Leveraging our fit-for-purpose ROCK® (Redirected Optimized Cell Killing) platform, we develop proprietary, next-generation bispecific antibodies, so-called innate cell engagers, which are designed to direct innate immune cells and establish a bridge to cancer cells. Our innate cell engagers have the ability to bring innate immune cells into the proximity of tumor cells and trigger a signal cascade that leads to the destruction of cancer cells. Due to their novel tetravalent architecture with four binding domains, our innate cell engagers bind to their targets with high affinity and have half-lives that allow for regular intravenous administration. Different dosing schemes are being explored to allow for improved exposure in relapsed and refractory cancer patient populations. Based on their mechanism of action as well as the preclinical and clinical data we have generated to date, we believe that our product candidates as monotherapy or in combination, may ultimately improve response rates, clinical outcomes and survival in cancer patients, and could eventually become a cornerstone of modern targeted oncology care. Building on our leadership in the innate cell engager space, we are also developing novel antibody formats with the potential to tailor innate cell-engaging therapy to different indications and settings.

Affimed was founded in 2000 based on technology developed by the group led by Professor Melvyn Little at Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (“DKFZ”), the German Cancer Research Center, in Heidelberg, Germany.

Focusing our efforts on antibodies that specifically bind to innate cells through CD16A, a key activating receptor, we have built a clinical and preclinical pipeline of innate cell-engaging bispecific antibodies designed to activate both innate and adaptive immunity. Compared to a variety of T cell-engaging technologies, our innate cell engagers appear to have a better safety profile and have the potential to achieve more potent and deeper immune responses potentially through enhancing crosstalk of innate to adaptive immunity. The safety profiles of our molecules make them suitable for development as combination therapies (e.g. with checkpoint inhibitors, or CPIs, adoptive NK cells or cytokines).

We are focusing our research and development efforts on three programs, for which we retain full global commercial rights, AFM13, AFM24 and AFM28. Because our tetravalent bispecific antibodies can be engineered to bind to different antigens that are known to be present on various cancer cells, our product candidates could be developed for the treatment of different cancer indications. We intend to clinically develop our product candidates to treat high medical need indications, including as a salvage therapy for patients who have relapsed after treatment with standard therapies, or patients who are refractory to these therapies, meaning they do not respond to treatment with standard therapies, whom we collectively refer to as relapsed/refractory

 

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patients. These patients have limited life expectancy and few therapeutic options. We believe this strategy will allow for a faster path to approval and will likely require smaller clinical studies compared to indications with more therapeutic options and larger patient populations. We believe such specialized market segments in oncology can be effectively targeted with a small and dedicated marketing and sales team. We currently intend to establish a commercial sales force in the United States and/or Europe to commercialize our product candidates when and if they are approved.

We also see an opportunity in the clinical development of our innate cell engagers in combination with other agents that harness the immune system to fight cancer cells, such as CPIs, adoptive NK cell transfer and cytokines. Such combinations of cancer immunotherapies may ultimately prove beneficial for larger patient populations in earlier stages of diseases, beyond the relapsed/refractory disease setting.

Our main offices and laboratories are located at the Technology Park adjacent to the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, where we employ 132 people, approximately 66% of whom have an advanced academic degree. Including AbCheck (see description below) and Affimed Inc. personnel, our total headcount is 181 (171 full time equivalents). We are led by experienced executives with a track record of successful product development, approvals and launches, specifically in the area of biologics and biopharmaceuticals. Our supervisory board is made up of highly experienced experts from the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, including individuals with a background and expertise in hematological malignancies.

Our Strategy

Our goal is to develop new treatment options for patients in need by activating innate immunity (e.g. NK cells and macrophages), the body’s first line of defense, to fight cancer. We are developing single and combination therapies to treat a variety of cancers. Our novel proprietary antibody platform, ROCK®, delivers several unique types of next-generation tetravalent antibody formats, including bispecific and trispecific innate cell engagers. Based on the distinctive properties and mechanism of action of these products, which have demonstrated preclinical and / or clinical activity, we believe that our product candidates, alone or in combination, could eventually become a key element of improving clinical outcomes in cancer patients. Key elements of our strategy to achieve this goal are to:

 

   

Rapidly advance the development of our clinical stage product candidates using a three-pronged development approach, including development (i) as monotherapy, (ii) in combination with adoptive NK cells, and (iii) in combinations with immunotherapies such as checkpoint inhibitors;

 

   

Establish R&D and commercialization capabilities in Europe and in the United States;

 

   

Use our technology platforms and intellectual property portfolio to continue to build our cancer immunotherapy pipeline;

 

   

Maximize the value of our collaboration arrangements with LLS, The MD Anderson Cancer Center, Genentech and Roivant, and establish new collaborations;

 

   

Intensify our collaboration with academia; and

 

   

Utilize AbCheck to generate and optimize antibodies.

Our Strengths

We believe we are a leader in developing cancer immunotherapies due to several factors:

 

   

Our lead product candidate, AFM13, is a first-in-class innate cell engager for hematologic cancer indications;

 

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Our development candidate, AFM24, is a first-in-class innate cell engager for solid tumor indications;

 

   

Our modular and versatile ROCK® platform, which we believe will enable future product candidates and collaborations with pharmaceutical companies;

 

   

We retain global commercial rights for AFM13, AFM24 and AFM28;

 

   

Our experienced management team has a strong track record in the development and commercialization of new medicines; and

 

   

We have a strong technology base and solid patent portfolio in the field of targeted immuno-oncology.

Recent Developments

In January 2021, the Group entered into a loan agreement with Silicon Valley Bank German Branch (SVB) which provides Affimed with up to €25 million in term loans in three tranches: €10 million available at closing, an additional €7.5 million upon the achievement of certain conditions, including milestones related to Affimed’s pipeline and market capitalization, and a third tranche of €7.5 million upon the achievement of certain additional conditions related to Affimed’s pipeline and liquidity. The first tranche of €10 million was drawn in February 2021. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, the loans will bear interest at the greater of the European Central Bank Base Rate and 0%, plus 5.5%, and Affimed is entitled to make interest only payments through December 1, 2022, or June 1, 2023 if Affimed draws on the third tranche of the loans. The loans will mature at the end of November 2025.

On January 15, 2021 the Group issued 19,166,667 common shares at a price of $6.00 per share in a public offering and achieved gross proceeds before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses of the offering of $115 million.

On February 3, 2021 Affimed announced a collaboration with Roche to study AFM24 in combination with Roche’s PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expressing solid tumors. Under the terms of the agreement, Affimed will fund and conduct a Phase 1/2a clinical trial to investigate the combination of AFM24 and atezolizumab for the treatment of advanced solid EGFR expressing malignancies in patients whose disease has progressed after treatment with previous anticancer therapies. Roche will supply Affimed with atezolizumab for the clinical trial. The Phase 1/2a study will establish a dosing regimen for the combination therapy and assess safety and potential activity.

On March 10, 2021, Affimed announced its decision to continue enrollment in the REDIRECT trial, which is evaluating AFM13 as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory CD30-positive peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). The decision to continue the trial followed a preplanned interim futility analysis. The interim analysis was triggered following enrollment of 20 patients in both Cohort A (³10% CD30) and Cohort B (>1% to <10% CD30). The futility boundary was derived from response rates for previous therapies that have received accelerated approval in relapsed or refractory (R/R) PTCL. The futility analysis demonstrated that the response rate in Cohort A achieved the predefined threshold for continuation of the study. The response rate in Cohort B was sufficiently comparable to allow merging of both cohorts into a single cohort for all patients with CD30 >1%, per the study protocol.

On March 31, 2021 Affimed and NKGen (previously NKMax) America announced FDA clearance of an IND application to study the combination of AFM24, an EGFR targeted innate cell engager, with SNK-01 natural killer cell therapy in solid tumors. The combination represents a novel approach to exploring innate immunity-based therapeutics to treat patients with solid tumors who failed conventional therapy with the aim to improve outcomes for high-medical need patient populations.

 

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On April 9, 2021, Affimed announced initial clinical data from an investigator-sponsored study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center evaluating cord blood-derived natural killer (cbNK) cells pre-complexed with AFM13. All four patients treated as of March 31, 2021 experienced significant disease reduction, with two complete responses and two partial responses as assessed by the investigator, with an objective response rate of 100%. There were no observed events of cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity syndrome or graft-versus-host disease.

In June 2021, Genentech informed us that it has completed the dose escalation portion of the phase 1 study of RO7297089 (anti-BCMA/CD16A). No dose limiting toxicities were observed during the study. However, due to broader portfolio considerations, Genentech decided to stop the phase 1 study of RO7297089. The decision does not impact the development of other targets pursuant to the collaboration agreement with Genentech, and has no impact on the current contract liabilities and future expected revenue associated with such contract liabilities.

On November 4, 2021, we announced the tumor target for AFM28. AFM28 is a bispecific, tetravalent ICE® that targets CD16A on innate immune cells, including NK cells and macrophages, and CD123 on leukemic cells. We intend to present preclinical data at the 63rd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition (ASH)in December 2021 and plan to submit an IND application to the FDA in the first half of 2022. Our clinical program is planned to investigate AFM28 as a treatment designed to address needs of patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and other CD123+ myeloid malignancies.

Annual General Meeting

At the annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 15, 2021, our shareholders authorized our management board (subject to approval of our supervisory board) to acquire for a period of 18 months (with effect from June 15, 2021 until December 15, 2022), common shares on Nasdaq or otherwise, at a price per common share not exceeding 110% of the most recent price of a common share or any stock exchange where the common shares are listed. The numbers of common shares the Company is permitted to acquire and hold may not exceed 10% of the issued share capital as of June 15, 2021.

Corporate Information

Our principal executive offices are located at Technologiepark, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Our telephone number is (+49) 6221-6743-60. Investors should contact us for any inquiries through the address and telephone number of our principal executive office. Our principal website is www.affimed.com. The information contained on our website is not a part of this prospectus supplement.

 

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THE OFFERING

 

Common shares offered by us

Common shares having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000.

 

Manner of Offering

“At the market” offering that may be made from time to time through our sales agent, Jefferies. See “Plan of Distribution.”

 

Use of Proceeds

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with our other cash resources, primarily to fund research and development expenses for our clinical and preclinical research and development activities and for working capital and general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

Risk Factors

You should read the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus supplement, as well as those risks and uncertainties identified in the documents incorporated by reference herein, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, for a discussion of factors to consider carefully before deciding to purchase our common shares.

 

The Nasdaq Global Market Symbol

“AFMD.”

 

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RISK FACTORS

You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, as well as those risks and uncertainties identified in the documents incorporated by reference herein, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, before making an investment in our common shares. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially and adversely affected if any of these risks occurs, and as a result, the market price of our common shares could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment. This prospectus supplement also contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. See “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” Our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors.

Risks Related to this Offering

Future sales, or the possibility of future sales, of a substantial number of our common shares could adversely affect the price of the shares and dilute shareholders.

Future sales of a substantial number of our common shares, or the perception that such sales will occur, could cause a decline in the market price of our common shares. Pursuant to the at-the-market program, and potentially other offerings, we plan to continue to raise money to fund our operations through the issuance of our equity securities. If our existing shareholders sell substantial amounts of common shares in the public market, or the market perceives that such sales may occur, the market price of our common shares and our ability to raise capital through an issue of equity securities in the future could be adversely affected. In addition, we have registered on a Form S-8 registration statement all common shares that we may issue under our equity compensation plans. As a result, these shares can be freely sold in the public market upon issuance, subject to volume limitations applicable to affiliates.

If we sell common shares, convertible securities or other equity securities, existing shareholders may be diluted by such sales, and in certain cases new investors could gain rights superior to our existing shareholders. Any sales of our common shares, or the perception that such sales could occur, could have a negative impact on the trading price of our shares.

If you purchase common shares in this offering, you will suffer immediate dilution of your investment.

The public offering price of our common shares may exceed the as adjusted net tangible book value per common share. Therefore, if you purchase common shares in this offering, you may pay a price per common share that substantially exceeds our as adjusted net tangible book value per common share after this offering. To the extent outstanding options or warrants are exercised, you will incur further dilution.

Assuming that an aggregate of 16,051,364 of our common shares are sold at a price of $6.23 per share pursuant to this prospectus supplement, which was the last reported sale price of our common shares on Nasdaq on November 9, 2021, for aggregate gross proceeds of $100 million, after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us, you would experience immediate dilution of $4.39 per common share, representing the difference between our as adjusted net tangible book value per common share as of September 30, 2021, after giving effect to this offering and the assumed offering price.

It is possible that we may be a PFIC in 2021 or one or more future taxable years. A U.S. investor may suffer adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences if we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which the U.S. investor holds common shares.

Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, we will be a PFIC for any taxable year in which, after the application of certain “look-through” rules with respect to subsidiaries, either (i) 75% or more of our gross income consists of “passive income,” or (ii) 50% or more of the average quarterly value of our assets

 

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consist of assets that produce, or are held for the production of, “passive income.” Although we have not performed a definitive PFIC analysis using U.S. federal income tax principles, based on certain estimates as to composition of our income and assets, including the implied value, based on our market capitalization, of our assets that produce non-passive income, in 2021 to date, it is possible that we would be treated as a PFIC with respect to 2021. Passive income generally includes, among other things, interest, dividends, certain non-active rents and royalties and capital gains. Whether we will be a PFIC in 2021 or any future taxable year is uncertain because, among other things, we currently own a substantial amount of passive assets, including cash, and because the valuation of our assets that generate non-passive income for PFIC purposes, including our intangible assets, is uncertain and may vary substantially over time. In addition, the composition of our assets and income may vary substantially over time. The average quarterly value of our assets for purposes of determining our PFIC status for any taxable year will generally be determined in part by reference to our market capitalization, which has fluctuated and may continue to fluctuate significantly over time. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that we will not be a PFIC in 2021 or for any future taxable year. In addition, we may, directly or indirectly, hold equity interests in other entities, including certain of our subsidiaries that are PFICs, or “Lower-tier PFICs.”

