As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2021
Registration No. 333-241706
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1
to
Form S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
NextCure, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 47-5231247 |
| (State or other
jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S.
Employer Identification Number) |
9000 Virginia Manor Road, Suite 200
Beltsville, Maryland 20705
(240) 399-4900
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Michael
Richman
Chief Executive Officer
NextCure, Inc.
9000 Virginia Manor Road, Suite 200
Beltsville, Maryland 20705
(240) 399-4900
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies
to:
William I. Intner
Hogan Lovells US LLP
100 International Drive, Suite 2000
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
(410) 659-2700
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the 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. x
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, 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 | x |
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 Securities Act. ¨
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of each class of securities to be registered |
Amount to be registered/proposed maximum offering price per unit/proposed maximum aggregate offering price |
Amount of registration fee |
| Common Stock | (1) | |
| Preferred Stock | (1) | |
| Debt Securities | (1) | |
| Warrants | (1) | |
| Units | (1) | |
| Total | $180,000,000(2) | $19,638(3) |
| (1) | Omitted pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3. The registrant is registering hereby the offer and sale of an unspecified amount of securities of each identified class, which may from time to time be issued at currently indeterminable prices. This registration statement also covers any additional securities that may be issuable upon conversion or exchange of debt securities, preferred stock, warrants or units or pursuant to anti-dilution provisions thereof. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable on exercise, conversion or exchange of other securities. |
| (2) | Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. The aggregate maximum offering price of all securities issued pursuant to this registration statement will not exceed $180,000,000. |
| (3) | The registration fee has been calculated in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933. |
This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Commission File No. 333-241706), or the Registration Statement, of NextCure, Inc., or the Registrant, is being filed because the Registrant expects that it will cease to be a well-known seasoned issuer (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) upon filing its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 includes disclosure required for a registrant other than a well-known seasoned issuer and makes certain other amendments.
PROSPECTUS
NextCure, Inc.
$180,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Units
We may offer and sell up to an aggregate of $180,000,000 of the securities identified above from time to time in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities. We refer to the securities identified above as the “securities.” We may offer any combination of the securities, in separate series or classes and in amounts, at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. In addition, this prospectus may be used to offer securities for the account of persons other than us.
This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to the securities we may offer and sell and the general manner in which they may be offered. Each time we offer securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide one or more supplements to this prospectus or free writing prospectuses that contain specific information about the offering and the terms of any securities being sold. Prospectus supplements or free writing prospectuses may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus.
We may offer and sell these securities to or through agents, underwriters, dealers, or directly to purchasers, or through a combination of these methods, on a continuous or delayed basis. The names of any agents, underwriters or dealers and the terms of the arrangements with them will be stated in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “NXTC.” On March 3, 2021, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market was $11.54 per share.
You should read carefully this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement, the information incorporated herein and therein by reference, and any free writing prospectus before you invest in any of our securities. Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5.
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.
The date of this prospectus is March 4, 2021.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, using a “shelf” registration process. By using a shelf registration statement, we may sell securities from time to time and in one or more offerings as described in this prospectus up to an aggregate dollar amount of $180,000,000 of securities. Each time that we offer and sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the securities being offered and sold and the specific terms of that offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. The prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus with respect to that offering. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, you should rely on the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, as applicable. Before purchasing any securities, you should carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement, and any applicable free writing prospectuses, together with the additional information described under “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation by Reference.”
We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information other than that contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectuses prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We will not make an offer to sell or solicit any offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement is accurate only as of the date on its respective cover, that the information appearing in any applicable free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date of that free writing prospectus, and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
This prospectus, the information incorporated herein by reference, and any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus contain or may contain references to trademarks, service marks, and trade names owned by us or other companies. Solely for convenience, trademarks, service marks, and trade names, including logos, artwork, and other visual displays, may appear without the ® or ™ symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensor to these trademarks, service marks, and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trade names, service marks, or trademarks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies. Other trademarks, trade names, and service marks appearing in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners.
