UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

SCHEDULE 14A

PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

 

Filed by the Registrant  ☒

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☐

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  Preliminary Proxy Statement
  Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule14a-6(e)(2))
  Definitive Proxy Statement
  Definitive Additional Materials
  Soliciting Material Pursuant to§240.14a-12

CALYXT, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box)all boxes that apply):

  No fee required.
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules14a-6(i)(4) and0-11.
(1)

Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

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LOGOLOGO

CALYXT, INC.

2800 Mount Ridge Road

Roseville, Minnesota 55113

Notice of 20192022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

to be held on May 17, 2019June 1, 2022

Dear Stockholder:

You are cordially invited to attend the 20192022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Calyxt, Inc., to be held virtually via live audio webcast at 90 South Seventh Street, Suite 4950, Minneapolis, MN 55402,www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/CLXT2022, on Friday, May 17, 2019Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time, for the following purposes:

 

 1.

To elect seveneight directors to our Board of Directors, all of whom are currently serving on our Board of Directors, each to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal;

 

 2.

To ratify the appointment by the Audit Committee of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019; and2022;

 

 3.

To approve an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to effect a reverse stock split of the Company’s shares of Common Stock at a ratio not less than 2-to-1 and not greater than 10-to-1, with the exact ratio to be set within that range at the discretion of our Board of Directors before April 1, 2024 without further approval or authorization of our stockholders (the “Reverse Stock Split”); and

Stockholders will also act on such other business and matters or proposals as may properly come before the Annual Meeting.

These items of business are more fully described in the Proxy Statement accompanying this Notice. All of Calyxt’s stockholders are invited to attend the Annual Meeting in person.

The record date for the Annual Meeting is April 3, 2019.6, 2022. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on that date are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof. Calyxt, Inc.’s list of stockholders as of April 6, 2022, will be available for inspection 10 days prior to the Annual Meeting during ordinary business hours at our corporate headquarters. In addition, the list of stockholders will also be available during the Annual Meeting through the meeting website for those stockholders who choose to attend.

Your vote as a stockholder of Calyxt, Inc. is very important. Each share of stock that you own represents one vote.

 

By Order of the Board of Directors,

James/s/ Michael A. BlomeCarr

JamesMichael A. BlomeCarr

President & Chief Executive Officer

Roseville, Minnesota

April 22, 2019                , 2022

Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting in person,online Annual Meeting, please submit voting instructions for your shares promptly by marking, dating and signing your proxy card and returning it in the accompanying postage-paid envelopeinternet at www.proxyvote.com, by telephone at 1-800-690-6903 (toll free) or by voting over the internet atwww.investorvote.com/CLXT or by telephone at1-800-652-8683 (toll free).mail. Even if you have voted by proxy, you may still vote in persononline if you attend the Annual Meeting. Please note, however, that if your shares are held of record by a broker, bank or other nominee and you wish to vote at the Annual Meeting, you must obtain a proxy issued in your name from that record holder.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE STOCKHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON JUNE 1, 2022

The Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K are available at www.proxyvote.com.


CALYXT, INC.

PROXY STATEMENT FOR 20192022 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

   Page 

Information aboutImportant Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials and Votingfor the Calyxt, Inc. Stockholder Meeting to be Held on June 1, 2022

   1 

Information about the Annual Meeting

   1 

Proposal No. 1 – Election of Directors

   59 

Directors Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

   7

Stockholder Communications

1213 

Proposal No.  2 – Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

   1219 

Transaction of Other BusinessRelationship with Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

   13

Executive Compensation

13

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

25

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

27

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

2720 

Report of the Audit Committee

   3221

Proposal No.  3 – Approval of an Amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to Effect a Reverse Stock Split at the Discretion of our Board of Directors

22

Executive Officers

29

Executive Compensation

30

Director Compensation

36

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

37

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

38

Delinquent 16(a) Reports

39

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

40 

Other Matters

   3343 

Appendix A — Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Calyxt, Inc.


IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE CALYXT, INC. STOCKHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON JUNE 1, 2022

In accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), we have elected to furnish our proxy materials, including this Proxy Statement and our Annual Report on Form 10-K, primarily over the internet rather than in paper form. Instructions on how to access these materials online or how to request a paper copy of the proxy materials may be found in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (“Notice of Internet Availability”), which is being first mailed on or about                 , 2022, to all stockholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. We believe that following this rule makes the distribution of proxy materials more efficient and less costly and helps in conserving natural resources.

The proxy materials referred to in the Notice of Internet Availability are both downloadable and printable. If you would prefer to receive proxy materials in printed form by mail or electronically by email on an ongoing basis, please follow the instructions contained in the Notice of Internet Availability.

The Notice of the Calyxt, Inc. 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, this Proxy Statement for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, and Calyxt, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, are available at www.proxyvote.com. These materials will remain on this website and be accessible to Calyxt, Inc. stockholders through the conclusion of the Annual Meeting at no charge to the stockholder.

INFORMATION ABOUT PROXY MATERIALS AND VOTINGTHE ANNUAL MEETING

The Calyxt, Inc. Board of Directors (the “Board”) is providing you with these proxy materials because the Board is soliciting your proxy to vote at the Calyxt, Inc. 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”), including at any adjournments or postponements of the Annual Meeting. The Board requests that you vote on the proposals described in this Proxy Statement. You are invited to attend the Annual Meeting online, but you do not need to attend the Annual Meeting in order to vote your shares. Instead, you may simply vote your shares by proxy by completing, signingvoting online or by telephone as described on the proxy card or voting instruction form or, request a proxy card from us and returningcomplete, sign, and return it at your earliest convenience in the enclosed proxy card. Thepostage-prepaid return envelope that will be provided.

Calyxt, Inc. intends to post this Proxy Statement, includes information that Calyxt is required to provide to you pursuant to rules adopted byproxy card, and Annual Report on Form 10-K online at www.proxyvote.com and at https://ir.calyxt.com/sec-filings on or about                 , 2022. We will mail printed copies of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and that is designed to assist you in voting your shares.

This Proxy Statement is first being mailed on April 22, 2019 (the “Mailing Date”)proxy materials to stockholders who request them by following the instructions contained in the Notice of record entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.Internet Availability.

In this Proxy Statement, the terms “Calyxt,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Calyxt, Inc. and the term “Cellectis” refers to Cellectis S.A., our majority stockholder. The mailing address of the principal executive offices is Calyxt, Inc., 2800 Mount Ridge Road, Roseville, MN 55113.

Proxy materials are available online at:http://www.calyxt.com/general-meetings/

INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETINGConduct of the Meeting – Virtual Only

The Annual Meeting will be held virtually on May 17, 2019June 1, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time via live audio webcast at 90 South Seventh Street, Suite 4950, Minneapolis, MN 55402.www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/CLXT2022. There will be no physical meeting location, though we have designed the virtual Annual Meeting to provide substantially the same opportunities to participate as you would have at an in-person meeting.In addition to supporting the health and well-being of our employees, stockholders, and other members of the community this year, we believe there are many benefits to a virtual meeting, including expanded access, improved communication, and cost savings for our stockholders and us. We believe that hosting a virtual meeting enables stockholder participation from any location around the world.

To attend the Annual Meeting, you will need the 16-digit control number that is printed in the box marked by the arrow on your Notice of Internet Availability or proxy card.

We recommend that you log in at least 15 minutes before the Annual Meeting to ensure that you are logged in when the meeting starts. Online access will begin at 9:45 a.m. Central Time. The Annual Meeting platform is fully supported across browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari) and devices (desktops, laptops, tablets, and cell phones) running the most updated version of applicable software and plugins. Stockholders should ensure that they have a strong internet connection if they intend to attend and/or participate in the Annual Meeting. Attendees should allow plenty of time to log in (at least 15 minutes before the Annual Meeting) and ensure that they can hear streaming audio prior to the start of the Annual Meeting. Information on how to vote in persononline at the Annual Meeting is discussed below.

If you wish to submit a question, please do so during the meeting by logging into the virtual platform at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/CLXT2022 and follow the instructions within.

Questions pertinent to meeting matters will be answered during the Annual Meeting, subject to time constraints. If we are unable to respond to a stockholder’s properly submitted question due to time constraints, we will respond directly to that stockholder using the contact information provided.

If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual meeting during the check-in or meeting time, please call the technical support number that will be posted on the Virtual Stockholder Meeting log in page.

Record Date and Voting Power

Our Board has fixed April 6, 2022, as the record date for the Annual Meeting. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on April 3, 2019the record date will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. On thisthe record date, there were 32,697,08942,768,163 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. Holders of each share of common stockStockholders are entitled to one vote for each share of common stock held as of the record date. There will be no cumulative voting in the election of directors.

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

If on April 3, 20196, 2022, your shares were registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, ComputerShare Trust Company, N.A.Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc., then you are a stockholder of record. As a stockholder of record, you may vote in persononline at the Annual Meeting or vote in advance of the Annual Meeting by proxy. You will need the 16-digit control number that is printed in the box marked by the arrow on your Notice of Internet Availability or proxy card to vote online at the Annual Meeting or to submit voting instructions in advance of the Annual Meeting by internet or telephone for your shares to be voted by proxy.

Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to fill out and return the enclosed proxy card or vote by proxy over the internet or by telephone as instructed below to ensure your vote is counted.counted, we urge you to submit voting instructions by internet or telephone as instructed on your Notice of Internet Availability or proxy card or to request a proxy card from us and complete, date, sign, and return the proxy card in the envelope that we will provide to you.

Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of a Broker, Bank, or Other Agent

If on April 3, 20196, 2022, your shares were held in an account at a brokerage firm, bank, dealer, or other similar organization (as opposed to in your name)name directly), then you are the beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” and the Notice is being forwarded to you by that organization. The organization holding your account is considered to be the stockholder of record for purposes of voting at the Annual Meeting. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker or other agent regarding how to vote the shares in your account.account, and such broker or other agent has provided voting instructions for you to use in directing it on how to vote your shares. As a beneficial owner, you are also invited to attend the Annual Meeting. However, as you are not the stockholder of record, you may not vote your shares in persononline at the meetingAnnual Meeting unless you request and obtain a valid proxy from your broker or other agent in whose name the shares are held.held in advance of the Annual Meeting.

Quorum

A quorum of stockholders is necessary to hold a valid meeting. The presence, virtually or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common shares of Calyxt entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. On the record date, there were 42,768,163 shares outstanding and entitled to vote. Thus, the holders of 21,384,082 shares must be present virtually or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting to have a quorum.

Your shares will be counted towards the quorum only if you submit a valid proxy (or one is submitted on your behalf by your broker, bank, or other nominee) or if you vote online at the meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted towards the quorum requirement.

If, however, a quorum is not present at the Annual Meeting, either the Chair of the Annual Meeting or a majority of the holders of common stock present virtually or represented by proxy will adjourn the Annual Meeting, without notice other than announcement at the Annual Meeting, until a quorum is present. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present any business may be transacted which would have been transacted at the original Annual Meeting.

Recommendations of the Board of Directors on Each of the Proposals

There are two matters scheduled for a vote:three proposals that will be presented to Calyxt stockholders at the Annual Meeting:

Proposal No. 1 – Election of Directors.

The Board recommends that you vote FOR the election of each of the seveneight nominees named in this Proxy Statement.

Proposal No. 2 – Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

The Board recommends that you vote FOR the ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019.

2022.

Proposal No. 3 – Approval of an Amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to Effect a Reverse Stock Split at the Discretion of our Board of Directors.

The Board recommends that you vote FOR the approval of the amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (“Certificate of Incorporation”) to effect a reverse stock split of the Company’s shares of Common Stock at a ratio not less than 2-to-1 and not greater than 10-to-1, with the exact ratio to be set within that range at the discretion of our Board of Directors before April 1, 2024 without further approval or authorization of our stockholders.

The Board knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters are properly brought before the Annual Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote on those matters in accordance with their best judgment.

Required Votes

Pursuant to our amended and restated bylaws (“bylaws”):

Nominees for election to our Board of Directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present virtually or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. This means that the eight nominees receiving the highest number of affirmative “For” votes will be elected. Only votes “For” will affect the outcome. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote on Proposal No. 1.

The appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, will be ratified by the affirmative “For” vote of a majority of the votes cast affirmatively or negatively at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on this matter. Abstentions will have no effect on the outcome of the vote on Proposal No. 2. Because Proposal No. 2 is a routine matter, it is expected that there would not be any broker non-votes.

Approval of the amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation to effect the Reverse Stock Split will be approved by the affirmative “For” vote of a majority of the votes cast affirmatively or negatively at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on this matter. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote on Proposal No. 3.

Voting Instructions; Voting of Proxies

You may either vote “For” each of the nomineesor “Withhold” authority to the Board or you may “Withhold” your vote for anyeach nominee you specify.for the Board. With respect to the ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm, you may vote “For” or “Against” or “Abstain.” With respect to approval of the Reverse Stock Split, you may abstain from voting.vote “For” or “Against” or “Abstain.”

The procedures for voting are:

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

If you are a stockholder of record, you may (1) vote in person at the Annual Meeting,by proxy by using a proxy card that you may request from us, (2) vote by proxy by usingover the proxy card enclosed withinternet prior to the mailed proxy materials,meeting, (3) vote over the internet during the meeting, or (4) vote by telephone.proxy by telephone prior to the meeting. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to vote by proxy (via card, internetInternet, or telephonetelephone) to ensure your vote is counted. You may still attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person even if you have already voted.voted by proxy.

 

You can vote by proxy card by requesting a proxy card from us pursuant to the instructions in the Notice of Internet Availability, and promptly completing and returning your signed proxy card in the envelope that will be provided. You should mail your signed proxy card sufficiently in advance for it to be received by May 16, 2019.29, 2022.

 

To vote in person, comeonline prior to the Annual Meeting, visit www.proxyvote.com, be sure to have your Notice of Internet Availability or proxy card available, and wefollow the steps outlined on the secure website. You will give you a ballot when you arrive.need the 16-digit control number that is printed in the box marked by the arrow on your Notice of Internet Availability or proxy card to vote online. Your vote must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on May 31, 2022, to be counted.

To vote online prior to the Annual Meeting, visitwww.investorvote.com/CLXT and follow the steps outlined on the secure website. Your vote must be received by 1:00 a.m., Central Time on May 17, 2019 to be counted.

 

To vote by telephone within the United States and Canada, call1-800-652-VOTE1-800-690-6903 (8683) (toll free) on a touch tone telephone and follow the instructions provided by the recorded message. You will need the 16-digit control number that is printed in the box marked by the arrow on your Notice of Internet Availability or proxy card to vote by telephone. Your vote must be received by 1:00 a.m.11:59 p.m., CentralEastern Time on May 17, 201931, 2022, to be counted.

To vote online during the Annual Meeting, visit www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/CLXT2022, be sure to have your Notice of Internet Availability or proxy card available and follow the instructions given on the secure website. You will need the 16-digit control number that is printed in the box marked by the arrow on your Notice of Internet Availability or proxy card to vote online at the Annual Meeting.

We provide Internet proxy voting to allow you to vote your shares online with procedures designed to ensure the authenticity and correctness of your proxy vote instructions. Please be aware that you must bear any costs associated with your Internet access, such as usage charges from Internet access providers.

Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of a Broker, Bank, or Other Agent

If you are a beneficial owner of shares registered in the name of your broker, bank, or other agent, you should have received a notice containing voting instructions from that organization rather than from us. Please follow the voting instructions in that notice to ensure that your vote is counted. Alternatively, you may vote over the Internet as instructed by your broker, bank, or other agent. To vote in person atonline during the Annual Meeting, you must obtain a valid proxy from your broker, bank, or other agent and follow the instructions included with those proxy materials. You may contact the broker, bank, or other agent in whose name your shares are registered in order to request a proxy form.

Number of Votes per Share of Common Stock

On each matter to be voted upon, you have one vote for each share of common stock you own as of April 3, 2019.

Consequences of Not Voting

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

If you are a stockholder of record and do not vote by completing your proxy card, through the internet, by telephone or in person atonline during the Annual Meeting, your shares will not be voted.

Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of a Broker, Bank, or Other Agent

A brokernon-vote occurs when shares registered in the name of a broker are not voted with respect to a particular proposal because the broker does not have discretionary authority to vote on the matter and has not received voting instructions from its client who beneficially owns those shares. If your broker holds your shares in its name and you do not instruct your broker how to vote, your broker will only have discretion to vote your shares on “routine” matters.

Where a proposal is not “routine,” a broker who has received no instructions from its clients does not have discretion to vote its clients’ uninstructed shares on that proposal. Proposal No. 1 (the election of directors) isand Proposal No. 3 (approval of the amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to effect the Reverse Stock Split) are considered anon-routine mattermatters under applicable rules, and your broker or other nominee will not have discretion to vote on Proposal No. 1 or Proposal No. 3 absent direction from you. Accordingly, there may be brokernon-votes on Proposal No. 1 (the election of directors) and Proposal No. 3 (approval of the amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to effect the Reverse Stock Split). Proposal No. 2 (the ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as ourthe Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019)2022) is considered a routine matter under applicable rules, and your broker or other nominee may generally vote in its discretion. Accordingly, no brokernon-votes are expected to exist in connection with Proposal No. 2.

Our Amended and Restated Bylaws (“Bylaws”)The Company’s bylaws provide that a majority of the shares entitled to vote, present in personvirtually, or represented by proxy, will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting. In addition, under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, shares that are voted “abstain” or “withheld” and brokernon-votes are counted as present for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting. As a result, brokernon-votes and abstentions by stockholders from voting (including brokers holding their clients’ shares of record who cause abstentions to be recorded) will be counted towards determining whether or not a quorum is present. However, because brokernon-votes and abstentions are not voted affirmatively or negatively, they will have no effect on the approval of Proposal No. 1.1, Proposal No. 2, or Proposal No. 3 (other than with respect to the determination of whether a quorum is present).

Returning Blank Proxy Card

If you request a proxy card from us and return a signed and dated proxy card or otherwise vote without marking voting selections, your shares will be voted, “For” the election of each of the nominees for director, and “For” the ratification of the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as ourthe Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.firm, and “For” the approval of the amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of

Incorporation to effect the Reverse Stock Split. If any other matter is properly presented at the Annual Meeting, your proxyholder (one of the individuals named on your proxy card) will vote your shares using his or her best judgment.

Expenses of Soliciting Proxies

The Board is soliciting proxies to provide an opportunity for all stockholders to vote, whether or not the stockholders are able to attend the Annual Meeting or an adjournment or postponement thereof. We will pay for the entire cost of soliciting proxies. In addition to these proxy materials, ourthe Company’s directors and employees may also solicit proxies in person, by telephone, or by other means of communication. Directors and employees will not be paid any additional compensation for soliciting proxies. We will also reimburse brokerage firms, banks, and other agents for the cost of forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners.

Receiving More than One Proxy

If you receive more than one Notice of Internet Availability or more than one set of proxy materials, your shares may be registered in more than one name or in different accounts. Please follow the voting instructions on each Notice of Internet Availability or set of proxy materials that you receive to ensure that all of your shares are voted. Each Notice of Internet Availability or proxy card may have a different 16-digit control number printed in the box marked by the arrow.

Revocation of Proxies

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

You can revoke your proxy at any time before the final vote at the Annual Meeting. If you are the record holder of your shares, you may revoke your proxy in any one of the following ways:

 

You may submit another properly completed proxy card with a later date.

 

You may grant a subsequent proxy by voting again through the internet or by telephone.

 

You may send a timely written notice that you are revoking your proxy to Calyxt’s General Counsel at 2800 Mount Ridge Road, Roseville, MN 55113.

 

You may attend the virtual Annual Meeting and vote in person.online by following the instructions posted at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/CLXT2022. Simply attending the Annual Meeting will not, by itself, revoke your proxy.

Your most currentThe latest proxy cardvote is the one that is counted.

Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of a Broker, Bank, or Other Agent

If your shares are held by your broker, bank, or other agent, as a nominee or agent, you should follow the instructions provided by such broker, bank, or other agent.

Procedure for Submitting Stockholders Proposals

For nominations of individuals for election to our Board of Directors, or other business to be properly brought by a stockholder before next year’s annual meeting, the stockholder must give timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of Calyxt, and any such proposed business (other than the nominations of persons for election to the Board) must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action. To be timely for our 2020 annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to or mailed and received by the Secretary of Calyxt at our principal executive offices no later than February 17, 2020 nor earlier than January 18, 2020; provided, however, that

in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced more than 30 days prior to the first anniversary of Calyxt’s 2019 Annual Meeting or delayed more than 30 days after such anniversary date then to be timely such notice must be received by Calyxt no earlier than 120 days prior to such annual meeting and no later than the later of 70 days prior to the date of the meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the meeting was first made by us.

Your notice to the Secretary of Calyxt must set forth information specified in our Bylaws. For more information, and for more detailed requirements, please refer to our Bylaws, filed as Exhibit 3.2 to our Annual Report on Form10-K, filed with the SEC on March 12, 2019.

Counting Votes

Votes will be counted by the inspector of election appointed for the Annual Meeting. For Proposal No. 1, the inspector of election will separately count “For” and “Withheld” votes and brokernon-votes for each nominee. For Proposal No. 2, the inspector of election will separately count “For” and “Against” votes and abstentions. For Proposal No. 1, brokernon-votes will have no effect and will not be counted toward the vote total for any director nominee. Proposal No. 2 is considered routine under applicable rules and, as a result, a broker or other nominee may generally vote on Proposal No. 2 and no brokernon-votes are expected.

Required Votes

Pursuant to our Bylaws:

nominees for election to our Board of Directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. This means that the seven nominees receiving the highest number of affirmative “For” votes will be elected. Only votes “For” will affect the outcome. Abstentions and brokernon-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019 will be ratified by a majority of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on this matter. If you “Abstain” from voting, it will have the same effect as an “Against” vote.

Quorum

A quorum of stockholders is necessary to hold a valid meeting. The presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common shares of Calyxt entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. On the record date, there were 32,697,089 shares outstanding and entitled to vote. Thus, the holders of 16,348,545 shares must be present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting to have a quorum.

Your shares will be counted towards the quorum only if you submit a valid proxy (or one is submitted on your behalf by your broker, bank or other nominee) or if you vote in person at the meeting. Abstentions and brokernon-votes will be counted towards the quorum requirement. If, however, a quorum is not present at the Annual Meeting, either the Chair of the Annual Meeting or a majority of the holders of common stock present in person or represented by proxy will adjourn the Annual Meeting, without notice other than announcement at the Annual Meeting, until a quorum is present. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present any business may be transacted which would have been transacted at the original Annual Meeting.

Results of Voting at the Annual Meeting

Preliminary voting results will be announced at the Annual Meeting. In addition, final voting results will be published in a current report on Form8-K that we expect to file within four business days after the Annual Meeting. If final voting results are not available to us in time to file aForm 8-K within four business days after the Annual Meeting, we intend to file aForm 8-K to publish preliminary results and, within four business days after the final results are known to us, file an additionalForm 8-K to publish the final results.

Implications of Being an “Emerging Growth Company”

We are an “emerging growth company” under applicable federal securities laws and therefore permitted to take advantage of certain reduced public company reporting requirements. As an emerging growth company, we provide in this Proxy Statement the scaled disclosure permitted under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), including the compensation disclosures required of a “smaller reporting company,” as that term is defined in Rule12b-2 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended (the “Exchange Act”). In addition, as an emerging growth company, we are not required to conduct votes seeking approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of ourthe Company’s named executive officers or the frequency with which such votes must be conducted. We will remainwould cease to be an “emerging growth company” untilupon the earliest to occur of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues ofmore than $1.07 billion in annual revenue; (ii) the date we qualify as a “large accelerated filer,” with at least $700 million of public float (iii) the issuance, in any three-year period, by us of more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities held by non-affiliates; and (iv) the last day of the fiscal year ending after the fifth anniversary of the Company’s initial public offering, or more; (ii) December 31, 2022; (iii)2022.