If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. investor holds common shares, we generally will continue to be treated as a PFIC with respect to that U.S. investor for all succeeding years during which the U.S. investor holds common shares, even if we cease to meet the threshold requirements for PFIC status. Such a U.S. investor may be subject to adverse tax consequences, including (i) the treatment of all or a portion of any gain on disposition as ordinary income, (ii) the application of a deferred interest charge on such gain and the receipt of certain dividends and (iii) compliance with certain reporting requirements. To avoid the application of the foregoing rules, a U.S. investor can make an election to treat us and each Lower-tier PFIC as a qualified electing fund (a “QEF Election”) in the first taxable year that we and each Lower-tier PFIC are treated as PFICs with respect to the U.S. investor. We currently intend to provide the information necessary for a U.S. investor to make a QEF Election with respect to us and each Lower-tier PFIC that we control for 2021 and for any future years with respect to which we determine that we or any Lower-tier PFIC that we control are or are likely to be a PFIC. A U.S. investor can also avoid certain of the adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences described above by making a mark-to-market election with respect to its common shares, provided that the common shares are “marketable.” U.S. investors should consult their tax advisers regarding the availability and advisability of making a QEF Election or a mark-to-market election in their particular circumstances. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” for further information regarding the consequences to a U.S. investor if we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which the U.S. investor holds common shares.

Dividends distributed by the Company on the Shares to certain related parties in low-tax jurisdictions might in the future become subject to an alternative Dutch withholding tax on dividends.

Under current Dutch tax law, dividends paid on the Shares are in principle subject to Dutch dividend withholding tax at a rate of 15% under the Dutch Dividend Withholding Tax Act (“Regular dividend withholding tax”), unless a domestic or treaty exemption or reduction applies. On 25 March 2021, the Dutch State Secretary for Finance submitted a proposal of law to the Dutch parliament pursuant to which an alternative withholding tax (“Alternative withholding tax”) will be imposed on dividends paid to related entities in low-tax jurisdictions, effective 1 January 2024. An entity is related if (i) it holds, directly or indirectly a qualifying interest in the Company, (ii) the Company directly or indirectly holds a qualifying interest in the entity or (iii) it is an entity in which a third party holds a direct or indirect qualifying interest while that third party also holds a qualifying interest in the Company. An entity is also considered related to the Company if the entity is part of a collaborating group (samenwerkende groep) of entities that jointly directly or indirectly holds a qualifying interest in the Company. The term qualifying interest means a direct or indirectly held interest – either by an entity individually or jointly if an entity is part of a collaborating group – that enables such entity or such collaborating group to exercise a definite influence over another entities’ decisions, such as the Company, and allows it to determine the other entities’ activities. The Alternative withholding tax will be imposed at the highest Dutch corporate income tax rate in effect at the time of the distribution (currently 25%). The Alternative withholding tax will be reduced, but not below zero, with any Regular dividend withholding tax imposed on

 

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distributions. As such, based on currently applicable rates, the overall effective rate of withholding of Regular dividend withholding tax and Alternative withholding tax will not exceed the highest corporate income tax rate in effect at the time of the distribution (currently 25%). The proposal of law is subject to amendment during the course of the legislative process and it needs to be approved by both chambers of the Dutch parliament before it can enter into force.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We may issue and sell our common shares from time to time. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time.

As of September 30, 2021, we had cash and cash equivalents of €198.7 million. We anticipate that we will use our existing liquidity and the net proceeds of this offering primarily to fund research and development expenses for our clinical and preclinical research and development activities and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Our expected use of net proceeds from this offering represents our current intentions based upon our present plans and business condition. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we cannot predict with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the closing of this offering or the amounts that we will actually spend on the uses set forth above. The amounts and timing of our actual use of net proceeds will vary depending on numerous factors, including our ability to obtain additional financing, the relative success and cost of our research, preclinical and clinical development programs, including a change in our planned course of development or the termination of a clinical program necessitated by the results of data received from clinical trials, the amount and timing of additional revenues, if any, received from our collaborations and whether we enter into future collaborations. As a result, management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds, and investors will be relying on our judgment regarding the application of the net proceeds of this offering. In addition, we might decide to postpone or not pursue other clinical trials or preclinical activities if the net proceeds from this offering and our other sources of cash are less than expected.

Based on our current operating and budget assumptions, we believe that our existing liquidity will enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements at least into the second half of 2023. The net proceeds of this offering, if we issue and sell our common shares with maximum aggregate sales proceeds of $100 million as specified in this prospectus supplement, would extend our financial reach, assuming that the plans for our clinical and preclinical activities remain unchanged. We have based these estimates on assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect.

Pending their use, we plan to invest a portion of the net proceeds from this offering in short- and intermediate-term interest-bearing financial assets and certificates of deposit.

DIVIDEND POLICY

We have never paid or declared any cash dividends on our common shares, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common shares in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and expansion of our business. Under Dutch law, we may only pay dividends to the extent that our shareholders’ equity (eigen vermogen) exceeds the sum of the paid-up and called-up share capital plus the reserves required to be maintained by Dutch law or by our Articles of Association. Subject to such restrictions, any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our management board and requires approval of our supervisory board and will depend upon a number of factors, including our results of operations, financial condition, future prospects, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable law and other factors our management board and supervisory board deem relevant.

 

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DILUTION

If you invest in our common shares in this offering, your ownership interest will be diluted immediately to the extent of the difference between the price you pay in this offering and the net tangible book value per common share after this offering.

Our net tangible book value as of September 30, 2021 was $153.1 million (€132.2 million), or $1.28 per common share (€1.10 per common share), based on 119,797,165 common shares then outstanding. Net tangible book value per share represents the amount of our total assets less our total liabilities, excluding intangible assets, divided by 119,797,165, the total number of our common shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2021.

After giving effect to the assumed sale by us of our common shares in the aggregate amount of $100 million at an assumed public offering price of $6.23 per share (the last sale price of our common shares on November 9, 2021 as reported on Nasdaq), less the estimated commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our net tangible book value at September 30, 2021 would have been $250.5 million, or $1.84 per common share. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $0.56 per share to existing shareholders and an immediate dilution of $4.39 per share to investors in this offering. The following table illustrates this per share dilution. The as adjusted information is illustrative only and will adjust based on the actual price to the public, the actual number of shares sold and other terms of the offering determined at the time our common shares are sold pursuant to this prospectus supplement. The shares sold in this offering, if any, will be sold from time to time at various prices.

 

Assumed Public offering price per share

   $ 6.23  

Net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2021

   $ 1.28  

Increase per share attributable to new investors purchasing shares in this offering

   $ 0.56  

As adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this offering

   $ 1.84  

Dilution per share to new investors

   $ 4.39  

The above discussion and table are based on our actual common shares outstanding as of September 30, 2021 and excludes:

 

   

10.4 million common shares issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding as of September 30, 2021, at a weighted-average exercise price of $5.16 per common share (€4.46 per common share);

 

   

12.1 million common shares covered by awards available for issuance under our equity incentive plan as of September 30, 2021;

 

   

106,250 common shares covered by warrants issued to Perceptive with an exercise price of $8.80 per common share (€7.60 per common share) as of September 30, 2021; and

 

   

3.3 million common shares issued under our ATM program subsequent to September 30, 2021 through the date of this prospectus supplement.

To the extent that outstanding options are exercised, you will experience further dilution. In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. To the extent that additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of such securities may result in further dilution to our shareholders.

 

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DUTCH TAX CONSIDERATIONS

This section outlines the principal Dutch tax consequences of the acquisition, holding, settlement, redemption and disposal of common shares in the capital of the Company, or the Shares. It does not present a comprehensive or complete description of all aspects of Dutch tax law which could be relevant to a holder of Shares (a “Shareholder”). For Dutch tax purposes, a Shareholder may include an individual or entity not holding the legal title to the Shares, but to whom, or to which, the Shares are, or the income from the Shares is, nevertheless attributed based either on this individual or entity owning a beneficial interest in the Shares or on specific statutory provisions. These include statutory provisions attributing Shares to an individual who is, or who has directly or indirectly inherited from a person who was, the settlor, grantor or similar originator of a trust, foundation or similar entity that holds the Shares.

This section is intended as general information only. A prospective Shareholder should consult his own tax adviser regarding the tax consequences of any acquisition, holding or disposal of Shares.

This section is based on Dutch tax law as applied and interpreted by Dutch tax courts and as published and in effect on the date of this prospectus supplement, including the tax rates applicable on that date, without prejudice to any amendments introduced at a later date and implemented with or without retroactive effect.

Any reference in this section made to Dutch taxes, Dutch tax or Dutch tax law should be construed as a reference to any taxes of any nature levied by or on behalf of the Netherlands or any of its subdivisions or taxing authorities or to the law governing such taxes, respectively. The Netherlands means the part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands located in Europe.

Any reference made to a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation concluded by the Netherlands includes the Tax Regulation for the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Belastingregeling voor het Koninkrijk), the Tax Regulation for the State of the Netherlands (Belastingregeling voor het land Nederland), the Tax Regulations for the Netherlands and Curacao (Belastingregeling Nederland Curacao), the Tax Regulations for the Netherlands and St. Maarten (Belastingregeling Nederland Sint Maarten) and the Agreement between the Taipei Representative Office in the Netherlands and the Netherlands Trade and Investment Office in Taipei for the avoidance of double taxation.

This section does not describe any Dutch tax considerations or consequences that may be relevant where a Shareholder:

 

  (i)

is an individual and the Shareholder’s income or capital gains derived from the Shares are attributable to employment activities, the income from which is taxable in the Netherlands;

 

  (ii)

has a substantial interest (aanmerkelijk belang) or a fictitious substantial interest (fictief aanmerkelijk belang) in the Company within the meaning of chapter 4 of the Dutch Income Tax Act 2001 (Wet inkomstenbelasting 2001). Generally, a Shareholder has a substantial interest in the Company if the Shareholder, alone or—in case of an individual—together with a partner for Dutch tax purposes, or any relative by blood or by marriage in the ascending or descending line (including foster children) or either of them, owns or holds, or is deemed to own or hold, certain rights to shares, including rights to directly or indirectly acquire shares, directly or indirectly representing 5% or more of the Company’s issued capital as a whole or of any class of Shares or profit participating certificates (winstbewijzen) relating to 5% or more of the Company’s annual profits or 5% or more of the Company’s liquidation proceeds;

 

  (iii)

is an entity which under the Dutch Corporate Income Tax Act 1969 (Wet op de vennootschapsbelasting 1969) (“CITA”), is not subject to Dutch corporate income tax or is fully or partly exempt from Dutch corporate income tax (such as a qualifying pension fund);

 

  (iv)

is an investment institution (beleggingsinstelling) as described in Section 6a or 28 CITA;

 

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  (v)

is required to apply the participation exemption (deelnemingsvrijstelling) with respect to the Shares (as defined in Section 13 CITA). Generally, a Shareholder is required to apply the participation exemption if it is subject to Dutch corporate income tax and it, alone or together with a related entity, holds an interest of 5% or more of the nominal paid-up share capital in the Company; or

 

  (vi)

holds the Shares through an entity which is treated as transparent for Dutch tax purposes, while being treated as a resident under the laws of another state.

Withholding Tax

A Shareholder is generally subject to Dutch dividend withholding tax at a rate of 15% on dividends distributed by the Company. Generally, the Company is responsible for the withholding of such dividend withholding tax at source.

However, a Shareholder will generally not be subject to Dutch dividend withholding tax on dividends distributed by the Company if, and for as long as, the Company is resident solely in Germany for purposes of the convention between Germany and the Netherlands for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income (the “German—Dutch tax treaty”), unless:

 

  (i)

the Shareholder is a Dutch Individual (as defined below) or a Dutch Corporate Entity (as defined below); or

 

  (ii)

the Shareholder is a Non-Dutch Individual (as defined below) or a Non-Dutch Corporate Entity (as defined below) and derives profits from an enterprise, which enterprise is, in whole or in part, carried on through a permanent establishment (vaste inrichting) or a permanent representative (vaste vertegenwoordiger) in the Netherlands, to which the Shares are attributable.

Dividends distributed by the Company include, but are not limited to:

 

  (i)

distributions of profits in cash or in kind, whatever they be named or in whatever form;

 

  (ii)

proceeds from the liquidation of the Company or proceeds from the repurchase of Shares by the Company, other than as a temporary portfolio investment (tijdelijke belegging), in excess of the average paid-in capital recognized for Dutch dividend withholding tax purposes;

 

  (iii)

the par value of the Shares issued to a Shareholder or an increase in the par value of the Shares, to the extent that no related contribution, recognized for Dutch dividend withholding tax purposes, has been made or will be made; and

 

  (iv)

partial repayment of paid-in capital, that is

 

  (A)

not recognized for Dutch dividend withholding tax purposes, or

 

  (B)

recognized for Dutch dividend withholding tax purposes, to the extent that the Company has “net profits” (zuivere winst), unless (a) the general meeting of shareholders has resolved in advance to make this repayment, and (b) the par value of the Shares concerned has been reduced by an equal amount by way of an amendment to the articles of association of the Company. The term “net profits” includes anticipated profits that have yet to be realized.

If a Shareholder is resident or deemed to be resident in the Netherlands, such Shareholder is generally entitled to an exemption or a credit for any Dutch dividend withholding tax against his Dutch tax liability and to a refund of any residual Dutch dividend withholding tax.

Depending on specific circumstances, a Shareholder resident in a country other than the Netherlands may be entitled to an exemption from, reduction of, or full or partial refund of, Dutch dividend withholding tax under Dutch law, European Union, or the EU, law or treaties for the avoidance of double taxation.

 

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According to Dutch domestic anti-dividend stripping rules, no credit against Dutch tax, exemption from, reduction, or refund of Dutch dividend withholding tax will be granted if the recipient of the dividends paid by the Company is not considered to be the beneficial owner (uiteindelijk gerechtigde) of those dividends.

The Dutch Dividend Withholding Tax Act 1965 (Wet op de dividendbelasting 1965) (“DWTA”), provides for a non-exhaustive negative description of a beneficial owner. According to the DWTA, a Shareholder will not be considered the beneficial owner of the dividends for this purpose if as a consequence of a combination of transactions:

 

  (i)

a person other than the Shareholder wholly or partly, directly or indirectly, benefits from the dividends;

 

  (ii)

whereby this other person retains or acquires, directly or indirectly, an interest similar to that in the Shares on which the dividends were paid; and

 

  (iii)

that other person is entitled to a credit, reduction or refund of Dutch dividend withholding tax that is less than that of the Shareholder.

Please refer to the paragraph “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, which is incorporated herein by reference, for a risk factor regarding the Company’s tax residency and the consequences thereof. Please refer to the paragraph “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement for a risk regarding proposed legislation relating to dividends distributed by a Dutch company to certain related parties in low-taxed jurisdictions which may be subject to an additional Dutch dividend withholding tax.

Taxes on Income and Capital Gains

Residents of the Netherlands

The description of certain Dutch tax consequences in this subsection is only intended for the following Shareholders:

 

  (i)

individuals who are resident or deemed to be resident in the Netherlands (“Dutch Individuals”); and

 

  (ii)

entities or enterprises that are subject to the CITA and are resident or deemed to be resident in the Netherlands (“Dutch Corporate Entities”).