When we refer to “NextCure,” “we,” “our,” “us” and “Company” in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, we mean NextCure, Inc., unless otherwise specified. When we refer to “you,” we mean the potential holders of the applicable series of securities.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information about issuers, such as us, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is www.sec.gov. We make available, free of charge, on our website at www.nextcure.com, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to such reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Information on or accessible through our website is not incorporated by reference herein and does not form a part of this prospectus.
This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC and do not contain all of the information in the registration statement. The full registration statement may be obtained through the SEC’s website, as provided above, or from us, as provided below under “Incorporation by Reference.” Certain documents establishing the terms of the offered securities are or may be filed as exhibits to the registration statement or documents incorporated by reference in the registration statement. Statements in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement about these documents are summaries and each statement is subject, and qualified in all respects by reference, to the document to which it refers. You should refer to the actual documents for a more complete description of the relevant matters.
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The SEC’s rules allow us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, and subsequent information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede that information. Any statement contained in this prospectus or a previously filed document incorporated by reference will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or a subsequently filed document incorporated by reference modifies or replaces that statement.
This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement incorporate by reference the documents set forth below that have previously been filed with the SEC (other than those documents or the portions of those documents not deemed to be filed):
| • | our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 12, 2020, or the 2019 Annual Report, including the information incorporated therein by reference from our definitive proxy statement for our 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed on April 27, 2020; |
| • | our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, filed with the SEC on May 7, 2020, August 6, 2020 and November 5, 2020, respectively; |
| • | our current reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 13, 2020, March 30, 2020, April 14, 2020, June 11, 2020, July 13, 2020, July 17, 2020, July 31, 2020, September 14, 2020 and February 24, 2021; and |
| • | the description of our Common Stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on May 8, 2019, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description, including Exhibit 4.2 to the 2019 Annual Report. |
All reports and other documents we subsequently file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, prior to the termination of this offering, but excluding any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents. We are not, however, incorporating by reference any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed in the future, that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or related exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K.
We will provide, without charge, to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into such documents. Requests may be made in writing or by telephone at:
NextCure, Inc.
9000 Virginia Manor Road, Suite 200
Beltsville, Maryland 20705
(240) 399-4900
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We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering and developing novel, first-in-class immunomedicines to treat cancer and other immune-related diseases by restoring normal immune function. We view the immune system holistically and, rather than target one specific immune cell type, we focus on understanding biological pathways, the interactions of cells and the role each interaction plays in an immune response. Through our proprietary Functional, Integrated, NextCure Discovery in Immuno-Oncology, or FIND-IO, platform, we study various immune cells to discover and understand targets and structural components of immune cells and their functional impact in order to develop immunomedicines. We are focused on patients who do not respond to current therapies, patients whose cancer progresses despite treatment and patients with cancer types not adequately addressed by available therapies. We are committed to discovering and developing first-in-class immunomedicines, which are immunomedicines that use new or unique mechanisms of action to treat a medical condition, for these patients.
Our lead product candidate, NC318, is a first-in-class immunomedicine against a novel immunomodulatory receptor called Siglec-15, which is expressed on highly immunosuppressive cells called M2 macrophages and on tumor cells. Our second product candidate, NC410, is a novel immunomedicine designed to block immune suppression mediated by an immune modulator called Leukocyte-Associated Immunoglobulin-like Receptor 1, which is expressed on T cells and antigen-presenting cells, known as dendritic cells, that present tumor antigens to immune cells in order to generate immune responses. Our third product candidate, NC762, is a monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to human B7 homolog 4 protein, or B7-H4, a cell surface protein expressed on multiple tumor types.
We are a Delaware corporation formed in September 2015. Our primary executive offices are located at 9000 Virginia Manor Road, Suite 200, Beltsville, Maryland 20705 and our telephone number is (240) 399-4900. Our website address is www.nextcure.com. Information on or accessible through our website is not incorporated by reference herein and does not form a part of this prospectus.
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Investment in any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement involves significant risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors incorporated by reference to the 2019 Annual Report, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020 and any subsequent reports we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus, and all other information contained or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act, and the risk factors and other information contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus before making a decision about investing in our securities. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities.
