Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2014

Registration No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

Form S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Regulus Therapeutics Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware		26-4738379
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(IRS Employer Identification Number)

3545 John Hopkins Ct., Suite 210

San Diego, CA 92121

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Kleanthis G. Xanthopoulos, Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Regulus Therapeutics Inc.

3545 John Hopkins Ct., Suite 210

San Diego, CA 92121

(858) 202-6300

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

 

 

Copies to:

Thomas A. Coll, Esq.

Kenneth J. Rollins, Esq.

Cooley LLP

4401 Eastgate Mall

San Diego, CA 92121

(858) 550-6000

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

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

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  x

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

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

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

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

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

 

Large accelerated filer		¨		Accelerated filer		x
Non-accelerated filer		¨  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)		Smaller reporting company		¨

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered		Amount to be Registered(1)		Proposed Maximum Offering Price per Share(2)		Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(2)		Amount of Registration Fee(2)
Primary Offering:
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share		(3)		(4)		(4)		—
Warrants		(3)		(4)		(4)		—
Total Primary Offering		$100,000,000				$100,000,000		$12,880
Secondary Offering:
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share		7,850,000		$11.39(5)		$89,411,500		$11,517
Total Registration Fee:								$24,397

(1)

Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act, the shares being registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of shares of common stock and preferred stock as may be issuable with respect to the shares being registered hereunder as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.

(2)

The proposed maximum offering price per unit and proposed maximum aggregate offering price has been calculated pursuant to (a) Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act with respect to the primary offering securities, and (b) Rule 457(c) of the Securities Act with respect to the secondary offering shares of common stock (see note 5 below).

(3)

There are being registered hereunder such indeterminate number of shares of common stock and such indeterminate number of warrants to purchase common stock to be sold by the Registrant which together shall have an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $100,000,000. Any securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or in combination with the other securities registered hereunder. The proposed maximum offering price will be determined, from time to time, by the Registrant in connection with the issuance by the Registrant of the securities registered hereunder. The securities registered for also include such indeterminate number of shares of common stock as may be issued upon exercise of warrants.

(4)

The proposed maximum aggregate offering price per class of security will be determined from time to time by the Registrant in connection with the issuance by the Registrant of the securities registered hereunder and is not specified as to each class of security pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.

(5)	Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(c) of the Securities Act based on the average high and low prices reported for the Registrant’s common stock traded on the NASDAQ Global Market on March 3, 2014.

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

---

Table of Contents

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We and the selling stockholders may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities, and it is not soliciting offers to buy these securities, in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MARCH 4, 2014

 

$100,000,000

Common Stock

Warrants

 

 

7,850,000 Shares of Common Stock

Offered by Selling Stockholders

We may from time to time offer and sell up to $100,000,000 aggregate dollar amount of common stock and warrants to purchase common stock in one or more offerings. In addition, the selling stockholders identified in this prospectus may sell, from time to time, up to 7,850,000 shares of our common stock. We will not receive any proceeds from sales by the selling stockholders. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities.

We will provide the specific terms of these offerings and securities in one or more supplements to this prospectus to the extent required by applicable law. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. Any prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as any documents incorporated by reference, before buying any of the securities being offered.

The securities may be sold directly by us to investors, through agents designated from time to time or to or through underwriters or dealers, on a continuous or delayed basis. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus. If any agents or underwriters are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such agents or underwriters and any applicable fees, commissions, discounts and over-allotment options will be set forth in a prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Global Market under the trading symbol “RGLS.” The last reported sale price of our common stock on The NASDAQ Global Market on March 3, 2014 was $11.58 per share. Any applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to other listings, if any, on the Nasdaq Global Market or other securities exchange of the securities covered by the applicable prospectus supplement.

Our principal executive offices are located at 3545 John Hopkins Ct., Suite 210, San Diego, California 92121, and our telephone number at that address is (858) 202-6300.

 

 

INVESTING IN OUR SECURITIES INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. YOU SHOULD REVIEW CAREFULLY THE RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES REFERENCED UNDER THE HEADING “RISK FACTORS” ON PAGE 4 OF THIS PROSPECTUS AS WELL AS THOSE CONTAINED IN ANY APPLICABLE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND ANY RELATED FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS, AND UNDER SIMILAR HEADINGS IN THE OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT ARE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THIS PROSPECTUS.