Dutch Individuals engaged or deemed to be engaged in an enterprise or in miscellaneous activities

Dutch Individuals engaged or deemed to be engaged in an enterprise or in miscellaneous activities (resultaat uit overige werkzaamheden) are generally subject to income tax at statutory progressive rates with a maximum of 49.50% (2021) on any benefits derived or deemed to be derived from the Shares, including any capital gains realized on any disposal of the Shares, where those benefits are attributable to:

 

  (i)

an enterprise from which a Dutch Individual derives profits, whether as an entrepreneur (ondernemer) or by being co-entitled (medegerechtigde) to the net worth of this enterprise other than as an entrepreneur or shareholder; or

 

  (ii)

miscellaneous activities, including activities which are beyond the scope of active portfolio investment activities (meer dan normaal vermogensbeheer).

Dutch Individuals not engaged or deemed to be engaged in an enterprise or in miscellaneous activities

Generally, the Shares held by a Dutch Individual who is not engaged or deemed to be engaged in an enterprise or in miscellaneous activities, or who is so engaged or deemed to be engaged but the Shares are not attributable to that enterprise or miscellaneous activities, will be subject to annual income tax imposed on a fictitious yield on the Shares. The Shares held by this Dutch Individual will be taxed under the regime for savings and investments (inkomen uit sparen en beleggen). Irrespective of the actual income or capital gains realized, the

 

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annual taxable benefit from a Dutch Individual’s assets and liabilities taxed under this regime, including the Shares, is set at a percentage of the positive balance of the fair market value of these assets, including the Shares, and the fair market value of these liabilities. The percentage (2021) increases:

 

  (i)

from 1.8978% over the first EUR 50,000 of such positive balance;

 

  (ii)

to 4.5014% over any excess positive balance between EUR 500,000.01 up to and including EUR 950,000; and

 

  (iii)

to a maximum of 5.69% over any excess positive balance of EUR 950,000.01 or higher.

The percentages under (i) to (iii) will be reassessed each year and the amounts under (i) to (iii) will be adjusted for inflation each year. No taxation occurs if this positive balance does not exceed a certain threshold (heffingvrij vermogen). The fair market value of assets, including the Shares, and liabilities that are taxed under this regime is measured exclusively on 1 January of every calendar year. The tax rate under the regime for savings and investments is a flat rate of 31%.

Dutch Corporate Entities

Dutch Corporate Entities are generally subject to corporate income tax at statutory rates up to 25% (2021) on any benefits derived or deemed to be derived from the Shares, including any capital gains realized on their disposal.

Non-Residents of the Netherlands

The description of certain Dutch tax consequences in this subsection is only intended for the following Shareholders:

 

  (a)

individuals who are not resident and not deemed to be resident in the Netherlands (“Non-Dutch Individuals”); and

 

  (b)

entities that are not resident and not deemed to be resident in the Netherlands (“Non-Dutch Corporate Entities”).

Non-Dutch Individuals

A Non-Dutch Individual will not be subject to any Dutch taxes on income or capital gains derived from the purchase, ownership and disposal or transfer of the Shares, other than withholding tax as described above, unless:

 

  (i)

the Non-Dutch Individual derives profits from an enterprise, whether as entrepreneur or by being co-entitled to the net worth of this enterprise other than as an entrepreneur or shareholder and this enterprise is carried on through a permanent establishment (vaste inrichting) or a permanent representative (vaste vertegenwoordiger) in the Netherlands, to which the Shares are attributable;

 

  (ii)

the Non-Dutch Individual derives benefits from miscellaneous activities carried on in the Netherlands in respect of the Shares, including activities which are beyond the scope of active portfolio investment activities; or

 

  (iii)

the Non-Dutch Individual is entitled to a share—other than by way of securities—in the profits of an enterprise which is effectively managed in the Netherlands and to which enterprise the Shares are attributable.

 

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Non-Dutch Corporate Entities

A Non-Dutch Corporate Entity will not be subject to any Dutch taxes on income or capital gains in respect of the purchase, ownership and disposal or transfer of the Shares, other than withholding tax as described above, unless:

 

  (i)

the Non-Dutch Corporate Entity derives profits from an enterprise, which enterprise is, in whole or in part, carried on through a permanent establishment or a permanent representative in the Netherlands, to which the Shares are attributable; or

 

  (ii)

the Non-Dutch Corporate Entity is entitled to a share in the profits of an enterprise or a co-entitlement to the net worth of an enterprise, other than by way of securities, which enterprise is effectively managed in the Netherlands and to which enterprise the Shares are attributable.

Under certain specific circumstances, Dutch taxation rights may be restricted for Non-Dutch Individuals and Non-Dutch Corporate Entities pursuant to treaties for the avoidance of double taxation concluded by the Netherlands.

Dutch Gift Tax or Inheritance Tax

No Dutch gift tax or inheritance tax is due in respect of any gift of the Shares by, or inheritance of the Shares on the death of, a Shareholder, unless:

 

  (i)

the Shareholder is resident, or is deemed to be resident, in the Netherlands at the time of the gift or death of the Shareholder;

 

  (ii)

the Shareholder dies within 180 days after the date of the gift of the Shares and was or was deemed to be, resident in the Netherlands at the time of his death but not at the time of the gift; or

 

  (iii)

the gift of the Shares is made under a condition precedent and the Shareholder is resident, or is deemed to be resident, in the Netherlands at the time the condition is fulfilled.

Other Taxes and Duties

No other Dutch taxes, including turnover or value added taxes and taxes of a documentary nature, such as capital tax, stamp or registration tax or duty, are payable by, or on behalf of, the Shareholder by reason only of the purchase, ownership and disposal of the Shares.

Residency

A Shareholder will not become a resident or deemed resident of the Netherlands by reason only of holding the Shares.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a description of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to the U.S. Holders described below of owning and disposing of common shares acquired in this offering. It does not describe all tax considerations that may be relevant to a particular person’s decision to acquire, own or dispose of the common shares.

This section applies only to a U.S. Holder that acquires common shares pursuant to this offering and holds such common shares as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, it does not set forth all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant in light of the U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances, including alternative minimum tax consequences, the potential application of the provisions of the Code known as the Medicare contribution tax and tax consequences applicable to U.S. Holders subject to special rules, such as:

 

   

certain financial institutions;

 

   

dealers or traders in securities who use a mark-to-market method of tax accounting;

 

   

persons holding common shares as part of a hedging transaction, straddle, wash sale, conversion transaction or other integrated transaction or persons entering into a constructive sale with respect to the common shares;

 

   

persons whose functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar;

 

   

entities or arrangements classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

 

   

tax-exempt entities, including an “individual retirement account” or “Roth IRA”;

 

   

persons that own or are deemed to own ten percent or more of our shares (by vote or value);

 

   

persons that acquire common shares directly or indirectly in connection with the performance of services;

 

   

persons who are subject to Section 451(b) of the Code; or

 

   

persons holding common shares in connection with a trade or business conducted outside of the United States.

If an entity that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds common shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partner and the partnership. Partnerships holding common shares and partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisers as to the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of the common shares.

This section is based on the Code, administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions, final, temporary and proposed Treasury Regulations, and the income tax treaty between Germany and the United States and the income tax treaty between the Netherlands and the United States (as applicable and as the context requires the “Treaty”) all as of the date hereof, any of which is subject to change or differing interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect. No assurance can be given that the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, will agree with the views expressed in this discussion, or that a court will not sustain any challenge by the IRS in the event of litigation. We have not obtained, nor do we intend to obtain, a ruling from the IRS with respect to the statements made and the conclusions reached in the following summary.

A “U.S. Holder” is a holder who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is a beneficial owner of common shares, who is eligible for the benefits of the Treaty and who is:

 

   

a citizen or individual resident of the United States;

 

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a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state therein or the District of Columbia; or

 

   

an estate or trust the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source.

U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers concerning the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of owning and disposing of common shares in their particular circumstances. In particular, because our group includes a U.S. subsidiary, (Affimed Inc., a Delaware corporation) and therefore under current law our non-U.S. subsidiaries (Affimed GmbH and AbCheck s.r.o.) are treated as controlled foreign corporations (regardless of whether we are or are not treated as a controlled foreign corporation), any U.S. Holder that owns or is deemed to own ten percent or more of our shares (by vote or value) is urged to consult its tax adviser regarding the potential application of the “Subpart F income” and “global intangible low-taxed income” rules to an investment in our common shares.

Taxation of Distributions

We do not currently expect to make distributions on our common shares. In the event that we do make distributions of cash or other property, subject to the passive foreign investment company rules described below, distributions paid on common shares, other than certain pro rata distributions of common shares, will be treated as dividends to the extent paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). If we are not treated as a PFIC with respect to a U.S. Holder and were not treated as a PFIC with the respect to the U.S. Holder in the preceding taxable year, for so long as our common shares are listed on Nasdaq or another established securities market in the United States or we are eligible for benefits under the Treaty, dividends paid to such a U.S. Holder that is not a corporation would generally be eligible for taxation as “qualified dividend income” if certain other requirements are met, which is taxable at rates not in excess of the long-term capital gain rate applicable to such U.S. Holders. The amount of a dividend will include any amounts withheld by us in respect of German or Dutch income taxes.

Subject to the passive foreign investment company rules described below, the amount of the dividend will be treated as foreign-source dividend income to U.S. Holders and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction available to U.S. corporations under the Code. Subject to the passive foreign investment company rules described below, dividends will be included in a U.S. Holder’s income on the date of the U.S. Holder’s receipt of the dividend. The amount of any dividend income paid in euros will be the U.S. dollar amount calculated by reference to the exchange rate in effect on the date of actual or constructive receipt, regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted into U.S. dollars at that time. A U.S. Holder may have foreign currency gain or loss if the dividend is converted into U.S. dollars after the date of receipt.

Subject to applicable limitations, German or Dutch income taxes withheld from dividends on common shares at a rate not exceeding the rate provided by the Treaty will be eligible for credit against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability. German or Dutch taxes withheld in excess of the rate applicable with respect to such U.S. Holder under the Treaty will not be eligible for credit against a U.S. Holder’s federal income tax liability.

The rules governing foreign tax credits are complex and U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the creditability of foreign taxes in their particular circumstances. In lieu of claiming a foreign tax credit, U.S. Holders may deduct foreign taxes, including any German or Dutch withholding tax, in computing their taxable income, subject to generally applicable limitations under U.S. law. An election to deduct foreign taxes instead of claiming foreign tax credits applies to all foreign taxes paid or accrued in the taxable year.

Sale or Other Disposition of Common Shares

Subject to the passive foreign investment company rules described below, gain or loss realized on the sale or other disposition of common shares will be capital gain or loss, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the

 

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U.S. Holder held the common shares for more than one year. The amount of the gain or loss will equal the difference between the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the common shares disposed of and the amount realized on the disposition, in each case as determined in U.S. dollars. This gain or loss will generally be U.S.-source gain or loss for foreign tax credit purposes.

Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules

Under the Code, we will be a PFIC for any taxable year in which, after the application of certain “look-through” rules with respect to subsidiaries, either (i) 75% or more of our gross income consists of “passive income,” or (ii) 50% or more of the average quarterly value of our assets consists of assets that produce, or are held for the production of, “passive income.” Although we have not performed a definitive PFIC analysis using U.S. federal income tax principles, based on certain estimates as to composition of our income and assets, including the implied value, based on our market capitalization of our assets that produce non-passive income, in 2021 to date, it is possible that we would be treated as a PFIC with respect to 2021. Passive income generally includes, among other things, interest, dividends, certain non-active rents and royalties, and capital gains. Whether we will be a PFIC in 2021 or any future taxable year is uncertain because, among other things, we currently own a substantial amount of passive assets, including cash, and because the valuation of our assets that generate non-passive income for PFIC purposes, including our intangible assets, is uncertain and may vary substantially over time. In addition, the composition of our assets and income may vary substantially over time. The average quarterly value of our assets for purposes of determining our PFIC status for any taxable year will generally be determined in part by reference to our market capitalization, which has fluctuated and may continue to fluctuate significantly over time. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that we will not be a PFIC in 2021 or for any future taxable year.

The IRS recently finalized Treasury Regulations that address various issues related to determining whether a foreign corporation is a PFIC and whether a U.S. shareholder holds PFIC stock and recently released proposed Treasury Regulations that address various issues related to determining whether a foreign corporation is a PFIC. These Treasury Regulations and proposed Treasury Regulations (if finalized) may affect whether we are a PFIC in 2021 or in any future year. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect, if any, these Treasury Regulations may have, or such proposed Treasury Regulations would have, on the determination of our PFIC status.

In addition, we may, directly or indirectly, hold equity interests in Lower-tier PFICs. Under attribution rules, if we are a PFIC, U.S. Holders will be deemed to own their proportionate shares of Lower-tier PFICs and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax according to the rules described in the following paragraphs on (i) certain distributions by a Lower-tier PFIC and (ii) a disposition of shares of a Lower-tier PFIC, in each case as if the U.S. Holders held such shares directly, even though the U.S. Holders have not received the proceeds of those distributions or dispositions directly.

For so long as we are treated as a PFIC with respect to a U.S. Holder (or were treated as a PFIC with respect to the U.S. Holder in the preceding taxable year), dividends paid to certain non-corporate U.S. Holders will not be eligible for taxation as “qualified dividend income.” In addition, if we were a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder held common shares (assuming such U.S. Holder has not made a timely mark-to-market election, as described below), gain recognized by a U.S. Holder on a sale or other disposition (including certain pledges) of the common shares, or an indirect disposition of shares of a Lower-tier PFIC, would be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the common shares. The amounts allocated to the taxable year of the sale or other disposition and to any year before we became a PFIC would be taxed as ordinary income. The amount allocated to each other taxable year would be subject to tax at the highest rate in effect for individuals or corporations, as appropriate, for that taxable year, and an interest charge would be imposed on the amount allocated to that taxable year. Further, to the extent that any distribution received by a U.S. Holder on its common shares (or a distribution by a Lower-tier PFIC to its shareholder that is deemed to be received by a U.S. Holder) exceeds 125% of the average of the annual distributions on the common shares received during the

 

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preceding three years or the U.S. Holder’s holding period, whichever is shorter, that distribution would be subject to taxation in the same manner as gain, described immediately above.

If we are a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. Holder holds common shares, we generally would continue to be treated as a PFIC with respect to that U.S. Holder for all succeeding years during which the U.S. Holder holds common shares, even if we ceased to meet the threshold requirements for PFIC status.