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus may contain forward-looking statements, including with respect to our plans, objectives, and expectations for our business, operations, and financial performance and condition. Any statements contained herein or therein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “due,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “objective,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “positioned,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and other similar expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events and future trends, or the negative of these terms or similar language. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:
| • | our expectations regarding the timing, progress, and results of preclinical studies and clinical trials for NC318, NC410, NC762 and any other product candidates we develop, including statements regarding the timing of initiation and completion of studies or trials and related preparatory work, the period during which the results of the trials will become available and our research and development programs; |
| • | the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings for NC318, NC410, NC762 and any other product candidates we develop and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for such product candidates for any indication; |
| • | the identification, analysis and use of biomarkers and biomarker data; |
| • | the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the initiation, progress or expected timing of our clinical trials and the timing of related data, our efforts to adjust trial-related activities to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and other future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, our industry, and our financial condition and results of operations; |
| • | the development of patient selection assays and companion or complementary diagnostics for NC318, NC410, NC762 or any other product candidates we develop; |
| • | our manufacturing capabilities and strategy, including the scalability of our manufacturing methods and processes; |
| • | our expectations regarding the potential benefits, activity, effectiveness, and safety of NC318, NC410, NC762 and any other product candidates we develop; |
| • | our intentions and ability to successfully commercialize our product candidates; |
| • | our expectations regarding the nature of the biological pathways we are targeting; |
| • | our expectations for our FIND-IO platform, including our ability to discover and advance product candidates using our FIND-IO platform; |
| • | the potential benefits of and our ability to maintain our relationships and collaborations with Yale University and Dr. Lieping Chen; |
| • | our estimates regarding our expenses, future revenues, capital requirements, our needs for or ability to obtain additional financing, and the period over which we expect our current cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities to be sufficient to fund our operations; |
| • | our intended reliance on and the performance of third parties, including collaborators, contract research organizations, and third-party manufacturers; |
| • | our ability to protect and enforce our intellectual property protection and the scope and duration of such protection; |
| • | developments and projections relating to our competitors and our industry, including competing therapies; |
| • | the impact of current and future laws and regulations; and |
| • | our intended use of proceeds from this offering. |
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These statements are based on management’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about our business and industry, are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are in some cases beyond our control, such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that may cause our or our industry’s actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. We discuss many of these risks in greater detail under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus and any related free writing prospectus, and in any other documents incorporated herein or therein (including in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other filings we make with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act). You should read these factors and the other cautionary statements made in this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement, and any free writing prospectus as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear herein or therein. If one or more of these factors materialize, or if any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements may vary materially from any future results, activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements made by us, which speak only as of the date they were made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements after the date of this prospectus supplement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
You should read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by the foregoing cautionary statements.
7
Unless we specify otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from sales of securities by us for general corporate purposes. These purposes may include clinical trials, research and development expenditures, potential strategic acquisitions or licensing of complementary businesses, assets, services or technologies, expenditures to build our development and commercialization capabilities, further expansion of our manufacturing capacity, working capital and capital expenditures, and any other corporate purpose. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses of the net proceeds from the sale of securities under this prospectus. Accordingly, we will retain broad discretion over the use of such proceeds. Pending the use of the net proceeds described above, we plan to invest any net proceeds from sales of securities by us in a variety of capital preservation investments, including 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 proceeds from sales of securities by persons other than us except as may otherwise be stated in an applicable prospectus supplement.
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The following description summarizes certain information about our capital stock. The summary does not purport to be complete and is subject, and qualified in its entirety by reference, to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, or certificate of incorporation, and our amended and restated bylaws, or bylaws, each of which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and the applicable provisions of Delaware law. See “Incorporation by Reference.”
General
Our authorized capital stock under our certificate of incorporation consists of
| • | 100,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share; and |
| • | 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. |
Common Stock
Voting Rights
Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders, including the election of directors. Holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. Accordingly, holders of a majority of the voting shares are able to elect all of our directors. In addition, the affirmative vote of holders of 66 2/3% of the voting power of all of the then outstanding voting stock will be required to take certain actions, including amending certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation, such as the provisions relating to the classified board.
Dividends
Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, holders of our 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 and the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any then outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Other Rights and Preferences
Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, conversion, subscription or other 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 in the future.
Fully Paid and Nonassessable
All of our outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and nonassessable.
