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 (Amendment No.          )

 

Filed by the Registrant☑

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Preliminary Proxy Statement

[  ]Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

[  ]Definitive Proxy Statement

[  ]Definitive Additional Materials

[  ]Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12

 

Celsion Corporation


(Name of Registrant as Specified In Itsin its Charter)

 

N/A


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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

[  ]Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

 

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CELSION CORPORATION

 

997 LENOX DRIVE, SUITE 100

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ 08648

 

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

TO BE HELD TUESDAY MAY 16, 2017FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

 

To Our Stockholders:

 

Notice is hereby given that the annual meeting (the "Annual Meeting"“Annual Meeting”) of the stockholders of Celsion Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"“Company”), will be held at 10:00 a.m., local time, on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 atFriday, June 4, 2021. You will be able to attend the Annual Meeting, vote, and submit your questions during the meeting via live webcast through the link www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/CLSN2021 and entering your 16-digit control number included on the notice of Internet availability of the proxy materials, on your proxy card or in the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials. We have adopted this technology to expand access to the meeting, improve communications and impose lower costs on our stockholders, the Company and the environment. We believe virtual meetings enable increased stockholder participation from locations around the world. Additionally, given the heightened concerns around COVID-19, the virtual meeting format allows us to continue to proceed with the meeting while mitigating the potential health and safety risks to participants. The Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village, 201 Village Blvd., Princeton, NJ 08540Annual Meeting shall be held for the following purposes, all as more fully described in the accompanying Proxy Statement:

 

1)

ToTo elect twoone Class I Directors, eachII Director to serve until the Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 20202024 and until their respective successors area successor is duly elected and qualified;

2)

2)To ratify the selection of Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP ("DHG"WithumSmith+Brown PC (“Withum”) as the Company'sCompany’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017;2021;

Proposals 3 and 4 are being presented to grant discretionary authority to the Board of Directors to amend the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, to EITHER, BUT NOT BOTH (i) increase the number of common stock shares for issuance OR (ii) effect a reverse stock split at an exchange ratio within a specified range and to maintain the number of authorized shares of Common Stock effective immediately after the Reverse Stock Split at the currently approved level of 112,500,000 shares at any time on or prior to the date of the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

3)

To grant discretionary authority to the Board of Directors to amend the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, to increase the number of shares of the Company’s common stock authorized for issuance from 112,500,000 to 172,500,000 at any time on or prior to the date of the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders;

4)

To grant discretionary authority to the Board of Directors to amend the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, to effect, at any time on or prior to the date of the 20182022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, a reverse stock split at an exchange ratio within a specified range and to maintain the specified range;number of authorized shares of Common Stock effective immediately after the Reverse Stock Split at the currently approved level of 112,500,000 shares;

4)

5)To consider and act upon an Amendment to the Celsion Corporation 20072018 Stock Incentive Plan as amended;

(the “Plan”) to increase the aggregate number of shares of common stock that may be delivered pursuant to all awards granted under the 2018 Plan; and

5)

To authorize the issuance of securities in a certain offering in accordance with NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 5635 as more fully described in Proposal 5; and

6)

To consider and act upon any other matters that may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.

 

The close of business on March 20, 2017April 5, 2021 has been fixed as the record date for the determination of stockholders of the Company entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on March 20, 2017April 5, 2021 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.

 

All stockholders are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting. However, whether or not you expect to attend in person,via the live webcast, please complete, sign, date and return the enclosed Proxy Card as promptly as possible in the envelope provided for that purpose. Returning your Proxy Card will ensure your representation and help to ensure the presence of a quorum at the Annual Meeting. Your proxy is revocable, as set forth in the accompanying Proxy Statement. Therefore, you may attend the Annual Meeting and vote your shares in personvia the live webcast even if you send in your Proxy Card.

 

By Order of the Board of Directors

/s/ Jeffrey W. Church

April __, 2021

Lawrenceville, NJ

Jeffrey W. Church

Corporate Secretary

 

March __, 2017

Lawrenceville, NJ 

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YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT

 

THIS PROXY STATEMENT IS FURNISHED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOLICITATION OF PROXIES BY THE COMPANY, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, FOR THE 20172021 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS. THE PROXY STATEMENT AND THE RELATED PROXY FORM ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED ON OR ABOUTAPRIL 4, 2017.21, 2021. YOU CAN VOTE YOUR SHARES USING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

COMPLETE AND RETURN A WRITTEN PROXY CARD

ATTEND THE COMPANY’S 2017 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS AND VOTE IN PERSON

 

COMPLETE AND RETURN A WRITTEN PROXY CARD

ATTEND THE COMPANY’S 2021 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS VIA LIVE WEBCAST AND VOTE AT THE ANNUAL MEETING
VOTE VIA THE INTERNET ATWWW.PROXYVOTE.COMWWW.PROXYVOTE.COM 

VOTE BY PHONE BY CALLING THE NUMBER PRINTED ON THE ACCOMPANYING VOTING DOCUMENT

 

ALL STOCKHOLDERS ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND THE MEETING. HOWEVER, TO ENSURE YOUR REPRESENTATION AT THE MEETING, YOU ARE URGED TO COMPLETE, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY CARD AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE IN THE POSTAGE-PREPAID ENVELOPE ENCLOSED FOR THAT PURPOSE OR SUBMIT YOUR VOTE VIA THE INTERNET ATWWW.PROXYVOTE.COMOR VOTE BY PHONE BY CALLING THE NUMBER PRINTED ON THE ACCOMPANYING VOTING DOCUMENT. ANY STOCKHOLDER ATTENDING THE MEETING VIA THE LIVE WEBCAST MAY VOTE IN PERSON EVEN IF HE OR SHE HAS RETURNED A PROXY CARD.

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE STOCKHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2017.FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021. THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OUR 20162020 ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K (AS DEFINED BELOW) TO SECURITY HOLDERS ON SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION FORM 10-K ARE AVAILABLE ATWWW.PROXYVOTE.COM.WWW.PROXYVOTE.COM.

 

WHETHER OR NOT YOU INTEND TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, PLEASE COMPLETE, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY CARD IN THE ENCLOSED PRE-ADDRESSEDAND POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE OR SUBMIT YOUR VOTE VIA THE INTERNET AT WWW.PROXYVOTE.COM OR BY CALLING THE NUMBER PRINTED ON THE ACCOMPANYING VOTING DOCUMENT.

 

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CELSION CORPORATION

PROXY STATEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Information Concerning Solicitation and Voting

1

5

Information About the Annual Meeting

1

5

Date, Time and Place of the Annual Meeting

1

5

Who May Attend the Annual Meeting

1

6

Who May Vote

1

6

How to Vote

1

6

Voting by Proxy

2

6

Quorum Requirement

2

7

Voting Requirements

Vote Requirements

3

7

Other Matters

3

7

Information about the Proxy Statement and the Solicitation of Proxies

3

8

Annual Report

4

8

Householding of Annual Meeting Materials

4

8

Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock

5

9

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

7

Code of Ethics

7

11

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

7

11

Proposal No. 1:1: Election of Directors

9

12

General

General

9

12

Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

10

13

Legal Proceedings

12

15

Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight

12

16

Committees of the Board of Directors

13

16

Meetings of the Board and Its Committees

14

18

Director Nominations

14

19

Stockholder Communications

17

21

Board Attendance

17

21

Director Compensation

17

21

20162020 Director Compensation Table

17

21

Narrative Disclosure to Director Compensation Table

22
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

18

23

Stock Ownership Guidelines for Non-Employee and Executive Directors

19

23

Report of the Audit Committee

of the Board of Directors

20

24

Executive Compensation

21

25

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

21

25

Compensation Committee Report on Executive Compensation

  27

31

20162020 Executive Summary Compensation Table

  28

32

Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table

  29

33

20162020 Grants of Plan-Based Awards

  31

35

20162020 Outstanding Equity Awards at Year-End

  32

36

Equity Compensation Plan Information

Option Exercises and Stock Vested

  33

37

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

34

Proposal No. 2:2: Ratification of Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

  35

38

Proposal No. 3: Grant of Discretionary Authority3: To grant discretionary authority to the Board of Directors to Amendamend the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, to increase the number of shares of the Company’s common stock authorized for issuance from 112,500,000 to 172,500,000 at any time on or prior to the date of the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders;39
Proposal No. 4: To grant discretionary authority to the Board of Directors to amend the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, As Amended,as amended, to Effect, At Any Time Oneffect, at any time on or Prior To The Dateprior to the date of the 20172022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, a Reverse Stock Splitreverse stock split at an Exchange Ratio Within Specified Rangeexchange ratio within a specified range

  37

40

Proposal No. 4:5: Approval of Amendment to the Celsion Corporation 20072018 Stock OptionIncentive Plan

  43

Proposal No. 5:Approval of the Issuance of More Than 20% of the Company’s Issued and Outstanding Common Stock in a Certain Offering

 

54

46

Stockholder Nominations and Proposals for the 20182022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

56

55

Where You Can Find Additional Information

56

55

 

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CELSION CORPORATION

PROXY STATEMENT

 

INFORMATION CONCERNING SOLICITATION AND VOTING

 

This Proxy Statement is being furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of Celsion Corporation, a Delaware corporation (sometimes referred to in this Proxy Statement as the "Company"“Company”, "Celsion"“Celsion”, "we"“we” or "us"“us”), for exercise in voting at the Company’s 20172021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on Tuesday, May 16, 2017Friday, June 4, 2021 (the "Annual Meeting"“Annual Meeting”) for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders. We are first sending this Proxy Statement, accompanying Proxy Card, Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Annual Report on Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"(“SEC”) Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20162020 (our "2016“2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K"10-K”) to our stockholders on or about April 4, 2017.21, 2021.

 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting To Beto be Held on Tuesday, May 16, 2017.Friday, June 4, 2021. The Proxy Statement and our 20162020 Annual Report on Form 10-K are available atwww.proxyvote.comwww.proxyvote.com or you may request a printed or electronic set of the proxy materials at no charge. Instructions on how to access the proxy materials over the Internet and how to request a printed copy may be found on the Notice.In addition, any stockholder may request to receive proxy materials in printed form by mail or electronically by email on an ongoing basis. Choosing to receive future proxy materials by email will save us the cost of printing and mailing documents to stockholders and will reduce the impact on our environment. A stockholder who chooses to receive future proxy materials by email will receive an email prior to next year’s Annual Meeting with instructions containing a link to those materials and a link to the proxy voting website. A stockholder’s election to receive proxy materials by email will remain in effect until such election is terminated by the stockholder.

 

Celsion Corporation (“Celsion” and the “Company”) is a fully-integrated oncology drug developmentfully integrated, clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developingadvancing a portfolio of innovative cancer treatments including DNA-based immunotherapies, next generation vaccines and directed chemotherapies DNA-mediated immunotherapythrough clinical trials and RNA- based therapies. Our leadeventual commercialization. The Company’s product candidate is ThermoDox®, a dosage form of doxorubicin based on a heat activated liposomal platform technology, currently in a Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (the OPTIMA Study) and a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of recurrent chest wall breast cancer (the EURO-DIGNITY Study). Our pipeline also includes GEN-1, a DNA basedDNA-based immunotherapy currently in a Phase I clinical trial for the treatment for the localized treatment of ovarian cancer (the OVATION Study). GEN-1 is also in preclinicaland ThermoDox®, a proprietary heat-activated liposomal encapsulation of doxorubicin, currently under investigator-sponsored development for brain cancer.several cancer indications. Celsion has two feasibility stage platform technologies for the development of novel nucleic acid-based immunotherapies and next generation vaccines and other anti-cancer DNA or RNA therapies. Both are novel synthetic, non-viral vectors with demonstrated capability in nucleic acid cellular transfection.

Our principal executive offices are located at 997 Lenox Drive, Suite 100, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 and our telephone number is (609) 896-9100.

 

INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING

 

Date, Time and Place of the Annual Meeting

 

Our 2017The Annual Meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m., local time, on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at The Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village, 201 Village Blvd., Princeton, NJ 08540.Friday, June 4, 2021. You will be able to attend the 2021 Annual Meeting, vote, and submit your questions during the meeting via live webcast through the www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/CLSN2021 and entering your 16-digit control number included on the notice of Internet availability of the proxy materials, on your proxy card or in the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials.

 

Why is the Annual Meeting a virtual, online meeting?

We have adopted this technology to expand access to the meeting, improve communications and impose lower costs on our stockholders, the Company and the environment. The online format allows us to communicate more effectively via a pre-meeting forum that you can enter by visiting the meeting via live webcast through the link www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/CLSN2021 and entering your 16-digit control number included on the notice of Internet availability of the proxy materials, on your proxy card or in the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials. We believe that hosting a virtual meeting under will facilitate shareholder attendance and participation by enabling shareholders to participate from any location around the world and improve our ability to communicate more effectively with our shareholders. We have designed the virtual meeting to provide substantially the same opportunities to participate as you would have at an in-person meeting. You will also be provided the opportunity to submit questions via the live webcast during the meeting.

Page - 5

Who May Attend the Annual MeetingMeeting?

Only stockholders who own our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, , as of the close of business on March 20, 2017, 2017,April 5, 2021, the record date for the Annual Meeting (the "Record Date"“Record Date”), will be entitled to attend the Annual Meeting. At the discretion of management, we may also permit certain other individuals to attend the Annual Meeting, including the media, professional service providers and our employees.

 

Who May Vote at the Annual Meeting?

 

Each share of our common stock outstanding on the Record Date entitles the holder thereof to one vote on each matter submitted to the stockholders at the Annual Meeting. Only stockholders who own common stock as of the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. As of the Record Date, there were 55,057,52686,557,736 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding.

 

How to Vote

If you were a holder of our common stock as of the Record Date, you are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, and we encourage you to attend and vote in personyour shares by attending the live webcast of the Annual Meeting.

HOWEVER, WHETHER OR NOT YOU INTEND TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING VIA THE LIVE WEBCAST, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS REQUESTS THAT YOU COMPLETE, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY CARD IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM.


 

A pre-addressed and postage-paid return envelope is enclosed for your convenience. Alternatively, you may cast your vote via the internet atwww.proxyvote.com or by phone by calling the number printed on the accompanying voting document.

 

If your shares are held in the name of a bank, broker, or other holder of record, you will receive instructions from the holder of record that you must follow in order for your shares to be voted. If your shares are not registered in your own name and you plan to vote your shares in personvia the live webcast at the Annual Meeting, you should contact your broker or agent to obtain a proxy and bring it to the Annual Meeting in order to vote.

 

Voting by Proxy

 

If you vote by proxy, the individuals named on the proxy, or their substitutes, will vote your shares in the manner you indicate.If a beneficial owner who holds shares in street name does not provide specific voting instructions to their brokerage firm, bank, broker dealer or other nominee, under the rules of certain securities exchanges, including NASDAQNasdaq Marketplace Rules, the brokerage firm, bank, broker dealer or other nominee holding those shares may generally vote as the nominee determines in its discretion on behalf of the beneficial owner on routine matters but cannot vote on non-routine matters, the latter of which results in “broker non-votes.” ProposalsProposal Nos. 2 and 3 involveinvolves matters we believe to be routine. Accordingly, if you do not give instructions to your broker, the broker may vote your shares in its discretion on ProposalsProposal Nos. 2 and 3 and therefore no broker non-votes are expected in connection with ProposalsProposal Nos. 2 and 3. ProposalsProposal Nos 1 4 and 54 involve matters we consider non-routine under the applicable rules. If you do not give your broker specific instructions, the broker will not vote your shares on ProposalsProposal Nos 1 4 and 54 and your shares will constitute broker non-votes. If you date, sign, and return the proxy card without indicating your instructions, your shares will be voted as follows:

 

Proposal No. 1.FOR” (if authority to do so is not withheld) the election of the two nomineesnominee for the Class I Directors, eachII Director to serve until the earlier of the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 20202024 and hisuntil a successor is duly elected and qualified;

Proposal No. 2.“FOR” “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP ("DHG")WithumSmith+Brown PC as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2017;2021;

Proposal No. 3. “FOR” “FOR” for theto grant of discretionary authority to the Board of Directors to amend the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), to increase the number of authorized shares of our common stock from 112,600,000 to 172,600,000 at any time on or prior to the date of the Company,2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders;

Proposal No. 4. “FOR” to grant discretionary authority to the Board of Directors to amend the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, to effect, at any time on or prior to the date of the 20182022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, a reverse stock split at an exchange ratio within a specified range and to maintain the specified range;number of authorized shares of Common Stock effective immediately after the Reverse Stock Split at the currently approved level of 112,500,000 shares;

Proposal No. 5. “FOR”4.FOR the approval of an Amendmentamendment to the Celsion Corporation 20072018 Stock Incentive Plan; and

Proposal No.5.FOR” the approval of the issuance of securities in a certain offering inaccordance with NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 5635 as more particularly described in Proposal 5; and

Other Business. In the discretion of your proxy holder (one of the individuals named on your proxy card), on any other matter properly presented at the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.

Page - 6

 

You may revoke or change your proxy at any time before it is exercised by delivering to us a signed proxy with a date later than your previously delivered proxy, by voting in personvia the live webcast at the Annual Meeting, or by sending a written revocation of your proxy addressed to our Corporate Secretary at our principal executive office. Your latest dated proxy card is the one that will be counted.

 

Quorum Requirement

 

A quorum is necessary to hold a valid meeting. The presence, in personvia the live webcast or by proxy, of holders of our common stock entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at the Annual Meeting constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. Abstentions and broker non-votes are counted as present for purposes of establishing a quorum. A "broker non-vote"“broker non-vote” occurs when a broker, bank or other holder of record holding shares for a beneficial owner properly executes and returns a proxy without voting on a particular proposal because such holder of record does not have discretionary voting power for that particular item and has not received instructions from the beneficial owner.


 

Voting Requirements

 

Proposal No. 1. The election of the Class I DirectorsII Director at the Annual Meeting will be by a plurality of the votes cast. This means thatif the two director nominees receivingnominee receives the greatest number of votes cast, in personvia the live webcast or by proxy, by the holders of our common stock in the election of the Class I Directors,II Director, he will be elected. Stockholders may not cumulate their votes in electing directors. Stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting may either vote "FOR"“FOR” the nomineesnominee for election as a director or may "WITHHOLD"“WITHHOLD” authority for the nominees.nominee. Shares represented by executed proxies will be voted, if authority to do so is not withheld, for the election of the nomineesnominee named below in Proposal No. 1. If a stockholder withholds authority to vote with respect to the nomineesnominee for director, the shares held by that stockholder will be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum but will have no effect on the election of the nominees.nominee. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the election of the nominee.

 

Proposal No. 2. Stockholders may vote "FOR"“FOR” or "AGAINST"“AGAINST” or may "ABSTAIN"“ABSTAIN” on Proposal No. 2 regarding the ratification of the selection of Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP ("DHG"WithumSmith+Brown PC (“Withum”) as the Company'sCompany’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2017.2021. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock present in personvia the live webcast or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the proposal will be required to ratify the selection of DHG.Withum. Abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against Proposal No. 2.

 

Proposal No. 3. Stockholders may vote "FOR"“FOR” or "AGAINST"“AGAINST” or may "ABSTAIN"“ABSTAIN” on Proposal No. 3, regarding theto grant of discretionary authority to the Board of Directors to amend the Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of all classes of stock from 112,600,000 to 172,600,000 and the Company, as amended,number of authorized shares of common stock from 112,500,000 to effect,172,500,000 at any time on or prior to the date of the 20182022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, a reverse stock split at an exchange ratio within the specified range.Stockholders. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock on the record date entitled to vote on the proposal will be required to grant such discretionary authority toapprove the Board of Directors.Amendment. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have the same effect as a vote against Proposal No. 3.

 

Proposal No. 4. Stockholders may also vote "FOR"“FOR” or "AGAINST"“AGAINST” or may "ABSTAIN"“ABSTAIN” on Proposal No. 4 to grant discretionary authority to the Board of Directors to amend the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation , as amended, to effect, at any time on or prior to the date of the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, a reverse stock split at an exchange ratio within a specified range and to maintain the number of authorized shares of Common Stock effective immediately after the Reverse Stock Split at the currently approved level of 112,500,000 shares. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock entitled to vote on the proposal will be required to approve the Amendment. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have the same effect as a vote against Proposal No. 4.

Proposal No. 5. Stockholders may vote “FOR” or “AGAINST” or may “ABSTAIN” on Proposal No. 5, to approve an Amendment to the Celsion Corporation 20072018 Stock Incentive Plan. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock present in personvia the live webcast or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the proposal will be required to approve the Amendment. Abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against Proposal No. 4. Broker non-votes will have no effect on Proposal No. 4.

Proposal No. 5. Stockholders may also vote "FOR" or "AGAINST" or may "ABSTAIN" on Proposal No. 5, to authorize the issuance of securities in a certain offering inaccordance with NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 5635 as more particularly described in Proposal 5. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the proposal will be required to approve the issuance of securities in accordance with NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 5635 as more particularly described in Proposal 5. Abstentions will have the sameeffect as a vote against Proposal 5. Broker non-votes will have no effect on Proposal No. 5.

 

Other Matters

Our Board of Directors knows of no other matters that may be presented for stockholder action at the Annual Meeting. It is not anticipated that other matters will be brought before the Annual Meeting. If other matters do properly come before the Annual Meeting, or any adjournments or postponements thereof, however, persons named as proxies will vote upon them in their discretion.

 

Page - 7

Information about the Proxy Statement and the Solicitation of Proxies

 

The enclosed proxy is solicited by our Board of Directors and we will bear the costs of preparing, assembling, printing and mailing this Proxy Statement, accompanying Proxy Card, Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and the Company's 2016Company’s 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as any additional materials that we may furnish to stockholders in connection with the Annual Meeting. Copies of our solicitation materials will be furnished to brokerage houses, fiduciaries and custodians to forward to beneficial owners of stock held in the names of such nominees. We will, upon request, reimburse those parties for their reasonable expenses in forwarding proxy materials to the beneficial owners.

 

We have engaged Morrow & Co., LLC, 470 West Ave. Stamford Connecticut 06902, to assist with the solicitation of proxies for an estimated fee of $7,500 plus reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.

The solicitation of proxies may be by mail and direct communication with certain stockholders or their representatives by our officers, directors, and employees, who will receive no additional compensation therefor. We have engaged Morrow Sodali LLC, 470 West Ave., Stamford, Connecticut 06902 to assist with the solicitation of proxies for an estimated fee of $6,500 plus reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.


 

Annual Report

 

Our 20162020 Annual Report on Form 10-K is being mailed to stockholders together with this Proxy Statement and contains financial and other information about Celsion, including audited financial statements for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.2020. A copy of our 20162020 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC,Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), but excluding exhibits, is available on our website and additional copies may be obtained without charge, upon written request directed to the Corporate Secretary, Celsion Corporation, 997 Lenox Drive, Suite 100, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648.

 

Householding of Annual Meeting Materials

 

Some banks, brokers and other nominee record holders may be participating in the practice of "householding"“householding” proxy statements and annual reports. This means that only one copy of our Proxy Statement or 20162020 Annual Report on Form 10-K may have been sent to multiple stockholders in your household. The Company will promptly deliver a separate copy of either document to you if you write or call the Company at the following address or telephone number:

 

Celsion Corporation

997 Lenox Drive, Suite 100

Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648

Attention: Corporate Secretary

(609) 896-9100

 

If you would like to receive separate copies of the Company's 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Proxy Statementproxy materials in the future, or if you are receiving multiple copies and would like to receive only one copy for your household, you should contact your bank, broker, or other nominee record holder, or you may contact the Company at the address and telephone number set forth above.

 

PLEASE COMPLETE, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE ACCOMPANYING WHITE PROXY CARD IN THE ENCLOSED PRE-ADDRESSED AND POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE OR SUBMIT YOUR VOTE VIA THE INTERNET ATWWW.PROXYVOTE.COMOR BY CALLING THE NUMBER PRINTED ON THE ACCOMPANYING VOTING DOCUMENT.

 

Page - 8


 

BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF COMMON STOCK

 

The following table sets forth certain information known to the Company regarding the beneficial ownership of the Company'sCompany’s common stock as of March 15, 2017April 5, 2021 by:

 

each person or group known by us to own beneficially more than five percent of the outstanding common stock;

each of our directors and the director nominees, as well as each executive officer named in the Summary Compensation Table appearing under the heading "Executive Compensation"“Executive Compensation”; and

our directors and executive officers as a group.

 

We determine beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).SEC. Under SEC rules, beneficial ownership for purposes of this table takes into account shares as to which the individual has voting or investment power as well as shares that may be acquired within 60 days. Shares of common stock subject to options that are currently exercisable or that become exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017April 5, 2021 are treated as outstanding and beneficially owned by the holder of such options. However, these shares are not treated as outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Unless otherwise indicated or as to the interests of spouses, the persons included in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares beneficially owned thereby.

 

NUMBER OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK BENEFICIALLY OWNED

 

NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER*

  

NUMBER OF

SHARES OF

COMMON

STOCK

BENEFICIALLY

OWNED

(1)

  

PERCENT OF 

SHARES OF 

COMMON 

STOCK

OUTSTANDING

(2)

  

Sabby Healthcare Master Fund, Ltd. (3)

  

  

5,500,246

  

  

9.9

%

Anson Investments Master Fund LP (4)

  

5,500,246

  

  

9.9

%

Augustine Chow (5)

  

  

139.999

  

  

**

  

Robert W. Hooper (6)

  

  

136,865

  

  

**

  

Alberto Martinez (7)

  

  

278,857

  

  

**

  

Frederick J. Fritz (8)

  

  

143,646

  

  

**

  

Donald P. Braun (9)

 

 

18,333

 

 

**

 

Andreas Voss (10)

 

 

18,333

 

 

**

 

Michael H. Tardugno (11)

  

  

780,799

  

  

1.4

%

Jeffrey W. Church (12)

  

  

280,104

  

  

**

 

Nicholas Borys (13)

  

  

251,700

  

  

**

 

Khursheed Anwer (14)

 

 

81,667

 

 

**

  

Directors and Executive Officers as a group (10 persons)(15)

  

  

2,130,303

  

  

3.9

%

NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER NUMBER OF
SHARES OF
COMMON
STOCK
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED
(1)
  PERCENT OF
SHARES OF
COMMON
STOCK
OUTSTANDING
(2)
 
       
Ayrton Capital, LLC (3)  5,555,555   7.41%
Altium Capital Management, LP (4)  5,555,555   7.41%
CVI Investments, Inc. (5)  5,555,555   7.41%
         
Augustine Chow* (6)  120,466   ** 
Robert W. Hooper* (7)  140,758   ** 
Alberto Martinez* (8)  150,880   ** 
Frederick J. Fritz* (9)  166,943   ** 
Donald P. Braun* (10)  85,976   ** 
Andreas Voss* (11)  92,226   ** 
Michael H. Tardugno* (12)  1,538,771   1.78%
Nicholas Borys* (13)  356,848   ** 
Khursheed Anwer* (14)  282,534   ** 
Jeffrey W. Church* (15)  492,583   ** 
Directors and Executive Officers as a group (10 persons)  3,427,985   3.96%

 

*

*

The address of each of the individuals named is c/o Celsion Corporation, 997 Lenox Drive, Suite 100, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.

  

**

Less than one percent.

  

(1)    

(1)

Beneficial Ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and generally includes voting or investment power with respect to securities. Except as indicated by footnote, and subject to community property laws where applicable, the persons named in the table above have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock shown as beneficially owned by them.

  

(2)  

(2)

Based on 55,057,52686,557,736 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 15, 2017.

April 5, 2021.

 

Page - 9


 

(3)  

Sabby Management,(3)

Based on the Schedule 13G filed by Ayrton Capital, LLC (“Ayrton Capital”) on January 29, 2021, reporting beneficial ownership as of January 22, 2021. The Schedule 13G provides information only as of January 22, 2021, and, consequently, the beneficial ownership of the above-mentioned reporting person may have changed between January 22, 2021 and April 5, 2021. Shares reported herein were held by Alto Opportunity Master Fund, SPC— Segregated Master Portfolio B (the “Fund”), a Cayman Islands exempted company. The Fund is a private investment vehicle for which Ayrton Capital LLC serves as the investment manager and Waqas Khatri serves as the managing member of Sabby Healthcare Master Fund, Ltd.the Ayrton Capital LLC. The address of the principal business and Sabby Volatility Warrant Master Fund, Ltd.office of Ayrton Capital LLC and shares voting and investment power with respect to these shares in this capacity. As manager of Sabbyits affiliates is 222 Broadway 19th Floor, New York, New York, 10038.
(4)Based on the Schedule 13G filed by Altium Capital Management, LLC Hal Mintz also shares voting(“Altium Capital”) on January 29, 2021, reporting beneficial ownership as of January 22, 2021. The Schedule 13G provides information only as of January 22, 2021, and, investment powerconsequently, the beneficial ownership of the above-mentioned reporting person may have changed between January 22, 2021 and April 5, 2021. This statement is jointly filed by and on behalf of each selling stockholder. Each of SabbyAltium Growth Fund, LP (the “Fund”), Altium Capital Management, LLC, and Hal Mintz disclaimsAltium Growth GP, LLC. The Fund is the record and direct beneficial ownership overowner of the securities listed exceptcovered by this statement. Altium Capital Management, LP is the investment adviser of, and may be deemed to beneficially own securities, owned by, the extentFund. Altium Growth GP, LLC is the general partner of, their pecuniary interest therein.and may be deemed to beneficially own securities owned by the Fund. The address of the principal business office of each of Sabby Healthcare Master Fund, Ltd., Sabby Volatility Warrant Master Fund, Ltd., Sabby Management, LLC and Hal Mintzthe reporting persons is 10 Mountainview Road, Suite 205, Upper Saddle River,152 West 57 Street, FL 20, New Jersey 07458. Neither Sabby Healthcare Master Fund, Ltd. nor Sabby Volatility Warrant Master Fund, Ltd. is a registered broker-dealer or an affiliate of a registered broker-dealer. The number of common shares beneficially owned excludes certain shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of common stock purchase warrants. The terms of these warrants include blocker provisions that restrict exercise to the extent the securities beneficially owned by the selling stockholder and its affiliates would represent beneficial ownership in excess of 4.99% of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise, subject to the holder’s option, on 61 days prior notice to us, to increase or decrease this beneficial ownership limitation not to exceed 9.99% of shares of our common stock.

York, NY 10019.
  

(4)  

M5V Advisors Inc(5)

Based on the Schedule 13G filed by CVI Investments Inc. (“M5V”CVI”) and Frigate Ventures LPHeights Capital Management (“Frigate”Heights”) on January 29, 2021, reporting beneficial ownership as of January 22, 2021. The Schedule 13G provides information only as of January 22, 2021, and, consequently, the beneficial ownership of the above-mentioned reporting person may have changed between January 22, 2021 and April 5, 2021. Heights which serves as the investment manager to CVI may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of all shares owned by Martin Kobinger, in his capacity as Investment Manager of Heights Capital Management, Inc., the Co-Investment Advisers of Anson Investments Master Fund LP (“Anson”), holdmay also be deemed to have investment discretion and voting and dispositive power over the shares of our common stock held by Anson. Bruce Winson is the managing memberCVI. Each of Admiralty Advisors LLC, which is the general partner of Frigate. Moez Kassam and Adam Spears are directors of M5V. Mr. Winson, Mr. KassamHeights, CVI and Mr. Spears each disclaimKobinger hereby disclaims any beneficial ownership of theseany such shares, except to the extent offor their pecuniary interest therein. The principal businessCVI Investments Inc.’s address of Anson is 190 Elgin Ave,P.O. Box 309GT, Ugland House, South Church Street, George Town, Grand Cayman. AnsonCayman KY1-1104 Cayman Islands and Heights Capital Management’s address is not a registered broker-dealer or an affiliate of a registered broker-dealer. The number of common shares beneficially owned excludes certain shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of common stock purchase warrants. The terms of these warrants include blocker provisions that restrict exercise to the extent the securities beneficially owned by the selling stockholder and its affiliates would represent beneficial ownership in excess of 4.99% of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise, subject to the holder’s option, on 61 days prior notice to us, to increase or decrease this beneficial ownership limitation not to exceed 9.99% of shares of our common stock.

101 California Street, Suite 3250, San Francisco, California 94111.
  

(5)

Includes 119,784 shares of common stock underlying options and warrants currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017.

 

(6)

Includes 107,866 shares of common stock underlying options and warrants currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017.

(7)

Includes 98,776119,023 shares of common stock underlying options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017.

April 5, 2021.
  

(8)

(7)

Includes 96,776115,071 shares of common stock underlying options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017.

April 5, 2021.
  

(9)

(8)

Includes 13,333105,880 shares of common stock underlying options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017.

April 5, 2021.
  

(10)  

(9)

Includes 13,333115,452 shares of common stock underlying options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017.

April 5, 2021.
  

(11)

(10)

Includes 637,77885,619 shares of common stock underlying options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017.

April 5, 2021.
  

(12)

Includes 247,876 shares of common stock underlying options and warrants currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017.

 

(13)

(11)

Includes 231,77485,619 shares of common stock underlying options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017.

April 5, 2021.
  

(14)

(12)

Includes 76,6671,351,071 shares of common stock underlying options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017.

April 5, 2021.
  

(15)

(13)

Includes 1,643,963305,424 shares of common stock underlying options and warrants currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 15, 2017.

April 5, 2021.

 

Page - 10


(14)Includes 239,677 shares of common stock underlying options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 5, 2021.
(15)Includes 438,285 shares of common stock underlying options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 5, 2021.

 

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), requires the Company's executive officers and directors and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities to file reports with the SEC regarding ownership and changes in ownership of such equity securities.  Executive officers, directors and greater than 10% stockholders are required by SEC regulations to furnish to us copies of all reports that they file pursuant to Section 16(a). Based solely on our review of the copies of such forms furnished to us with respect to our fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and on our discussions with directors and executive officers, we believe that, during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, all applicable Section 16(a) filing requirements were timely met.

CODE OF ETHICS

 

The Company has adopted a Code of Ethics and Business Conduct (the “Code of Ethics”) applicable to its directors, officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and other officers performing similar functions, and employees. This Code of Ethics constitutes a code of ethics applicable to senior financial officers within the meaning of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and SEC rules. A copy of the Code of Ethics is available on the Company'sCompany’s website athttp://www.celsion.com and any stockholder may obtain a copy by making a written request to the Company'sCompany’s Corporate Secretary, 997 Lenox Drive, Suite 100, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. In the event of any amendments to or waivers of the terms of the Code of Ethics, such matters will be posted promptly to the Company'sCompany’s website in lieu of disclosure on Form 8-K in accordance with Item 5.05(c) of Form 8-K.

 

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

The Code of Ethics requires all of the Company’sour directors, officers and employees to give their complete loyalty to the best interests of the Company and to avoid any action that may involve, or that even may appear to involve, a conflict of interest with the Company. The Code of Ethics also requires any of the Company’sour directors, officers or employees who become aware of a conflict or potential conflict to bring it to the attention of a supervisor, manager or other appropriate personnel or consult the compliance procedures provided in the Code of Ethics. The Board of Directors reviews and approves or ratifies all relationships and transactions between us and (i) any of our directors or executive officers, (ii) any nominee for election as a director, (iii) any security holder who is known to us to own beneficially or of record more than five percent of our common stock or (iv) any member of the immediate family of any of the foregoing.

 

Transactions with Investors Having Beneficial Ownership Greater Than 5%

June 2016 Offering

On June 13, 2016, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement (the June 2016 Offering) with Sabby Healthcare Master Fund, Ltd. (“Sabby Healthcare”) and Sabby Volatility Warrant Master Fund, Ltd. (“Sabby Volatility,” and together with Sabby Healthcare, “Sabby”), which beneficially own greater than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Pursuant to the June 2016 Offering, the Company issued and sold to Sabby, in a registered direct offering in the June 2016 Offering, an aggregate of 2,311,764 shares of common stock and Pre-funded Series B Warrants to purchase 2,100,000 shares of common stock for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $6.0 million (before the deduction of the placement agent fee and offering expenses in the June 2016 Offering). In a concurrent private placement in the June 2016 Offering, the Company issued to Sabby warrants to purchase up to 8,823,528 shares of common stock with an exercise price of $1.40 per share. As of March 15, 2017, all of the Pre-funded Series B Warrants were fully exercised by Sabby.

December 2016 Offering

On December 23, 2016, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement (the December 2016 Offering) with certain institutional investors, pursuant to which the Company sold, in a registered direct offering, an aggregate of 5,142,843 shares of common stock at $0.35 per share for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1.8 million (before the deduction of the placement agent fee and offering expenses in the December 2016 Offering). In a concurrent private placement, the Company issued to the same investors warrants to purchase up to 5,142,843 shares of common stock. The warrants issued in the December 2016 Offering have an exercise price of $0.46 per share.