Procedure for Submitting Stockholders Proposals and Director Nominees at the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

The rules of the SEC permit our stockholders, after timely notice to Calyxt, to present proposals in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; or (iv) the date on which weCompany’s proxy statement for stockholder action where such proposals are deemed to beconsistent with applicable law, constitute a large accelerated filer underproper matter for stockholder action, and are not properly omitted by Calyxt in accordance with the rules of the SEC. To be timely for the Company’s 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, a stockholder’s notice of a proposal must be delivered to or mailed and received by the Secretary of Calyxt at the Company’s principal executive offices, 2800 Mount Ridge Road, Roseville, MN 55113, no later than December 20, 2022.

Pursuant to the Company’s bylaws, in order for a proposal to be properly brought before the next annual meeting by a stockholder or for a stockholder’s nominee for director to be considered at such annual meeting, the stockholder must give written notice of such stockholder’s intent to bring a matter before the annual meeting or to nominate the director, which must be received by the Company not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders. In the case of the Company’s 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be timely under the Company’s bylaws, a stockholder’s notice must be received not later than March 3, 2023, nor earlier than February 1, 2023. Each such notice must set forth certain information with respect to the stockholder who intends to bring a proposal before the meeting or to make the nomination, and the director nominee or proposal, as set forth in greater detail in the Company’s bylaws. If we receive notice of a stockholder proposal after March 3, 2023, such proposal also will be considered untimely pursuant to Rules 14a-4 and 14a-5(e) and the persons named in proxies solicited by the Board for this 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders may exercise discretionary voting power with respect to such proposal.

In the event that the date of the Company’s 2023 Annual Meeting is advanced more than 30 days prior to the anniversary of the Company’s 2022 Annual Meeting or delayed more than 30 days after such anniversary date, then to be timely such notice must be received by the Company no earlier than 120 days prior to such 2023 Annual Meeting and no later than the later of 70 days prior to the date of the meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the meeting was first made by the Company.

In addition to satisfying the requirements under the Company’s bylaws, to comply with the universal proxy rules (once effective), stockholders who intend to solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than the Company’s nominees must provide notice that sets forth the information required by Rule 14a-19 under the Exchange Act, which notice must be postmarked or transmitted electronically to us at our principal executive offices no later than 60 calendar days prior to the first anniversary date of this year’s annual meeting. If the date of the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is changed by more than 30 calendar days from the anniversary of the Annual Meeting, then notice must be provided by the later of 60 calendar days prior to the date of the 2023

Annual Meeting of Stockholders or the 10th calendar day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is first made. Accordingly, for the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, we must receive such notice no later than April 2, 2022.

Copies of Proxy Materials and Corporate Governance Documents

The Notice of 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, this Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting, and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K are posted on Calyxt’s website at https://ir.calyxt.com/sec-filings and at www.proxyvote.com.

The Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws are filed as an exhibit to its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is posted on the Company’s website at https://ir.calyxt.com/sec-filings.

The Company’s corporate governance guidelines, code of business conduct and ethics, and charters for each of the Company’s standing Board committees are posted on the Company’s website at https://ir.calyxt.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents. Stockholders may receive printed copies of each of these documents without charge by contacting the Company’s Investor Relations Department at Calyxt, Inc., Attn: Investor Relations, 2800 Mount Ridge Road, Roseville, MN 55113, or by calling (651) 683-2807.

PROPOSAL NO. 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Pursuant to our Amended and Restatedthe Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, (“Certificate of Incorporation”), our Board of Directors shall consist of not less than five nor more than 11 directors, with the exact number of directors to be determined from time to time solely by resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors. Immediately prior to the Annual Meeting, our Board consists of nine members. As previously announced, Mr. Laurent Arthaud and Mr. Alain Godard have elected not to stand for reelection at the Annual Meeting. Accordingly, in connection with the Annual Meeting, ourBoard. Our Board has adopted a resolution fixing the number of directors at seveneight members. Until the first date on which Cellectis and its affiliates no longer beneficially own more than 50% of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock (the “Effective Date”), all of the directors will be elected to our Board annually at the annual meeting of stockholders. At the Annual Meeting, directors will be elected to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal. From and after such date,the Effective Date, our Board will transition to a staggered board divided into three classes, with directors serving three-year terms.

Directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares of our common stock present in personvirtually or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. This means that the seveneight nominees receiving the highest number of affirmative “For” votes will be elected. If elected, each of these individuals will serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.

There will be no cumulative voting in the election of directors.

Unless otherwise provided by law and subject to the terms of our Stockholders Agreement dated July 25, 2017 with Cellectis (as amended, the “Stockholders Agreement”), any vacancy on the Board, including a vacancy created by an increase in the authorized number of directors, may be filled solely by a majority of the directors then in office or by the sole remaining director.

Nominees for Election for aOne-Year Term Expiring at the 20202023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

The individuals listed below, all of whom are currently serving on our Board, of Directors, are nominated for election this year. In addition to the names of the nominees and their ages provided in the table below, additional biographical information for each nominee follows the table.

Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, Cellectis has a right to designate as nominees to the Board the greater of three members of the Board or a majority of the directors on the Board, and to designate the chair of the Board and one member to each committee of the Board. Cellectis has designated Dr. ChoulikaMr. Arthaud to serve as its nominee to the Board and as its designee to be the chair of the Board and as a member of each of the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.Board. Cellectis has reserved its rights under the Stockholders Agreement to make additional designations from time to time.

 

Name

  Age

  

Position

André Choulika,

Yves J. Ribeill, Ph.D.

62Chair of the Board

Michael A. Carr

53President & Chief Executive Officer

Laurent Arthaud

59Director

Philippe Dumont

70Director

Jonathan B. Fassberg

55Director

Anna Ewa Kozicz-Stankiewicz

46Director

Kimberly K. Nelson

 54 Chair and Director
Philippe Dumont67  Director
Jonathan B. Fassberg(1)

Christopher J. Neugent

  5360  Director
Anna Ewa Kozicz-Stankiewicz44Director
Kimberly K. Nelson(2)52Director
Christopher J. Neugent(3)58Director
Yves J. Ribeill(4)59Director

(1)

Mr. Fassberg joined the Board of Directors on August 22, 2018.

(2)

Ms. Nelson joined the Board of Directors on January 17, 2019.

(3)

Mr. Neugent joined the Board of Directors on September 11, 2018.

(4)

Dr. Ribeill joined the Board of Directors on July 3, 2018.

The following is a brief biography of each nominee for director and a discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes, or skills of each nominee that led the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to recommend that person as a nominee for director, as of the date of this Proxy Statement.

André ChoulikaYves J. Ribeill, Ph.D., has served as Chaira member of our Board since August 2010. Dr. Choulika is oneJuly 2018 and currently serves as the Chair of the foundersBoard of CellectisDirectors. Dr. Ribeill served on an interim basis as Calyxt’s Executive Chair and principal executive officer from February 2021 until August 2021 and interim Chief Executive Officer from August 2018 until October 2018. In January 2022, he became a Partner at Argobio, a start-up studio based in Paris, France, dedicated to turning cutting-edge innovations into breakthrough biotech companies. From August 2017 to December 2021, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Ribogenics, Inc., which is a private biotechnology

company working on mRNA splicing. Dr. Ribeill was also a founder of Scynexis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLLS)SCYX), served as its President from November 1999 until July 2015 and has served as its Chief Executive Officer since its inceptionfrom November 1999 until April 2015. Before his work with Scynexis, Dr. Ribeill served in 1999.various positions during the 35 years of his international career with Rhone-Poulenc, Aventis including Discovery Chemistry Group leader for Anti-Viral Research and later in the Central Nervous System Group in France. He hasalso served as Group Leader in the ChairmanCardiovascular Group in England. Upon his return to France, Dr. Ribeill served as Director of Chemistry for the Anti-Infective Group. He was involved in all phases of the Boarddrug discovery and development effort that resulted in the FDA approval of Cellectis since 2011. Since December 2014, Dr. Choulika hasmultiple drugs. He served as Chief Executive Officera Director of Cellectis,Scynexis, Inc. From 1997from November 1999 to 1999, Dr. Choulika worked asMarch 2016 and has been a post-doctoral fellowdirector of various other biotechnology companies in Europe and the DivisionUnited States. He is the author of Molecular Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, where hemore than 26 publications and 15 patents. He was onea member of the inventorsScientific Advisory Committee of nuclease-based genome editing technologiesthe World Health Organization, Drug for Neglected Diseases and a pioneerof the Medicine Malaria Venture in the analysis and use of meganucleases to modify complex genomes. After receiving hisGeneva. Dr. Ribeill has a Ph.D. in molecular virologyChemistry from the University of Paris VI (Pierre et Marie Curie), he

completed a research fellowship in the Harvard Medical School Department of Genetics. His management training is from HEC (Challenge +)Montpellier (France). Based on Dr. Choulika’shis deep knowledgeunderstanding of Calyxtresearch and development and his scientific experience with numerous biotechnology companies, we believe Dr. ChoulikaRibeill has the appropriate set of skills to serve as a member of our Board.

Michael A. Carr was appointed as a Director as well as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer effective July 27, 2021. Mr. Carr previously served as the Vice President M&A, Strategy, and Innovation of Darling Ingredients, Inc. (NYSE: DAR), a global developer and producer of sustainable natural ingredients and renewable energy since January 2017. Prior to joining Darling Ingredients, Mr. Carr was a partner at BAC Investments, LLC, an established consulting, advisory, and investment firm, from January 2010 through January 2017, Previously, Mr. Carr held multiple positions at American Capital Limited, a global private equity and asset management firm. Mr. Carr has served on the boards of directors for EnviroFlight, a brand of Darling Ingredients (2020-2021), BEST Life and Health Insurance Company (2014-2018), ACG Global (2010 – 2017), and several portfolio companies of American Capital Limited, including United Food Group. Mr. Carr obtained his M.B.A. from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University, and he also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from California State University—Northridge. Mr. Carr is qualified to serve on the Board in light of his deep operational, financial and investment experience and his diverse knowledge across industries.

Laurent Arthaudwas appointed as a Director in July 2020. Mr. Arthaud served as a member of our Board of Directors from July 2017 to May 2019 and has served as a member of Cellectis’ board of directors since 2011. Mr. Arthaud has been designated by Cellectis to serve as its nominee to the Board. Mr. Arthaud has been the Managing Director of Life Sciences and Ecotechnologies for Bpifrance Investissement (formerly CDC Enterprises, a subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts) since 2012. He currently serves on the board of directors of Kurma Life Sciences Partners, Adocia, Ribogenics Inc., Aledia, Argobio, Enyo Pharma, and Sparingvision. From 2006 to 2016, he served on the board of directors of Emertec Gestion. From 2006 to 2012, Mr. Arthaud held the position of Deputy CEO at CDC Entreprises, and directed InnoBio, an investment fund managed by Bpifrance Investissement. From 1999 to 2004, he served as Vice President of Aventis Capital, an investment subsidiary of the pharmaceuticals group Aventis, and as President of Pharmavent Partners from 2004 to 2006. Mr. Arthaud is a graduate of the École Polytechnique and the École Nationale de Statistique et d’Administration Économique. We believe Mr. Arthaud’s extensive investment experience in the biotechnology industry qualifies him to serve as a member on our Board.

Philippe Dumont has served as a member of our Board since July 2017. Mr. Dumont retired in December 2012 from Bayer CropScience, where he was employed since May 2002. At Bayer he held the position of Head of Technology Management, Seeds, and was responsible for supervising globally the Regulatory Affairs and Regulatory Science functions, Stewardship, Public, and Governmental Affairs and Communication impacting GMOs and seeds. Until 2006 Mr. Dumont also supervised the Legal and Intellectual Property functions in the seed business. Mr. Dumont also held the same responsibilities at Aventis Crop Science from December 1998 until April 2002. From 1987 to 1998, Mr. Dumont was General Counsel ofRhône-Poulenc Agrochimie. Prior to moving to France in 1987, PhilippeMr. Dumont held positions as an associate at Cravath Swaine & Moore (1975-1981), international legal counsel at Gulf Oil Corporation (1981-1983), and as solo practitioner in Washington D.C.

from 1983-1986. PhilippeMr. Dumont is retired from the New York and District of Columbia Bars and is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center (JD(J.D. 1975) and Columbia University (BA,(B.A., magna cum laude 1972). Since June 2013, he has been serving as a director of Association Française des Biotechnologies Végétales, responsible for international relations, where he tries to promote public and governmental understanding of new breeding techniques and related regulatory issues. Based on his leadership and regulatory experience in the plant biotechnology industry both in the United States and Europe, we believe Mr. Dumont has the appropriate set of skills to serve as a member of our Board.

Jonathan B. Fassberg has served as a member of our Board since August 2018. Mr. Fassberg is currently the Vice Chairman of Healthcare Investment Banking at Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., a leading investment bank, wealth manager, and a subsidiary of Oppenheimer Holdings. Mr. Fassberg founded The Trout Group in 1996 and has beenwas theCo-Chief Executive Officer of Solebury Trout LLC since the Trout Group’s acquisition by Solebury Communications in 2017.November 2017 until March 2021. Mr. Fassberg holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and chemistry from The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and a Master of Business Administration degree in finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Based on his deep financial expertise and experience, we believe Mr. Fassberg has the appropriate set of skills to serve as a member of our Board.

Anna Ewa Kozicz-Stankiewicz has served as a member of our Board since July 2017. In July 2017, Ms. Kozicz receivedpartnered with Cowen Investment Management to create Cowen Sustainable Investments focused on sustainability in agriculture, energy, and transportation services. Prior to this partnership, Ms. Kozicz held management roles at BlackRock from 2012 to 2017, including Head of US Strategy and Corporate Development as well as investing roles as Portfolio Manager of a Bachelorprivate asset portfolio for ABR Reinsurance Ltd., a Bermuda based reinsurance company which Ms. Kozicz helped to set up on behalf of Arts in Math and Economics from Columbia College and her MBA from Columbia Business School. She started her career in investment banking in 1996BlackRock. From 2009 to 2012, Ms. Kozicz worked as an equity Portfolio Manager at Credit Suisse First Boston in its Financial Institutions Group before movingCaxton Associates. From 2000 to Goldman Sachs in 2000 where she2009, Ms. Kozicz held multiple positions at Goldman Sachs, including Managing Director, and spent most of her time in the Principal Strategies Group with a focus on investing in the global agricultural sector. She moved to Caxton Associates in 2009 to work as an equity Portfolio Manager before moving to BlackRock in 2012 where she held management roles as Head of US Strategy and Corporate Development as well as investing roles as Portfolio Manager of a private assets portfolio for ABR Reinsurance Ltd., a Bermuda based reinsurance company which Ms. Kozicz helped to set up on behalf of BlackRock. During her time at Goldman Sachs, she served as a director on the board of a New York-based federal credit union (PSFCU). In 2017, she left BlackRockPolish & Slavic Federal Credit Union. She started her career in investment banking in 1996 at Credit Suisse First Boston in its Financial Institutions Group. Ms. Kozicz received a Bachelor of Arts in Math and partnered with Cowen Investment Management to create a new investment fund focusedEconomics from Columbia College and her MBA from Columbia Business School. Based on sustainability in agriculture, energy and transportation services. We believe Ms. Kozicz’s extensiveher investment experience in the agriculture industry, qualifies herwe believe Ms. Kozicz has the appropriate set of skills to serve as a member onof our Board.

Kimberly K. Nelsonhas served as a member of our Board since January 2019. Ms. Nelson has served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of SPS Commerce (NASDAQ: SPSC), a provider of cloud-based supply chain management solutions, since November 2007. Ms. Nelson has also served on the Board of Qumu Corporation (NASDAQ: QUMU), a video content management company, from March 2012 until her anticipated retirement fromMay 2019. Since November 2019, Ms. Nelson has served at the Qumu Board in May 2019.of Directors of Teradata, a provider of database and analytics-related software, products, and services. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance from Babson College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, and completed the Executive MBA program at the University of Saint Thomas. Ms. Nelson has provided financial direction at a number ofseveral companies over her30-year career including Amazon.com, Nestlé USA Inc., and The Pillsbury Company. Based on her strong finance and investor relations experience and her broad experience with premier food and consumer companies, we believe Ms. Nelson has the appropriate set of skills to serve as a member of our Board.

Christopher J. Neugenthas served as a member of our Board since September 2018. Mr. Neugent has served as the Executive Vice President of Strategy of Post Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POST), which is a $6.0 billionconsumer packaged goods holding company, with six operating divisions, since July 2018. Prior to this, he served as President and CEO of Post Consumer Brands, breakfast cereal manufacturer, from its creation in November 2015 until July 2018. Previously, Mr. NeugentHe held a variety of leadership rolespositions at the MOM Brands Company beginning in 2001. He served asfrom 2001-2015, and was its Chairman of the PresidentBoard and Chief Executive Officer ofwhen the company was sold to Post Holdings in 2015. Prior to joining MOM Brands Company beginning in 2008, and also assumed the responsibilities of Chairman of the Board in 2011.2001, Mr. Neugent held these roles until Post acquired MOM Brands Companywas a Vice President of Marketing at Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo, Inc., where he served in 2015.a variety of leadership positions in marketing, sales, and finance from 1989-2001. Mr. Neugent has served on the Board of Welch Foods, Inc. since February 2016.2016 and is Chairman of their Compensation Committee and a member of their Audit

Committee. He holds a Bachelor of Artsan A.B degree in economicsEconomics from Princeton University and completed the Advanced Management Program at the Wharton School of Business. We believe Mr. Neugent’s extensive experience in the consumer food products space qualifies him to serve on our Board.

Yves J. Ribeill,Ph.D., has served as a member of our Board since July 2018. Dr. Ribeill served as Calyxt’s interim Chief Executive Officer from August 2018 until October 2018. Since August 2017, he has served as the Chief Executive Officer of COREzonada, Inc., which is a private biotechnology company working on microbiomere-engineering. Dr. Ribeill was also a founder of Scynexis, Inc (NASDAQ: SCYX), served as its President from November 1999 until July 2015in building and served as its Chief Executive

Officer from November 1999 until April 2015. Before his work with Scynexis, Dr. Ribeill served in various positions during the 25 years of his international career with Rhone-Poulenc, Aventis including Discovery Chemistry Group leader for Anti-Viral Researchleading organizations, developing and later in the Central Nervous System Group in France. He served as Group Leader in the Cardiovascular Group in England. Upon his return to France, Dr. Ribeill served as Director of Chemistry for the Anti-Infective Group. He was involved in all phases of the drug discoveryimplementing corporate strategy, and development effort that resulted in the FDA approval of multiple drugs. He served as a Director of Scynexis, Inc. from November 1999 to March 2016 and has been a director of various other biotechnology companies in Europe and the United States. He is the author of more than 26 publications and 15 patents. He was a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the World Health Organization and of the Medicine Malaria Venture in Geneva. Dr. Ribeill has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Montpellier (France). Based on his deep understanding of research and development and his experience with numerous biotechnology companies, we believe Dr. Ribeill has the appropriate skillsleading business transformations qualifies him to serve as a member of our Board of Directors.Board.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” EACH NAMED NOMINEE.

DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Board of Directors and Leadership Structure

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Certificate of Incorporation, and Bylawsbylaws provide the Board flexibility in determining its leadership structure.

The Board of Directors may establish the authorized number of directors from time to time by resolution. Immediately prior to the Annual Meeting, our Board consists of nineeight members, six of whom are independent under the listing standards of the NASDAQNasdaq Global Market (the “NASDAQ”“Nasdaq”). As previously announced, Mr. Laurent Arthaud and Mr. Alain Godard have elected not to stand for reelection at the Annual Meeting. Accordingly, in connection with the Annual Meeting, our Board has adopted a resolution fixing the number of directors at seven members.

The Board currently separates the role of Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, with Dr. Choulika serving as Chair and Mr. Blome serving as Chief Executive Officer. The Board believes it is important to retain its flexibility to allocate the responsibilities of the offices of the Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer in any way that is in our best interests at a given point in time. The Board may make a different determination in the future as to the appropriateness of its current policies in connection with the recruitment and succession of the Chair of the Board and/or the Chief Executive Officer.

Director Independence

The NASDAQNasdaq listing standards generally require that a majority of the members of a listed company’s Board be independent. In addition, the listing rules generally require that, subject to specified exceptions, each member of a listed company’s audit, compensation, and nominating committees be independent. Audit committee members must also satisfy the independence criteria set forth in Rule10A-3 under the Exchange Act. Under Rule10A-3, a member of an audit committee of a listed company may not, other than in his or her capacity as a member of the audit committee, the board of directors, or any other board committee: accept, directly or indirectly, any consulting, advisory or other compensatory fee from the listed company or any of its subsidiaries; or be an affiliated person of the listed company or any of its subsidiaries.

Although the NASDAQNasdaq listing standards allow a “controlled company,” such as us, to elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, such “controlled company” exemptions do not modify the independence requirements for the audit committee. The controlled company exemptions are discussed further below.

Our Board has undertaken a review of the independence of each of our directors who served in the most recently completed fiscal year and has considered whether any such director has a material relationship with us that could compromise his or her ability to exercise independent judgment in carrying out his or her responsibilities. Based on this evaluation, the Board determined that each of Mr. Dumont, Mr. Fassberg, Ms. Kozicz, Ms. Nelson, Mr. Neugent, and Dr. Ribeill are independent. Because of his status as both a director and thePresident & Chief Executive Officer of Cellectis,the Company, the Board determined that Dr. ChoulikaMr. Carr is not independent under the independence provisions of the NASDAQNasdaq listing standards and Rule10A-3. Because of theirhis status as directorsa director of Cellectis, the Board determined that Mr. Arthaud and Mr. Godard, who are retiring from our Board, wereis not independent under the independence provisions of the NASDAQNasdaq listing standards and Rule10A-3.

In making such independence determinations, our Board considered the relationships that each of the directors has with us and all other facts and circumstances our Board deemed relevant in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock held by each director.

There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers.

Controlled Company Exemption

Cellectis controls a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock. As a result, we are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NASDAQNasdaq listing standards. Under the NASDAQNasdaq listing standards, a company of which more than 50%50 percent of the voting power is held by an individual, group, or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:

 

a majority of the Board consist of independent directors;

director nominees be selected, or recommended to the Board, either by (i) independent directors constituting a majority of the Board’s independent directors or (ii) a nominations committee composed entirely of independent directors, with a written charter or board resolution, as applicable, addressing the nominations process; and

 

we have a compensation committee that is composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities.

Our Board has established an Audit Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and Compensation Committee, each of which has a written charter that addresses its purpose and responsibilities.

With the exception of Dr. Choulika,Except for Mr. Arthaud and Mr. Carr, each of the other nominees for election to the Board at the 20192022 Annual Meeting is an independent director under the independence provisions of the NASDAQNasdaq listing standards. Accordingly, our Board is currently comprised of a majority of independent directors. However, pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, Cellectis has a right to designate as nominees to the Board the greater of three members of the Board or a majority of the directors on the Board. To date,Currently Cellectis has designated only Dr. ChoulikaMr. Arthaud as its nominee to the Board and has otherwise reserved its rights under the Stockholders Agreement to make additional designations from time to time. In the event thatIf Cellectis exercised its designation rights and designated nominees that were not independent, we would rely on the controlled company exemption to the requirement that a majority of our Board consist of independent directors.

Because Cellectis has designated Dr. ChoulikaMr. Arthaud as a member of each of the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, we rely on the controlled company exemption with respect to the independence requirements for those committees.