A U.S. Holder can avoid certain of the adverse rules described above by making a mark-to-market election with respect to its common shares, provided that the common shares are “marketable.” Common shares will be marketable if they are “regularly traded” on a “qualified exchange” or other market within the meaning of applicable Treasury Regulations. Our common shares will be treated as “regularly traded” in any calendar year in which more than a de minimis quantity of the common shares is traded on a qualified exchange on at least 15 days during each calendar quarter. Nasdaq, on which the common shares are currently listed, is a qualified exchange for this purpose. If a U.S. Holder makes the mark-to-market election, it will recognize as ordinary income any excess of the fair market value of the common shares at the end of each taxable year over their adjusted tax basis, and will recognize an ordinary loss in respect of any excess of the adjusted tax basis of the common shares over their fair market value at the end of the taxable year (but only to the extent of the net amount of income previously included as a result of the mark-to-market election). If a U.S. Holder makes the election, the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the common shares will be adjusted to reflect the income or loss amounts recognized. Any gain recognized on the sale or other disposition of common shares in a year when we are a PFIC will be treated as ordinary income and any loss will be treated as an ordinary loss (but only to the extent of the net amount of income previously included as a result of the mark-to-market election). U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the availability and advisability of making a mark-to-market election with respect to their common shares because we may have Lower-tier PFICs for which a mark-to-market election may not be available.

In addition, in order to avoid the application of the foregoing rules, a U.S. Holder can make qualified electing fund elections (any such election, a “QEF Election”) with respect to us and each Lower-tier PFIC in the first taxable year that we and each Lower-tier PFIC are treated as PFICs with respect to the U.S. Holder. A U.S. Holder must make the QEF Election for each PFIC by attaching a separate properly completed IRS Form 8621 for each PFIC to the U.S. Holder’s timely filed U.S. federal income tax return generally for the first taxable year that the entity is treated as a PFIC with respect to the U.S. Holder. A U.S. Holder generally may make a separate election to defer payment of taxes on the undistributed income inclusion under the QEF rules, but if deferred, any such taxes are subject to an interest charge. We currently intend to provide the information necessary for a U.S. investor to make a QEF Election with respect to us and each Lower-tier PFIC that we control for 2021 and for any future years with respect to which we determine that we or any Lower-tier PFIC that we control are or are likely to be a PFIC. If a U.S. Holder makes a QEF Election with respect to us or a Lower-tier PFIC that we control, the U.S. Holder will be currently taxable on its pro rata share of the PFIC’s ordinary earnings and net capital gain (at ordinary income and capital gain rates, respectively) for each taxable year that the entity is classified as a PFIC and will not be required to include such amounts in income when actually distributed by the PFIC. If a U.S. Holder makes a QEF Election with respect to us, any distributions paid by us out of our earnings and profits that were previously included in the U.S. Holder’s income under the QEF Election will not be taxable to the U.S. Holder.

A U.S. Holder will increase its tax basis in its common shares by an amount equal to any income included under the QEF Election and will decrease its tax basis by any amount distributed, if any, on the common shares that is not included in its income. In addition, a U.S. Holder will recognize capital gain or loss on the disposition of common shares in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and its adjusted tax basis in the common shares. U.S. Holders should note that if they make QEF Elections with respect to us and Lower-tier PFICs, if any, they may be required to pay U.S. federal income tax with respect to their common shares for any taxable year significantly in excess of any cash distributions, if any, received on the shares for such taxable year. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding making QEF Elections in their particular circumstances.

 

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In addition, if we were a PFIC or, with respect to a particular U.S. Holder, were treated as a PFIC for the taxable year in which we paid a dividend or for the prior taxable year, the preferential dividend rates with respect to dividends paid to certain non-corporate U.S. Holders would not apply.

If a U.S. Holder owns common shares during any year in which we are a PFIC, the U.S. Holder must file annual reports containing such information as the U.S. Treasury may require on IRS Form 8621 (or any successor form) with respect to us (regardless of whether a mark-to-market election or QEF Election is made), generally with the U.S. Holder’s federal income tax return for that year, unless otherwise specified in the instructions with respect to such form. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding whether we are or were a PFIC and the potential application of the PFIC rules.

Information Reporting with Respect to Foreign Financial Assets

Certain U.S. Holders who are individuals and certain entities may be required to report information relating to an interest in our common shares, subject to certain exceptions (including an exception for common shares held in accounts maintained by certain U.S. financial institutions), U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding whether or not they are obligated to report information relating to their ownership and disposition of the common shares.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Payments of dividends and sales proceeds that are made within the United States or through certain U.S.-related financial intermediaries generally are subject to information reporting, and may be subject to backup withholding, unless (i) the U.S. Holder is a corporation or other exempt recipient or (ii) in the case of backup withholding, the U.S. Holder provides a correct taxpayer identification number and certifies that it is not subject to backup withholding.

The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a U.S. Holder will be allowed as a credit against the holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle it to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We have entered into a sale agreement with Jefferies, under which we may offer and sell up to $100,000,000 of our common shares from time to time through Jefferies acting as agent. Sales of our common shares, if any, under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus will be made by any method that is deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act.

Each time we wish to issue and sell our common shares under the sale agreement, we will notify Jefferies of the number of shares to be issued, the dates on which such sales are anticipated to be made, any limitation on the number of shares to be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made. Once we have so instructed Jefferies, unless Jefferies declines to accept the terms of such notice, Jefferies has agreed to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such shares up to the amount specified on such terms. The obligations of Jefferies under the sale agreement to sell our common shares are subject to a number of conditions that we must meet.

The settlement of sales of shares between us and Jefferies is generally anticipated to occur on the second trading day following the date on which the sale was made. Sales of our common shares as contemplated in this prospectus supplement will be settled through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company or by such other means as we and Jefferies may agree upon. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

We will pay Jefferies a commission of up to 3.00% of the aggregate gross proceeds we receive from each sale of our common shares. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. We will report at least quarterly the number of common shares sold through Jefferies under the sale agreement, the net proceeds to us and the compensation paid by us to Jefferies in connection with the sales of common shares. In addition, we have agreed to reimburse Jefferies for the fees and disbursements of its counsel, payable upon execution of the sale agreement, in an amount not to exceed $50,000, in addition to certain ongoing disbursements of its legal counsel. The remaining sale proceeds, after deducting any other transaction fees, will equal our net proceeds from the sale of such shares.

Jefferies will provide written confirmation to us before the open on Nasdaq on the day following each day on which our common shares are sold under the sale agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares sold on that day, the aggregate gross proceeds of such sales and the proceeds to us.

In connection with the sale of our common shares on our behalf, Jefferies will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation of Jefferies will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to indemnify Jefferies against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We have also agreed to contribute to payments Jefferies may be required to make in respect of such liabilities.

The offering of our common shares pursuant to the sale agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the sale of all common shares subject to the sale agreement and (ii) the termination of the sale agreement as permitted therein. We and Jefferies may each terminate the sale agreement at any time upon ten days’ prior notice.

This summary of the material provisions of the sale agreement does not purport to be a complete statement of its terms and conditions. A copy of the sale agreement is filed as an exhibit to a report on Form 6-K filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

Jefferies and its affiliates may in the future provide various investment banking, commercial banking, financial advisory and other financial services for us and our affiliates, for which services they may in the future

 

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receive customary fees. In the course of its business, Jefferies may actively trade our securities for its own account or for the accounts of customers, and, accordingly, Jefferies may at any time hold long or short positions in such securities.

A prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in electronic format may be made available on a website maintained by Jefferies, and Jefferies may distribute the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus electronically.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the common shares and certain other matters of Dutch law will be passed upon for us by De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V. Certain matters of U.S. federal and New York State law will be passed upon for us by Kirkland & Ellis LLP, New York, New York. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, New York, New York is U.S. federal and New York State law counsel for Jefferies in connection with this offering.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Affimed N.V. as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2020, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020 have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference elsewhere herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement (including amendments and exhibits to the registration statement) on Form F-3 under the Securities Act. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of certain information filed by us with the SEC are also available on our website at http://www.affimed.com. Our website is not a part of this prospectus supplement and is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

This prospectus supplement is part of a registration statement we filed with the SEC. This prospectus supplement omits some information contained in the registration statement in accordance with SEC rules and regulations. You should review the information and exhibits in the registration statement for further information on us and our consolidated subsidiaries and the securities we are offering. Statements in this prospectus supplement concerning any document we filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or that we otherwise filed with the SEC are not intended to be comprehensive and are qualified by reference to these filings. You should review the complete document to evaluate these statements.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference information into this document. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this document, except for any information superseded by information that is included directly in this prospectus supplement incorporated by reference subsequent to the date of this prospectus supplement.

We incorporate by reference the following documents or information that we have filed with the SEC:

 

   

Our 2020 Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020;

 

   

Our Forms 6-K filed on May 20, 2021 (other than Exhibit 99.1), June  16, 2021, July  1, 2021, September 8, 2021 and November 10, 2021 (other than Exhibit 99.1); and

 

   

The description of our common shares contained in Exhibit 2 to our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

 

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All annual reports we file with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act on Form 20-F after the date of this prospectus supplement and prior to termination or expiration of this registration statement shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. We may incorporate by reference any Form 6-K subsequently submitted to the SEC by identifying in such Form 6-K that it is being incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.

Documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement are available from us without charge upon written or oral request, excluding any exhibits to those documents that are not specifically incorporated by reference into those documents. Each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered can obtain documents incorporated by reference in this document by requesting them from us in writing at Technologiepark, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany or via telephone at (+49) 6221-6743-60.

 

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$100,000,000

 

LOGO

Common Shares

 

 

Prospectus Supplement

 

 

Jefferies

 

 

November 10, 2021

 

 

 


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PART II – INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

The following table sets forth the expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation, if any) expected to be incurred by us in connection with a possible offering of securities registered under this registration statement.

 

     Amount
To Be Paid
 

Securities and Exchange Commission Registration Fee

          (1) 

Transfer agent’s fees

          (2) 

Printing and engraving expenses

          (2) 

Legal fees and expenses

          (2) 

Accounting fees and expenses

          (2) 

Miscellaneous

          (2) 
  

 

 

 

Total

   $               (2) 
  

 

 

 

 

(1)

We have paid a $9,270.00 registration fee to the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the “at-the-market” offering registered hereunder. Additional applicable Securities and Exchange Commission registration fees have been deferred in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act and are not estimable at this time.

(2)

To be provided by a prospectus supplement or a Report on Form 6–K that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Our managing directors and supervisory directors have the benefit of the following indemnification provisions in our Articles of Association: Current and former managing directors and supervisory directors shall be reimbursed for:

 

a)

the reasonable costs of conducting a defense against claims based on acts or failures to act in the exercise of their duties or any other duties currently or previously performed by them at our request;

 

b)

any damages or fines payable by them as a result of an act or failure to act as referred to under (a); and

 

c)

the reasonable costs of appearing in other legal proceedings or investigations in which they are involved as current or former managing director or supervisory director, with the exception of proceedings primarily aimed at pursuing a claim on their own behalf.

There shall be no entitlement to reimbursement as referred to above if and to the extent that:

 

a)

a Dutch court or, in the event of arbitration, an arbitrator has established in a final and conclusive decision that the act or failure to act of the person concerned can be characterized as willful (opzettelijk), intentionally reckless (bewust roekeloos) or seriously culpable (ernstig verwijtbaar) conduct, unless Dutch law provides otherwise or this would, in view of the circumstances of the case, be unacceptable according to standards of reasonableness and fairness; or

 

b)

the costs or financial loss of the person concerned are covered by an insurance and the insurer has paid out the costs or financial loss.

If and to the extent that it has been established by a Dutch court or, in the event of arbitration, an arbitrator in a final and conclusive decision that the person concerned is not entitled to reimbursement as referred to above, he shall immediately repay the amount reimbursed by us. We have also entered into indemnification agreements with each of our managing directors and supervisory directors.

 

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EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

 

(a)

Exhibits

The exhibit index attached hereto is incorporated by reference.

UNDERTAKINGS

 

(a)

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

  (1)

To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

  (i)

To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

  (ii)

To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (§ 230.424 (b) of this chapter) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement.

 

  (iii)

To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

Provided, however, That:

 

  (A)

Paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-1(§ 239.11 of this chapter), Form S-3 (§ 239.13 of this chapter), Form SF-3 (§ 239.45 of this chapter) or Form F-3 (§ 239.33 of this chapter) and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) (§ 230.424(b) of this chapter) that is part of the registration statement.

 

  (2)

That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  (3)

To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

  (4)

To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A of Form 20-F (§ 249.220f of this chapter) at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 77j(a)(3)) need not be furnished, provided that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (a)(4) and other

 

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  information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to registration statements on Form F-3 (§ 239.33 of this chapter), a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act or Item 8.A of Form 20-F if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Form F-3.

 

  (5)

That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

  (A)

Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

  (B)

Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or

 

  (6)

That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:

The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

  (i)

Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

  (ii)

Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

  (iii)

The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

  (iv)

Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

(b)

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee

 

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  benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(c)

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

(d)

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

  (1)

For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

 

  (2)

For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(e)

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (“Act”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act.

 

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EXHIBITS

The following documents are filed as part of this registration statement:

 

  1.1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement
  1.2    Sale Agreement, dated as of November 10, 2021, among Affimed N.V. and Jefferies LLC
  4.1    Articles of Association of Affimed N.V. (English Translation) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.1 of the Affimed N.V. Form 20-F filed with the Commission on April 15, 2021)
  4.2    Form of Senior Indenture (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Affimed N.V. registration statement on Form F-3 (Registration no. 333-207235) filed with the Commission on October 1, 2015)
  4.3    Form of Subordinated Indenture (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 of the Affimed N.V. registration statement on Form F-3 (Registration no. 333-207235) filed with the Commission on October 1, 2015)
  4.4*    Form of Senior Note
  4.5*    Form of Subordinated Note
  4.6*    Form of Warrant Agreement
  4.7*    Form of Purchase Contract
  4.8*    Form of Unit Agreement
  5.1    Opinion of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V.
  5.2    Opinion of Kirkland & Ellis LLP
23.1    Consent of KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, independent registered public accounting firm
23.2    Consent of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V. (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.3    Consent of Kirkland & Ellis LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2)
24.1    Powers of Attorney (included on signature page to the registration statement)
25.1*    Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 for Senior Indenture
25.2*    Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 for Subordinated Indenture

 

*

To be filed, if necessary, either by amendment to this registration statement or as an exhibit to a document to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Heidelberg, Germany on November 10, 2021.