Preferred Stock
Under the terms of our certificate of incorporation, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions thereof. These rights, preferences and privileges could include dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, liquidation preferences, sinking fund terms and the number of shares constituting, or the designation of, such series, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of common stock. For example, the issuance of our preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of common stock and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon our liquidation.
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Registration Rights
Under the terms of our amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, holders of certain shares of our common stock, or their transferees, have the right to require us to register their shares under the Securities Act so that those shares may be publicly resold, and the right to include their shares in any registration statement we file, subject to certain limitations. These rights will expire, with respect to any particular stockholder, upon the earlier of May 13, 2024 and when that stockholder can sell all of its shares under Rule 144 under the Securities Act without limitation during any three-month period without registration.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Our Certificate of Incorporation, Our Bylaws and Delaware Law
Certain provisions of Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws could make the following transactions more difficult: acquisition of us by means of a tender offer; acquisition of us by means of a proxy contest or otherwise; or removal of our incumbent officers and directors. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish or could deter transactions that stockholders may otherwise consider to be in their best interest or in our best interests, including transactions that might result in a premium over the market price for our shares.
These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging these proposals because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute
We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits persons deemed “interested stockholders” from engaging in a “business combination” with a publicly traded Delaware corporation for three years following the date these persons become interested stockholders unless the business combination is, or the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder was, approved in a prescribed manner or another prescribed exception applies. Generally, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock. Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. The existence of this provision may have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions not approved in advance by our board of directors, such as discouraging takeover attempts that might result in a premium over the market price of our common stock.
Undesignated Preferred Stock
The ability to authorize undesignated preferred stock makes it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could have the effect of delaying, deferring, preventing or otherwise impeding any attempt to change control of us.
Special Stockholder Meetings
Our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws provide that a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by or at the direction of our board of directors or by the Chair of our board of directors.
Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Nominations and Proposals
Our bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of our board of directors or a committee of our board of directors.
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Elimination of Stockholder Action by Written Consent
Our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws do not permit stockholders action by written consent without a meeting.
Classified Board; Election and Removal of Directors; Filling Vacancies; Board Size
Our board of directors is divided into three classes. The directors in each class serve for a three-year term, one class being elected each year by our stockholders, with staggered three-year terms. Only one class of directors is elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms. Because our stockholders do not have cumulative voting rights, holders of a majority of the shares of common stock outstanding will be able to elect all of our directors. Our certificate of incorporation provides for the removal of any of our directors only for cause and requires a stockholder vote by the holders of at least a 66 2∕3% of the voting power of the then outstanding voting stock. Any vacancy on our board of directors, however occurring, including a vacancy resulting from an increase in the size of the board, may only be filled by a resolution of our board of directors unless our board of directors determines that such vacancies shall be filled by our stockholders. Furthermore, the authorized number of directors may be changed only by a resolution of our board of directors. This system of electing and removing directors, filling vacancies and fixing the size of the board may tend to discourage a third party from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us, because it generally makes it more difficult for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors.
Choice of Forum
Our bylaws provide that unless we consent in writing to an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if subject matter jurisdiction of such action is vested exclusively in the federal courts, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our current or former directors, officers and employees, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws, (iv) any action or proceeding to interpret, apply, enforce, or determine the validity of our certificate of incorporation or bylaws or (v) any action asserting a claim that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject to the Court of Chancery or the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, as applicable, having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. In addition, any person holding, owning, or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our securities shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to this provision of our bylaws. The choice of forum provision does not apply to any actions arising under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. Although our bylaws contain the choice of forum provision described above, it is possible that a court could find that such a provision is inapplicable for a particular claim or action or that such provision is unenforceable.
Amendment of Charter Provisions
The amendment of any of the above provisions that are in our certificate of incorporation, except for the provision making it possible for our board of directors to issue undesignated preferred stock, would require approval by a stockholder vote by the holders of at least a 66 2∕3% of the voting power of our then outstanding voting stock.
The provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws could have the effect of discouraging others from attempting hostile takeovers and, as a consequence, they may also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
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Limitation on Liability and Indemnification Matters
Our certificate of incorporation contains provisions that limit the liability of our directors for monetary damages to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Consequently, our directors will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as directors, except liability for:
| • | any breach of the duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders; |
| • | any act or omission not in good faith that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; |
| • | unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or |
| • | any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. |
Our bylaws provide that we are required to indemnify our directors and officers, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Our bylaws also obligate us to advance expenses incurred by a director or officer in advance of the final disposition of any action or proceeding and permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee or other agent for any liability arising out of such person’s actions in that capacity regardless of whether we would otherwise be permitted to indemnify such person under Delaware law. We have entered and expect to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify our directors, executive officers and other employees as determined by our board of directors. These indemnification agreements generally require us, among other things, to indemnify our directors, executive officers, and these employees against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers, other than liabilities arising from willful misconduct. These indemnification agreements also generally require us to advance any expenses incurred by the directors, executive officers and employees as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. We believe that these provisions and indemnification agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers. We also maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our directors and officers against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances.
The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors and officers for breach of their fiduciary duty. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and our stockholders. Further, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent that we pay the costs of settlement and damage.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “NXTC”.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description summarizes certain terms and conditions of the debt securities that we may offer and sell pursuant to this prospectus. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms and conditions of the series in a prospectus supplement to this prospectus. We will also indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement whether the general terms and conditions described in this prospectus apply to the series. The terms and conditions of the series may be different in one or more respects from the terms and conditions described below. If so, those differences will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as the indenture, which may be amended or supplemented from time to time, that contains the terms of the debt securities.
The following summary of provisions of the indenture does not purport to be complete and is subject, and qualified in its entirety by reference, to the complete text of the indenture, including, but not limited to, definitions therein of certain terms. This summary may not contain all of the information that you may find useful. The terms and conditions of the debt securities of each series will be set forth in those debt securities and in the indenture and in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The form of indenture has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. A form of each debt security, reflecting the specific terms and provisions of that series of debt securities, will be filed with the SEC in connection with each offering and will be incorporated by reference in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
General
We may offer the debt securities from time to time in as many distinct series as we may determine. The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue thereunder. We may, without the consent of the holders of the debt securities of any series, issue additional debt securities ranking equally with, and otherwise similar in all respects to, the debt securities of the series (except for the public offering price and the issue date) so that those additional debt securities will be consolidated and form a single series with the debt securities of the series previously offered and sold.
The debt securities of each series will be issued in fully registered form without interest coupons. We currently anticipate that the debt securities of each series offered and sold pursuant to this prospectus will be issued as global debt securities as described under “Global Debt Securities” and will trade in book-entry form only.
Debt securities denominated in U.S. dollars will be issued in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. If the debt securities of a series are denominated in a foreign or composite currency, the applicable prospectus supplement will specify the denomination or denominations in which those debt securities will be issued.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will repay the debt securities of each series at 100% of their principal amount, together with any premium and accrued and unpaid interest thereon at maturity, except if those debt securities have been previously redeemed or purchased and cancelled.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities of each series will not be listed on any securities exchange.