Role of the Board in Risk Oversight

The Board is actively involved in the oversight of our risk management process. The Board does not have a standing risk management committee but administers this oversight function directly through the Board as a whole, as well as through its standing committees that address risks inherent in their respective areas of oversight. In particular, ourOur Audit Committee has the responsibility to consider and discuss our major financial and cybersecurity risk exposures and the steps our management has taken to monitor and control these exposures. Our Compensation Committee assesses and monitors whether any of our compensation policies and programs hashave the potential to encourage excessive risk-taking. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has responsibility to review and assess Calyxt’s significant environmental, social, and governance issues, risks, and trends. Our Board is responsible for monitoring and assessing strategic risk exposure and other risks not covered by our committees.

The full Board, or the appropriate committee, receives reports on risks facing Calyxt from our Chief Executive Officerprincipal executive officer or other members of management to enable it to understand our risk identification, risk management, and risk mitigation strategies. We believe that our Board’s leadership structure is consistent with and supports the effective administration of the Board’s risk oversight function.

Effective as of April 15, 2019, Calyxt adopted a formal risk management policy and established a risk management committee (the “CRC”), which comprises executive and other senior staff. The risk management policy provides a framework for the definition, measurement and reporting of price risks relating to all hedging activity and empowers the CRC to proactively manage and reduce the impact of volatile raw material prices, interest rates, and currency values on operating costs and margins. The CRC, under the supervision of the Board, will be responsible for Calyxt’s risk management policy and general risk management oversight.

Attendance at Meetings

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018,2021, the Board held 14 meetings and acted by written consent on two occasions and held twelve meetings.six times. Members of the Board are expected to regularly attend all meetings of the Board and committees

on which they serve. With respect to each of our incumbent director’s period of service, sucheach director attended more than 75 percent of the meetings of the Board and of the committees on which the director served that were held during the last fiscal year and during such director’s period of service. Thenon-management directors meet in conjunction with regular meetings of the Board outside of the presence of management in executive session and the independent members of our Board also meet in executive sessions.

Members of the Board are invited, but not required, to attend each annual meeting of our stockholders. Only Dr. ChoulikaRibeill, Mr. Dumont, Mr. Fassberg, and Ms. Nelson attended our 20182021 annual meeting of stockholders, which was held on May 24, 2018.18, 2021.

Board Committees

Our Board has established three standing committees: an Audit Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and Compensation Committee, each of which is described below. Each of our standing committees operate pursuant to charters posted on the Investors section of our website at https://ir.calyxt.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents.

Audit Committee

Current Members

Members During 2018

Philippe Dumont (Chair)

Philippe Dumont (Chair)

Jonathan B. Fassberg(1)

André Choulika(3)

Anna Eva Kozicz-Stankiewicz

Jonathan B. Fassberg(1)

Kimberly K. Nelson(2)

Anna Eva Kozicz-Stankiewicz

Yves J. Ribeill(4)

(1)

Mr. Fassberg was appointed to the Audit Committee on August 22, 2018.

(2)

Ms. Nelson was appointed to the Audit Committee on March 4, 2019.

(3)

Consistent with the permittedphase-in period for complying with audit committee independence requirements following an initial public offering, Dr. Choulika served on the Audit Committee until July 3, 2018 when he was succeeded by Dr. Ribeill.

(4)

Dr. Ribeill served on the Audit Committee from July 3, 2018 until his appointment as interim Chief Executive Officer of Calyxt on August 22, 2018 when he was succeeded by Mr. Fassberg.

The Audit Committee is composed of Mr. Dumont (Chair), Mr. Fassberg, Ms. Kozicz and Ms. Nelson. Our Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Dumont, Mr. Fassberg, Ms. Kozicz, and Ms. Nelson (chair). Our Board has determined that Ms. Nelson, Mr. Dumont, Mr. Fassberg, and Ms. Kozicz are independent under the applicable provisions of the NASDAQNasdaq listing standards and Rule10A-3.

Each of Ms. Nelson, Mr. Dumont, Mr. Fassberg, Ms. Kozicz and Ms. NelsonKozicz qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as such term is defined in the regulations under the Exchange Act and meets the requirements for financial literacy and financial sophistication required under applicable rules and regulations.

The Audit Committee is responsible for, among other things, the oversight of the integrity of our financial statements and system of internal controls, the qualifications and independence of our independent registered accounting firm, and the performance of our internal audit function and independent auditor. The Audit Committee also has the sole authority and responsibility to select, determine the compensation of, evaluate and, when appropriate, replace our independent registered public accounting firm. In addition, the Audit Committee will review reports from management, legal counsel, and third parties relating to the status of compliance with laws, regulations, and internal procedures. The Audit Committee is also responsible for reviewing and discussing with management our policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management.

The Audit Committee held eightsix meetings during the last fiscal year.2021.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Current Members:

Members During 2018:

André Choulika (Chair)(1)

André Choulika (Chair)(1)

Philippe Dumont

Philippe Dumont

Kimberly K. Nelson(2)

Alain Godard(3)

(1)

Dr. Choulika serves as Cellectis’s designee to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. As a controlled company, Calyxt is not required to have a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee comprised entirely of independent directors.

(2)

Ms. Nelson was appointed to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee on March 4, 2019.

(3)

Mr. Godard served on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee until March 4, 2019 when he was succeeded by Ms. Nelson.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is composed of Mr. Arthaud, Mr. Fassberg, Ms. Kozicz (chair), and Dr. Choulika (Chair), Mr. Dumont and Ms. Nelson.Ribeill. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for, among other things, matters of corporate governance and matters relating to the practices, policies, and procedures of our Board, identifying and recommending candidates for election to our Board and each committee of our Board, and reviewing, at least annually, our corporate governance principles. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also advises on and recommends director compensation, which is approved by the full Board. As a “controlled company,” we are not required to have director nominations selected by a nominations committee comprised solely of independent directors.

The policy of our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is to identify director candidates, including nominees submitted by stockholders, based on criteria established by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and approved by the Board, which includes the criteria set forth in our Corporate Governance Guidelines. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers not only the director candidate’s qualities, performance, and professional responsibilities, but also the current composition of the Board and the

challenges and needs of the Board at that time. In addition, the Stockholders Agreement provides Cellectis with certain rights relating to the composition of our Board. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Relationship with Cellectis—Stockholders Agreement.” The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider candidates for Board membership suggested by its members and other Board members, as well as management and stockholders. Stockholders who wish to recommend a prospective nominee should follow the procedures set forth in Section 2.05 of our bylaws. Stockholders should also review the section entitled “Procedures for Submitting Director Nominations and Stockholder Proposals.” The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will evaluate stockholder-recommended nominees in the same manner as other nominees, other than those designated pursuant to the Stockholders’ Agreement. All director nominees at the Annual Meeting were elected at the Calyxt 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders except for Mr. Carr, who was appointed by the Board upon joining the Company as President and Chief Executive Officer in July 2021.

Calyxt does not have a specific policy on diversity of the Board. Instead, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Board evaluate nominees in the context of the Board as a whole, with the objective of selecting nominees that will contribute to a diversity of viewpoints that will enhance the quality of the Board’s deliberations and decisions. Such diversity may be reflected in a mix of different knowledge, experience, skills, expertise, backgrounds, and other characteristics. Calyxt is proud to have a diverse Board, including with respect to gender. We provide below disclosure regarding the diversity of our Board.

Board Diversity Matrix (As of April 1, 2022)

 

Total Number of Directors

   8 
   Female   Male   Non-Binary   Did Not Disclose
Gender
 

Part I: General Identity

        

Directors

   2    5    —      1 

Part II: Demographic Background

        

Black or African American

   —      —      —      —   

Hispanic or Latinx

   —      —      —      —   

Asian

   —      —      —      —   

Native American or Alaska Native

   —      —      —      —   

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

   —      —      —      —   

White (not of Hispanic or Latino origin)

   2    5    —      —   

Two or More Races or Ethnicities

   —      —      —      —   

LGBTQ+

   —      —      —      —   

Did Not Disclose Demographic Background

   —      —      —      1 

The Nominating and Governance Committee held sevenfour meetings during the last fiscal year.2021.

Compensation Committee

Current Members:

Members During 2018:

Yves J. Ribeill (Chair)(1)

Yves J. Ribeill (Chair)(1)

André Choulika(2)

Alain Godard (Former Chair)(4)

Philippe Dumont

André Choulika(2)

Christopher J. Neugent(3)

Philippe Dumont

Christopher J. Neugent(3)

(1)

Dr. Ribeill was appointed to the Compensation Committee on October 8, 2018 at which time he was also appointed to serve as the Chair of the Compensation Committee.

(2)

Dr. Choulika serves as Cellectis’s designee to the Compensation Committee. As a controlled company, Calyxt is not required to have a Compensation Committee comprised entirely of independent directors.

(3)

Mr. Neugent was appointed to the Compensation Committee on October 8, 2018.

(4)

Mr. Godard served on the Compensation Committee (and as the Chair thereof) until October 8, 2018 when he was succeeded by Dr. Ribeill.

The Compensation Committee is composed of Dr. Ribeill (Chair), Dr. Choulika,Mr. Arthaud, Mr. Dumont, Mr. Neugent (chair), and Mr. Neugent.Dr. Ribeill. The Compensation Committee is responsible for, among other things, reviewing and approving our overall compensation philosophy and overseeing the administration of related compensation benefit programs, policies, and practices. The Compensation Committee is also responsible for annually reviewing and approving the corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers and evaluating their performance in light of these goals, reviewing the compensation of our executive officers and other appropriate officers, and administering our incentive and equity-based compensation plans. Executive compensation is recommended by the Compensation Committee and set by the Board. In performing this function, the Compensation Committee and the Board rely on the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer to provide information regarding the executive officers, their roles and responsibilities, and the general performance of the Company and the various business units. The Chief Executive Officer, Chief

Financial Officer, and General Counsel, as well as members of Calyxt’s human resources team, provide support, take directions from, and bring suggestions to the Compensation Committee and the Board. The Chief Executive Officer also suggests performance measures and targets for each of the executive officers under our cash bonus program. The final decisions regarding salaries, bonuses (including measures, targets, and amounts to be paid), equity grants, and other compensation matters related to executive officers are made by the Board. No executive officer has any role in director compensation. The Compensation Committee may delegate all or a portion of duties and responsibilities to a subcommittee of the Compensation Committee. As a “controlled company,” we are not required to have a compensation committee comprised entirely of independent directors.

The Compensation Committee has engaged Vareo Advisors, LLC as its consultant for executive and non-executive compensation. The Compensation Committee determined that Vareo Advisors, LLC is free of conflicts of interest under applicable Nasdaq and SEC rules. The consultant reports directly to the Compensation Committee and works with the Compensation Committee, the Board, and management to, among other things, provide advice regarding compensation structures and programs in general and competitive compensation data.

The Compensation Committee held sevennine meetings during the last fiscal year.2021.

Corporate Governance Guidelines

Our Board has adopted written Corporate Governance Guidelines that serve as a framework for our Board and its committees. These guidelines cover a number of areas including the size and composition of the Board, membership criteria for the Board and director qualifications, director responsibilities, board agenda, the responsibilities of the Chair of the Board, and the Chief Executive Officer, the appointment of a presiding director, meetings ofnon-management directors, the role of committees of the Board, access of directors to management and independent advisors, third-party communications, director compensation, director orientation and continuing education, management evaluation and succession and annual performance evaluations.

The Corporate Governance Guidelines are reviewed at least annually by our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and changes are recommended to our Board, as warranted.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

We have adopted the Calyxt Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which is applicable to all of our employees, executive officers, and directors. Any amendments to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and any waivers of its requirements will be disclosed on our website or in filings under the Exchange Act, as required by the applicable rules and exchange requirements.

Corporate Governance MaterialsPolicies Prohibiting Employee, Officer, and Director Hedging and Pledging

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Business ConductCalyxt’s insider trading policy prohibits our directors, executive officers, employees, and Ethics,their related persons from purchasing our securities on margin or holding our securities in margin accounts or otherwise pledging our securities, and charters for each of our standing Board committeesalso prohibits any hedging transactions (including, transactions involving options, warrants, puts, calls, prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars, and exchange funds or other derivatives) that are posteddesigned to hedge or speculate on the Investors section of our website under “Corporate Governance” at www.calyxt.com/corporate-governance/. In addition, stockholders may obtain a print copy of our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics as well as the charters of our standing Board committees by writing to our Investor Relations Department at: Calyxt, Inc., Investor Relations, 2800 Mount Ridge Road, Roseville, MN 55113, or by calling (651)683-2807.

Executive Officers

The following table sets forth information concerning our current executive officers:

Name

Age

Position

James A. Blome

56

Chief Executive Officer

William F. Koschak

50

Chief Financial Officer

Debra H. Frimerman

39

General Counsel

Manoj Sahoo

42

Chief Commercial Officer

Daniel F. Voytas

56

Chief Science Officer

James A. Blome has served as our Chief Executive Officer since October 2018. Prior to joining Calyxt, Mr. Blome served as the President and CEO for Bayer CropScience, LP (North America) since June 2011. Prior to his position at Bayer CropScience LP, he held executive positions at Valent (Sumitomo Chemical) and Agriliance LLC. Mr. Blome also serves as the Chairman of CropLife America, the Chairman of US Farming and Ranching Foundation, and the Independent,Non-Executive Chairman of Concentric Ag Technologies, Inc. Mr. Blome is the 2013 recipient of the Henry A. Wallace Award from Iowa State University for outstanding leadership and service to agriculture. Mr. Blome is a graduate of Iowa State University.

William F. Koschak has served as our Chief Financial Officer since January 2019. Mr. Koschak previously served as the Vice President, Finance of the Brain Therapies business unit of Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT), a global medical technology company, from June 2017 through January 2019. During this time, Mr. Koschak also served as interim Vice President and General Manager, Brain Modulation from May 2018 through October 2018. Prior to joining Medtronic plc, Mr. Koschak served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Young America Holdings, LLC, a privately held digital services firm, beginning in December 2014. Earlier in his career, Mr. Koschak held various finance positions including Vice President, Finance for Convenience and Foodservice and Vice President, Financial Reporting at General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS), where he was employed from May 2005 until December 2014. Prior to General Mills, Mr. Koschak was an audit partner at KPMG LLP. Mr. Koschak is a director of 1st Financial Bank USA and has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Augsburg College.

Debra H. Frimermanhas served as our General Counsel since February 2019. Ms. Frimerman holds a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Before joining Calyxt, Ms. Frimerman was Associate General Counsel for Syngenta North America. Throughout her seven years at Syngenta, she provided counsel for executive leadership teams and contributed to the closing of numerous global transactions; launching new products into new markets; and developing regulatory, compliance and corporate policies. Prior to her role at Syngenta, Ms. Frimerman practiced law at Stoel Rives LLP and Lindquist & Vennum PLLP.

Manoj Sahoo has served as our Chief Commercial Officer since March 2017. He holds a MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology in India. Prior to joining Calyxt he was Assistant Vice President for Food Ingredients andBio-industrial Enterprise at Cargill. His prior roles at Cargill included Business Development Director for Starches and Sweeteners North America and a roleany change in the Corporate Strategy & Development Group. Mr. Sahoo serves on the Industry Advisory Boardmarket value of the Larta Institute.equity securities of Calyxt.

Daniel F. Voytas, Ph.D., has served as our Chief Science Officer since May 2010. Dr. Voytas graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College in 1984 and received his Ph.D. in genetics from Harvard Medical School in 1990. He is one of ourco-founders and one of the inventors of the TALEN technology. He continues to optimize the use of TALEN for the targeted modification of plant genomes. In addition to his role at Calyxt, Dr. Voytas is a professor in the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development at the University of Minnesota (UMN), which he joined in 2008, and Director of the UMN’s Center for Genome Engineering and Director of the UMN’s Center for Precision Plant Genomics. In 1992, Dr. Voytas joined the faculty at Iowa State University. Prior to this, he conducted postdoctoral research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Voytas is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

STOCKHOLDER COMMUNICATIONSStockholder Communications

Stockholders may contact our Board of Directors about bona fide issues or questions about Calyxt by sending a letter to the following address: Calyxt, Inc., 2800 Mount Ridge Road, Roseville, MN 55113, Attention: Board of Directors. Each communication should specify the applicable addressee or addressees to be contacted, the general topic of the communication, and the number of shares of our stock that are owned of record (if a record holder) or beneficially. If a stockholder wishes to contact the independent members of the Board, the stockholder should address such communication to the attention of the “Independent Directors” at the address above. Our General Counsel will initially receive and process communications before forwarding them to the addressee, and generally will not forward a communication that is unrelated to the duties and responsibilities of the Board, including a communication the General Counsel determines to be primarily commercial in nature, is related to an improper or irrelevant topic, or is a request for general information about us or our products or services.

PROPOSAL NO. 2

RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Appointment of Ernst & Young LLP

Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”) has served as our independent registered public accounting firm since 2015. EY audited our financial statements for 2018 and 2017 and also audited our financial statements for fiscal year 2016, when we were a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cellectis. The Audit Committee has approved the engagement of EY to perform audit and audit-related services with respect to the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019,2022, and the Board has directed that management submit the selection of EY as Calyxt’s independent registered public accounting firm for ratification by the stockholders at the Annual Meeting.Meeting as part of this Proposal 2. The Audit Committee’s selection process includes consideration of the following factors: continuity of experience with our business, internal controls, and technical accounting experience; independence; history of and reputation for thoroughness, accuracy, excellence, and integrity; and reasonableness of fees. In the event the stockholders do not ratify the reappointment of EY, the Audit Committee will reconsider the selection.

Representatives of EY will be present at the Annual Meeting. They will be given an opportunity to make a statement, if they desire to do so, and they will be available to respond to appropriate questions after the meeting.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.

RELATIONSHIP WITH INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Pre-Approval of Accounting Services

The Audit Committee has established a policy regardingpre-approval of audit and permissiblenon-audit services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm. Under that policy, the Audit Committee must approve the services to be rendered and fees to be charged by our independent registered public accounting firm. Unless a type of service has received generalpre-approval, it will require specificpre-approval of the Audit Committee if it is to be provided by the independent auditor. The Audit Committee may establishpre-approval fee limits for all services to be provided by the independent accountant. The Audit Committee must then approve, in advance, any services or fees exceeding thosepre-approved levels, subject to the de minimis exception set forth in Section 10A(i)(1)(B) of the Exchange Act. EY did not perform anyThe Audit Committee non-auditpre-approved or taxall services for Calyxtand fees charged by Ernst & Young LLP to the Company in fiscal year 2018 or fiscal year 2017.2021.

The Audit Committee has delegated to its Chair the authority to grant separatepre-approvals of services and fees in accordance with thepre-approval policy. The Audit Committee may further delegatepre-approval authority from time to time to one or more of its other members in its discretion.

Fees Billed by Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for Fiscal Years 20182021 and 2017

Audit Fees2020

The following table presents aggregate fees (including related expenses) for services rendered by EYErnst & Young LLP in the fiscal years ended December 31, 20182021, and December 31, 2017:2020:

 

  Years Ended
December 31,
   Year Ended December 31, 
  2018   2017   2021   2020 

Audit Fees (1)

  $370,279   $1,215,430   $280,000   $370,000 

Audit-Related Fees

   5,500    —   

Tax Fees

   —      —   

All Other Fees (1)

   139,800    —   
  

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

 

Total

  $370,279   $1,215,430   $425,300   $370,000 
  

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

 

 

(1)

Audit Fees include fees associatedRepresents work performed primarily in association with the auditCompany’s issuances of our financial statements, review of our quarterly financial statements,Common Stock under the Company’s Open Market Sale AgreementSM with Jefferies LLC and services that are normally provided by EY in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years. Fees for 2018 include fees billed for professional services rendered of $85,868 in connection with our registration statement related to ourfollow-onthe Company’s February 2022 underwritten public offering in May 2018. Fees for 2017 also include fees billed for professional services rendered of $898,030 in connection with our registration statement relatedshares of Common Stock and warrants to our initial public offering in July 2017.purchase Common Stock.

REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE

This report of the Audit Committee is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and, in accordance with the SEC’s rules, will not be deemed to be part of or incorporated by reference by any general statement incorporating by reference this Proxy Statement into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) or under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), except to the extent that we specifically incorporate this information by reference, and will not otherwise be deemed “soliciting material” or “filed” under either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

The principal purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board in its general oversight of our accounting practices, system of internal controls, audit processes, and financial reporting processes. The Audit Committee is responsible for appointing and retaining our independent auditor and approving the audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditor. The Audit Committee’s function is more fully described in its charter.

Our management is responsible for preparing our financial statements and ensuring they are complete and accurate and prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. EY, our independent registered public accounting firm for 2021, was responsible for performing an independent audit of our consolidated financial statements and expressing an opinion on the conformity of those financial statements with generally accepted accounting principles.

The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed our audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021, with management and with our independent auditor, EY. These audited financial statements are included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 (“Annual Report”).

The Audit Committee has also discussed with EY the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) and the SEC.

The Audit Committee also has received and reviewed the written disclosures and the letter from EY required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding EY’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence and has discussed with EY its independence from us.

Based on the review and discussions described above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited financial statements be included in the Annual Report for filing with the SEC.

THE AUDIT COMMITTEE

Ms. Kimberly K. Nelson (Chair)

Mr. Philippe Dumont

Mr. Jonathan B. Fassberg

Ms. Ana Ewa Kozicz-Stankiewicz

PROPOSAL NO. 3

APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY’S AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION TO EFFECT A REVERSE STOCK SPLIT AT THE DISCRETION OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Summary

Our Board has unanimously approved a proposal to allow for the amendment of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation to effect a reverse stock split of all of our outstanding shares of Common Stock by a ratio in the range of not less than 2-to-1 and not greater than 10-to-1 (the “Reverse Stock Split”). As required by the Stockholders Agreement, the Reverse Stock Split has been approved by Cellectis for submission to the Company’s stockholders for approval. The proposal provides that our Board shall have sole discretion pursuant to Section 242(c) of the DGCL to elect, as it determines to be in the Company’s best interests, whether or not to effect the Reverse Stock Split before April 1, 2024, or to abandon it. Should the Board proceed with the Reverse Stock Split, the exact ratio shall be set at a whole number within the above range as determined by our Board in its sole discretion. Our Board believes that the availability of alternative reverse stock split ratios will provide it with the flexibility to implement the Reverse Stock Split in a manner designed to maximize the anticipated benefits for the Company and its stockholders.

In determining whether to implement the Reverse Stock Split following the receipt of stockholder approval, our Board may consider, among other things, factors such as:

the historical trading price and trading volume of our Common Stock;

the then prevailing trading price and trading volume of our Common Stock and the anticipated impact of the Reverse Stock Split on the trading market for our Common Stock;

our ability to have our shares of Common Stock remain listed on Nasdaq;

the anticipated impact of the reverse stock split on our ability to raise additional financing; and

prevailing general market and economic conditions.

If our Board determines that effecting the Reverse Stock Split is in our best interest, the Reverse Stock Split will become effective upon filing of an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The amendment filed thereby will set forth the number of shares of our outstanding Common Stock to be combined into one share of our Common Stock within the limits set forth in this proposal. Except for adjustments that may result from the treatment of fractional shares as described below, each stockholder will generally hold the same percentage of our outstanding Common Stock immediately following the Reverse Stock Split as such stockholder holds immediately prior to the Reverse Stock Split.

The text of the form of amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Amendment”), which would be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effect the Reverse Stock Split, is set forth in Appendix A to this Proxy Statement. The text of the Certificate of Amendment accompanying this Proxy Statement is, however, subject to amendment to reflect the exact ratio for the Reverse Stock Split and any changes that may be required by the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or that the Board may determine to be necessary or advisable ultimately to comply with applicable law and to effect the Reverse Stock Split.

Our Board of Directors believes that approval of the amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to effect the Reverse Stock Split is in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders and has unanimously recommended that the proposed amendment be presented to our stockholders for approval.