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

This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of securities unless, to the extent required by applicable law, it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

Prospectus dated                     , 2014

---

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			ii
SUMMARY			1
RISK FACTORS			4
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			4
USE OF PROCEEDS			6
DILUTION			6
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES			7
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK			7
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS			10
LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES			12
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS			15
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			16
LEGAL MATTERS			18
EXPERTS			18
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			18
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE			18

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or any “free writing prospectus” we may authorize to be delivered to you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein are accurate only as of their respective dates. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. Neither this prospectus nor any accompanying prospectus supplement shall constitute an offer or solicitation by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.

 

i

---

Table of Contents

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may from time to time sell common stock and warrants, or any combination of these securities, in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $100,000,000. In addition, under this shelf process, the selling stockholders may sell from time to time up to 7,850,000 shares of our common stock. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we and/or the selling stockholders may offer. Each time we and/or the selling stockholders offer securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain more specific information about the terms of that offering to the extent required by applicable law. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. We may also add, update or change in any prospectus supplement (and in any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) any of the information contained in this prospectus or in the documents that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We urge you to carefully read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, together with the information incorporated herein by reference as described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information Reference” before buying any of the securities being offered.

In this prospectus, unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, the terms “Regulus,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Regulus Therapeutics Inc. Each of the trade names or service marks appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement are the property of their respective owners.

This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of securities unless, to the extent required by applicable law, it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

You should rely only on the information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, along with the information contained in any free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering. Neither we nor the selling stockholders have authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or in any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so.

The information appearing in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of the document and that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus, or any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

This prospectus contains and incorporates by reference market data and industry statistics and forecasts that are based on independent industry publications and other publicly available information. Although we believe that these sources are reliable, we do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and we have not independently verified this information. Although we are not aware of any misstatements regarding the market and industry data presented in this prospectus and the documents incorporated herein by reference, these estimates involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on this information.

 

ii

---

Table of Contents

This prospectus contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed or will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described below under the section entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

 

iii

---

Table of Contents

 

1

---

Table of Contents

 

2

---

Table of Contents

 

3

---

Table of Contents

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves significant risks. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks and other information we include or incorporate by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. In particular, you should consider the risk factors under the heading “Risk Factors” included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is on file with the SEC and is incorporated herein by reference, and which may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file with the SEC in the future. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones facing our company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business operations. Additional risk factors may be included in a prospectus supplement relating to a particular offering of securities.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “should,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “will,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the following:

 

•

the initiation, cost, timing, progress and results of our research and development activities, preclinical studies and future clinical trials;

 

•

our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of our future product candidates, and any related restrictions, limitations, and/or warnings in the label of an approved product candidate;

 

•

our ability to obtain funding for our operations;

 

•

our plans to research, develop and commercialize our future product candidates;

 

•

our strategic alliance partners’ election to pursue development and commercialization;

 

•

our ability to attract collaborators with development, regulatory and commercialization expertise;

 

•

our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for our future product candidates;

 

•

the size and growth potential of the markets for our future product candidates, and our ability to serve those markets;

 

•

our ability to successfully commercialize our future product candidates;

 

•

the rate and degree of market acceptance of our future product candidates;

 

•

our ability to develop sales and marketing capabilities, whether alone or with potential future collaborators;

 

•

regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries;

 

•

the performance of our third-party suppliers and manufacturers;

 

•

the success of competing therapies that are or become available;

 

•

the loss of key scientific or management personnel;

 

•

our ability to successfully secure and deploy capital;

 

4

---

Table of Contents

•

our ability to satisfy our debt obligations;

 

•

our expectations regarding the time during which we will be an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act;

 

•

our use of the proceeds from our initial public offering and concurrent private placement or our subsequent public offering in July 2013; and

 

•

the accuracy of our estimates regarding expenses, future revenues, capital requirements and need for additional financing.