Provisions of Indenture
A prospectus supplement, the indenture, and a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolution of our board of directors (including any related officer’s certificate or Company order), if any, relating to any series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:
| • | the form and title of the debt securities; |
| • | the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities and any limit on the aggregate principal amount, provided, however, that such amount may from time to time be increased by a resolution of our board of directors; |
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| • | the price or prices at which the debt securities will be sold; |
| • | the person to whom any interest on a debt security of the series will be payable, if other than the person in whose name that debt security is registered; |
| • | the date or dates on which the principal of the debt securities will be payable; |
| • | the rate or rates (fixed or variable, or combination thereof) at which the debt securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method of determining such rate or rates; |
| • | the date or dates on which any such interest shall be payable, the date or dates on which payment of any such interest shall commence and the record dates, if any, for such payment date or dates, or the method of determining such date or dates, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months, the right, if any, to extend or defer interest payments and the duration of such extension or deferral; |
| • | any optional or mandatory redemption or repayment option, including any sinking fund, amortization or analogous provisions; |
| • | if other than a minimum denomination equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, the denominations in which any debt securities of the series will be issuable; |
| • | any special tax implications of the debt securities, including provisions for original issue discount securities, if offered; |
| • | any provisions granting special rights to holders when a specified event occurs; |
| • | the percentage of the principal amount at which the debt securities will be issued and any payments due if the maturity of the debt securities is accelerated; |
| • | any Events of Default or covenants with respect to the debt securities that differ from, or are in addition to, those set forth in the indenture; |
| • | if other than U.S. dollars, the currency or currencies for which the debt securities will be issued or in which the principal thereof, any premium thereon and any interest thereon will be payable; |
| • | provisions regarding the convertibility or exchangeability of the debt securities; |
| • | provisions pertaining to the issuance of debt securities in the form of global debt securities, as described below; |
| • | provisions relating to the satisfaction and discharge of the indenture; |
| • | the form of and conditions to issuance of debt securities issuable in definitive form, other than as described below; |
| • | if other than the trustee, the identity of any other trustee, the registrar for the debt securities and any paying agent; |
| • | whether the debt securities of the series will be guaranteed by any persons and, if so, the identity of such persons, the terms and conditions upon which such debt securities will be guaranteed and, if applicable, the terms and conditions upon which such guarantees may be subordinated to other indebtedness of the respective guarantors; |
| • | whether the debt securities of the series will be secured by any collateral and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such debt securities will be secured and, if applicable, upon which such liens may be subordinated to other liens securing other indebtedness of us or of any guarantor; |
| • | whether the debt securities will be issued in a transaction exempt from registration under the Securities Act and any restriction or condition on the transferability of the debt securities of such series; |
| • | the exchanges, if any, on which the debt securities may be listed; |
| • | the terms of any right to convert or exchange debt securities of such series into any other securities or property of ours or of any other corporation or person, and the additions or changes, if any, to the indenture with respect to the debt securities of such series to permit or facilitate such conversion or exchange; and |
| • | any other terms not prohibited by the provisions of the indenture. |
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Global Debt Securities
Certain series of the debt securities may be issued as permanent global debt securities to be deposited with a depositary with respect to that series. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the following is a summary of the depository arrangements applicable to debt securities issued in permanent global form and for which The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, acts as depositary.
Each global debt security will be deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC, as depositary, or its nominee and registered in the name of a nominee of DTC. Except under the limited circumstances described below, global debt securities are not exchangeable for definitive certificated debt securities.
Ownership of beneficial interests in a global debt security is limited to institutions that have accounts with DTC or its nominee, or participants, or persons that may hold interests through participants. In addition, ownership of beneficial interests by participants in a global debt security will be evidenced only by, and the transfer of that ownership interest will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC or its nominee for a global debt security. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global debt security by persons that hold through participants will be evidenced only by, and the transfer of that ownership interest within that participant will be effected only through, records maintained by that participant. DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the debt securities. Beneficial owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase, but beneficial owners are expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the participants through which the beneficial owners entered the transaction. The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global debt security.
Payments on debt securities represented by a global debt security registered in the name of or held by DTC or its nominee will be made to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner and holder of the global debt security representing the debt securities. We expect that upon receipt of any payments with respect to a global debt security, DTC will immediately credit accounts of participants on its book-entry registration and transfer system with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of that global debt security as shown in the records of DTC. Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a global debt security held through those participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the sole responsibility of those participants, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements that may be in effect from time to time.
Neither we, any trustee nor any of our respective agents will be responsible for any aspect of the records of DTC, any nominee or any participant relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a permanent global debt security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any of the records of DTC, any nominee or any participant relating to such beneficial interests.
A global debt security is exchangeable for definitive debt securities registered in the name of, and a transfer of a global debt security may be registered to, any person other than DTC or its nominee, only if:
| • | DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for that global debt security or at any time DTC ceases to be registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor depositary is not appointed by us within 90 days after our receipt of such notice; |
| • | there shall have occurred and be continuing an event of default under the debt securities and the registrar shall have received a request from the depositary to issue certificated securities; |
| • | we determine in our sole discretion that the global debt security will be exchangeable for definitive debt securities in registered form; or |
| • | as may be provided in any applicable prospectus supplement. |
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Any global debt security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence will be exchangeable in whole for definitive debt securities in registered form, of like tenor and of an equal aggregate principal amount as the global debt security. The definitive debt securities will be registered by the registrar in the name or names instructed by DTC. We expect that these instructions may be based on directions received by DTC from its participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the global debt security.
