S-8 1 tm2034204-1_s8.htm S-8

 

As filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on October 28, 2020

 

Registration No. 333-

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

 

FORM S-8

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

SYNTHETIC BIOLOGICS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Nevada   13-3808303
 (State or other jurisdiction of   (IRS Employer
 incorporation or organization)   Identification No.)

 

9605 Medical Center Drive, Suite 270

Rockville, Maryland 20850

(Address, of principal executive offices)

 

Synthetic Biologics, Inc. 2020 Stock Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

 

Steven A. Shallcross

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
9605 Medical Center Drive, Suite 270

Rockville, Maryland 20850

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

(301) 417-4364

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

Copy to:

 

Leslie Marlow, Esq.

Hank Gracin, Esq.

Patrick J. Egan, Esq.

Gracin & Marlow, LLP

The Chrysler Building

405 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor

New York, New York 10174

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer ¨ Accelerated filer ¨
Non-accelerated filer x Smaller reporting company x
  Emerging growth company ¨

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ¨

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE  

 

Title of securities
to be registered (1)
  Amount to be
Registered (2)
   Proposed
maximum
offering price
per share (3)
   Proposed
maximum
aggregate
offering price (1)
   Amount of
registration fee (4)
 
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share   4,000,000 shares   $0.395   $1,580,000   $172.38 

  

(1) The securities to be registered include options and rights to acquire the common stock of Synthetic Biologics, Inc. 
   
(2) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement also covers any additional securities that may be offered or issued in connection with any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction. 
   
(3) Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and 457(h) of the Securities Act solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee. The price for the shares under the plan is based upon the average of the high and low sale prices of the Common Stock on October 23, 2020, as reported by the NYSE American. 
   
(4) Calculated pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Securities Act as .00010910 of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price.

 

 

 

 

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Explanatory Note  

 

Synthetic Biologics, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Registrant” or the “Company”) hereby files this Registration Statement on Form S-8 relating to its common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), which have been reserved for issuance and are issuable pursuant to the Company’s 2020 Stock Incentive Plan (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”). 

 

PART II

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents By Reference.

 

The Registrant has filed the documents listed below with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and these documents are incorporated into this registration statement by reference:

 

  · Our Annual Report on Form 10-K the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the SEC on February 20, 2020 (File No. 001-12584);

 

  · Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020 filed with the SEC on May 5, 2020 and August 6, 2020, respectively (File No. 001-12584);

  

  · Our Current Reports on Form 8-K (File No. 001-12584) filed with the SEC on January 7, 2020, February 7, 2020August 5, 2020September 18, 2020 and October 2, 2020 (other than as indicated therein);  
     
  · Our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on August 4, 2020 (File No. 001-12584); and
     
  · The description of our common stock set forth in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A12B, filed with the SEC on June 20, 2007 (File No. 000-12584).

 

All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

 

Item 4. Description of Securities.

 

Not applicable

 

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

Section 78.138 of the Nevada Revised Statutes provides that a director or officer is not individually liable to the Registrant or its stockholders or creditors for any damages as a result of any act or failure to act in his capacity as a director or officer unless it is proven that (1) his act or failure to act constituted a breach of his fiduciary duties as a director or officer and (2) his breach of those duties involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law.

 

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This provision is intended to afford directors and officers protection against and to limit their potential liability for monetary damages resulting from suits alleging a breach of the duty of care by a director or officer. As a consequence of this provision, the Registrant’s stockholders will be unable to recover monetary damages against directors or officers for actions taken by them that may constitute negligence or gross negligence in performance of their duties unless such conduct falls within one of the foregoing exceptions. The provision, however, does not alter the applicable standards governing a director’s or officer’s fiduciary duty and does not eliminate or limit the right of the Registrant or any of its stockholders to obtain an injunction or any other type of non-monetary relief in the event of a breach of fiduciary duty.

 

The Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, and amended and restated bylaws provide for indemnification of directors, officers, employees or agents of the Registrant to the fullest extent permitted by Nevada law (as amended from time to time).  Section 78.7502 of the Nevada Revised Statutes provides that such indemnification may only be provided if the person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interest of the Registrant and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.

  

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Exhibits.