Board Discretion to Implement or Abandon Reverse Stock Split

The Reverse Stock Split will be effected, if at all, only upon a determination by our Board that the Reverse Stock Split (with a reverse stock split ratio determined by our Board as described above) is in the Company’s best interest. Such determination shall be based upon certain factors, including those identified above. No further action on the part of stockholders would be required to either implement or abandon the Reverse Stock Split. If our stockholders approve the proposal, and the Board determines to effect the Reverse Stock Split, we would communicate to the public, prior to the Effective Date (as defined below), additional details regarding the Reverse Stock Split, including the specific ratio selected by the Board.

If the Board does not implement the Reverse Stock Split prior to April 1, 2024, the authority granted in this proposal to implement the Reverse Stock Split will terminate. The Board reserves its right to elect not to proceed with the Reverse Stock Split if it determines, in its sole discretion, that this proposal is no longer in the Company’s best interest.

Effective Date

If the proposed amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to give effect to the Reverse Stock Split is approved at the Annual Meeting and the Board determines to effect the Reverse Stock Split, the Reverse Stock Split will become effective as of a date and time to be determined by the Board that will be specified in the Certificate of Amendment (the “Effective Date”). Except as explained below with respect to fractional shares, each issued share of Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Date will automatically be changed, as of the Effective Date, into a fraction of a share of Common Stock based on the exchange ratio within the approved range determined by the Board of Directors.

Principal Effects of the Reverse Stock Split

Common Stock. If this proposal is approved by the stockholders at the Annual Meeting and the Board determines to effect the Reverse Stock Split and thus amend the Certificate of Incorporation, the Company will file a certificate of amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. Except for adjustments that may result from the treatment of fractional shares of Common Stock as described below, each issued share of Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Date will automatically be changed, as of the Effective Date, into a fraction of a share of Common Stock based on the exchange ratio within the approved range determined by the Board. In addition, proportional adjustments will be made to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable under, and other terms of, our equity compensation plans, as well as to the number of shares of Common Stock issuable under, and the exercise price of, outstanding awards under our equity compensation plans.

Except for adjustments that may result from the treatment of fractional shares of Common Stock as described below, because the Reverse Stock Split would apply to all issued and outstanding shares of our Common Stock, the proposed Reverse Stock Split would generally not alter the relative rights and preferences of our existing stockholders nor affect any stockholder’s proportionate equity interest in the Company. For example, a holder of two percent (2%) of the voting power of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock immediately prior to the effectiveness of the Reverse Stock Split will generally continue to hold two percent (2%) of the voting power of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock immediately after the Reverse Stock Split. Moreover, the number of stockholders of record will not be affected by the Reverse Stock Split. The amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation itself would not change the number of authorized shares of our Common Stock. Accordingly, the Reverse Stock Split will have the effect of creating additional unreserved shares of our authorized Common Stock. Although at present we have no current arrangements or understandings providing for the issuance of the additional shares of Common Stock that would be made available for issuance upon effectiveness of the Reverse Stock Split, other than those shares needed to satisfy the exercise of the Company’s outstanding awards under its equity compensation plans and any shares that it may issue pursuant to its existing at-the-market equity program

under the Open Market Sale AgreementSM with Jefferies LLC, these additional shares of Common Stock may be used by us for various purposes in the future without further stockholder approval, including, among other things:

raising capital to fund our operations and to continue as a going concern;

establishing strategic relationships with other companies;

providing equity incentives to our employees, officers or directors; and

expanding our business or product lines through the acquisition of other businesses or products.

Effect on Employee Plans, Options, Restricted Stock Awards and Convertible or Exchangeable Securities. Pursuant to the terms of the Calyxt, Inc. Equity Incentive Plan, the Calyxt, Inc. 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended, and the Calyxt, Inc. 2021 Employee Inducement Incentive Plan (collectively, the “Plans”), the Board or a committee thereof, as applicable, will adjust the number of shares of Common Stock available for future grant under the Plans, the number of shares of Common Stock underlying outstanding awards, the exercise price per share of outstanding stock options, and other terms of outstanding awards issued pursuant to the Plans to equitably reflect the effects of the Reverse Stock Split. Based upon the Reverse Stock Split ratio determined by the Board, proportionate adjustments are also generally required to be made to the per share exercise price and the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise or conversion of outstanding options, and any convertible or exchangeable securities entitling the holders to purchase, exchange for, or convert into, shares of Common Stock. This would result in approximately the same aggregate price being required to be paid under such options, and convertible or exchangeable securities upon exercise, and approximately the same value of shares of Common Stock being delivered upon such exercise, exchange or conversion, immediately following the Reverse Stock Split as was the case immediately preceding the Reverse Stock Split. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to restricted stock awards and restricted stock units will be similarly adjusted, subject to our treatment of fractional shares of Common Stock. The number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance pursuant to these securities and our Plans will be adjusted proportionately based upon the Reverse Stock Split ratio determined by the Board, subject to our treatment of fractional shares of Common Stock.

Listing. Our shares of Common Stock currently trade on the Nasdaq Global Market. The Reverse Stock Split will not directly affect the listing of our Common Stock on the Nasdaq Global Market, although we believe that the Reverse Stock Split could potentially increase our stock price, facilitating compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum bid price listing requirement. Following the Reverse Stock Split, our Common Stock will continue to be listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “CLXT,” although our Common Stock would have a new committee on uniform securities identification procedures (“CUSIP”) number, a number used to identify our Common Stock.

Public Company Status. Our Common Stock is currently registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and we are subject to the “public company” periodic reporting and other requirements of the Exchange Act. The proposed Reverse Stock Split will not affect our status as a public company or this registration under the Exchange Act. The Reverse Stock Split is not intended as, and will not have the effect of, a “going private transaction” covered by Rule 13e-3 under the Exchange Act.

Odd Lot Transactions. It is likely that some of our stockholders will own “odd-lots” of less than 100 shares of Common Stock following the Reverse Stock Split. A purchase or sale of less than 100 shares of Common Stock (an “odd lot” transaction) may result in incrementally higher trading costs through certain brokers, particularly “full service” brokers, and generally may be more difficult than a “round lot” sale. Therefore, those stockholders who own less than 100 shares of Common Stock following the Reverse Stock Split may be required to pay somewhat higher transaction costs and may experience some difficulties or delays should they then determine to sell their shares of Common Stock.

Authorized but Unissued Shares; Potential Anti-Takeover Effects. Our Certificate of Incorporation presently authorizes 275,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock. The Reverse Stock Split would not change the number of authorized shares of the Common Stock or preferred stock as designated. Therefore, because the number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock would decrease, the number of shares of Common Stock remaining available for issuance by us in the future would increase.

Such additional shares of Common Stock would be available for issuance from time to time for corporate purposes such as issuances of Common Stock in connection with capital-raising transactions and acquisitions of companies or other assets, as well as for issuance upon conversion or exercise of securities such as convertible preferred stock, convertible debt, warrants or options convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock. We believe that the availability of the additional shares of Common Stock will provide us with the flexibility to meet business needs as they arise, to take advantage of favorable opportunities and to respond effectively in a changing corporate environment. For example, we may elect to issue shares of Common Stock to raise equity capital, to make acquisitions through the use of stock, to establish strategic relationships with other companies, to adopt additional employee benefit plans or reserve additional shares of Common Stock for issuance under such plans, where the Board determines it advisable to do so, without the necessity of soliciting further stockholder approval, subject to applicable stockholder vote requirements under Delaware law and Nasdaq rules. If we issue additional shares of Common Stock for any of these purposes, the aggregate ownership interest of our current stockholders, and the interest of each such existing stockholder, would be diluted, possibly substantially.

The additional shares of our Common Stock that would become available for issuance upon an effective Reverse Stock Split could also be used by us to oppose a hostile takeover attempt or delay or prevent a change of control or changes in or removal of our management, including any transaction that may be favored by a majority of our stockholders or in which our stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares of Common Stock over then-current market prices or benefit in some other manner. Although the increased proportion of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to issued shares of Common Stock could, under certain circumstances, have an anti-takeover effect, the Reverse Stock Split is not being proposed to respond to a hostile takeover attempt or to an attempt to obtain control of the Company.

Fractional Shares

We will not issue fractional certificates for post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock in connection with the Reverse Stock Split. To the extent any holders of pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock are entitled to fractional shares of Common Stock as a result of the Reverse Stock Split, the Company will round up and issue an additional share to all holders of fractional shares of Common Stock.

No Dissenters’ Rights

Under Delaware law, our stockholders would not be entitled to dissenters’ rights or rights of appraisal in connection with the implementation of the Reverse Stock Split, and we will not independently provide our stockholders with any such rights.

Certain Risks Associated with the Reverse Stock Split

Before voting on this proposal, you should consider the following risks associated with the implementation of the Reverse Stock Split.

The Reverse Stock Split could result in a significant devaluation of the Company’s market capitalization and the trading price of the common stock.

Although we expect that the Reverse Stock Split will result in an increase in the market price of the Common Stock, we cannot assure you that the Reverse Stock Split, if implemented, will increase the market price of the

Common Stock in proportion to the reduction in the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding or result in a permanent increase in the market price. Accordingly, the total market capitalization of the Common Stock after the Reverse Stock Split may be lower than the total market capitalization before the Reverse Stock Split and, in the future, the market price of the common stock following the Reverse Stock Split may not exceed or remain higher than the market price prior to the Reverse Stock Split.

The effect the Reverse Stock Split may have upon the market price of the Common Stock cannot be predicted with any certainty. The market price of the Common Stock is dependent on many factors, including our business and financial performance, general market conditions, prospects for future success and other factors detailed from time to time in the reports we file with the SEC.

The Reverse Stock Split may result in some stockholders owning “odd lots” that may be more difficult to sell or require greater transaction costs per share to sell.

The Reverse Stock Split may result in some stockholders owning “odd lots” of less than 100 shares of Common Stock on a post-split basis. These odd lots may be more difficult to sell, or require greater transaction costs per share to sell, than shares in “round lots” of even multiples of 100 shares.

The Reverse Stock Split may not generate additional investor interest.

While the Board believes that a higher stock price may help generate investor interest, there can be no assurance that the Reverse Stock Split will result in a per share price that will attract institutional investors or investment funds or that such share price will satisfy the investing guidelines of institutional investors or investment funds. As a result, the trading liquidity of the Common Stock may not necessarily improve.

The reduced number of issued shares of common stock resulting from a Reverse Stock Split could adversely affect the liquidity of the common stock.

Although the Board believes that the decrease in the number of shares of common stock outstanding as a consequence of the Reverse Stock Split could encourage interest in the Common Stock and possibly promote greater liquidity for the Company’s stockholders, such liquidity could also be adversely affected by the reduced number of shares outstanding after the Reverse Stock Split.

Certain United States Federal Income Tax Consequences

The following is a summary of certain United States federal income tax consequences of the Reverse Stock Split to our stockholders. It does not address all U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to any particular stockholder, including tax considerations that arise from rules of general application to all taxpayers or to certain classes of taxpayers or that are generally assumed to be known by investors. This summary also does not address the tax consequences to (a) persons that may be subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax law, such as banks and other financial institutions, insurance companies, thrift institutions, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, tax-exempt organizations, partnerships (or other entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and investors therein, “United States holders” (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, U.S. expatriates, controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies, persons subject to the alternative minimum tax, persons who acquired our Common Stock through the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation, traders in securities that elect to mark to market and dealers in securities or currencies, (b) persons that hold our Common Stock as part of a position in a “straddle” or as part of a “hedging,” “conversion” or other integrated investment transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (c) stockholders who own or have owned, actually or constructively, 5% or more of our Common Stock (by vote or value) at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the Reverse Stock Split or any such stockholder’s holding period or (d) persons that do not hold our Common Stock as “capital assets” (generally, property held for investment). The discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), its legislative history,

existing, temporary, and proposed regulations under the Internal Revenue Code, published rulings and court decisions, all as of the date hereof. These laws, regulations and other guidance are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. We have not sought and will not seek an opinion of counsel or a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service regarding the United States federal income tax consequences of the Reverse Stock Split. This summary does not address any state, local or foreign income or other tax consequences, which, depending upon the jurisdiction and the status of the stockholder, may vary from the United States federal income tax consequences, or the effects of other U.S. federal tax laws, such as estate and gift tax laws.

PLEASE CONSULT YOUR OWN TAX ADVISOR CONCERNING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE REVERSE STOCK SPLIT IN YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE AND THE LAWS OF ANY OTHER TAXING JURISDICTION.

If a partnership (or other entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is the beneficial owner of our Common Stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships that hold our Common Stock, and partners in such partnerships, should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Reverse Stock Split.

Tax Consequences to United States Holders. A “United States holder” is a beneficial owner of our Common Stock that is, for United States federal income tax purposes: (a) a citizen or individual resident of the United States, (b) a corporation organized in or under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (c) an estate whose income is subject to United States federal income tax regardless of its source, or (d) a trust, if a United States court can exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more United States persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust. The discussion in this section applies only to United States holders.

The Reverse Stock Split is intended to be treated as a recapitalization for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Assuming that the Reverse Stock Split qualifies as a recapitalization (and subject to the discussion of fractional shares below), no gain or loss will be recognized by a United States holder upon such holder’s exchange of pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock for post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Reverse Stock Split. A United States holder’s aggregate adjusted basis in the post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock received will be the same as such holder’s aggregate adjusted basis in the Common Stock exchanged for such new shares. The United States holder’s holding period for the post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock will include the period during which such holder held the pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock surrendered. United States holders that acquired pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock on different dates and at different prices should consult their own tax advisors regarding allocating the tax basis and holding period from pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock to post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock.

The treatment of fractional post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock being rounded up to the next whole share is uncertain, and a United States holder that receives a whole share in lieu of a fractional share may recognize income, which may be characterized as either capital gain or as a dividend, in an amount not to exceed the excess of the fair market value of such whole share over the fair market value of the fractional share to which the United States holder is otherwise entitled. United States holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of fractional shares being rounded to the next whole share (including the tax basis and holding period of a whole share received in lieu of a fractional share).

Non-U.S. Holders.A “non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of our Common Stock that is neither a United States holder nor a partnership (or other entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes). The discussion in this section applies only to non-U.S. holders. Generally, non-U.S. holders will not recognize any gain or loss upon the Reverse Stock Split.

A non-U.S. holder that receives a whole post-Reverse Stock Split share of Common Stock in lieu of a fractional post-Reverse Stock Split share of Common Stock may be treated as described above under “—Tax Consequences to United States Holders,” if (a) any income or gain from the exchange of pre-Reverse Stock Split shares of

Common Stock for post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (or, if certain income tax treaties apply, is attributable to a non-U.S. holder’s permanent establishment or fixed base in the United States), or (b) such non-U.S. holder is an individual and is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the Reverse Stock Split and other conditions are met. Such non-U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of fractional shares being rounded to the next whole share.

Accounting Consequences

Following the Effective Date of the Reverse Stock Split, if any, the net income or loss and net book value per share of Common Stock will be increased because there will be fewer shares of Common Stock outstanding. We do not anticipate that any other accounting consequences would arise as a result of the Reverse Stock Split.

Effect on Registered “Book-Entry” Holders of Common Stock

The Company’s registered stockholders hold their shares electronically in book-entry form with the Company’s transfer agent, Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc. (the “Transfer Agent”). Stockholders do not have stock certificates evidencing their ownership of Common Stock. They are, however, provided with a statement reflecting the number of shares of Common Stock registered in their accounts.

If you hold registered shares of Common Stock in book-entry form, you do not need to take any action to receive your post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock in registered book-entry form.

If you are entitled to post-Reverse Stock Split shares of Common Stock, a transaction statement will automatically be sent to your address of record by our transfer agent as soon as practicable after the Effective Date indicating the number of shares of Common Stock that you hold.

Upon the implementation of the Reverse Stock Split, we intend to treat shares held by stockholders through a bank, broker, custodian, or other nominee in the same manner as registered stockholders whose shares are registered directly in their names with the Transfer Agent. Banks, brokers, custodians, or other nominees will be instructed to effect the Reverse Stock Split for their beneficial holders holding our common stock in street name. However, these banks, brokers, custodians, or other nominees may have different procedures for processing the Reverse Stock Split. Stockholders who hold our common stock with a bank, broker, custodian, or other nominee and who have any questions in this regard are encouraged to contact their banks, brokers, custodians, or other nominees.

Interests of Directors and Executive Officers

Our directors and executive officers have no substantial interests, directly or indirectly, in the matters set forth in this proposal except to the extent of their ownership of shares of our Common Stock and equity awards under granted to them under our equity incentive plans.

Vote Required and Recommendation

Our By-laws provide that, on all matters (other than the election of directors and except to the extent otherwise required by our Certificate of Incorporation or applicable Delaware law), the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast affirmatively or negatively at a meeting at which a quorum is present and entitled to vote will be required for approval of the amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to give effect to the Reverse Stock Split. Accordingly, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast affirmatively or negatively at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on the matter will be required to approve the Reverse Stock Split.

At the Annual Meeting, a vote will be taken on a proposal to amend the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation to effect the Reverse Stock Split at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE RATIFICATIONAPPROVAL OF THE APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.REVERSE STOCK SPLIT.

TRANSACTION OF OTHER BUSINESSEXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The Boardfollowing table sets forth information concerning our current executive officers, other than Michael A. Carr, whose information is set forth above under “Proposal No. 1—Election of Directors knows of no other matters that will be presentedDirectors—Nominees for considerationElection for a One-Year Term Expiring at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters are properly brought before the2023 Annual Meeting it isof Stockholders”:

Name

Age

Position

Michael A. Carr.

53President & Chief Executive Officer

William F. Koschak

53Chief Financial Officer

Travis J. Frey, Ph.D.

44Chief Technology Officer

Debra Frimerman

42General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

William F. Koschak has served as our Chief Financial Officer since January 2019. Mr. Koschak previously served as the intentionVice President, Finance of the persons namedBrain Therapies business unit of Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT), a global medical technology company, from June 2017 through January 2019. As Vice President, Finance of the Brain Therapies business unit, Mr. Koschak had responsibility for matters including financial and strategic planning for the $2.5 billion in revenue global brain therapies business unit, as well as acquisitions and operational excellence. During this time, Mr. Koschak also served as Interim Vice President and General Manager, Brain Modulation from May 2018 through October 2018. As the interim General Manager of Brain Modulation, he led all aspects of the global Brain Modulation business with a focus on the development of products for medical devices to treat the effects of Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. Prior to joining Medtronic plc, Mr. Koschak served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Young America Holdings, LLC, a privately held digital services firm, beginning in December 2014. Mr. Koschak also held various finance positions including Vice President, Finance for Convenience and Foodservice and Vice President, Financial Reporting at General Mills, Inc. (NYSE: GIS), where he was employed from May 2005 until December 2014. Prior to General Mills, Mr. Koschak was an audit partner at KPMG LLP. Mr. Koschak is a board member of 1st Financial Bank USA and Second Harvest Heartland, the second largest food bank in the accompanying proxyUnited States. Mr. Koschak is a graduate of Augsburg College.

Travis J. Frey, Ph.D., has served as our Chief Technology Officer since May 2019. Prior to votejoining Calyxt, Dr. Frey served as the Vice President of Science and Innovation from March of 2018 to April of 2019 at WISErg Corporation, a company fusing biological science and engineering into a solution that converts landfill-bound food into premium sustainable agricultural inputs. Dr. Frey was responsible for WISErg’s science and technology vision, strategy and execution as well as being responsible for aligning science and innovation initiatives regarding existing and new product research and development. Prior to joining WISErg Corporation, Dr. Frey held various roles at Monsanto from January of 2006 to March of 2018, where he developed improved varieties of corn, improved efficiencies in the introgression of traits into elite germplasm, improved molecular assays to enhance the use of breeding while reducing the need for field testing, and led Monsanto’s global Dicot transformation center as well as their controlled environment facilities. Dr. Frey received his B.S. in Horticulture from Penn State University, M.S. in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics from the University of Wisconsin, Ph.D. in the Plant Biology and Biotechnology Program at the University of Delaware and an M.B.A from the University of Chicago – Booth School of Business.

Debra Frimermanhas served as our General Counsel since February 2019 and also our Corporate Secretary since March 2019. From February 2012 until joining Calyxt, Ms. Frimerman held multiple roles in the legal department at Syngenta, a global agribusiness company. Ms. Frimerman’s most recent role at Syngenta was Associate General Counsel for Syngenta North America where she led the U.S. seeds legal department, which included responsibility for global seed licensing transactions. Prior to Syngenta, Ms. Frimerman practiced law at Stoel Rives LLP and Lindquist & Vennum PLLP focusing on such mattersmergers and acquisitions, securities, commercial transactions, and general corporate matters. Ms. Frimerman holds a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, where she graduated magna cum laude, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in accordance with their best judgment.economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

2018 Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth total compensation for the years ended December 31, 20182021, and December 31, 2017,2020 as applicable, for each person who served as our named executive officers (“NEOs”), including our current principal executive officer James A. Blome (Chief Executive Officer since October 1, 2018), andduring 2021, as well as our former principaltwo other most highly compensated executive officers Yves J. Ribeill (Interim Chief Executive Officer from August 22, 2018 until October 1, 2018) and Federico A. Tripodi (Former Chief Executive Officer until August 22, 2018); and our next two highest paid executive officers who were serving on December 31, 2018, Manoj Sahoo (Chief Commercial Officer) and Daniel F. Voytas (Chief Science Officer)in 2021 (“NEOs”).

 

Name and Principal

Position

  Fiscal
Year
   Salary ($)   Bonus ($)(5)   Stock
Awards ($)(6)
   Option
Awards
($)(7)
   All Other
Compensation
($)(8)
   Total ($) 

Current Executive Officers

              

James A. Blome (1)

   2018   $158,750   $119,063   $2,860,200   $1,579,759   $35,662   $5,353,434 

Chief Executive Officer

   2017    —      —      —      —      —      —   

Manoj Sahoo

   2018   $257,917   $135,000    —      —     $14,576   $407,493 

Chief Commercial Officer

   2017   $197,917   $105,563   $784,000   $212,636    —     $1,300,115 

Daniel F. Voytas (2)

   2018   $186,667   $96,000    —      —      —     $282,667 

Chief Science Officer

   2017   $180,000   $106,500   $804,168   $520,963    —     $1,611,631 

Former Executive Officers

              

Yves J. Ribeill (3)

   2018   $73,141    —     $1,056,600   $1,668,491    —     $2,789,232 

Former Interim Chief Executive Officer & Current Director

   2017    —      —      —      —      —      —   

Federico A. Tripodi (4)

   2018   $227,413    —      —      —     $541,291   $768,704 

Former Chief Executive Officer

   2017   $345,000   $189,750   $1,568,000   $465,755    —     $2,568,505 

Name and Principal Position

 Fiscal
Year
  Salary ($)  Bonus ($) (4)  Stock
Awards ($) (5)
  Option
Awards ($) (6)
  All Other
Compensation
($) (7)
  Total ($) 

Michael Carr (1)

  2021   216,984   450,000   1,346,500   503,306   —     2,516,790 

President and Chief Executive Officer

  2020   —     —     —     —     —     —   

James A. Blome (2)

  2021   91,134   —     —     —     579,164   670,298 

Former Chief Executive Officer

  2020   635,000   259,556   —     543,609   17,123   1,455,288 

Yves Ribeill (3)

  2021   50,000   —     515,077   29,153   —     594,230 

Former Executive Chair

  2020   —     —     —     —     142,659   142,659 

William F. Koschak

  2021   338,000   —     144,900   144,635   16,225   643,760 

Chief Financial Officer

  2020   329,000   133,713   —     341,697   18,751   823,161 

Debra Frimerman

  2021   312,078   —     152,950   150,198   13,076   628,302 

General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

  2020   285,313   102,142   —     248,314   14,983   650,752 

 

(1)

Mr. BlomeCarr was appointed as Chief Executive Officer effective October 1, 2018.July 27, 2021.