In the December 2016 Offering, the Company issued to Sabby an aggregate of 2,285,700 shares of common stock. In the concurrent private placement disclosed above, the Company issued to Sabby warrants to purchase up to 2,285,700 shares of common stock. Also pursuant to the December 2016 Offering, the Company issued to Anson Investments Master Fund LP (“Anson”), an aggregate of 1,428,572 shares of common stock. In the concurrent private placement disclosed above, the Company issued to Anson warrants to purchase up to 1,428,572 shares of common stock.

Page - 11


 

February 2017 Public Offering

On February 14, 2017, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement whereby it sold, in a public offering (the February 2017 Public Offering), an aggregate of 19,385,869 shares of common stock of the Company at an offering price of $0.23 per share. In addition, the Company sold Series AA Warrants (the “Series AA Warrants”) to purchase up to 16,489,402 shares of common stock and Pre-Funded Series BB Warrants (the “Pre-Funded Series BB Warrants”) to purchase up to 2,600,000 shares of common stock. The Series AA Warrants have an exercise price of $0.23 per share. The Pre-Funded Series BB Warrants have an exercise price of $0.01 per share of common stock. The Company received approximately $5.0 million in gross proceeds (before the deduction of the placement agent fee and offering expenses in the February 2017 Public Offering) in the February 2017 Public Offering.

Pursuant to the February 2017 Public Offering, the Company issued to Sabby an aggregate of 3,400,000 shares of common stock and Series AA Warrants to purchase up to 4,500,000 shares of common stock and Pre-Funded Series BB Warrants to purchase up to 2,600,000 shares of common stock. As of March 15, 2017, Sabby has fully exercised all of its Pre-Funded Series BB Warrants. Also pursuant to the February 2017 Public Offering, the Company issued to Anson 2,173,913 shares of common stock and Series AA Warrants to purchase up to 1,630,435 shares of common stock.


PROPOSAL NO. 1:

 

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 

GENERAL

 

The Company'sOur Certificate of Incorporation provides that the number of directors that constitutes the Board of Directors is to be fixed by, or in the manner provided in, our Bylaws, as amended (the "Bylaws"“Bylaws”). The Certificate of Incorporation also provides that the Board of Directors is to be divided into three classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III, and it is the Company'sour practice to have such classes as even in size as possible. The Company's Bylaws provide that the Board of Directors is to consist of between three and nine directors, with the exact number to be fixed by action of the Board of Directors. The current number of directors has been fixed by the Board of Directors at seven.six after Dr Alberto R. Martinez, a Class II Director, retired from the Board of Directors effective December 31, 2020. Currently, no Board seats remain vacant, and the Company’s Board of Directors consists of sevensix directors, sixfive of which are independent under applicable SEC and NASDAQ rules.

 

TheOur Board of Directors havehas nominated Dr. Augustine Chow and Mr. Frederick J. FritzRobert W. Hooper to stand for re-election to the Board of Directors as a Class I Directors,II Director, with termsa term expiring at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held in 20202024 or with the election and qualification of their respective successors.a successor. The proxies named in the Proxy Card provided with this Proxy Statement intend to vote "FOR"“FOR” the election of Dr. Chow and Mr. FritzRobert W. Hooper unless otherwise instructed. If you do not wish your shares to be voted for Dr. Chow and Mr. Fritz,Robert W. Hooper, you must so indicate by marking the "WITHHOLD"“WITHHOLD” authority box on the Proxy Card next to Dr. Chow and Mr. FritzRobert W. Hooper, in which event your shares will not be voted for Dr. Chow and Mr. Fritz.Robert W. Hooper. In the event that Dr. Chow and Mr. Fritz becomeRobert W. Hooper becomes unavailable for election as a result of an unexpected occurrence, the designated proxies will vote in their discretion for a substitute nominee, or theour Board of Directors may reduce the number of directors serving on the Board.

 

Class III Director NomineesNominee (If elected, term would expireexpires in 2020)2024)

Dr. Augustine Chow.  Dr. Augustine Chow was appointed to the Board of Directors in March 2007. Dr. Chow has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Harmony Asset Limited since 1996, an investment company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and specializing in investments in China and Hong Kong.  Dr. Chow has served as Executive Director of Kaisun Energy Group Ltd. since 2008 and also serves as a director of Medifocus Inc.  From 1990 to 1998, Dr. Chow was the Chief Executive Officer of Allied Group of Companies based in Hong Kong.  Prior to this, Dr. Chow held a senior position with Brunswick Corporation and Outboard Marine Corporation and was responsible for all business activities in South East Asia and China.  Dr. Chow’s qualifications include a number of Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees.  Among them include a MSc from London Business School, a Ph.D. from the University of South Australia, and an Engineering Doctorate and Ph.D. in Biology from City University of Hong Kong.

Mr. Frederick J. Fritz. Mr. Fritz was appointed to the Board of Directors in July 2011.  Mr. Fritz has served as CEO & Founder of NeuroDx, a development stage diagnostic device company focused on the neurosurgery market, since 2006. Mr. Fritz joined NeuroDx from Valeo Medical, a biotech company he founded in 2003 to develop the world's first non-invasive diagnostic test for endometriosis. Prior to that, Mr. Fritz was President and CEO of Songbird Hearing, a medical device company spun out of Sarnoff Corporation. Mr. Fritz began his career in marketing management and new product development. He joined Schering Plough's Wesley Jessen in 1985 as VP Marketing and Sales in 1986. He was promoted to general manager of Schering's Over the Counter pharmaceutical business in 1988 and of the podiatric products business in 1990. He was President of Coleman North America from 1995to 1997.  Mr. Fritz holds a Bachelor’s degree in engineering (summa cum laude) from University of Illinois and an MBA degree from Harvard University.

The Board of Directors concluded that each of Dr. Chow and Mr. Fritz has the requisite experience, qualifications, attributes and skill necessary to serve as a member of the Board of Directors based on, among other things, each of their respective leadership attributes and management experience; management experience in the pharmaceutical industry; and professional and educational background.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR”

THE ELECTION OF ALL NOMINEES NAMED ABOVE.


DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Set forth below is certain information regarding the Company's current directors, as well as the Company's non-director executive officers.

NAME

AGE

POSITION(S)

CLASS

Michael H. Tardugno

66

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

III

Robert W. Hooper

70

Director

II

Alberto R. Martinez, M.D.

67

Director

II

Augustine Chow, Ph.D.

64

Director

I

Frederick J. Fritz

66

Director

I

Donald P. Braun, Ph.D.

67

Director

III

Andreas Voss, M.D.

58

Director

III

Khursheed Anwer, Ph.D. MBA

57

Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer

Nicholas Borys, M.D.

57

Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer

Jeffrey W. Church

60

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Continuing Class II Director Nominees (Term Expires in 2018)

 

Mr. Robert W. Hooper. Mr. Hooper has served as a member of theour Board of Directors since July 2010. From 2001 to present, Mr. Hooper has served asHe is currently President of Crow’sCrows Nest Ventures, Inc. a privately held company, which provides advisory and consulting services to the healthcare industry. From 1997 to 2001, Mr. Hooper served as President North America for IMS Health Incorporated, a healthcare information and market research company listed on The New York Stock Exchange. From 1993 to 1997, he served as President of Abbott Laboratories Canada. From 1989 to 1993, he served as Managing Director, Australia/Asia for Abbott Laboratories. Prior to that, he held increasingly senior positions at E.R. Squibb and Sterling Winthrop Labs. Mr. Hooper holds a B.Abachelor’s degree in Biologybiology from Wilkes University.

 

Dr. Alberto R. Martinez.  Dr. MartinezOur Board of Directors concluded that Mr. Robert W. Hooper has servedthe requisite experience, qualifications, attributes and skills necessary to serve as a member of theour Board of Directors since December 2010.  Since 2008, Dr. Martinez has beenbased on his respective leadership attributes, management experience in the pharmaceutical industry and professional and educational background.

Vote Required

The election of the Class II Director at the Annual Meeting will be by a consultantplurality of the votes cast. This means that the director nominee receiving the greatest number of votes cast, via the live webcast or by proxy, by the holders of our common stock in the election of the Class II Director, will be elected. Stockholders may not cumulate their votes in electing directors. Stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting may either vote “FOR” the nominee for election as a director or may “WITHHOLD” authority for the nominee. Shares represented by executed proxies will be voted, if authority to do so is not withheld, for the election of the nominee named above in Proposal No. 1. If a stockholder withholds authority to vote with respect to the healthcare industry.nominee for director, the shares held by that stockholder will be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum but will have no effect on the election of the nominee. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the election of the nominee.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINEE NAMED ABOVE.

Page - 12

DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Set forth below is certain information regarding our Company’s current directors, as well as our non-director executive officers.

NAMEAGEPOSITION(S)CLASS
Michael H. Tardugno70Chairman, President and Chief Executive OfficerIII
Robert W. Hooper74DirectorII
Alberto R. Martinez, M.D.71Director (Retired from Board on December 31, 2020)II
Augustine Chow, Ph.D.68DirectorI
Frederick J. Fritz70DirectorI
Donald P. Braun, Ph.D.71DirectorIII
Andreas Voss, M.D.62DirectorIII
Khursheed Anwer, Ph.D. MBA61Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer
Nicholas Borys, M.D.61Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
Jeffrey W. Church64Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Continuing Class I Directors (Term Expires in 2023)

Dr. Augustine Chow. Dr. Chow was appointed to our Board of Directors in March 2007. Dr. Chow is the chairman of Harmony Asset Management Limited in Hong Kong, serving in such capacity since 2015. He also serves as a director of Medifocus Inc. (TSX Venture: MFS). From 20071996 to 2015, Dr. Chow was the Chief Executive Officer of Harmony Asset Limited, a Hong Kong listed investment company, and from 2008 Dr. Martinezto 2016 he served as Executive Director of Kaisun Energy Group Limited. From 1990 to 1998, Dr. Chow was the President and Chief OperatingExecutive Officer of Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc.,Allied Group of Companies based in Hong Kong which include several publicly listed companies spanning across various industries. Prior to this, Dr. Chow held a senior position with Brunswick Corporation and Outboard Marine Corporation and was responsible for all business activities in South East Asia and China. Dr. Chow has extensive experience in managing publicly traded life science company.listed companies that are involved in manufacturing, marketing and financial services and specializes in mergers and acquisitions. Dr. Chow’s qualifications include a number of Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees. Among them include a MSc from London Business School and a Ph.D. in Biology from City University of Hong Kong.

Mr. Frederick J. Fritz. Mr. Fritz was appointed to our Board of Directors in July 2011. Mr. Fritz has served as CEO and Founder of NeuroDx, a development stage diagnostic device company focused on the neurosurgery market, since 2006. Mr. Fritz joined NeuroDx from Valeo Medical, a biotechnology company he founded in 2003 to develop the world’s first non-invasive diagnostic test for endometriosis. Prior to that, Dr. Martinez served as Talecris’Mr. Fritz was President and Chief Executive Officer from October 2005 until June 2007. PriorCEO of Songbird Hearing, Inc., a medical device company spun out of Sarnoff Corporation. Mr. Fritz began his career in marketing management and new product development. He joined Schering Plough’s Wesley Jessen in 1985 as VP Marketing and Sales in 1986. He was promoted to that, he held increasingly senior positions as Executive Vicegeneral manager of Schering’s Over the Counter pharmaceutical business in 1988 and of the podiatric products business in 1990. He was President of Worldwide Commercial Operations at ZLB Behring (subsequently renamed CSL Behring). PriorColeman North America from 1995 to ZLB Behring, Dr. Martinez served1997. Mr. Fritz holds a bachelor’s degree in various international positions at Sandoz Pharmaceuticals (currently the generic pharmaceuticals division of Novartis) in Brazil, Switzerland, Spain and the U.S. for eighteen years. Dr. Martinez completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at theengineering (summa cum laude) from University of Sao PauloIllinois and received his medicalan MBA degree from the University of Sao Paulo in 1973. After completing his residency in Pediatrics in 1975, he studied Business and Marketing Administration at the Fundacao Getulio Vargas in Sao Paulo, Brazil.Harvard University.

Continuing Class III Directors (Term expiresExpires in 2019)2022)

 

Mr. Michael H. Tardugno. Mr. Tardugno was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company on January 3, 2007 and was elected to the Board of Directors on January 22, 2007. In October of 2014, Mr. Tardugno was appointed by theour Board of Directors as the Chairman as successor to Max E. Link, Ph.D., who passed away in October 2014.our Chairman. Prior to joining the Company and for the period from February 2005 to December 2006, Mr. Tardugno served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mylan Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Mylan Inc. From 1998 to 2005, Mr. Tardugno was Executive Vice President of Songbird Hearing, Inc., a medical device company spun out of Sarnoff Corporation. From 1996 to 1998, he was Senior Vice President of Technical Operations worldwide for a division of Bristol-Myers Squibb, and from 1977 to 1995, he held increasingly senior executive positions including Senior Vice-PresidentVice President of World-wideWorldwide Technology Development with Bausch & Lomb and Abbott Laboratories. Mr. Tardugno holds a B.S. degree from St. Bonaventure University and completed the Harvard Business School Program for Management Development.

 

Page - 13

Dr. Donald P. Braun. Dr. Braun has served as a director of the Company since December 2015. Dr. Braun brings over 3035 years of research expertiseexperience in oncology, with a focus oncancer immunology, cancer immunotherapy, and inflammatory diseases. He is the effectivenessauthor of more than 120 published peer-reviewed manuscripts, 25 reviews and impactbook chapters, and co-editor of chemotherapy protocolsa book on various cancersthe role of prostaglandins and tumor types,other COX 2 metabolites in cancer patient immunity and immunotherapy. He served from 2006 to 2014 as Vice President Clinical Research and since 2014after which he served as Vice President Translational Research and Chief Science Officer at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.America until his retirement in May 2016. Prior to his currentthis role, he was the Scientific Director of the Cancer Center and Professor of Medicine and Immunology at Rush Medical College in Chicago from 1978 to 1999, and the Administrative Director of the Cancer Institute and a Professor of Surgery with tenure at the Medical College of Ohio from 1999 to 2006,2006. Dr. Braun has been appointed to and served on more than a dozen federal government and public advisory committees on oncology and immunology. He received his Ph.D. in Immunology and Microbiology from the University of Illinois at the Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Braun has served as an advisor to numerous public agencies and private corporations concerned with cancer therapeutics and diagnostics. At the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Braun served as a member of the Experimental Therapeutics Study Section; the Small Business Innovation Grant Review Study Section; and the Experimental Therapy program for “Molecular Targets in Lung Cancer”. He served as a member of the Immunology and Immunotherapy Study Section of the American Cancer Society-National Division; as a Member of the Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System; as a Member of the Biomedical Research Technology Transfer Commission for the State of Ohio; and as an advisor to the State of Arizona’s Disease Research Control Commission. Dr. Braun has also served as a consultant to numerous Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies developing cancer treatments and diagnostics including Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Sterling Winthrop, Abbott Laboratories, Boehringer Mannheim, Serono Corporation, Biomira Inc, Centocor and Merck KGA.


 

Dr. Andreas Voss.Voss, MD. Dr Voss is the founder of AMEDIX GmbH providing a broad range of services to life science companies since July 2020. He served as Chief Operating Officer at Swissrockets AG in Basel from August 2019 to June 2020. Before that Dr. Voss has served as a directorwas General Manager of the Company since December 2015. Dr. Voss currently serves as Vice President of Clinical Affairs in Europe at Caris Life Sciences a biotechnology company focused onInternational, implementing personalized medicine in oncology through its liquid biopsy technology.market leading tumor profiling services. Prior to joining Caris in September 2010, he was responsible for the global clinical development of Avastin® and a member of the Corporate Drug Safety Board at F. Hoffmann-La Roche fromAG (June 2006 to 2010. Before joining Roche in 2006, heJuly 2010). Dr. Voss was Medical Directorresponsible for the Lung Cancer Disease Area at AstraZeneca from May 2003 to May 2006 and fromMedical Director at Bayer GmbH (October 2000 to 2003, he was the Medical Director for Anti-infectivesApril 2003) and Oncology at Bayer GmbH. From 1996 to 2000, Dr. Voss was Head of Medical Research, Oncology at Asta Medica AG. Dr. VossAG before that (December 1996 to September 2000). He received his M.D.MD from the University of Hamburg Medical School and was a postdoctoral fellow in the department of cellular immunology at the University of California at San Diego. He is board certified in internal medicine.medicine and joined the board of directors at Celsion Corporation in 2015

 

TheOur Board of Directors concluded that all of the continuing directors have the requisite experience, qualifications, attributes and skill necessary to serve as a member of the Board of Directors based on, among other things, his:

 

Leadership attributes and experience

Management experience in the pharmaceutical industry and/or business experience in countries in which the Company iswe are conducting its clinical trials; and

Professional

Professional and educational background.

 

Executive Officers

 

Following are the biographical summaries for each of the Company'sour executive officers. Each executive officer is elected by, and serves at the pleasure of, theour Board of Directors.

 

Mr. Michael H. Tardugno. Mr. Tardugno’s biographical information appears above under the heading “ContinuingContinuing Class III Directors.Directors (Term Expires in 2022).

 

Khursheed Anwer, Ph.D., M.B.A. Dr. Anwer joined Celsionus in June 2014 as Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, in connection with the Company’sour acquisition of all the assets of EGWU, Inc. (formerly known as Egen, Inc.), an Alabama corporation (“EGEN”(or “EGEN”). Before joining Celsion, Dr. Anwer served as EGEN’s President and Chief Scientific Officer, a position he held since 2009. He joined EGEN in July 2002 as Vice President of Research and Development and directed the company’sEGEN’s clinical and research and development functions. Before joining EGEN, Inc., Dr. Anwer was Director of Pre-Clinical Development at Valentis, Inc. from July 2000 to June 2002. From 1993 to 1999, he served in several positions at GeneMedicine, Inc., where he led several research projects in the area of non-viral gene therapy. He has authored more than 40 publications in the area of non-viral gene therapy, resulting from his active career in research and development. Dr. Anwer holds a Ph.D. in Physiology/Pharmacologyphysiology/pharmacology from Ohio University and received post-doctoral training from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Dr. Anwer also has a Master’s in Business Administration from University of Alabama.

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Nicholas Borys, M.D. Dr. Borys joined Celsionus in October 2007 as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the Company and was promoted to Senior Vice President in June 2014.2014 and to Executive Vice President in February 2019. In this position, Dr. Borys manages the clinical development and regulatory programs for Celsion. Dr. Borys has over 2025 years of experience in all phases of pharmaceutical development with a focus on oncology. Immediately prior to joining Celsion, Dr. Borys served as Chief Medical Officer of Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a molecular imaging and nuclear oncology pharmaceutical company, from 2004 until 2007. From 2002 until 2004, he served as the Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Taiho Pharma USA, a Japanese start-up oncology therapeutics company. Prior to that he held increasingly senior positions at Cytogen Corporation, Anthra Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Amersham Healthcare, Inc. and Hoffmann La-Roche Inc. Dr. Borys obtained his premedical degree from Rutgers University and holds an M.D. degree from American University of the Caribbean.

 

Mr. Jeffrey W. Church. Mr. Church joined Celsionus in July 2010 as Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary. Mr. Church was appointed as our Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations in July 2011. In July 2013, Mr. Church was reappointed as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In December 2018, Mr. Church was promoted to Executive Vice President. Immediately prior to joining Celsion,us, Mr. Church served as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of Alba Therapeutics Corporation, a privately held life science company from 2007 until 2010. From 2006 until 2007, he served as Vice President, CFOChief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary for Novavax, Inc., a vaccine development company listed on The NASDAQNasdaq Global Select Market. From 1998 until 2006, he served as Vice President, CFO and Corporate Secretary for GenVec, Inc., a biotechnology company listed on The NASDAQNasdaq Capital Market. Prior to that, he held senior financial positions at BioSpherics Corporation and Meridian Medical Technologies, both publicly traded companies. He started his career with Price Waterhouse from 1979 until 1986. Mr. Church holds a B.S. degree in accounting from the University of MarylandMaryland.

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

On September 20, 2019, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a derivative and putative class action lawsuit against the Company and certain officers and directors (the “Shareholder Action”). The Company was a defendant in this derivative and putative class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, filed by a shareholder against the Company (as both a class action defendant and nominal defendant), and certain of its officers and directors (the “Individual Defendants”), with the caption O’Connor v. Braun et al., Docket No. MER-C-000068-19 (the “Shareholder Action”). The Shareholder Action alleged breaches of the defendants’ fiduciary duties based on allegations that the defendants omitted or made improper statements when seeking shareholder approval of the 2018 Stock Incentive Plan. The Shareholder Action sought, among other things, any damages sustained by the Company as a result of the defendants’ alleged wrongdoing, a declaratory judgment against all defendants invalidating the 2018 Stock Incentive Plan and declaring any awards made under the Plan invalid, rescinded, and subject to disgorgement, an order disgorging the equity awards granted to the Individual Defendants under the 2018 Stock Incentive Plan, and attorneys’ fees and costs.

On April 24, 2020, the Company, the Individual Defendants, and the plaintiff (the “Parties”) entered into a Settlement Agreement and Release (the “Settlement Agreement”), which memorializes the terms of the Parties’ settlement of the Shareholder Action (the “Settlement”). The Settlement calls for repricing of certain stock options and payment of plaintiff legal fees of $187,500. On July 24, 2020, the Court issued an order approving the Parties’ proposed form of notice to shareholders regarding the Settlement. A hearing was held on September 8, 2020 whereby the Court issued a final approval approving the Settlement. Pursuant to the Settlement, the Company paid $187,500 on October 1, 2020. Without admitting the validity of any of the claims asserted in the Shareholder Action, or any liability with respect thereto, and expressly denying all allegations of wrongdoing, fault, liability, or damage against the Company and the Individual Defendants arising out of any of the conduct, statements, acts or omissions alleged, or that could have been alleged, in the Shareholder Action, the Company and the Individual Defendants concluded that it was desirable that the claims be settled on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Settlement Agreement. The Company and the Individual Defendants entered into the Settlement Agreement for settlement purposes only and solely to avoid the cost and disruption of further litigation.

On October 29, 2020, a putative securities class action was filed against the Company and certain of its officers and directors (the “Spar Individual Defendants”) in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, captioned Spar v. Celsion Corporation, et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-15228. The plaintiff alleges that the Company and Individual Defendants made false and misleading statements regarding one of the Company’s product candidates, ThermoDox®, and brings claims for damages under Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder against all Defendants, and under Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act of 1934 against the Spar Individual Defendants. The Company believes that the case is without merit and intends to defend it vigorously.

In February 2021, a Certified Public Accountant.derivative shareholder lawsuit was filed against the Company, as the nominal defendant, and certain of its directors and officers as defendants in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, captioned Fidler v. Michael H. Tardugno et al., Case No. 3:21-cv-02662. The plaintiff alleges breach of fiduciary duty and other claims arising out of alleged statements made by certain of the Company’s directors and/or officers regarding ThermoDox®. The Company believes it has meritorious defenses to these claims and intends to vigorously contest this suit.

 

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LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

None of the Company's directors or officers has been a part of any legal proceeding within the last 10 years that is subject to disclosure under Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K.

BOARD LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND ROLE IN RISK OVERSIGHT

 

Board Leadership

 

Our Board of Directors believes that it is important to select itsour Chairman of the Board and the Company’sour Chief Executive Officer in the manner it considers in theour best interests of the Company at any given point in time.interests. The members of theour Board of Directors possess considerable business experience and in-depth knowledge of the issues the Company faceswe face and are therefore in the best position to evaluate theour needs of the Company and how best to organize and adopt the Company’sour leadership structure to meet those needs. Accordingly, theour Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer may be filled by one individual or by two different individuals, and theour Chairman may be a Company insider or an independent director. Mr. Tardugno serves as Chairman of theour Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.Officer. Currently all the other directors of theour Board of Directors are independent under applicable SEC and NASDAQ rules. The Company does not have a lead independent director which the Board of Directors has concluded is the most effective leadership structure for the Company at this time. Further, theOur Board of Directors believes that the Company and its stockholders have been well served by the current leadership structure due to Mr. Tardugno'sTardugno’s experience and in-depth knowledge of the Company and the industry.

 

Board Oversight of Risk

 

TheOur Board of Directors is responsible for oversight of the various risks facing the Company.we face. In this regard, the Board of Directors seeks to understand and oversee the most critical risks relating to our business and operations, allocate responsibilities for the oversight of risks among the full Board of Directors and its committees, and see that management has in place effective systems and processes for managing risks facing the Company.we face. Overseeing risk is an ongoing process, and risk is inherently tied to our strategy and to strategic decisions. Accordingly, theour Board of Directors considers risk throughout the year and with respect to specific proposed actions. TheOur Board of Directors recognizes that it is neither possible nor prudent to eliminate all risk. Indeed, purposeful and appropriate risk-taking is essential for the Companyus to be competitive and to achieve its business objectives.

 

While theour Board of Directors oversees risk, management is charged with identifying and managing risk. We have robust internal processes and a strong internal control environment to identify and manage risks and to communicate information about risk to the Board of Directors. Management communicates routinely with theour Board of Directors, Board Committees (as defined below) and individual directors on the significant risks identified and how they are being managed. DirectorsOur directors are free to, and indeed often do, communicate directly with senior management.

 

TheOur Board of Directors implements its risk oversight function both as a whole and through delegation to various committees (the “Board Committees”). These committeesBoard Committees meet regularly and report back to theour full Board of Directors. TheOur Audit Committee oversees the management of financial, accounting, internal controls, disclosure controls and the engagement arrangement and regular oversight of the independent auditors. TheOur Compensation Committee is responsible for the design and oversight of the Company’sour compensation programs. Based on a review of our company-wide compensation programs, including the compensation programs for our executive officers, theour Compensation Committee has concluded that these programs do not create risks that are likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company. Theus. Our Nominating and Governance Committee periodically reviews the Company’sour corporate governance practices, including the risks that those practices are intended to address. It also periodically reviews the composition of theour Board of Directors to help ensure that a diversity of skills and experiences is represented by the members of theour Board of Directors taking into account the stage of our growth of the Company and its strategic direction. TheOur Science and Technology Committee assists theour Board of Directors in monitoring the state of science and technology capabilities within the Company and associated risks and overseeing the development of key technologies and major science and medicine-driven innovation initiatives essential to theour long-term success of Celsion.success.


 

COMMITTEES OF THEOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

TheOur Board of Directors presently maintains separately designated Audit, Compensation, Nominating and Governance, and Science and Technology Committees.

Page - 16

 

Good Governance Practices

 

Our Board of Directors has a commitment to strong and sustainable corporate governance. As such, we continuously review our practices to ensure effective collaboration of management and theour Board of Directors. Highlights of theour Board of Directors'Directors’ best practices are:

 

SixFive of the sevensix Board directors including two director nominees, are independent;

TheOur Board of Directors has adopted and published committee charters (charters are available atwww.celsion.com);

The

Our Board of Directors conducts an annual self-evaluation and a review of Board Independence;

The

Our Board Committees conduct annual self-evaluations that are reviewed by theour Nominating and Governance Committee and the Board of Directors;

New directors participate in an orientation program and receive a current state briefing before their first Board Meeting;

meeting;

We have stock ownership and stock retention guidelines for our directors;

We have policies and practices to specifically align executive compensation with long-term stockholder interests;

We have a policy prohibiting hedging and pledging, forshort sales, purchases or sales of puts or calls, and other derivative transactions of our stock (including any transaction that provides the economic equivalent of ownership) by our executive officers and directors;

An executive compensation clawbackclaw back policy was adopted by theour Board of Directors in 2014;

The

Our Board of Directors reviews management talent and succession annually with the CEO;our chief executive officer; and

There is no automatic enhancement of executive incentive compensation upon a change-in-control.

 

Audit Committee

 

TheOur Audit Committee consists of Mr. Frederick J. Fritz, (Chairman), Dr. Augustine Chow and Dr. Alberto R. Martinez. TheDonald Braun. Our Audit Committee operates under a written charter as amended and restated effective May 4, 2007. A copy of thethat charter, as may be amended from time to time, is available on our web site, located athttp://www.celsion.com. Additional copies of the charter are available upon written request to the Company. All members of the Audit Committee meet the independence standards established by the SEC and NASDAQ.us.

 

TheOur Audit Committee assists theour Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee management'smanagement’s implementation of the Company'sour financial reporting process. In discharging its oversight role, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements contained in the Company's 2016our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K with the Company'sour management and the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. Management is responsible for the financial statements and the reporting process, including the system of internal controls. The Company'sOur independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for expressing an opinion on the conformity of those financial statements with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S.

 

TheOur Board has determined that all members of Directorsthe Audit Committee meet the independence standards established by the SEC and Nasdaq. Our Board has determined that Mr. Fritz is qualified to serve as the "audit“audit committee financial expert"expert” as defined by Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K and that Drs. Chow and MartinezBraun meet the financial literacy requirements under applicable NASDAQ rules.

 

Page - 17


 

Compensation Committee

 

TheOur Compensation Committee is responsible for establishing and administering the compensation policies applicable to the Company'sour directors, officers and key personnel, for recommendingdetermining the compensation arrangements to the Board of Directorsour Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer and for evaluating the performance of senior management. TheOur Compensation Committee operates under a written charter effective as of December 24, 2003. A copy of thethat charter, as may be amended from time to time, is available on our web site, located atwww.celsion.com. Additional copies of the charter are available upon written request to the Company.  Theus. Our Compensation Committee does not delegate the authority to approve compensation policies and actions affecting the Company'sour named executive officers or directors. TheOur Compensation Committee applies discretion in determining compensation for the Company'sour executives. TheOur Compensation Committee has not established any equity or other security ownership requirements or guidelines in respect of its executive officers. TheOur Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer assists theour Compensation Committee in evaluating the performance of other executive officers and by providing information to directors as and when requested, such as salary surveys and compensation paid by the Company'sour competitors, to the extent such information is publicly available. Members of theour Compensation Committee undertake to verify such information prior to referring to it in determining executive compensation. The compensation of theour Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer is determined by theour Compensation Committee based on theour Compensation Committee'sCommittee’s evaluation of his performance and with reference to such external or competitive data as they consider necessary. The compensation of the other named executive officers is determined by theour Compensation Committee based on its evaluation of their individual performance and the recommendations of theour Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.

 

Mr. Hooper (Chairman), and Drs.Dr. Chow and Martinez currently comprise theour Compensation Committee. AllOur Board has determined that all members of theour Compensation Committee are independent under the applicable NASDAQNasdaq rules.

 

Nominating and Governance Committee

 

TheOur Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for identifying and recruiting new members of theour Board of Directors when vacancies arise, identifying and recruiting nominees for election as directors, reconsideration of incumbent directors in connection with nominations for elections of directors and ensuring that theour Board of Directors is properly constituted to meet its corporate governance obligations. TheOur Nominating and Governance Committee operates under a written charter effective as of December 24, 2003 and amended on February 27, 2006. A copy of thethat charter, as may be amended from time to time, is available on our web site, located atwww.celsion.com. The current membersmember of theour Nominating and Governance Committee areis Mr. Fritz. Our Board has determined that Mr. Fritz and Dr. Martinez, each of whom is deemed to be independent under applicable NASDAQNasdaq rules.

 

Science and Technology Committee

 

The primary purpose of theour Science and Technology Committee is to assist theour Board of Directors in monitoring the state of science and technology capabilities within theour Company and associated risks and overseeing the development of key technologies and major science and medicine-driven innovation initiatives essential to theour long-term success of Celsion. Thesuccess. Our Science and Technology Committee'sCommittee’s responsibilities includes reviewing technologies and technology programs of significance to the Company,us, with special focus on major external initiatives, observing the evolution of science and medicine outside the Company, participating in the development of metrics to assess the state of Celsionour science and technology in subject areas including, but not limited to, patent estate, freedom to operate, productivity, capability and external benchmarks, providing guidance for the Company'sour external science and technology alliances, and providing guidance on the direction of the Company'sour science and technology activities, as appropriate. The current members of theour Science and Technology Committee are Dr. Voss and Dr. Braun, each of whom is deemed to be independent under applicable SEC and NASDAQ rules.Braun.

 

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD AND ITSBOARD COMMITTEES

 

During the year ended December 31, 2016,2020, there were a total of four (4) regular meetings of theour Board of Directors. All of our directors attended all of the meetings of theour Board of Directors and the Board committees on which they served that were held during the period for which they were a director or committee member, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2016, the2020, our Audit Committee met four (4) times, and theour Compensation Committee met one (1) time. Our Science and theTechnology Committee and our Nominating and Governance Committee each met once. The Science and Technology Committee is newly formed in 2016 and met one timedid not meet during 2016.2020.

Page - 18

 

DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS

 

The Nominating and Governance Committee

 

The role of theour Nominating and Governance Committee is to act on behalf of theour Board of Directors to ensure that theour Board of Directors and its standing committees are appropriately constituted to meet their fiduciary and corporate governance obligations. In this role, theour Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for identifying and recruiting new members of theour Board of Directors when vacancies arise, identifying and recruiting nominees for election as directors and reconsidering incumbent directors in connection with nominations for elections of directors. TheOur Nominating and Governance Committee is also charged with: (i) reviewing and recommending changes in the size and composition of theour Board of Directors and itsBoard committees; (ii) developing and maintaining criteria and processes for selecting candidates for election as directors; (iii) identifying and recruiting candidates to stand for election as directors and determining whether incumbent directors should stand for reelection; (iv) ensuring that the Companywe and theour Board of Directors operate in accordance with current best practices; (v) providing for ongoing director training and education; (vi) reporting to theour Board of Directors on Nominating and Governance Committee activities; (vii) annually reviewing the Nominating and Governance Committee'sCommittee’s performance of its responsibilities and duties; and (viii) annually reviewing the Nominating and Governance Committee Charter, the structure and the processes and membership requirements of the Nominating and Governance Committee and recommending to theour Board of Directors any improvements or amendments that theour Nominating and Governance Committee considers appropriate or necessary.


 

Director Qualifications

 

It is a policy of theour Nominating and Governance Committee that candidates for director be determined to have unquestionable integrity and the highest ethical character. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to exercise sound, mature and independent business judgment in the best interests of the stockholders as a whole and may not have any interests that would, in the view of theour Nominating and Governance Committee, impair their ability to exercise independent judgment or otherwise discharge the fiduciary duties owed as a director. Candidates must have experience and demonstrated achievement in one or more fields of business, professional, governmental, communal, scientific or educational endeavors which will complement the talents of the other members of theour Board of Directors and further theour interests, of the Company, bearing in mind the composition of theour Board of Directors and the current state of the Company and the state of the biotechnical/biopharmaceutical industry generally. In particular, theour Nominating and Governance Committee believes it is important for one or more members of theour Board of Directors to have in-depth experience in the biotechnical/biopharmaceutical industry. TheOur Nominating and Governance Committee has determined that one or more of its members, including the incumbents nominated to stand for reelection at the Annual Meeting, have such biotechnical/biopharmaceutical experience.

 

Candidates are expected to have an appreciation of the major issues facing public companies of a size and operational scope similar to the Company,us, including contemporary governance concerns, regulatory obligations of a public issuer, strategic business planning, competition in a global economy, and basic concepts of corporate finance. Candidates must also have the willingness and capability to devote the time necessary to participate actively in meetings of theour Board of Directors and committeeBoard Committee meetings and related activities, the ability to work professionally and effectively with other members of the Board of Directors and Company management, and the ability and intention to remain on theour Board of Directors long enough to make an effective contribution. Among candidates who meet the foregoing criteria, theour Nominating and Governance Committee also considers the Company'sCompany’s current and anticipated needs, including expertise, diversity and balance of inside, outside and independent directors.

 

TheOur Nominating and Governance Committee, encouraging diversity, endeavors to comprise theour Board of Directors of members with a broad mix of professional and personal backgrounds. Thus, theour Nominating and Governance Committee accords some weight to the individual professional background and experience of each director. Further, in considering nominations, theour Nominating and Governance Committee takes into accountconsiders how a candidate’s professional background would fit into the mix of experiences represented by the then-current Board of Directors. When evaluating a nominee’s overall qualifications, theour Nominating and Governance Committee does not assign specific weights to particular criteria, and no particular criterion is necessarily required of all prospective nominees. In addition to the aforementioned criteria, when evaluating a director for re-nomination to theour Board of Directors, theour Nominating and Governance Committee will also consider the director’s history of attendance at board and committee meetings, the director’s preparation for and participation in such meetings, and the director’s tenure as a member of theour Board of Directors.

 

Director Independence

 

In accordance with the rules of the SEC and NASDAQ, the Company requires that at least a majority of the directors serving at any time on the Board of Directors be independent, that at least three directors satisfy the financial literacy requirements for service on the Audit Committee and that at least one member of the Audit Committee qualify as an "audit“audit committee financial expert"expert” under those rules.