Except as provided above, owners of the beneficial interests in a global debt security will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of debt securities in definitive form and will not be considered the holders of debt securities for any purpose under the indenture. No global debt security will be exchangeable except for another global debt security of like denomination and tenor to be registered in the name of DTC or its nominee. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a global debt security must rely on the procedures of DTC and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which that person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the global debt security or the indenture.
We understand that, under existing industry practices, in the event that we request any action of holders, or an owner of a beneficial interest in a global debt security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the debt securities or the indenture, DTC would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interest to give or take that action, and those participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through those participants to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them.
DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a “clearing agency” pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC was created to hold securities of its participants and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among its participants in those securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC’s participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. DTC is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, or DTCC. DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearance Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others, such as banks, brokers, dealers, trust companies and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly. The rules applicable to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC. More information about DTC can be found at www.dtcc.com; the information contained on that website is not incorporated in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement.
Certain Covenants
The indenture sets forth limited covenants that will apply to each series of debt securities issued under the indenture, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Under the indenture, we will agree to:
| • | pay the principal of, and interest and any premium on, the debt securities when due; |
| • | maintain a place of payment; |
| • | deliver an officer’s certificate to the trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year regarding our review of compliance with our obligations under the indenture; |
| • | maintain our corporate existence; and |
| • | deposit sufficient funds with any paying agent on or before the due date for any payment of principal, interest or premium. |
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Consolidation, Merger or Asset Sale
The indenture generally will allow us to consolidate with or merge into any other person, association or entity. The indenture will also allow us to convey, transfer or lease our property and assets as, or substantially as, an entirety to a person, association or entity.
However, we will only consolidate with or merge into any other person, association or entity or convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets as, or substantially as, an entirety according to the terms and conditions of the indenture, including the following requirements:
| • | (i) we are the surviving person or (ii) the remaining or acquiring person, association or entity is a corporation or partnership organized under the laws of the United States, any state or the District of Columbia and expressly assumes all of our responsibilities and liabilities under the indenture, including the punctual payment of all amounts due on the debt securities and performance of the covenants in the indenture; |
| • | immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, as defined below, exists; and |
| • | delivery to the trustee of an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all related conditions have been satisfied. |
The remaining or acquiring person, association or entity will be substituted for us in the indenture with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture. Thereafter, the successor may exercise our rights and powers under the indenture, in our name or in its own name. If we sell or transfer our assets substantially as an entirety, we will be released from all our liabilities and obligations under the indenture and the debt securities. If we lease our assets substantially as an entirety, we will not be released from our obligations under the indenture and the debt securities.
Events of Default
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each of the following events will be an Event of Default under the indenture with respect to any series of debt securities issued under the indenture:
| • | failure to pay any interest on any debt security of the series when due, continued for 30 days; |
| • | failure to pay principal of (or premium, if any, on) any debt security of the series when due; |
| • | failure to deposit a sinking fund payment when and as due by the terms of a debt security of the series; |
| • | failure to perform or comply with any covenant in the indenture or related supplemental indenture, continued for 90 days after written notice as provided in the indenture; |
| • | certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization affecting us; and |
| • | any other Event of Default set forth in the indenture or supplemental indenture relating to the debt securities of that series. |
An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under the indenture. The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of a series of debt securities of any default, except payment defaults of principal or interest or any premium on those debt securities, if it considers such withholding to be in the interest of the holders.
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the entire principal amount of the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately; provided, however, that the holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul the declaration.
Subject to provisions in the indenture relating to its duties in case an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the trustee will not be under an obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request, order or direction of any holders of debt securities then outstanding under the indenture, unless the holders shall have offered to the trustee reasonable indemnity. If such reasonable indemnity is provided, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any power conferred on the trustee, for any series of debt securities.
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Defeasance
Debt securities of a series may be defeased at any time in accordance with their terms and as set forth in the indenture and described briefly below, unless the securities resolutions or supplemental indenture establishing the terms of the series provides otherwise. Any defeasance may terminate all of our obligations (with limited exceptions) with respect to a series of debt securities and the indenture, or Legal Defeasance, or it may terminate only our obligations under any restrictive covenants which may be applicable to a particular series, or Covenant Defeasance.