 

Affimed N.V.
By:   /s/ Adi Hoess
Name:   Adi Hoess
Title:   Chief Executive Officer
By:   /s/ Angus Smith
Name:   Angus Smith
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Adi Hoess and Angus Smith and each of them, individually, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead in any and all capacities, in connection with this registration statement, including to sign in the name and on behalf of the undersigned, this registration statement and any and all amendments thereto, including post-effective amendments and registrations filed pursuant to Rule 462 under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto such attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons on November 10, 2021 in the capacities indicated:

 

Name

  

Title

/s/ Adi Hoess

Adi Hoess

  

Chief Executive Officer
(principal executive officer)

/s/ Angus Smith

Angus Smith

  

Chief Financial Officer
(principal financial officer and principal accounting officer); Authorized Representative in the
United States

/s/ Thomas Hecht

Thomas Hecht

  

Supervisory Director

/s/ Berhard Ehmer

Bernhard Ehmer

  

Supervisory Director

/s/ Ulrich M. Grau

Ulrich M. Grau

  

Supervisory Director

 

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Name

  

Title

/s/ Harry Welten

Harry Welten

  

Supervisory Director

/s/ Mathieu Simon

Mathieu Simon

  

Supervisory Director

/s/ Uta Kemmerich-Keil

Uta Kemmerich-Keil

  

Supervisory Director

/s/ Annalisa Jenkins

Annalisa Jenkins

  

Supervisory Director

 

II-7

EX-1.2

Exhibit 1.2

OPEN MARKET SALE AGREEMENTSM

November 10, 2021

JEFFERIES LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Affimed N.V., a company incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell from time to time through Jefferies LLC, as sales agent and/or principal (the “Agent”), shares of the Company’s common shares, par value €0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 on the terms set forth in this agreement (this “Agreement”).

Section 1. DEFINITIONS

(d) Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the following respective meanings:

Affiliate” of a Person means another Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first- mentioned Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Agency Period” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and expiring on the earliest to occur of (x) the date on which the Agent shall have placed the Maximum Program Amount pursuant to this Agreement and (y) the date this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.

Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Floor Price” means the minimum price set by the Company in the Issuance Notice below which the Agent shall not sell Shares during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice, which may be adjusted by the Company at any time during the period set forth in the Issuance Notice by delivering written notice of such change to the Agent and which in no event shall be less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion.

 

SM 

“Open Market Sale Agreement” is a service mark of Jefferies LLC


Issuance Amount” means the aggregate Sales Price of the Shares to be sold by the Agent pursuant to any Issuance Notice.

Issuance Notice” means a written notice delivered to the Agent by the Company in accordance with this Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A that is executed by its Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer.

Issuance Notice Date” means any Trading Day during the Agency Period that an Issuance Notice is delivered pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).

Issuance Price” means the Sales Price less the Selling Commission.

“Maximum Program Amount” means Common Shares with an aggregate Sales Price of the lesser of (a) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares registered under the effective Registration Statement (defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made, (b) the number of Common Shares issuable out of the Company’s authorized share capital (taking into account inter alia any Common Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company, decreasing such number) or held in treasury by the Company and/or any of its subsidiaries and reserved by the Company’s management board for purposes of sale under this Agreement, (c) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares permitted to be sold under Form F-3 (including General Instruction I.B.5 thereof, if applicable), or (d) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares for which the Company has filed a Prospectus (defined below).

Person” means an individual or a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, governmental authority or other entity of any kind.

Principal Market” means The Nasdaq Global Market or such other national securities exchange on which the Common Shares, including any Shares, are then listed.

Sales Price” means the actual sale execution price of each Share placed by the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Selling Commission” means three percent (3%) of the gross proceeds of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement, or as otherwise agreed between the Company and the Agent with respect to any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement.

Settlement Date” means the second business day following each Trading Day during the period set forth in the Issuance Notice on which Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement, when the Agent shall deliver to the Company the aggregate Issuance Price received on the Shares sold on such Trading Day and, following receipt thereof, the Company shall deliver to the Agent the amount of Shares sold on such Trading Day.

 

2


Shares” shall mean the Company’s Common Shares issued or issuable pursuant to this Agreement.

Trading Day” means any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading.

Section 2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Agent that as of (1) the date of this Agreement, (2) each Issuance Notice Date, (3) each Settlement Date, (4) each Representation Date (as defined in Section 4(l) of this Agreement) and (5) as of each Time of Sale, except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto) on or before each such date:

(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission a shelf registration statement on Form F-3 that contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”). Such registration statement registers the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares under the Securities Act. The Company may file one or more additional registration statements from time to time that will contain a base prospectus and related prospectus or prospectus supplement, if applicable, with respect to the Shares. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement(s), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, including all financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto and all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 6 of Form F-3 under the Securities Act as from time to time amended or supplemented, is herein referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the prospectus constituting a part of such registration statement(s), together with any prospectus supplement filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act relating to a particular issuance of the Shares, including all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 6 of Form F-3 under the Securities Act, in each case, as from time to time amended or supplemented, is referred to herein as the “Prospectus,” except that if any revised prospectus is provided to the Agent by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Shares that is not required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, the term “Prospectus” shall refer to such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first provided to the Agent for such use. As used in this Agreement, the terms “amendment” or “supplement” when applied to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing by the Company with the Commission of any document under the Exchange Act after the date hereof that is or is deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include, without limitation, the filing of any document under the Exchange Act which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date.

 

3


At the time the Registration Statement became effective and at the time the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 20-F (the “Annual Report”) was filed with the Commission, if later, the Company met the then-applicable requirements for use of Form F-3 under the Securities Act. During the Agency Period, each time the Company files an annual report on Form 20-F, the Company will meet the then-applicable requirements for use of Form F-3 under the Securities Act. The Company is a “well-known seasoned issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (a “WKSI”).

(b) Disclosure. The Prospectus when filed complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”), was identical (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act) to the copy thereof delivered to the Agent for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became or becomes effective, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus (including any Prospectus wrapper), as of its date, did not, and as of each of the Settlement Dates, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to the Agent furnished to the Company in writing by the Agent expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the Agent’s Information. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required.

(c) Offering Materials Furnished to the Agent. The Company has delivered to the Agent one complete copy of the Registration Statement and a copy of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a part thereof.

(d) Free Writing Prospectuses; Not an Ineligible Issuer. As of the determination date referenced in Rule 164(h) under the Securities Act, the Company was not, is not or will not be (as applicable) an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Each free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the

 

4


Securities Act, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such free writing prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and not superseded or modified.

(e) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. Prior to the completion of the Agent’s distribution of the Shares, the Company has not distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any free writing prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Agent.

(f) The Sale Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.

(g) Authorization of the Shares. The Shares to be sold by the Agent, acting as agent and/or principal for the Company, have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor pursuant to this Agreement, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The issuance and sale of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase the Shares which have not been duly excluded, waived or satisfied.

(h) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly withdrawn or waived.

(i) No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, properties, operations, assets, liabilities, prospects or the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions hereunder whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, (any such change being referred to herein as a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, including without limitation any losses or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood, earthquakes, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any strike, labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, that are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, or have entered into any material transactions not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has not been any material

 

5


decrease in the capital stock or any material increase in any short-term or long-term indebtedness of the Company or its subsidiaries and there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, by any of the Company’s subsidiaries on any class of capital stock, or any repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.

(j) Independent Accountants. KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the Commission or incorporated by reference as a part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is (i) an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), (ii) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and (iii) a registered public accounting firm as defined by the PCAOB whose registration has not been suspended or revoked and who has not requested such registration to be withdrawn.

(k) Financial Statements. The financial statements filed with the Commission as a part of or incorporated within the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto or as otherwise disclosed therein, and, in the case of audited, interim financial statements, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the exclusion of certain footnotes. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in or incorporated in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any free writing prospectus that constitute non GAAP financial measures (as defined by the rules and regulations under the Exchange Act) comply with Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable. To the Company’s knowledge, no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

(l) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company has been duly incorporated and is existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business in accordance with its stated objectives in the articles of association as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing (where such concept exists) in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business. Each of the Company’s “subsidiaries” (for purposes of this Agreement, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) has been duly incorporated or organized, as the

 

6


case may be, and is validly existing as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing (where such concept exists) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has the power and authority (corporate or other) to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Each of the Company’s subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing (where such concept exists) could not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), earnings, business, properties, operations, assets, liabilities or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity (a “Material Adverse Effect”). All of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity or ownership interests of each of the Company’s subsidiaries has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and nonassessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or adverse claim, except for the pledge of the 100 percent ownership interest in Affimed GmbH, a limited liability company duly incorporated and operating under the laws of the Germany, created in favor of Silicon Valley Bank. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in or included as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for its most recently ended fiscal year.

(m) Capitalization and Other Share Capital Matters. The authorized, issued and outstanding share capital of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to equity compensation plans or arrangements, or upon the exercise of outstanding phantom equity, rights to receive shares, options or conversion rights, in each case described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus). The share capital of the Company, including the Common Shares, conforms in all material respects to each description thereof contained in the Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding Common Shares have been (except that all shares that are or may be issued pursuant to any equity compensation plan or arrangement, when vested or settled in accordance with the respective terms thereof, or that are issued upon the exercise of option or conversion rights, will be) duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws. None of the outstanding Common Shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are no authorized or outstanding phantom equity, rights to receive shares, options, conversion rights, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or that can be settled in, any share capital of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The descriptions of the Company’s equity compensation plans or arrangements, and the phantom equity, rights to receive shares, options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, equity, options and rights.

 

7


(n) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its articles of association or similar organizational documents, or is in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) under any indenture, loan, credit agreement, note, lease, license agreement, contract, franchise or other instrument (including, without limitation, any pledge agreement, security agreement, mortgage or other instrument or agreement evidencing, guaranteeing, securing or relating to indebtedness) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of their respective properties or assets are subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”), except for such Defaults as would not be reasonably expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and the issuance and sale of the Shares (including the use of proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the articles of association or by laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement or similar organizational documents, as applicable, of the Company or any subsidiary (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument and (iii) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except as to clause (ii) and (iii) above as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for, or in connection with, the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act and such as may be required under applicable state securities or blue sky laws or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(o) No Material Actions or Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation brought by or before any governmental entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, if determined adversely to the Company, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(p) All Necessary Permits, etc. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits required by state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted and as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (“Permits”) except where the failure to possess any such certificate, authorization or permit would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default under, any of the Permits or has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or noncompliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit, except where such revocation or modification would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to a have a Material Adverse Effect.

(q) Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns or have properly requested extensions thereof and have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them except (i) as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings or (ii) where the failure to file or pay could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 2(k) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has not been finally determined. No transaction, stamp, capital or other issuance, registration, transaction, transfer or withholding tax or duty is payable in the Netherlands by or on behalf of the Agent to any taxing authority in connection with (i) the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares by the Company; (ii) the purchase from the Company, and the initial sale and delivery by the Agent of the Shares to purchasers thereof; (iii) the holding or transfer of the Shares; or (iv) the execution and delivery of this Agreement or any other document to be furnished hereunder.

(r) Company Not an “Investment Company”; “Passive Foreign Investment Company”. The Company is not, and will not be, either after receipt of payment for the Shares or after the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Based on certain estimates, including as to the relative values of its assets, the Company believes that it was likely not a PFIC for its 2020 taxable year.

(s) Insurance. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, each of the Company and its subsidiaries are insured with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as the Company reasonably deems adequate and customary for their businesses including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and its subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes and policies covering the Company and its subsidiaries for product liability claims and clinical trial liability claims. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its subsidiaries will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

 

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(t) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has taken, directly or indirectly (without giving any effect to the activities by the Agent), any action designed to or that might cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Shares or of any “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) with respect to the Common Shares, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M.

(u) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that have not been described as required.

(v) Exchange Act Compliance. The Annual Report and all documents subsequently incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at each Settlement Date, will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(w) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary, has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

(x) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are, and have been conducted at all times, in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar applicable rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(y) OFAC. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, after due inquiry, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, or any joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of or business with any person, or impermissibly in any country or territory, that currently is the subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

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(z) Company’s Accounting System. The Company and each of its subsidiaries make and keep accurate books and records and maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS as issued by the IASB and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

(aa) Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any applicable federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution, the protection of human health (but solely as it relates to the environment or exposure to pollutants), the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release into the environment of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required to conduct their respective businesses under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their respective requirements; (iii) there are no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings related to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and (iv) to the Company’s knowledge, there are no events or circumstances that might reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

(bb) Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, or have obtained valid and enforceable licenses for, the inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks, trade names, service names, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property (1) described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as being owned or licensed by them or (2) which are necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted or as currently proposed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus to be conducted (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) except in the case of clause (2) where the failure to own, possess or acquire such rights would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a

 

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Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, to the Company’s knowledge: (i) there are no third parties who have rights to any Intellectual Property owned by or exclusively licensed to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except for customary reversionary rights of third-party licensors; and (ii) there is no infringement by third parties of any Intellectual Property. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others: (A) challenging the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ rights in or to any Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (B) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; or (C) asserting that the Company or any of its subsidiaries infringes or otherwise violates, or would, upon the commercialization of any product or service described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as under development, infringe or violate, any patent, trademark, trade name, service name, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries have complied with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company or any subsidiary, and all such agreements are in full force and effect. The product candidates described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as under development by the Company or any of its subsidiaries fall within the scope of the claims of one or more patents owned by, or exclusively licensed to, the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(cc) Brokers. Except pursuant to this Agreement and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company any brokerage or finder’s fee or other fee or commission as a result of any transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(dd) No Outstanding Loans or Other Indebtedness. Except as described in the Prospectus, there are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any of the members of any of them.

(ee) No Reliance. The Company has not relied upon the Agent or legal counsel for the Agent for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

(ff) Compliance with Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries have been and are in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, except where failure to be so in compliance could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(gg) Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 8(g) of this Agreement, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of each United States federal court and New York state court located in the Borough of Manhattan, in the City of New York, New York, U.S.A. (each, a “New York Court”), and the Company has the power to designate, appoint and authorize, and pursuant to Section 8(g) of this Agreement, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably designated, appointed and authorized an agent for service of process in any action arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Shares in any New York Court, and service of process effected on such authorized agent will be effective to confer valid personal jurisdiction over the Company as provided in Section 8(g) hereof.

(hh) No Rights of Immunity. Except as provided by laws or statutes generally applicable to transactions of the type described in this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its respective properties, assets or revenues has any right of immunity under the laws of the Netherlands, New York or United States law, from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from the giving of any relief in any such legal action, suit or proceeding, from set-off or counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any Netherlands, New York or United States federal court, from service of process, attachment upon or prior judgment, or attachment in aid of execution of judgment, or from execution of a judgment, or other legal process or proceeding for the giving of any relief or for the enforcement of a judgment, in any such court, with respect to its obligations, liabilities or any other matter under or arising out of or in connection with this Agreement. To the extent that the Company or any of its respective properties, assets or revenues may have or may hereafter become entitled to any such right of immunity in any such court in which proceedings may at any time be commenced, the Company waives or will waive such right to the extent permitted by law and has consented to such relief and enforcement as provided in Section 8(g) of this Agreement.