 

The Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Fritz (chairman of our Audit Committee) is qualified to serve as the "audit“audit committee financial expert"expert” as defined by Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K and that Mr. Fritz and Drs. Chow and MartinezBraun meet the financial literacy requirements under applicable SEC and NASDAQ rules. The Board of Directors has also determined that of the sevensix currently serving directors, sixfive directors (Drs. Augustine Chow, Alberto R. Martinez, Donald P. Braun, Andreas Voss and Messrs. Robert W. Hooper and Frederick J. Fritz) are independent under applicable SEC and NASDAQ rules. In consideringMr. Fritz acts as the independencechairman of the non-employee Directors nominated for election, each of Dr. Augustine Chow and Mr. Frederick J. Fritz has no relationship with the Company other than as a Director and are independent.our Audit Committee.

 

Page - 19


 

Nominating and Governance Committee Process

 

In selecting candidates for theour Board of Directors, the Nominating and Governance Committee begins by determining whether the incumbent directors whose terms expire at the annual meeting of stockholders desire and are qualified to continue their service on theour Board of Directors. Under its charter, theour Nominating and Governance Committee is charged with considering incumbent directors as if they were new candidates. However, theour Nominating and Governance Committee recognizes the significant value of the continuing service of qualified incumbents in promoting stability and continuity, providing the benefit of the familiarity and insight into the Company'sour affairs and enhancing theour Board of Directors'Directors’ ability to work as a collective body. Therefore, it is the policy of theour Nominating and Governance Committee, absent special circumstances, to nominate qualified incumbent directors who theour Nominating and Governance Committee believes will continue to make important contributions to theour Board of Directors and who consent to stand for re-election. If any member of theour Board of Directors does not wish to continue in service or if theour Nominating and Governance Committee or theour Board of Directors decides not to re-nominate a member, there is an existing vacancy on theour Board of Directors, or theour Board of Directors, upon the recommendation of the Nominating and Governance Committee, elects to expand the size of theour Board of Directors, the following process would be followed:

 

The Nominating and Governance Committee develops a profile for candidates'candidates’ skills and experience, based on the criteria described above.

The Nominating and Governance Committee initiates a search, polling members of the Board of Directors and management, and retaining a search firm if the Nominating and Governance Committee deems this appropriate.

The Nominating and Governance Committee has a policy with respect to stockholders'stockholders’ suggestions for nominees for directorships. Under this policy, stockholder nominees are given identical consideration as nominees identified by the Nominating and Governance Committee.

The process by which stockholders may submit potential nominees is described below under "Stockholder“Stockholder Recommendation Process."

The Nominating and Governance Committee then determines the eligibility and suitability of any candidate based on the criteria described above and the Nominating and Governance Committee'sCommittee’s search profile.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors and at least one member of the Nominating and Governance Committee interview prospective candidate(s) who satisfy the qualifications described above.

The Nominating and Governance Committee offers other members of the Board of Directors the opportunity to interview the candidate(s) and then meets to consider and approve the final candidate(s).

The Nominating and Governance Committee seeks endorsement of the final candidate(s) from the full Board of Directors.

The final candidate(s) are nominated by the Board of Directors for submission to a stockholder vote or elected to fill a vacancy.

 

Stockholder Recommendation Process

 

TheOur Nominating and Governance Committee will consider for nomination any qualified director candidates recommended by our stockholders. Any stockholder who wishes to recommend a director candidate is directed to submit in writing the candidate’s name, biographical information and relevant qualifications to our Corporate Secretary at our principal executive offices. All written submissions received from our stockholders will be reviewed by the Nominating and Governance Committee at the next appropriate meeting. The Nominating and Governance Committee will evaluate any suggested director candidates received from our stockholders in the same manner as recommendations received from management, committee members or members of our board. The Company or the Nominating and Governance Committee may require a stockholder who proposes a nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Company to determine the eligibility or suitability of the proposed nominee to serve as director of the Company. See the section titled “Stockholder Nominations and Proposals for the 20182021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders” later in this Proxy Statement.

 

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Revisions to Nomination Process

 

TheOur Nominating and Governance Committee and stockholder recommendation processes have been developed to provide a flexible framework to permit the director nomination process to move forward effectively. TheOur Nominating and Governance Committee intends to review these processes from time to time in light of the Company'sour evolving needs and changing circumstances, as well as changes in legal requirements and stock exchange listing standards. The Nominating and Governance Committee may revise these processes or adopt new ones based on such periodic reviews.

 


STOCKHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS

 

TheOur Board of Directors has adopted a process through which interested stockholders may communicate with theour Board of Directors. Stockholders who wish to send communications to theour Board of Directors, or any particular director, should address such communications to the Corporate Secretary, at the Company'sour headquarters at 997 Lenox Drive, Suite 100, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, 08648. The envelope containing any such communication should be prominently marked "To“To the Attention of the Board of Directors"Directors” or to a particular committee or director, and the communication should include a representation from the stockholder indicating the stockholder'sstockholder’s address and the number of shares of the Company'sour common stock beneficially owned by the stockholder. Our Corporate Secretary is primarily responsible for monitoring communications from stockholders. Depending upon the content of a particular communication, as he deems appropriate, our Corporate Secretary will: (i) forward the communication to the director, directors or committee to whom it is addressed; (ii) attempt to handle the inquiry directly, for example where the stockholder communication consists of a request for information about the Company or is a stock-related matter; or (iii) not forward communications such as solicitations, junk mail and obviously frivolous or inappropriate communications. At each meeting of theour Board of Directors, the Corporate Secretary will present a summary of all communications, whether or not forwarded, received since the last meeting and will make those communications available to the directors on request.

 

BOARD ATTENDANCE

 

TheOur Board of Directors strongly encourages, but does not require, all directors, to the extent reasonable and practicable, to attend the Company's annual meetingsCompany’s Annual Meetings of stockholdersStockholders in person.person (and in this year’s case, via the live webcast). All of the current members of theour Board of Directors were present at the Company’s 20162020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Stockholders held on June 15, 2020.

 

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

 

20162020 DIRECTOR COMPENSATION TABLE

 

The following table sets forth the cash and noncash compensation paid to the Company’s directors who are not employed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (“Non-Employee Directors”) for the year ended December 31, 2016.2020. Other than as set forth in the table, we did not pay any compensation, make any equity awards or non-equity awards to, or pay any other compensation to any of the non-employee members of our Board in 2020. The compensation paid to any director who was also one of our employees during fiscal year 20162020 is presented in the “Summary“2020 Summary Compensation Table” and the information that follows that table. Such employee directors do not receive separate compensation for service on the Board of Directors or any of its committees.

 

Name

 

FeesEarned

($)

  

Stock Grants

($) (1) (2)

  

OptionAwards

($) (2) (4)

  

Total ($)

  Fees Earned
($)
  Option Awards
($) (1)
  Total
($)
 

Augustine Chow (3)

 $39,400  $6,650  $51,592  $97,642  $41,000  $23,010  $64,010 

Robert W. Hooper

  43,400   6,650   40,213   90,263   46,000   23,010   69,010 

Alberto R. Martinez(2)

  39,400   6,650   36,420   82,470   41,000   23,010   64,010 

Frederick J. Fritz (3)

  102,900   6,650   34,144   143,694   99,900   23,010   122,910 

Donald P. Braun

  35,400   6,650      42,050   35,900   23,010   58,910 

Andreas Voss

  41,900   6,650      48,550   90,900   23,010   133,910 

 

(1)

During 2016, each Director was awarded a stock grant of 5,000 vested shares of common stock from the 2007 Plan. The grant date fair value of each award was $1.33 per share.

(2)

The value reported for Stock and Option Awards is the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards and stock options respectively, granted to each Director in the years shown,2020, determined in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, disregarding adjustments for forfeiture assumptions.718. The assumptions for making the valuation determinations are set forth in the Note 11 in the financial statements in the Company’s 2016this Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 16, 2017.

(3)

During 2016, the Director elected to receive a portion of their fees equal to $9,575 in common stock in lieu of cash.

(4)

filed. As of December 31, 2016,2020, Dr. Chow had 158,215143,689 option awards outstanding; Mr. Hooper had 131,551139,737 option awards outstanding; Mr.Dr. Martinez had 122,663105,880 option awards outstanding; Mr. Fritz had 117,330140,118 option awards outstanding; and Dr. Braun and Dr. Voss each had 40,000111,357 option awards outstanding.

(2)Dr. Martinez retired from the Board of Directors effective December 31, 2020.

 

Page - 21


 

The following table sets forth stock options andoption grants awarded to the Company’s Non-Employee Directors for the year ended December 31, 2016.2020. The stock option grants to any director who was also one of our employees during fiscal year 20162020 is presented in the “2016“2020 Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table” and the information that follows that table. Employee directors do not receive separate optionequity awards for service on the Board of Directors or any of itsthe Board committees.

 

Non-Employee Director Stock Option and Grant Awards Table 
 Non-Employee Director Stock Option and Grant Awards Table 

Name

 

Numberof

Stock Awards

Granted

  

Numberof

Options

Granted

  

Exercise

Price

 

Grant

Date

Expiration

Date

 

Grant

Date

Fair

Value

  Number of
Options
Granted (#) (1)
  

Exercise

Price ($)

  Grant
Date
 Expiration
Date
 Grant
Date
Fair
Value ($)
 

Augustine Chow

  5,000 (1)     $ 

2/2/2016

2/2/2026

 $1.33   6,000  $1.16  2/25/2020 2/25/2020 $3.1600 
      25,000 (2)  1.33 

2/2/2016

2/2/2026

  1.03 
      22,664 (3)  1.22 

9/6/2016

9/6/2026

  1.14   4,000  $3.66  6/15/2020 6/15/2020 $1.0125 
                                 

Robert W. Hooper

  5,000 (1)     $ 

2/2/2016

2/2/2026

 $1.33   6,000  $1.16  2/25/2020 2/25/2020 $3.1600 
      25,000 (2)   1.33 

2/2/2016

2/2/2026

  1.03   4,000  $3.66  6/15/2020 6/15/2020 $1.0125 
      12,665 (3)  1.22 

9/6/2016

9/6/2026

  1.14                 
                 

Alberto R. Martinez

  5,000 (1)     $ 

2/2/2016

2/2/2026

 $1.33   6,000  $1.16  2/25/2020 2/25/2020 $3.1600 
      25,000 (2)  1.33 

2/2/2016

2/2/2026

  1.03 
      9,332 (3)  1.22 

9/6/2016

9/6/2026

  1.14   4,000  $3.66  6/15/2020 6/15/2020 $1.0125 
                                 

Frederick J. Fritz

  5,000 (1)     $ 

2/2/2016

2/2/2026

 $1.33   6,000  $1.16  2/25/2020 2/25/2020 $3.1600 
      25,000 (2)  1.33 

2/2/2016

2/2/2026

  1.03   4,000  $3.66  6/15/2020 6/15/2020 $1.0125 
      7,332 (3)  1.22 

9/6/2016

9/6/2026

  1.14                 
                 

Donald P. Braun

  5,000 (1)      $ 

2/2/2016

2/2/2026

 $1.33   6,000  $1.16  2/25/2020 2/25/2020 $3.1600 
                   4,000  $3.66  6/15/2020 6/15/2020 $1.0125 
                

Andreas Voss

  5,000 (1)     $ 

2/2/2016

2/2/2026

 $1.33   6,000  $1.16  2/25/2020 2/25/2020 $3.1600 
  4,000  $3.66  6/15/2020 6/15/2020 $1.0125 

 

(1)

During 2016, each Director was awarded a stock grant of 5,000 vested shares of common stock from the 2007 Plan. The grant date fair value of each award was $1.33 per share.

(2)

Each of these stock option grants vest in three equal installments, with one-third of the grant vesting on the date of grant and one third of the remaindergrant vesting in two annual installments thereafter.

(3)

Eachon each of these stock option grants vest onthe first and second anniversary of the date of grant.

grant, subject to the applicable director’s continued service as a member of our Board through each applicable vesting date.

 

NARRATIVE DISCLOSURE TO DIRECTOR COMPENSATION TABLE

 

During the year ended December 31, 2016,2020, each Non-Employee Director of the Company received annual cash compensation in the amount of $27,500$28,500 payable in quarterly installments, and an additional $1,100 or $1,700$1,850 for attendance, telephonically or in person respectively,or telephonically, at regular meetings of the Board of Directors and each meeting of a committee of the Board of Directors that was not held in conjunction with a meeting of the Board of Directors. Each Non-Employee director is reimbursed for the out-of-pocket costs of attending meetings of the Board of Directors and of committees of the Board of Directors. TheIn 2020, the Chairman of the Audit Committee received an additional annual cash fee of $10,500, the Chairman of the Nominating$12,000 and Corporate Governance Committee received an additional annual cash fee of $6,000, the Chairman of the Compensation Committee received an additional annual cash fee of $8,000 and the Chairman$9,000.

Acting on behalf of the Science and Technology Committee received an additional annual cash feeBoard of $6,500 in 2016.Directors, Mr. Fritz also received fees totaling $48,000 in 2020 for his role as a Board Liaison to our Board of Directors. Mr. Fritz’s responsibilities as Board Liaison include the following: (i) serve as an initial sounding board for our management regarding issues, matters, or communications to be brought or potentially to be brought before the Board of Directors; (ii) provide input and feedback to management regarding strategic matters, business matters, major scientific, clinical, collaboration, or corporate development matters, key personnel matters, or other items of significance regarding which management would like to obtain initial or further Board guidance, including, but not limited to, guidance regarding timing and content of communications regarding such matters or items with the full Board or any of its committees; (iii) remain accessible to management to provide guidance on business or strategy issues or other issues of significance on an as-needed basis; (iv) participate in meetings and relevant discussions as requested by management; (v) conduct general advisory or liaison services to the Board, including relaying to management requests from other members of the Board regarding desired additional information or clarification or suggestions or feedback regarding improvement in Board processes or communications; (vi) serve as a conduit for informal communications between management and the Board; and (vii) any other such services established by the Board from time to time.

Page - 22

Acting on behalf of our Board of Directors, Dr. Voss also received fees totaling $48,000 in 2020 for his role as a strategic advisor to our Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Voss’ responsibilities as a strategic advisor include the following: (i) provide strategic and tactical advisory servicesadvice to our Chief Executive Officer; (ii) evaluate international subsidiary options; (iii) develop strategies to secure business relationships other than in the Company.U.S.; and (iv) having done both (ii) and (iii), develop high potential ex-US market strategies that address the objectives for broad and profitable sales of its commercial products.

 

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

 

Mr. Hooper, and Drs.Dr. Chow and Dr. Martinez (until his retirement from the Board of Directors on December 31, 2020) each served on the Compensation Committee of theour Board of Directors for 2016.2020. No director who served on our Compensation Committee at any time during 20162020 is or was a current or former executive officer or employee of the Company, or had any relationships requiring disclosure by the Company under the SEC’s rules requiring disclosure of certain relationships and related party transactions. None of the members of the Compensation Committee during fiscal year 20162020 was, or has ever been, an officer or employee of the Company, and, during fiscal year 2016,2020, no executive officer of the Company served on the board and/or compensation committee of any company that employed as an executive officer any member of the Company'sCompany’s Board and/or Compensation Committee.

 


STOCK OWNERSHIP GUIDELINES FOR NON-EMPLOYEE AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

 

TheOur Board of Directors believes that, as a matter of sound corporate governance, non-employee and executive directors should have a significant personal financial stake in our performance. Consequently, in February 2011, theour Board of Directors adopted stock ownership guidelines for non-employee and executive directors. Our corporate governance guidelines require that each non-employee director acquire and hold shares of our common stock having an aggregate value equal to two times the director’s total compensation in the first year of service and that our executive director acquire and hold shares of our common stock having an aggregate value equal to the executive director’s total compensation in the first year of service. Each director is expected to satisfy the applicable ownership guideline within three years after his or her appointment to the board, whichever is later.Board.

 

Shares of our common stock that count toward satisfaction of these ownership guidelines include, unless beneficial ownership therein is disclaimed: (i) shares owned outright by the director or executive officer or their immediate family members residing in the same household, whether held individually or jointly; (ii) shares held in a trust, family limited partnership or similar entity solely for the benefit of the director or executive officer and/or their immediate family members; (iii) shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units awarded under our equity incentive plans, including vested and unvested awards; and (iv) shares acquired upon stock option exercise, but not shares underlying unexercised stock options.

 

Page - 23


 

REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Our management is primarily responsible for our internal control and financial reporting process. Our independent registered public accounting firm, WithumSmith+Brown, PC, is responsible for performing an independent audit of our consolidated financial statements and issuing opinions on the conformity of those audited financial statements with United States generally accepted accounting principles and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Our Audit Committee monitors our financial reporting process and reports to the Board on its findings.

In this context, the Audit Committee hereby reports as follows:

1. The Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee management's implementation of the Company's financial reporting process. In discharging its oversight role, the Audit Committeehas reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements contained in the Company's 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K with the Company's management and the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. Management is responsible for the financial statements and the reporting process, including the system of internal controls.our management.

2. The Company'sAudit Committee has discussed with our independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for expressing an opinion on the conformity of those financial statements with accounting principles generally accepted inmatters required to be discussed under the United States.rules adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) and the SEC.

 

3. The Audit Committee met privately with the Company's independent registered public accounting firm and discussed issues deemed significant byhas received from the independent registered public accounting firm including thosethe written disclosures and the letter required to be discussed by Auditing Standard No. 16, “Communications with Audit Committees” issued by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. In addition,applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding the independent registered public accounting firm’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence and has discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm its independence from the Company and its management, including the matters in the written disclosures and the letter received from the independent registered public accounting firm as required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent accountant's communications with the audit committee concerning independence, and considered whether the provision of non-audit services by the independent registered public accounting firm was compatible with maintaining the independent registered public accounting firm's independence. The Audit Committee also met with the independent registered public accounting firm, with and without management present, to discuss the results of the independent registered public accounting firm's examination, their evaluation of the Company's internal controls, and the overall quality of the Company's financial reporting.

 

In reliance4. Based on the reviewsreview and discussions outlinedreferred to in paragraphs (1) through (3) above, theour Audit Committee recommended to the Board, of Directorsand the Board has approved, that the audited financial statements be included in the Company's 2016Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.SEC.

 

Members of the Audit Committee

 

Mr. Frederick J. Fritz (Chairman)

Dr. Augustine Chow

Dr. Alberto R. Martinez Donald P. Braun

 

Page - 24


 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

 

This section describes the material elements of compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to Michael H. Tardugno, our Chairman, President and Chiefthe following Executive Officer, Jeffrey W. Church, our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Nicholas Borys, M.D., our Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer and Khursheed Anwer, Ph.D., our Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer. Officers of the Company:

Michael H. Tardugno, our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Nicholas Borys, M.D., our Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
Khursheed Anwer, Ph.D., our Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer
Jeffrey W. Church, our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

These individuals are listed in the 20162020 Summary Compensation Table below and are referred to in this discussion as the “Named Executive Officers.”

 

Introduction

 

Celsion isWe are a fully-integrated oncology drug developmentfully integrated, clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developingadvancing a portfolio of innovative cancer treatments including DNA-based immunotherapies, next generation vaccines and directed chemotherapies immunotherapiesthrough clinical trials and RNA- or DNA-based therapies.eventual commercialization. The Company's lead program is ThermoDox®, a proprietary heat-activated liposomal encapsulation of doxorubicin, currently in Phase III development for the treatment of primary liver cancer and in Phase II development for the treatment of recurrent chest wall breast cancer. The Company'sCompany’s product pipeline also includes GEN-1, a DNA-based immunotherapy for the localized treatment of ovarian cancer and brain cancers.ThermoDox®, a proprietary heat-activated liposomal encapsulation of doxorubicin, currently under investigator-sponsored development for several cancer indications. Celsion has two feasibility stage platform technologies for the development of novel nucleic acid-based immunotherapies and next generation vaccines and other anti-cancer DNA or RNA therapies, including TheraPlas and TheraSilence.therapies. Both are novel synthetic, non-viral vectors with demonstrated capability in nucleic acid cellular transfection.

 

As a result of the Company’sour drug development status, it is unlikely, in the short to medium term, to generate revenues and income sufficient to cover product development costs. As a result, the Company’sour executive compensation philosophy is to align the interests of management and stockholders by emphasizing rewards for Company performance, while remaining competitive with compensation paid by other clinical stage biotechnology companies.

 

The compensation practices that we have outlined below have been implemented because we believe that they are consistent with our stockholders’ interests:

 

What we do:

What we do:

A significant portion of our executive compensation is based on actual Company performance compared to absolute and relative measures and is therefore “at risk”;

Performance shares in our long-term and annual incentive programs are subject to both time and performance vesting requirements;

Multiple performance metrics between the annual and long-term incentive plans discourage excessive risk-taking by removing any incentive to focus on a single performance goal to the detriment of the Company;

Appropriate balance

Balance between annual and long-term compensation discouragesto discourage short-term risk taking at the expense of long-term results;

Our executives are encouraged to acquire and maintain meaningful ownership positions in our Company'sCompany’s common stock;

Use relevant peer groups in ourcompetitive compensation information compiled from compensation surveys; and

Provide reasonable, double trigger change in control arrangements.

Page - 25

 

Following is a list of compensation practices that we have not engaged in because we do not believe that they are consistent with our stockholders'stockholders’ interests:

What we don't do:

 

What we don’t do:

Re-pricing or backdating of stock options;

Hedging or engaging in the following transactions that include shares of common stock: collars, short sales and other derivative transactions for NEOs or directors;

Excessive perquisites for executives;
Single trigger or modified single trigger cash severance benefits followed by a change in control; and

Provisions for excise tax gross upsgross-ups in employment contracts issued.


 

Stockholder Say-on-Pay Votes

 

The Company provides itsWe provide our stockholders with the opportunity to cast an advisory vote every three yearsannually to approve itsour executive compensation program (referred to as a “say-on-pay proposal”). At the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held inon June 2016,15, 2020, approximately 98%86.1% of the votes actually cast on the say-on-pay proposal at that meeting were voted in favor of the Company'sour executive compensation program. The Compensation Committee believes these results affirmed stockholders’ support of the Company’sour approach to itsthe executive compensation program. In general, the Compensation Committee did not change its approach in 20162020 and believes the program in place, as in prior years, includes a number of features that further the goals of the Company’s executive compensation program. The Compensation Committee will continue to consider the outcome of the Company’s say-on-pay proposals when making future compensation decisions for the Named Executive Officers.

 

In March 2016, the Company and Mr. Tardugno entered into an amended and restated employment agreement, which generally contained the same terms as set forth in Mr. Tardugno’s prior employment agreement, but removed the modified single-trigger provision included in that agreement. Under that provision, Mr. Tardugno was eligible to receive severance following a change in control if Mr. Tardugno elected to terminate his employment for any reason or no reason commencing with the sixth and ending with the twelfth month following the change in control. In accordance with commonly viewed best practices, the parties agreed to remove this provision so that it is longer operative, effective March 30, 2016.

The Compensation Committee has adopted the following executive compensation approaches, which the Company believes help to achieve the objectives for the executive compensation program and are generally favored by stockholders:

 

A significant amount of the executives’ compensation is at-risk. For fiscal year 2016, over 50%2020, 57.8% of Mr. Tardugno’s target total direct compensation was performance-based (annual cash incentive awards) and/or linked to the value of the Company’sour stock price.price (long-term equity incentive awards). As used in this discussion, the term “total direct compensation” means the aggregatemeans:

1.Aggregate amount of the executive’s base salary (46%(39%), target annual
2.Annual cash incentive awards (20%(28%), and long-term
3.Long-term equity incentive (option and restricted stock) awards based on the grant-date fair value of such awards as determined under the accounting principles used in the Company’s audited financial statements (31%(30%), and all other
4.Other Compensation (3%).

 

Executives’ bonuses under the Company’sour annual incentive program are principally based on the achievement of specific performance objectives established at the beginning of the fiscal year by the Compensation Committee. Historically the Compensation Committee has awarded the annual incentive bonus for each year in the first quarter of the following year. In the first quarter of 2017, the Compensation Committee elected to defer any decision relating to the amount and the payment of the incentive bonus for 2016, if any, for each of the Named Executive Officers until the third quarter of 2017. The Compensation Committee based this decision on the 2016 performance and financial condition of the Company.

Executives’ 20162020 annual equity awards were granted in the form of stock option awards. We believe the grant of stock option awards further aligns the executives’ interests with those of stockholders as the awards will not have value unless the Company’s stock price appreciates after the award is granted. The stock option awards also provide a retention incentive as they vest over a multi-year period.

Executives are also granted stock option and restricted stock awards at the time they join the Company as these provide the same incentives as annual equity awards. These stock option grants and restricted stock awards generally vest over a three or four yearfour-year period beginning on the first yearfirst-year anniversary of the date of grant.

Page - 26

The following table provides the components of Mr. Tardugno’s compensation for the last two years:

(in 000’s) 2020  Change  2019  Change 
             
Base Salary $557   2% $547   3%
Cash Incentive Awards  400   108%  193   (48)%
Option and Stock Awards  427   (8)%  465   (77)%
All Other Compensation  45   (4)%  47   -%
Total $1,429   14% $1,252   (58)%

 

Executive Compensation Philosophy and Procedures

 

The Compensation Committee attempts to design executive compensation programs to achieve three principal objectives.

 

The program is intended to attract, motivate and retain talented executives with total compensation that is competitive within the drug development and broader pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry;

The program is intended to create an alignment of interests between the Company’sour executives and stockholders such that a significant portion of each executive’s compensation varies with business performance and is dependent on stock price appreciation; and

The program is designed to award behavior which results in optimizing the commercial potential of the Company’sour development program.


 

The Compensation Committee’s philosophy is to pay competitive total compensation, comprised of annual salaries, annual cash incentives and long-term equity awards (primarily stock options), with a significant percentage of total compensation that is directly linked with the Company’s performance. The Compensation Committee considers the elements of the compensation package to be reflective of compensation packages given to executives of companies of similar size in our industry. Compensation packages generally are designed to pay competitive salaries at the median of the industry compensation surveys as described below, reward superior annual performance through incentive compensation awards and allow executives to participate in increases in stockholder value through stock option and other stock-based grants.

 

In determining executives’ compensation levels, the Compensation Committee relies primarily on its experience and judgment to provide a package that it believes appropriately balances the need to attract and retain key executive talent with the creation of incentives that will (i) enhance the growth of the Company, (ii) align the interests of management and stockholders by emphasizing rewards for Company performance, while remaining competitive with compensation paid by other clinical stage biotechnology companies and (iii) provide value for stockholders.

As part of its decision-making process, the Compensation Committee takes into account the role and experience of each executive and reviews industry surveys (specifically, the Radford Global Life Sciences Survey, which covers a broad cross-section of the biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and life science industries and in which the Company participates) for information on the compensation paid to executive officers by companies in our industry that are similar in size, breadth, stage of development or complexity to the Company. The Compensation Committee will also reviewreviews custom surveys comparing executive compensation with that of specific peer groups (for example, pre-commercial biopharma public companies, biopharma companies with under 50 employee,employees, biopharma companies with a market cap above $100 million and biopharma companies with a market cap below $100 million).

 

In light of2021, the straightforward nature ofCompensation Committee retained Mercer as its independent compensation advisor to compare the Company’s executive and non-employee director 2020 compensation arrangements, the Compensation Committee believes it has not been necessarylevels, policies, practices and procedures to retain independent compensation consultants, and no consultants were retaineda set of peer companies selected by the Compensation Committee orwith input from Mercer. Mercer reported directly to the CompanyCompensation Committee and performed no work for 2016.management that was not under the Compensation Committee’s purview. The Compensation Committee reviewsassessed the independence of Mercer pursuant to the relevant SEC rules and the Nasdaq Listing Rules and concluded that no conflicts of interest exist. The Compensation Committee and Mercer reviewed the compensation surveys as summarized above with the Chief Executive Officer as it relates to elements of yearly performance and compensation of all members of the executive management team. As part of their engagement, Mercer prepared and submitted to the Compensation Committee a report on the audit of the Company’s current compensation benchmarking practices and its recommendations relating to executive and non-employee director compensation. Mercer concluded that the Company uses appropriate market data sources to evaluate the competitive positioning of the top executives’ and the Board of Directors’ compensation packages and market positioning relative to those data sources is reasonable.

Page - 27

The Compensation Committee believes that an appropriate level of input from our Chief Executive Officer provides a necessary and valuable perspective in helping the Compensation Committee formulate its own independent views on compensation. The Compensation Committee takes measures to ensure its independence with respect to theour Chief Executive Officer'sOfficer’s compensation, excusing him from portions of meetings to freely discuss his and the other Named Executive Officers performance and compensation. The Compensation Committee made all final determinations on the compensation levels for all Named Executive Officers.Officers in 2020 and 2019.

 

A discussion of each individual element of compensation and the compensation for each Named Executive Officer for 20162019 follows.

 

Annual Salaries

 

The Company participatesWe participate in an ongoing industry survey as described above. The Compensation Committee compares base salary for Companyour executives with the levels provided to similarly situated executives and generally targets base salaries at levels in the median of the survey data.

 

In early 2017,2020, the Compensation Committee reviewed each executive’s job responsibilities, individual performance, our corporate performance, competitive market data, our total compensation expense and the base salaries of Mr. Tardugno, Dr. Borys, Dr. Anwer and Mr. Church Dr. Borys and Dr. Anwer. The Compensation Committee elected to defer any decision relating toapproved the following salary increasesadjustments for each of the Named Executive Officers until the third quarter of 2017. Officer:

Named Executive Officer Fiscal 2020
Salary
  Fiscal 2019
Salary
  Change from
Previous Year
 
Michael H. Tardugno $557,222  $547,342   1.8%
Nicholas Borys $417,097  $409,999   1.7%
Khursheed Anwer $335,852  $325,442   3.2%
Jeffrey W. Church $382,246  $377,593   1.2%

 

Incentive Compensation

 

The Company hasWe have an incentive compensation plan in which all members of our senior management participate. The plan is performance-driven based on Company and individual personal operational objectives established at the beginning of the year by the Compensation Committee in consultation with theour Chief Executive Officer. These operational objectives include the completion of certain development projects, capital raising, cost controls, business development and profit and loss goals, which we believe are ultimately linked to creating stockholder value. These objectives are designed to achieve timely and efficient product development including completion of clinical studies and regulatory approvals. Each member of senior management is individually evaluated based on the achievement of the Company’s overall operational objectives and each individual’s personal performance against these objectives. This component of compensation is provided, among other reasons, to create incentives for members of senior management to meet shortshort- and medium termmedium-term performance goals of the Company, without regard to stock price. Objectives are weighted in terms of overall importance to meeting the Company’s operating plan.


 

The total annual incentive compensation a member of senior management can earn is based on his level within management, with more senior members of management eligible to earn a higher percentage of their base salary as incentive compensation than less senior members. We believe it is appropriate for executives to have a greater percentage of their compensation “at-risk” based on performance as they generally have a greater role in the achievement of objectives that we believe promote the growth of the Company and the creation of value for stockholders. The actual amount of incentive compensation paid to any member of senior management is determined on a sliding scale dependent on how successful such member of senior management was in achieving the objectives upon which his or her incentive compensation was targeted and the relative importance to the Company of the objectives achieved. The Compensation Committee retains complete discretion to adjust any incentive compensation down and retains discretion as to whether to grant any incentive compensation to any individual member of senior management at all.

 

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Under the incentive compensation plan for 2016,2020, the Compensation Committee established a number of annual corporate goals identified below that include research and development, regulatory, manufacturing, organizational and financial goals which we believe are essential to building stockholder value. The relative weighting of these corporate goals is based upon our assessment of the importance of each goal in creating value for the Company and our stockholders. If all of the stated goals were achieved, the overall corporate performance rating would have been 100%. Each corporate goal was established so that significant levels of achievement were required to meet the goal. Following the conclusion of the annual performance period, the level of achievement for each corporate goal was assessed by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee determined whether each corporate goal had been met, exceeded, or not satisfied. In addition, in assessing corporate performance, the Compensation Committee had the discretion to factor in other significant corporate events that occurred during the performance period, which could have resulted in an upward or downward adjustment in the determination of corporate performance. After taking into accountconsidering the level of attainment of each corporate goal and other appropriate corporate performance factors, the Compensation Committee assigned the overall corporate performance rating, which could have ranged from 0% to 100%130%. A maximum bonus pool is established by multiplying the overall corporate performance rating by the aggregate target bonuses for all individuals in the incentive plan. Certain individual downward adjustments may be made at the discretion of the Compensation Committee. The aggregate of all individual bonuses awarded under the policy cannot exceed the maximum bonus pool available such that the cost of bonuses ultimately reflects our overall performance and is not inflated by any individual performance rating.

 

After the corporate performance rating is determined by the Compensation Committee, the individual performance of each Named Executive Officer is reviewed by the Compensation Committee in consultation with Mr. Tardugno in order to determine the appropriate annual performance percentage rating to be assigned to the executive for the performance period. Each Named Executive Officer’s actual annual performance-based incentive compensation payment is based on a combination of our corporate performance rating and his or her individual performance rating. The actual annual performance bonus compensation award for each Named Executive Officer is determined in ourthe Compensation Committee’s sole discretion, and the maximum payout for each Named Executive Officer could be up to 100%130% of his target annual performance-based compensation target.

 

The Named Executive Officers were each assigned a target annual incentive for 20162020 ranging from 40%45% to 100% of base salary. The table below shows the target annual incentive assigned to each Named Executive Officer for 20162020 both as a dollar amount and as a percentage of base salary.

 

Name

 

Target Annual

Incentive for

Entire 2016

Year ($)

  

Target Annual

Incentive for

Entire 2016 Year

(% of Base Salary)

  Target Annual
Incentive
for 2020
  Target Annual
Incentive for 2020 (% of Base Salary)
  Annual Incentive Awarded
for 2020
  Annual Incentive
Awarded for 2020 (% of Base Salary)
 

Michael H. Tardugno

 $501,023   100%  $557,222   100% $400,001   71.8%

Jeffrey W. Church

  134,556   40% 

Nicholas Borys

  150,017   40%   187,694   45%  138,395   33.2%

Khursheed Anwer

  123,404   40%   167,926   50%  122,147   36.4%
Jeffrey W. Church  172,011   45%  126,127   33.0%

 

The following 20162020 corporate objectives and relative weightings assigned to each objective include the completion of certain development projects, capital raising, cost controls, business development and profit and loss goals, which we believe are ultimately linked to creating stockholder value. These objectives are designed to achieve timely and efficient product development including completion of clinical studies and regulatory approvals.approvals and in total represent a potential payout at 130% of the executive’s bonus target if all objectives are achieved.

 

1.

Research and Development objectivesObjectives to enroll patientsfile a New Drug Application (NDA) within 6 months of positive data from the OPTIMA Study and activate sites inestablish a global commercialization plan for ThermoDox® which includes (i) completion of U.S. marketing plan and pricing studies by the Phase III clinical trialthird quarter of ThermoDox® for treatment2020, (ii) establish a China commercial structure by the fourth quarter of primary liver cancer (the OPTIMA Study) (10%2020 and (iii) enter into confidential discussions with three or more potential European license partners by the fourth quarter of 2020 (30%).

- 5% of 30% OF OBJECTIVES MET

2.

2.Research and Development objectivesObjectives to initiate a Phase II studyenroll 12 patients in the phase I portion of the OVATION 2 Study by November 30, 2020 and establish twenty (20) new investigator sites for the treatmentphase II portion of recurrent chest wall (RCW) breast cancer in Europe (the EU-Dignity Study) (10%the OVATION 2 Study (20%).

- 15% of 20% OF OBJECTIVES MET

3.

3.Research and Development objectiveObjective to complete preclinical proof-of-concept studies using ThermoDox® for the treatment of bladder cancer (5%).

4.

Researchreduce GEN-1 manufacturing costs and Development objective to launch an early access programexpand GEN-1 manufacturing capacity in the European Union (20%)


5.

Research and Development objective to execute a neoadjuvant Phase I Study of GEN-1 in ovarian caner (the OVATION Study) to establish the dose for future clinical studies (10%).

6.

Research and Development objective to file a Phase I Study protocol of GEN-1 in combination with Avastin® in ovarian cancer with the FDA (10%).

7.

Research and Development objectives to complete all preclinical studies necessary to support of an Investigational New Drug(IND) application for a Phase Ithe phase II portion of the OVATION 2 Study of GEN-1 in glioblastoma cancer (10%).

- OBJECTIVES MET

8.

4.Financial objectivesObjectives to manage cash and operating expenses, ensure cash flows are within 10% of plan and maintain sufficient levels of cash to achieve necessary run way to fund operations (20%no less than 16 months operating cash at year end 2020 (25%).

- OBJECTIVES MET

 

Page - 29

 

9.

5.

Corporate development objectivesDevelopment Objectives to expand senior management team to support commercialization of ThermoDox® and renegotiate the milestone payment for the GEN-1 ovarian cancer product candidate reducing the near-term exposure of the $12.2 million milestone payment (15%) - 7.5% of 15% OF OBJECTIVES MET

6.Bonus Objectives to develop bold and differentiating plans so as to achieve a market cap consistent with a share price at 50%of 80% of the current analysts’ average target price targets (5%for Celsion and complete a commercial license of significant value with a Pharma partner for either GEN-1 or ThermoDox® by year-end 2019 (30%).