We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements we make. We have included important factors in the cautionary statements included and incorporated by reference in this prospectus that we believe could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that we make. See the section entitled “Risk Factors” herein for more information. You should consider these factors and other cautionary statements made in this prospectus and in the documents we incorporate by reference as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear in the prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference. Unless specifically indicated, our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments we may make. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

 

5

---

Table of Contents

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise provided in any applicable prospectus supplement, we currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered by us under this prospectus for general corporate purposes, including preclinical and clinical development of our clinical candidates, RG-101 and RG-012, and our other initial microRNA development candidates, for the identification and validation of additional microRNA targets, and for capital expenditures, working capital and other general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to in-license, acquire or invest in complementary microRNA businesses, technologies, products or assets. However, we have no current commitments or obligations to do so. We may set forth additional information on the use of proceeds from the sale of securities we offer under this prospectus in a prospectus supplement relating to the specific offering. We cannot currently allocate specific percentages of the net proceeds that we may use for the purposes specified above. As a result, our management will have broad discretion in the allocation of the net proceeds. Pending their use, we plan to invest the net proceeds from this offering in short- and intermediate-term, interest-bearing obligations, investment-grade instruments, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government.

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock by any selling stockholder.

DILUTION

We will set forth in a prospectus supplement, when applicable, the following information regarding any material dilution of the equity interests of investors purchasing securities in an offering under this prospectus:

 

•

the net tangible book value per share of our equity securities before and after the offering;

 

•

the amount of the increase in such net tangible book value per share attributable to the cash payments made by purchasers in the offering; and

 

•

the amount of the immediate dilution from the public offering price which will be absorbed by such purchasers.

 

6

---

Table of Contents

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

The descriptions of the securities contained in this prospectus, together with any applicable prospectus supplements, summarize the material terms and provisions of the various types of securities that we and/or the selling stockholders may offer. We will describe in any applicable prospectus supplement relating to any securities the particular terms of the securities offered by that prospectus supplement. If we so indicate in any applicable prospectus supplement, the terms of the securities may differ from the terms we have summarized below. We will also include in any prospectus supplement information, where applicable, about material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the securities, and the securities exchange, if any, on which the securities will be listed.

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

The following description of our common stock, together with any additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of our common stock that we and/or the selling stockholders may offer under this prospectus. For the complete terms of our common stock, please refer to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, which are exhibits to the registration statement that includes this prospectus. The terms of our common stock may also be affected by Delaware law.

Authorized Capital Stock

Our certificate of incorporation currently authorizes us to issue up to 200,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value.

As of February 28, 2014, we had 43,220,599 shares of common stock outstanding and no shares of preferred stock outstanding. We will describe the specific terms of any common stock we and/or the selling stockholders may offer in more detail in a prospectus supplement relating to the offering of shares of common stock to the extent required by applicable law. If we so indicate in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any common stock offered under that prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.

Common Stock

Voting. Our common stock is entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors, and does not have cumulative voting rights. Accordingly, the holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election.

Dividends. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, the holders of common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of legally available funds.

Liquidation. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities, subject to the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Rights and Preferences. Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, conversion or subscription rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of our common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of our preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

 

7

---

Table of Contents

Fully Paid and Nonassessable. All of our outstanding shares of common stock are, and any shares of common stock to be issued by us in an offering under this prospectus will be, fully paid and nonassessable.

Preferred Stock

Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the rights, preferences and privileges of the shares of each wholly unissued series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon and to increase or decrease the number of shares of any such series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding.

Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of the common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in our control that may otherwise benefit holders of our common stock and may adversely affect the market price of the common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of common stock. As of February 28, 2014, there are no shares of preferred stock outstanding and we have no current plans to issue any shares of preferred stock.

Registration Rights

Under our investor rights agreements and registration rights agreement entered into in connection with private placements of our common stock and our preferred stock that converted to common stock in connection with our initial public offering, the holders of 20,003,780 shares of common stock, or their transferees, have the right to require us to register their shares with the SEC so that those shares may be publicly resold, or to include their shares in any registration statement we file.

Form S-3 Registration Rights. If we are eligible to file a registration statement on Form S-3, one or more holders of registration rights have the right to demand that we file a registration statement on Form S-3 so long as the aggregate value of the securities to be sold under the registration statement on Form S-3 is at least a specified dollar amount, subject to specified exceptions.