(2)

Dr. Voytas provided his services through a consulting agreement with us. The amount in the “Salary” column represents the consulting fee that he received under this agreement.Mr. Blome was terminated as Chief Executive Officer effective February 19, 2021.

(3)

Dr. Ribeill served as our Interim Chief Executive OfficerChair from February 19, 2021, until August 22, 2018 through October 1, 2018. He is also a director of Calyxt, joining the Board on July 3, 2018. Dr. Ribeill earned cash compensation of $27,500 for his role as a director, which is included6, 2021. The amount reported in the “Salary” column for 2018.Dr. Ribeill represents his director fees.

(4)

This column reflects, in the case of Mr. Tripodi previously served as our Chief Executive OfficerCarr, his 2021 sign-on bonus, and, resigned that position effective August 22, 2018.in the case of the other NEOs, annual cash bonus earned for fiscal year 2020. No annual cash bonus was earned by NEOs pursuant to the Company’s 2021 short-term cash incentive plan.

(5)

The annual cash bonus payouts for fiscal year 2018 for Mr. Blome and Mr. Sahoo are $119,063 and $135,000, respectively. At target, Mr. Blome receives a bonus of 75% of his base salary and Mr. Sahoo receives a bonus equal to 50% of his base salary. Under his consulting agreement, Dr. Voytas is also eligible for a scientific bonus and a commercial bonus at the discretion of the Compensation Committee, which was $96,000 for fiscal year 2018.

(6)

This column reflects the fair value of Restricted Stock Unitsrestricted stock units (“RSUs”) and, for Mr. Carr, performance stock units (“PSUs”) granted in 20182021 and 20172020 based on the stock price on the date of grant. These amounts reflect our accounting expense for these awards and do not correspond to the actual value that will be realized by the NEOs. Mr. Blome’s stock awards were originally grantedAmounts listed in this column are calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, as disclosed in Note 6 “Stock-Based Compensation” to our audited financial statements included in our Annual Report on September 17, 2018 when he became a consultant to the Company. The awards were remeasured on October 1, 2018 when he became CEO. As a result, the grant date fair value for Mr. Blome’s RSUs was $2,860,200 and after taking into consideration awards that vested on October 1, 2018, the remeasured date fair valueForm 10-K for the RSUsyear ended December 31, 2021. The value of Mr. Carr’s PSUs in this column is calculated based on October 1, 2018 was $2,002,050.the probable outcome of the performance conditions on the date of grant; the value of such PSUs on the date of grant assuming maximum achievement of performance conditions is $4,110,000. Dr. Ribeill’s stock awards were originally granted on August 21, 2018for the year ended 2021 reflects the RSUs received while serving as Executive Chair, plus $79,041 in connectionstock awards associated with his appointment as interim CEO. The awards were modifiedservice on October 8, 2018 to accelerate their vesting. As a result, the grant date fair value for Dr. Ribeill’s RSUs was $1,056,600 and the modification date fair value for the RSUs was $854,400.our Board of Directors.

(7)(6)

This column reflects the fair value of options granted in 20182021 and 20172020 based on their grant date fair value.value calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. These amounts reflect our accounting expense for these awards and do not correspond to the actual value that will be realized by the NEOs. Dr. Ribeill’s 2018 option grant originally included an incorrect strike price that has been corrected by the Company. The grant date fair value for Dr. Ribeill’s 2018 option grant was $1,668,491. The awards were subsequently modified on October 8, 2018 to accelerate their vesting. The modification fair value of the award as of October 8, 2018 was $1,641,633. The assumptions used in the calculation of the amounts are described in Note 6 “Stock-Based Compensation” to our audited financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 31, 2021. The amount listed in this column for Dr. Ribeill reflects the value of options he received in connection with the SEChis service on March 12, 2019.our Board of Directors.

(8)(7)

Mr. Blome’s other compensation for the year ended December 31, 20182021, includes relocation benefitsseverance of $18,989$566,643 and an associated tax-gross up$12,274 of those relocation benefits of $15,917. The relocation benefits included $10,989 of temporary living and transportation expenses and $8,000 for the movement of household goods.matching contributions under our 401k benefit plan. Mr. Sahoo’sBlome’s other compensation for the year ended December 31, 20182020, includes $10,639$11,400 of matching contributions under our 401(k)401k benefit plan. Mr. Tripodi’sDr. Ribeill’s other compensation for the year ended December 31, 20182020, includes $360,000option awards valued at $77,659 and director fees of severance, $228,923$65,000, which were associated with his time serving on the board of which will be paid in 2019;directors rather than as a cash severance amount equal in value to what would have been his 2018 bonus of $144,000; severance paymentsNEO. Mr. Koschak’s other compensation for unused vacation of $24,695the year ended December 31, 2021, and $10,4652020 includes $11,600 and $11,400, respectively, of matching contributions under our 401(k)401k benefit plan. Ms. Frimerman’s other compensation for the year ended December 31, 2021, and 2020 includes $11,600 and $11,137, respectively, of matching contributions under our 401k benefit plan.

Outstanding Equity Awards at 20182021 FiscalYear-End

The following table sets forth certain information regarding outstanding equity awards of our NEOs as of December 31, 2018.2021. The market value of the shares in the following table is the fair value of such shares as of December 31, 2018.2021.

 

      Option Awards   Stock Awards 

Name

  Vesting
Commencement
Date(1-8)
  Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
   Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
   Option
Exercise
Price ($)
   Option
Expiration
Date
   Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested (#)
   Market
Value of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested
($)(9)
 

Current Executive Officers:

             

James A. Blome

   Oct. 8, 2018(1)   —      200,000   $14.24    Oct. 8, 2028    —      —   

Chief Executive Officer

             
   Sept. 17, 2018(2)   —      —      —      —      135,000   $1,398,600 

Manoj Sahoo

   June 14, 2017(3)   58,800    88,200   $13.29    June 14, 2027    63,700   $659,932 

Chief Commercial Officer

             

Daniel F. Voytas

   June 14, 2017(4)   22,617    128,164   $13.29    June 14, 2027    85,443   $885,189 

Chief Science Officer

   April 7, 2016(5)   175,588    36,750   $3.59    April 7, 2026    —      —   
   Sept. 9, 2015(6)   16,905    —     $21.83    Sept. 9, 2025    —      —   
   May 18, 2015(6)(7)   50,000    —     $33.91    May 18, 2025    —      —   
   Sept. 8, 2015(6)(7)   50,000    —     $32.12    Sept. 8. 2025    —      —   
   Dec. 3, 2014(6)   8,170    —     $3.71    Dec. 3, 2024    —      —   

Former Executive Officers

             

Yves J. Ribeill

   Aug. 21, 2018(8)   59,940    120,060   $17.61    Aug. 21, 2028    40,020   $414,607 

Former Interim Chief Executive Officer & Current Director

             

Federico A. Tripodi

             

Former Chief Executive Officer

   —     —      —      —      —      —      —   
  

Option Awards

  

Grant Date

 Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
  Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
   Option
Exercise
Price
($)
  

Option

Expiration

Date

Michael A. Carr

 July 27, 2021 (1)  —     200,000    3.65  July 27, 2031

President and Chief Executive Officer

      

James A. Blome

 

—  

  —     —      —    

—  

Former Chief Executive Officer

      
      

Yves J. Ribeill, Ph D.

 May 27, 2021 (2)  —     10,291    4.22  May 27, 2031

Former Executive Chair

 August 4, 2020 (1)  8,333   16,667    4.55  August 4, 2030
 May 6, 2019 (3)  3,000   4,500    15.59  May 6, 2029
 August 21, 2018 (5)  180,000   —      17.10  August 21, 2028

William F. Koschak

 March 12, 2021 (1)  —     26,000    8.05  March 12, 2031

Chief Financial Officer

 August 4, 2020 (1)  36,666   73,334    4.55  August 4, 2030
 February 8, 2019 (3)  72,000   108,000    13.01  February 8, 2029

Debra Frimerman

 March 12, 2021 (1)  —     27,000    8.05  March 12, 2031

General Counsel and

 August 4, 2020 (1)  26,666   53,334    4.55  August 4, 2030

Corporate Secretary

 May 13, 2019 (3)  35,000   65,000    15.28  May 13, 2029

   

Stock Awards

 
   

Issued Date

  Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested (#)
   Market
Value of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested ($) (8)
   Equity
Incentive
Plan Awards;
Number of
Unearned
Shares, Units
or Other
Rights That
Have Not
Vested (#) (4)
   Equity
Incentive Plan
Awards;
Number of
Unearned
Shares, Units
or Other
Rights That
Have Not
Vested ($) (8)
 

Michael A. Carr

  July 27, 2021 (6)   50,000    106,500    600,000    1,278,000 

President and Chief Executive Officer

          

James A. Blome

  —     —      —      —      —   

Chief Executive Officer

          

Yves J. Ribeill, Ph D.

  July 27, 2021 (6)   33,619    71,608     

Executive Chair

  July 1, 2021 (6)   8,032    17,108     
  June 1, 2021 (6)   7,978    16,993     
  May 27, 2021 (7)   18,730    39,895     
  May 3, 2021 (6)   6,287    13,391     
  April 1, 2021 (6)   11,061    23,560     

William F. Koschak

  March 12, 2021 (6)   18,000    38,340    —      —   

Chief Financial Officer

  June 28, 2019   —      —      85,000    181,050 

Debra Frimerman

  March 12, 2021 (6)   19,000    40,470    —     

General Counsel and

  June 28, 2019   —      —      60,000    127,800 

Corporate Secretary

          

 

(1)

The stock option grant vesting schedule is as follows: (i) 33.3% of the total number of stock options vest on the first anniversary of the grant date; (ii) 33.3% of the total number of stock options vest on the second

anniversary of the grant date and (iii) 33.4% of the total number of stock options vest on the third anniversary of the grant date.
(2)

The stock option grant vesting schedule is as follows: 100% of the total number of stock options vest on the first anniversary of the grant date.

(3)

The stock option grant vesting schedule is as follows: (i) 15% of the total number of stock options vest on the first anniversary of the grant date,date; (ii) 15%10% of the total number of stock options vest on the second anniversary of the grant date and (iii) 5% of the total number of stock options vest on the last day of the next 14 calendar quarters beginning March 31, 2021.15 quarters.

(2)(4)

For Mr. Carr, his PSUs will vest at a level ranging from 0% to 100% over a performance period of three years from the grant date, dependent on the Company’s share value reaching predetermined performance prices. For Mr. Koschak and Ms. Frimerman, their PSUs will vest at 50%, 75% or 100% of the shares under the award at the end the three-year performance period ending June 27, 2024, based upon increases in the value of our common stock from the starting price of $12.00. The awards vest on a linear basis between vesting percentages during specified periods within the three-year performance period. If vested, the PSUs will be settled in restricted stock with restrictions lapsing on the two-year anniversary of the date of issuance. Number of PSUs unearned and value of unearned PSUs at December 31, 2021 reflect PSU awards at 100% vesting.

(5)

Dr. Ribeill’s options granted on August 21, 2018, are fully vested.

(6)

The RSU awardgrant vesting schedule is as follows: (i) 25%33.3% of the total number of shares vestedstock options vest on October 1, 2018;the first anniversary of the grant date; (ii) 15%33.3% of the total number of shares vest on October 1, 2019; and (iii) 5% of the total number of shares vest on the last day of the next 12 calendar quarters beginning December 31, 2019.

(3)

The vesting schedule is as follows: (i) 20% of the total number of shares underlying thestock options and RSUs vested on June 14, 2017; (ii) 10% of the total number of shares underlying the option and RSUs vest on the second anniversary of the grant date and (iii) 5% of the total number of shares underlying the option and RSUs vest on the last day of the next 14 quarters which began September 30, 2018 with an additional 25% vesting immediately upon a Triggering Event. A “Triggering Event” means a sale, transfer or disposition of all or substantially all of our assets through a merger, consolidation or other business combination transaction of Calyxt with or into another corporation.

(4)

The vesting schedule is as follows: (i) 15% of the total number of shares underlying the option and RSUs vested on the June 14, 2018; (ii) 15% of the total number of shares underlying the option and RSUs vest on the second anniversary of the grant date; and (iii) 5% of the total number of shares underlying the option and RSUs vest on the last day of the next 14 quarters, beginning September 30, 2019 (with an additional 25% vesting immediately upon a Triggering Event). A “Triggering Event” means a sale, transfer or disposition of all or substantially all of our assets through a merger, consolidation or other business combination transaction of Calyxt with or into another corporation.

(5)

The vesting schedule is as follows: (i) 20% of the total number of shares underlying the option vested April 7, 2016; (ii) 10% of the total number of shares underlying the option vested on April 7, 2017; and (iii) 5% of the total number of shares underlying the option vest on the last day of the next 14 quarters, which began September 30, 2017 (with an additional 25% vesting immediately upon our initial public offering).

(6)

This award is fully vested.

(7)

Warrants granted by Cellectis on May 8, 2015 and September 8, 2015 vested in equal installments over the first, second and third anniversaries of the grant date. On May 28, 2015, Dr. Voytas was granted warrants to purchase 50,000 common shares of Cellectis with an exercise price of €29.58 per share, or $33.91 per share using the exchange rate of USD 1.1467 for 1 euro, which was the exchange rate on December 31, 2018. On September 8, 2015, Dr. Voytas was granted warrants to purchase 50,000 common shares of Cellectis with an exercise price of €28.01 per share, or $32.12 per share using the exchange rate of USD 1.1467 for 1 euro, which was the exchange rate on December 31, 2018.

(8)

The vesting schedule is as follows (i) 33.3% of the total number of shares underlying the option and awards vested October 10, 2018; (ii) 33.3% of the total number of shares underlying the option and RSUs vest on October 10, 2019; and (iii) 33.4% of the total number of shares underlying the option and RSUsstock options vest on October 10, 2020.the third anniversary of the grant date.

(9)(7)

The RSU grant vesting schedule is as follows: 100% of the total number of stock options vest on the first anniversary of the grant date.

(8)

Value of unvested RSUs isand PSUs are based on our closing price per common share of $10.36$2.13 on December 31, 2018.2021.

Agreements with Named Executive Officers

The following provides a discussion of the employment agreements amongbetween Calyxt and each of our NEOs. Each of these agreements provides forat-will employment and generally includes the NEO’s initial base salary, an indication of eligibility for an annual cash inventive award opportunity and equity awards. In addition, we have

Michael A. Carr

On July 13, 2021, Mr. Carr entered into an independent contractoroffer letter agreement with Dr. Voytas. Dr. Ribeill entered into anthe Company (the “Offer Letter”). Pursuant to the Offer Letter, Mr. Carr joined the Company on July 27, 2021, as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Carr’s employment agreementis at-will and may be terminated at any time for any reason, subject to the terms of the Company’s 2021 Executive Severance Plan (the “Severance Plan”), as modified by Mr. Carr’s Participation Agreement with respect thereto, as described below.

Mr. Carr is entitled to receive the following compensation and benefits in connection with his appointmentservice as InterimPresident and Chief Executive Officer of the Company:

an annual base salary of $500,000;

a one-time new-hire bonus of $450,000, which terminatedis subject to repayment to the Company upon certain employment termination events that occur on or prior to the one-year anniversary of Mr. Carr’s start date;

a one-time equity award of (i) stock options for the purchase of 200,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and (ii) 50,000 RSUs, which, in each case, will vest in equal installments on the first three anniversaries of Mr. Carr’s start date;

a one-time inducement award to be granted outside of the Company’s existing equity compensation plans in accordance with itsRule 5635(c)(4) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules of performance stock units to acquire up to 600,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, which will vest based on the Company’s achievement for a period of 30 consecutive calendar days of specified trading price levels

during a three-year performance period following the grant date (300,000 shares for a $12.00 price level, an additional 150,000 shares for a $15.00 price level and an additional 150,000 shares for a $20.00 price level) and otherwise have terms substantially similar to those of performance stock units issued under the Omnibus Plan.

eligibility to receive an annual cash performance bonus under the Company’s existing short-term incentive plan with a 2021 annual target of 100% of base salary (prorated for the number of days of employment during 2021), based on the achievement of performance goals, as determined by the Company’s Board;

eligibility under the Severance Plan, as amended by Mr. Carr’s participation agreement, to receive upon termination of employment by Mr. Carr for Good Reason (as defined in the appointmentSeverance Plan) or by the Company for any reason other than Cause (as defined in the Severance Plan, but modified to be subject to a notice and cure period with respect to non-willful performance deficiencies) severance benefits equal to 12 months (24 months, if occurring during a Change-in-Control Period (as defined in the Severance Plan)) of base salary and a prorated portion (the full amount, if occurring during a Change-in-Control Period) of Mr. BlomeCarr’s target cash incentive bonus for the applicable year;

eligibility for certain travel, temporary living, and relocation benefits for up to three years from Mr. Carr’s start date; and

participation in the benefit plans and programs of the Company in which similarly situated employees of the Company participate, as our Chief Executive Officer.may be in effect from time to time, and accrual of 20 days of vacation per year.

On July 13, 2021, the Company’s Board and the independent directors of the Board approved the Calyxt, Inc. 2021 Employee Inducement Incentive Plan (the “Inducement Plan”) and reserved 600,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for issuance upon vesting of the PSUs granted to Mr. Tripodi resigned from his position as Chief Executive OfficerCarr on August 22, 2018July 27, 2021. The Inducement Plan’s terms are substantially similar to the terms of the Omnibus Plan. The Inducement Plan was adopted without stockholder approval pursuant to Rule 5635(c)(4) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules. The PSUs granted to Mr. Carr on July 27, 2021, constitute an inducement material to Mr. Carr’s entering into employment with the Company within the meaning of Rule 5635(c)(4) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules.

Mr. Carr is the only participant in the Inducement Plan, and his separation agreement, which became effectivethe PSUs granted in connection with his resignation, is described below.the commencement of Mr. Carr’s employment are the only awards that will be granted under the Inducement Plan.

Mr. Carr has also entered into a customary non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality and inventions agreement and the Company’s standard indemnification agreement.

James A. Blome

We arewere party to an employment agreement with our Chief Executive Officer, James A. Blome, dated as of September 17, 2018. Pursuant to his employment agreement, the term of Mr. Blome’s employment began on October 1, 2018, and will endended on February 19, 2021, upon the termination ofwithout cause, as defined therein.

Pursuant to Mr. Blome’s employment due toagreement, his death, permanent disability or resignation or a termination by us with or without Cause, as defined in Mr. Blome’s employment agreement. Mr. Blome is entitled to receive the following compensation and benefits in connection with his service as our Chief Executive Officer:

an annualinitial base salary of $635,000;

aone-timesign-on bonus of $1,000,000, payablewas established at $635,000 and remained in two installments, with a repayment schedule if employment terminates under certain conditions under the repayment period;

eligibilityeffect for 2020. He was also eligible to receive an annual cash performance bonus with a target value of 75% of his base salary (prorated for the number of days of his employment during 2018), based on his achievement of individual and/or company performance goals as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board;

aone-time lump sum payment of $10,000 in connection with the movement of household goods to Roseville, Minnesota, reimbursement of relocation expenses up to $125,000 incurred inBoard. Mr. Blome’s base salary and his relocation to Roseville, Minnesota, which aretarget bonus percentage were subject to repayment in certain circumstances, and a payment not to exceed $20,000 in the event any of the relocation expenses subject to reimbursement are not tax deductible; and

participation in our benefit plans and programs in which substantially all of our employees participate, as may be in effect from time to time, accrual of 20 days of vacation per year, and reimbursement for reasonable and necessary business expenses.

In addition, on September 17, 2018, Mr. Blome received two RSU unit grants in his capacity as a consultant to Calyxt pursuant to the terms of our equity incentive plan and award agreements thereunder: (i) a grant of 100,000 RSUs and (ii) a grant of 80,000 RSUs (collectively, the “September 2018 RSUs”).One-quarter of the September 2018 RSUs vested on October 1, 2018, an additional 15% of the September 2018 RSUs will vest on October 1, 2019, and the remaining September 2018 RSUs will vest in increments of 5% on the last day of each calendar quarter beginning with the fourth quarter of 2019, or December 31, 2019. On October 8, 2018, in accordance with the terms of Mr. Blome’s employment agreement, we granted Mr. Blome 200,000 stock options pursuant to our equity incentive plan and a stock option award agreement, which stock options vest 15% on October 8, 2019 and 15% on October 8, 2020, with an additional 5% of the stock options vesting on the last day of each calendar quarter commencing with the first fiscal quarter of 2021.periodic review.

Mr. Blome’s employment agreement providesprovided that for each calendar year during which Mr. Blome is employed by Calyxt, he will bewas eligible to receive an annual performance award comprised of 50,000 RSUs and 125,000 stock options. The annual equity awards will behe received were subject to the achievement of performance metrics, the annual RSU awards will vestvested in accordance with the vesting schedule described above for the September 2018 RSUs, and the annual stock option awards will vestvested in accordance with our equity incentive plan. Mr. Blome

received his 2020 annual performance award comprised of 175,000 stock options on August 4, 2020. All unvested stock options, RSUs, and PSUs were forfeited by Mr. Blome’s employment agreement also provides for severanceBlome upon his termination.

Mr. Blome was entitled to compensation and benefits as part of his termination without cause, and in the event that Mr. Blome’s employment is terminated by us (i) without Cause or (ii) without Cause orfirst quarter of 2021 we recorded approximately $2.3 million of cash expense for Good Reason (as defined in his employment agreement) within 36 months following a Change in Control (as defined in his employment agreement), in each case subjectseparation-related payments. The cash payments to Mr. Blome’s timely execution andnon-revocation of a release of claims against us.

In the event of a termination without Cause, Mr. Blome will be made over a period of 24 months from the date his separation agreement is executed, which was March 8, 2021. Mr. Blome is entitled to receive apro-rata portion of his annual performance bonus, calculated as the maximum annual performance bonus target amount, and the sum of 18 months’ base salary (24 months, if the termination occurs after the first year of employment), payable in accordance with our normal payroll practices.

In the event of a termination without Cause or for Good Reason within 36 months following a Change in Control, Mr. Blome will be entitled to receive 24 months’ base salary, at the amount applicable as of the date of the Change in Control, payable in the normal course of our payroll practice, and two times his maximum annual performance bonus, payable within 10 days of the Change in Control.amount. Mr. Blome’s employment agreement also includes customarynon-solicitation,non-compete, intellectual property, and confidentiality provisions.

Yves J. Ribeill

InOn March 15, 2021, the Company approved a new compensation arrangement for its Executive Chair, Yves Ribeill, in connection with his appointmentassumption of this executive role. Dr. Ribeill’s compensation was in the form of equity and cash. Dr. Ribeill received RSUs valued at $50,000 per month for his service as InterimExecutive Chair, additional RSUs valued at $200,000 upon the hiring of a new Chief Executive Officer, we entered intoand he had the potential to receive a cash bonus of up to $500,000. Dr. Ribeill’s cash bonus was to be based on the Company’s year-end cash balance at December 31, 2021. Given the Company’s year-end cash balance at December 31, 2021, Dr. Ribeill did not receive a cash bonus.

The RSUs were granted pursuant to the Company’s 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The RSUs vest in three one-third installments upon (i) the date of hiring of a new Chief Executive Officer (the “CEO Start Date”), (ii) the six-month anniversary of the CEO Start Date, and (iii) the one-year anniversary of the CEO Start Date. In addition, Dr. Ribeill continued to receive compensation for his service as a director and Chair of the Board.

On April 1, 2021, May 3, 2021, May 27, 2021, June 1, 2021, July 1, 2021, and July 27, 2021, Dr. Ribeill received 11,061, 6,287, 18,730, 7,978, 8,032, and 33,619 RSUs, respectively. Additionally, on May 27, 2021, Dr. Ribeill received 10,291 stock options for his service as a director.