*
* Following the recommendation by the DMC on July 9, 2021 to terminate the Phase III OPTIMA Study for futility, the Compensation Committee reassessed the Bonus Objectives with a four-point action plan for the second half of 2020 designed to stabilize the Company and insure its future. (15%) - OBJECTIVES MET

 

These performance objectives served as the corporate performance objectives under the incentive compensationThe plan for 2016.  Research and development goals comprised 75%consisted of the corporate performance objectives for 2016, with an additional 25% relating to financial and corporate development objectives that we believe were critical to the development of our drug candidate pipeline. We believe this mix of corporate goals was not only an appropriate measure of achievement in 2016, but also represents objectives important to building the long-term foundation of our business.following:

 

A report of the achievement of our 2016 corporate objectives was prepared by our executive management team and was then reviewed and assessed by the Compensation Committee. Based on this review and assessment, the Compensation Committee determined that two of the corporate goals identified above (3 and 5) were met.  Four goals (1, 2, 4, 7 and 8) were not fully met and partial credit was given for these goals.  Partial credit was given based on the level of achievement that, while not meeting the full corporate objective, nevertheless represented significant achievement towards that objective that the Compensation Committee determined warranted a proportional award. Two goals (6 and 9) were not met; therefore no credit was given for these goals. The Compensation Committee also determined that significant accomplishments outside of established corporate objectives, including the Company’s progress in certain partnerships and collaborations, advances in clinical development, and attainment of certain financial objectives, should be factored into the determination of the corporate performance rating.  

Stabilize and reposition the Company by reducing operating costs by $8 million and by raising additional capital to strengthen the balance sheet;
Pivot the clinical focus to GEN-1 and accelerate the Phase II portion of the OVATION 2 Study;
Complete the independent failure analysis of the Phase III OPTIMA Study and determine whether the study should continue to follow patients or be terminated; and
Evaluate the Company’s options going forward

 

Each of the Named Executive Officers participated in the annual incentive plan for 2016.2019. The initial target bonus amount for each executive was established pursuant to his employment agreement.agreement and is adjusted periodically by the Board. Executives’ bonuses under the Company’s annual incentive program are based on the achievement of specific performance measures established at the beginning of the fiscal year by the Compensation Committee. Historically the Compensation Committee has awarded the annual incentive bonus for each year in the first quarter of the following year. In the first quarter of 2017,2020, the Compensation Committee elected to defer any decision relating toapproved the amount and the payment of the incentive bonus for 2016, if any,2019 for each of the Named Executive Officers untilOfficers. Please see the third quarter of 2017. The“Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” column in the 2019 Summary Compensation Committee based this decision on the 2016 performance and financial condition of the Company.Table.

 

Stock-Based Compensation

 

The Company grantsWe grant long-term equity awards to its executives and other employees that are designed to align the interests ofour Company employees and its stockholders, encouraging participants to maintain and increase their ownership ofour Company common stock with the opportunity to benefit from the Company’sour long-term performance. The Company’sOur equity program has generally consisted of grants of stock options and occasional grants of stock awards. Because the exercise price of the options is based on the market price of the Company’sour common stock on the date of grant, the Compensation Committee believes that options help to align the interests of the Company’sour executives with those of its stockholders as the options will not have value unless there is appreciation in the Company’sour stock price. The options also serve as a retention tool since they generally vest over a twothree to four yearfour-year period following the grant date. This approach is designed to focus key employees on sustainable growth of the Company and the creation of stockholder value over the long term.

 

Annual grants to the Named Executive Officers are generally made during the first quarterhalf of the fiscal year. Annual Grantsgrants are determined by the Compensation Committee based on their review of each individual’s past performance as well as their potential impact on the Company’s future performance. Grants may also be made at other times during the fiscal year in certain circumstances (such as a grant in connection with the hiring or promotion of an executive or other special circumstance as deemed appropriate by the Compensation Committee).  In February 2017, the Compensation Committee elected to defer annual grants of stock options, if any, to each of the Named Executive Officers until the third quarter of 2017. 


 

Other Compensation

 

Executive officers are eligible to participate in our medical and other welfare benefit plans and for other benefits, in each case on generally the same basis as other employees. We maintain a 401(k) plan for our employees. Other than the 401(k) plan, we do not offer any of our employees a pension plan, retirement plan or other forms of compensation paid out upon retirement. The Company matches up to 50% of the first 6% of employee contributions. Mr. Tardugno and Dr Anwer receive $18,000 and $6,006, respectively, as a discretionary spending allowance.

Page - 30

 

Post-Employment Obligations

 

The Company believesWe believe that severance protections, particularly in the context of a change in control transaction, can play a valuable role in attracting and retaining key executive officers. Under their employment agreements, each of the Named Executive Officers would be entitled to severance benefits in the event of a termination of employment by the Company without cause. The Company hasWe have determined that it is appropriate to provide the executives with severance benefits under these circumstances in light of their positions with the Companyus and as part of their overall compensation package.

 

The Company believesWe believe that the occurrence, or potential occurrence, of a change in control transaction will create uncertainty regarding the continued employment of the Company’sour executive officers as many change in control transactions result in significant organizational changes, particularly at the senior executive level. In order to encourage the Company’s executive officers to remain employed with the Companyus during an important time when their prospects for continued employment following the transaction may be uncertain, the Company provideswe provide Mr. Tardugno, Mr. Church and Dr. Borys with enhanced severance benefits if his employment is actually or constructively terminated by the Company without cause in connection with a change in control.

 

In March 2016, the Company and Mr. Tardugno entered into an amended and restated employment agreement, which generally contained the same terms as set forth in Mr. Tardugno’s prior employment agreement, but removed the modified single-trigger provision included in that agreement. Under that provision, Mr. Tardugno was eligible to receive severance following a change in control if Mr. Tardugno elected to terminate his employment for any reason or no reason commencing with the sixth and ending with the twelfth month following the change in control. In accordance with commonly viewed best practices, the parties agreed to remove this provision so that it is longer operative, effective March 30, 2016.

In September 2016, the Company entered into amended and restated change in control severance agreements with Mr. Tardugno, Dr. Borys and Mr. Church, which generally contained the same terms as set forth in each Executive’s prior change in control severance agreement, but increased the severance period from one (1) to two (2) years.

Tax Considerations

 

The Compensation Committee also considers the tax impactSection 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), provides that annual compensation provided to the Named Executive Officers. Under U.S. tax law, publicly-held companies may be precluded from deducting certain compensation paid to a company’s chief executive officer and three other most highly compensated executive officers (other than the chief financial officer) in excess of $1.0 million in a year. The regulations exclude from this limit certain performance-based compensation, including stock options, provided certain requirements are satisfied. The Company’s intent generally is to design and administer executive compensation programs in a manner that will preserve the deductibility of compensation$1,000,000 paid to the Chief Executive Officer or certain of the Company’s other executive officers. However,officers will not be deductible by a publicly held corporation for federal income tax purposes. Historically, there was an exception to this annual deduction limit for compensation meeting the Company reservesdefinition of “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the right to makeCode. With the enactment of tax reform in December 2017, the performance-based compensation decisions that do not meet the standards ofexception under Section 162(m) of the Code as necessary or appropriatehas been repealed, except with respect to enablecertain grandfathered arrangements. The Compensation Committee considers the anticipated tax treatment to the Company when determining executive compensation and, historically, has sought to continuestructure its executive compensation program in a way that preserved the deductibility of compensation payments and benefits, subject to the satisfaction of other applicable regulatory requirements. It should be noted, however, that tax deductibility is one of many factors considered by the Compensation Committee in determining executive compensation and the Compensation Committee maintains the flexibility to compensate the Named Executive Officers in a manner it deems appropriate to attract, retain, and motivate highly-qualified executiveshighly qualified executive officers.

 


COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

TheOur Compensation Committee has certain duties and powers as described in its charter. TheOur Compensation Committee is currently composed of the three non-employee directors named at the end of this report, each of whom theour Board of Directors has determined is independent under the applicable NASDAQNasdaq rules.

 

TheOur Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed with management the disclosures contained in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy Statement. Based upon this review and discussion, theour Compensation Committee recommended to our Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section be included in this Proxy Statement and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016,2020, as amended.

 

Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors

Mr. Robert W. Hooper (Chairman)

Dr. Alberto R. Martinez

Dr. Augustine Chow

 

Page - 31


 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

2016 Executive Summary Compensation Table2020 SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

 

The following table sets forth information regarding the aggregate cash and othertotal compensation paid for services rendered in all capacities during the yearyears ended December 31, 20162020 and 2015:2019, awarded to, paid to or earned by each named executive officers serving as of December 31, 2020. All compensation awarded to, earned by, or paid to Celsion’s named executive officers are included in the table below for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:

 

Name and

Principal

Position

Year

 

Salary

  

Bonus

  

Stock

Awards

(1)

  

Option

Awards

(1)

  

Non-Equity

Incentive Plan

Compensation

(2)

  

All Other

Compensation

(3)

  

Total ($)

 
                              

Michael H. Tardugno (4)

2016

 $509,418  $  $33,250  $296,998  $  $29,834  $869,500 

Chairman, President & CEO

2015

  481,216         438,480   256,563   25,309   1,201,568 
                              
                              

Jeffrey W. Church (5)

2016

 $334,719  $  $15,960  $95,285  $  $19,317  $465,281 

Senior VP & CFO

2015

  311,434   35,000      107,850   79,795   19,617   553,696 
                              
                              

Nicholas Borys (6)

2016

 $373,579  $   15,960  $97,857  $  $8,249  $495,645 

Senior VP & CMO

2015

  360,215   7,500      107,850   78,270   7,615   561,450 
                              
                              

Khursheed Anwer(7)

2016

 $307,821  $  $  $41,276  $  $7,500  $356,597 

Executive VP & CSO

2015

  301,782          80,888   62,309   6,923   451,902 
Name and Principal Position Year  Salary  Bonus  Stock
Awards
(1)(2)
  Option
Awards
(1)
  Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
(2)
  All Other
Compensation
(3)
  Total
($)
 
                         
Michael H. Tardugno (4)  2020  $557,222  $  $  $426,600  $400,001  $45,250  $1,429,073 
Chairman, President & CEO  2019  $547,342  $  $179,800  $284,926  $192,572  $47,000  $1,251,640 
                                 
Nicholas Borys (5)  2020  $417,097  $  $  $173,800  $138,395  $26,750  $756,042 
Executive VP & CMO  2019  $409,999  $  $58,000  $136,727  $67,182  $28,800  $700,708 
                                 
Khursheed Anwer (6)  2020  $335,852  $  $  $158,000  $122,147  $26,750  $756,042 
Executive VP & CSO  2019  $325,442  $  $46,400  $194,977  $54,797  $29,082  $650,698 
                                 
Jeffrey Church (7)  2020  $382,246  $  $  $173,800  $126,127  $14,250  $696,423 
Executive VP & CFO  2019  $377,593  $  $54,520  $136,727  $61,827  $16,500  $647,167 

 

(1)

(1)

The value reported for Stock and Option Awardsoption awards is the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards and stock options respectively, granted to the Named Executive Officers in the years shown, determined in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, disregarding adjustments for forfeiture assumptions. The assumptions for making the valuation determinations are set forth in Note 11 to the financial statements included in the Company’s 2016our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 16, 2017.

10-K.
  

(2)

(2)

Executives’ bonuses under the Company’sour annual incentive program are based on the achievement of specific performance measures established at the beginning of the fiscal year by theour Compensation Committee. Historically, theour Compensation Committee has awarded the annual incentive bonus for each year in the first quarter of the following year. In the first quarter of 2017, the2021, our Compensation Committee elected to defer any decision relating toapproved the amount and the payment of the incentive bonus for 2016, if any,2020 for each of the Named Executive Officers untilin the third quarterform of 2017. The Compensation Committee based this decision on the 2016 performancestock awards and financial conditionNon-Equity (Cash) Incentive Plan Compensation. In connection with a portion of the Company.

2019 bonuses earned by its Named Executive Officers, the Company issued stock awards totaling 292,000 common shares in lieu of cash.
  

(3)

(3)

This column includes other compensation as indicated below and matching and discretionary contributions made by the Company for the Named Executive Officers under the Company’sour 401(k) plan. The Company’sOur matching contribution is equal to 50% of the employee’s deferrals under the plan up to 6% of the employee’s compensation, subject to applicable IRS limitations, and are made in shares of the Company’sour common stock.

The 2020 discretionary contribution is 5.0% of eligible salary of each employee which was contributed in January 2021.
  

(4)

(4)

For Mr. Tardugno, “All Other Compensation” for 20162020 consists of $17,942$18,000 for discretionary spending allowance, and a 401(k) plan-plan matching contribution of $11,892$13,000 in Celsionour common stock.

stock and a $14,250 discretionary 401(k) contribution.
  

(5)

(5)

For Dr. Borys, “All Other Compensation” for 2020 consists of a 401(k)-plan matching contribution of $14,250 in our common stock and a $14,250 discretionary 401(k) contribution.
(6)For Dr. Anwer, “All Other Compensation” for 2020 consists of $6,0062 for discretionary spending allowance, a 401(k)-plan matching contribution of $7,593 in our common stock and a $14,250 discretionary 401(k) contribution.
(7)For Mr. Church, “All Other Compensation” for 2016 consists of temporary living and relocation allowance.

(6)

For Dr. Borys, “All Other Compensation” for 20162020 consists of a $14,250 discretionary 401(k) plan matching contribution in Celsion common stock.

(7)

For Dr. Anwer, “All Other Compensation” for 2016 consists of a 401(k) plan matching contribution in Celsion common stock.

contribution.

 

Page - 32


 

Narrative Disclosure to Executive Summary Compensation Table

 

Employment AgreementsAgreement with Michael H. Tardugno

 

TheIn March 2016, the Company and Mr. Tardugno entered into an employment agreement, effective March 30, 2016, which superseded the previous employment agreements with Mr. Tardugno. In March 2016, the Company and Mr. Tardugno entered into anThe amended and restated employment agreement which generally maintained the same terms as set forth in thehis previous December 2014 agreement, but removed the modified single-trigger provision included in thethat agreement. Under that provision, Mr. Tardugno was eligible to receive severance following a change in control if Mr. Tardugno elected to terminate his employment for any reason or no reason commencing with the sixth and ending with the twelfth month following the change in control. In accordance with commonly viewed best practices, the parties agreed to remove this provision so that it is no longer operative, effective March 30, 2016. The following narrative describes the terms of Mr. Tardugno’s employment agreement, as in effect on December 31, 20162019 (the “March 2016 Agreement”).

 

Subject to earlier termination pursuant to the terms of the March 2016 Agreement, the initial term of the agreement ends on January 31, 2018, with automatic one yearone-year renewals thereafter, unless either party provides a notice of non-renewal. Mr. Tardugno'sTardugno’s March 2016 Agreement provides for an initial annual base salary of $465,462,$547,342 subject to annual adjustment by theour Board of Directors of the Company or the Compensation Committee. Mr. Tardugno is also eligible for an annual performance bonus from the Company, pursuant to the Company'sCompany’s management incentive bonus program in effect from time to time. The amount of such bonus will be determined by theour Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee in its sole and absolute discretion and will not exceed 100% of the then-current base salary except pursuant to a specific finding by theour Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee that a higher percentage is appropriate. Under the March 2016 Agreement, the Companywe agreed to grant to Mr. Tardugno, at the time of its usual annual grant to employees, annual stock options to purchase shares of the Company'sour common stock as theour Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee shall determine.

 

In the event of Mr. Tardugno’s termination due to death or disability during the employment term, Mr. Tardugno’s legal representatives shall be entitled to receive his base salary through the date which is ninety (90) days after his death and a pro rata annual performance bonus based on actual performance and the time served during the performance year. Upon Mr. Tardugno’s death or termination due to disability, previously granted and vested stock options will remain fully exercisable through their respective original maximum terms (subject to earlier termination in connection with a change in control of the Company and similar events as provided in the applicable plan and/or award agreement) and all other stock options and stock awards (and similar equity rights) that have not vested prior to the date of termination will be forfeited.

In the event, (A) that the Company terminateswe terminate the agreement other than for "cause"“cause” (as defined in the agreement) or (B) Mr. Tardugno terminates the agreement upon the occurrence of: (i) a material adverse change in his duties or authority; (ii) a situation in which he is no longer at least one of the President or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company; (iii) a bankruptcy filing or similar action by or against the Company;us; or (iv) another material breach of the Agreementagreement by the Companyus (each, a "Triggering Event"“Triggering Event”), or (C) the agreement terminates for nonrenewal, Mr. Tardugno will be entitled to receive a severance payment equal to his base annual salary at the time of termination (the "Severance Amount"“Severance Amount”), payable in accordance with the Company'sour normal payroll practices, COBRA premiums for up to twelve months and may generally exercise any vested options through the remainder of their original terms.

 

In the event of termination of his employment upon a Triggering Event within two years following a "change“change in control"control” (as described below), or, if within such two-year period (i) there is a material adverse change in his compensation or benefits, or (ii) any successor to the Company does not assume the Company's obligationour obligations under the agreement, and he terminates his employment, Mr. Tardugno is entitled to a lump sum severance payment equal to the Severance Amount and any previously unvested options granted to Mr. Tardugno and covered by the employment agreement shall immediately vest and remain fully exercisable through the remainder of their original maximum terms and otherwise in accordance with their respective original terms.

 

In the event of termination of his employment upon a Triggering Event within two years followingduring the period commencing six months prior to a "changechange in control"control (“CIC”) (as described below), and ending on the 2nd anniversary of the CIC (i) there is a material adverse change in his duties or if within such two-year period (i)responsibilities, (ii) there is a material adverse change in his compensation or benefits, or (ii)(iii) any successor to the Company does not assume the Company's obligationour obligations under the agreement, and he terminates his employment, Mr. Tardugno is entitled to a lump sum severance payment equal to the Severance Amount and any previously unvested options granted to Mr. Tardugno and covered by the employment agreement shall immediately vest and remain fully exercisable through the remainder of their original maximum terms and otherwise in accordance with their respective original terms. The March 2016 Agreement also provided that such severance is payable following a change in control if Mr. Tardugno elects to terminate his employmentfor “good reason” (as defined in the March 2016 Agreement) commencing with the sixth and ending with the twelfth month following the change in control; aA “change in control"control” is deemed to occur:(i) if any person becomes the direct or indirect beneficial owner of more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company'sour then-outstanding securities; (ii) there is a change in a majority of the directors in office during any twenty-four (24) month period; (iii) the Company engageswe engage in a recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation or similar transaction after which the holders of the Company'sour voting securities before the transaction do not continue to hold at least 50% of the voting securities of the Company or its successor after the transaction; or (iv) upon theour complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or the sale or other disposition of substantially all of itsour assets after which the holders of the Company'sour voting securities before such sale or disposition do not continue to hold at least 50% of the voting securities of the Company or its successor after such sale or disposition.

 

Page - 33


 

In the event that Mr. Tardugno is terminated for cause or is receiving severance payments contemplated under the employment agreement, Mr. Tardugno shall, among other things, not provide any services, directly or indirectly, to any other business or commercial entity in the Company's "FieldCompany’s “Field of Interest"Interest” (as such term is defined in his employment agreement), solicit any customers or suppliers of the Company, directly or indirectly, or employ or seek to employ an employee of the Company for a period of two years following the date of termination. In addition, at no time during the term of the employment agreement or thereafter will Mr. Tardugno knowingly make any written or oral untrue statement that disparages the Company. Mr. Tardugno is also subject to confidentiality provisions in his employment agreement.

 

Employment Agreements with Other Named Executed Officers

Nicholas Borys

The Company and Dr. Borys entered into an employment offer letter on August 23, 2007, pursuant to which Dr. Borys agreed to serve as theour Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the Company. Under the terms of the offer letter, the Company agreed to payOfficer. Dr. Borys an annual starting salary of $270,000, subject to annual review. Dr. Borys is also eligible for an annual bonus, with a target of 35% of his annual base salary, conditioned on his and the Company's performance against key performance objectives, and annual discretionary stock option awards. In connection with his promotion to Senior Vice President in June 2014, Dr. Borys' target bonus was increased to 40%. Dr. Borys'Borys’ employment with the Companyus is "at-will"“at-will”; however, subject to a retention agreement the Company provided to Dr. Borys on February 19, 2013, if the Company terminateswe terminate Dr. Borys'Borys’ employment for any reason other than just cause, the Companywe will pay Dr. Borys a salary continuation and COBRA premiums for up to sixtwelve months. The salary and COBRA premiums will cease at the end of the six-monthtwelve-month period or, if he finds new employment prior to the end of the six monthtwelve-month period, the benefit will be reduced by the amount of compensation which he will receive from any new employer.

Jeffrey Church

 

The Company and Mr. Church entered into an employment offer letter on June 15, 2010. Pursuant to the offer letter, Mr. Church will receive a starting base salary of $250,000 and will be eligible for an annual bonus, with a target of 35% of his annual base salary, conditioned on his and the Company’s performance against key business objectives.  In connection with his promotion to Senior Vice President in July 2011, Mr. Church’s target bonus was increased to 40%. Mr. Church’s employment is “at-will”; however, if the Company terminateswe terminate Mr. ChurchChurch’s employment for any reason other than just cause, the Companywe will pay Mr. Church a salary continuation and COBRA premiums for up to sixtwelve months. The salary and COBRA premiums will cease at the end of the six monthtwelve-month period or if he finds new employment prior to the six monthtwelve-month period, the benefit will be reduced by the amount of compensation which he will receive from any new employer.

Khursheed Anwer

 

The Company and Dr. Anwer entered into an employment offer letter effective as of June 20, 2014. Pursuant to the offer letter, Dr. Anwer will receive a starting base salary of $298,000 and will be eligible for an annual incentive bonus, with a target of 40% of his annual base salary contingent upon meeting personal goals and the Company’s objectives established by the Company. The Compensation Committee will determine his actual bonus amount each year. Dr. Anwer’s employment with the Companyus is “at-will”; however, subject to the retention and severance agreement ifbetween the Company terminatesand Dr. Anwer dated as of May 28, 2014, if we terminate Dr. Anwer’s employment without cause (as such term is defined in the retention and severance agreement), he will be entitled to receive cash severance equal to 12 months of his base salary and reimbursement of his COBRA premiums for up to 12 months. Dr. Anwer’s right to receive these severance benefits is subject to his providing a release of claims in favor of the Company.

 

Change in Control Agreements

 

In November 2011, the CompanySeptember 2016, we entered into amended and restated change in control severance agreements (CIC Agreements) with each of the Named Executive Officers (other than Dr. Anwer);Anwer who is not subject to such an agreement) to provide severance benefits to these executives should their employment terminate in certain circumstances in connection with a change in control of the Company. The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of the CIC Agreement. In September 2016, the Company entered into amended and restated change in control agreements with each of the Named Executive Officers (other than Dr. Anwer).

Page - 34

 

Under the amended and restated CIC Agreements, in the event that the Company terminateswe terminate the executive’s employment without cause or in the event that the executive terminates his employment for good reason, in either case on or within two years after a change in control of the Company, the executive would be entitled to receive a cash lump sum payment equal to two (2) times the sum of (1) the executive’s annual base salary and (2) the executive’s target annual bonus for the fiscal year in which the termination occurs. (For these purposes, the terms “cause,” “good reason” and “change in control” are each defined in the CIC Agreement.) In addition, the Companywe will pay or reimburse the executive for the cost of COBRA premiums and life insurance coverage for the executive and his eligible dependents, in each case for a period of up to two years following the termination. The executive would also be entitled to full acceleration of his then-outstanding equity awards granted to him by the Company.us. However, as to any equity award agreement that is subject to performance-based vesting requirements, the vesting of such award will continue to be governed by its terms. In the case of options or similar awards, the award would generally remain exercisable for the remainder of the original term of the award (or, in the case of awards that vested after the date of the change in control, for the lesser of 12 months following the last day such award would have been exercisable under the applicable award agreement and the remainder of the original term). The benefits provided under the CIC Agreement are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any severance benefits the executive may be entitled to receive in connection with the termination of his employment under any other agreement with the Company. The executive’s right to benefits under the CIC Agreement is subject to his executing a release of claims in favor of the Company upon the termination of his employment.

 


Material Terms of Option Grants During 20162020

 

Each of the stock options awarded to the Named Executive Officers in 20162020 and reported in the 20162020 Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table below was granted under, and is subject to, the terms of the 20072018 Plan. The 20072018 Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee, which has authority to interpret the plan provisions and make all required determinations under the plan. This authority includes making required proportionate adjustments to outstanding awards upon the occurrence of certain corporate events such as reorganizations, mergers, and stock splits, and making provision to ensure that any tax withholding obligations incurred in respect of awards are satisfied. Awards granted under the plan are generally only transferable to a beneficiary of a Named Executive Officer upon his death. Under the terms of the 20072018 Plan, if there is a change in control of the Company, each Named Executive Officer’s outstanding awards granted under the plan will generally terminate, unless the Compensation Committee provides for the substitution, assumption, exchange or other continuation or settlement (in cash, securities, or property) of the outstanding awards. The Compensation Committee has discretion to provide for outstanding awards to become vested in connection with a change in control.

 

Each option granted to the Named Executive Officers in 20162020 was granted with a per-share exercise price equal to the closing price of our common stock on the grant date. Each option is scheduled to vest in three installments, with one-third vesting on the date of grant and the balance vesting in equal annual installments over each of the next two years, subject in each case to the executive’s continued employment through the applicable vesting date and has a maximum term of ten years. However, vested options may terminate earlier in connection with a change in control transaction or a termination of the Named Executive Officer’s employment. Subject to any accelerated vesting that may apply in the circumstances, the unvested portion of the option will immediately terminate upon a termination of the Named Executive Officer’s employment.

 

20162020 Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table

 

The following table presents information regarding the incentive awards granted to the Named Executive Officers during 2016.2020. Each of the equity awards reported in the table below was granted under the 20072018 Plan.

Name

 

Grant Date

  

Estimated

Future Payouts

Under Non-

Equity

Incentive Plan

Awards Target

($) (1)

  

Allother

Stock

Awards:

Number

of Shares

or Units

of Stock

(#) (2)

  

All Other

Option

Awards:

Numberof

Securities

Under-

lying

Options

(#) (3)

  

Exercise

or Base

Price of

Option

Awards

($/Share)

  

Grant

Date Fair

Value of

Stock

and

Option

Awards

($) (4)

 

Michael H. Tardugno

  N/A  $501,023                 
  

2/2/2016

       25,000      $  $33,250 
  

2/2/2016

           150,000   1.33   154,800 
  

9/6/2016

           125,000   1.22   142,250 
                         

Jeffrey W. Church

  N/A  $134,556                 
  

2/2/2016

       12,000      $  $15,960 
  

2/2/2016

           60,000   1.33   61,920 
  

9/6/2016

           29,332   1.22   33,380 
                         

Nicholas Borys

  N/A  $150,017                 
  

2/2/2016

       12,000      $  $15,960 
  

2/2/2016

           50,000   1.33   51,600 
  

9/6/2016

           40,663   1.22   46,274 
                         

Khursheed Anwer

  N/A  $123,408                 
  

2/2/2016

           40,000   1.33   41,280 

Name Grant Date Estimated
Future
Payouts
Under Non- Equity
Incentive
Plan Awards
Target
($) (1)
  All other
Stock Awards:
Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock
(#)
  All Other
Option Awards:
Number of
Securities
Under- lying
Options
(#) (2)
  

Exercise or
Base Price
of Option
Awards
($/Share)

(3)

  

Grant Date
Fair Value
of Stock
and Option
Awards
($/Share)

(3)

 
Michael H. Tardugno N/A $566,710                
  6/15/2020         135,000  $3.66  $3.16 
                       
Nicholas Borys N/A $190,890                
  6/15/2020          55,000  $3.66  $3.16 
                      
Khursheed Anwer N/A $168,479                 
  6/15/2020         50,000  $3.66  $3.16 
                       
Jeffrey W. Church N/A $173,968                
  6/15/2020         55,000  $3.66  $3.16 

 

(1)

The amounts reported in this column represent the target bonus opportunity under the Company’s annual bonus program. See “Employment Agreements”“Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Incentive Compensation” above for information on the terms of these bonuses.

   
 

(2)

The amounts reported in this column represent vested stock awards granted to the Named Executive Officer under the 2007 Plan.


(3)

The amounts reported in this column represented stock option awards granted under the 20072018 Plan. Each option granted to each Named Executive Officer is scheduled to vest in three installments, with one-thirdone-half vesting on the date of grant and the balance vesting in annual installments over each of the next two years, subject in each case to the executive’s continued employment through the applicable vesting date and has a maximum term of ten years.

   

(4)

(3)

The value reported for Stockstock and Option Awardsoption awards is the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards and stock options respectively, granted to the Named Executive Officers in the years shown,2020, determined in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, disregarding adjustments for forfeiture assumptions. The assumptions for making the valuation determinations are set forth in Note 11 to the financial statements in the Company’s 2016our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 16, 2017.

10-K.

 

Page - 35

 

20162020 Outstanding Equity Awards at Year-End

 

The following table summarizes the unexercised stock options held by each of the Named Executive Officers as of December 31, 2016.2020. None of the Named Executive Officers held any other outstanding stock awards as of December 31, 2016.2020.

 

   

Option Awards

Name

Grant

Date

No. of Securities

Underlying

Unexercised

Options (#)

Exercisable

  

No. of Securities

Underlying

Unexercised

Options (#)

Unexercisable

  

Option

Exercise

Price

($)

 

Option

Expiration

Date

Michael H. Tardugno

1/3/2007

  95,555     $10.89 

1/3/2017

 
 

2/19/2008

  16,666     $24.75 

2/19/2018

 
 

1/19/2009

  16,666     $12.24 

1/19/2019

 
 

2/19/2010

  18,888     $13.23 

2/19/2020

 
 

2/25/2011

  40,000     $11.21 

2/25/2021

 
 

2/22/2012

  7,333     $9.27 

2/22/2022

 
 

6/15/2012

  19,333     $9.68 

6/15/2022

 
 

5/6/2013

  44,444     $4.37 

5/6/2023

 
 

2/11/2014

  44,444     $3.66 

2/11/2024

 
 

6/20/2014

  140,556     $3.50 

6/20/2024

 
 

3/17/2015

  93,334   46.666 (1) $2.45 

3/17/2025

 
 

6/19/2015

  43,334   21,666 (1)  $2.39 

6/19/2025

 
 

2/2/2016

  50,000   100,000 (1) $1.33 

2/2/2026

 
 

9/6/2016

  125,000    (2) $1.22 

9/6/2026

 
              

 

 

Jeffrey W. Church

7/6/2010

  22,222     $15.26 

7/1/2020

 
 

2/25/2011

  15,555     $11.21 

2/25/2021

 
 

2/27/2012

  3,055     $9.41 

2/27/2022

 
 

6/15/2012

  8,055     $9.68 

6/15/2022

 
 

5/6/2013

  17,777     $4.37 

5/6/2023

 
 

2/11/2014

  40,000     $3.66 

2/11/2024

 
 

6/20/2014

  60,000     $3.50 

6/20/2024

 
 

3/17/2015

  33,334   16,666 (1) $2.45 

3/17/2025

 
 

2/2/2016

  20,000   40,000 (1) $1.33 

2/2/2026

 
 

9/6/2016

  29,332    (2) $1.22 

9/6/2026

 
                

Nicholas Borys

9/24/2007

  16,666     $27.45 

9/24/2017

 
 

2/19/2008

  7,777     $24.75 

2/19/2018

 
 

1/19/2009

  7,777     $12.24 

1/19/2019

 
 

2/19/2010

  8,888     $13.23 

2/19/2020

 
 

2/25/2011

  15,555     $11.21 

2/25/2021

 
 

2/27/2012

  3,055     $9.27 

2/22/2022

 


 

6/15/2012

  8,055     $9.68 

6/15/2022

 
 

5/6/2013

  17,777     $4.37 

5/6/2023

 
 

2/11/2014

  40,000     $3.66 

2/11/2024

 
 

6/20/2014

  50,000     $3.50 

6/20/2024

 
 

3/17/2015

  33,334   16,666 (1) $2.45 

3/17/2025

 
 

2/2/2016

  16,666   33,444 (1) $1.33 

2/2/2026

 
 

9/6/2016

  40,663    (2) $1.22 

9/6/2026

 
              

 

 

Khursheed Anwer

6/20/2014

  25,000   15,000 (3) $3.50 

6/20/2024

 
 

3/17/2015

  12,500   25,000 (4) $2.45 

3/17/2025

 
 

2/2/2016

  13,333   26,667 (1) $1.33 

2/2/2026

 
    Option Awards
Name Grant Date No. of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Exercisable
  No. of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Unexercisable
  Option
Exercise
Price ($)
  Option
Expiration
Date
Michael H. Tardugno 2/2/2016  10,714     $18.62  2/2/2026
  9/6/2016  8,928     $17.08  9/6/2026
  5/30/2017  176,429     $2.69  5/30/2027
  5/15/2018  850,000     $2.58  5/30/2028
  2/19/2019  16,667   33,333(1) $2.18  2/19/2029
  5/14/2019  16,667   33,333(1) $2.14  5/14/2029
  10/3/2019  21,667   43,333(1) $1.72  10/3/2029
  6/15/2020     135,000(1) $3.66  6/15/2030
                 
Nicholas Borys 2/2/2016  3,571     $18.62  2/2/2026
  9/6/2016  2,905     $17.08  9/6/2026
  5/15/2018  223,948     $2.58  5/30/2028
  2/19/2019  6,667   13,333(1) $2.18  2/19/2029
  5/14/2019  8,333   16,667(1) $2.14  5/14/2029
  10/3/2019  11,667   23,333(1) $1.72  10/3/2029
  6/15/2020     55,000(1) $3.66  6/15/2030
                 
Khursheed Anwer 2/2/2016  2,857     $18.62  2/2/2026
  5/30/2017  18,154     $2.69  5/30/2027
  5/15/2018  82,500     $2.58  5/30/2028
  2/19/2019  7,667   23,333(1) $2.18  2/19/2029
  5/14/2019  7,667   23,333(1) $2.14  5/14/2029
  10/3/2019  14,167   28,333(1) $1.72  10/3/2029
  6/15/2020     50,000(1) $3.66  6/15/2030
                 
Jeffrey W. Church 2/2/2016  4,285     $18.62  2/2/2026
  9/6/2016  2,095     $17.08  9/6/2026
  5/30/2017  48,571     $2.69  5/30/2027
  5/15/2018  250,000     $2.58  5/30/2028
  2/19/2019  6,667   13,333(1) $2.18  2/19/2029
  5/14/2019  8,333   16,667(1) $2.14  5/14/2029
  10/3/2019  11,667   23,333(1) $1.72  10/3/2029
  6/15/2020     55,000(1) $3.66  6/15/2030

 

(1)

Each of these stock options vestsoption grants vest in three equal installments, with the first installment vesting on the date of grant and an additional installment vesting on eachone-third of the first two anniversaries thereafter.

(2)

Each of these stock options vested on the date of grant

(3)

These stock options vests in five installments, with the first installment of 10,000 vesting on the date of grant and an additional 7,500 installment vesting on each of the first four anniversaries thereafter.

(4)

These stock options vest in three annual installments commencing on the first, second and third anniversary of the date of grant.

 

The following table summarizes the unvested stock grants held by each of the Named Executive Officers as of December 31, 2016.  None of the Named Executive Officers held any other outstanding stock grants as of December 31, 2016.

   

Stock Awards

 

Name

Grant Date

 

Number

of Shares or

Units of Stock

That HaveNot Vested

  

Market Value

of Shares or

Units ofStock

That Have NotVested

 

Khursheed Anwer

6/20/2014

  35,000 (1) $10,500 

Page - 36

(1)

This amount represents a restricted stock award granted to Dr. Anwer under the 2007 Plan on June 20, 2014. This award will vest on the third anniversary of the grant date, subject to Dr. Anwer’s continued employment through such date.

 

2020 Option Exercises and Stock Vested

 

NoneDuring 2020, Dr Anwer exercised 29,132 stock options with a weighted average strike price of the$2.48 per share and Dr Borys exercised 74,643 stock options with a weighted average of $2.65 per share. No other Named Executive Officers exercised any of their stock options that vested during 2016. During 2016, Mr. Tardugno, Mr. Church and Dr. Borys2020. No officers were each granted 25,000, 12,000 and 12,000 fully vestedawarded shares of common stock respectively, with a grant date fair value of $1.33 per share.during 2020.