“Piggyback” Registration Rights. If we register any securities for public sale, holders of registration rights will have the right to include their shares in the registration statement. The underwriters of any underwritten offering will have the right to limit the number of shares having registration rights to be included in the registration statement, subject to specified limitations. We have obtained waivers of any and all rights to have shares registered under this registration statement from all holders of such registration rights.

Expenses of Registration. Generally, we are required to bear all registration and selling expenses incurred in connection with the piggyback and Form S-3 registrations described above, other than underwriting discounts and commissions.

Expiration of Registration Rights. With respect to 18,700,000 shares, the piggyback and Form S-3 registration rights discussed above will terminate in October 2015, three years following the closing of our initial public offering or, as to a given holder of registrable securities, when such holder is able to sell all of their registrable securities in a single 90-day period under Rule 144 of the Securities Act. With respect to 1,303,780 shares, the piggyback and Form S-3 registration rights discussed above will terminate in February 2018.

 

8

---

Table of Contents

Anti-takeover Effects of Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation, our Bylaws and Delaware Law

We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or Section 203. Section 203 generally prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless:

 

•

prior to the date of the transaction, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

•

the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding (a) shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and (b) shares owned by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

•

on or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by the board and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2⁄3% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Section 203 defines a business combination to include:

 

•

any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder;

 

•

any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition involving the interested stockholder of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation;

 

•

subject to exceptions, any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder;

 

•

subject to exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder; and

 

•

the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.

In general, Section 203 defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by the entity or person.

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

Provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, may delay or discourage transactions involving an actual or potential change in our control or change in our management, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares or transactions that our stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. Therefore, these provisions could adversely affect the price of our common stock. Among other things, our certificate of incorporation and bylaws:

 

•

permit our board of directors to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, with any rights, preferences and privileges as they may designate (including the right to approve an acquisition or other change in our control);

 

•

provide that the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution of the board of directors;

 

9

---

Table of Contents

•

provide that all vacancies, including newly created directorships, may, except as otherwise required by law, be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum;

 

•

require that any action to be taken by our stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and not be taken by written consent;

 

•

provide that stockholders seeking to present proposals before a meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at a meeting of stockholders must provide notice in writing in a timely manner and also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice;

 

•

do not provide for cumulative voting rights (therefore allowing the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors to elect all of the directors standing for election, if they should so choose); and

 

•

provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by the Chairman of the Board, our Chief Executive Officer or by the board of directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors.

The amendment of any of these provisions, with the exception of the ability of our board of directors to issue shares of preferred stock and designate any rights, preferences and privileges thereto, would require approval by the holders of at least 66 ²⁄₃% of our then outstanding common stock.

NASDAQ Global Market Listing

Our common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Global Market under the “RGLS” symbol.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is 250 Royall Street, Canton, MA, 02021.

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus and the related warrant agreements and warrant certificates. While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we so indicate in the prospectus supplement, the terms of any warrants offered under that prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. Specific warrant agreements will contain additional important terms and provisions and will be incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus.

General

We may issue warrants to purchase common stock in one or more series. We may issue warrants independently or together with common stock, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from these securities.

We will evidence each series of warrants by warrant certificates that we will issue under a separate agreement. We may enter into the warrant agreement with a warrant agent. We will indicate the name and address and other information regarding the warrant agent in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of warrants.

 

10

---

Table of Contents

If we decide to issue warrants pursuant to this prospectus, we will specify in a prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants, including, if applicable, the following:

 

•

the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered;

 

•

the currency for which the warrants may be purchased;

 

•

the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security;

 

•

the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable;

 

•

the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants and the price at which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

•

the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreement and the warrants;

 

•

the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants;

 

•

any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants;

 

•

the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire;

 

•

the manner in which the warrant agreement and warrants may be modified;

 

•

a discussion of any material U.S. income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants;

 

•

the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; and

 

•

any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants.

Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the common stock purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive dividends, if any, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise voting rights, if any.

