Attached files
file | filename |
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10-Q - 10-Q - Dare Bioscience, Inc. | ceru-10q_20150930.htm |
EX-31.1 - EX-31.1 - Dare Bioscience, Inc. | ceru-ex311_8.htm |
EX-32.2 - EX-32.2 - Dare Bioscience, Inc. | ceru-ex322_7.htm |
EX-32.1 - EX-32.1 - Dare Bioscience, Inc. | ceru-ex321_12.htm |
EX-31.2 - EX-31.2 - Dare Bioscience, Inc. | ceru-ex312_10.htm |
EX-10.2 - EX-10.2 - Dare Bioscience, Inc. | ceru-ex102_152.htm |
EX-10.3 - EX-10.3 - Dare Bioscience, Inc. | ceru-ex103_153.htm |
EXHIBIT 10.1
SEPARATION AGREEMENT
This Separation Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made as of September 4, 2015 by and between Cerulean Pharma Inc. (the “Company”) and Edward Garmey, M.D. (“Dr. Garmey”) (collectively, the “Parties”).
WHEREAS, the Company and Dr. Garmey are parties to the Employment Agreement dated as of July 21, 2014 (the “Employment Agreement”) under which Dr. Garmey currently serves as Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of the Company;
WHEREAS, Dr. Garmey desires to resign from the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Parties agree that the Employment Agreement shall be null and void on the date this Agreement becomes effective and enforceable and wish to establish the terms of Dr. Garmey’s separation from the Company;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and conditions set forth below, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
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Resignation from Employment and Officer Positions. |
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provided, however, that the first payment shall not be made until the first regular payroll date following the Separation Date. |
(b) Group Health Insurance – Should Dr. Garmey be eligible for and timely elect to continue receiving group health insurance coverage under the law known as COBRA, the Company shall, until the earlier of (x) the date that is six (6) months following the Separation Date, or (y) the date that Dr. Garmey becomes eligible for group health coverage through a new employer (as applicable, the “COBRA Contribution Period”), pay on Dr. Garmey’s behalf the share of the premium for such coverage that it currently pays on behalf of active and similarly situated employees with the same type of coverage. The remaining balance of any premium costs, and all premium costs after the COBRA Contribution Period, shall be paid by Dr. Garmey on a monthly basis during the elected period of health insurance coverage under COBRA for as long as, and to the extent that, he remains eligible for COBRA continuation. Dr. Garmey will notify the Company in writing at least five (5) days prior to the date on which he becomes eligible to receive group health insurance coverage through another employer, if that date is prior to the date that is six (6) months following the Separation Date.
(c) Extension of Option Exercise Date – Effective as of the Separation Date, the Company will extend until the date that is twelve (12) months following the Separation Date the period during which Dr. Garmey may exercise any vested stock options that he holds pursuant to any stock option agreement evidencing the grant of such options (each, an “Option Agreement”), pursuant to the terms of such Option Agreement(s) and the Company’s 2007 Stock Incentive Plan and 2014 Stock Incentive Plan, as applicable, provided that in no event shall Dr. Garmey be able to exercise any option beyond the Final Exercise Date for such option, as set forth in the applicable Option Agreement. Dr. Garmey understands that the stock options subject to this extended exercise period shall cease to be treated for tax purposes as incentive stock options as of the date hereof. Dr. Garmey further understands that, as a result of the loss of incentive stock option status of the affected options, the Company will be required to withhold applicable income and employment taxes at the time of exercise of such options.
Notwithstanding any term of any outstanding stock option held by Dr. Garmey or in any other agreement between the Company and Dr. Garmey, any and all such stock options shall cease vesting as of the Separation Date and will remain exercisable for a period of one year following the Separation Date, but not for any period thereafter (and in no event may the exercise period for any stock option be extended beyond the Final Exercise Date for such stock option).
Other than the Severance Benefits, and fees payable to Dr. Garmey pursuant to that certain Consulting Agreement of even date herewith, Dr. Garmey will not be eligible for, nor shall he have a right to receive, any payments or benefits from the Company following the Separation Date.