 

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

As described above under “Narrative Disclosure to Executive Compensation Tables,” the Company has entered into agreements with each of the Named Executive Officers currently employed by the Company that provide benefits that may become payable to the executives in connection with a termination of their employment.  The Company has also entered into agreements with Mr. Tardugno, Mr. Church and Dr. Borys that provides benefits that may become payable to the executives in connection with a termination of employment following a change in control of the Company.  If in the event the Named Executive Officer is entitled to receive severance benefits in connection with a termination of employment under both their severance agreement and their change in control agreement, the executive shall be entitled to receive the benefits from both agreements.  The first table below indicates the benefits that would be payable to each executive if a termination of employment in the circumstances described above had occurred on December 31, 2016 outside of a change in control.  The second table below indicates the benefits that would be payable to each executive if a change in control of the Company and such a termination of employment had occurred on that date.

Severance Benefits (Outside of a Changein Control)

 

Name

 

Cash

Severance

  

Continuationof

Health/Life

Benefit

  

Equity

Acceleration

  

Total

 
                 

Michael H. Tardugno

 $501,023  $12,852     $513,875 

Jeffrey W. Church

 $168,195  $9,132     $177,327 

Nicholas Borys

 $187,521  $9,324     $196,845 

Khursheed Anwer

 $308,519  $19,008     $327,527 

Change of Control Severance Benefits

 

Name

 

Cash

Severance

  

Continuation of

Health/Life

Benefit

  

Equity

Acceleration

  

Total

 
                 

Michael H. Tardugno

 $1,503,069  $12,852     $1,515,921 

Jeffrey W. Church

 $807,336  $18,264     $825,600 

Nicholas Borys

 $900,101  $18,648     $918,749 

Equity Compensation Plan Information as of December 31, 20162020

 

Plan Category

 

Number of securities

tobe issued upon

exerciseof outstanding

options,warrants

and rights (a)

  

Weighted-

average

exercise price

ofoutstanding

options,

warrants and

rights (b)

  

Number of

Securities

remaining

available for

future issuance

under equity

compensation

plans (excluding

securitiesreflected

incolumn (a)) (c )

  

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

  2,904,108 (1) $4.05   534,089 (2)  4,487,471(1) $2.86   2,018,453(2)

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

  95,555 (3)  10.89      140,004(3)  2.48    

Total

  2,999,663  $4.27   534,089   4,624,725  $2.77   2,018,453 

 

(1)

Includes both vested and unvested options to purchase common stock and unvested stock grants under the 2001 Plan, the 2004 Plan and the 20072018 Plan. These optionsawards have a weighted average remaining term of 7.27.5 years.

(2)

(2)Represents shares available for award grant purposes under the 20072018 Plan. Subject to certain express limits of the plan, shares available under the plan generally may be used for any type of award authorized under that plan including options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and other forms of awards granted or denominated in shares of our common stock or units of our common stock.

 

(3)

Includes the grant of an optionboth vested and unvested options to purchase 95,555 shares of our common stock (after giving effect to the reverse stock split announced by the Company on October 28, 2013) to Mr. Tardugno on January 3, 2007.  The option was approved by our Board of Directorsunder inducement grants provided certain employees as an inducement to Mr. Tardugno to joinaccept employment with the Company and was not approved by stockholders.  The option vested over the four-year period following the grant date and hasCompany. These awards have a per-share exercise price of $10.89 and a maximumweighted average remaining term of ten8.5 years. These options expiredgrants are similar to those granted under the 2018 Plan and is more fully discussed in Note 11 to the financial statements in our 2020 Annual Report on January 3, 2017.Form 10-K filed.

 

Page - 37


 

PROPOSAL NO. 22:

 

RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

TheOur Audit Committee has appointed Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP ("DHG"WithumSmith+Brown, PC (“Withum”) as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company to audit itsour financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017,2021, and theour Board requests stockholder ratification of such selection.

On January 6, 2016, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP (“DHG”) announced that directors and employees of Stegman & Company will join DHG as of June 1, 2016. Stegman & Company resigned as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and DHG became the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm effective June 1, 2016. The engagement of DHG was approved by the Audit Committee of the Company's Board of Directors effective June 1, 2016. Prior to DHG’s representation of the Company, Stegman & Company Withum has served as the Company'sour independent accountantsaccountant since 1993. DHG2017 and has advised the Companyus that neither DHGWithum nor any of its members has, or has had in the past three years, any financial interest in the Company or any relation to the Company other than as auditors and accountants.

Representatives of DHGWithum are expected to be present aton the Company’slive webcast of the 2021 Annual Meeting and will be given the opportunity to make a statement if they so desire and are expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions.

 

FEES

 

The following table presents fees as invoiced for professional audit services rendered by DHG and Stegman & Company collectively for the audit of the Company'sour annual financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and review of quarterly financial statements included in the Company'sCompany’s Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q for the fiscal years ended December 31, 20162020 and December 31, 2015,2019, and fees for other services rendered by DHG during those periods:

 

 

2016

  

2015

  2020  2019 

FEE CATEGORY

 

AMOUNT

  

% OF

TOTAL

  

AMOUNT

  

% OF

TOTAL

  AMOUNT  %
OF TOTAL
  AMOUNT  %
OF TOTAL
 

Audit Fees

 $98,300   82

%

 $102,300   74

%

 $101,000   56% $98,500   77%

Audit Related Fees

  12,600   11   26,500   19   69,000   39   20,800   16 

Tax Fees

  8,800   7   9,800   7   9,000   5   8,900   7 

All Other Fees

                        

Total Fees

 $119,700   100

%

 $138,600   100

%

 $179,000  $100% $128,200   100%

 

Audit fees consist of fees for professional services rendered collectively by DHG during 2016 and Stegman & Company during 2016 and 2017Withum for the auditaudits of the Company'sour annual financial statements in the Company’sour Annual Report on Form 10-K and for reviews of the quarterly financial statements included in the Company'sCompany’s Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q. Audit related fees pertain to the work performed during the Company'sour equity offerings in 20162020 and 2015.2019. Tax fees consist of fees for preparation of the Company'sCompany’s federal and state tax returns. All other fees consist of fees for attendance at the Company'sCompany’s annual meetings, review of registration statements and similar matters.

 

SERVICES BY EMPLOYEES OF DIXON HUGHES GOODMAN LLPWITHUM

 

No part of DHG'sWithum’s engagement to audit the Company'sCompany’s financial statements for the yearyears ended December 31, 20162020 and 2019 was attributable to work performed by persons other than DHG'sWithum’s full-time, permanent employees.

 

AUDIT COMMITTEE POLICY ON APPROVAL OF AUDIT AND NON-AUDIT SERVICES

 

It is the policy of the Audit Committee to pre-approve all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by the Company'sour independent accountants, in accordance with rules prescribed by the SEC. These services may include audit services, audit-related services, tax services, and other services. Pre-approval is based on a written proposal, accompanied by a cost estimate and estimated budget. The Audit Committee has delegated to its Chairman the authority to pre-approve audit and non-audit services with an estimated cost of up to $25,000, provided the exercise of such authority is reported to the Audit Committee at its next regular meeting. The Audit Committee reserves the right, from time to time, to delegate pre-approval authority to other of its members, so long as such members are independent directors. All audit and permissible non-audit services during 20162020 and 20152019 were approved by the Audit Committee in accordance with its pre-approval policy and the approval requirements of the SEC.

 


Stockholder ratification of the selection of DHGWithum as the Company'sour independent registered public accounting firm is not required by the Company'sour Bylaws or other applicable legal or regulatory requirements. However, the Board, upon the recommendation of the Audit Committee, is submitting the selection of DHGWithum to the stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. If the stockholders fail to ratify the selection of DHG,Withum, the Audit Committee will reconsider whether or not to retain that firm, or whether to retain a different firm. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee, in its discretion, may direct the appointment of a different independent accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

 

Vote Required


Since this vote is not required, there are no minimum stockholder approval requirements. However, in order for the resolution to pass, a majority of the votes entitled to be cast for this vote must be received. Abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against Proposal No. 2. No broker non-votes are expected to exist in connection with this vote as ratification of the independent registered public accounting firm is considered a routine matter under applicable rules.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR"“FOR” THE PROPOSAL TO
RATIFY THE SELECTION OF DIXON HUGHES GOODMAN LLPWITHUM AS THE INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE COMPANY FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2017.2021.

 

Page - 38


 

Proposals 3 and 4 are being presented to grant discretionary authority to the Board of Directors to amend the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, to either (i) increase the number of common stock shares for issuance or (ii) effect a reverse stock split at an exchange ratio within a specified range and to maintain the number of authorized shares of Common Stock effective immediately after the Reverse Stock Split at the currently approved level of 112,500,000 shares at any time on or prior to the date of the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

PROPOSAL NO. 3:

 

GRANTAPPROVAL OF DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY TOAN AMENDMENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO AMEND THE

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF THE COMPANY, AS AMENDED,

TO EFFECT, AT ANY TIME ON OR PRIOR TOINCREASE THE DATE OF THE 2018 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS, A REVERSECOMPANY’S AUTHORIZED STOCK SPLIT AT AN EXCHANGE RATIO WITHIN THE SPECIFIED RANGE

 

Overview

The Board of Directors has determined that it is advisable and in the best interestsinterest of the Company and our stockholders thatto amend the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) to increase our authorized shares of Common Stock from 112,500,000 to 172,500,000 shares at the discretion of the Board of Directors be granted the discretionary authority to effect a reverse stock split of the outstanding shares of our common stock, at any time onor or prior to the date of the 20182022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, at an exchange ratio set byShareholders. Our certificate of incorporation currently authorizes us to issue a maximum of 112,500,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 100,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share. As of April 5, 2021, the Record Date, there were 86,557,736 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding, 334 shares of Common Stock held as treasury stock, no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding and 9,275,327 shares of our Common Stock reserve for issuance upon the following:

the exercise of outstanding warrants to purchase 2,636,899 shares of Common Stock;

the exercise and/or vesting of outstanding awards and the granting of future awards in the aggregate amount of 6,638,428 shares of Common Stock under the Celsion Corporation 2018 Stock Incentive Plan and inducement grants.

As of April 5, 2021, 16,666,603 authorized shares of Common Stock remain available for future issuance. Accordingly, on March 12, 2021, the Board of Directors within the range of exchange ratios between eight-for-one and fourteen-for-oneunanimously approved an amendment (the Reverse Split“Share Increase”).

The Board of Directors strongly believes that the Reverse Split is necessary for the following reasons:

1.

To maintain our listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market: On December 15, 2016, we received a letter from NASDAQ indicating that the closing bid price of our common stock fell below $1.00 per share for the previous 30 consecutive business days, and that we are therefore not in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement for continued inclusion on The NASDAQ Capital Market and our common stock could be subject to delisting from The NASDAQ Capital Market. If our common stock is delisted from the NASDAQ Capital Market, trading of our stock will most likely take place on the Over-The-Counter Bulletin Boards (the “OTCBB”) or other small trading markets such as pink sheets. 

2.

To provide the Company with resources and flexibility with respect to its capital sufficient to execute our business plans and strategy.

Accordingly, the Board of Directors adopted a resolution proposing an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation as amended (our “Certificateto increase the number of Incorporation”), to effect the Reverse Splitauthorized shares of Common Stock and directed that it be submitted for approval at the Annual Meeting in light of the time and expense that would otherwise be required to convene a special meeting for consideration of the proposed amendment at a later time. The form of the proposed certificate of amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Amendment”)Share Increase is attached to this Proxy Statement asAppendix A.A.

The Amendment would increase the number of shares of Common Stock the Company is authorized to issue by 60,000,000 shares of Common Stock. Thus, if the Amendment pursuant to this Proposal No. 3 is approved by our stockholders, the total authorized capital stock the Company would increase from 112,600,000 to 172,600,000, with the number of authorized shares of our Common Stock set at 172,500,000 shares and the number of authorized shares of our preferred stock will remain unchanged at 100,000. The additional shares of Common Stock proposed to be authorized under the Amendment would have rights identical to our currently outstanding shares of Common Stock.

Reasons for Increasing the Number of Authorized Shares of Common Stock

 

The Board of Directors believes that the increase in authorized common shares will provide the Company with the ability to support its future anticipated growth and would provide the Company with greater flexibility to consider and respond to future business opportunities and needs as they arise, including equity financings and stock-based acquisitions of new technology and product development candidates. The availability of additional shares of Common Stock would permit the Company to undertake certain of the foregoing actions without delay and expense associate with holding a Special Meeting of Stockholders to obtain stockholder approval each time such an opportunity arises that would require the issuance of shares of our Common Stock.

Possible Effects of Increasing the Authorized Common Stock

Upon effectiveness of an increase in authorized shares of our Common Stock, except for the conversion or exercise of outstanding exercisable securities (which exercise would be at the option of the respective holders), the Company currently has no plans, proposals, arrangements, or understandings to issue any of its authorized but unissued shares of our Common Stock. However, it is possible that some of these additional authorized shares could be used in the future for various other purposes without further stockholder approval, except as such approval may be required in particular cases by our charter documents, applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or other system on which our securities may then be listed.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock may also enable the Board of Directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of the Company. One of the consequences of such an action would be to protect the continuity of or entrench the Company’s management. This may adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock. If, in the due exercise of its fiduciary obligations, for example, the Board of Directors were to determine that a takeover proposal were not in the best interests of the Company, such shares could be issued by the Board without stockholder approval in one or more private placements or other transactions that might prevent or render more difficult or make more costly the completion of any attempted takeover transactions by diluting voting or other rights of the proposed acquirer or insurgent stockholder group, by creating a substantial voting block in institutional or other hands that might support the position of the incumbent Board of Directors, by effecting an acquisition that might complicate or preclude the takeover, or otherwise. We have no current intention to issue shares for anti-takeover purposes.

Failure to approve Proposal 3 could have serious adverse results for, and effects on, the Company. If the Company is delisted and is required to be traded on the OTCBB or other small trading markets such as pink sheets, our stock could be thinly traded as a microcap or penny stock and adversely decrease to nominal levels of trading, thereby being avoided by both retail and institutional investors.  Also, withoutWithout a reasonable amount of authorized shares available to the Company for issuance, we may not have the ability to raise additional capital, establish strategic relationships with other companies or expand the Company’s business or product lines through acquisition.

Interests of the Board

 

IfNo member of the Board of Directors has a substantial interest, directly or indirectly, in the matters set forth in this Proposal No. 3, except to the extent of each member’s ownership of shares of our Common Stock or options or warrants to purchase shares of our Common Stock.

Effectiveness of Amendment

The Share Increase Amendment, if approved by our stockholders, would become effective upon the filing and effectiveness (the “Effective Time”) of the amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. It is expected that such filing would take place only in the event the Board later determines that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to effect the Share Increase Amendment. The exact timing of the filing of the Share Increase Amendment, however, will be determined by our Board based on its evaluation as to when such action will be the most advantageous to the Company and our stockholders; provided, however, that the Share Increase Amendment must be effective prior to the date of the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. In addition, our Board reserves the right, notwithstanding stockholder approval and without further action by the stockholders, to elect not to proceed with the Share Increase Amendment if, at any time prior to the filing of the applicable Share Increase Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, our Board, in its sole discretion, determines that it is no longer in our Company’s best interest or the best interest of our stockholders to proceed with the Share Increase Amendment.

Vote Required for Approval

The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of our shares of Common Stock outstanding at the Record Date will be required to approve this proposal.

The approval of Proposal 3 is not conditioned on the approval or disapproval of Proposal 4. However, should both Proposals 3 and 4 be approved by the stockholders, the Board would, in its discretion, choose which proposal to implement, subject to its discretion to determine that neither proposal is in the best interests of the Company.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE AMENDMENT TO THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF THE COMPANY, AS AMENDED,

TO INCREASE THE COMPANY’S AUTHORIZED STOCK

Page - 39

PROPOSAL NO. 4

APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT OF THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF THE COMPANY, AS AMENDED, TO EFFECTUATE A REVERSE STOCK SPLIT AT AN EXCHANGE RATIO WITH A SPECIFIED RANGE AND TO MAINTAIN THE NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED SHARES

The Board of Directors has adopted a resolution approving and recommending to the Company’s stockholders for their approval a proposal to amend the Certificate of Incorporation to effect a reverse stock split of outstanding shares of Common Stock within the ranges described below, with the exact reverse stock split ratio to be decided and publicly announced by the Board of Directors prior to the effectiveness of the amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation. If the stockholders approve this Proposal No. 4, the Board of Directors will have the authority to decide at any time prior to the date of the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders whether to implement the reverse stock split and the precise ratio for the reverse stock split within the ranges described below. If the reverse stock split is implemented, pursuant to the amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation that gives effect to the reverse stock split the total number of authorized shares of Common Stock will remain at 112,600,000 shares.

The Board is asking stockholders to approve a Reverse Stock Split of the Company’s Common Stock and grant to the Board the authority to set the ratio for the Reverse Stock Split at any whole number ratio between one-for-two and one-for-five (the “Reverse Stock Split”) and to maintain the number of authorized shares of Common Stock effective immediately after the Reverse Stock Split at the currently approved level of 112,500,000 shares or not to complete the Reverse Stock Split, as determined in the discretion of the Board at any time before the date of the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. If the Proposal No. 4 is approved by stockholders, the Board will have the authority to effect the Reverse Stock Split if and at such time as it determines to be appropriate. The form of this proposed certificate of amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation (the “Reverse Stock Split Amendment”) is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix B.

If approved by our stockholders, the Board of Directors would be granted the authority, in its sole discretion and without the need for any further action on the part of our stockholders, to effect the Reverse Stock Split at any time on or prior to the date of our 20182022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and to set an appropriate exchange ratio, within the specified range of exchange ratios, that the Board of Directors determines is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders. Stockholders are being asked to grant the Board of Directors discretion to effect the Reverse Stock Split within a range of exchange ratios, rather than an immediate implementation of the Reverse Stock Split at a single exchange ratio, in order to provide the Board of Directors with the flexibility necessary to achieve the desired results of the Reverse Stock Split under changing market conditions. Accordingly, notwithstanding stockholder approval of the Certificate of Amendment, the Board of Directors may elect, in its sole discretion, not to effect the Reverse Split if it determines that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders to do so.

 

Following stockholder approval, of this Proposal No. 3, if the Board of Directors determines that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders to proceed with the Reverse Stock Split, the number of issued and outstanding shares of our common stockCommon Stock would be reduced in accordance with the exchange ratio determined by the Board of Directors, within the specified range of exchange ratios, effective upon the filing of the Certificate ofReverse Stock Split Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The Reverse Stock Split would affect all holders of our outstanding common stockCommon Stock uniformly and would not affect any stockholder’s percentage ownership or proportionate voting and other rights in our common stock,Common Stock, except for adjustments that might result from the treatment of fractional shares as described below. Pursuant to the Reverse Stock Split Amendment, the number of authorized shares of our Common Stock would be maintained at 112,500,000 shares and the par value of our Common Stock would remain unchanged at $0.01 per share.


 

Outstanding Shares

 

Our certificatearticles of incorporation currently authorizesauthorize us to issue a maximum of 112,500,000 shares of Common Stock,common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 100,000 shares of Preferred Stock,preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share.

As of March 15, 2017, the Company had 94,641,757 shares of common stock Our issued and outstanding or reserved for issuance and 17,858,243 authorized sharessecurities as of common stock remaining and unused.  The Board of Directors wishes to increase the number of unused authorized Common Stock by keeping the authorized shares of common stock at 112,500,000 and decreasing the outstanding shares through the Reverse Split. This increase in unused authorized common shares will provide the Company greater flexibility with respect to the Company’s capital structureApril 5, 2021 are as the need may arise from time to time. Except for the (i) conversion or exercise of outstanding convertible or exercisable securities (which conversion or exercise would be at the option of the respective holders) and (ii) the transaction contemplated by Proposal No. 4 and Proposal No. 5 herein, the Company has no plans, proposals, arrangements or understandings to issue any of its authorized but unissued shares of common stock. Nonetheless, it is possible that some of the additional authorized shares could be used in the future for various purposes without further stockholder approval, except as such approval may be required in particular cases by our charter documents, applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or other system on which our securities may then be listed. These purposes may include (i) raising capital, (ii) establishing strategic relationships with other companies, (iii) expanding the Company's business or product lines through the acquisition of other businesses or products and (iv) providing equity incentives to employees, officers or directors.follows:

86,557,736 shares of common stock;
334 shares of treasury stock;
2,636,899 shares of common stock for outstanding warrants purchase common stock; and
6,638,428 shares of common stock have been reserved for options either granted or remaining to be granted.

Page - 40

 

The table below illustrates the effect of the Reverse Stock Split at each specified exchange ratio on the number of shares of our common stockCommon Stock that would be issued and outstanding, authorized and reserved for issuance and authorized and unreserved for issuance based on our capitalization as of March 15, 2017:April 5, 2021:

 

  

Shares of

Common

Stock Issued

and

Outstanding

  

Shares of

Common

Stock

Authorized

andReserved

for Issuance

  

Shares of

Common

Stock

Authorized

and

Unreserved

for Issuance

  

Total

Authorized

Shares

of Common

Stock

 
                 

As of March 15, 2017

  55,057,526   39,584,231   17,858,243   112,500,000 
                 

8-for-1 Reverse Split

  6,882,191   4,948,029   100,669,780   112,500,000 
                 

10-for-1 Reverse Split

  5,505,753   3,958,423   103,035,824   112,500,000 
                 

12-for-1 Reverse Split

  4,588,127   3,298,686   104,613,187   112,500,000 
                 

14-for-1 Reverse Split

  3,932,680   2,827,445   105,739,875   112,500,000 

The table above does not take into account fractional shares.

  Shares Issued and Outstanding  

Shares Authorized and Reserved for Issuance

  

Shares Authorized and Unreserved for Issuance

  Total Authorized 
As of April 5, 2021  86,557,736   9,275,661   16,666,603   112.500,000 
2-for-1 Reverse Stock Split  43,278,868   4,637,830   64,583,302   112,500,000 
3-for-1 Reverse Stock Split  28,852,578   3,091,887   80,855,535   112,500,000 
7-for-2 Reverse Stock Split  24,730,781   2,650,188   85,119,031   112,500,000 
4-for-1 Reverse Stock Split  21,639,434   2,318,915   88,541,651   112,500,000 
9-for-2 Reverse Stock Split  19,235,052   2,061,258   91,203,690   112,500,000 
5-for-1 Reverse Stock Split  17,311,547   1,855,132   93,333,321   112,500,000 

 

Reasons for the Reverse Stock Split

 

The primary reason for the Reverse Stock Split is to allow us to attempt to increase the bid price of our common stockCommon Stock by reducing the number of outstanding shares of our common stock.Common Stock. To continue listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market, we must comply with the applicable listing requirements under NASDAQ Marketplace Rules, which requirements include, among others, a minimum bid price of at least $1.00 per share. The closing bid price of our common stockCommon Stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market was belowhas ranged from $0.47 to $2.81 within the $1.00 threshold each day for 21 consecutive business days from November 1, 2016 through December 14, 2016.last 180 calendar days. Under NASDAQ Marketplace Rules, a failure to meet the continued listing requirement for minimum bid price would be determined to exist if the deficiency were to continue for a period of 30 consecutive business days. Upon such failure, The NASDAQ Capital Market would notify and provide the Company with a period of 180 calendar days to regain compliance.

 


The closing bid price of our common stock has been below $1.00 per share in the last 30 consecutive business days. The Board of Directors has considered the potential harm to us if such deficiency wasdeficiencies were to occur and we were not able to regain compliance, which would result in our common stockCommon Stock being delisted from The NASDAQ Capital Market. If our common stockCommon Stock were delisted from The NASDAQ Capital Market, trading of our common stockCommon Stock would most likely take place on an over-the-counter market established for unlisted securities, such as the Pink Sheets or the OTC Bulletin Board. An investor would likely find it less convenient to sell, or to obtain accurate quotations in seeking to buy, our common stockCommon Stock on an over-the-counter market, andmarket. As a result, many investors would likely not buy or sell our common stockCommon Stock due to difficulty in accessing over-the-counter markets, policies preventing them from trading in securities not listed on a national exchange or other reasons. In addition, as a delisted security, our common stockCommon Stock would be subject to SEC rules regarding “penny stock,” which impose additional disclosure requirements on broker-dealers. The regulations relating to penny stocks, coupled with the typically higher cost per trade to the investor of penny stocks due to factors such as broker commissions generally representing a higher percentage of the price of a penny stock than of a higher-priced stock, would further limit the ability of investors to trade in our common stock.Common Stock. For these reasons and others, delisting would adversely affect the liquidity, trading volume and price of our common stock,Common Stock, causing the value of an investment in us to decrease and having an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, including our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and to raise capital.

 

The Board of Directors believes that a Reverse Stock Split is a potentially effective means for us to maintain compliance with NASDAQ Marketplace Rules and to avoid, or at least mitigate, the likely adverse consequences of our common stockCommon Stock being delisted from The NASDAQ Capital Market by producing the immediate effect of increasing the bid price of our common stock.

Upon effectiveness of the Reverse Split, the number of shares of our common stock that are authorized and unissued will increase relative to the number of issued and outstanding shares. Except for the (i) conversion or exercise of outstanding convertible or exercisable securities (which conversion or exercise would be at the option of the respective holders) and (ii) the transaction contemplated by Proposal No. 4 and Proposal No. 5 herein, the Company has no plans, proposals, arrangements or understandings to issue any of its authorized but unissued shares of common stock. Nonetheless, it is possible that some of these additional authorized shares could be used in the future for various purposes without further stockholder approval, except as such approval may be required in particular cases by our charter documents, applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or other system on which our securities may then be listed.Common Stock.

 

Procedure for Affecting the Reverse Stock Split

 

If our stockholders approve this Proposal No. 3,4, the Board of Directors could decide at any time on or prior to the date of the 20182022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to affect the Reverse Stock Split based on a determination that the Reverse Stock Split is then advisable and in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders. Such determination would be based upon consideration of many factors, including existing and expected marketability and liquidity of our common stock,Common Stock, prevailing market and industry conditions and the likely effect on the market price of our common stockCommon Stock and our compliance with NASDAQ Marketplace Rules. In determining the actual timing of the filing of the Certificate ofReverse Stock Split Amendment and selecting an appropriate exchange ratio within the range of specified exchange ratios, the Board of Directors would examine the historical and projected price performance of our common stock,Common Stock, the expected bid price and trading volume of our common stockCommon Stock over the short- and long-term following the effectiveness of the Reverse Stock Split and the potential devaluation of our market capitalization as a result of the Reverse Stock Split. Even with stockholder approval of this Proposal No. 3, and without the need for further action by our stockholders, the Board of Directors may delay the implementation of the Reverse Split up until the 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and may abandon the Reverse Split at any time prior to the filing of the Certificate of Amendment. If the Reverse Split is not effected on or prior to the date of the 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the authority granted to the Board of Directors to affect the Reverse Split would expire and be without any further effect.

 

Page - 41

If our stockholders approve this Proposal No. 34 and the Board of Directors determines that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders to proceed with the Reverse Stock Split, the Certificate ofReverse Stock Split Amendment would be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. As of the filing date of the Certificate ofReverse Stock Split Amendment (the “Effective“Reverse Stock Split Effective Date”), the outstanding shares of our common stockCommon Stock would be combined and converted into a lesser number of shares of common stockCommon Stock calculated in accordance with the exchange ratio set by the Board of Directors, within the specified range of potential exchange ratios, and without further action on the part of the Company and our stockholders. For instance, if a stockholder presently holds 100120 shares of our common stock,Common Stock, the stockholder wouldwill hold 1020 shares of our common stockCommon Stock following a Reverse Stock Split affected at an exchange ratio of 10-for-1.six-for-one.

 

Fractional Shares

Any fractional share resulting from the Reverse Stock Split would be rounded down to the nearest whole share, and any stockholder who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fractional share due to holding a number of shares not evenly divisible by the exchange ratio set by the Board of Directors, within the specified range of potential exchange ratios, would receive cash in lieu of a fractional share. The cash amount to be paid to each stockholder would equal the stockholder’s fractional interest in one share of our common stockCommon Stock to which the stockholder would otherwise be entitled, multiplied by the closing sale price of our common stockCommon Stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market on the trading day immediately prior to the Reverse Stock Split Effective Date. Such cash payment is subject to applicable tax and abandoned property or escheat laws. In addition, stockholders are not entitled to receive interest for the period of time between the Reverse Stock Split Effective Date and the date on which stockholders receive payment.

 


Record and Beneficial Stockholders

After the Reverse Stock Split Effective Date, our common stockCommon Stock would have a new committee on uniform securities identification procedures (“CUSIP”) number, a number used to identify our common stock.Common Stock. Stock certificates with the old CUSIP number would need to be exchanged for stock certificates with the new CUSIP number.

 

After the Reverse Stock Split, stockholders of record holding some or all of their shares of our common stockCommon Stock electronically in book-entry form under the direct registration system for securities would receive a transaction statement at their address of record indicating the number of shares of our common stockCommon Stock they held after the Reverse Stock Split. Stockholders of record holding all of their shares in certificate form, or a combination of certificate and book-entry form, would receive transmittal letters from our transfer agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC (the “Transfer Agent”), as soon as practicable after the Reverse Stock Split Effective Date. The letters of transmittal would contain instructions on how the stockholders of record must surrender the certificates representing the pre-Reverse Stock Split shares to the Transfer Agent to be exchanged for stock certificates representing post-Reverse Stock Split shares. Any stockholders of record entitled to a cash payment in lieu of an interest in a fractional share would receive a check by U.S. mail delivered to their address of record as soon as practicable after the Reverse Stock Split Effective Date.

 

Stockholders holding our common stockCommon Stock in “street name,” through a brokerage firm, bank, broker-dealer or other nominee, would be treated in the same manner as stockholders of record whose shares are held in their names with the Transfer Agent. However, stockholders should contact their brokerage firm, bank, broker-dealer or other nominee for more information regarding their particular procedures for processing the Reverse Stock Split.

 

STOCKHOLDERS SHOULD NOT DESTROY ANY STOCK CERTIFICATE(S) AND SHOULD NOT SUBMIT ANY STOCK CERTIFICATE(S) UNTIL REQUESTED TO DO SO.

 

Effects of the Reverse Stock Split

EffectAffect on Warrants, Stock Options and Equity Plans

 

Based on the Reverse Stock Split exchange ratio selected by the Board of Directors, within the specified range of potential exchange ratios, proportionate adjustments would also be made to the per share conversion price or exercise price, as the case may be, and the number of shares issuable upon the conversion or exercise of all of our outstanding warrants, options and any other similar rights or securities entitling their holders to purchase or obtain shares of our common stock.Common Stock. In addition, the number of shares of our common stockCommon Stock reserved for issuance under our equity compensation plans would be reduced by the exchange ratio selected by the Board of Directors for the Reverse Stock Split.

Page - 42

Effect on Par Value and Accounting

 

Following the Reverse Stock Split, the par value per share of our common stockCommon Stock would remain at $0.01 per share. Total stockholders’ equity would remain unchanged. Net loss per share and net book value per share would be increased as a result of the Reverse Stock Split since fewer shares of our common stockCommon Stock would be outstanding. All share and per share information in our financial statements would be restated to reflect the Reverse Stock Split for all periods presented in filings after the Reverse Stock Split Effective Date with the SEC and The NASDAQ Capital Market.

Certain Other Effects

 

After the Reverse Stock Split, we would continue to be subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and outstanding shares of our common stockCommon Stock would remain fully paid and non-assessable. Our common stockCommon Stock would continue to be reported on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “CLSN,” although it is likely that NASDAQ would add the letter “D” to the end of the trading symbol for a period of twenty trading days after the Reverse Stock Split Effective Date to indicate that the Reverse Stock Split had occurred. We would make all necessary filings with NASDAQ as required by SEC Rule 10b-17.

Potential Negative Effects of the Reverse Stock Split

 

The immediate effect of the Reverse Stock Split would be to reduce the number of shares of our outstanding common stockCommon Stock and to increase the bid price of our common stock.Common Stock. However, we cannot guarantee that the Reverse Stock Split would lead to an increase in the bid price of our common stockCommon Stock in proportion to the reduction in the number of shares of our outstanding common stockCommon Stock or result in a permanent increase in the bid price of our common stock.Common Stock. Indeed, because the bid price of our common stockCommon Stock depends on our performance, prospects, general market conditions and other factors unrelated to the number of shares of our common stockCommon Stock outstanding at any given time, the bid price of our common stockCommon Stock might decline after the Reverse Stock Split (perhaps by an even greater percentage than would have occurred in the absence of the Reverse Stock Split). As a result, we might still be at risk for adverse consequences associated with lower-priced stocks generally.

 


We cannot assure you that the Reverse Stock Split would have the desired effect of maintaining compliance with NASDAQ Marketplace Rules and our common stockCommon Stock would not become subject to the risk of being delisted. Furthermore, the Reverse Stock Split would make it more difficult for us to meet certain other requirements for continued listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market, including rules related to the minimum number of shares that must be in the public float, the minimum market value of the public float and the minimum number of round lot holders. Our common stockCommon Stock might experience reduced liquidity and trading volume due to the availability of fewer shares for trading after the Reverse Stock Split and certain investors could still consider the bid price of our common stockCommon Stock to be too low, including investors with express policies prohibiting transactions involving lower-priced stocks or investors who are reluctant to incur transaction costs that represent a higher percentage of the stock price of lower-priced stocks than of higher-priced stocks. In addition, customers, suppliers or employees might consider a company with a low stock price and reduced liquidity and trading volume as risky and might accordingly be less likely to transact business with us.

 

The Reverse Stock Split might also produce other negative effects. Investors might consider the increased proportion of unissued authorized shares to issued shares to have an anti-takeover effect under certain circumstances, since the proportion allows for dilutive issuances which could prevent certain stockholders from changing the composition of the Board of Directors or render tender offers for a combination with another entity more difficult to successfully complete. The Board of Directors does not intend for the Reverse Stock Split to have any anti-takeover effects and except as set forth in Proposal No. 4 and Proposal No. 5 herein, has no current plan or intention to issue the additional shares of authorized and unissued common stockCommon Stock that would become available as a result of the Reverse Stock Split. The Board of Directors does not intend for the Reverse Stock Split to be part of a “going private” transaction within the meaning of Rule 13e-3 of the Exchange Act.

 

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Certain stockholders might be adversely affected disproportionately by the Reverse Stock Split. Some of our smaller stockholders might be eliminated since no fractional shares would be issued. Other stockholders might end up owning “odd-lots” of less than 100 shares as a result of the Reverse Stock Split, which would likely result in brokerage commissions and other transaction costs that are higher than the costs associated with transactions in even multiples of 100 shares.

Risk Factors

We cannot predict how the immediate effects and potential negative effects of the Reverse Split might interact with other risks and uncertainties that affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, as described in our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Risk Factors.” You should review the information in our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Risk Factors” before voting on this proposal.

 

No Appraisal Rights

 

Under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, our stockholders are not entitled to appraisal rights with respect to the Reverse Stock Split, and we would not independently provide our stockholders with such rights if the Reverse Stock Split is affected.

 

Certain United States Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reverse Stock Split

 

The following is only a summary of certain United States federal income tax consequences of the Reverse Stock Split and is for general information purposes only. This summary is based on the United States federal income tax laws now in effect, and as currently interpreted, and does not take into accountconsider possible changes in such laws or interpretations. Furthermore, this summary does not consider the United States federal income tax consequences to our stockholders in light of their individual circumstances or to stockholders subject to special treatment under the federal income tax laws and does not address any consequences of the Reverse Stock Split under any state, local or foreign tax laws. This summary assumes that the pre-Reverse Stock Split shares are held as capital assets.

 

THIS SUMMARY IS NOT INTENDED AS TAX ADVICE TO ANY PERSON AND OUR STOCKHOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS FOR ANY FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX EFFECTS OF THE REVERSE STOCK SPLIT IN LIGHT OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

 

To ensure compliance with Treasury Department Circular 230, you are hereby notified that (a) any discussion of U.S. federal income tax issues in this Proxy Statement is not intended or written to be relied upon, and cannot be relied upon, by you for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed on you under the Internal Revenue Code; (b) such discussion is included herein by Celsionthe Company in connection with the promotion or marketing (within the meaning of Circular 230) by Celsionthe Company of the transactions or matters addressed herein; and (c) you should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.


 

We believe that, except with respect to cash payments for fractional shares, our stockholders should generally recognize no gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the Reverse Stock Split. A stockholder’s aggregate tax basis in shares of our common stockCommon Stock held by such stockholder immediately following the Reverse Stock Split should be the same as such stockholder’s aggregate tax basis in shares of our common stockCommon Stock representing the same equity interest in the Company immediately prior to the Reverse Stock Split. The holding period of the post-Reverse Stock Split shares should include the period during which the pre-Reverse Stock Split shares were held.

 

Depending on the individual stockholder’s circumstances, a stockholder receiving cash in lieu of a fractional share could recognize gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between the amounts of cash received and the stockholder’s tax basis in the fractional share. Alternatively, in certain circumstances, a stockholder receiving cash in lieu of a fractional share could be treated as having received a distribution from the Company that could be characterized as a dividend for United States federal income tax purposes.