Exercise of Warrants

Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the number of shares of common stock that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants by delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to be exercised together with specified information, and paying the required amount to the warrant agent in immediately available funds, as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will set forth on the reverse side of the warrant certificate and in the applicable prospectus supplement the information that the holder of the warrant will be required to deliver to the warrant agent.

Upon receipt of the required payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue and deliver the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, then we will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining amount of warrants. If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may surrender securities as all or part of the exercise price for warrants.

 

11

---

Table of Contents

Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants

Each warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, its warrants.

LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

We can issue securities in registered form or in the form of one or more global securities. We describe global securities in greater detail below. We refer to those persons who have securities registered in their own names on the books that we or any applicable trustee maintain for this purpose as the “holders” of those securities. These persons are the legal holders of the securities. We refer to those persons who, indirectly through others, own beneficial interests in securities that are not registered in their own names, as “indirect holders” of those securities. As we discuss below, indirect holders are not legal holders, and investors in securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be indirect holders.

Book-Entry Holders

We may issue securities in book-entry form only, as we will specify in any applicable prospectus supplement. This means securities may be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a financial institution that holds them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, which are referred to as participants, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.

Only the person in whose name a security is registered is recognized as the holder of that security. Securities issued in global form will be registered in the name of the depositary or its nominee. Consequently, for securities issued in global form, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the securities, and we will make all payments on the securities to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.

As a result, investors in a book-entry security will not own securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the securities.

Street Name Holders

We may terminate a global security or issue securities in non-global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their securities in their own names or in “street name.” Securities held by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest in those securities through an account he or she maintains at that institution.

For securities held in street name, we will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the securities are registered as the holders of those securities, and we will make all payments on those securities to them. These institutions pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold securities in street name will be indirect holders, not holders, of those securities.

 

12

---

Table of Contents

Legal Holders

Our obligations, as well as the obligations of any applicable trustee and of any third parties employed by us or a trustee, run only to the legal holders of the securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a security or has no choice because we are issuing the securities only in global form. For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect holders but does not do so.

Special Considerations For Indirect Holders

If you hold securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:

 

•

how it handles securities payments and notices;

 

•

whether it imposes fees or charges;

 

•

how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required;

 

•

whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future;

 

•

how it would exercise rights under the securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and

 

•

if the securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

Global Securities

A global security is a security held by a depositary that represents one or any other number of individual securities. Generally, all securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms.

Each security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in any applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, will be the depositary for all securities issued in book-entry form.

A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary, its nominee or a successor depositary, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “—Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated.” As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution hat in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.

If a prospectus supplement for a particular security indicates that the security will be issued in global form only, then the security will be represented by a global security at all times unless and until the global security is terminated. If termination occurs, we may issue the securities through another book-entry clearing system or decide that the securities may no longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.

 

13

---

Table of Contents

Special Considerations For Global Securities

As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not recognize an indirect holder as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.

If securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:

 

•

an investor cannot cause the securities to be registered in his or her name, and cannot obtain non-global certificates for his or her interest in the securities, except in the special situations we describe below;

 

•

an investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the securities, as we describe under “—Legal Holders” above;

 

•

an investor may not be able to sell interests in the securities to some insurance companies and to other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form;

 

•

an investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a global security in circumstances where certificates representing the securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective;

 

•

the depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in a global security. We and any applicable trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in a global security. We and the trustee also do not supervise the depositary in any way;

 

•

the depositary may, and we understand that DTC will, require that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security within its book-entry system use immediately available funds, and your broker or bank may require you to do so as well; and

 

•

financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in a global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the securities.

There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of those intermediaries.

Special Situations When A Global Security Will Be Terminated

In a few special situations described below, the global security will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing those interests. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in securities transferred to their own name, so that they will be direct holders. We have described the rights of holders and street name investors above.

The global security will terminate when the following special situations occur:

 

•

if the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global security and we do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within 90 days;

 

•

if we notify any applicable trustee that we wish to terminate that global security; or

 

•

if an event of default has occurred with regard to securities represented by that global security and has not been cured or waived.

A prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of securities covered by such prospectus supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary, and not we or any applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.