  

Exhibit
No.
  Description
     
4.1   Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (Incorporated by reference to (i) Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed October 16, 2008, File No. 001-12584,  (ii) Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2001 filed August 14, 2001, File No. 001-12584; and (iii) Exhibits 3.1, 4.1 and 4.2 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 1998 filed August 14, 1998, File No. 001-12584.)
4.2   Articles of Merger (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed October 19, 2009, File No. 001-12584.)
4.3   Certificate of Merger filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed October 19, 2009, File No. 001-12584.)
4.4   Articles of Incorporation filed with the Nevada Secretary of State (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed October 19, 2009, File No. 001-12584.)  
4.5   Amended and Restated Bylaws Adopted and Effective October 31, 2011 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 2, 2011, File No. 001-12584.)  
4.6   Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 16, 2012, File No. 001-12584.)  
4.7   Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed May 18, 2015, File No. 001-12584.)  
4.8   Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 8, 2017, File No. 001-12584.)  
4.9   Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 26, 2018, File No. 001-12584.)  

 

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4.10   Synthetic Biologics, Inc. 2020 Stock Incentive Plan (Incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the Registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 4, 2020).  
4.11*   Form of Incentive Stock Option Grant Agreement
4.12*   Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement
4.13*   Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement
5.1*   Opinion of Parsons Behle & Latimer as to the legality of securities being registered
23.1*   Consent of BDO USA, LLP*
23.2*   Consent of Parsons Behle & Latimer (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereof)
24.1*   Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this registration statement)

 

 

* Filed Herewith

  

Item 9. Undertakings.

 

  (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

 

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

 

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

 

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this 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 this registration statement;

 

Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-8 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Securities Exchange Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

 

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

 

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

 

(4) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(5) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to existing provisions or arrangements whereby the Registrant may indemnify a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant against liabilities arising under the Securities Act, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

  

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Rockville and State of Maryland, on the 28th day of October, 2020.

 

  SYNTHETIC BIOLOGICS, INC.
   
   
  By: /s/ Steven A. Shallcross
    Name: Steven A. Shallcross
   

Title: Chief Executive Officer and

Chief Financial Officer

  

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Each of the undersigned, whose signature appears below, hereby constitutes and appoints Steven A. Shallcross as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments to this Registration Statement, whether pre-effective or post-effective, 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, or his substitute full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing necessary or appropriate to be done with respect to this Registration Statement or any amendments hereto in the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitute or substitutes, or any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons, in the capacities and on the date or dates indicated:

 

Signature   Title    Date
         
/s/ Steven A. Shallcross  

Chief Executive Officer and

Chief Financial Officer

  October 28, 2020
Steven A. Shallcross  

(Principal Executive Officer and Principal

Financial and Accounting Officer)

Director

   
         
/s/ Jeffrey J. Kraws   Chairman of the Board of Directors   October 28, 2020
 Jeffrey J. Kraws        
         
/s/ Scott L. Tarriff   Director   October 28, 2020
Scott L. Tarriff        
         
/s/ Jeffrey Wolf   Director   October 28, 2020
Jeffrey Wolf        

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.   Description  
4.1   Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (Incorporated by reference to (i) Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed October 16, 2008, File No. 001-12584,  (ii) Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2001 filed August 14, 2001, File No. 001-12584; and (iii) Exhibits 3.1, 4.1 and 4.2 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 1998 filed August 14, 1998, File No. 001-12584.)
4.2   Articles of Merger (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed October 19, 2009, File No. 001-12584.)
4.3   Certificate of Merger filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed October 19, 2009, File No. 001-12584.)
4.4   Articles of Incorporation filed with the Nevada Secretary of State (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed October 19, 2009, File No. 001-12584.)  
4.5   Amended and Restated Bylaws Adopted and Effective October 31, 2011 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 2, 2011, File No. 001-12584.)  
4.6   Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 16, 2012, File No. 001-12584.)  
4.7   Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed May 18, 2015, File No. 001-12584.)  
4.8   Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 8, 2017, File No. 001-12584.)  
4.9   Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 26, 2018, File No. 001-12584.)  
4.10   Synthetic Biologics, Inc. 2020 Stock Incentive Plan (Incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the Registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 4, 2020).  
4.11*   Form of Incentive Stock Option Grant Agreement
4.12*   Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement
4.13*   Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement
5.1*   Opinion of Parsons Behle & Latimer as to the legality of securities being registered
23.1*   Consent of BDO USA, LLP*
23.2*   Consent of Parsons Behle & Latimer (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereof)
24.1*   Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this registration statement)

 

 

* Filed Herewith

 

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