 

The CompanyWe would not recognize any gain or loss as a result of the Reverse Stock Split.

 

This summary reflects only our beliefs regarding the tax consequences of the Reverse Stock Split and is not binding upon the Internal Revenue Service or the courts, and there can be no assurance that either would accept the positions expressed above. Furthermore, the state, local and foreign tax consequences of the Reverse Stock Split might vary significantly for each stockholder, depending on where such stockholder resides.

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Board Discretion to Implement the Reverse Stock Split

If Proposal No. 4 is approved by the stockholders, the Board of Directors may determine to effect the Reverse Stock Split, and will consider certain factors in selecting the specific stock split ratio, including prevailing market conditions, the trading price of the common stock and the steps that we will need to take in order to achieve compliance with the bid price requirement and other listing regulations of The NASDAQ Capital Market, up until the date of the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Based in part on the price of the Common Stock on the days leading up to the filing of the Reverse Stock Split Amendment, the Board of Directors will determine the ratio of the Reverse Stock Split, that, in the judgment of the Board of Directors is the ratio most likely to allow us to achieve and maintain compliance with the minimum $1.00 per share bid price requirement for listing for the longest period of time, while retaining a sufficient number of outstanding, tradeable shares to facilitate an adequate market. The Board of Directors will publicly announce the ratio selected for the Reverse Stock Split prior to the effectiveness of the Reverse Stock Split within the limits set forth in Proposal No. 4.

Notwithstanding approval of the Reverse Stock Split by the stockholders, the Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, abandon the proposed amendment and determine prior to the effectiveness of any filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware not to effect the Reverse Stock Split. If the Board of Directors fails to implement the amendment prior to the date of the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, stockholder approval would again be required prior to implementation.

 

Interests of the Board

 

No member of the Board of Directors has a substantial interest, directly or indirectly, in the matters set forth in this Proposal No. 5,4, except to the extent of each member’s ownership of shares of our common stockCommon Stock or options or warrants to purchase shares of our common stock.Common Stock.

 

Vote Required for Approval

 

The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of our shares of common stockCommon Stock outstanding at the record date will be required to approve this proposal.

 

The approval of Proposal 4 is not conditioned on the approval or disapproval of Proposal 3. However, should both Proposals 3 and 4 be approved by the stockholders, the Board would, in its discretion, choose which proposal to implement, subject to its discretion to determine that neither proposal is in the best interests of the Company.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS STOCKHOLDERSA VOTEFOR

“FOR” THEGRANT OF DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY AMENDMENT TO THE BOARD TO AMEND THEOUR RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF

INCORPORATION OF THE COMPANY, AS AMENDED, TO EFFECT AT ANY TIME ON OR PRIOR TO

THE DATE OF THE 2018 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS, A REVERSE STOCK SPLIT OF OUR COMMON STOCK AT

AN EXCHANGE RATIO WITHINRATIO WITH A SPECIFIED RANGE AND TO MAINTAIN THE SPECIFIED RANGE.NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED SHARES OF COMMON STOCK EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE REVERSE STOCK SPLIT AT THE CURRENTLY APPROVED LEVEL OF 112,500,000 SHARES

 

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PROPOSAL NO. 4:5:

 

APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT OF

THE CELSION CORPORATION 20072018 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

 

BACKGROUND

 

At the 20172021 Annual Meeting, stockholders will be asked to approve the following amendmentsamendment to the Celsion Corporation 2007 Stock Incentive2018 Plan, (the “2007 Plan”), which were adopted, subject to stockholder approval,amendment was approved by theour Board of Directors on February 17, 2017.March 12, 2021.

 

Increase in Aggregate Share Limit.The 20072018 Plan currently limits the aggregate number of shares of common stock that may be delivered pursuant to all awards granted under the 20072018 Plan to 3,444,4446,498,424 shares. Currently only 890,90859,493 shares remain available for future grants. The proposed amendmentsamendment would increase this limit by an additional 6,195,0007,700,000 shares so that the new aggregate share limit for the 20072018 Plan would be 9,639,44414,198,424 shares. In addition, although the 2007 Plan reserve has historically included shares subject to awards granted under the Celsion Corporation 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2004 Plan”) and the Celsion Corporation 2001 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2001 Plan”) that became available for grant purposes under the 2007 Plan upon termination of the award, as part of this Proposal 4, we are discontinuing this 2007 Plan feature. If Proposal 4 is approved, if any such 2001 Plan or 2004 Plan awards lapse, the underlying shares will not again become available for the grant of new awards under the 2007 Plan.  The proposed amendments would also increase the limit on the number of shares that may be delivered pursuant to “incentive stock options” granted under the 2007 Plan to 9,639,444 shares, following the Reverse Split. For purposes of clarity, any shares that are delivered pursuant to incentive stock options also count against (and are not in addition to) the aggregate 2007 Plan share limit described above.

Increase in Individual Share Limit.  The 2007 Plan currently limits the number of shares of common stock that may be subject to awards granted under the 2007 Plan in any calendar year to any one participant (including the aggregate number of stock options and stock appreciation rights that may be granted in any one year to any one participant) to 300,000 shares. The proposed amendment would increase this limit so that, following the Reverse Split described in Proposal 3, the new individual share limit for the 2007 Plan would be 350,000 shares.

 

As of March 15, 2017,April 5, 2021, a total of 302,543 shares of common stock have been issued, and total of 2,547,2896,438,931 shares of common stock were subject to outstanding stock options and restricted stock awards granted under the 2007 Plan, the 2004 Plan and the 2001 Plan, collectively.2018 Plan. The 2,547,289 remaining awardsoutstanding stock options have a weighted average strike price of $2.69$2.67 per share with a weighted average term of 8.08.2 years. An additional 890,90859,493 shares of common stock were available for new award grants under the 20072018 Plan. TheOur Board of Directors recommends the increase in the number of shares available under the 20072018 Plan to provide the Companyus the ability to provide eligible officers, directors, key employees, and other individuals with additional incentives to contribute to theour future success of the Company.success. In the judgment of the Board of Directors, awards under the 20072018 Plan are a valuable and critical incentive and will serve to the ultimate benefit of the stockholders by aligning more closely the interests of the 20072018 Plan participants with those of our stockholders.

 

TheOur Board of Directors believes that the proposed 20072018 Plan amendments areamendment is essential for theour ongoing success, of the Company, the implementation of its product and/or technology acquisition strategy and its ability to recruit, retain and reward key employees. The Board of Directors also believes that if the proposed amendments areamendment is not approved, Celsion’sour ability to align the interests of key employees with stockholders through equity-based compensation would be compromised, disrupting the Company’sour compensation program and impairing Celsion’sour ability to recruit and retain key employees. The Board of Directors recommends approval of the proposed 20072018 Plan amendment for the following reasons:

 

align the interests of our stockholders and recipients of awards under the 2018 Plan by increasing the proprietary interest of such recipients in our growth and success;
advance our interests of the Company by attracting and retaining non-employee directors, officers, other employees, consultants, independent contractors and agents; and
motivate such persons to act in the long-term best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

As discussed above under “Executive Compensation — Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” we consider equity and equity-based compensation to be a key component of our compensation program and believe that it is essential to attract, motivate, and retain talented, experienced, and committed employees and to incentivize our employees to achieve our short- and long-term goals. On February 12, 2018, the Board of Directors, upon the recommendation of the Compensation Committee, adopted the Celsion Corporation 2018 Stock Incentive Plan which later was approved by our stockholders at the 2018 Annual Meeting on May 15, 2018. The 2018 Plan replaced our 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2007 Plan”). The 2018 Stock Incentive Plan constitutes the only plan we currently utilize to provide equity and equity-based incentive compensation to eligible employees, consultants, and directors.

Historical Company Equity Usage.We believe that our historic equity usage has been reasonable in light of competitive considerations and the potential dilutive impact of equity award grants on our stockholders. Celsion’sOur average two yearthree-year “run rate” was 4.85%8.4% as a percentage of weighted common shares outstanding comparedwhich compares favorably to the Non-Russell 3000 Index (Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Science)in the GICS 3520 industry grouping mean run rate of 8.2%9.5% for that same two-yearthree-year period (with the run rate in each case calculated is based on the number of shares subject to stock options and other equity awards granted during that period). We do not currently anticipate that our future annual long-term incentive grants will significantly exceed this run rate. As noted above, the number of shares of common stock currently available for future grants under the 20072018 Plan is below 890,908only 59,493 shares, demonstrating our need for additional shares to provide Celsionus greater flexibility to structure future incentives and to better attract, retain and award key employees to execute our current business plans and strategies. For more information on our past grants under the 20072018 Plan, see “Potential Dilution and Burn Rate” below.

 

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The Need to Provide Competitive Compensation. Similar to other companies in our industry, we believe equity compensation is integral in providing a competitive total compensation package necessary to recruit, retain and reward key employees. Equity awards are commonly used by companies our size, and the ability to provide competitive grants is essential to competing in our labor markets. Therefore, we believe it is imperative to provide long-term incentive awards as a component of our compensation program. We will continue to seek an appropriate balance between meeting employee hiring, retention, and compensation goals and avoiding excessive stockholder dilution.

 

Cash Compensation Expense Increase. If our ability to provide equity compensation is impaired, the Company’sour cash compensation costs could increase substantially to offset equity compensation typically provided in the marketplace. We believe it is important that we use our cash resources to operate and expand our business, rather than unnecessarily divert cash to pay compensation.

If stockholders do not approve this 20072018 Plan proposal,amendment, the current share limits under, and other terms and conditions of the 20072018 Plan will continue in effect.

 

Potential Dilution and Burn Rate

The following paragraphs include additional information to help you assess the potential dilutive impact of the Company’s outstanding equity awards under the 2018 Plan.

The following table shows the total number of shares of our common stock that were subject to outstanding restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards granted under the 2018 Plan, that were subject to outstanding stock options granted under the 2018 Plan, and that were then available for new award grants under the 2018 Plan as of December 31, 2020 and as of April 5, 2021.

  As of December 31, 2020  As of April 5, 2021 
       
Shares subject to outstanding stock options  4,484,721   6,435,181 
Shares subject to outstanding restricted stock and
restricted stock unit awards
  2,750   3,750 
Shares available for new award grants  2,018,453   59,493 

As of December 31, 2020, a total of 4,130,886 shares of our common stock were subject to all outstanding awards granted under the 2018 Plan. All of these outstanding stock option awards were subject to outstanding stock options having a weighted average strike price of $2.78 per share with a remaining term of 7.8 years.

As of April 5, 2021, a total of 6,438,931 shares of our common stock were subject to all outstanding awards granted under the 2018 Plan. All of these outstanding awards stock option and restricted stock awards have a weighted average strike price of $2.67 per share with a remaining term of 8.2 years.

The weighted-average number of shares of our common stock issued and outstanding in each of the last three fiscal years is 17,582,879 shares issued and outstanding in 2018; 21,832,932 shares issued and outstanding in 2019; and 31,691,248 shares issued and outstanding in 2020;. The number of shares of our common stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and April 5, 2021 was 40,701,022 shares and 86,557,736 shares, respectively.

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The total number of shares of our common stock subject to awards that we granted under the 2018 Plan over the last two fiscal years and to date as of April 5, 2021 are as follows:

1,127,000 shares in 2019 (which was 5.2% of the weighted-average number of shares of our common stock issued and outstanding in 2019), of which 1,100,750 were subject to stock option awards and 16,250 were subject to restricted stock grants;
1,101,855 shares in 2020 (which was 3.4% of the weighted-average number of shares of our common stock issued and outstanding in 2020), of which 670,250 were subject to stock option awards and 431,605 were subject to restricted stock grants. In connection with the 2019 bonuses earned by employees, we issued 429,855 common shares in lieu of cash under the 2018 Plan; and
2,028,500 shares thus far in 2020 (which was 3.2% of the weighted-average number of shares of our common stock issued and outstanding in 2021 through April 5, 2021), of which 2,027,500 were subject to stock option awards and 1,000 were subject to restricted stock grants.

The Compensation Committee anticipates that the aggregate share limit of 14,198,424 shares requested for the 2018 Plan and assuming usual levels of shares becoming available for new awards as a result of forfeitures of outstanding awards, will provide us with flexibility to continue to grant equity awards under the 2018 Plan for the next two years. However, this is only an estimate, in our judgment, based on current circumstances. The total number of shares that are subject to the Company’s award grants in any one year or from year-to-year may change based on any number of variables, including, without limitation, the value of our common stock (since higher stock prices generally require fewer shares to be issued to produce awards of the same grant date fair value), changes in competitors’ compensation practices, changes in compensation practices in the market generally, changes in the number of employees, changes in the number of directors and officers, whether and the extent to which vesting conditions applicable to equity-based awards are satisfied, acquisition activity and the need to grant awards to new employees in connection with acquisitions, the need to attract, retain and incentivize key talent, the type of awards we grant and how we choose to balance total compensation between cash and equity-based awards.

The closing market price for a share of our common stock as of April 5, 2021 was $1.41 per share. Based on this price and the maximum number of shares that would have been available for awards as of such date under the 2018 Plan together with the 7,700,000 additional shares requested in this proposed amendment, the maximum aggregate market value of the common stock that could potentially be issued under the 2018 Plan is approximately $20 million if this amendment is approved.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE 20072018 PLAN

 

The following summary provides a description of the significant provisions of the 2007 Plan.2018 Plan, as amended. However, the summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the 20072018 Plan and the amendment thereto, which hashave been filed as an exhibit (Appendix B) to the copy of this Proxy Statement that was filed electronically with the SEC and can be reviewed on the SEC’s website athttp://www.sec.gov.www.sec.gov  You may also obtain, free of charge, a copy of the 2007 Plan by writing to:.

 

Celsion Corporation

997 Lenox Drive, Suite 100

Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648

Attention: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

(609) 896-9100Plan Highlights

 

Some of the key features of the 2018 Plan, as amended, include:

The 2018 Plan, as amended, will be administered by a committee of the Board, comprised entirely of independent directors, consisting of a minimum of two directors;
Options and SARs granted under the 2018 Plan, as amended, may not be repriced without shareholder approval other than in connection with a Change in Control or adjustments described in the 2018 Plan;
Under the 2018 Plan, as amended, the maximum number of shares our common stock available for awards, other than awards granted as substitute awards in connection with a corporate transaction, is equal to the sum of (i) 14,198,424 shares our common stock and (ii) the number of shares of Company common stock that remain available for future issuance under the 2007 Plan as of the effective date of the 2018 Plan;
The 2018 Plan, as amended, prohibits liberal share recycling – meaning that shares tendered to pay the exercise price, or the withholding taxes related to an award may not be recycled back into the 2018 Plan;

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The exercise price of options and the base price for SARs granted under the 2018 Plan, as amended, may not be less than the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the date of grant, subject to certain exceptions for substitute awards granted in connection with a corporate transaction;
The 2018 Plan, as amended, prohibits the grant of dividend equivalents with respect to options and SARs and subjects all dividends and dividend equivalents paid with respect to restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards or performance awards to the same vesting conditions as the underlying awards;
The 2018 Plan, as amended, does not contain a liberal change in control definition; and
The 2018 Plan, as amended, provides that awards and any cash payment or shares our common stock delivered pursuant to an award are subject to forfeiture, recovery by us or other action pursuant to the applicable award agreement or any claw back or recoupment policy that we may adopt from time to time.

 

NUMBER OF SHARES SUBJECT TO THE 2007 PLANAdministration

 

The maximum number2018 Plan is administered by a committee designated by our Board of sharesDirectors (the “Plan Committee”) (unless the Board elects to administer the plan), consisting of two or more members of the Board, each of whom may be (i) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act and (ii) “independent” within the meaning of the rules of the NASDAQ Capital Market or, if Company common stock that currently may be issued pursuant to awards granted underis not listed on the 2007NASDAQ Capital Market, within the meaning of the rules of the principal stock exchange on which Company common stock is then traded. Our Compensation Committee serves as the Plan is 3,444,444 shares. If stockholders approveCommittee and administers the proposed amendment2018 Plan.

Subject to the 2007express provisions of the 2018 Plan, this aggregate share limit wouldthe Plan Committee has the authority to select eligible persons to receive awards and determine all of the terms and conditions of each award. All awards are be 9,639,444 In addition,evidenced by an agreement containing such provisions not inconsistent with the 2018 Plan as the Plan Committee approves. The Plan Committee will also has authority to establish rules and regulations for administering the 2018 Plan and to decide questions of interpretation or application of any shares subject to awards granted underprovision of the 20042018 Plan. The Plan or the 2001 Plan which expire, orCommittee may, in its sole discretion and for any reason are cancelledat any time, take action such that (i) any or terminated, after June 13, 2007, withoutall outstanding options and SARs will become exercisable in part or in full, (ii) all or a distributionportion of sharesa restriction period on any award will lapse, (iii) all or a portion of any performance period applicable to any award will lapse and (iv) any performance measures applicable to any outstanding award will be deemed satisfied at target, maximum or any other level.

The Plan Committee may delegate some or all of its power and authority under the 2018 Plan to the award-holderBoard of Directors (or any members thereof) or, subject to applicable law, a subcommittee of the Board of Directors, a member of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or other executive officer of the Company as the Plan Committee deems appropriate, except that it may not delegate its power and authority to a member of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or any executive officer with regard to awards to persons who are also available for award grant purposes undersubject to Section 16 of the 2007 Plan. If stockholders approve this Proposal 4, 2004Exchange Act. The Plan and 2001 Plan awards that lapse will no longer result in the underlying shares becoming available under the 2007 Plan.Committee has not made such a delegation of authority.

 

SHARE-COUNTING PROVISIONSAvailable Shares

 

If an award under the 2007 Plan expires, or for any reason is cancelled or terminated, without a distribution of sharesSubject to the award-holder,adjustment provisions set forth in the shares of common stock subject to2018 Plan, as amended, the expired, cancelled or terminated award will again be available for awards under the 2007 Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a stock option or stock appreciation right is settled by the delivery of a net number of shares of common stock, the full number of shares underlying such stock option or stock appreciation right will not be available for subsequent awards under the 2007 Plan. Shares repurchased on the open market with the proceeds of an exercise price will not again be made available for issuance under the 2007 Plan. In addition, (i) shares withheld by the Company to satisfy the tax obligations related to an award granted under the 2007 Plan will again be available for grants of awards under the 2007 Plan, (ii) to the extent an award is paid or settled in cash, the number of shares with respect to which such payment or settlement is made will again be available for grants of awards under the 2007 Plan and (iii) shares underlying awards that can only be settled in cash will not be counted against the aggregate number of shares of common stock available for awards under the 2007 Plan.

ELIGIBILITY

All directors, officers, employees2018 Plan as amended, other than substitute awards granted in connection with a corporate transaction, is equal to the sum of (i) 14,198,424 shares of our common stock and consultants(ii) the number of theshares of Company or any parent, subsidiary or affiliate are eligible to participate in the 2007 Plan. The selection of those directors, officers, employees and consultants, from among those eligible, who will receive awardscommon stock that remain available for future issuance under the 2007 Plan is within the discretionas of the Compensation Committee, provided that awardseffective date of Incentive Stock Optionsthe 2018 Plan. All of the available shares of common stock under the 2018 Plan, as amended, may be made only to employees of the Company and any parent or subsidiary of the Company. Currently there are 6 non-executive directors, 4 officers and 16 employees eligible to participateissued in the 2007 Plan.


PLAN ADMINISTRATIONconnection with incentive stock options.

 

The 2007 Plan maynumber of available shares will be administeredreduced by the Board of Directors or, at the electionsum of the Board of Directors, by a committee appointed by the Board of Directors comprised solely of two or more nonemployee directors within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act, who also qualify as "outside directors" (as described under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code). The Board of Directors has determined that the Compensation Committee should administer the 2007 Plan.

The Compensation Committee will have full power and authority to administer and interpret the 2007 Plan and to adopt such rules, regulations, agreements, guidelines and instruments for the administration of the 2007 Plan it deems necessary, desirable or appropriate in accordance with the terms of the 2007 Plan and the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company.  The Compensation Committee also will have full power and authority to take all other actions necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of the 2007 Plan, including the authority to (i) determine the participants to whom, and the time or times at which, awards shall be granted; (ii) determine the types of awards to be granted; (iii) determine theaggregate number of shares of common stock and/or amount of cash to be covered by or used for reference purposes for each award; (iv) impose such terms, limitations, vesting schedules, restrictions and conditions upon any such award as the Compensation Committee shall deem appropriate; (v)which become subject to the other provisions of the 2007 Plan, modify, extend or renew outstanding awards, accept the surrender of outstandingoptions, free-standing SARs, stock awards and substitute new awards, providedperformance awards. To the extent that no such action shall be taken with respect to any outstanding award that would materially or adversely affect the grantee without the grantee's; (vi) accelerate the time in which an award may be exercised or in which an award becomes payable and waive or accelerate the lapse, in whole or in part, of any restriction or condition with respect to an award; (vii) establish objectives and conditions for earning awards and determining whether awards will be paid after the end of a performance period; and (viii) permit the deferral of, or require a participant to defer such participant's receipt of, the delivery of common stock and/or cash under an award that would otherwise be due to a participant and establish rules and procedures for such payment deferrals.

NO REPRICING

In no case (except due to an adjustment to reflect a stock split or other event referred to under “Adjustments” below, or any repricing that may be approved by stockholders) will the Compensation Committee (1) amend an outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right to reduce the exercise price or base price of the award, (2) cancel, exchange, or surrender an outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right in exchange for cash or other awards for the purpose of repricing the award, or (3) cancel, exchange, or surrender an outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right in exchange for an option or stock appreciation right with an exercise or base price that is less than the exercise or base price of the original award.

PERMITTED AWARDS

Our Board of Directors believes that it is appropriate to provide a flexible and comprehensive stock compensation plan that permits the granting of a variety of long-term incentive awards to eligible individuals. In keeping with the aim of providing a comprehensive and flexible plan, the 2007 Plan authorizes the following types of discretionary awards:

Incentive Stock Options, which are stock options that meet the definition set out in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code;

• 

Nonqualified Stock Options, which are stock options that do not meet the definition of Incentive Stock Options under the Internal Revenue Code;

• 

Stock Appreciation Rights ("SARs"), which represent the right to receive payments in cash, common stock or a combination of the two, of up to the amount by which the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date of exercise exceeds the designated base price of a share of common stock on the grant date. SARs may be freestanding or may be granted "in tandem" with stock options;

• 

Phantom Stock, which represents the right to receive payments in cash, common stock or other consideration, equal to the fair market value of a specified number of shares of common stock at such time, and subject to such conditions, as are set forth in the grant agreement;

• 

Restricted Stock, which is a specified number of shares of common stock that are subject to restrictions on disposition and forfeiture to the Company under certain circumstances;   Restricted Stock Units, which represent the right to receive shares of common stock without any cash payment therefore upon the satisfaction of vesting and other conditions, and may also include the right to receive dividend equivalents, in the form of additional Restricted Stock Units, equal to the amount of dividends or other distributions payable in respect of shares of common stock during the period from grant to satisfaction of all vesting and other conditions; and

• 

Performance Awards, which are amounts payable in Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, and/or Phantom Stock that may be earned upon satisfaction of various performance measures.


TERM AND TERMINATION

If not sooner terminated, the 2007 Plan will terminate on the business day immediately preceding the tenth anniversary of its amended effective date, on April 24, 2024, and no further awards may be granted thereafter (subject to any extension of the plan term that may be approved by stockholders). The Board of Directors, in its discretion, may terminate the 2007 Plan at any time with respect to any shares of common stock for which awards have not previously been granted.

AMENDMENT

The Board of Directors may amend or terminate the 2007 Plan at any time, except that stockholder approval will be required to increase the number of shares of common stock subject to an outstanding option, free-standing SARs, stock award or performance award granted under the 2018 Plan or the 2007 Plan, other than substitute awards granted in connection with a corporate transaction, are not issued or ifdelivered by reason of (i) the expiration, termination, cancellation or forfeiture of such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement or rule of any exchange or national automated quotation system upon which the common stock is listed or quoted.

The Compensation Committee may make minor or administrative amendments to the 2007 Plan as well as amendments that may be dictated by requirements of applicable U.S. federal or state laws or that may be authorized or made desirable by such laws.

TERMS APPLICABLE TO ALL TYPES OF AWARDS

Term:    The term of each award will be as specified by the Compensation Committee at the date of grant, but may not exceed ten years.

Maximum Annual Awards:As the 2007 Plan is proposed to be amended, following the Reverse Split, no more than 350,000(excluding shares of common stock may be subject to awards grantedan option cancelled upon settlement of a related tandem SAR or subject to a tandem SAR cancelled upon exercise of a related option), or (ii) the settlement of such award in cash, then such shares of common stock will again be available under the 20072018 Plan. Shares of common stock subject to an award under the 2018 Plan or a prior plan will not again be available for issuance under the 2018 Plan if such shares are (a) shares that were subject to any one participant in any calendar year (includingan option or stock-settled SAR and were not issued or delivered upon the aggregate numbernet settlement or net exercise of stock options and stock appreciation rights that may be granted in any one yearsuch option or SAR, (b) shares delivered to any one participant).or withheld by the Company to pay the purchase price or the withholding taxes relating to an outstanding award or (c) shares repurchased by the Company on the open market with the proceeds of an option exercise.

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Change in Control

Changes

Subject to the terms of the applicable award agreement, in Control:In the event of any proposeda change in control, the Board, as that term isconstituted prior to the Change in Control (as defined in the 20072018 Plan, the Compensation Committee willas amended), may, in its discretion take such action as it deems appropriate and equitable to effectuate the purposesone of the 2007following actions: (i) require that (a) some or all outstanding options and SARs will become exercisable in full or in part, either immediately or upon a subsequent termination of employment, (b) the restriction period applicable to some or all outstanding stock awards will lapse in full or in part, either immediately or upon a subsequent termination of employment, (c) the performance period applicable to some or all outstanding awards will lapse in full or in part, and (d) the performance measures applicable to some or all outstanding awards will be deemed satisfied at the target, maximum or any other level; (ii) require that shares of stock of the company resulting from or succeeding to the business of the Company pursuant to such change in control, or the parent thereof, be substituted for some or all of the shares of Company common stock subject to outstanding awards as determined by the Board; and/or (iii) require outstanding awards to be surrendered to the Company in exchange for a payment of cash, shares of common stock in the company resulting from the change in control, or the parent thereof, or a combination of cash and shares.

Under the terms of the 2018 Plan, and to protect the grantees of awards. Such actions may include:as amended, a Change in Control is generally defined as follows:

 

• 

acceleration or change of the exercise and/or expiration dates of any award to require that exercise be made, if at all, prior to the change in control;

• 

cancellation of any award upon payment to the holder in cash of the fair market value of the stock subject to such award as of the date of the change in control, less the aggregate exercise price, if any, of the award; and

• 

in any case where equity securities of another entity are proposed to be delivered in exchange for or with respect to common stock, arrangements to have such other entity replace the awards granted under the 2007 Plan with awards with respect to such other securities, with appropriate adjustments in the number of shares subject to, and the exercise prices under, the award.

For purposes of the 2007 Plan, a "change in control" includes:

• 

the merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity or other reorganization of the Company, if more than 50% of the combined voting power of the continuing or surviving entity'sentity’s securities outstanding immediately thereafter is not owned directly or indirectly by persons who were holders of the Company'sCompany’s voting securities immediately prior thereto;

• 

the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company'sCompany’s assets to an entity that is not a parent, subsidiary or affiliate of the Company;

• 

any transaction as a result of which any person becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing at least 50% of the total voting power represented by the Company'sCompany’s then-outstanding voting securities; or

• 

a change in the composition of the Board of Directors over a period of 24 consecutive months or less as a result of which individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board of Directors (the "Incumbent Board"“Incumbent Board”) cease to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual subsequently becoming a director whose selection as a director or nominee was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Board of Directors will be considered to be a member of the Incumbent Board, except if such selection occurs as a result of either an actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a person other than the Board.

Board; or
the stockholders of the Company approve a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 


Adjustments. As is customary in incentive plans of this nature, except as described in the Proposal No. 4 with respect to the Reverse Split, each share limitEffective Date, Termination and the number and kind of shares available under the 2007 Plan and any outstanding awards, as well as the exercise or purchase prices of awards, and performance targets under certain types of performance-based awards, are subject to adjustment in the event of certain reclassifications, recapitalizations, stock splits, reverse stock splits, stock dividends, or other similar events.Amendment

 

Amendment:The Compensation Committee2018 Plan became effective as of the date on which the 2018 Plan was approved by stockholders and will terminate as of the first annual meeting to occur on or after the tenth anniversary of the effective date, unless earlier terminated by the Board. If approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of common stock present via the live webcast or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting, the amendment to the 2018 Plan to increase the aggregate number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2018 Plan shall become effective as of the date of the 2021 Annual Stockholders Meeting. Awards hereunder may notbe made at any time prior to the termination of the 2018 Plan, provided that no incentive stock option may be granted later than ten years after the date on which the 2018 Plan was approved by the Board. The Board may amend the 2018 Plan at any time, subject to stockholder approval if (i) required by applicable law, rule or regulation, including any rule of the NASDAQ Capital Market or any other stock exchange on which the common stock is then traded, or (ii) such amendment modifies the option and SAR repricing provisions in the 2018 Plan. No amendment may materially impair the rights of a holder of an outstanding award without the consent of such holder.

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Eligibility

Participants in any manner thatthe 2018 Plan will consist of such officers, other employees, non-employee directors, consultants, independent contractors and agents and persons expected to become officers, other employees, non-employee directors, consultants, independent contractors and agents of the Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries, as selected by the Plan Committee. As of April 5, 2021, approximately 33 individuals would materially and adversely affecthave been eligible to participate in the award, except with2018 Plan, as amended, which includes approximately four officers, twenty-four employees, five non-employee directors. Also, non-employee consultants can also be eligible to participate in the 2018 Plan, as amended, upon the approval of the participant to whom the award was granted. Otherwise, the Compensation Committee may amend an outstanding award to the extent that it would have had the authority initially to grant the award as so amended.Plan Committee.

Stock Options and SARs

 

Transferability:  An Incentive Stock OptionThe 2018 Plan, as amended provides for the grant of non-qualified stock options, incentive stock options and SARs. The Plan Committee will determine the conditions to the exercisability of each option and SAR.

Each option will be exercisable for no more than ten years after its date of grant, unless the option is not transferable otheran incentive stock option and the optionee owns greater than byten percent (10%) of the voting power of all shares of capital stock of the Company (a “ten percent holder”), in which case the option will or the lawsbe exercisable for no more than five years after its date of descent and distribution, and may be exercised during the employee's lifetime only by the employee or his or her guardian or legal representative. Other awards may,grant. Except in the discretioncase of substitute awards granted in connection with a corporate transaction, the exercise price of an option will not be less than 100% of the Compensation Committee, also be transferable by gift or pursuant tofair market value of a domestic relations order to certain specified family members, entitiesshare of common stock on the date of grant, unless the option is an incentive stock option and trusts.

TERMS OF SPECIFIC TYPES OF AWARDS

Stock Options

Exercise Price:    Thethe optionee is a ten percent holder, in which case the option exercise price will be determinedthe price required by the Compensation Committee,Code, currently 110% of fair market value.

Each SAR will be exercisable for no more than ten years after its date of grant provided that no SAR granted in its discretion. Although it istandem with an option (a “tandem SAR”) will be exercisable later than the general policyexpiration, termination, cancellation, forfeiture or other termination of the Compensation Committeerelated option. The base price of an SAR will not be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date of grant (or, if earlier, the date of grant of the option for which the SAR is exchanged or substituted), provided that the base price of a tandem SAR will be the exercise price of the related option. An SAR entitles the holder to grant options at not less thanreceive upon exercise (subject to withholding taxes) shares of common stock (which may be restricted stock), cash or a combination thereof with a value equal to the difference between the fair market value of the common stock on the exercise date and the base price of grant, the CompensationSAR.

All of the terms relating to the exercise, cancellation or other disposition of options and SARs following the termination of employment of a participant, whether by reason of disability, retirement, death or any other reason, will be determined by the Plan Committee.

The Plan Committee has reservedshall not, without the right,approval of the stockholders of the Company, (i) reduce the purchase price or base price of any previously granted option or SAR, (ii) cancel any previously granted option or SAR in its discretion, to grant options atexchange for another option or SAR with a lower purchase price as and when it deems appropriate and subject to applicable tax laws. In no event, however, will Incentive Stock Options beor base price or (iii) cancel any previously granted at an exerciseoption or SAR in exchange for cash or another award if the purchase price of less thansuch option or the base price of such SAR exceeds the fair market value of the common stock on the grant date.

Special Rules for Certain Stockholders:    If an Incentive Stock Option is granted to an employee who then owns stock possessing more than 10%a share of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or a subsidiary, then the term of the option will not exceed five years, and the exercise price will be at least 110% of the fair market value of the shares on the date that the option is granted.

Status of Options:  The Compensation Committee will designate the status of each option granted to an employee as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option at the time of grant. If, however, the aggregate fair market value (determined as of the date of grant) of shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options become exercisable for the first time by an employee exceeds $100,000 in any calendar year, the options with respect to the excess shares will be Nonqualified Stock Options. All options granted to consultants and non-executive directors will be Nonqualified Stock Options.

Payment:    The Compensation Committee may determine the method by which the option price may be paid, including in cash, check or other shares of common stock. The 2007 Plan also allows the Compensation Committee, in its discretion, to permit cashless exercises.

Other Terms and Conditions:    The Compensation Committee may establish such other terms and conditions on the grant of stock options, not inconsistent with the terms of the 2007 Plan, as it deems appropriate.

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units

Payment:    Unless otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee or as may be required to comply with applicable tax withholding obligations, grantees of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units will not be required to pay the Company cash consideration for such Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.

Vesting Conditions and Other Conditions:    The Compensation Committee, in its discretion, shall determine the vesting conditions and other restrictions applicable to each award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, including the duration and conditions to termination of such restrictions. The Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, reduce or shorten the duration of any vesting period or other restriction applicable to any award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.


Stock Issuance and Stockholder Rights:    Celsion will issue shares of Restricted Stock to the grantee, subject to forfeiture if the Restricted Stock does not vest or other restrictions do not lapse. Except as the Compensation Committee otherwise might determine, during the restricted period the grantee will have all the rights of a stockholder to receive dividends and to vote the Restricted Stock. Celsion will generally issue shares subject to a Restricted Stock Unit at such time as the Restricted Stock Unit has vested and other restrictions have lapsed. The grantee of Restricted Stock Units will not be entitled to any of the rights of a stockholder until the time that shares. The Compensation Committee, in its discretion, may provide a participant with the right to receive amounts equivalent to the dividends and other distributions that otherwise would be payable on shares subject to the Restricted Stock Unit, either currently or upon vesting and lapse of restrictions, with such amounts payable in cash or common stock, as determined by the Compensation Committee ; provided, however, that as to any dividend equivalent rights granted in connection with an award granted under the 2007 Plan that is subject to performance-based vesting requirements, no dividend equivalent payment will be made unless the related performance-based vesting conditions of the award are satisfied (or, in the case of a restricted stock or similar award where the dividend must be paid as a matter of law, the dividend payment will be subject to forfeiture or repayment, as the case may be, if the related performance-based vesting conditions are not satisfied).

Stock Appreciation Rights

Tandem SARs:    Tandem SARs, which are SARs granted in connection with an underlying stock option, will entitle the participant to surrender all or part of the option for a cash payment at such time and to the extent such option is exercisable. Any such SAR will be exercisable only to the same extent and on the same terms as the related options are exercisable. An Incentive Stock Option may only be surrendered in connection with the exercise of a tandem SAR if the fair market value of the common stock underlying the option is greater than the option's exercise price.

Free-Standing SARs:    Free-standing SARs, which are SARs not granted in connection with stock options, will be exercisable as and when determined by the Compensation Committee. The base price of the SAR will be determined by the Compensation Committee, in its discretion. Although it is the general policy of the Compensation Committee to grant SARs at not less than the fair market value of the common stock on the date of such cancellation, in each case, other than in connection with a change in control or the adjustment provisions set forth in the 2018 Plan, as amended.

Stock Awards

The 2018 Plan, as amended, provides for the grant of stock awards. The Plan Committee may grant a stock award as a restricted stock award, a restricted stock unit award or as another stock award. Except as otherwise determined by the CompensationPlan Committee, has reserved the right, in its discretion, to grant SARs at a lower price as and when it deems appropriatestock awards will be non-transferable and subject to applicable tax laws.forfeiture if the holder does not remain continuously in the employment of the Company during the restriction period or if specified performance measures (if any) are not attained during the performance period.