(ii) Title to Properties. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all of the real and personal property and other assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 2(k) above (or elsewhere in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, adverse claims and other defects, except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or as could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to affect materially the value of such property and does not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real and personal property and other assets by the Company and its subsidiaries or as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any of its subsidiaries are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the Company or such subsidiary.

(jj) Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Deficiencies in or Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act), which (i) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including any consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities, particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports required under the Exchange Act are being prepared and (ii) are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most

 

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recent fiscal year, there have been no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is not aware of any change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during the Company’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(kk) Stock Exchange Listing. The Common Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and are listed on The Nasdaq Global Market, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Shares from Nasdaq, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Nasdaq is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. To the Company’s knowledge, it is in compliance with all applicable listing requirements of Nasdaq.

(ll) FINRA Matters. All of the information provided to the Agent or to counsel for the Agent by the Company, its counsel, its officers and directors and, to the Company’s knowledge, the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares is true, complete, correct and compliant with FINRA’s rules in all material respects and any letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA by the Company pursuant to FINRA Rules or NASD Conduct Rules is true, complete and correct in all material respects.

(mm) Statistical and Market-Related Data. All statistical, demographic and market-related data included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects. To the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

(nn) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its subsidiaries (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any domestic government official, “foreign official” (as defined in the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”)) or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA or any applicable non-U.S. anti-bribery statute or regulation; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any domestic government official, such foreign official or employee; and the Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s affiliates have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve continued compliance therewith.

 

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(oo) Forward-Looking Statements. Each financial or operational projection or other “forward-looking statement” (as defined by Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (i) was so included by the Company in good faith and with reasonable basis after due consideration by the Company of the underlying assumptions, estimates and other applicable facts and circumstances and (ii) is accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying those factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statement. No such statement was made with the knowledge of an executive officer or director of the Company that is was false or misleading.

(pp) Foreign Private Issuer. The Company is a “foreign private issuer” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

(qq) Clinical Data and Regulatory Compliance. The preclinical tests and clinical trials conducted or sponsored by the Company (collectively, “studies”) that are described in, or the results of which are referred to in, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus were and, if still pending, are, to the Company’s knowledge, being conducted in all material respects in accordance with the protocols, procedures and controls designed and approved for such studies and with standard medical and scientific research procedures; each description of the results of such studies is reasonably accurate and complete in all material respects in the context of the experimental set-up and fairly presents the data derived from such studies within the limits of interpretation by people trained in the trade, and the Company and its subsidiaries have no knowledge of any other studies the results of which are inconsistent with, or otherwise call into question, the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; the Company and its subsidiaries have made all such filings and obtained all such approvals as may be required by the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or any committee thereof or from any other U.S. or foreign government or drug or medical device regulatory agency, or health care facility Institutional Review Board (collectively, the “Regulatory Agencies”) for the operation of the Company’s business as currently conducted, except as could not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of, or correspondence from, any Regulatory Agency requiring the termination, suspension or modification of any clinical trials that are described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; and the Company and its subsidiaries have each operated and currently are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable rules and regulations of the Regulatory Agencies, except as could not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(rr) No Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock. The issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby will not cause any holder of any share capital, securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for share capital or options, warrants or other rights to purchase share capital or any other securities of the Company to have any right to acquire any shares of preferred stock of the Company.

 

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(ss) No Contract Terminations. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or agreements referred to or described in the Prospectus or any free writing prospectus, or referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement, or any document incorporated by reference therein, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to any such contract or agreement, which threat of termination or non-renewal has not been rescinded as of the date hereof, except where such termination or non-renewal could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(tt) Dividend Restrictions. Other than as prohibited or restricted by law, no subsidiary of the Company is prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying dividends to the Company, or from making any other distribution with respect to such subsidiary’s equity securities or from repaying to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company any amounts that may from time to time become due under any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any property or assets to the Company or to any other subsidiary.

(uu) IT Systems and Personal Data. (i)(x) To the Company’s knowledge, there has been no security breach or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including personal data of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third-party personal data processed by or on behalf of any of the Company´s or its subsidiaries´ contractors), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Personal Data”) and (y) to the Company’s knowledge, the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to their IT Systems and Personal Data, (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, in the case of clause (i) and (ii), individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented security, backup and disaster recovery technology consistent in all material respects with industry standards and practices.

Any certificate signed by any officer or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and delivered to the Agent or counsel for the Agent in connection with an issuance of Shares shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Agent as to the matters covered thereby on the date of such certificate set forth therein.

The Company acknowledges that the Agent and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(m) hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Agent, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

 

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Section 3. ISSUANCE AND SALE OF COMMON SHARES

(a) Sale of Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company may from time to time seek to sell Shares through the Agent, acting as sales agent, or directly to the Agent, acting as principal, as follows, with an aggregate Sales Price of up to the Maximum Program Amount, based on and in accordance with Issuance Notices as the Company may deliver, during the Agency Period.

(b) Mechanics of Issuances.

(i) Issuance Notice. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, on any Trading Day during the Agency Period on which the conditions set forth in Section 5 shall have been satisfied, the Company may exercise its right to request an issuance of Shares by delivering to the Agent an Issuance Notice containing the parameters in accordance with which it desires the Shares to be sold, which shall at a minimum include the maximum number of Shares to be sold, the time period during which sales are requested to be made and any minimum price below which sales may not be made; provided, however, that (A) in no event may the Company deliver an Issuance Notice to the extent that (I) the sum of (x) the aggregate Sales Price of the requested Issuance Amount, plus (y) the aggregate Sales Price of all Shares issued under all previous Issuance Notices effected pursuant to this Agreement, would exceed the Maximum Program Amount; and (B) prior to delivery of any Issuance Notice, the period set forth for any previous Issuance Notice shall have expired or been terminated. An Issuance Notice shall be considered delivered on the Trading Day that it is received by e-mail to the persons set forth in Schedule A hereto and confirmed by the Company by telephone (including a voicemail message to the persons so identified), with the understanding that, with adequate prior written notice, the Agent may modify the list of such persons from time to time.

(ii) Agent Efforts. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, upon the receipt of an Issuance Notice, the Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal sales and trading practices to place the Shares with respect to which the Agent has agreed to act as sales agent, subject to, and in accordance with the information specified in the Issuance Notice, unless the sale of the Shares described therein has been suspended, cancelled or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the parties to this Agreement may modify an Issuance Notice at any time provided they both agree in writing to any such modification.

(iii) Method of Offer and Sale. The Shares may be offered and sold (A) in privately negotiated transactions with the consent of the Company; (B) as block transactions; or (C) by any other method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the Principal Market or sales made into any other existing trading market of the Common Shares. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to require either party to agree to the method of offer and sale specified in the preceding sentence, and (except as specified in clauses (A) and (B) above) the method of placement of any Shares by the Agent shall be at the Agent’s discretion.

(iv) Confirmation to the Company. If acting as sales agent hereunder, the Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day next following the Trading Day on which it has placed Shares hereunder setting forth inter alia (i) the number of Shares sold on such Trading Day, (ii) the corresponding Sales Price, (iii) the corresponding Issuance Price payable by the Agent to the Company in total and (iv) the Issuance Price per Share payable by the Agent to the Company.

 

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(v) Settlement. Each issuance of Shares will be settled on the applicable Settlement Date for such issuance of Shares and, subject to the provisions of Section 5, on or before each Settlement Date, the Company, following receipt by the Company of the aggregate Issuance Price of the Shares sold in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company prior to the Settlement Date, delivered by the Agent by wire transfer of immediately available funds, will execute a deed of issue pursuant to which the Shares are issued and will or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Shares, which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form, being sold by crediting the Agent or its designee’s account at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC) System, or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto. The Company may sell Shares to the Agent as principal at a price agreed upon at each relevant time Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement (each, a “Time of Sale”).

(vi) Suspension or Termination of Sales. Consistent with standard market settlement practices, the Company or the Agent may, upon notice to the other party hereto in writing or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable email), suspend any sale of Shares, and the period set forth in an Issuance Notice shall immediately terminate; provided, however, that (A) such suspension and termination shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Shares placed or sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice; (B) if the Company suspends or terminates any sale of Shares after the Agent confirms such sale to the Company, the Company shall still be obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares; and (C) if the Company defaults in its obligation to deliver Shares on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that it will hold the Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage or expense (including, without limitation, penalties, interest and reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, in performing its obligations under this Agreement, the Agent may borrow Common Shares from stock lenders in the event that the Company has not delivered Shares to settle sales as required by subsection (v) above, and may use the Shares to settle or close out such borrowings. The Company agrees that no such notice shall be effective against the Agent unless it is made to the persons identified in writing by the Agent pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).

(vii) No Guarantee of Placement, Etc. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (A) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in placing Shares; (B) the Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other Person if it does not sell Shares; and (C) the Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically agreed by the Agent and the Company.

(viii) Material Non-Public Information. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company shall not deliver any Issuance Notice to the Agent, and the Agent shall not be obligated to place any Shares, during any period in which the Company is in possession of material non-public information.

(c) Fees. As compensation for services rendered, the Company shall pay to the Agent, on the applicable Settlement Date, the Selling Commission for the applicable Issuance Amount (including with respect to any suspended or terminated sale pursuant to Section 3(b)(vi)) by the Agent deducting the Selling Commission from the applicable Issuance Amount.

 

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(d) Expenses. The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 hereunder, agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs); (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares; (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares; (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors; (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement; (vi) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Agent in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under securities laws; (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Agent’s counsel, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent in connection with, FINRA review, if any, and approval of the Agent’s participation in the offering and distribution of the Shares; (viii) the filing fees incident to FINRA review, if any; (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives, employees and officers of the Company and of the Agent and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; and (x) the fees and expenses associated with listing the Shares on the Principal Market. The fees and disbursements of Agent’s counsel pursuant to subsections (vi) and (vii) above shall not exceed (A) $50,000 in connection with the first Issuance Notice and (B) $15,000 in connection with each Representation Date (as defined below) on which the Company is required to provide a certificate pursuant to Section 4(l); provided, however, that in no event shall the total compensation paid to the Agent, including reimbursements of fees, expenses and disbursements of its counsel, exceed 8.0% of the gross proceeds to the Company from the sale of Shares.

Section 4. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent that:

(a) Registration Statement Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Shares is required to be delivered by the Agent under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), (i) the Company will notify the Agent promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference or not related to any issuance of Shares, has been filed with the

 

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Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus related to the issuance of Shares or for additional information related to the issuance of Shares, (ii) the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the Agent’s request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in the Agent’s reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Shares by the Agent (provided, however, that the failure of the Agent to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect The Agent’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement); (iii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, relating to the Shares or a security convertible into the Shares unless a copy thereof has been submitted to the Agent within a reasonable period of time before the filing and the Agent has not reasonably objected thereto (provided, however, that (A) the failure of the Agent to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agent’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement, (B) the Company has no obligation to provide the Agent any advance copy of such filing or to provide the Agent an opportunity to object to such filing if the filing does not name the Agent or does not relate to the transaction herein provided, and (C) the only remedy the Agent shall have with respect to the failure by the Company to provide the Agent with such copy or the filing of such amendment or supplement despite the Agent’s objection shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement); (iv) the Company will furnish to the Agent at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR; (v) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act or, in the case of any document to be incorporated therein by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed (the determination to file or not file any amendment or supplement with the Commission under this Section 4(a), based on the Company’s reasonable opinion or reasonable objections, shall be made exclusively by the Company); (vi) prior to the termination of this Agreement, the Company will notify the Agent if at any time the Registration Statement shall no longer be effective as a result of the passage of time pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act or otherwise; and (vii) the Company will notify the Agent promptly of the Company losing its status as a WKSI as of the time the Company filed with the Commission an annual report on Form 20-F.

(b) Notice of Commission Stop Orders. The Company will advise the Agent, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and it will promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued.

 

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(c) Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes. During any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered by the Agent under the Securities Act with respect to a pending sale of the Shares, (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act. If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Agent to suspend the offering of Shares during such period and the Company will promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that the Company may delay the filing of any amendment or supplement, if in the judgment of the Company, it is in the best interest of the Company.

(d) Listing of Shares. During any period in which the Prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered by the Agent under the Securities Act with respect to a pending sale of the Shares (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Shares to be listed on Nasdaq and to qualify the Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Agent reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities or file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.

(e) Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to the Agent and its counsel (at the reasonable expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as the Agent may from time to time reasonably request and, at the Agent’s request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus) to the Agent to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.

(f) Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement covering a 12-month period that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the Securities Act. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company’s compliance with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this Section 4(f).

 

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(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the Net Proceeds (as defined below) as described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds.” “Net Proceeds” refers to the amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Shares sold.

(h) Notice of Other Sales. During the pendency of any Issuance Notice given hereunder, and for five (5) trading days following the termination of any Issuance Notice given hereunder, the Company shall provide the Agent notice as promptly as reasonably possible before it offers to sell, contracts to sell, sells, grants any option to sell or otherwise disposes of any Common Shares (other than Shares offered pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares; provided, that such notice shall not be required in connection with the (i) issuance, grant or sale of Common Shares, options to purchase Common Shares or Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of options or other equity awards pursuant to the any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Prospectus, (ii) the issuance of securities in connection with an acquisition, merger or sale or purchase of assets, (iii) the issuance or sale of Common Shares pursuant to any dividend reinvestment plan that the Company may adopt from time to time provided the implementation of such is disclosed to the Agent in advance, (iv) any Common Shares issuable upon the exchange, conversion or redemption of securities or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or outstanding or (v) any Common Shares, or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Shares, offered and sold in a privately negotiated transaction to vendors, customers, investors, strategic partners or potential strategic partners and otherwise conducted in a manner so as not to be integrated with the offering of Shares hereby.

(i) Change of Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during the pendency of an Issuance Notice, advise the Agent promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document provided to the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.

(j) Due Diligence Cooperation. During the term of the Agreement, the Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agent or its agents in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices or such other location mutually agreeable by the parties, as the Agent may reasonably request.

(k) Required Filings Relating to Issuance of Shares. The Company agrees that on or before such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (each and every filing under Rule 424(b), a “Filing Date”), which prospectus supplement will set forth, within the relevant period, the amount of Shares sold through the Agent, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the Agent with respect to such Shares (provided that the Company may satisfy its obligations under this Section 4(k)(i) by effecting a filing in accordance with the Exchange Act with respect to such information), and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.