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Release by the Company. In exchange for the consideration set forth herein, the Company hereby fully, forever, irrevocably and unconditionally releases, remises and discharges Dr. Garmey from any and all claims, complaints, demands, actions, causes of action, suits, rights, debts, sums of money, costs, accounts, reckonings, covenants, contracts, agreements, promises, doings, omissions, damages, executions, obligations, liabilities, and expenses (including attorneys’ fees and costs), of every kind and nature, whether known or unknown, that it ever had or now has against Dr. Garmey, including, but not limited to, any and all claims arising out of or relating to Dr. Garmey’s employment with and/or separation from the Company; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this release (a) releases Dr. Garmey from his continuing obligations as set forth in Section 5 below, (b) shall prevent the Company from bringing claims to enforce this Agreement, or (c) releases Dr. Garmey from any claims for fraud or embezzlement, or from any civil claims based on any acts and/or omissions that satisfy the elements of a criminal offense, or from any claims arising out of any deliberate misconduct by him that results or resulted in material injury to the Company. |
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Continuing Obligations. Dr. Garmey acknowledges and reaffirms his obligation to keep confidential and not to use or disclose, at any time after the Separation Date, any and all non-public information concerning the Company that he acquires or acquired during the course of his employment with the Company, including, but not limited to, any non-public information concerning the Company’s business affairs, clinical trials, research and development, regulatory strategy or financial condition. Dr. Garmey further acknowledges his ongoing obligations set forth in the Invention and Non-Disclosure Agreement previously executed in connection with his employment by the Company, which continue in full force and effect, with the sole exception of the post-employment restrictions set forth in paragraph 6(a) of the Invention and Non-Disclosure Agreement. |
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Company-owned property in his possession or control and that he will leave intact all electronic Company documents, including but not limited to those that he developed or helped to develop during his employment. In addition, Dr. Garmey will, on the Separation Date or earlier if requested by the Company, cancel all accounts for his benefit, if any, in the Company’s name, including but not limited to, credit cards, telephone charge cards, cellular phone and/or wireless data accounts and computer accounts. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Dr. Garmey may retain the laptop and cellphone provided to him by the Company, provided that both are wiped clean of any Company confidential information and with the understanding that any Company-sponsored service plans or licenses associated with such laptop or cellphone shall be terminated as of the Separation Date. |
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Amendment. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Parties and may not be abandoned, supplemented, changed or modified in any manner, orally or otherwise, except by an instrument in writing of concurrent or subsequent date signed by duly authorized representatives of the Parties. This Agreement is binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective agents, assigns, heirs, executors, successors and administrators. |
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Waiver of Rights. No delay or omission by either Party in exercising any rights under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of that or any other right. A waiver or consent given by either Party on any one occasion shall be effective only in that instance and shall not be construed as a bar to or waiver of any right on any other occasion. |
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Validity. Should any provision of this Agreement be declared or be determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal or invalid, the validity of the remaining parts, terms, or provisions shall not be affected thereby and said illegal or invalid part, term or provision shall be deemed not to be a part of this Agreement. |
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proceeding, and (b) reimburse Dr. Garmey for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs that he incurs to comply with this paragraph. |
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Nature of Agreement. This Agreement is not and shall not in any way be construed as an admission of liability or wrongdoing on the part of either Party. |
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Time for Consideration. To be eligible to receive the Severance Benefits, Dr. Garmey must sign and return this Agreement on or before September 25, 2015. |
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Acknowledgments. Dr. Garmey acknowledges that he has been given twenty-one (21) days following his receipt of this Agreement to consider this Agreement, and that the Company is hereby advising him to consult with an attorney of his own choosing prior to signing this Agreement. Dr. Garmey understands that he may revoke this Agreement for a period of seven (7) days after he signs it by notifying the Company in writing, and this Agreement shall not be effective or enforceable until the expiration of this seven (7) day revocation period. Dr. Garmey understands and agrees that by entering into this Agreement, he will be waiving any and all rights or claims he might have under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended by the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, and that he will be eligible to receive consideration beyond that to which he was previously entitled. |
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Voluntary Assent. Dr. Garmey affirms that no other promises or agreements of any kind have been made to or with him by any person or entity whatsoever to cause him to sign this Agreement, and that he fully understands the meaning and intent of this Agreement. Dr. Garmey acknowledges that he had an opportunity to fully discuss and review the terms of this Agreement with an attorney of his own choosing prior to signing this Agreement. Dr. Garmey further states and represents that he has carefully read this Agreement, understands the contents herein, freely and voluntarily assents to all of the terms and conditions hereof and signs his name of his own free act. |
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Tax Provision. In connection with the Severance Benefits and any other monetary payments to be provided to Dr. Garmey pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall withhold and remit to the tax authorities the amounts required under applicable law, and Dr. Garmey shall be responsible for all applicable taxes with respect to such Severance Benefits and other payments under applicable law. The Parties intend that the payments and benefits provided for under this Agreement shall be either exempt from or compliant with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Dr. Garmey acknowledges that he is not relying upon advice or representation of the Company with respect to the tax treatment of any of the Severance Benefits or other payments. |
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the only courts of competent jurisdiction), over any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of, under, or in connection with this Agreement or the subject matter thereof. |
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Entire Agreement. Subject to the immediately following sentence, this Agreement, upon its effective date, and the Invention and Non-Disclosure Agreement contain and constitute the entire understanding and agreement between the Parties hereto with respect to Dr. Garmey’s employment with and separation from the Company, Severance Benefits and the settlement of claims against the Company, and cancels all previous oral and written negotiations, agreements, commitments and writings in connection therewith. This Agreement supersedes and cancels any prior employment agreements or arrangements Dr. Garmey may have entered into with the Company, including, without limitation, the Employment Agreement (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be of no force or effect following the date this Agreement becomes effective and enforceable), provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall modify, cancel or supersede Dr. Garmey’s obligations set forth in Section 5 above, or the Company’s obligations with respect to vested stock options (as modified by Section 2(c) above). |
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Counterparts. This Agreement will be executed in duplicate such that each Party will retain a fully-executed original and each original may be executed in two (2) signature counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have set their hands and seals to this Agreement as of the date(s) written below.
Cerulean Pharma Inc.
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/s/ Christopher D. T. Guiffre |
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Date: September 4, 2015 |
By: President and Chief Executive Officer |
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I hereby agree to the terms and conditions set forth above.
Edward Garmey, M.D.
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/s/ Edward Garmey |
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Date: September 4, 2015 |
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