 

14

---

Table of Contents

SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

This prospectus relates to the resale by the selling stockholders named herein of up to 7,850,000 shares of our common stock. For more information, see “Summary—Private Placements” above.

As of February 28, 2014, the selling stockholders named below were our three largest stockholders. Isis and Alnylam each have one representative on our board of directors, and until November 5, 2012, each had two representatives on our board of directors. In addition, we have formed strategic alliances with each of the selling stockholders named in the table below. In September 2007, we entered into a license and collaboration agreement with Alnylam and Isis, which we subsequently amended, restated and superseded in January 2009, and further amended in June 2010, October 2011 and August 2013. In August 2012, we entered into a collaboration and license agreement with AstraZeneca. These agreements are described in our annual report for the year ended December 31, 2013, filed with the SEC on February 28, 2014 (File No. 001-35670), and are incorporated herein by reference.

This table below was prepared based on information supplied to us by the selling stockholders and reflects holdings as of February 28, 2014. As used in this prospectus, the term “selling stockholders” includes each of the selling stockholders listed below, and any donees, pledges, transferees or other successors in interest selling shares received after the date of this prospectus from a selling stockholder as a gift, pledge, or other non-sale related transfer. The number of shares in the column “Number of Shares Being Offered” represents all of the shares that a selling stockholder may offer under this prospectus. The selling stockholders may sell some, all or none of their shares. The selling stockholders may, at any time and from time to time, offer and sell pursuant to this prospectus any or all of the shares set forth below in any type of transaction, as more fully described in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” on page 16. We do not know how long the selling stockholders will hold the shares before selling them, and we currently have no agreements, arrangements or understandings with the selling stockholders regarding the sale of any of the shares.

The percentage ownership information after the offering is based on 43,220,599 shares of our common stock outstanding as of February 28, 2014. Unless otherwise indicated, beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and is based upon information provided by each respective selling stockholder identified below.

 

Name and Address(1)		Shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned Before Offering				Number of Shares Being Offered				Shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned Following the Offering
										Number				% of Class
Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2855 Gazelle Court Carlsbad, CA 92010			7,074,500	(1)			3,524,750				3,549,750				8.2	%
AstraZeneca AB SE—431 83 Molndal Sweden			6,250,000				1,250,000				5,000,000				11.6	%
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 300 Third Street, 3rd Floor Cambridge, MA 02142			6,150,500				3,075,250				3,075,250				7.1	%

 

(1)	Includes 25,000 shares that Stanley T. Crooke, M.D., Ph.D., one of our former directors, has the right to acquire from us within 60 days of February 28, 2014 pursuant to the exercise of stock options.

 

15

---

Table of Contents

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We or the selling stockholders may sell the securities from time to time pursuant to underwritten public offerings, direct sales to the public, negotiated transactions, block trades or a combination of these methods. We or the selling stockholders may sell the securities to or through underwriters or dealers, through agents, or directly to one or more purchasers. We may distribute securities from time to time in one or more transactions:

 

•

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

 

•

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

•

at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or

 

•

at negotiated prices.

Any applicable prospectus supplement or supplements (and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including, to the extent applicable:

 

•

the name or names of the underwriters, if any;

 

•

the purchase price of the securities or other consideration therefor, and the proceeds, if any, we will receive from the sale;

 

•

any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us;

 

•

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

 

•

any public offering price;

 

•

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

 

•

any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed.

Only underwriters named in an applicable prospectus supplement will be underwriters of the securities offered by such prospectus supplement.

If underwriters are used in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account and may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement. We or the selling stockholders may offer the securities to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or by underwriters without a syndicate. Subject to certain conditions, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities offered by an applicable prospectus supplement, other than securities covered by any over-allotment option. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may change from time to time. We or the selling stockholders may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe in any applicable prospectus supplement, naming the underwriter, the nature of any such relationship.

We or the selling stockholders may sell securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of securities and we will describe any commissions we or the selling stockholders will pay the agent in an applicable prospectus supplement. Unless any applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, our or the selling stockholders’ agent will act on a best-efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

We or the selling stockholders may authorize agents or underwriters to solicit offers by certain types of institutional investors to purchase securities from us or the selling stockholders at the public offering price set forth in an applicable prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. We will describe the conditions to these contracts and the commissions we or the selling stockholders must pay for solicitation of these contracts in an applicable prospectus supplement.