 

FormUnless otherwise set forth in a restricted stock award agreement, the holder of Payment:shares of restricted stock will have rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote and receive dividends with respect to the shares of restricted stock. Distributions and dividends with respect to shares of common stock, including regular cash dividends, will be deposited with the Company and will be subject to the same restrictions as the restricted stock.

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The Companyagreement awarding restricted stock units will specify (i) whether such award may pay amounts due upon exercise of a SAR by deliverybe settled in shares of common stock, cash or a combination thereof, and (ii) whether the holder will be entitled to receive dividend equivalents, with respect to such award. Any dividend equivalents with respect to restricted stock units will be subject to the same restrictions as such restricted stock units. Prior to settlement of a restricted stock unit, the holder of a restricted stock unit will have no rights as a shareholder of the two,Company.

The Committee may grant other awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, shares of common stock, including shares of common stock granted as determineda bonus and not subject to any vesting conditions, dividend equivalents, deferred stock units, stock purchase rights and shares of common stock issued in the discretionlieu of obligations of the CompensationCompany to pay cash under any compensatory plan or arrangement, subject to such terms as shall be determined by the Committee.

All of the terms relating to the satisfaction of performance measures and the termination of a restriction period, or the forfeiture and cancellation of a stock award upon a termination of employment, whether by reason of disability, retirement, death or any other reason or during a paid or unpaid leave of absence, will be determined by the Plan Committee.

Performance Awards

 

Other Terms:The Compensation2018 Plan also provides for the grant of performance awards. The agreement relating to a performance award will specify whether such award may be settled in shares of common stock (including shares of restricted stock), cash or a combination thereof. The agreement relating to a performance award will provide, in the manner determined by the Plan Committee, for the vesting of such performance award if the specified performance measures established by the Plan Committee are satisfied or met during the specified performance period and such performance goals will determinebe determined by the Plan Committee at the datetime of grantgrant. Any dividend or dividend equivalents with respect to a performance award will be subject to the times at whichsame restrictions as such performance award.

Prior to the settlement of a performance award in shares of common stock, the holder of such award will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to such shares. All of the terms relating to the satisfaction of performance measures and the circumstances under whichtermination of a SAR may be exercised,performance period, or the methodforfeiture and cancellation of exercise,a performance award upon a termination of employment with or service to, whether the SARby reason of disability, retirement, death or any other reason or during a paid or unpaid leave of absence, will be in combination with another award, and any other terms and conditions of any SAR.determined by the Plan Committee.

 

Phantom Stock Awards

Phantom Stock Awards under the 2007 Plan will be granted on such terms and subject to such conditions, not inconsistent with the 2007 Plan, as the Compensation Committee may prescribe.

Performance Awards

Form of Grants:    Performance Awards may be in the form of Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights and/or Phantom Stock as the Compensation Committee, in its discretion, may determine.

Performance Period:    Performance periods will be established by the Compensation Committee, in its discretion, provided that no performance period may be less than three months or more than 10 years.

Performance Measures:    The Compensation Committee will use one or more of the following criteria, which will be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and may be used in absolute or relative terms, to measure the performance of the Company, or any parent, subsidiary, affiliate or division of the Company for a performance period:

basic or diluted earnings per share of common stock;

earnings per share of common stock growth;

revenue;

operating income;

net income (either before or after taxes);

earnings and/or net income before interest and taxes;


earnings and/or net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization;

return on capital;

return on equity;

return on assets;

net cash provided by operations;

free cash flow;

common stock price;

economic profit;

economic value;

total stockholder return; and

gross margins and costs.

Performance Awards Under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code: Under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, a corporation cannot take a tax deduction in any tax year for compensation it pays to its Chief Executive Officer and certain other executive officers in excess of $1 million. Compensation that qualifies as “performance-based,” however, is excluded from the $1 million limit if, among other requirements, the compensation is payable only upon attainment of pre-established, objective performance goals under a plan approved by the corporation’s shareholders. Under the 2007 Plan, the Compensation Committee may grant Performance Awards that are designed to satisfy the “performance-based” exception under Section 162(m). These “performance-based” awards are in addition to stock options and stock appreciation rights, separately authorized under the 2007 Plan, that may also qualify as performance-based for Section 162(m) purposes. There can be no assurance, however, that any compensation intended to qualify for deductibility under Section 162(m) awarded or paid by the Company will be fully deductible.

FEDERAL INCOME TAX ASPECTS OF THE 2007 PLANU.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

 

The following is a brief summary of certain United States federal income tax consequences generally arising with respect to awards under the 2018 Plan. This discussion does not address all aspects of the U.S.United States federal income tax consequences of certain transactions underparticipating in the 2007 Plan. It2018 Plan that may be relevant to participants in light of their personal investment or tax circumstances and does not addressdiscuss any state, local or foreign income or othernon-United States tax consequences which may vary significantly depending uponof participating in the jurisdiction and2018 Plan. Each participant is advised to consult his or her personal tax advisor concerning the statusapplication of the stockholder/taxpayer. This summary also does not attemptUnited States federal income tax laws to describe allsuch participant’s particular situation, as well as the applicability and effect of the possibleany state, local or non-United States tax consequences that could result from the acquisition, holding, exercise or disposition of an Incentive or Nonqualified Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Phantom Stock or Performance Award, or the shares of common stock underlyinglaws before taking any of the foregoing. The discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code, its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations under the Internal Revenue Code, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect. These laws are subjectactions with respect to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.any awards.

 

Incentive Stock OptionsSection 162(m) of the Code

 

Incentive Stock Options are subject to special federal income tax treatment. No federal income tax is imposed on the optionee upon the grant or the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option if the optionee does not disposeSection 162(m) of the shares acquired pursuantCode limits to $1 million the amount that a publicly held corporation is allowed each year to deduct for compensation paid to the exercise withincorporation’s “covered employees.” “Covered employees” include the two-year periodcorporation’s chief executive officer, chief financial officer and three next most highly compensated executive officers. If an individual is determined to be a covered employee for any year beginning onafter December 31, 2016, then that individual will continue to be a covered employee for future years, regardless of changes in the dateindividual’s compensation or position.

Stock Options

A participant will not recognize taxable income at the time an option wasis granted, or within the one-year period beginning on the date the option was exercised (collectively, the "Holding Period"). In such event,and the Company wouldwill not be entitled to anya tax deduction for federal income tax purposes in connection with the grant or exercise of the option or the disposition of the shares so acquired. With respect to an Incentive Stock Option, the difference between the fair market value of the stock on the date of exercise and the exercise price must generally be included in the optionee's alternative minimum taxable income for the year in which such exercise occurs. However, if the optionee exercises an Incentive Stock Option and disposes of the shares received in the same taxable year and the amount realized is less than the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise, then the amount included in the income of the optioneeat that time. A participant will not exceed the amount realized over the adjusted basis of the shares.

Upon disposition of the shares received upon exercise of an Incentive Stock Option after the Holding Period has been satisfied, any appreciation of the shares above the exercise price should constitute capital gain. If an optionee disposes of shares acquired pursuant to his or her exercise of an Incentive Stock Option prior to the end of the Holding Period, the optionee will be treated as having received, at the time of disposition,recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income. In such event, andincome (and if the participant is an employee, will be subject to the applicationincome tax withholding) upon exercise of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code as discussed below, the Company may claim a deduction for compensation paid at the same time and in the same amount as compensation is treated as received by the optionee. The amount treated as compensation isnon-qualified stock option equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares purchased on such date over their exercise price, and the Company will be entitled to a corresponding deduction, except to the extent the deduction limits of Section 162(m) of the Code apply. A participant will not recognize income (except for purposes of the alternative minimum tax) upon exercise of an incentive stock option. If the shares acquired by exercise of an incentive stock option are held for at least two years from the timedate the option was granted and one year from the date it was exercised, any gain or loss arising from a subsequent disposition of exercise (orthose shares will be taxed as long-term capital gain or loss, and the Company will not be entitled to any deduction. If, however, those shares are disposed of within the above-described period, then in the caseyear of a sale in which a loss would be recognized,that disposition the participant will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income equal to the excess of the lesser of (i) the amount realized on the sale if less) over the exercise price; any amount realized in excess ofupon that disposition and (ii) the fair market value of those shares on the sharesdate of exercise over the exercise price, and the Company will be entitled to a corresponding deduction, except to the extent the deduction limits of Section 162(m) of the Code apply.

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SARs

A participant will not recognize taxable income at the time of exercise would be treated as short-term or long-term capital gain, depending on the holding period of the shares.


Nonqualified Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights

As a general rule, no federal income tax is imposed on the optionee upon the grant of a Nonqualified Stock Option (whether or not including a Stock Appreciation Right),SARs are granted, and the Company iswill not be entitled to a tax deduction by reason of such grant. Generally, uponat that time. Upon exercise, the exercise of a Nonqualified Stock Option, the optioneeparticipant will be treated as receivingrecognize compensation taxable as ordinary income (and if the participant is an employee, will be subject to income tax withholding) in an amount equal to the yearfair market value of exerciseany shares delivered and the amount of cash paid by the Company. This amount is deductible by the Company as compensation expense, except to the extent the deduction limits of Section 162(m) of the Code apply.

Stock Awards

A participant will not recognize taxable income at the time stock subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (“restricted stock”) is granted, and the Company will not be entitled to a tax deduction at that time, unless the participant makes an election to be taxed at that time. If such election is made, the participant will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income (and if the participant is an employee, will be subject to income tax withholding) at the time of the grant in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares of stock at thesuch time of exercise over the option priceamount, if any, paid for those shares. If such shares. Inelection is not made, the case of the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the optioneeparticipant will be treated as receivingrecognize compensation taxable as ordinary income in(and if the yearparticipant is an employee, will be subject to income tax withholding) at the time the restrictions constituting a substantial risk of exerciseforfeiture lapse in an amount equal to the cash received plus the fair market valueexcess of the shares distributed to the optionee. Upon the exercise of a Nonqualified Stock Option or a Stock Appreciation Right, and subject to the application of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, the Company may claim a deduction for compensation paid at the same time and in the same amount as compensation income is recognized by the optionee, assuming any federal income tax reporting requirements are satisfied.

Upon a subsequent disposition of the shares received upon exercise of a Nonqualified Stock Option or a Stock Appreciation Right, any difference between the fair market value of the shares at thesuch time of exercise andover the amount, realized onif any, paid for those shares. The amount of ordinary income recognized by making the disposition would be treated as capital gainabove-described election or loss. If the shares received upon the exerciselapse of a Nonqualified Stock Option or a Stock Appreciation Right are transferred to the optionee subject to certain restrictions constituting a substantial risk of forfeiture then the taxable income realizedis deductible by the optionee, unlessCompany as compensation expense, except to the optionee elects otherwise, andextent the Company's tax deduction (assuming any federal income tax reporting requirements are satisfied) should be deferred and should be measured at the fair market valuelimits of Section 162(m) of the shares at the time the restrictions lapse. The restrictions imposed on officers, directors and 10% stockholders by Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act is such a restriction during the period prescribed thereby if other shares have been purchased by such an individual within six months of the exercise of a Nonqualified Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right.Code apply.

 

Restricted Stock

The recipient of a Restricted Stock awardA participant will not realizerecognize taxable income at the time of grant,a restricted stock unit is granted, and the Company will not be entitled to a tax deduction at that time, assuming thattime. Upon settlement of restricted stock units, the restrictions constitute a substantial risk of forfeiture for federalparticipant will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income (and if the participant is an employee, will be subject to income tax purposes. When the risk of forfeiture with respect to the stock subject to the award lapses, the holder will realize ordinary incomewithholding) in an amount equal to the fair market value of any shares delivered and the sharesamount of common stock at such time, and, subjectany cash paid by the Company. The amount of ordinary income recognized is deductible by the Company as compensation expense, except to the extent the deduction limits of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code apply.

The tax treatment, including the Companytiming of taxation, of any other type of stock award will be entitled to a corresponding deduction. All dividends and distributions (ordepend on the cash equivalent thereof) with respect to a Restricted Stockterms of such award paid to the holder before the risk of forfeiture lapses will also be compensation income to the holder when paid and, subject to Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, deductible as such by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the holder of a Restricted Stock award may elect, under Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, to be taxed at the time of grant of the Restricted Stock award, based on the fair market value of the shares of common stock on the date of the award, in which case (i) subject to Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, the Company will be entitled to a deduction at the same time and in the same amount; (ii) dividends paid to the recipient during the period the forfeiture restrictions apply will be taxable as dividends and will not be deductible by the Company; and (iii) there will be no further federal income tax consequences when the risk of forfeiture lapses. Such election must be made not later than 30 days after the grant of the Restricted Stock award and is irrevocable.grant.

 

Performance Awards Phantom Stock and Restricted Stock Units

 

An individual who has been granted a Performance Award, Phantom Stock or Restricted Stock Units generallyA participant will not realizerecognize taxable income at the time of grant,performance awards are granted, and the Company will not be entitled to a tax deduction at that time. Whether a Performance Award, Phantom Stock award or awardUpon settlement of Restricted Stock Unitsperformance awards, the participant will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income (and if the participant is paid in cash or shares of common stock, the individualan employee, will have taxable compensation and,be subject to the application of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, the Company will have a corresponding deduction. The measure of such income and deduction will be thetax withholding) in an amount of any cash paid andequal to the fair market value of any shares delivered and the amount of common stock either atcash paid by the timeCompany. This amount is deductible by the award is paid or at the time any restrictions on the shares (including restrictions under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act) subsequently lapse, depending on the nature, if any, of the restrictions imposed. Any dividend equivalents paid with respect to a Performance Award, Phantom Stock or Restricted Stock Units priorCompany as compensation expense, except to the actual issuance of shares underextent the award will be compensation income to the employee and, subject to the applicationdeduction limits of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code deductible as such by the Company.


Other Tax Considerations

If an award is accelerated under the 2007 Plan in connection with a “change in control” (as this term is used under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code), the Company may not be permitted to deduct the portion of the compensation attributable to the acceleration (“parachute payments”) if it exceeds certain threshold limits under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (and certain related excise taxes may be triggered). In addition, as noted above, the aggregate compensation in excess of $1,000,000 attributable to awards that are not “performance-based” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code may not be permitted to be deducted by the Company in certain circumstances.

The 2007 Plan is not qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and is not subject to any of the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.apply.

 

SpecificNew Plan Benefits under the 2007 Plan

 

The CompanyCommittee has the discretion to grant awards under the 2018 Plan and, therefore, it is not approved any awards that are conditioned upon stockholder approvalpossible as of the proposed amendmentsdate of this proxy statement to the 2007 Plan and is not currently considering any specific award grants that are conditioned upon such approval. If the additional sharesdetermine future awards that will be availablereceived by the Company’s named executive officers or others under the 2007 Plan if stockholders approve the proposed amendments had been2018 Plan. Accordingly, in existence in fiscal 2016, the Company expectslieu of providing information regarding benefits that its award grants for fiscal 2016 would not have been substantially different from those actually made in that yearwill be received under the 2007 Plan.  For2018 Plan, as amended, the following table provides information regarding stock-based awards granted toconcerning the Company’s Named Executive Officersbenefits that were received by the following persons and groups during fiscal 2016, see the material in this proxy statement above2020 under the heading “Executive Compensation.” Note that historical grant practices2018 Plan: each named executive officer; all current executive officers, as a group; all current directors who are not necessarily indicative of future practices.

Potential Dilutionexecutive officers, as a group; and Burn Rate

all current employees who are not executive officers, as a group. The following paragraphs include additional information to help you assess the potential dilutive impact of the Company’s equity awards and the proposed amendments to the 2007 Stock Plan.

The following table shows the total number ofschedule excludes 429,855 shares of our common stock that were subject to outstanding restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards granted under the 2007 Plan, that were subject to outstanding stock options granted under the 2007 Plan, and that were then available for new award grants under the 2007 Plan as of December 31, 2016 and as of March 15, 2017.

 

As of December 31, 2016

As of March 15, 2017

   

Shares subject to outstanding stock options

2,932,663

2,480,289

   

Shares subject to outstanding restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards

67,000

67,000

   

Shares available for new award grants

534,089

890,908

As of December 31, 2016, a total of 2,999,663 shares of the Company’s common stock were subject to all outstanding awards granted under the 2007 Plan, as well as the Company’s prior stock incentive plans and stock awards that were not granted under any plan. Of these shares, 67,000 shares were then subject to outstanding restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards and 2,932,663 shares were then subject to outstanding stock options having a weighted average strike price of $4.31 per share with a remaining term of 7.4 years.

As of March 15, 2017, a total of 2,547,289 shares of the Company’s common stock were subject to all outstanding awards granted under the 2007 Plan, as well as the Company’s prior stock incentive plans and stock awards that were not granted under any plan. Of these shares, 67,000 shares were then subject to outstanding restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards and 2,480,289 shares were then subject to outstanding stock options having a weighted average strike price of $2.69 per share with a remaining term of 8.0 years.

The weighted-average number of shares of the Company’s common stock issued during 2020 to executives and outstandingemployees from the 2018 Stock Incentive Plan in eachlieu of paying cash for 50% of the last three fiscal years is 18,472,399 shares issued and outstandingannual bonus awards in 2014; 21,813,228 shares issued and outstanding in 2015; and 25,956,751 shares issued and outstanding in 2016. The number of shares ofconnection with the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2016 and March 15, 2017 was 31,227,815 shares and 55,063,684 shares, respectively.annual 2019 bonus program.

 


The total number of shares of the Company’s common stock subject to awards that the Company granted under the 2007 Plan over the last two fiscal years and to date as of March 15, 2017 are as follows:

 

Page - 53

927,750 shares in 2015 (which was 4.3% of the weighted-average number of shares of the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding in 2015), of which 839,250 shares were subject to stock option awards and 88,500 shares were subject to restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards;

  Options 
Name and Position Average Exercise
Price ($)
  Number of
Awards (#)
 
Michael H. Tardugno
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
 $3.66   135,000 
Nicholas Borys
Executive Vice President and CMO
 $3.66   55,000 
Khursheed Anwer
Executive Vice President and CSO
  3.66   50,000 
Jeffrey W. Church
Executive Vice President and CFO
 $3.66   55,000 
All current executive officers, as a group $3.66(1)  295,000 
All current directors who are not executive officers, as a group $2.16(1)  60,000 
All current employees who are not executive officers, as a group $3.50(1)  305,250 

 

(1)

846,283 shares in 2016 (which was 3.7% ofRepresents the weighted-average number of shares ofexercise price for the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding in 2016), of which 846,283 shares were subject to stock option awards and 112,000 shares were subject to restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards; and

No stock option awards or stock grants were awarded during 2017 as of March 15, 2017.

group.

 

The Compensation Committee anticipates that the aggregate share limit of 9,639,444 shares requested for the 2007 Plan and assuming usual levels of shares becoming available for new awards as a result of forfeitures of outstanding awards will provide the Company with flexibility to continue to grant equity awards under the 2007 Plan through approximately the end of 2017. However, this is only an estimate, in the Company’s judgment, based on current circumstances. The total number of shares that are subject to the Company’s award grants in any one year or from year-to-year may change based on any number of variables, including, without limitation, the value of the Company’s common stock (since higher stock prices generally require that fewer shares be issued to produce awards of the same grant date fair value), changes in competitors’ compensation practices or changes in compensation practices in the market generally, changes in the number of employees, changes in the number of directors and officers, whether and the extent to which vesting conditions applicable to equity-based awards are satisfied, acquisition activity and the need to grant awards to new employees in connection with acquisitions, the need to attract, retain and incentivize key talent, the type of awards the Company grants and how the Company chooses to balance total compensation between cash and equity-based awards.

The closing market price for a share of the Company’s common stock as of March 15, 2017 was $0.29 per share.

Equity Compensation Plan Information as of December 31, 2016

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

  2,904,108 (1) $4.05   534,089 (2)

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

  95,555 (3)  10.89    

Total

  2,999,663  $4.27   534,089 

(1)

Includes both vested and unvested options to purchase common stock under the 2001 Plan, the 2004 Plan and the 2007 Plan. These options have a weighted average remaining term of 7.2 years.

(2)

Represents shares available for award grant purposes under the 2007 Plan. Subject to certain express limits of the plan, shares available under the plan generally may be used for any type of award authorized under that plan including options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and other forms of awards granted or denominated in shares of our common stock or units of our common stock.

(3)

Includes the grant of an option to purchase 95,555 shares of our common stock to Mr. Tardugno on January 3, 2007.  The option was approved by our Board of Directors as an inducement to Mr. Tardugno to join the Company and was not approved by stockholders.  The option vested over the four-year period following the grant date and has a per-share exercise price of $10.89 and a maximum term of ten years. These options expired on January 3, 2017.


The Board believes that the adoption of the proposed amendments toincrease in the 2007number of shares available for issuance under the 2018 Plan will promote the interests of the Company and its stockholders and will help the Companyus continue to be able to attract, retain and reward persons important to our success.

All members of the Board and all of our executive officers are eligible for awards under the 20072018 Plan and thus have a personal interest in the approval of the 2007 Plan proposal.

proposal to increase the number of shares available for issuance under the 2018 Plan.

 

Vote Required

The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of our Common Stock present on the live webcast or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the proposal will be required to approve the amendment to the 2018 Plan. Abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against Proposal No. 5, but broker non-votes will have no effect on Proposal No. 5.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR"“FOR” THE PROPOSAL TO AMEND
APPROVE THE AMENDMENT OF THE CELSION CORPORATION 20072018 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN AS
DESCRIBED ABOVE.

 

Page - 54


 

PROPOSAL NO. 5:

APPROVAL OF THE ISSUANCE OF MORE THAN 20% OF THE COMPANY’S ISSUED AND OUTSTANDING COMMON STOCK IN A CERTAIN OFFERING

Overview

Our common stock is currently listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market and we are subject to the marketplace rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC. NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(d) (“Rule 5635(d)”) requires us to obtain stockholder approval prior to the issuance of our common stock in connection with the certain offerings involving the sale, issuance or potential issuance by the Company of common stock (and/or securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock) equal to 20% or more of the common stock outstanding before the issuance. Shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise or conversion of warrants, options, debt instruments or other equity securities issued or granted in such offerings will be considered shares issued in such a transaction in determining whether the 20% limit has been reached.

The Company will seek to raise additional capital to implement our business strategy and enhance our overall capitalization. Nonetheless, we have yet to determine the particular terms for such prospective offerings. However, because we may seek additional capital that triggers the requirements of Rule 5635(d), we are seeking stockholder approval now of such a financing transaction, so that we will be able to move quickly to take full advantage of any opportunities that may develop in the equity markets.

Among the opportunities that may arise in the next three months is a private offering of up to 110,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for gross proceeds of up to $25,000,000 with a maximum 25% effective discount to the market price of the Company’s underlying common stock at the time of issuance to continue funding development of (i) the OPTIMA Study, our ongoing Phase III clinical trial of ThermoDox® in patients with primary liver cancer, through completion of enrollment and depending upon the overall efficacy of the treatments provided in and subsequent to the trial, the first preplanned efficacy assessment, (ii) the EURO-Dignity Study, our Phase II clinical trial of ThermoDox® in patients with recurrent chest wall breast cancer, through the first futility analysis depending on patient enrollment and (iii) the OVATION Study, our ongoing Phase I clinical trial of GEN-1 in patients with advanced ovarian cancer, through completion of enrollment and final clinical and translational research data, and for general corporate purposes, including research and development activities, capital expenditures and working capital (the “Potential Offering”) . The number of shares for the Potential Offering disclosed in this paragraph is pre-Reverse Split (defined in Proposal No. 3 of this Proxy Statement) numbers. The private offering may have such other terms as the board of directors shall deem to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders, not inconsistent with the foregoing. The Company has not yet identified the investors or arrived at any specific terms or conditions for the Potential Offering and is not able to identify any potential new controlling stockholder that may result from the Potential Offering.

Although there will be no initial effect on the holdings of current stockholders from prior approval of a future offering, the issuance of shares of our common stock, or other securities convertible into shares of our common stock, in accordance with any offerings, including the Potential Offering, would dilute, and thereby reduce, each existing stockholder’s proportionate ownership in our common stock. Under the Company’s current certificate of incorporation and bylaws, stockholders do not have preemptive rights to subscribe to additional shares that may be issued by the Company in order to maintain their proportionate ownership of the common stock.

The issuance of additional shares of common stock in certain offerings, including the Potential Offering, could also have an effect on stockholders’ voting power. NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(b) (“Rule 5635(b)”) requires us to obtain stockholder approval prior to certain issuances with respect to shares of common stock, or securities convertible into common stock, which could result in a subsequent change of control of the issuer. Generally, NASDAQ interpretations provide that the acquisition of 20% of the shares of an issuer by one person may be considered a change of control of such issuer. Accordingly, in the event that the issuance of additional shares of common stock in the Potential Offering or otherwise triggers the requirements of Rule 5635(b), we are seeking stockholder approval now, to ensure efficiency in the future.


The Board of Directors has not yet determined the terms and conditions of any offerings including the Potential Offering. As a result, the level of potential dilution cannot be determined at this time. It is possible that if we conduct a stock offering, some of the shares we sell could be purchased by one or more investors who could acquire a large block of our common stock. This could concentrate voting power in the hands of a few stockholders who could exercise greater influence on our operations or the outcome of matters put to a vote of stockholders in the future.

We cannot determine what the actual net proceeds of the offerings including the Potential Offering will be until they are completed. If all or part of any of the offering, including the Potential Offering, are completed, we anticipate that the net proceeds will be used to continue funding development of OPTIMA, our ongoing Phase III clinical trial of ThermoDox® in patients with primary liver cancer and OVATION, our ongoing Phase I clinical trial of GEN-1 in patients with advanced ovarian cancer and for general corporate purposes, including research and development activities, capital expenditures and working capital. We currently have no arrangements or understandings regarding any specific transaction with investors, so we cannot predict whether we will be successful should we seek to raise capital through any offerings, including the Potential Offering. In the event that we do seek to raise additional capital through certain offerings, including the Potential Offering, we are seeking stockholder approval now so we can effectively comply with rules Rule 5635(d) and 5635(b) in the future.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" THE PROPOSAL TO APPROVE THE ISSUANCE OF 20% OR MORE OF THE COMPANY’S ISSUED AND OUTSTANDING COMMON STOCK IN THE POTENTIAL OFFERING.


STOCKHOLDER NOMINATIONS AND PROPOSALS FOR

THE 20182022 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

If a stockholder wants the Companyus to include a proposal in the Company'sour proxy statement for presentation at our 20182022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders in accordance with Rule 14a-8 promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, the proposal must be received by the Companyus no later than December 4, 2017.March 6, 2022. Such proposals should be directed to Celsion Corporation, 997 Lenox Drive, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648, Attention: Corporate Secretary.

 

A stockholder may also nominate directors or have other business brought before the 20182022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders by submitting the nomination or proposal to the Company, not later than the close of business on the 90th calendar day, nor earlier than the close of business on the 120th calendar day, in advance of the anniversary of the 20182021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders; provided, however, in the event that the date of the 20182022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is more than thirty calendar days before or more than thirty calendar days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received no earlier than the close of business on the 120th calendar day in advance of such date of annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th calendar day in advance of such date of annual meeting or the 10th calendar day following the date on which public announcement of the date of the meeting is first made. The nomination or proposal must be delivered to the Company'sCompany’s executive offices at 997 Lenox Drive, Suite 100, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648, Attention: Corporate Secretary no earlier than February 15, 20184, 2022 and no later than March 17, 2018.6, 2022. Any stockholder considering submitting a nominee or proposal for action at our 20182022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is directed to the Company'sCompany’s Bylaws, which contain additional requirements as to submission of nominations for directors or proposals for stockholder action. Copies of the Bylaws may be obtained upon request to the Company'sCompany’s Corporate Secretary. Stockholder proposals or nominations must include the specified information concerning the stockholder and the proposal or nominee as described in our Bylaws.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

The Company files annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document that the Company files at the Public Reference Room of the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the SEC maintains a website athttp://www.sec.gov, from which interested persons can electronically access the Company’s SEC filings.

 

The SEC allows the Company to “incorporate by reference” certain information the Company files with it, which means that the Company can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this Proxy Statement, and information that the Company files later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede previously filed information, including information contained in this document. The Company is incorporating by reference Part II of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the following, which includeyear 2020 filed with the information required by Item 13(a) of Schedule 14A and further information concerning the transactions described in Proposals 3, 4 and 5:SEC on March 19, 2021.

Sections of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the SEC on March 16, 2017: “Part II. Item 7—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Part II. Item 8—Financial Statements and Supplementary Data,” “Part II. Item 7A—Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure about Market Risk” and “Part II. Item 9—Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure”.

 

In addition, all documents the Company files under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Proxy Statement and before the date of the Annual Meeting are incorporated by reference into and deemed a part of this Proxy Statement from the date of filing of those documents.

 

Any person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this Proxy Statement is delivered may request copies of reports, proxy statements or other information concerning the Company (including the documents incorporated by reference herein) without charge, by written or telephonic request directed to the Corporate Secretary, Celsion Corporation, 997 Lenox Drive, Suite 100, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648.

 

MarchApril __, 2017  

2021

By Order of the Board of Directors

/s/ Jeffrey W. Church

Jeffrey W Church

Jeffrey W. Church

Corporate Secretary

 

Page - 55


 

APPENDIXAppendix A

 

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENTTO

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATIONOF

CELSION CORPORATION

 

Celsion Corporation (the Corporation“Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL“DGCL”), does hereby certify that:

 

FIRST: The name of the Corporation is Celsion Corporation.

 

SECOND: The original Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (formerly known as Celsion (Delaware) Corporation) was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on May 17, 2000, a Certificate of Ownership and Merger was thereafter filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on August 17, 2000, and certificates of Amendment ofto Certificate of Incorporation were thereafter filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on June 5, 2001, November 8, 2002, May 25, 2004, February 27, 2006, and July 1, 2009, October 28, 2013, and June 15, 2016 and May 26, 2017, respectively (the Certificate“Certificate of IncorporationIncorporation”). A Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of Series A 0% Convertible Preferred Stock was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on February 25, 2013.

 

THIRD: The amendments to the Certificate of Incorporation below have been duly adopted by the board of directors of the Corporation and the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon at the 20172021 annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation held on May 16, 2017June 4, 2021 pursuant to Sections 141 and 242 of the DGCL.

 

FOURTH: The Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended by deleting the text of the first and second paragraphs of Article Fourth thereof and substituting the following paragraph therefor.

The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 172,600,000 shares, consisting of (i) 172,500,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), and (ii) 100,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”). The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series.

FIFTH: This Certificate of Amendment, and the amendment effected hereby, shall become effective at [ ]_ p.m. (Eastern Time) on [            ], 20[            ].

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Celsion Corporation has caused this Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by its duly authorized officer on this ____ day of ________, 20__.

By:
Name:
Title:

Appendix B

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT TO

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF

CELSION CORPORATION

Celsion Corporation (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), does hereby certify that:

FIRST: The name of the Corporation is Celsion Corporation.

SECOND: The original Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (formerly known as Celsion (Delaware) Corporation) was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on May 17, 2000, a Certificate of Ownership and Merger was thereafter filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on August 17, 2000, and certificates of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation were thereafter filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on June 5, 2001, November 8, 2002, May 25, 2004, February 27, 2006, July 1, 2009, October 28, 2013, June 15, 2016 and May 26, 2017, respectively (the “Certificate of Incorporation”). A Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of Series A 0% Convertible Preferred Stock was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on February 25, 2013.

THIRD: The amendments to the Certificate of Incorporation below have been duly adopted by the board of directors of the Corporation and the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon at the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation held on June 4, 2021 pursuant to Sections 141 and 242 of the DGCL.

FOURTH: The Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended by deleting the text of the first two paragraphs paragraph of Article Fourth thereof and substituting the following two paragraphs therefor.

 

Effective upon the filing of the Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Effective Date”), eacheight (8) up through fourteen (14) two to five shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Date (the “Old Shares”) shall, automatically and without any action on the part of the respective holders thereof, be combined and converted into one (1) share of Common Stock (as defined below) (the “Reverse Stock Split”)., the exact ratio within the two to five range to be determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation prior to the Effective Time and publicly announced by the Corporation. No fractional shares shall be issued as a result of the Reverse Stock Split and, in lieu thereof, the Corporation shall pay to the holder of any such fractional share an amount in cash equal to such fraction multiplied by the closing sale price of the Company’s common stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market on the trading day immediately before the Effective Date. Each stock certificate representing the Old Shares immediately prior to the Effective Date shall thereafter represent that number of whole shares of Common Stock outstanding after the Effective Date into which the Old Shares represented by such certificate shall have been combined. Each holder of record of a stock certificate or certificates representing the Old Shares shall receive, upon surrender of such certificate or certificates, a new certificate or certificates representing the number of whole shares of Common Stock to which such holder is entitled pursuant to the Reverse Stock Split or, at the discretion of the Corporation and unless otherwise instructed by such holder, book-entry shares in lieu of a new certificate or certificates representing the number of whole shares of Common Stock to which such holder is entitled pursuant to the Reverse Stock Split. The shares of Common Stock issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split shall have the same rights, preferences and privileges as the Old Shares.

 

Immediately after the effectiveness of the Reverse Stock Split, the total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue shall be One Hundred Twelve Million Six Hundred Thousand (112,600,000) shares, consisting of (i) One Hundred Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand (112,500,000) shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), and (ii) One Hundred Thousand (100,000) shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”).”

 

FIFTH: This Certificate of Amendment, and the amendment effected hereby, shall become effective at [         ]_ p.m. (Eastern Time) on [               ], 20[             ].

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Celsion Corporation has caused this Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by its duly authorized officer on this ______ day of ____________. ________, 20__.

 

 

By:
 

Name:

Name: Michael H. Tardugno

Title: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

 


APPENDIX B

CELSION CORPORATION
2007 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

Effective: ____________, 2017

Amended: _________, 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS

   Page

1.

Establishment, Purpose and Types of Awards

B-3

2.

Definitions

B-3

3.

Administration

B-5

(a) Procedure

B-5

(b) Secondary Committees and Sub-Plans

B-6

(c) Powers of the Committee

B-6

(d) Limited Liability

B-7

(e) Indemnification

B-7

(f) Effect of Committee's Decision

B-7

(g) Apprising the Board

B-7

4.

Stock Available Under the Plan; Maximum Awards

B-7

(a) Stock Available Under the Plan

B-7

(b) Maximum Awards to Covered Employees

B-8

5.

Participation

B-8

6.

Stock Options

B-8

(a) Grant of Option

B-8

(b) Exercise Price

B-8

(c) Payment

B-8

(d) Term of Options

B-9

(e) Restrictions on Incentive Stock Options

B-9

(f) Other Terms and Conditions

B-9

7.

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units

B-9

(a) In General

B-9

(b) Vesting Conditions and Other Restrictions

B-9

(c) Stock Issuance and Stockholder Rights

B-10

8.

Stock Appreciation Rights

B-10

(a) Award of Stock Appreciation Rights

B-10

(b) Restrictions of Tandem SARs

B-10

(c) Amount of Payment upon Exercise of SARs

B-11

(d) Form of Payment upon Exercise of SARs

B-11

9.

Phantom Stock

B-11

10.

Performance Awards

B-11

(a) In General

B-11

(b) Covered Employee Targets

B-11

11.

Withholding and Reporting of Taxes

B-12

12.

Transferability

B-12


 

Page

13.

Adjustments; Business Combinations

B-12

(a) Adjustments

B-12

(b) Change in Control

B-12

(c) Dissolution and Liquidation

B-13

(d) Other Adjustments

B-13

14.

Termination and Amendment

B-13

(a) Amendment or Termination by the Board

B-13

(b) Amendments by the Committee

B-13

(c) Approval of Grantees

B-14

15.

Non-Guarantee of Employment

B-14

16.

Termination of Employment

B-14

17.

Written Agreement

B-14

18.

Non-Uniform Determinations

B-14

19.

Limitation on Benefits

B-14

20.

Listing and Registration

B-14

21.

Compliance with Securities Law

B-15

22.

No Trust or Fund Created

B-15

23.

No Limit on Other Compensation Arrangements

B-15

24.

No Restriction of Corporate Action

B-15

25.

Governing Law

B-15

26.

Plan Subject to Charter and Bylaws

B-15

27.

Effective Date; Termination Date

B-16



CELSION CORPORATION
2007 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

1.

Establishment, Purpose and Types of Awards

Celsion Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the Company), hereby establishes the Celsion Corporation 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). The purpose of the Plan is to promote the long-term growth and profitability of the "Company" by (i) providing incentives to improve stockholder value and to contribute to the growth and financial success of the Company, and (ii) enabling the Company to attract, retain and reward the best available persons for positions of substantial responsibility.

The Plan permits the granting of Awards in the form of Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, Phantom Stock, and Performance Awards, in each case as such term is defined below, and any combination of the foregoing.

2.