William F. Koschak

We are party to an employment agreement with Dr. Ribeill,our Chief Financial Officer, William F. Koschak, dated as of August 22,December 19, 2018. Pursuant to his employment agreement, the term of Dr. Ribeill’s employment ended on October 1, 2018 in connection with the appointment of Mr. Blome as Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Ribeill was entitled to receive the following compensation for his service as Interim Chief Executive Officer of Calyxt:

an annual base salary of $400,000;

eligibility to receive an annual cash performance bonus with a target value of 60% of his base salary, prorated for the number of days of his employment, based on his achievement of individual and/or company performance goals, as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board; and

customary executive benefits, as determined by the Board, vacation and expense reimbursement, including reimbursement of certain costs for accommodations in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In connection with his appointment, Dr. Ribeill received stock options to purchase 180,000 shares of our common stock and 60,000 RSUs.One-third of each of the stock options and RSUs vested on October 10, 2018, an additionalone-third will vest on October 10, 2019, and the remainingone-third will vest on October 10, 2020, which reflects an acceleration of the original vesting schedule applicable to Dr. Ribeill’s stock options. Dr. Ribeill’s employment agreement also included customarynon-solicitation,non-compete, intellectual property and confidentiality provisions.

Manoj Sahoo

We are party to an offer letter with our Chief Commercial Officer, Manoj Sahoo, dated February 3, 2017. Pursuant to his offer letter, the term of Mr. Sahoo’sKoschak’s employment began on March 1, 2017January 7, 2019, and will end upon the termination of Mr. Sahoo’sKoschak’s employment due to his death, permanent disability, or resignation or a termination by us with or without Cause,cause, as defined in Mr. Sahoo’sKoschak’s employment agreement. Mr. Sahoo’s offer letterKoschak’s employment agreement provides that hisfor at-will employment isat-will and may be terminated at any time, with or without cause.cause, subject to certain severance benefits described below.

Pursuant to the offer letter, Mr. Sahoo’s initialKoschak’s current base salary was established at $250,000. In addition, Mr. Sahoo is $340,000. He is also eligible to receive an annual cash bonus with a target value of 50%45% of his base salary and a multiplier on the annual target of 0.7 to 1.5x based on his achievement of individual and/or company performance goals as determined by the Board if he remains employed through the bonus payment date.Board. Mr. Sahoo’sKoschak’s base salary and his target bonus percentage are subject to periodic review. Under his employment agreement, Mr. Sahoo’sKoschak was also entitled to a stock option award to purchase 180,000 shares of our common stock, which was granted on February 8, 2019. Mr. Koschak has received additional stock option, RSU, and PSU awards, which are set forth for 2021 and prior years in the tables above.

Mr. Koschak is a participant in the Severance Plan, which provides plan participants with severance benefits upon termination of employment by the plan participant for Good Reason or by the Company for any reason other than for Cause or other than the plan participant’s death or Disability (each as defined in the Severance Plan). Under the terms of the Severance Plan, Mr. Koschak is entitled to the following compensation (“Severance Benefits”) upon such a qualifying termination:

An amount equal to the plan participant’s base salary for a period of 12 months, beginning on the plan participant’s date of termination; and

A prorated portion of the plan participant’s target incentive bonus under the Company’s annual cash incentive plan for the applicable year, prorated for the number of days elapsed in the applicable year.

Plan participants will also be entitled to any unpaid amounts earned under the annual cash incentive plan for the preceding year, based upon actual performance and, in certain circumstances, continuing medical and dental benefits. Severance Benefits will generally be paid in substantially equal installments over the applicable period.

Stock option awards held by plan participants shall be exercisable as to the vested portion for a period of 90 days following the plan participant’s Qualifying Termination or the stated expiration date, whichever is earlier, so long as the Qualifying Termination does not occur during a period of 27 months beginning three months before the effective date of a change-in-control (the “Change-in-Control Period”). If a Qualifying Termination occurs during a Change-in-Control Period, (i) all time-based vesting conditions applicable to the Company equity or equity-based awards held by the plan participant will lapse and such awards will be immediately vested, and (ii) all performance-based vesting conditions applicable to outstanding equity awards will be deemed satisfied at a level reasonably determined by the Compensation Committee based on actual performance (unless otherwise specified in the plan participant’s participation agreement).

Mr. Koschak’s offer letter also included customary non-solicitation, non-compete, intellectual property, and confidentiality provisions.

Debra Frimerman

We are party to an employment agreement with our General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Debra Frimerman dated January 21, 2019. Pursuant to her employment agreement, the term of Ms. Frimerman’s employment began on February 11, 2019, and will end upon the termination of Ms. Frimerman’s employment due to her death, permanent disability, or resignation or a termination by us with or without cause, as defined in her employment agreement. Ms. Frimerman’s employment agreement provides for the payment of $20,000 milestone bonuses in connection with each of the first commercial retail sale of a food product containing Calyxt ingredients and the execution and delivery of a deal with a leading food or ingredient company.

While Mr. Sahoo’s offer letter provides that hisat-will employment isat-will and may be terminated at any time, with or without cause, his offer letter also provides that he will be entitledsubject to certain severance benefits in the event his employment is terminated by us without cause (as defined in his offer letter). Upon such a termination he will be eligible to receive a pro rata bonus and 12 months ofdescribed below.

Ms. Frimerman’s current base salary severance paid in installments, provided that, upon our request, he executes a release in favor of us.

Mr. Sahoo’s offer letteris $321,000. She is also included customarynon-solicitation,non-compete, intellectual property and confidentiality provisions.

Daniel F. Voytas

Dr. Voytas entered into a consulting agreement with us, dated January 1, 2010, as amended on December 21, 2012, and spends 10 days per month providing his service to us under this agreement. Under the agreement, he renders support and advisory services including providing scientific support during business development missions, running the scientific advisory board and strategic planning services and analyses relating to project review, agricultural research and development and new technologies. Under the agreement, Dr. Voytas receives a monthly fee, which may be adjusted from time to time, for 10 days of service per month. Dr. Voytas’s monthly consulting fee is currently $16,000 per month. In addition, Dr. Voytas is eligible to receive an annual bonus.

The initial term of the agreement with Dr. Voytas expired on January 1, 2013 and was extended for a period of one year, with automatic renewals for an additional year unless Calyxt delivers written notice of nonrenewal. We may terminate the consulting agreement at any time for any reason or no reason, subject to the payment of the termination payment described below, or upon thirty days’ noticeperformance bonus in the event of a material breach of the agreement. We may also terminate the agreement with immediate effect if Dr. Voytas does not obtain all necessary approvals to provide services to us from any college and university at which he is a faculty member or otherwise affiliated, in which case we will have no obligation to make any termination payments.

The agreement provides that if we terminate his agreement prior to the end of the term (other than as specified above in connection with a failure to obtain required approvals), we will pay Dr. Voytas a lump sum equal to three months of consultation fees, provided that he executes and does not revoke a release in favor of us.

Under the terms of Dr. Voytas’ consulting agreement, he has agreed to maintain the confidentiality of proprietary or confidential information of us and our subsidiaries at all times during his service and thereafter. He has assigned to us all of the intellectual property rights in any work product created or developed by him in the course of his performance of the services described in his consulting agreement. Furthermore, he has agreed to not participate in a business that competes with us or solicit any of our customers or employees for the12-month period following his termination of his consulting term.

Federico A. Tripodi

During his service as our Chief Executive Officer, we were party to an offer letter with Federico A. Tripodi dated May 6, 2016. Pursuant to the offer letter, Mr. Tripodi’s initial base salary was established at $345,000. In addition, Mr. Tripodi was eligible to receive an annual cash bonus with a target value of 50%40% of hisher base salary and a multiplier on the annual target of 0.7 to 1.5x based on hisher achievement of individual and/or company performance goals as determined by the Board of Directors if he remained employed through the bonus payment date. Mr. Tripodi’s base salary and his target bonus percentage were subjectBoard. Under her employment agreement, Ms. Frimerman was also entitled to periodic review, with any modification that would result in a reduction of such compensation subject to Mr. Tripodi’s approval. On April 7, 2016, in accordance with the terms of his offer letter, Mr. Tripodi was granted anstock option award to purchase 208,250100,000 shares of our common stock, at an exercise price of $3.59 per share.

The offer letter established Mr. Tripodi’s principal place of employment as New Brighton, Minnesotawhich was granted on May 13, 2019. Ms. Frimerman has received additional stock option, RSU, and required that he relocate to within 50 miles by car of our headquarters. In exchangePSU awards, which are disclosed for his relocation, the offer letter provided for relocation assistance of up to $78,000, which included reimbursement of home sale assistance, travel relating to house hunting, temporary living2021 and transition expenses, home purchase closing costs, moving expenses and an additional payment of 30% of any amount of reimbursed home sale assistance costs that are not tax deductible, up to $20,000. The offer letter required Mr. Tripodi to repay all relocation-related amounts paid by us if he had not relocated by November 22, 2016 and he was required to repay a prorated portion of these sums if, prior to May 23, 2019, he resigned or his employment was terminated for “cause.”

While Mr. Tripodi’s offer letter provided that his employment wasat-will and may be terminated at any time, with or without cause, his offer letter also provided that he would be entitled to severance benefitsyears in the event histables above.

Under her employment wasagreement, if Ms. Frimerman’s employment is terminated by us without cause (which did not include a termination due to Mr. Tripodi’s death or disability). Upon such a termination, he was(as defined in her employment agreement), she is eligible under the offer letter to receive a pro rata annual performance bonus and 12 months of base salary severance paid in installments, provided that,installments. We may condition any severance pay to Ms. Frimerman upon our request, he executesher entering into a full release of claims in favor of us.

Under If Ms. Frimerman voluntarily terminates her employment or her employment terminates due to death or disability, she will be entitled only to accrued base salary and other accrued amounts. Ms. Frimerman is eligible to participate in the Severance Plan, which would supersede the applicable terms of Mr. Tripodi’sher employment agreement, if she executes a Severance Plan participation agreement.

Ms. Frimerman’s offer letter he agreed to maintain the confidentiality of our proprietary or confidential information at all times during his employment and thereafter. He also assigned to us all of theincluded customary non-solicitation, non-compete, intellectual property, rights in any work product created or developed by him during the term of his employment. Mr. Tripodi also agreed to notify us prior to starting a new position after which we may exercise an election to restrict him from competing for a restricted period of up to 12 months after termination. If Mr. Tripodi is receiving severance at this time, the severance payments would cease and he would be entitled to receive his base salary during the restricted period. If he breaches thenon-competition provision, he is required to reimburse us for all severance andnon-competition payments he has received. Furthermore, he has agreed not to solicit any of our customers, employees or prospective customers of any of our subsidiaries for the24-month period following his termination of employment.confidentiality provisions.

On September 11, 2018, we entered into a Separation Agreement and Release with Mr. Tripodi, pursuant to which we agreed to pay him (a) any base salary that had accrued but was unpaid as of August 21, 2018, (b) any reimbursable expenses that had been incurred but were unpaid as of August 21, 2018, (c) an amount equal to $24,695.40, which represents payment for all of Mr. Tripodi’s unused vacation days that had accrued as of August 21, 2018, and (d) an amount equal to $144,000, less any applicable deductions, which representsa pro-rata portion of Mr. Tripodi’s 2018 annual bonus. We also agreed to pay Mr. Tripodi his base salary at the annual rate of $360,000 (less any applicable deductions (e.g., tax withholdings)) for a period of twelve (12) months following August 21, 2018.

In addition, Mr. Tripodi’s separation agreement provided, in accordance with the terms of the applicable award agreements and our equity plans, that (i)(A) 200,287 options to purchase shares of our common stock that had vested and remained unexercised as of August 21, 2018 continued to be held by Mr. Tripodi and remained exercisable until November 21, 2018, and (B) 301,963 options, all of which were unvested as of August 21, 2018 were forfeited and cancelled on August 21, 2018; and (ii) (A) 166,600 RSUs granted to Mr. Tripodi that remained unvested as of August 21, 2018 were forfeited; and (B) Mr. Tripodi shall continue to be entitled to all rights and benefits with respect to 29,400 shares of our common stock that were received with respect to RSUs that vested prior to August 21, 2018.

2018 Director CompensationDIRECTOR COMPENSATION

The following table sets forth the amount of compensation we paid to our directors during our fiscal year 2018.2021. Our directors each receivereceived a cash stipend of $50,000 per year for Board service, and eachservice. Each committee chair also receives anreceived additional $15,000 of cash compensation for such service as a committee chair in that year.year in the amounts of $7,500 for the chair of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee, $12,500 to the chair of the Compensation Committee, and $15,000 to the chair of the Audit Committee. Cash compensation is pro-rated based upon the date a director joins the Board. The Board has determined there will be no cash stipends paid for Board service in 2022. Directors also receive equity compensation upon joining the Board. AsBoard and each year for their service. Directors received grants of December 31, 2018, there was no annual equity awardstock options and RSUs in 2021 for Board service.service in amounts determined by the Board. Mr. Arthaud has elected to not receive compensation for his Board service during 2021. In 2021, Mr. Carr does not receive any additional compensation for his Board service.

 

Name

  Fees
Earned
or Paid in
Cash ($)
   Stock
Awards
($)(1)
   Option
Awards
($)(2)
   All Other
Compensation
($)
   Total ($)   Fees
Earned
or Paid in
Cash ($)
   Stock
Awards
($) (1)
   Option
Awards
($) (2)
   All Other
Compensation
($)
   Total ($) 

André Choulika

  $65,000    —      —      —     $65,000

Laurent Arthaud

   —      —      —      —      —     $—     $—     $—     $—     $—   

Michael Carr (3)

   —      —      —      —      —   

Philippe Dumont(4)

  $65,000    —      —      —     $65,000    50,000    30,401    29,153    —      109,554 

Jonathan B. Fassberg(4)

  $18,750  $279,104   $236,505    —     $534,359    50,000    30,401    29,153    —      109,554 

Alain Godard

  $50,000    —      —      —     $50,000 

Anna Ewa Kozicz-Stankiewicz

  $50,000    —      —      —     $50,000 

Anna Ewa Kozicz-Stankiewicz (5)

   57,500    30,401    36,150    —      124,051 

Kimberly K. Nelson (6)

   65,000    30,401    43,147    —      138,548 

Christopher J. Neugent(7)

  $12,500  $279,104   $236,505    —     $528,109    62,500    70,651    40,816    —      173,967 

Yves J. Ribeill, Ph.D. (8)

   —      —      —      —      —   

 

(1)

In 2018, Mr. Fassberg and Mr. Neugent each received RSUs for 19,600 common shares. This column reflects the fair value of RSUsrestricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance stock units (“PSUs”) granted in 20182021 and 2020 based on their grantthe stock price on the date fair value.of grant. These amounts reflect our accounting expense for these awards and do not correspond to the actual value that will be realized by the director. The assumptions usedNEOs. Amounts listed in the calculation of the amountthis column are describedcalculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, as disclosed in Note 6 “Stock-Based Compensation” to our audited financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form10-K filed with SEC on March 12, 2019. for the year ended December 31, 2021.

(2)

In 2018, Mr. Fassberg and Mr. Neugent each received options to purchase an aggregate of 29,400 common shares at an exercise price of $14.24. This column reflects the fair value of options granted in 20182021 based on their grant date fair value. These amounts reflect our accounting expense for these awards, and do not correspondvalue calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.

(3)

Mr. Carr was appointed to the actual value that willBoard in July 2021 upon joining the Company as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Information for Mr. Carr can be realized by the director. The assumptions usedfound in the calculationExecutive Compensation table.

(4)

Mr. Dumont and Mr. Fassberg each received 7,204 RSUs and options to purchase 10,291 shares of the amount are described in Note 6 “Stock-Based Compensation”common stock with a grant date of May 27, 2021.

(5)

Ms. Kozicz received 7,204 RSUs and options to our audited financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form10-K filedpurchase 12,761 shares of common stock with SEC ona grant date of May 27, 2021.

(6)

Ms. Nelson received 7,204 RSUs and options to purchase 15,231 shares of common stock with a grant date of May 27, 2021.

(7)

Mr. Neugent received 7,204 RSUs and options to purchase 14,408 shares of common stock with a grant date of May 27, 2021. Additionally, Mr. Neugent received 5,000 RSUs with grant date of March 12, 2019.2021.

(8)

Information for Dr. Ribeill can be found in the Executive Compensation table.

EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION

The following table sets forth, asAs of December 31, 2018, certain information related to2021, our compensation plans under which shares of our common stock are authorizeddirectors held RSUs for issuance:

Plan Category

  Number of
Securities to be
Issued Upon
Exercise of
Outstanding
Options

Warrants and
Rights

(a)
   Weighted-
Average
Exercise Price
of Outstanding
Options,
Warrants and
Rights

(b)
  Number of
Securities
Remaining
Available for
Future Issuance
Under Equity
Compensation
Plans (Excluding
Securities Reflected
in Column (a))

(c)
 

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders(1)

   3,214,382   

$

10.68

(2) 

 

 

2,696,680

(3) 

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

   —      —     N/A 

Total

   3,214,382   $10.68   2,696,680 
  

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 

(1)

Includes the Initial Plan and the Omnibus Plan.

(2)

Represents the weighted average exercise price of options outstanding under the Initial Plan and the Omnibus Plan. The weighted average exercise price does not take restricted stock units into account.

(3)

Of these shares, no shares are available for future issuance under our Initial Plan and 2,696,680 remain available for future issuance under our Omnibus Plan. All of these shares are available for issuance other than upon the exercise of options, warrants or rights.

Equity-Based Awards

We believe our ability to grant equity-based awards is a valuable and necessary compensation tool that aligns the long-term financial interests of our personnel with the financial interests of our stockholders. In addition, we believe that our ability to grant stock options and other equity-based awards helps us to attract and retain top talent, and encourages them to drive company performance to promote the success of our business. Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, for so long as Cellectis beneficially owns at least 50% of our outstanding common stock, any grant of stock-based compensation requires the prior approval of Cellectis.

The material terms of our equity incentive plans are described below.

Calyxt Equity Incentive Plan (the “Initial Plan”)

General

We adopted the Initial Plan on December 13, 2014.

Awards

Awards granted under the Initial Plan may consist of incentive stock options ornon-qualified stock options. Each award is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Initial Plan and to those other terms and conditions specified by the committee and memorialized in a written award agreement. The options will only become exercisable in the event that a triggering event occurs.

Shares Subject to the Initial Plan

Subject to adjustment in certain circumstances as discussed below, the Initial Plan authorizes up to 2,037,175 shares of our common stock for issuance pursuant to the terms of the Initial Plan. The maximum number of shares available for issuance of incentive stock options is 2,037,175. If and to the extent awards granted under the Initial Plan terminate, expire, cancel or are forfeited without being exercised and/or delivered, the shares subject to such awards will again be available for grant under the Initial Plan. Additionally, to the extent any shares subject to an award are tendered and/or withheld in settlement of any exercise price and/or any tax withholding obligation associated with that award, those shares will again be available for grant under the Initial Plan, but shares issued under the Initial Plan and later repurchased by us pursuant to a repurchase right shall not be available for grant under the Initial Plan in the future.

In the event of any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination, consolidation, recapitalization or reclassification of the shares, rights offering, reorganization, merger,spin-off,split-up, change in corporate structure or similar event or transaction, adjustments will be made by the administrator of the Initial Plan to: (i) the aggregate number, class and/or issuer of the securities reserved for issuance under the Initial Plan; (ii) the number, class and/or issuer of securities subject to outstanding awards; (iii) the exercise price of outstanding options and (iv) any repurchase price per share applicable to shares issued pursuant to an award, in each case in a manner that reflects equitably the effects of such event or transaction.

Administration

The Board or, to the extent authority is delegated by the Board, its Compensation Committee or other committee (in either event, the “Initial Plan Administrator”) will administer the Initial Plan and determine the following items:

designate participants;

determine the fair market value of common stock, provided that the determination is applied consistently to participants under the Initial Plan;

determine the types of awards to grant, the number of shares to be covered by awards, the terms and conditions of awards, whether awards may be settled or exercised in cash, shares, other awards, other property or net settlement and the circumstances under which awards may be canceled, repurchased or forfeited and vesting will be accelerated or forfeiture restrictions waived;

interpret and administer the Initial Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or award made under, the Initial Plan;

amend the terms or conditions of outstanding awards, including to accelerate the time or times at which an award becomes vested, unrestricted or may be exercised and to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom which deviate from the terms and conditions of the Initial Plan, provided that the amendment does not materially and adversely affect the rights of any participant without his or her consent;

implement an option exchange program; and

make any other determination and take any other action that it deems necessary or desirable to administer the Initial Plan.

Eligibility

Employees, directors, consultants and other of our service providers that provide services to us or our affiliates are eligible to participate in the Initial Plan. Only our employees or employees of our subsidiaries are eligible to receive incentive stock options.

Stock Options

Term, Purchase Price and Vesting. The exercise price of any stock option granted under the Initial Plan will be not less than the fair market value of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, on the date the option is granted.

The Initial Plan Administrator may determine the term for each option, provided that the term of any option may not exceed ten years from the date of grant. The vesting schedule for each option will be determined by the Initial Plan Administrator.

Effects of Termination of Service

Unless otherwise provided in an award agreement, all unvested awards under the Initial Plan will terminate and be forfeited in the event of any termination of employment. Generally, unless provided otherwise in the award agreement, the right to exercise any vested option terminates three months following termination of the participant’s relationship with us for reasons other than death, disability or termination for cause. If the participant’s relationship with us terminates due to death or disability, unless provided otherwise in the award agreement, the right to exercise a previously vested option will terminate nine months or six months, respectively following such termination. If the participant’s relationship with us is terminated for cause, any option not already exercised will automatically be forfeited as of the date of such termination.

Buyout Provision

The Initial Plan contains a provision that permits the Initial Plan Administrator to buy out using cash or common stock an option that was previously granted under the Initial Plan pursuant to the terms and conditions provided in the option award agreement.

Amendment and Termination of the Initial Plan

The Initial Plan will terminate on the tenth anniversary of the effective date. Our Board of Directors may amend, alter or discontinue the Initial Plan at any time.

Change of Control

In the event of a dissolution, liquidation or change in control of us, our Board of Directors has discretion to cash out all or any portion of outstanding awards, provided that the successor company will assume all or a portion of outstanding awards or substitute for equivalent awards, any combination thereof or, if the successor company does not agree to such treatment, the outstanding awards will terminate upon the transaction and, unless otherwise provided in the award agreement, the administrator may accelerate the vesting and exercisability of outstanding options to be terminated prior to the change in control.

A change of control will be deemed to have taken place upon: (i) the acquisition of all or substantially all of our assets, other than to an entity where the majority of its combined voting power is owned by us, where it is owned by the holders of our capital stock in substantially the same proportions as their ownership in us or where the majority of the voting capital stock retains majority voting power; (ii) a merger, consolidation or other business combination that results in the current holders of a majority of voting stock to cease to hold a majority of such stock following the transaction; or (iii) the acquisition by any person or group of persons other than the current, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the voting power of us or more than 50% of our equity interests, excluding transactions that are determined to be capital raising transactions by the Board of Directors.

2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Omnibus Plan”)

General

We adopted the Omnibus Plan on June 14, 2017. We have granted awards of RSUs and stock options to our employees, certain employees of Cellectis, directors, officers and consultants and those of our parent or affiliates. The following is a summary of the material terms of the Omnibus Plan.

Purpose

The purpose of the Omnibus Plan is to motivate and reward those employees, directors and consultants who are expected to contribute significantly to our long-term success and to further align employee interests to those of our stockholders.

Plan Term

The Omnibus Plan is scheduled to expire after 10 years. The term will expire sooner if, prior to the end of the10-year term or any extension period, the maximum number of shares available for issuance under the Omnibus Plan has been issued or our Board terminates the Omnibus Plan.