 

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(l) Representation Dates; Certificate. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and each time the Company (i) files the Prospectus relating to the Shares or amends or supplements the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Shares (other than a prospectus supplement filed in accordance with Section 4(k) of this Agreement) by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of document(s) by reference to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Shares; (ii) files an annual report on Form 20-F under the Exchange Act; or (iii) files a report on Form 6-K under the Exchange Act containing financial information which is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and Prospectus (each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iii) shall be a Representation Date); the Company shall furnish the Agent with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 4(l) within three (3) Trading Days of any Representation Date if requested by the Agent. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 4(l) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Issuance Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers an Issuance Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date; provided, however, that such waiver shall not apply for any Representation Date on which the Company files its annual report on Form 20-F. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Agent with a certificate under this Section 4(l), then before the Company delivers the Issuance Notice or the Agent sells any Shares, the Company shall provide the Agent with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 4(l), dated the date of the Issuance Notice.

(m) Legal Opinions. On or prior to the date of first Issuance Notice and within three (3) Trading Days of (i) the Company’s filing of its annual report on Form 20-F under the Exchange Act and (ii) each filing by the Company of a report on Form 6-K under the Exchange Act containing financial information which is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and Prospectus (each of (i) and (ii), an “Opinion Representation Date”), the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agent a written opinion and negative assurance letter of Kirkland & Ellis LLP (“U.S. Company Counsel”) and a written opinion of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V. (“Dutch Company Counsel”) or other counsel satisfactory to the Agent, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinions are required to be delivered, substantially similar to the forms attached hereto as Exhibit 4(m), respectively, each modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented; provided, however, that in lieu of such opinions for subsequent Opinion Representation Dates, counsel may furnish the Agent with a letter (a “Reliance Letter”) to the effect that the Agent may rely on a prior opinion delivered under this Section 4(m) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented at such Opinion Representation Date). The requirement to provide the opinions under this Section 4(m) shall be waived for any Opinion Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Issuance Notice is pending. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following an Opinion Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Agent with the opinions under this Section 4(m), then before the Company delivers the Issuance Notice or the Agent sells any Shares, the Company shall provide the Agent with the opinions, substantially similar to the forms attached hereto as Exhibit 4(m), dated the date of the Issuance Notice.

 

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(n) Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and within three (3) Trading Days of (i) the Company’s filing of its annual report on Form 20-F under the Exchange Act, (ii) the Company’s annual filing of a report on Form 6-K under the Exchange Act containing financial information for its second fiscal quarter ended on June 30 and (iii) the Company’s filing of a report on Form 6-K under the Exchange Act containing financial information which is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and Prospectus (each of (i), (ii) and (iii), a “Comfort Letter Representation Date”), the Company shall cause its independent accountants to furnish the Agent letters (the Comfort Letters), dated the date of the Comfort Letter is delivered, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, (i) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the PCAOB, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to the Agent in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the Initial Comfort Letter) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter. The requirement to provide a Comfort Letter under this Section 4(n) shall be waived for any Comfort Letter Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Issuance Notice is pending. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a Comfort Letter Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Agent with a Comfort Letter under this Section 4(n), then before the Company delivers the Issuance Notice or the Agent sells any Shares, the Company shall provide the Agent with a Comfort Letter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, dated the date of the Issuance Notice.

(o) Market Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase the Shares to be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Shares other than the Agent; provided, however, that the Company may bid for and purchase its Common Shares in accordance with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act.

(p) Investment Company Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor its subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act, assuming no change in the Commission’s current interpretation as to entities that are not considered an investment company.

(q) No Offer to Sell. Other than a free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) approved in advance by the Company and the Agent in its capacity as principal or agent hereunder, neither the Agent nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Agent in its capacity as such) will make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), required to be filed with the Commission, that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Shares hereunder.

 

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(r) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company and its subsidiaries will use their best efforts to comply with all effective applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

(s) Tax Indemnity. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Agent against any documentary, stamp or similar issue tax, including any interest and penalties, on the creation, issue and sale of the Shares and on the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

(t) Transfer Agent. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary under the jurisdiction of organization of the Company, a registrar for the Common Shares.

Section 5. CONDITIONS TO DELIVERY OF ISSUANCE NOTICES AND TO SETTLEMENT

The obligations of the Agent hereunder with respect to an Issuance Notice will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein, to the due performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by the Agent of a due diligence review satisfactory to the Agent in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing satisfaction (or waiver by The Agent in its sole discretion) of the following additional conditions

(a) Registration Statement Effective. The Registration Statement shall be effective and shall be available for (i) all sales of Shares issued pursuant to all prior Issuance Notices and (ii) the sale of all Shares contemplated to be issued by any Issuance Notice.

(b) No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; (iv) the occurrence of any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any material document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, related Prospectus or such documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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(c) No Material Misstatements or Material Omission. The Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Agent’s opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(d) Material Changes. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any material adverse change, on a consolidated basis, in the authorized share capital of the Company or any Material Adverse Change or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, or any downgrading in or withdrawal of the rating assigned to any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities) by any rating organization or a public announcement by any rating organization that it has under surveillance or review its rating of any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities), the effect of which, in the case of any such action by a rating organization described above, in the reasonable judgment of the Agent (without relieving the Company of any obligation or liability it may otherwise have), is so material as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

(e) Company Counsel Legal Opinions. The Agent shall have received the opinions of U.S. Company Counsel and Dutch Company Counsel required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(m) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion is required pursuant to Section 4(m).

(f) The Agent’s Counsel Legal Opinion. The Agent shall have received from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Agent, such opinion or opinions, on or before the date on which the delivery of the U.S. Company Counsel and Dutch Company Counsel opinions are required pursuant to Section 4(m), with respect to such matters as the Agent may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(g) Comfort Letter. The Agent shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(n) on or before the date on which such delivery of such Comfort Letter is required pursuant to Section 4(n).

(h) Representation Certificate. The Agent shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(l) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 4(l).

(i) Officer’s Certificate. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on each Representation Date, the Agent shall have received a certificate, signed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Financial Officer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel.

 

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(j) Principal Financial Officer’s Certificate. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice, and as is reasonably requested by the Agent on any subsequent Representation Date, the Agent shall have received a certificate, signed by the Company’s principal financial officer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel.

(k) No Suspension. Trading in the Common Shares shall not have been suspended on Nasdaq.

(l) Other Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(l), the Company shall have furnished to the Agent such appropriate further information, certificates and documents as the Agent may have reasonably requested. All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents shall have been in compliance with the provisions hereof. The Company will furnish the Agent with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as the Agent shall have reasonably requested.

(m) Securities Act Filings Made. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Issuance Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.

(n) Approval for Listing. The Shares shall either have been (i) approved for listing on Nasdaq, subject only to notice of issuance, or (ii) the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Shares on Nasdaq at, or prior to, the issuance of any Notice.

(o) No Termination Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would permit the Agent to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.

Section 6. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION

(a) Indemnification of the Agent. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not

 

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misleading; or (iii) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by the Agent in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Common Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i) or (ii) above, provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (iii) to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a final judgment that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by the Agent through its bad faith or willful misconduct, and to reimburse the Agent and each such officer, employee and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agent) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any such Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the second sentence of the ninth paragraph under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

(b) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 6, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6 or to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in

 

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accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Agent (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 6(a) above), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as they are incurred.

(c) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 6 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 6(b) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into (A) more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (B) more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the proposed terms of such settlement; and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and does not include an admission of fault or culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of such indemnified party.

(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement; or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total gross proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before

 

29


deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total commissions received by the Agent. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Agent, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6(b), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 6(b) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 6(d); provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 6(b) for purposes of indemnification.

The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 6(d).

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6(d), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the agent fees received by the Agent in connection with the offering contemplated hereby. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 6(d), each officer and employee of the Agent and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Agent, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company with the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

Section 7. TERMINATION & SURVIVAL

(a) Term. Subject to the provisions of this Section 7, the term of this Agreement shall continue from the date of this Agreement until the end of the Agency Period, unless earlier terminated by the parties to this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.

 

30


(b) Termination; Survival Following Termination.

 

  (i)

Either party may terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the Agency Period, by giving written notice as required by this Agreement, upon ten (10) Trading Days’ notice to the other party; provided that, (A) if the Company terminates this Agreement after the Agent confirms to the Company any sale of Shares, the Company shall remain obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares and (B) Section 2, Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 shall survive termination of this Agreement. If termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Shares, such sale shall nevertheless settle in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

  (ii)

In addition to the survival provision of Section 7(b)(i), the respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the Agent set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agent or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

Section 8. MISCELLANEOUS

(a) Press Releases and Disclosure. The Company may issue a press release describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby as soon as practicable following the date of this Agreement, and may file with the Commission a Current Report on Form 6-K, with this Agreement attached as an exhibit thereto, describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Company shall consult with the Agent prior to making such disclosures, and the parties hereto shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosures that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto. No party hereto shall issue thereafter any press release or like public statement (including, without limitation, any disclosure required in reports filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act) related to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby without the prior written approval of the other party hereto, except as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the party seeking to make disclosure to comply with the requirements of applicable law or stock exchange rules. If any such press release or like public statement is so required, the party making such disclosure shall consult with the other party prior to making such disclosure, and the parties shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosure that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto.

(b) No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the determination of any fees, are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Company and the Agent, (ii) when acting as a principal under this Agreement, the Agent is and has been acting solely as a principal is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (iii) the Agent has not assumed nor will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Agent has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and the Agent does not have any obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Agent and its respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (v) the Agent has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

31


(c) Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Agent’s research analysts and research departments are required to and should be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and as such the Agent’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company understands that the Agent is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(d) Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:

If to the Agent:

Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Facsimile: +1 646 619-4437

Attention: General Counsel

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Facsimile: +1 212 450 5322

Attention: Derek Dostal

If to the Company:

Affimed N.V.

Technologiepark

Im Neuenheimer Feld 582

69120 Heidelberg, Germany

Facsimile: +49 6221-6743 649

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

 

32


with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

601 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Facsimile: +1 212 446 4900

Attention: Sophia Hudson

Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others in accordance with this Section 8(d).

(e) Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 6, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Shares as such from the Agent merely by reason of such purchase.

(f) Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Article, Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

(g) Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company and each other party not located in the United States has irrevocably appointed Affimed, Inc., which currently maintains an office at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 19801, United States of America, as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York, United States of America.

With respect to any Related Proceeding, each party irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all immunity (whether on the basis of sovereignty or otherwise) from jurisdiction, service of process, attachment (both before and after judgment) and execution to which it might otherwise be entitled in the Specified Courts, and with respect to any Related Judgment, each party waives any such immunity in the Specified Courts or any other court of competent jurisdiction, and will not raise or claim or cause to be pleaded any such immunity at or in respect of any such Related Proceeding or Related Judgment, including, without limitation, any immunity pursuant to the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, as amended.

 

33


The obligations of the Company pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any sum due to the Agent shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first business day, following receipt by the Agent of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency, on which the Agent may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency. If the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to the Agent in United States dollars hereunder, the Company agrees as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Agent against such loss. If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to the Agent hereunder, the Agent agrees to pay to the Company an amount equal to the excess of the dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to the Agent hereunder.

All payments made by the Company under this Agreement shall be made free and clear of any withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature (including any amounts that result from the payment of fees, compensation or reimbursement of costs contemplated by this Agreement) imposed or levied by or on behalf of the Netherlands or by any department, agency or other political subdivision or any taxing authority thereof or therein, and all interest, penalties or similar liabilities with respect thereto (collectively, “Dutch Taxes”), unless such deduction or withholding is required by law. If any Dutch Taxes are required by law to be deducted or withheld by the Company in connection with such payment or repurchase, the Company will increase the amount to be paid to the Agent so that the full amount of such payment is received by the Agent, provided that the Company will not be required to pay any such additional amounts to the extent that the obligation to withhold or deduct any amounts arises as a result of any present or former connection between the Agent and the relevant jurisdiction other than any such connection arising solely as a result of the transaction described in this agreement.

(h) General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument, and may be delivered by facsimile transmission or by electronic delivery of a portable document format (PDF) file. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Article and Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

[Signature Page Immediately Follows]

 

34


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms

 

Very truly yours,
AFFIMED N.V.
By:  

/s/ Dr. Adi Hoess

  Name: Dr. Adi Hoess
  Title:   Chief Executive Officer
By:  

/s/ Angus Smith

  Name: Angus Smith
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer

The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Agent in New York, New York as of the date first above written.

 

JEFFERIES LLC
By:  

/s/ Michael Magarro

  Name: Michael Magarro
  Title:   Managing Director


EXHIBIT A

ISSUANCE NOTICE

[                    ], 20[    ]

Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Attn: [__________]

Reference is made to the Open Market Sale Agreement between Affimed N.V. (the “Company”) and Jefferies LLC (the “Agent”) dated as of November 10, 2021. The Company confirms that all conditions to the delivery of this Issuance Notice are satisfied as of the date hereof.

Date of Delivery of Issuance Notice (determined pursuant to Section 3(b)(i)): _______________________

Issuance Amount (equal to the total Sales Price for such Shares):

$                                                             

Maximum number of Shares to be sold:

 

                                                             

Number of days in selling period:                                                                       

First date of selling period:                                                                                 

Last date of selling period:                                                                                 

Settlement Date(s) if other than standard T+2 settlement:

 

                                                     

Floor Price Limitation (in no event less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which consent may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion): $ ____ per share

Comments:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 

 

    

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-1


Schedule A

Notice Parties

The Company

Adi Hoess, Chief Executive Officer (a.hoess@affimed.com)

Angus W. Smith, Chief Financial Officer (a.smith@affimed.com)

The Agent

Gil Bar-Nahum, Managing Director (gbarnahum@jefferies.com)

Michael Magarro, Managing Director (mmagarro@jefferies.com)

Donald Lynaugh, Managing Director (dlynaugh@jefferies.com)


Exhibit 4(l)

OFFICERS’ CERTIFICATE

The undersigned, the duly qualified and elected _______________________, of Affimed N.V. (“Company”), a Dutch corporation, does hereby certify in such capacity and on behalf of the Company, pursuant to Section 4(l) of the Sale Agreement dated November 10, 2021 (the “Sale Agreement”) between the Company and Jefferies LLC, that to the best of the knowledge of the undersigned.