Definitions

        Under this Plan, except where the context otherwise indicates, the following definitions apply:

(a)   "Affiliate"   shall mean any entity other than a Subsidiary, if the Company and/or one or more Subsidiaries own directly or indirectly not less than fifty percent (50%) of such entity.

(b)   "Awards"   shall mean Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, Phantom Stock, and Performance Awards, and any combination of the foregoing.

(c)   "Board"   shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

(d)   "Change in Control"   shall mean:

(i)    The consummation of an amalgamation, merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity or any other corporate reorganization of the Company, if more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the continuing or surviving entity's securities outstanding immediately after such amalgamation, merger, consolidation or other reorganization (or, if applicable, more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the ultimate parent company that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of the securities of such continuing or surviving entity) is not owned directly or indirectly by persons who were holders of the Company's then-outstanding voting securities immediately prior to such amalgamation, merger, consolidation or other reorganization;

(ii)   The sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to an entity that is not a Parent, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of the Company;

(iii)  Any transaction as a result of which any person becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power represented by the Company's then-outstanding voting securities. For purposes of this subsection, the term "person" shall have the same meaning as when used in sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act but shall exclude: (A) any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company, (B) any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company, a Parent, or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, and (C) any underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities; or


(iv)  A change in the composition of the Board over a period of twenty four (24) consecutive months or less as a result of which individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual subsequently becoming a director whose election, or nomination for election by the Company's Stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Board (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without written objection to such nomination) shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of either an actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a person other than the Board.

(e)   "Code"   shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations issued thereunder.

(f)    "Committee"   shall mean the Board or a committee of the Board appointed pursuant to Section 3 of the Plan to administer the Plan.

(g)   "Committee Delegate"   shall mean the Chief Executive Officer or other senior officer of the Company to whom duties and powers of the Board or Committee hereunder have been delegated pursuant to Section 3(c).

(h)   "Covered Employee"   shall mean an employee of the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate who is subject to Code Section 162(m).

(i)    "Exchange Act"   shall mean the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

(j)    "Fair Market Value"   of the Stock for any purpose on a particular date shall mean:

(i)     if the Stock is traded on a public securities exchange or a national automated quotation system, the closing price for Stock on the relevant date, or (if there were no sales on such date) the closing price on the nearest day before the relevant date, as reported inThe Wall Street Journal or a similar publication selected by the Committee; or

(ii)    if the Stock is not traded on a public securities exchange or a national quotation system on such date, the price determined in a manner such as the Committee shall in good faith determine to be appropriate.

(k)   "Grant Agreement"   shall mean a written agreement between the Company and a grantee memorializing the terms and conditions of an Award granted pursuant to the Plan.

(l)    "Grant Date"   shall mean the date on which the Committee formally acts to grant an Award to a grantee or such other date as the Committee shall so designate at the time of taking such formal action.

(m)  "Incentive Stock Options"   shall mean Stock options that meet the requirements of Code Section 422.

(n)   "Nonqualified Stock Options"   shall mean Stock options that do not meet the requirements of Code Section 422.

(o)   "Parent"   shall mean a company, whether now or hereafter existing, within the meaning of the definition of "parent company" provided in Section 424(e) of the Code, or any successor thereto of similar import.

(p)   "Participant"   shall mean a director, officer, employee or consultant of the Company, or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate, who is granted an Award under the Plan.

(q)   "Performance Award"   shall mean an Award under Section 10 hereof.


(r)   "Performance Measure"   shall mean one or more of the following criteria selected by the Committee to measure performance of the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate or other business division of same for a Performance Period, whether in absolute or relative terms: basic or diluted earnings per share of Stock; earnings per share of Stock growth; revenue; operating income; net income (either before or after taxes); earnings and/or net income before interest and taxes; earnings and/or net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; return on capital; return on equity; return on assets; net cash provided by operations; free cash flow; Stock price; economic profit; economic value; total stockholder return; gross margins and costs. Each such measure shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as consistently applied and, if so determined by the Committee and, in the case of a Performance Award to a Covered Employee, to the extent permitted under Code Section 162(m), adjusted to omit the effects of extraordinary items, gain or loss on the disposal of a business segment, unusual or infrequently occurring events and transactions and cumulative effects of changes in accounting principles.

(s)   "Performance Period"   means a period of not less than three months nor more than ten years over which the achievement of targets for Performance Measures is determined.

(t)    "Phantom Stock"   shall mean Awards under Section 9.

(u)   "Restricted Stock" and"Restricted Stock Units"   shall mean Awards under Section 7.

(v)   "Rule 16b-3"   shall mean Rule 16b-3 as in effect under the Exchange Act on the effective date of the Plan, or any successor provision prescribing conditions necessary to exempt the issuance of securities under the Plan (and further transactions in such securities) from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.

(w)  "Securities Act"   shall mean the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

(x)   "Stock"   shall mean common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

(y)   "Stock Appreciation Rights"   shall mean Awards under Section 8.

(z)   "Subsidiary" and "Subsidiaries"   shall mean only a company or companies, whether now or hereafter existing, within the meaning of the definition of "subsidiary company" provided in Section 424(f) of the Code, or any successor thereto of similar import.

3.

Administration

(a)    Procedure.     The Plan shall be administered by the Board. In the alternative, the Board may delegate authority to a Committee to administer the Plan on behalf of the Board, subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe. Such Committee shall consist of not less than two (2) members of the Board each of whom is a "non-employee director" within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor rule of similar import, and an "outside director" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

Once appointed, the Committee shall continue to serve until otherwise directed by the Board. From time to time, the Board may increase the size of the Committee and appoint additional members thereof, remove members (with or without cause) and appoint new members in substitution therefor, fill vacancies, however caused, and remove all members of the Committee and, thereafter, directly administer the Plan. In the event that the Board is the administrator of the Plan in lieu of a Committee, the term "Committee" as used herein shall be deemed to mean the Board.

Members of the Board or Committee who are either eligible for Awards or have been granted Awards may vote on any matters affecting the administration of the Plan or the grant of Awards pursuant to the Plan, except that no such member shall act upon the granting of an Award to himself or herself, but any such member may be counted in determining the existence of a quorum at any meeting of the Board or the Committee during which action is taken with respect to the granting of an Award to him or her.


The Committee shall meet at such times and places and upon such notice as it may determine. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. Any acts by the Committee may be taken at any meeting at which a quorum is present and shall be by majority vote of those members entitled to vote. Additionally, any acts reduced to writing or approved in writing by all of the members of the Committee shall be valid acts of the Committee.

(b)    Secondary Committees and Sub-Plans.     The Board may, in its sole discretion, divide the duties and powers of the Committee by establishing one or more secondary Committees to which certain duties and powers of the Board hereunder are delegated (each of which shall be regarded as a "Committee" under the Plan with respect to such duties and powers), or delegate all of its duties and powers hereunder to a single Committee. Additionally, if permitted by applicable law, the Board or Committee may delegate any or all of its duties and powers hereunder to the Chief Executive Officer and/or to other senior officers of the Company subject to such conditions and limitations as the Board or Committee shall prescribe. However, only the Committee described under Subsection 3(a) may designate and grant Awards to Participants who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee shall also have the power to establish sub-plans (which may be included as appendices to the Plan or the respective Grant Agreements), which may constitute separate schemes, for the purpose of establishing schemes which meet any special tax or regulatory requirements of jurisdictions other than the United States and its subdivisions. Any such interpretations, rules, administration and sub-plans shall be consistent with the basic purposes of the Plan.

(c)    Powers of the Committee.     The Committee shall have all the powers vested in it by the terms of the Plan, such powers to include authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to grant Awards under the Plan, prescribe Grant Agreements evidencing such Awards and establish programs for granting Awards. The Committee shall have full power and authority to take all other actions necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of the Plan, including, but not limited to, the authority to:

(i)    determine the Participants to whom, and the time or times at which, Awards shall be granted,

(ii)   determine the types of Awards to be granted,

(iii)  determine the number of shares of Stock and/or amount of cash to be covered by or used for reference purposes for each Award,

(iv)  impose such terms, limitations, vesting schedules, restrictions and conditions upon any such Award as the Committee shall deem appropriate, including without limitation establishing, in its discretion, Performance Measures that must be satisfied before an Award vests and/or becomes payable, the term during which an Award is exercisable, the purchase price, if any, under an Award and the period, if any, following a grantee's termination of employment or service with the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate during which the Award shall remain exercisable,

(v)   modify, extend or renew outstanding Awards, accept the surrender of outstanding Awards and substitute new Awards (subject to the no-repricing provision below),

(vi) accelerate the time in which an Award may be exercised or in which an Award becomes payable and waive or accelerate the lapse, in whole or in part, of any restriction or condition with respect to an Award,

(vii)  establish objectives and conditions, including targets for Performance Measures, if any, for earning Awards and determining whether Awards will be paid after the end of a Performance Period, and

(viii)  permit the deferral of, or require a Participant to defer such Participant's receipt of, the delivery of Stock and/or cash under an Award that would otherwise be due to such Participant and establish rules and procedures for such payment deferrals, provided the requirements of Code Section 409A are met with respect to any such deferral.

The Committee shall have full power and authority to administer and interpret the Plan and to adopt such rules, regulations, agreements, guidelines and instruments for the administration of the Plan as the Committee deems necessary, desirable or appropriate in accordance with the Bylaws of the Company.


Notwithstanding the foregoing and except for an adjustment pursuant to Section 13 or a repricing approved by stockholders, in no case may the Committee (1) amend an outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right to reduce the exercise price or base price of the Award, (2) cancel, exchange, or surrender an outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right in exchange for cash or other Awards for the purpose of repricing the Award, or (3) cancel, exchange, or surrender an outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right in exchange for a stock option or stock appreciation right with an exercise or base price that is less than the exercise or base price of the original Award.

(d)    Limited Liability.     To the maximum extent permitted by law, no member of the Board or Committee or a Committee Delegate shall be liable for any action taken or decision made in good faith relating to the Plan or any Award thereunder.

(e)    Indemnification.     The members of the Board and Committee and any Committee Delegate shall be indemnified by the Company in respect of all their activities under the Plan in accordance with the procedures and terms and conditions set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation Bylaws of the Company as in effect from time to time. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as a matter of law, or otherwise.

(f)    Effect of Committee's Decision.     All actions taken and decisions and determinations made by the Committee or a Committee Delegate on all matters relating to the Plan pursuant to the powers vested in it hereunder shall be in the Committee's or Committee Delegate's sole and absolute discretion and shall be conclusive and binding on all parties concerned, including the Company, its stockholders, any Participants in the Plan and any other employee of the Company, and their respective successors in interest.

(g)    Apprising the Board.     The Committee will inform the Board regarding its activities under the Plan not less frequently than at each scheduled Board meeting and at such other times as the Board may request.

4.

Stock Available Under the Plan; Maximum Awards

(a)    Stock Available Under the Plan.   Subject to adjustments as provided in Section 13 of the Plan, the Stock that may be delivered or purchased or used for reference purposes (with respect to Stock Appreciation Rights, or Phantom Stock) with respect to Awards granted under the Plan, including with respect to Incentive Stock Options, shall not exceed an aggregate of nine million six hundred thirty nine thousand, four hundred forty-four (9,639,444) shares of Stock. Stock available under the Plan may be, in any combination, authorized but unissued Stock, treasury Stock and Stock that is repurchased, in the market, and canceled by the Company.

The Company shall reserve said number of shares of Stock for Awards under the Plan, subject to adjustments as provided in Section 13 of the Plan. If any Award, or portion of an Award, issued under the Plan, expires or terminates unexercised, becomes unexercisable or is forfeited or otherwise terminated, surrendered or canceled as to any shares of Stock without the delivery by the Company (or, in the case of Restricted Shares, without vesting) of Stock, the Stock subject to such Award shall thereafter be available for further Awards under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Stock option or Stock Appreciation Right is settled by the delivery of a net number of shares of Stock, the full number of shares underlying such Stock option or Stock Appreciation Right will not be available for subsequent awards under the Plan. Shares repurchased on the open market with the proceeds of an exercise price will not again be made available for issuance under the Plan. In addition, (i) shares withheld by the Company to satisfy the tax obligations related to an Award granted under the Plan will again be available for grants of Awards under the Plan, (ii) to the extent an Award is paid or settled in cash, the number of shares with respect to which such payment or settlement is made will again be available for grants of Awards under the Plan and (iii) shares underlying Awards that can only be settled in cash will not be counted against the aggregate number of shares of Stock available for Awards under the Plan.


(b)    Maximum Awards to Covered Employees.     The maximum number of shares of Stock subject to Awards that may be granted during any one calendar year to any one Covered Employee (including, for purposes of clarity, the aggregate number of shares of Stock subject to Stock options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted during any calendar year to any Covered Employee) shall be limited to three hundred fifty thousand (350,000) shares, not subject to adjustments as provided in Section 13. To the extent required by Section 162(m) of the Code and so long as Section 162(m) of the Code is applicable to persons eligible to participate in the Plan, shares of Stock subject to the foregoing maximum with respect to which the related Award is terminated, surrendered or canceled shall nonetheless continue to be taken into account with respect to such maximum for the calendar year in which granted.

5.

Participation

Participation in the Plan shall be open to all directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company, or of any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company, as may be selected by the Committee from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, participation in the Plan with respect to Awards of Incentive Stock Options shall be limited to employees of the Company or of any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company.

Awards may be granted to such Participants and for or with respect to such number of shares of Stock as the Committee shall determine, subject to the limitations in Section 4 of the Plan. A grant of any type of Award made in any one year to a Participant shall neither guarantee nor preclude a further grant of that or any other type of Award to such person in that year or subsequent years.

6.

Stock Options

Subject to the other applicable provisions of the Plan, the Committee may from time to time grant to Participants Awards of Nonqualified Stock Options and/or Incentive Stock Options. The stock option Awards granted shall be subject to the following terms and conditions.

(a)    Grant of Option.     The grant of a stock option shall be evidenced by a Grant Agreement, executed by the Company and the grantee, stating the number of shares of Stock subject to the stock option evidenced thereby, the exercise price and the terms and conditions of such stock option, in such form as the Committee may from time to time determine.

(b)    Exercise Price.     The price per share payable upon the exercise of each stock option shall be determined by the Committee, but shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of the shares on the Grant Date, unless the stock option complies with Section 409A of the Code.

(c)    Payment.     Stock options may be exercised in whole or in part by payment of the exercise price of the Stock to be acquired in accordance with the provisions of the Grant Agreement, and/or such rules and regulations as the Committee may have prescribed, and/or such determinations, orders, or decisions as the Committee may have made. Payment may be made in cash (or cash equivalents acceptable to the Committee) or, if provided in the Grant Agreement and permitted by applicable law, in shares of Stock which have been held by grantee for at least six (6) months, or a combination of cash and such Stock, or by such other means as the Committee may prescribe. The Fair Market Value of Stock delivered on exercise of stock options shall be determined as of the date of exercise.

If the Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, the Committee, subject to such limitations as it may determine, may authorize payment of the exercise price, in whole or in part, by delivery of a properly executed exercise notice, together with irrevocable instructions, to: (i) a brokerage firm to deliver promptly to the Company the aggregate amount of sale or loan proceeds to pay the exercise price and any withholding tax obligations that may arise in connection with the exercise, and (ii) the Company to deliver the certificates for such purchased Stock directly to such brokerage firm.


(d)    Term of Options.     The term during which each stock option may be exercised shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that in no event shall a stock option be exercisable more than ten years from the date it is granted. Prior to the exercise of the stock option and delivery of the Stock certificates represented thereby, the grantee shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to any Stock represented by an outstanding stock option.

(e)    Restrictions on Incentive Stock Options.     Incentive Stock Option Awards granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with Code Section 422 and, as such, shall meet the following additional requirements:

(i)    Grant Date.     An Incentive Stock Option must be granted within ten (10) years of the earlier of the Plan's adoption by the Board of Directors or approval by the Company's stockholders.

(ii)    Exercise Price and Term.     The exercise price of an Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the date the stock option is granted and the term of the stock option shall not exceed ten (10) years. Also, the exercise price of any Incentive Stock Option granted to a grantee who owns (within the meaning of Section 422(b)(6) of the Code, after the application of the attribution rules in Section 424(d) of the Code) more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of Stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company shall be not less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the grant date and the term of such stock option shall not exceed five (5) years.

(iii)    Maximum Grant.     The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the Grant Date) of Stock of the Company with respect to which all Incentive Stock Options first become exercisable by any grantee in any calendar year under this or any other plan of the Company and its Parent and Subsidiaries may not exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) or such other amount as may be permitted from time to time under Section 422 of the Code. To the extent that such aggregate Fair Market Value shall exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000), or other applicable amount, such stock options to the extent of the Stock in excess of such limit shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options. In such case, the Company may designate the shares of Stock that are to be treated as Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option.

(iv)    Grantee.     Incentive Stock Options shall only be issued to employees of the Company or of a Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company.

(v)    Designation.     No stock option shall be an Incentive Stock Option unless so designated by the Committee at the time of grant or in the Grant Agreement evidencing such stock option.

(vi)    Stockholder Approval.     No stock option issued under the Plan shall be an Incentive Stock Option unless the Plan is approved by the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months of its adoption by the Board in accordance with the Bylaws of the Company and governing law relating to such matters.

(f)    Other Terms and Conditions.     Stock options may contain such other provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine appropriate from time to time.

7.

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units

(a)    In General.     Subject to the other applicable provisions of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee may at any time and from time to time grant Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units to Participants, in such amounts and subject to such vesting conditions, other restrictions and conditions for removal of restrictions as it determines. Unless determined otherwise by the Committee, Participants receiving Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are not required to pay the Company cash consideration therefor (except as may be required for applicable tax withholding).

(b)    Vesting Conditions and Other Restrictions.     Each Award for Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be evidenced by a Grant Agreement that specifies the applicable vesting conditions and other restrictions, if any, on such Award, the duration of such restrictions, and the time or times at which such restrictions shall lapse with respect to all or a specified number of the shares of Stock that are part of the Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may reduce or shorten the duration of any vesting or other restriction applicable to any Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units awarded to any grantee under the Plan.


(c)    Stock Issuance and Stockholder Rights.

(i)    Restricted Stock. Stock certificates with respect to Stock granted pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award shall be issued, and/or Stock shall be registered, at the time of grant of the Restricted Stock Award, subject to forfeiture if the Restricted Stock does not vest or other restrictions do not lapse. Any Stock certificates shall bear an appropriate legend with respect to the restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock Award and the grantee may be required to deposit the certificates with the Company during the period of any restriction thereon and to execute a blank stock power or other instrument of transfer therefor. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, during the period of restriction following issuance of Restricted Stock certificates, the grantee shall have all of the rights of a holder of Stock, including but not limited to the rights to receive dividends (or amounts equivalent to dividends) and to vote with respect to the Restricted Stock. The Committee, in its discretion, may provide that any dividends or distributions paid with respect to Stock subject to the unvested portion of a Restricted Stock Award will be subject to the same restrictions as the Restricted Stock to which such dividends or distributions relate.

(ii)   Restricted Stock Units. Stock certificates for the shares of Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Unit shall be issued, and/or Stock shall be registered, upon vesting and lapse of any other restrictions with respect to the issuance of Stock under such Award. The grantee will not be entitled to vote such Stock or to any of the other rights of stockholders during the period prior to issuance of the certificates for such Stock and/or the registration of the Stock. An Award of Restricted Stock Units may provide the Participant with the right to receive amounts equivalent to dividends and distributions paid with respect to Stock subject to the Award while the Award is outstanding, which payments may, in the Committee's discretion, either be made currently or credited to an account for the Participant, and may be settled in cash or Stock, all as determined by the Committee. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee with respect to a particular Award, each outstanding Restricted Stock Unit shall accrue such dividend equivalents, deferred as equivalent amounts of additional Restricted Stock Units, which amounts will be paid only when and if the Restricted Stock Unit (on which such dividend equivalents were accrued) vests and becomes payable. To the extent that a Restricted Stock Unit does not vest or is otherwise forfeited, any accrued and unpaid dividend equivalents shall be forfeited.

(i)    Certain Dividend and Dividend Equivalent Rights. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7, any dividends and/or dividend equivalents as to the unvested portion of a Restricted Stock Award that is subject to performance-based vesting requirements or the unvested portion of a Restricted Stock Unit Award that is subject to performance-based vesting requirements will be subject to termination and forfeiture to the same extent as the corresponding portion of the award to which they relate.

8.

Stock Appreciation Rights

(a)    Award of Stock Appreciation Rights.     Subject to the other applicable provisions of the Plan, the Committee may at any time and from time to time grant Stock Appreciation Rights ("SARs") to Participants, either on a free-standing basis (without regard to or in addition to the grant of a stock option) or on a tandem basis (related to the grant of an underlying stock option), as it determines. SARs granted in tandem with or in addition to a stock option may be granted either at the same time as the stock option or at a later time; provided, however, that a tandem SAR shall not be granted with respect to any outstanding Incentive Stock Option Award without the consent of the grantee. SARs shall be evidenced by Grant Agreements, executed by the Company and the grantee, stating the number of shares of Stock subject to the SAR evidenced thereby and the terms and conditions of such SAR, in such form as the Committee may from time to time determine. The term during which each SAR may be exercised shall be determined by the Committee. In no event shall a SAR be exercisable more than ten years from the date it is granted. The grantee shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to any Stock represented by a SAR.

(b)    Restrictions of Tandem SARs.     No Incentive Stock Option may be surrendered in connection with the exercise of a tandem SAR unless the Fair Market Value of the Stock subject to the Incentive Stock Option is greater than the exercise price for such Incentive Stock Option. SARs granted in tandem with stock options shall be exercisable only to the same extent and subject to the same conditions as the stock options related thereto are exercisable. The Committee may, in its discretion, prescribe additional conditions to the exercise of any such tandem SAR.


(c)    Amount of Payment upon Exercise of SARs.     A SAR shall entitle the grantee to receive, subject to the provisions of the Plan and the Grant Agreement, a payment having an aggregate value equal to the product of (i) the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value on the exercise date of one share of Stock over (B) the base price per share of Stock specified in the Grant Agreement, times (ii) the number of shares of Stock specified by the SAR, or portion thereof, that is exercised. In the case of exercise of a tandem SAR, such payment shall be made in exchange for the surrender of the unexercised related stock option (or any portion or portions thereof which the grantee from time to time determines to surrender for this purpose). The base price per share under a SAR shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the Grant Date, unless the SAR complies with Section 409A of the Code.

(d)    Form of Payment upon Exercise of SARs.     Payment by the Company of the amount receivable upon any exercise of a SAR may be made by the delivery of Stock or cash, or any combination of Stock and cash, as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee from time to time. If upon settlement of the exercise of a SAR a grantee is to receive a portion of such payment in Stock, the number of shares of Stock shall be determined by dividing such portion by the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the exercise date. No fractional shares shall be used for such payment and the Committee shall determine whether cash shall be given in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares shall be eliminated.

9.

Phantom Stock

The grant of Phantom Stock shall be evidenced by a Grant Agreement, executed by the Company and the grantee, that incorporates the terms of the Plan and states the number of shares of Phantom Stock evidenced thereby and the terms and conditions of such Phantom Stock in such form as the Committee may from time to time determine. Phantom Stock granted to a Participant shall be credited to a bookkeeping reserve account solely for accounting purposes and shall not require a segregation of any of the Company's assets. Each share of Phantom Stock shall represent the value of one share of Stock. Phantom Stock shall become payable in whole or in part in such form, at such time or times and pursuant to such conditions in accordance with the provisions of the Grant Agreement, and/or such rules and regulations as the Committee may prescribe, and/or such determinations, orders or decisions as the Committee may make. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Grant Agreement, the grantee shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to any shares represented by Phantom Stock as a result of the grant of Phantom Stock to the grantee. Phantom Stock may contain such other provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine desirable or appropriate from time to time.

10.

Performance Awards

(a)    In General.     The Committee, in its discretion, may establish targets for Performance Measures for selected Participants and authorize the granting, vesting, payment and/or delivery of Performance Awards in the form of Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, and/or Phantom Stock to such Participants upon achievement of such targets for Performance Measures during a Performance Period. The Committee, in its discretion, shall determine the Participants eligible for Performance Awards, the targets for Performance Measures to be achieved during each Performance Period, and the type, amount, and terms and conditions of any Performance Awards. Performance Awards may be granted either alone or in addition to other Awards made under the Plan.

(b)    Covered Employee Targets.     After the Company is subject to Code Section 162(m), in connection with any Performance Awards granted to a Covered Employee, the Committee shall (i) establish in the applicable Grant Agreement the specific targets relative to the Performance Measures which must be attained before the respective Performance Award is granted, vests, or is otherwise paid or delivered, (ii) provide in the applicable Grant Agreement the method for computing the portion of the Performance Award which shall be granted, vested, paid and/or delivered if the target or targets are attained in full or part, and (iii) at the end of the relevant Performance Period and prior to any such grant, vesting, payment or delivery certify the extent to which the applicable target or targets were achieved and whether any other material terms were in fact satisfied. The specific targets and the method for computing the portion of such Performance Award which shall be granted, vested, paid or delivered to any Covered Employee shall be established by the Committee prior to the earlier to occur of (A) ninety (90) days after the commencement of the Performance Period to which the Performance Measure applies and (B) the elapse of twenty-five percent (25%) of the Performance Period and in any event while the outcome is substantially uncertain. In interpreting Plan provisions applicable to Performance Measures and Performance Awards with respect to Covered Employees, it is the intent of the Plan to conform with the standards of Section 162(m) of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.162-27(e)(2)(i), and the Committee in interpreting the Plan shall be guided by such provisions. 


11.

Withholding and Reporting of Taxes

The Company may require, as a condition to the grant of any Award under the Plan, vesting or exercise pursuant to such Award or to the delivery of certificates for shares of Stock issued or payments of cash to a grantee pursuant to the Plan or a Grant Agreement, that the grantee pay to the Company, in cash or, if approved by the Company, in Stock, including Stock acquired upon grant of the Award or exercise of the Award, valued at Fair Market Value on the date as of which the withholding tax liability is determined, any federal, state or local taxes of any kind or any applicable taxes or other required withholding of any other jurisdiction required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event under the Plan. The Company, to the extent permitted or required by law, shall have the right to deduct from any payment of any kind (including salary or bonus) otherwise due to a grantee any federal, state or local taxes of any kind or any applicable taxes or other required withholding of any other jurisdiction required by law to be withheld with respect to the grant, vesting, exercise or payment of or under any Award under the Plan or a Grant Agreement, or to retain or sell a sufficient number of the shares of Stock to be issued to such grantee to cover any such taxes. The Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate shall comply with any applicable tax reporting requirements of any jurisdiction imposed on it by law with respect to the granting, vesting, exercise and/or payment of Awards.

12.

Transferability

No Award granted under the Plan shall be transferable by a grantee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence, an Award may be exercised during the lifetime of the grantee only by the grantee or, during the period the grantee is under a legal disability, by the grantee's guardian or legal representative. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Award other than an Incentive Stock Option may, in the Committee's sole discretion, be transferable by gift or domestic relations order to (i) the grantee's child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships (such persons, "Family Members"), (ii) a company, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity whose only stockholders, partners or members, as applicable are the grantee and/or Family Members, or (iii) a trust in which the Grantee and/or Family Members have all of the beneficial interests, and subsequent to any such transfer any Award may be exercised by any such transferee.

13.

Adjustments; Business Combinations

(a)    Adjustments.     In the event of a reclassification, recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination of shares or other similar event, the Committee shall equitably and proportionately adjust (i) the number and type of shares of Stock (or other securities) that thereafter may be made the subject of Awards (including the specific share limits set forth in Section 4 of the Plan), (ii) the number, amount and type of shares of Stock (or other securities or property) subject to any outstanding Awards, (iii) the grant, purchase, or exercise price of any outstanding Awards, and/or (iv) the performance standards applicable to any then-outstanding Performance Awards, in each case to the extent necessary to preserve (but not increase) the level of incentives intended by this Plan and the then-outstanding Awards.

(b)    Change in Control.     In the event of any proposed Change in Control under Section 2(d)(i), (ii) or (iii), the Committee shall take such action as it deems appropriate and equitable to effectuate the purposes of this Plan and to protect the grantees of Awards, which action may include, without limitation, any one or more of the following, provided such action is in compliance with Code Section 409A if applicable: (i) acceleration or change of the exercise and/or expiration dates of any Award to require that exercise be made, if at all, prior to the Change in Control; (ii) cancellation of any Award upon payment to the holder in cash of the Fair Market Value of the Stock subject to such Award as of the date of (and, to the extent applicable, as established for purposes of) the Change in Control, less the aggregate exercise price, if any, of the Award; and (iii) in any case where equity securities of another entity are proposed to be delivered in exchange for or with respect to Stock of the Company, arrangements to have such other entity replace the Awards granted hereunder with awards with respect to such other securities, with appropriate adjustments in the number of shares subject to, and the exercise prices under, the Award.


(c)    Dissolution and Liquidation.     In the event the Company dissolves and liquidates (other than pursuant to a plan of amalgamation, merger or reorganization), then notwithstanding any restrictions on exercise set forth in this Plan or any Grant Agreement, or other agreement evidencing a stock option, Stock Appreciation Right, Phantom Stock, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Award, provided such action is in compliance with Code Section 409A if applicable: (i) each grantee shall have the right to exercise his stock option, Stock Appreciation Right, or Phantom Stock or to require delivery of Stock certificates, and/or registration of the Stock, representing any such Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Award, at any time up to ten (10) days prior to the effective date of such liquidation and dissolution; and (ii) the Committee may make arrangements with the grantees for the payment of appropriate consideration to them for the cancellation and surrender of any stock option, Stock Appreciation Right, Phantom Stock, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Award that is so canceled or surrendered at any time up to ten (10) days prior to the effective date of such liquidation and dissolution. The Committee may establish a different period (and different conditions) for such exercise, delivery, cancellation or surrender to avoid subjecting the grantee to liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. Any stock option, Stock Appreciation Right or Phantom Stock not so exercised, canceled or surrendered shall terminate on the last day for exercise prior to such effective date; and any Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units as to which there has not been such delivery of Stock certificates or that has not been so canceled or surrendered, shall be forfeited on the last day prior to such effective date. The Committee shall give to each grantee written notice of the commencement of any proceedings for such liquidation and dissolution of the Company and the grantee's rights with respect to his outstanding Award.

(d)    Other Adjustments.     The Committee is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in the preceding paragraphs of this Section 13) affecting the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan.

Except as hereinbefore expressly provided, issuance by the Company of stock of any class or securities convertible into stock of any class, for cash, property, labor or services, upon direct sale, upon the exercise of rights or warranty to subscribe therefor, or upon conversion of stock or obligations of the Company convertible into such stock or other securities, and in any case whether or not for fair value, shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of shares of Stock subject to Awards theretofore granted or the purchase price per share of Stock subject to Awards.

14.

Termination and Amendment

(a)    Amendment or Termination by the Board.     The Board, without further approval of the stockholders, may amend or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time, except that no amendment shall become effective without prior approval of the stockholders of the Company to increase the number of shares of Stock subject to the Plan or if stockholder approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement or rule of any exchange or national automated quotation system upon which the Stock is listed or quoted (including for this purpose stockholder approval that is required for continued compliance with Rule 16b-3 or stockholder approval that is required to enable the Committee to grant Incentive Stock Options pursuant to the Plan).

(b)    Amendments by the Committee.     The Committee shall be authorized to make minor or administrative amendments to the Plan as well as amendments to the Plan that may be dictated by requirements of U.S. federal or state laws applicable to the Company or that may be authorized or made desirable by such laws. The Committee may amend any outstanding Award in any manner as provided in Sections 3(c) and (d) (subject to the no-repricing provision therein) and to the extent that the Committee would have had the authority to make such Award as so amended.


(c)    Approval of Grantees.     No amendment to the Plan or any Award may be made that would materially adversely affect any outstanding Award previously made under the Plan without the approval of the grantee. Further, no amendment to the Plan or an Award shall be made which would cause any Award to fail to either comply with or meet an exception from Code Section 409A.

15.

Non-Guarantee of Employment

Nothing in the Plan or in any Grant Agreement thereunder shall confer any right on an employee to continue in the employ of the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate or shall interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate to terminate an employee at any time.

16.

Termination of Employment

For purposes of maintaining a grantee's continuous status as an employee and accrual of rights under any Award, transfer of an employee among the Company and the Company's Parent, Subsidiaries or Affiliates shall not be considered a termination of employment. Nor shall it be considered a termination of employment for such purposes if an employee is placed on military or sick leave or such other leave of absence that is considered as continuing intact the employment relationship; in such a case, the employment relationship shall be continued until the date when an employee's right to reemployment shall no longer be guaranteed either by law or contract.

17.

Written Agreement

Each Grant Agreement entered into between the Company and a grantee with respect to an Award granted under the Plan shall incorporate the terms of this Plan and shall contain such provisions, consistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be established by the Committee.

18.

Non-Uniform Determinations

The Committee's determinations under the Plan (including without limitation determinations of the persons to receive Awards, the form, amount and time of such Awards, the terms and provisions of such Awards and the agreements evidencing same) need not be uniform and may be made by it selectively among persons who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards under the Plan, whether or not such persons are similarly situated.

19.

Limitation on Benefits

With respect to persons subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, transactions under this Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3. To the extent any provision of the Plan or action by the Committee fails to so comply, it shall be deemed null and void, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the Committee.

20.

Listing and Registration

If the Company determines that the listing, registration or qualification upon any securities exchange or upon any listing or quotation system established by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or under any law of Stock subject to any Award is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the granting of same or the issue or purchase of Stock thereunder, no such Award may be exercised in whole or in part and no restrictions on such Award shall lapse, unless such listing, registration or qualification is effected free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company.


21.

Compliance with Securities Law

The Company may require that a grantee, as a condition to exercise of an Award, and as a condition to the delivery of any Stock certificate, provide to the Company, at the time of each such exercise and each such delivery, a written representation that the Stock being acquired shall be acquired by the grantee solely for investment and will not be sold or transferred without registration or the availability of an exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The Company may also require that a grantee submit other written representations that will permit the Company to comply with applicable federal and state securities laws in connection with the issuance of the Stock, including representations as to the knowledge and experience in financial and business matters of the grantee and the grantee's ability to bear the economic risk of the grantee's investment. The Company may require that the grantee obtain a "purchaser representative" as that term is defined in applicable federal and state securities laws. Any Stock certificates for shares issued pursuant to this Plan may bear a legend restricting transferability of the Stock unless such shares are registered or an exemption from registration is available under the Securities Act and applicable securities laws of the states of the U.S. The Company may notify its transfer agent to stop any transfer of Stock not made in compliance with these restrictions. Stock shall not be issued with respect to an Award granted under the Plan unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance and delivery of Stock certificates for such shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the requirements of any national securities exchange or Nasdaq System upon which the Stock may then be listed or quoted, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance to the extent such approval is sought by the Committee.

22.

No Trust or Fund Created

Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and a grantee or any other person. To the extent that any grantee or other person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company.

23.

No Limit on Other Compensation Arrangements

Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate from adopting or continuing in effect other compensation arrangements (whether such arrangements be generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases), including without limitation the granting of stock options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights or Phantom Stock Units otherwise than under the Plan.

24.

No Restriction of Corporate Action

Nothing contained in the Plan shall be construed to limit or impair the power of the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations, or changes in its capital or business structure, or to amalgamate, merge or consolidate, liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets or, except as otherwise provided herein, or in a Grant Agreement, to take other actions which it deems to be necessary or appropriate. No employee, beneficiary or other person shall have any claim against the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate as a result of such action.

25.

Governing Law

The validity, construction and effect of the Plan, of Grant Agreements entered into pursuant to the Plan, and of any rules, regulations, determinations or decisions made by the Board or Committee relating to the Plan or such Grant Agreements, and the rights of any and all persons having or claiming to have any interest therein or thereunder, shall be determined in accordance with applicable federal laws and the laws of the State of Maryland. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, recipients of an Award under the Plan are deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal or local courts of the State of Maryland, to resolve any and all issues that may arise out of or relate to the Plan or any related Grant Agreement. The Awards under the Plan are intended to either comply with or meet an exception from Code Section 409A and shall be so interpreted.

26.

Plan Subject to Charter and Bylaws

This Plan is subject to the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company, as they may be in effect from time to time.


27.

Effective Date; Termination Date

The Plan is effective as of the date on which the Plan is approved by the stockholders of the Company. No Award shall be granted under the Plan after the close of business on the day immediately preceding the tenth (10th ) anniversary of the effective date of the Plan (subject to any extension of the Plan term that may be approved by stockholders). Subject to other applicable provisions of the Plan, all Awards made under the Plan prior to such termination of the Plan shall remain in effect until such Awards have been satisfied or terminated in accordance with the Plan and the terms of such Awards.

Date Initially Approved by the Board: March 12, 2007

Date Initially Approved by the Stockholders: June 13, 2007 

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