Authorized Shares and Award Limits

Subject to adjustment, 4,900,000 shares of our common stock were initially available for awards to be granted under the Omnibus Plan (other than substitute awards; that is, awards that are granted in assumption of, or in substitution for, an outstanding award previously granted by a company or other business acquired by us or with which we combine). The total number of shares available for issuance under the Omnibus Plan will be increased on the first day of each Company fiscal year following the effective date of our initial public offering in an amount equal to the least of (i) 4,900,000 shares, (ii) 5% of outstanding shares on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year of (iii) such number of shares as determined by the Board in its discretion. Based on and subject to the foregoing, including such annual increases as approved by our Board for fiscal years 2018 and 2019, 4,329,125 shares of our common stock were authorized for issuance pursuant to the Omnibus Plan. An individual who is anon-employee director may not receive an award under the Omnibus Plan that relates to more than $5,000,000 for any calendar year.

Subject to adjustment, the maximum number of shares of our common stock that may be granted to any single individual during any calendar year is as follows:stock: (i) Mr. Dumont, 11,124, RSUs, (ii) Mr. Fassberg, 17,004 RSUs, (iii) Ms. Kozicz, 11,124 RSUs, (iv) Ms. Nelson, 7,204 RSUs, and (v) Mr. Neugent, 22,204 RSUs. For Mr. Carr and Dr. Ribeill share information, see Executive Compensation.

As of December 31, 2021, our directors held stock options and SARs that relate to no more than 200,000for the following number of shares of our common stock;stock: (i) Mr. Dumont, 52,191 shares, (ii) restricted stock and RSUs that relate to no more than 200,000Mr. Fassberg, 49,691 shares, of our common stock; (iii) performance awards denominated inMs. Kozicz, 52,161 shares, (iv) Ms. Nelson, 77,731 shares, and other share-based awards that relate to no more than 200,000 shares of our common stock; (iv) deferred awards denominated in shares that relate to no more than 200,000 shares of our common stock; (v) deferred awards denominated in cash that relate to no more than $5,000,000;Mr. Neugent, 56,308 shares. For Mr. Carr and (vi) performance awards denominated in cash and other cash-based awards that related to no more than $5,000,000; provided that no participant may receive awards that related to more than 200,000 shares of our common stock during the fiscal year of any participant’s initial year of service with Calyxt.Dr. Ribeill share information, see Executive Compensation.

If an award is forfeited, expires, terminates or otherwise lapses or is settled for cash,COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

During 2021, the shares covered by such award will again be available for issuance under the Omnibus Plan.

Administration

The Board or, to the extent authority is delegated by the Board, itsfollowing directors served as a member of our Compensation Committee: Mr. Arthaud, Mr. Dumont, Mr. Neugent (chair), and Dr. Ribeill. Other than Dr. Ribeill, no member of our Compensation Committee was an officer or employee of Calyxt during 2021 or was formerly an officer of Calyxt. Dr. Ribeill served as our interim Chief Executive Officer from August 2018 until October 2018 and as Executive Chair from February 2021 until August 2021. During 2020, none of our executive officers served as a member of the Compensation Committee (or other committee (in either event, the “Omnibus Plan Administrator”) will administer the Omnibus Plan and determine the following items:

determine the fair market value of the common stock;

select the participants to whom awards may be granted;

approve forms of agreements, amendperforming similar functions) or modify outstanding awards or award agreements;

correct any defect, supply any omission and reconcile any inconsistency in the Omnibus Plan or any Award, in the manner and to the extent it will deem desirable to carry the Plan into effect;

establish, amend, suspend or waive rules and regulations and appoint agents, trustees, brokers, depositories and advisors and determine such terms of their engagement as it will deem appropriate;

construe and interpret the terms of the plan, any award agreement and any agreement related to any award; and

make any other determination and take any other action that it deems necessary or desirable to administer the Omnibus Plan.

To the extent not inconsistent with applicable law, the Omnibus Plan Administrator may delegate to one or more of our officers the authority to grant stock options or SARs or other awards in the form of share rights under the Omnibus Plan.

Types of Awards

The Omnibus Plan provides for grants of incentive andnon-qualified stock options, SARs, restricted stock, RSUs, performance awards, deferred awards, other share-based awards and other cash-based awards:

Stock Options. A stock option is a contractual right to purchase shares at a future date at a specified exercise price. The per share exercise price of a stock option (except in the case of substitute awards) will be determined by the Omnibus Plan Administrator at the time of grant but may not be less than the closing price of a share of our common stock on the day prior to the grant date. The Omnibus Plan Administrator will determine the date on which each stock option becomes vested and exercisable and the expiration date of each option. No stock option will be exercisable more than ten years from the grant date, except that the Omnibus Plan Administrator may generally provide for an extension of suchten-year term in the event the exercise of the option would be prohibited by law on the expiration date. Stock Options that are intended to qualify as incentive stock options must meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code.

SARs. A SAR represents a contractual right to receive, in cash or shares, an amount equal to the appreciation of one share of our common stock from the grant date over the exercise or hurdle price of such SAR. The per share exercise price of a SAR (except in the case of substitute awards) will be determined by the Omnibus Plan Administrator but may not be less than the closing price of a share of our common stock on the day prior to the grant date. The Omnibus Plan Administrator will determine the date on which each SAR may be exercised or settled and the expiration date of each SAR. However, no SAR will be exercisable more than ten years from the grant date.

Restricted Stock. Restricted stock is an award of shares of our common stock that are subject to restrictions on transfer and a substantial risk of forfeiture.

RSUs. An RSU represents a contractual right to receive one share of our common stock at a future date, subject to specified vesting and other restrictions.

Performance Awards. Performance awards, which may be denominated in cash or shares, will be earned upon the satisfaction of performance conditions specified by the Omnibus Plan Administrator. The performance conditions for awards that are intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code may include, but not be limited to, the following: return measures (including total stockholder return; return on equity; return on assets or net assets; return on risk-weighted assets; and return on capital (including return on total capital or return on invested capital)); revenues (including total revenue; gross revenue; net revenue; and net sales); income/earnings measures (including earnings per share; earnings or loss (including earnings before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization); gross income; net income; operating income (before or after taxes);pre-orafter-tax income or loss (before or after allocation of corporate overhead and bonus);pre- orafter-tax operating income; net earnings; net income or loss (before or after taxes); operating margin; gross margin; and adjusted net income); expense measures (including expenses; operating efficiencies; and improvement in or attainment of expense levels or working capital levels (including cash and accounts receivable)); cash flow measures (including cash flow or cash flow per share (before or after dividends); and cash flow return on investment); share price measures (including share price; appreciation in and/or maintenance of share price; and market capitalization); strategic objectives (including market share; debt reduction; customer growth; employee satisfaction; research and development achievements; mergers and acquisitions; management retention; dynamic market response; expense reduction initiatives; reductions in costs; risk management; regulatory compliance and achievements; recruiting and maintaining personnel; and business quality); and other measures (including economic value-added models or equivalent metrics; economic profit added; gross profits; economic profit; comparisons with various stock market indices; financial ratios (including those measuring liquidity, activity, profitability or leverage); cost of capital or assets under management; and financing and other capital raising transactions (including sales of our equity or debt securities; factoring transactions; sales or licenses of our assets, including its intellectual property, whether in a particular jurisdiction or territory or globally; or through partnering transactions)). These performance criteria may be measured on an absolute (e.g., plan or budget) or relative basis, may be established on a corporate-wide basis or with respect to one or more business units, divisions, subsidiaries or business segments, may be based on a ratio or separate calculation of any performance criteria and may be made relative to an index or one or more of the performance goals themselves.

Deferred Awards. The Omnibus Plan Administrator is authorized to grant awards denominated in a right to receive shares of our common stock or cash on a deferred basis.

Other Share-Based Awards. The Omnibus Plan Administrator is authorized to grant other share-based awards, which may be denominated in shares of our common stock or factors that may influence the value of our shares.

Other Cash-Based Awards. The Omnibus Plan Administrator is authorized to grant other cash-based awards either independently or as an element of or supplement to any other award under the Omnibus Plan.

Adjustments

In the event that the Omnibus Plan Administrator determines that, as resulta director of any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination, consolidation, recapitalization (including a recapitalization through a large nonrecurring cash dividend) or reclassification of the shares, repurchase, exchange or subdivision of the shares or other securities of Calyxt, a rights offering, a reorganization, merger,spin-off,split-up, change in corporate structure or other similar occurrence, in each case excluding any triggering event, i.e., a change in control to an entity of which Calyxt is not a majority owner,an executive officer served on our Board or is not a majority owner of Calyxt, an adjustment is appropriate to prevent dilution or enlargementour Compensation Committee. None of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made availabledirectors who served on our Compensation Committee during 2021 has any relationship requiring disclosure under the Omnibus Plan, the Omnibus Plan Administrator will, subject to compliance with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, adjust equitably any or all of:

the number, type and class of shares or other stock or securities: available for future awards and covered by each outstanding award;

the grant, purchase, exercise or hurdle price covered by each such outstanding award; and

any repurchase price per share applicable to shares issued pursuant to any award, or, if deemed appropriate, will make a provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding award.

In addition, the Omnibus Plan Administrator may adjust the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, outstanding awards in recognition of events affecting Calyxt or the financial statements of Calyxt, or changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles, whenever the Omnibus Plan Administrator determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made availablethis caption under the Omnibus Plan, subject, in all such instances, to compliance with Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.SEC rules.

No Repricing

Except as provided in the Omnibus Plan’s adjustment provisions, no action will directly or indirectly, through cancellation and regrant or any other method, reduce, or have the effect of reducing, the exercise or hurdle price of any award established at the time of grant thereof without approval of our stockholders.

Termination of Service and Change of Control

The Omnibus Plan Administrator will determine the effect of a termination of employment or service on outstanding awards, including whether the awards will vest, become exercisable, settle or be forfeited. In the event of a change of control, except as otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, the Omnibus Plan Administrator may provide for:

assumption or substitution with equivalent awards of outstanding awards under the Omnibus Plan by us (if we are the surviving corporation) or by the surviving corporation or its parent or subsidiary;

termination of outstanding awards under the Omnibus Plan in exchange for a payment of cash, securities and/or other property equal to the excess of the fair market value of the portion of the awards stock that is vested and exercisable immediately prior to the consummation of the corporate transaction over the per share exercise price;

any combination of assumption, substitution or termination of outstanding awards under the Omnibus Plan as above;provided that outstanding awards of stock options and SARs may be cancelled without consideration if the fair market value on the date of the change in control is greater than the exercise or hurdle price of such award; or

acceleration of the vesting (including the lapse of any restrictions, with any performance criteria or conditions deemed met at target) and exercisability of outstanding awards in full prior to the date of the change of control and the expiration of awards not timely exercised by the date determined by the Omnibus Plan Administrator.

Amendment and Termination

Our Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Omnibus Plan. The Omnibus Plan Administrator may also amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate, or waive any conditions or rights under, any outstanding award. However, subject to the adjustment provision and change of control provision, any such action by the Omnibus Plan Administrator that would materially adversely affect the rights of a holder of an outstanding award may not be taken without the holder’s consent, except to the extent that such action is taken to cause the Omnibus Plan to comply with applicable law, stock market or exchange rules and regulations, or accounting or tax rules and regulations, or to impose any “clawback” or recoupment provisions on any awards in accordance with the Omnibus Plan. Calyxt will also seek, to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with applicable laws, the approval of holders of capital stock with respect to any amendment of the Omnibus Plan.

Sub-Plan for French Employees and Directors

The Omnibus Plan authorizes the Omnibus Plan Administrator to adopt procedures and forms relating to the Plan as it deems advisable with respect to foreign participants. Accordingly, the Board has established asub-plan of the Omnibus Plan for the purpose of granting to qualifying employees and directors who are resident in France for French tax purposes equity awards which may qualify for favorable tax and social security treatment in France under the French Commercial Code.

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND

RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

The following table sets forth certain information regarding beneficial ownership of our common stock as of April 3, 20196, 2022, for:

 

each person whom we know to own beneficially more than 5% of our common stock;

 

each director and named executive officer individually; and

 

all directors and executive officers as a group.

In addition, the following table sets forth certain information regarding beneficial ownership of Cellectis’ ordinary shares as of February 28, 2019 for each of our directors and named executive officers individually and all of our directors and executive officers as a group.

In accordance with the rules of the SEC, beneficial ownership includes voting or investment power with respect to securities and includes the shares issuable pursuant to stock options that are exercisablemay be acquired within 60 days of the date for which information is presented. Shares issuable pursuant to stock optionsthat may be acquired within 60 days are deemed outstanding for computing the percentage of the person holding such optionsrights but are not outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage of any other person. The percentage of beneficial ownership for the following table is based on 32,697,08942,768,163 shares of Calyxt common stock outstanding as of April 3, 2019 and 42,430,069 Cellectis ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 2018.6, 2022.

Unless otherwise indicated, the address for each listed director and named executive officer is c/o Calyxt, 2800 Mount Ridge Road, Roseville, MN 55113. The address of Cellectis is 8, rue de la Croix Jarry, 75013, Paris, France. The address of Fidelity Management & Research Company is 245 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

 

  Calyxt Common Stock Beneficially Owned   Calyxt Common Stock
Beneficially Owned
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  Number
of Shares
   Percentage
of Class
   Number of Shares   Percentage of Class 

5% Beneficial Owners:

        

Cellectis S.A.(1)

   22,713,175    69.5   23,963,175    56.03

Fidelity Management & Research Company(1)

   4,885,854    14.9

FMR LLC (2)

   2,811,480    6.57

Armistice Capital Master Fund Ltd. (3)

   4,272,539    9.99

 

   Calyxt Common Stock
Beneficially Owned
  Cellectis Ordinary Shares
Beneficially Owned
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  Number
of Shares
   Percentage
of
Class
  Number
of Shares
   Percentage
of
Class
 

Directors and Named Executive Officers:

       

André Choulika (2)

   308,553    *   1,702,903    4.01

Laurent Arthaud

   —      —     —      —   

Philippe Dumont (3)

   4,810    *   —      —   

Jonathan B. Fassberg

   —      —     —      —   

Alain Godard (4)

   30,870    *   201,724    * 

Anna Ewa Kozicz-Stankiewicz (5)

   6,350    *   —      —   

Kimberly K. Nelson

   —      —     —      —   

Christopher J. Neugent

   —      —     —      —   

Yves J. Ribeill (6)

   59,940    *   —      —   

James A. Blome

   21,718    *   —      —   

Debra H. Frimerman

   —      —     —      —   

William F. Koschak

   —      —     —      —   

Manoj Sahoo (7)

   79,067    *   —      —   

Daniel F. Voytas (8)

   230,922    *   —      —   

Federico A. Tripodi

   —      *   —      —   

Directors and current executive officers as a group (14 persons)

   742,230    2.3  1,904,627    4.49
   Calyxt Common Stock
Beneficially Owned
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  Number of Shares   Percentage of Class 

Directors and Named Executive Officers:

    

Laurent Arthaud

   —      * 

Philippe Dumont (4)

   65,396    * 

Jonathan B. Fassberg (5)

   48,361    * 

Anna Ewa Kozicz-Stankiewicz (6)

   62,816    * 

Kimberly K. Nelson (7)

   49,685    * 

Christopher J. Neugent (8)

   73,312    * 

Yves J. Ribeill, Ph.D. (9)

   297,736    * 

James A. Blome

   40,909    * 

Michael A. Carr

   10,000    * 

Debra Frimerman (10)

   79,497    * 

William F. Koschak (11)

   149,727    * 

Directors and current executive officers as a group (11 persons) (12)

   958,332    2.2

 

Amounts presented with respect to beneficial ownershipAs of April 6, 2022, there were no directors or named executive officers that beneficially owned ordinary shares of Cellectis ordinary shares were reported by Cellectis on its Annual Report on Form20-F for the year ended December 31, 2018 and are presented here solely in reliance upon such information.S.A.

*

Represents beneficial ownerships of less than one percent of our outstanding shares of common stock.

(1)

Amounts beneficially ownedBased upon an Amendment No. 4 to Schedule 13D filed by FMR LLC were reported pursuant to a Schedule 13G amendment filedCellectis with the SEC on February 13, 2019October 16, 2020, in which Cellectis reports sole voting power over 23,963,175 shares and sole dispositive power over 23,963,175 shares.

(2)

Based upon an Amendment No. 3 to Schedule 13G filed by FMR LLC and Abigail P. Johnson.Johnson on February 8, 2022, wherein such reporting persons report sole voting power over 1,307,287 shares and sole dispositive power over 2,811,480 shares. Abigail P. Johnson is a director, the chairman and the chief executive officer of FMR LLC. Members of the Johnson family, including Abigail P. Johnson, are the predominant owners, directly or through trusts, of Series B voting common shares of FMR LLC, representing 49% of the voting power of FMR LLC. FMR LLC is the parent company of Fidelity Management & Research Company, (“FMR Co.”), which carries out the voting of shares owned by various Fidelity funds under written guidelines established by the Fidelity funds’ boards of trustees. Amounts presented here are presented solely in reliance upon such information.The address of Fidelity Management & Research Company is 245 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

(2)(3)

Calyxt amounts include 287,385Includes 1,837,155 shares of Calyxt common stockheld by Armistice Capital Master Fund Ltd. (“Master Fund”) and 2,435,384 shares that Dr. Choulikathe Master Fund has the right to acquire upon the exercise of stock optionsoutstanding pre-funded warrants within 60 days of April 3, 2019. Cellectis amounts include 219,173 Cellectis ordinary shares6, 2022, which warrants are subject to a beneficial ownership limitation that Dr. Choulika hasprecludes the rightMaster Fund from exercising any portion of them to acquire pursuant tothe extent that, following the exercise, the Master Fund’s ownership of the Company’s common stock options granted in March 2015 underwould exceed 9.99% of the Cellectis 2015 Stock Option Plan, 175,000 Cellectis ordinary shares that Dr. Choulika hastotal number of the right to acquire pursuant to stock options granted in September 2015 governedCompany outstanding shares. The reported securities are directly owned by the Cellectis 2015 Stock Option Plan, 120,525 Cellectis ordinary sharesMaster Fund, a Cayman Islands exempted company, and may be deemed to be indirectly beneficially owned by (i) Armistice Capital, LLC (“Armistice Capital”), as the investment manager of the Master Fund; and (ii) Steven Boyd, as the Managing Member of Armistice Capital. Each of Armistice Capital and Mr. Boyd disclaim beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of their respective pecuniary interests therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that Dr. Choulika haseither of them are the right to acquire pursuant to stock options granted in March 2016 underbeneficial owners of the Cellectis 2015 Stock Option Plan, 141,548 Cellectis ordinary shares that Dr. Choulika hassecurities for purposes of Section 16 of the right to acquire pursuant to stock options granted in October 2016 under the Cellectis 2016 Stock Option Plan and 50,625 Cellectis ordinary shares that Dr. Choulika has the right to acquire pursuant to stock options granted in October 2017 under the Cellectis 2017 Stock Option Plan.Exchange Act, or for any other purpose.

(3)(4)

Calyxt amounts include 4,410Includes 40,322 shares of Calyxt common stock that Mr. Dumont has the right to acquire upon the exercise of stock options within 60 days of April 3, 2019.6, 2022, and 7,204 RSUs expected to lapse within 60 days of April 6, 2022.

(4)(5)

Calyxt amounts include 30,870Includes 30,377 shares of Calyxt common stock that Mr. GodardFassberg has the right to acquire upon the exercise of stock options within 60 days of April 3, 2019. Cellectis amounts include 50,000 Cellectisnon-employee warrants which are exercisable since March 27, 2016, 50,000 Cellectisnon-employee warrants, which are exercisable since September 8, 2016, 40,175 Cellectisnon-employee warrants, which are exercisable since March 14, 2017, 26,667 Cellectisnon-employee warrants, which are exercisable since October 28, 20176, 2022, and 13,333 Cellectisnon-employee warrants, which are exercisable since October 10, 2018.7,204 RSUs expected to lapse within 60 days of April 6, 2022.

(5)(6)

Calyxt amounts include 4,410Includes 41,667 shares of Calyxt common stock that Ms. Kozicz has the right to acquire upon the exercise of stock options within 60 days of April 3, 2019.6, 2022, and 7,204 RSUs expected to lapse within 60 days of April 6, 2022.

(6)(7)

Includes 42,481 shares of Calyxt amounts include 59,940common stock that Ms. Nelson has the right to acquire upon the exercise of stock options within 60 days of April 6, 2022, and 7,204 RSUs expected to lapse within 60 days of April 6, 2022.

(8)

Includes 35,328 shares of Calyxt common stock that Mr. Neugent has the right to acquire upon the exercise of stock options within 60 days of April 6, 2022, and 7,204 RSUs expected to lapse within 60 days of April 6, 2022.

(9)

Includes 201,999 shares of Calyxt common stock that Dr. Ribeill has the right to acquire upon the exercise of stock options exercisable within 60 days of April 3, 2019.6, 2022, and 18,730 RSUs expected to lapse within 60 days of April 6, 2022.

(7)(10)

Includes 75,666 shares of Calyxt amounts include 66,150common stock that Ms. Frimerman has the right to acquire upon the exercise of stock options within 60 days of April 6, 2022.

(11)

Includes 126,332 shares of Calyxt common stock that Mr. SahooKoschak has the right to acquire upon the exercise of stock options within 60 days of April 6, 2022.

(12)

Calyxt amounts include 668,338 shares of Calyxt common stock the directors and current executive officers have the right to acquire upon the exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of April 3, 2019.

(8)

6, 2022. Calyxt amounts also include 223,383 shares of Calyxt common stock that Dr. Voytas has the right54,750 RSUs expected to acquire upon the exercise of options exercisablelapse within 60 days of April 3, 2019, and 400 shares of common stock acquired in the IPO directed share program.6, 2022.

DELINQUENT SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCEREPORTS

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors and officers and persons who own more than 10% of our common stock to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC, and to furnish us with copies of the reports. Specific due dates for these reports are prescribed by SEC rules and we are required to report in this Proxy Statement any failure by directors, officers, or 10% holders to file such reports on a timely basis. Based on our review of such reports and written representations from our directors and officers, we believe that all such filing requirements were timely met during 2018,2021, except for: (1) athat Dr. Frey, Ms. Frimerman, Mr. Neugent, and Mr. Koschak were each late report for Alain Godard with respect to the exercise of stock options for 10,000 shares of common stock and the subsequent sale of 10,000 shares of common stock, which was reported onin filing a Form 4 filed on March 13, 2018; (2) a lateto report for Yves J. Ribeill with respect to the grant of 180,000 shares of common stock underlyingRSUs and stock options and 60,000 RSUs, which was reported on aMarch 12, 2021. Form 44s were subsequently filed to report these transactions on October 10, 2018; and (3) a failure to file a Form 4 for James A. Blome with respect to the withholding of 15,536 shares of common stock in connection with the accelerated vesting of RSUs, which was reported on a Form 5 filed on February 14, 2019.March 28, 2022.

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS AND DIRECTOR

INDEPENDENCE

In addition to the named executive officer and director compensation arrangements discussed in “Executive Compensation” above, we describe below transactions and series of similar transactions since the beginning of our 20182021 fiscal year and currently proposed transactions, to which we were a party or will be a party, in which:

 

the amounts involved exceeded or will exceed $120,000; and

 

any of our directors, executive officers, or beneficial holders of more than 5% of any class of our capital stock had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.

Other than as described below, there have not been, nor are there any currently proposed, transactions or series of similar transactions meeting these criteria to which we have been or will be a party other than compensation arrangements, which are described where required under “Executive Compensation.”

Relationship with Cellectis

Prior to the completion of our initial public offering, we were a wholly owned subsidiary of Cellectis. As of April 3, 2019,6, 2022, Cellectis owned approximately 69.5%56.03% of our common stock. As of the date of this Proxy Statement, Cellectis continues to beneficially own a majority of our outstanding common stock, and as a result Cellectis will continue to have significant control of our business, including pursuant to the agreements described below. Currently, Cellectis consolidates our financial results in its financial statements.