(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in Section 2 of the Sale Agreement (A) to the extent such representations and warranties are subject to qualifications and exceptions contained therein relating to materiality or Material Adverse Change, are true and correct on and as of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if expressly made on and as of the date hereof, except for those representations and warranties that speak solely as of a specific date and which were true and correct as of such date, and (B) to the extent such representations and warranties are not subject to any qualifications or exceptions, are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof as if made on and as of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if expressly made on and as of the date hereof except for those representations and warranties that speak solely as of a specific date and which were true and correct as of such date; and

(ii) The Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied pursuant to the Sale Agreement at or prior to the date hereof.

 

By:                                                                                                  
Name:
Title:

Date:                     

 

B-2


Exhibit 4(m)

FORM OF U.S. COMPANY COUNSEL OPINION AND NEGATIVE ASSURANCE

 

B-3


FORM OF DUTCH COMPANY COUNSEL OPINION

 

B-4

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

      LOGO

 

To Affimed N.V. (the “Issuer”)      
Im Neuenheimer Feld 582 0      
D-69120 HEIDELBERG      
Germany      
      Claude Debussylaan 80
      P.O. Box 75084
      1070 AB Amsterdam
      T +31 20 577 1771
      F +31 20 577 1775
Date 10 November 2021    Gaby Smeenk   
   E gaby.smeenk@debrauw.com   
Our ref. M37858354/1/20728140/ffm    T +31 20 577 1446   
   F +31 20 577 1775   

Dear Sir/Madam,

Registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

of common shares in the capital of the Issuer

 

1

INTRODUCTION

I act as Dutch legal adviser (advocaat) to the Issuer in connection with the Registration.

Certain terms used in this opinion are defined in the Annex (Definitions).

 

2

DUTCH LAW

This opinion is limited to Dutch law in effect on the date of this opinion. It (including all terms used in it) is to be construed in accordance with Dutch law.

 

3

SCOPE OF INQUIRY

I have examined, and relied upon the accuracy of the factual statements in, the following documents:

 

  (a)

A copy of the Registration Statement.

 

  (b)

A copy of:

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V., Amsterdam, is registered with the Trade Register in the Netherlands under no. 27171912.

All services and other work are carried out under an agreement of instruction (“overeenkomst van opdracht”) with De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V. The agreement is subject to the General Conditions, which have been filed with the register of the District Court in Amsterdam and contain a limitation of liability.

Client account notaries ING Bank IBAN NL83INGB0693213876 BIC INGBNL2A.


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  (i)

the Issuer’s deed of incorporation, the Deed of Conversion, the Deed of Amendment and its articles of association, as provided to me by the Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel); and

 

  (ii)

the Trade Register Extract.

In addition, I have examined such documents, and performed such other investigations, as I considered necessary for the purpose of this opinion. My examination has been limited to the text of the documents.

 

4

ASSUMPTIONS

I have made the following assumptions:

 

  (a)

 

  (i)

Each copy document conforms to the original and each original is genuine and complete.

 

  (ii)

Each signature is the genuine signature of the individual concerned.

 

  (iii)

The Registration Statement has been or will have been filed with the SEC in the form referred to in this opinion.

 

  (b)

 

  (i)

 

  (A)

The issue by the Issuer of the Registration Shares (or of any rights to acquire Registration Shares) will have been validly authorised; and

 

  (B)

any pre-emption rights in respect of the issue of the Registration Shares (or of any rights to acquire Registration Shares) will have been observed or validly excluded;

all in accordance with the Issuer’s articles of association at the time of authorisation or of observance or exclusion.

 

  (ii)

The Issuer’s authorised share capital at the time of issue of any Registration Share will be sufficient to allow for the issue.

 

  (iii)

The Registration Shares will have been:

 

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  (A)

issued in the form and manner prescribed by the articles of association at the time of issue; and

 

  (B)

otherwise offered, issued and accepted by their subscribers in accordance with all applicable laws (including, for the avoidance of doubt, Dutch law).

 

  (iv)

The nominal amount of the Registration Shares and any agreed share premium will have been validly paid.

 

5

OPINION

Based on the documents and investigations referred to and assumptions made in paragraphs 3 and 4, I am of the following opinion:

 

  (a)

When issued, the Registration Shares will have been validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable1.

 

6

QUALIFICATIONS

 

  (a)

This opinion is subject to any limitations arising from (a) rules relating to bankruptcy, suspension of payments or Preventive Restructuring Processes, (b) rules relating to foreign (i) insolvency proceedings (including foreign Insolvency Proceedings), (ii) arrangement or compromise of obligations or (iii) preventive restructuring frameworks, (c) other rules regulating conflicts between rights of creditors, or (d) intervention and other measures in relation to financial enterprises or their affiliated entities.

 

  (b)

An extract from the Trade Register does not provide conclusive evidence that the facts set out in it are correct. However, under the 2007 Trade Register Act (Handelsregisterwet 2007), subject to limited exceptions, a legal entity or partnership cannot invoke the incorrectness or incompleteness of its Trade Register registration against third parties who were unaware of the incorrectness or incompleteness.

 

7

RELIANCE

 

  (a)

This opinion is an exhibit to the Registration Statement and may be relied upon for the purpose of the Registration and not for any other purpose. It may not be supplied, and its contents or existence may not be disclosed, to any person other than as an Exhibit to (and therefore together with) the Registration Statement.

 

1 

In this opinion, “nonassessable” – which term has no equivalent in Dutch – means, in relation to a share, that the issuer of the share has no right to require the holder of the share to pay to the issuer any amount (in addition to the amount required for the share to be fully paid) solely as a result of his shareholdership.

 

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  (b)

Each person accepting this opinion agrees, in so accepting, that:

 

  (i)

only De Brauw (and not any other person) will have any liability in connection with this opinion;

 

  (ii)

De Brauw’s liability in connection with this opinion is limited to the amount that is paid out in the specific case under De Brauw’s professional liability insurance, increased by the applicable deductible (eigen risico);

 

  (iii)

the agreement in this paragraph 7 and all liability and other matters relating to this opinion will be governed exclusively by Dutch law and that the Dutch courts will have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute relating to this opinion; and

 

  (iv)

this opinion (including the agreements in this paragraph 7(b)) does not make any person, other than the Issuer, a client of De Brauw.

 

  (c)

The Issuer may:

 

  (i)

file this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; and

 

  (ii)

refer to De Brauw giving this opinion in the Exhibit Index under 5.1 and under the heading “Legal Matters” in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement.

The previous sentence is no admittance from me (or De Brauw) that I am (or De Brauw is) in the category of persons whose consent for the filing and reference as set out in that sentence is required under article 7 of the Securities Act or any rules or regulations of the SEC promulgated under it.

 

Yours faithfully,

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V.

/s/ Gaby Smeenk
Gaby Smeenk

 

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Annex – Definitions

In this opinion:

De Brauw” means De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V.

Deed of Amendment” means the deed of amendment of the articles of association of the Issuer (akte van statutenwijziging) dated 4 August 2020, changing the composition of the Issuer’s authorised share capital.

Deed of Conversion” means the deed of conversion and amendment of the articles of association of the Issuer (akte van omzetting en statutenwijziging Affimed Therapeutics B.V. (na omzetting en statutenwijziging genaamd: Affimed N.V.)) dated 17 September 2014 providing for the conversion of the Issuer into a limited liability company and amendment of its articles of association.

Dutch law” means the law directly applicable in the Netherlands.

Insolvency Proceedings” means insolvency proceedings as defined in Article 2(4) of Regulation (EU) 2015/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015 on insolvency proceedings (recast).

Issuer” means Affimed N.V., with seat in Amsterdam, Trade Register number 60673389.

Preventive Restructuring Processes” means public and/or undisclosed preventive restructuring processes within the meaning of the Dutch Act on Court Confirmation of Extrajudicial Restructuring Plans (Wet homologatie onderhands akkoord).

Registration” means the registration of the Registration Shares with the SEC under the Securities Act.

Registration Shares” means the common shares (gewone aandelen) in the capital of the Issuer registered with the SEC pursuant to the Registration.

Registration Statement” means the Issuer’s registration statement on form F-3 dated 10 November 2021 in relation to the Registration (excluding any documents incorporated by reference in it and any exhibits to it).

SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

the Netherlands” means the part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands located in Europe.

Trade Register Extract” means a Trade Register extract relating to the Issuer provided by the Chamber of Commerce and dated 9 November 2021.

 

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EX-5.2

Exhibit 5.2

 

LOGO

 

 

601 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10022

+1 (212) 446-4800

www.kirkland.com

  

Facsimile:

+1 (212) 446-4900

November 10, 2021

Affimed N.V.

Technologiepark

Im Neuenheimer Feld 582

69120 Heidelberg, Germany

Re: Registration Statement on Form F-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are issuing this opinion letter in our capacity as special U.S. counsel to Affimed N.V., a Dutch public company with limited liability (naamloze vennootschap) (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form F-3 (the “Registration Statement”) to be filed with Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) by the Company, to register the offer and sale, from time to time, by the Company of an unspecified amount of (i) common shares, nominal value €0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”), of the Company; (ii) senior debt securities (the “Senior Debt Securities”), which may be issued pursuant to an indenture (the “Senior Indenture”) to be executed by the Company and the trustee to be named therein; and subordinated debt securities (the “Subordinated Debt Securities” and, together with the Senior Debt Securities, the “Debt Securities”), which may be issued pursuant to an indenture (the “Subordinated Indenture” and, together with the Senior Indenture, the “Indentures”) to be executed by the Company and the trustee to be named therein; (iii) warrants or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire Common Shares or Debt Securities of the Company (the “Warrants”); (iv) purchase contracts (the “Purchase Contracts”) for the purchase or sale of the Company’s securities or securities of third parties, a basket of such securities, an index or indices of such securities or any combination of the above; and (v) units (the “Units”) consisting of one or more Common Shares, Debt Securities, Warrants, Purchase Contracts, or any combination of such securities.

For purposes of the opinions hereinafter expressed, we have examined the Registration Statement, copies of the forms of the Indentures and originals or copies, certified and otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such other documents, corporate or limited liability company records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinions expressed herein. Insofar as the opinions expressed herein involve factual matters, we have relied (without independent factual investigation), to the extent we deemed proper or necessary, upon certificates of, and other communications with, officers and employees of the Company and upon certificates of public officials.

Austin Beijing Boston Chicago Dallas Hong Kong Houston London Los Angeles Munich Palo Alto Paris San Francisco Salt Lake City Shanghai Washington, D.C.


Affimed N.V.

November 10, 2021

Page 2

 

In connection with this opinion, we have assumed that (i) the Registration Statement will have become effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”); (ii) a prospectus supplement will have been prepared and filed with the Commission describing the securities offered thereby; (iii) all offered securities will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and the applicable prospectus supplement; (iv) a definitive purchase, underwriting, sales agency or similar agreement with respect to the offered securities will have been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; (v) any applicable indenture and indenture trustee will have been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended; and (vi) with respect to any Units, consisting of one or more Common Shares, Debt Securities, Warrants, Purchase Contracts, or any combination of such securities, such Units will be authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable (to the extent applicable).

Based on the foregoing, and having regard for such legal considerations as we have deemed relevant, we advise you that:

 

  1.

When the Debt Securities and the applicable Indenture have been authorized by appropriate corporate authorization, the applicable Indenture has been duly executed by the parties thereto, and the Debt Securities have been executed, authenticated and delivered in accordance with the applicable Indenture against payment therefor, the Debt Securities will be validly issued and the Debt Securities will constitute binding obligations of the Company in accordance with their terms and the terms of the applicable Indenture.

 

  2.

When the Warrants and the related warrant agreement have been duly authorized by appropriate corporate authorization, the warrant agreement has been duly executed by the parties thereto, and the Warrants have been executed, countersigned, and delivered in accordance with the warrant agreement against payment therefor, the Warrants will be validly issued and will constitute binding obligations of the Company.

 

  3.

When the Purchase Contracts and the related purchase contract agreement have been duly authorized by appropriate corporate authorization, and the Purchase Contracts have been duly executed and issued in accordance with the related purchase contract agreement, the Purchase Contracts will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

  4.

When the Units and the related unit agreement have been duly authorized by appropriate corporate authorization, and the Units have been duly executed and issued in accordance with the related unit agreement, the Units will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.


Affimed N.V.

November 10, 2021

Page 3

 

Each opinion (an “enforceability opinion”) in this letter that any security is a valid and binding obligation or is enforceable in accordance with its terms is subject to: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance and other similar laws and judicially developed doctrines in this area such as substantive consolidation and equitable subordination; (ii) the effect of general principles of equity; and (iii) other commonly recognized statutory and judicial constraints on enforceability including statutes of limitations. In addition, we do not express any opinion as to the enforceability of any rights to contribution or indemnification which may be violative of public policy underlying any law, rule or regulation (including any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation). “General principles of equity” include, but are not limited to: principles limiting the availability of specific performance and injunctive relief; principles which limit the availability of a remedy under certain circumstances where another remedy has been elected; principles requiring reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing in the performance and enforcement of an agreement by the party seeking enforcement; principles which may permit a party to cure a material failure to perform its obligations; and principles affording equitable defenses such as waiver, laches and estoppel. We express no opinion with respect to the enforceability of any provision which purports to waive the benefit of usury laws. It is possible that terms in a particular contract covered by our enforceability opinion may not prove enforceable for reasons other than those explicitly cited in this letter should an actual enforcement action be brought, but (subject to all the exceptions, qualifications, exclusions and other limitations contained in this letter) such unenforceability would not in our opinion prevent the party entitled to enforce that contract from realizing the principal benefits purported to be provided to that party by the terms in that contract which are covered by our enforceability opinion.

This opinion does not cover the law of any jurisdiction other than the law of the State of New York. We did not find it necessary for the purposes of this opinion, and accordingly we do not purport to cover herein, the application of the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the various states. We undertake no responsibility to update or supplement this opinion in response to changes in law or future events or other circumstances. We have assumed the indentures, purchase contract agreement, warrant agreement and unit agreement referenced in the numbered paragraphs above will be governed by the law of the State of New York.

This opinion is furnished to you in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement and is not to be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise relied upon or otherwise referred to by any other person for any other purpose.


Affimed N.V.

November 10, 2021

Page 4

 

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement, other than as to the specific issues addressed herein, and no opinion may be inferred or implied beyond that expressly stated herein. The Securities may be issued from time to time on a delayed or continuous basis, and this opinion is limited to the laws, including the rules and regulations, as in effect on the date hereof, which laws are subject to change with possible retroactive effect. This opinion speaks only as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.

 

Yours very truly,

/s/ Kirkland and Ellis LLP

KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP
EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the use of our report dated April 15, 2021, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Affimed N.V, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included herein and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.

/s/ KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

Mannheim, Germany

November 10, 2021