As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 17, 2018

Registration No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Synthorx, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   46-4709185

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

11099 N. Torrey Pines Road, Suite 190

La Jolla, California

  92037
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

2014 Equity Incentive Plan

2018 Equity Incentive Plan

2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full titles of the plans)

Laura K. Shawver, Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Synthorx, Inc.

11099 N. Torrey Pines Road, Suite 190

La Jolla, California 92037

(858) 750-4700

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

Kenneth J. Rollins, Esq.

Cooley LLP

4401 Eastgate Mall

San Diego, California 92121

(858) 550-6000

 

Christian V. Kuhlen, Esq.

Synthorx, Inc.

11099 N. Torrey Pines Road, Suite 190

La Jolla, California 92037

(858) 750-4700

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large Accelerated filer   ☐    Accelerated filer   ☐
Non-accelerated filer   ☒    Smaller reporting company   ☐

Emerging growth company ☒

If an emerging growth company, 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. ☒

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of securities

to be registered

 

Amount

to be

registered (1)

 

Proposed

maximum

offering price

per share

 

Proposed

maximum

aggregate

offering price

 

Amount of

registration fee

2014 Equity Incentive Plan

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

  2,313,262 shares (2)   $1.21 (3)   $2,799,048 (3)   $340

2018 Equity Incentive Plan

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

  5,828,865 shares (4)   $14.34 (5)   $83,585,925 (5)   $10,131

2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

  645,000 shares (6)   $14.34 (5)   $9,249,300 (5)   $1,122

 

 

(1)

Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of Common Stock (“Common Stock”) of Synthorx, Inc. (the “Registrant”) that become issuable under the Registrant’s 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Prior Plan”), the Registrant’s 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Current Plan”), or the Registrant’s 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2018 ESPP”) by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction.

(2)

Represents shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding stock options granted under the Prior Plan. On and after December 6, 2018, the date of the underwriting agreement between the Registrant and the underwriters managing the Registrant’s initial public offering of the Common Stock pursuant to which the Common Stock was priced for the initial public offering (the “Effective Date”), no additional stock awards will be granted under the Prior Plan, and the shares remaining available for the grant of future stock awards under the Prior Plan (the “Prior Plan Pool”), plus any shares underlying then-outstanding stock awards granted under the Prior Plan that on or after the Effective Date expire or terminate for any reason prior to exercise or settlement, are forfeited because of the failure to meet a contingency or condition required to vest such shares, or otherwise return to the Registrant or are reacquired, withheld or not issued to satisfy a tax withholding obligation in connection with an award or to satisfy the purchase price or exercise price of a stock award (such shares, the “Prior Plan Returning Shares”), will become available for the grant of stock awards under the Current Plan.

(3)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h)(1) of the Securities Act. The proposed maximum aggregate offering price per share and proposed maximum aggregate offering price for the 2,313,262 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding stock options granted under the Prior Plan are calculated using a weighted average exercise price of $1.21 per share based on exercise prices for such outstanding stock options ranging from $0.53 to $5.82 per share.

(4)

Represents the sum of (1) 3,428,492 new shares, plus (2) up to 2,400,373 shares, which number of shares includes (i) the Prior Plan Pool plus (ii) the Prior Plan Returning Shares. The Current Plan provides that an additional number of shares will automatically be added to the shares authorized for issuance under the Current Plan on January 1 st of each calendar year, from January 1, 2019 through January 1, 2028. The number of shares added each year will be equal to the lesser of: (a) 4% of the total number of shares of capital stock of the Registrant outstanding on December 31 of the preceding calendar year; or (b) such lesser number of shares of Common Stock as the Registrant’s board of directors (the “Board”) may designate prior to the applicable January 1 st .

(5)

This estimate is made pursuant to Rule 457(h)(1) and Rule 457 (c) of the Securities Act solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee, and is based on the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market for December 14, 2018.

(6)

Represents 645,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for future grant under the 2018 ESPP. The 2018 ESPP provides that an additional number of shares will automatically be added to the shares authorized for issuance under the 2018 ESPP on January 1 st of each calendar year, from January 1, 2019 through January 1, 2028. The number of shares of Common Stock added each year will be equal to the lesser of: (a) 1% of the total number of shares of capital stock outstanding on December 31 of the preceding calendar year; (b) 750,000 shares; or (c) such lesser number of shares of Common Stock as the Board may designate prior to the applicable January 1 st .

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

 

ITEM 1.

PLAN INFORMATION.

Not required to be filed with this Registration Statement.

 

ITEM 2.

REGISTRANT INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN ANNUAL INFORMATION.

Not required to be filed with this Registration Statement.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

ITEM 3.

INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

The Registrant hereby incorporates by reference into this Registration Statement the following documents previously filed by the Registrant with the Commission:

(a) The Registrant’s prospectus dated December 6, 2018 and filed on December 7, 2018 pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, which contains audited financial statements for the Registrant’s latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed, relating to the registration statement on Form S-1 originally filed on November 13, 2018, as amended (File No. 333-228355), and the registration statement on Form S-1 filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act originally filed on December 6, 2018, as amended (File No. 333-228700).

(b) The description of the Registrant’s Common Stock contained in the Registrant’s registration statement on Form 8-A filed on December 6, 2018 (File No. 001-38756) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents, reports and definitive proxy or information statements filed pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents; provided, however, that documents, reports and definitive proxy or information statements, or portions thereof, which are furnished and not filed in accordance with the rules of the Commission shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes that statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not constitute a part of this Registration Statement, except as so modified or superseded.

 

ITEM 4.

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 5.

INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 6.

INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

The Registrant is incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any persons who were, are, or are threatened to be made, parties to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact that such person is or was an officer, director, employee or agent of such corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as an officer, director, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided that such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was illegal. A Delaware corporation may indemnify any persons who were, are, or are threatened to be made, a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit; provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer or director is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him or her against the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred.

The Registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide for the indemnification of its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duties as a director, except for liability for any:

 

  •

transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit;

 

  •

act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

  •

unlawful payment of dividends or redemption of shares; or

 

  •

breach of a director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders.

The Registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation includes such a provision. Expenses incurred by any officer or director in defending any such action, suit or proceeding in advance of its final disposition shall be paid by the Registrant upon delivery to it of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified by the Registrant.

Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides, among other things, that a director who willfully or negligently approves of an unlawful payment of dividends or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption may be held liable for such actions. A director who was either absent when the unlawful actions were approved, or dissented at the time, may avoid liability by causing his or her dissent to such actions to be entered in the books containing minutes of the meetings of the board of directors at the time such action occurred or immediately after such absent director receives notice of the unlawful acts.

As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Registrant has entered into indemnity agreements with each of its directors and executive officers, that require the Registrant to indemnify such persons against any and all costs and expenses (including attorneys’, witness or other professional fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such persons in connection with any action, suit or proceeding (including derivative actions), whether actual or threatened, to which any such person may be made a party by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer or is or was acting or serving as an officer, director, employee or agent of the Registrant or any of its affiliated enterprises. Under these agreements, the Registrant is not required to provided indemnification for certain matters, including:

 

  •

indemnification beyond that permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law;

 

  •

indemnification for any proceeding with respect to the unlawful payment of remuneration to the director or officer;

 

  •

indemnification for certain proceedings involving a final judgment that the director or officer is required to disgorge profits from the purchase or sale of the Registrant’s stock;

 

  •

indemnification for proceedings involving a final judgment that the director’s or officer’s conduct was in bad faith, knowingly fraudulent or deliberately dishonest or constituted willful misconduct or a breach of his or her duty of loyalty, but only to the extent of such specific determination;

 

  •

indemnification for proceedings or claims brought by an officer or director against the Registrant or any of the Registrant’s directors, officers, employees or agents, except for claims to establish a right of indemnification or proceedings or claims approved by the Registrant’s board of directors or required by law;

 

  •

indemnification for settlements the director or officer enters into without the Registrant’s consent; or

 

  •

indemnification in violation of any undertaking required by the Securities Act, or in any registration statement filed by the Registrant.

The indemnification agreements also set forth certain procedures that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification thereunder.

At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving any of the Registrant’s directors or executive officers as to which indemnification is required or permitted, and the Registrant is not aware of any threatened litigation or proceeding that may result in a claim for indemnification.

The Registrant has an insurance policy in place that covers its officers and directors with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act, or otherwise.

 

ITEM 7.

EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

Not applicable.

ITEM 8.

EXHIBITS.

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  4.1 (1)    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant.
  4.2 (2)    Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant.
  4.3 (3)    Form of Common Stock Certificate of the Registrant.
  5.1    Opinion of Cooley LLP.
23.1    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
23.2    Consent of Cooley LLP. Reference is made to Exhibit 5.1.
24.1    Power of Attorney. Reference is made to the signature page hereto.
99.1 (4)    Synthorx, Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan and Forms of Stock Option Grant Notice, Option Agreement, Notice of Exercise and Early Exercise Stock Purchase Agreement thereunder, as amended.
99.2    Synthorx, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan and Forms of Stock Option Grant Notice, Option Agreement, Notice of Exercise, Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice and Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement thereunder.
99.3 (5)    Synthorx, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

(1)  

Previously filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38756), filed with the Commission on December 11, 2018 and incorporated herein by reference.

(2)  

Previously filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38756), filed with the Commission on December 11, 2018 and incorporated herein by reference.

(3)  

Previously filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-228355), originally filed with the Commission on November 13, 2018, as amended, and incorporated herein by reference.

(4)  

Previously filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-228355), originally filed with the Commission on November 13, 2018, as amended, and incorporated herein by reference.

(5)  

Previously filed as Exhibit 10.4 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-228355), originally filed with the Commission on November 13, 2018, as amended, and incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 9.

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;

 

  (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 SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 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 paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the Registration Statement is on Form S-8, 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 Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and

 

  (2)

That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, 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.

 

(b)

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, 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 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 Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on December 17, 2018.

 

SYNTHORX, INC.
By:  

/s/ Laura Shawver

  Laura Shawver, Ph.D.
  President and Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Laura Shawver, Ph.D., and Christian V. Kuhlen, M.D., J.D., and each of them, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with the full power of substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place or stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Registration Statement (including post-effective amendments), and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, 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 or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, 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 in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Laura Shawver

Laura Shawver, Ph.D.

  

President, Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors

(Principal Executive Officer)

  December 17, 2018

/s/ Tighe Reardon

Tighe Reardon

  

Acting Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  December 17, 2018

/s/ Vickie Capps

Vickie Capps

   Member of the Board of Directors   December 17, 2018

/s/ Peter Kolchinsky

Peter Kolchinsky, Ph.D.

   Member of the Board of Directors   December 17, 2018

/s/ Jay Lichter

Jay Lichter, Ph.D.

   Chairman of the Board of Directors   December 17, 2018

/s/ Floyd Romesberg

Floyd Romesberg, Ph.D.

   Member of the Board of Directors   December 17, 2018

/s/ Peter Thompson

Peter Thompson, M.D.

   Member of the Board of Directors   December 17, 2018

/s/ Pratik Shah

Pratik Shah, Ph.D.

   Member of the Board of Directors   December 17, 2018
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