IPO Framework Documents

In connection with our initial public offering, we and Cellectis entered into certain agreements that relate to our relationship with Cellectis and provide a framework for our ongoing relationship. Of the agreements summarized below, theThe material agreements are filed as exhibits to our Annual Report on Form10-K filed with the SEC on March 12, 2019 and summaries of these agreements set forth the terms of the agreements that we believe are material. These summaries3, 2022. The discussions below are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of such agreements.

Management Services Agreement

We are party to a management services agreement dated January 1, 2016, that we entered into with Cellectis and Cellectis, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Cellectis, pursuant to which Cellectis and Cellectis, Inc. provide certain services to us, including certain general management, finance, investor relations, communication, legal, intellectual property, human resources and information technology services. In consideration for such services, we pay to Cellectis and Cellectis, Inc. certain fees, consisting of reimbursement of all costs and expenses reasonably incurred by Cellectis and Cellectis, Inc. in connection with the provision of such services, payment of amark-up, ranging between zero and 10%, corresponding to a percentage of certain of the costs and expenses, which range from zero to 10%, and reimbursement of certain subcontracting costs and expenses of services that are subcontracted by Cellectis on our behalf.

The management services agreement is automatically renewed forone-year periods, which commence on January 1st of each year. Each party has the right to terminate the agreement at the anniversary date of the agreement by giving three months prior notice. We also entered into an amendment to the agreement in connection with our initial public offering to provide that the agreement may otherwise be terminated by a party in connection with certain material breaches by the other party, upon prior written notice, subject to limited cure periods, and certain change of control, sale and bankruptcy events, or certain judgments.expenses.

During the year ended December 31, 2018,2021, we made nominal payments to Cellectis for services provided under our management services agreement of $2,258,286, which exclude directre-invoicing and royalties paid to Cellectis.

Stockholders Agreement

On July 25, 2017, we entered into the Stockholders Agreement withAs of December 31, 2021, Cellectis and other holdersowned 61.8% of our outstanding shares of common stock. Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement,our stockholders’ agreement, Cellectis haswill have certain contractual rights for so long as it beneficially owns at least 50%50 percent of the then outstanding shares of our common stock, including:

to approve any modification to our or any future subsidiary’s share capital (e.g., share capital increase or decrease), the creationincluding approval rights over a significant number of any subsidiary, any grant of stock-based compensation, any distributions or initial public offering, merger,spin-off, liquidation, winding up orcarve-out transactions;

to approve the annual business plan and annual budget and any modification thereto;

to approve any external growth transactions exceeding $500,000 and not included in the approved annual business plan and annual budget;

to approve any investment and disposition decisions exceeding $500,000 and not included in the approved annual business plan and annual budget (it being understood that this clause excludes the purchase and sale of inventory as a part of the normal course of business);

to approve any related-party agreement and any agreement or transaction between the executives or stockholders of Calyxt, on the one hand, and Calyxt or any of its subsidiaries, on the other hand;

to approve any decision pertaining to the recruitment, dismissal/removal, or increase of the compensation of executives and corporate officers;

to approve any material decision relating to a material litigation;

to approve any decision relating to the opening of a social or restructuring plan orpre-insolvency proceedings;

to approve any buyback by uskey aspects of our operations and management. In addition, though their rights are diminished compared to when they own shares;

to approve any new borrowings or debts exceeding $500,000 and early repaymentmore than 50 percent of loans, if any (it being understood thatour then outstanding common stock, Cellectis will approve the entering intoalso maintain certain significant rights, including a right to nominate a majority of contracts for revolving loans and other short-term loans and the repaymentour board of such for financing general operating activities, suchdirectors, as revolving loans for inventory or factoring of receivables);

to approve grants of any pledges on securities;

to develop new activities and businesses not described in the annual business plan and annual budget;

to approve entry into any material agreement or partnership; and

to approve any offshore and relocation activities.

In addition, Cellectis has the following rights for so long as it beneficially owns at least 15%15 percent of the then outstanding shares of our common stock, including:

to nominatestock. As a result, Cellectis controls the greater of three membersdirection of our Board or a majority ofbusiness, and the directors;

to designate the Chair of our Board and one member to each Board committee;

to approve any amendments to our Certificate of Incorporation or our Bylaws that would change the name of our company, its jurisdiction of incorporation, the location of its principal executive offices, the purpose or purposes for which our company is incorporated or the Cellectis approval items set forth in the Stockholders Agreement;

to approve the payment of any regular or special dividends;

to approve the commencement of any proceeding for the voluntary dissolution, winding up or bankruptcy of Calyxt or a material subsidiary;

to approve any public or private offering, merger, amalgamation or consolidation of us or the spinoff of a business of ours or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of our assets; and

to approve any appointment to, or removal from, our Board to the extent permissible by the laws of the State of Delaware.

In addition, for so long as Cellectis beneficially owns at least 15% of the then outstanding sharesconcentrated ownership of our common stock (i) Cellectis is entitled to certain informationand the contractual rights including the right to consult with and advise senior management, to receive quarterly and annual financial statements and to review our books and records and (ii) we are also required to cooperate with Cellectis in connection with certain sales and pledges of our shares or grants of security interests in respect thereof, including in connection with margin loans.described above will prevent stockholders from influencing significant decisions.

The Stockholders Agreement also provides Cellectis with certain registration rights, as follows:

Demand Registration—Cellectis may request that we register for resale all or a portion of their Calyxt shares. Any such request must cover a quantity of shares with an anticipated aggregate offering price of at least $25.0 million. To the extent we are a well-known seasoned issuer, Cellectis may also request that we file an automatic shelf registration statement on FormS-3 that covers the registrable securities requested to be registered. Depending on certain conditions, we may defer a demand registration for up to 90 days in any12-month period. Cellectis will agree pursuant to a contractuallock-up not to exercise any of its rights under the registration rights agreement during a90-day restricted period.

Piggyback Registration Rights—In the event that we propose to register any of our securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, either for our account or for the account of our other security holders, Cellectis is entitled to certain piggyback registration rights allowing it to include its shares in the registration, subject to certain marketing and other limitations. As a result, whenever we propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act, Cellectis is entitled to notice of the registration.

Expenses; Indemnification—The registration rights provide that we must pay all registration expenses (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) in connection with effecting any demand registration or shelf registration. The registration rights contain indemnification and contribution provisions.

Term—The registration rights remain in effect with respect to any shares covered by the Stockholders Agreement until (i) all of Cellectis’ shares have been sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act; (ii) all of Cellectis’ shares have been sold to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act; or (iii) Cellectis owns less than 10% of the then outstanding shares of our common stock.

Separation Agreement

On July 25, 2017, we entered into a separation agreement with Cellectis. The separation agreement sets forth certain agreements between Cellectis and us that govern our relationship, including with respect to the following matters:

guarantees;

insurance policies;

mutual releases and indemnification matters;

accounting, financial reporting and internal control issues;

the filing of documents with the SEC;

confidentiality;

ability of the parties to compete with each other; and

settlement of intercompany accounts.

The separation agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (i) mutual written consent of Cellectis and us and (ii) the date on which Cellectis and its affiliates cease to hold at least 15% of the then outstanding shares of our common stock.

License Agreement with Cellectis

On July 25, 2017, we entered into aThrough our perpetual license agreement with Cellectis, pursuantwe have (i) access to which we received anintellectual property that broadly covers the use of engineered nucleases for plant gene editing, (ii) exclusive worldwide licensesublicense rights (subject to existing licenses granted by Cellectisnon-exclusive sublicenses to third parties) to use, commercialize and exploit certain intellectual property exclusively licensed to Cellectis from the University of Minnesota in the field of researching, developing, and commercializing agricultural and food products, including traits, seeds, and feed and food ingredients (excluding any application in connection with animals and animal cells), except that such license isnon-exclusive in such field for any activities relating to researching, developing or commercializing certain modified or mutatedI-CreI homing endonucleases. We were granted(iii) anon-exclusive license to use the TALEN trademark in connection with our exploitationuse of licensed products under the agreement. Any improvements we make to the licensed intellectual property are owned by us but licensed back to Cellectis on an exclusive basis for any use outside of our exclusive agricultural field of use.

In consideration for the license from Cellectis, we are required to pay to Cellectis, on aproduct-by-product andcountry-by-country basis, a royalty of 3%three percent of net sales less certain items as defined, including costs for grain and seed of any products that are covered by the patents licensed from Cellectis. In addition, we are required to pay Cellectis 30%30 percent of revenue we receive for sublicensing our rights under the agreement to third parties. Our payment obligations to Cellectis will expire upon the expiration of thelast-to-expire valid claim of the patents licensed to us by Cellectis.

Under our license agreement with Cellectis, and as between the parties, Cellectis has the first right to control the prosecution, maintenance, defense and enforcement of the licensed intellectual property and we have the right to step in and assume such control with respect to the patents owned by Cellectis and exclusively licensed to us under the agreement if Cellectis elects to not prosecute, maintain, defend or enforce such patents. In certain circumstances, if Cellectis elects to abandon any patents owned by Cellectis and exclusively licensed to us under the agreement, we will have the right to assume ownership of such patents. In addition, some of the intellectual property that is licensed to us by Cellectis consists of an exclusive sublicense, subject to existing sublicenses granted by Cellectis to third parties, of intellectual property originally licensed to Cellectis by the University of Minnesota to exploit such intellectual property in our agricultural field of use. Therefore, as to such sublicensed intellectual property, our license from Cellectis is subject to the terms and conditions of the license agreement between the University of Minnesota and Cellectis, and to the extent our activities under such sublicense violate any terms and conditions of the license agreement between Cellectis and the University of Minnesota, we are responsible for any damages that Cellectis may incur. In addition, we reimburse Cellectis for payments made by Cellectis to the University of Minnesota pursuant to the license agreement between the University of Minnesota and Cellectis to the extent that any such payments are as a result of our applicable activities. Under the license agreement between Cellectis and the University of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota has the first right to control the prosecution and maintenance of the licensed intellectual property.

Our license agreement with Cellectis is perpetual. However, it may be terminated upon the mutual written agreement of both parties, either party’s uncured material breach of the agreement, or upon certain bankruptcy and insolvency related events.

During the year ended December 31, 2018, we made payments2021, Calyxt incurred expenses related to Cellectis under ourthe stated license agreement of $70,835.

Relationship with the University of Minnesota

We are party to several licensing agreements with the University of Minnesota, including exclusive sublicense rights pursuant to our license agreement with Cellectis in the fieldamount of researching, developing and commercializing agricultural and food products. Our Chief Science Officer, Dr. Daniel F. Voytas, is employed by the University of Minnesota as a Professor and serves as the Director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Genome Engineering.

During the year ended December 31, 2018, Calyxt paid approximately $487,089 to the University of Minnesota pursuant to such agreements, including amounts paid for licensing fees, legal and patent expenses and research and development related expenses.

Directors & Officers Insurance

Our directors and officers are insured pursuant to a “directors and officers” insurance policy, which provides protection against un-indemnified losses arising from certain wrongful acts in their capacities as directors and officers and reimburses us for losses incurred by us in response to securities claims involving directors and officers. The policy contains various customary exclusions for policies of this type.$0.2 million.

Indemnification Agreements

Our Board has adopted a policy to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and officers. Such indemnification agreements and our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylawsbylaws will require us, subject to certain exceptions, to indemnify and hold harmless our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law.

Policy Concerning Related Person Transactions

We maintain a written related person transaction approval policy, for the review of any transaction, arrangement, or relationship in which we are a participant, if the amount involved exceeds $120,000$100,000 and one of our executive officers, directors, director nominees, or beneficial holders of more than 5% of our total equity (or their immediate family members), each of whom we refer to as a related person, has a direct or indirect material interest. This policy was not in effect when we entered into the management, stockholders, or license agreements with Cellectis described above.

Each of the agreements between us and Cellectis that were entered into in connection with our initial public offering, and any transactions contemplated thereby, were and will be deemed approved under and not subject to the terms of such policy. Any future amendment to such agreements would be subject to our related person transaction approval policy. If a related person, other than Cellectis and its affiliates, proposes to enter into such a transaction, arrangement, or relationship, which we refer to as a related person transaction, the related person must report the proposed related person transaction to the chair of ourGeneral Counsel, who will present the proposed related party transaction to the Audit Committee for so long as the controlled company exception applies and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee thereafter (for purposes of this paragraph only, we refer to each of these committees as the Committee).Committee. The policy calls for the proposed related person transaction to be reviewed and, if deemed appropriate, approved by the Audit Committee. If the proposed related person transaction involves related persons constituting a majority of the members of the Audit Committee, such review will be undertaken by the disinterested members of the board who are also independent directors (each such body, as applicable, referred to as the “Committee” for the purpose of this paragraph).

In approving or rejecting such proposed transactions, the Committee will be required to consider relevant facts and circumstances. The Committee will approve only those transactions that, in light ofconsidering known circumstances, are deemed to be in our best interests. In the event thatIf any member of the Committee is not a disinterested person with respect to the related person transaction under review, that member will be excluded from the review and approval or rejection of such related person transaction; provided, however, that such Committee member may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at the meeting of the Committee at which such transaction is considered. If we become aware of an existing related person transaction which has not been approved under the policy, the matter will be referred to the Committee. The Committee will evaluate all options available, including ratification, revision, or termination of such transaction. In the event that management determines that it is impractical or undesirable to wait until a meeting of the Committee to consummate a related person transaction, the chair of the Committee may approve such transaction in accordance with the related person transaction approval policy. Any such approval must be reported to the Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

REPORTDELIVERY OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEEDOCUMENTS TO STOCKHOLDERS SHARING AN ADDRESS

This reportA number of brokers with account holders who are Calyxt, Inc. stockholders will be “householding” our proxy materials. A single Notice of Internet Availability or, if requested, set of proxy materials or Annual Report may be delivered to multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received from the affected stockholders. Once you have received notice from your broker that they will be “householding” communications to your address, “householding” will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in “householding” and would prefer to receive a separate Notice of Internet Availability and/or separate proxy statement and Annual Report, please notify your broker and direct your written request to Calyxt, Inc., 2800 Mount Ridge Road, Roseville, MN 55113, Attn: Secretary, or call (651) 683-2807. The Company undertakes to deliver promptly to a stockholder upon such written or oral request a separate Notice of Internet Availability, and, if requested, set of proxy materials or Annual Report. Stockholders who currently receive multiple copies of the Audit Committee is required by the Securitiesproxy materials at their address and Exchange Commission (SEC) and, in accordance with the SEC’s rules, will not be deemedwould like to be partrequest “householding” of or incorporated by reference by any general statement incorporating by reference this Proxy Statement into any filing under the Securities Act or under the Exchange Act, except to the extent that we specifically incorporate this information by reference, and will not otherwise be deemed “soliciting material” or “filed” under either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

The principal purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board in its general oversight of our accounting practices, system of internal controls, audit processes and financial reporting processes. The Audit Committee is responsible for appointing and retaining our independent auditor and approving the audit andnon-audit services to be provided by the independent auditor. The Audit Committee’s function is more fully described in its charter.

Our management is responsible for preparing our financial statements and ensuring they are complete and accurate and prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. EY, our independent registered public accounting firm for 2018, was responsible for performing an independent audit of our consolidated financial statements and expressing an opinion on the conformity of those financial statements with generally accepted accounting principles.

The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed our audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 with management and with EY. These audited financial statements are included in our Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 (Annual Report).

The Audit Committee has also discussed with EY the matters required to be discussed by the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended (AICPA, Professional Standards, Vol. 1, AU Section 380), as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) in Rule 3200T regarding “Communication with Audit Committees.”

The Audit Committee also has received and reviewed the written disclosures and the letter from EY required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding EY’stheir communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and has discussed with EY its independence from us.

Based on the review and discussions described above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited financial statements be included in the Annual Report for filing with the SEC.

THE AUDIT COMMITTEE

Mr. Philippe Dumont (Chair)

Mr. Jonathan B. Fassberg

Ms. Anna Ewa Kozicz

Ms. Kimberly K. Nelson

Company Website

In addition to the information about Calyxt contained in this Proxy Statement, additional information about Calyxt can be found on our website located atwww.calyxt.com, including information about our management team, products and services and our corporate governance practices (including the charters for our Audit Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Compensation Committee). The content of our website is available for information purposes only, and should not be relied upon for investment purposes, and is not deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement. We make available through our internet website under the heading “Investors,” our Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting, our Annual Report on Form10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form10-Q, Current Reports on Form8-K, and amendments to those reports, after we electronically file such materials with the SEC.contact their broker.

OTHER MATTERS

The Board of Directors knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters are properly brought before the Annual Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote on such matters in accordance with their best judgment.

By Order of the Board of Directors
/s/ Michael A. Carr
President & Chief Executive Officer
Roseville, Minnesota

Dated:                 , 2022

APPENDIX A

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

TO THE

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

CALYXT, INC.

Calyxt, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, does hereby certify as follows:

(1)

The name of the Corporation is Calyxt, Inc (the “Corporation”).

(2)

The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July 25, 2017.

(3)

Pursuant to and in accordance with Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, this Certificate of Amendment hereby further amends the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation to amend and restate in its entirety Section 1 of Article 4 as follows:

“Section 1. The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 325,000,000, consisting of 275,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”). Upon filing and effectiveness of this Certificate of Amendment with the Secretary of State of Delaware (the “Effective Time”), every [●]1 issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock shall without further action by this Corporation or the holder thereof be combined into and automatically become one share of Common Stock (the “Reverse Stock Split”). The number of authorized shares of Common Stock of the Corporation and the par value of the Common Stock shall remain as set forth in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended. No fractional shares shall be issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split. In lieu of any fractional shares to which a stockholder would otherwise be entitled (after taking into account all fractional shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to such holder), all fractional shares resulting from the Reverse Stock Split shall be rounded up to the nearest whole share. The capital of the Corporation will not be reduced under or by reason of any amendment herein certified.”

(4)

This Certificate of Amendment shall become effective as of [                ] at [a.m./p.m.].

(5)

This Certificate of Amendment was duly proposed and adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Corporation’s outstanding stock entitled to vote thereon.

* * * * *

1

To be a whole number of shares of Calyxt’s Common Stock between and including 2 and 10. If the reverse stock split proposal is approved by stockholders, the Certificate of Amendment filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware will include only that reverse stock split ratio determined by Calyxt’s Board of Directors to be in the best interests of Calyxt and its stockholders.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been executed by a duly authorized officer of this Corporation on this day of                     .

CALYXT, INC.
By:
Name:
Title:


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BROADRIDGE CORPORATE ISSUER SOLUTIONS C/O CALYXT, INC. P.O. BOX 1342 BRENTWOOD, NY 11717 VOTE BY INTERNET Before The Meeting - Go to www.proxyvote.com or scan the QR Barcode above Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form. During The Meeting - Go to www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/CLXT2022 You may attend the meeting via the Internet and vote during the meeting. Have the information that is printed in the box marked by the arrow available and follow the instructions. VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903 Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions. VOTE BY MAIL Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: D78049-P70692 KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED. DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY CALYXT, INC.Proposals - The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR all the nominees listed, FOR Proposal 2 and FOR Proposal 3. 1. Election of Directors: To elect 8 directors for one year and until their successors have been elected and qualified. 1a. Dr. Yves Ribeill 1b. Mr. Laurent Arthaud 1c. Mr. Michael A. Carr 1d. Mr. Philippe Dumont 1e. Mr. Jonathan Fassberg 1f. Ms. Anna Ewa Kozicz-Stankiewicz 1g. Ms. Kimberly Nelson 1h. Mr. Christopher Neugent 2. Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022. 3. Approval of the Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to enable a Reverse Stock Split at the Discretion of the Board of Directors

ANDRÉ CHOULIKA

André Choulika

Chair ofDirectors. Please sign your name exactly as it appears hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please add your title as such. When signing as joint tenants, all parties in the Board of Directors

Dated: April 22, 2019

Calyxt’s Annual Report on Form10-K (whichjoint tenancy must sign. If a signer is not a part of Calyxt’s proxy soliciting materials), excluding exhibits, is being mailed to stockholders together with this Proxy Statement. A copy of exhibits to the Form10-K will be furnished to any stockholder, without charge, upon receipt of a phone call or written request from such stockholder. Such request may be made to our Investor Relations Departmentcorporation, please sign in full corporate name by writing to Calyxt, Inc., Investor Relations, 2800 Mount Ridge Road, Roseville, MN 55113, or by calling (651)683-2807.

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Using ablack ink pen, mark your votes with anX as shown in this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas.

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 Your vote matters – here’s how to vote!

 You may vote online or by phone instead of mailing this card.

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Votes submitted electronically must be received by 1:00 AM, Central Time, on May 17, 2019.

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Online

Go towww.investorvote.com/CLXT or scan the QR code – login details are located in the shaded bar below.

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Phone

Call toll free 1-800-652-VOTE (8683) within the USA, US territories and Canada

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Save paper, time and money!

Sign up for electronic delivery at www.investorvote.com/CLXT

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q  IF VOTING BY MAIL,duly authorized officer. Signature [PLEASE SIGN DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.  qWITHIN BOX] Date Signature (Joint Owners) Date For Withhold for Against Abstain

 A Proposals – The Board of Directors recommends a voteFOR all the nominees listed andFOR Proposal 2.

1.

Election of Directors: To elect 7 directors for a term of one year and until their successors have been elected and qualified.

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ForWithholdForWithholdForWithhold

01 - Dr. André Choulika

02 - Mr. Philippe Dumont03 - Mr. Jonathan Fassberg

04 - Ms. Anna Ewa Kozicz-Stankiewicz

05 - Ms. Kimberly Nelson06 - Mr. Christopher Neugent

07 - Dr. Yves Ribeill

ForAgainstAbstain
2.Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019.

BAuthorized Signatures – This section must be completed for your vote to count. Please date and sign below.

Please sign exactly as name(s) appears hereon. Joint owners should each sign. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, corporate officer, trustee, guardian, or custodian, please give full title. If a corporation, partnership or other business entity, write in the full corporation, partnership or other business entity name.

Date (mm/dd/yyyy) – Please print date below.

  Signature 1 – Please keep signature within the box.

  Signature 2 – Please keep signature within the box.

       /       /

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2019 Annual Meeting Admission TicketLOGO

2019 Annual MeetingImportant Notice Regarding the Availability of Calyxt, Inc. Stockholders

May 17, 2019, 10:00am CT

To be held at 90 South Seventh Street, Ste. 4950

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Upon arrival, please present this admission ticket and photo identification at the registration desk.

Important notice regarding the Internet availability of proxy materialsProxy Materials for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Meeting: The material isNotice and Proxy Statement, Annual Report and Form 10-K are available at: www.edocumentview.com/CLXT

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q  IF VOTING BY MAIL, SIGN, DETACH AND RETURNat www.proxyvote.com. Calyxt, Inc. THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.  q

  Calyxt, Inc.

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Notice of 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Proxy Solicited by Board of Directors for Annual Meeting – May 17, 2019, 10:00 AM (CT)

James Blome,BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS June 1, 2022 The undersigned hereby appoints Michael A. Carr, William Koschak and Debra Frimerman, or any of them, each with the power of substitution, are hereby authorized to represent and vote the shares of the undersigned, with all the powers which the undersigned would possess if personally present, at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Calyxt, Inc. to be held on May 17, 2019June 1, 2022 or at any postponement or adjournment thereof.

Shares represented by this proxyProxy will be voted as directed by the stockholder. If no such directions are indicated, the Proxies will have authority to vote FOR the election of the Board of Directors, FOR Proposal 2 and FOR Proposal 2.

In their discretion, the Proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

(Items to be voted appear on reverse side)

C3. PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THIS PROXY CARD PROMPTLY USING THE ENCLOSED REPLY ENVELOPE CONTINUED AND TO BE SIGNED ON REVERSE SIDE D78050-P70692

Non-Voting Items

Change of Address – Please print new address below.

Comments – Please print your comments below.

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