 

16

---

Table of Contents

We or the selling stockholders may provide agents and underwriters with indemnification against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the agents or underwriters may make with respect to these liabilities. Agents and underwriters may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or the selling stockholders in the ordinary course of business.

All securities we may offer, other than common stock, will be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters may make a market in these securities, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot guarantee the liquidity of the trading markets for any securities.

Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum price. Syndicate-covering or other short-covering transactions involve purchases of the securities, either through exercise of the over-allotment option or in the open market after the distribution is completed, to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a stabilizing or covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.

Any underwriters or agents that are qualified market makers on the Nasdaq Global Select Market engage in passive market making transactions in the common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the common stock. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

In compliance with guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, the maximum consideration or discount to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker dealer may not exceed 8% of the aggregate amount of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.

 

17

---

Table of Contents

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities offered hereby is being passed upon for us by Cooley LLP, San Diego, California.

EXPERTS

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst  & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file reports, proxy statements and other documents with the SEC as required by the Exchange Act. You can find, copy and inspect information we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference room. You can review our electronically filed reports, proxy and information statements on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov or on our web site at www.regulusrx.com. Information included on our web site is not part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC. The registration statement contains more information than this prospectus regarding us and our securities, including exhibits and schedules. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement from the SEC at any address listed above or from the SEC’s web site.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate” into this prospectus information that we file with the SEC in other documents. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring to other documents that contain that information. Any information that we incorporate by reference is considered part of this prospectus.

Information contained in this prospectus and information that we file with the SEC in the future and incorporate by reference in this prospectus automatically modifies and supersedes previously filed information including information in previously filed documents or reports that have been incorporated by reference in this prospectus, to the extent the new information differs from or is inconsistent with the old information. Any information so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference, as of their respective dates of filing, the documents listed below that we have filed with the SEC and any documents that we file with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus (except in each case the information contained in such documents to the extent “furnished” and not “filed”):

 

(1)

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, as filed with the SEC on February 28, 2014;

 

(2)

our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 5, 2014;

 

18

---

Table of Contents

(3)

the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on September 27, 2012, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description; and

 

(4)

any other filings pursuant to the Exchange Act after the date of filing the initial registration statement and prior to the termination of the offering.

You may also request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing us at 3545 John Hopkins Court, Suite 210, San Diego, California 92121 or telephoning us at (858) 202-6300.

 

19

---

Table of Contents

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 14.

Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth the various expenses to be incurred in connection with the registration of the securities being registered hereby, all of which will be borne by the Registrant. All amounts shown are estimates except the SEC registration fee.

 

SEC registration fee		$	24,397
NASDAQ Global Market Listing Fee			—
Printing expenses			—
Legal fees and expenses			300,000
Accounting fees and expenses			150,000
Miscellaneous expenses			25,000
Total expenses		$	499,397

 

Item 15.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was one of the Registrant’s directors or officers or is or was serving at the Registrant’s request as a director, officer, or trustee of another corporation, or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer or trustee or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer or trustee, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Registrant to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action.

Section 145 of the DGCL permits a corporation to indemnify any director or officer of the corporation against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding brought by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the corporation, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, if he or she had no reason to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. In a derivative action, (i.e., one brought by or on behalf of the corporation), indemnification may be provided only for expenses actually and reasonably incurred by any director or officer in connection with the defense or settlement of such an action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be provided if such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action or suit was brought shall determine that the defendant is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses despite such adjudication of liability.

Pursuant to Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, the Registrant’s certificate of incorporation eliminates the liability of a director to the Registrant’s stockholders for monetary damages for such a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liabilities arising:

 

•

from any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Registrant or the Registrant’s stockholders;

 

•

from acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

II-1

---

Table of Contents

•

under Section 174 of the DGCL; and

 

•

from any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

The Registrant has entered into agreements to indemnify the Registrant’s directors and executive officers. These agreements, among other things, provide that the Registrant will indemnify the director or executive officer to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the provisions of the Registrant’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws or law for claims arising in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Registrant. The indemnification agreements also establish the procedures that will apply in the event a director or officer makes a claim for indemnification.

The Registrant maintains a general liability insurance policy which covers certain liabilities of directors and officers of the Registrant arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers.

The foregoing discussion of the Registrant’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws, indemnification agreements, and Delaware law is not intended to be exhaustive and is qualified in its entirety by such certificate of incorporation, bylaws, indemnification agreements, or law.

In any underwriting agreement the Registrant enters into in connection with the sale of common stock being registered hereby, the underwriters will agree to indemnify, under certain conditions, the Registrant, the Registrant’s directors, the Registrants officers and persons who control the Registrant with the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 against certain liabilities.

 

Item 16.

Exhibits.

See the Exhibit Index on the page immediately preceding the exhibits for a list of exhibits filed as part of this Registration Statement, which Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 17.

Undertakings.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

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

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

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the Registration Statement.

 

II-2

---

Table of Contents

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

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

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

(A) Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the Registration Statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the Registration Statement; and

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

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this Registration Statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;

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

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

(6) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

II-3

---

Table of Contents

(7) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933:

(i) the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of the registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(l) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be a part of the registration statement as of the time it was declared effective; and

(ii) each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

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

 

II-4

---

Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on March 4, 2014.

 

SIGNATURES AND POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Kleanthis G. Xanthopoulos, Ph.D., his true and lawful attorney or attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power to act with or without the others and with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to execute in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, any or all amendments (including pre-effective and post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and any registration statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform in the name of and on behalf of the undersigned, in any and all capacities, each and every act and thing necessary or desirable to be done in and about the premises, to all intents and purposes and as fully as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying, approving and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitute may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature		Title		Date
/s/ Kleanthis G. Xanthopoulos Kleanthis G. Xanthopoulos, Ph.D.		President, Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors (Principal Executive Officer, Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)		March 4, 2014
/s/ David Baltimore David Baltimore, Ph.D.		Member of the Board of Directors		March 4, 2014
/s/ Bruce L.A. Carter Bruce L.A. Carter, Ph.D.		Member of the Board of Directors		March 4, 2014
/s/ Mark G. Foletta Mark G. Foletta		Member of the Board of Directors		March 4, 2014
/s/ John M. Maraganore John M. Maraganore, Ph.D.		Member of the Board of Directors		March 4, 2014
/s/ Stelios Papadopoulos Stelios Papadopoulos, Ph.D.		Member of the Board of Directors		March 4, 2014

---

Table of Contents

Signature		Title		Date
/s/ B. Lynne Parshall B. Lynne Parshall		Member of the Board of Directors		March 4, 2014
/s/ William H. Rastetter William H. Rastetter, Ph.D.		Member of the Board of Directors		March 4, 2014
/s/ Douglas E. Williams Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D.		Member of the Board of Directors		March 4, 2014

---

Table of Contents

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number		Description
4.1		Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 11, 2012).
4.2		Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 11, 2012).
4.3		Form of Common Stock Certificate of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-183384), originally filed with the SEC on August 17, 2012).
4.4		Form of Common Stock Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate.
4.5*		Founding Investor Rights Agreement among the Registrant, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., dated January 1, 2009 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-183384), originally filed with the SEC on August 17, 2012).
4.6		Amendment Number One to the Founding Investor Rights Agreement among the Registrant, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., dated June 7, 2010 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.14 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-183384), originally filed with the SEC on August 17, 2012).
4.7		Amendment Number Two to the Founding Investor Rights Agreement among the Registrant, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., dated October 27, 2010 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-183384), originally filed with the SEC on August 17, 2012).
4.8		Amendment Number Three to the Founding Investor Rights Agreement among the Registrant, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., dated July 24, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.36 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-183384), originally filed with the SEC on August 17, 2012).
4.9		Investor Rights Agreement, dated October 10, 2012, between AstraZeneca AB and the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 11, 2012).
5.1		Opinion of Cooley LLP.
23.1		Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
23.2		Consent of Cooley LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1		Power of Attorney (included on signature page).

 

*	We have received confidential treatment for certain portions of this agreement, which have been omitted and filed separately with the SEC pursuant to Rule 406 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.