We may exercise our Legal Defeasance option even though we have also exercised our Covenant Defeasance option. If we exercise the Legal Defeasance option with respect to a series of debt securities, that series may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default. If we exercise the Covenant Defeasance option, that series of debt securities may not be accelerated by reference to any restrictive covenants which may be applicable to that particular series.
To exercise either defeasance option as to a series of debt securities, we must:
| • | irrevocably deposit in trust with the trustee or another trustee money or U.S. government obligations in an amount to pay and discharge the principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities on the stated maturities or redemption dates therefor and any mandatory sinking fund payments; |
| • | deliver a certificate from an independent public accountant or financial advisor expressing its opinion that the payments of principal and interest when due on the deposited U.S. government obligations, without reinvestment, plus any deposited money without investment, will provide cash at the times and in the amounts necessary to pay the principal of and premium and interest when due on all debt securities of the series to maturity or redemption, as the case may be, and any mandatory sinking fund payments; and |
| • | comply with certain other conditions, including that there be no Event of Default at the time of deposit or Event of Default due to bankruptcy on or prior to the 90th day after the deposit date. In particular, we must obtain an opinion of tax counsel that the defeasance will not result in recognition of any gain or loss to holders for federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit. |
Discharge
We may discharge all our obligations under the indenture with respect to the notes of any series, other than our obligation to register the transfer of and to exchange notes of that series, when either:
| • | all outstanding notes of that series (except (i) mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen notes that have been replaced or paid and notes for whose payment money has been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to us and (ii) notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by us and thereafter repaid to us or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the trustee cancelled or for cancellation; or |
| • | all such notes not so delivered for cancellation have either become due and payable or will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year, and we have deposited with the trustee in trust an amount of cash sufficient to pay the entire indebtedness of such notes, including interest to the stated maturity or applicable redemption date; and |
| • | we have paid all other sums due under the indenture and delivered an officer’s certificate and opinion of counsel to the trustee stating that all related conditions have been satisfied. |
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Modification of the Indenture
Under the indenture, generally we and the trustee may modify our rights and obligations and the rights of the holders with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modification.
No modification of the principal or interest payment terms, no modification reducing the percentage required for any waiver or modifications and no modification impairing the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on debt securities of any series when due, is effective against any holder without its consent.
In addition, we and the trustee may amend the indenture without the consent of any holder of the debt securities to make certain changes, such as:
| • | curing ambiguities or correcting defects or inconsistencies; |
| • | otherwise adding or changing provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the indenture relating to a particular series of debt securities that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder in any material respect; |
| • | evidencing the succession of another person to us, and the assumption by that successor of our obligations under the indenture and the debt securities of any series; |
| • | providing for the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee; |
| • | qualifying the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, or TIA; |
| • | complying with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which debt securities of any series may be listed or traded or any applicable depositary; |
| • | adding, changing or eliminating provisions relating to a particular series of debt securities to be issued, provided that any such addition, change or elimination (1) shall neither (i) apply to any debt security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor (ii) modify the rights of the holders of any such debt security with respect to such provision or (2) shall become effective only when there is not such debt security outstanding; |
| • | to establish the form or terms of any debt securities of any series under the indenture; or |
| • | to provide for the issuance of additional debt securities of any series. |
No Individual Liability of Officers, Directors, Employees or Stockholders
No director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of ours or any of our affiliates will have any personal liability in respect of our obligations under the indenture or the debt securities by reason of his, her or its status as such.
Governing Law
The indenture and all the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
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Regarding the Trustee
The indenture provides that there may be more than one trustee thereunder, each with respect to one or more series of debt securities. If there are different trustees for different series of debt securities, each trustee will be a trustee of a trust or trusts separate and apart from the trust or trusts administered by any other trustee under the indenture. Unless otherwise indicated in any applicable prospectus supplement, any action permitted to be taken by a trustee may be taken by such trustee only with respect to the one or more series of debt securities for which it is the trustee under the indenture. Any trustee under the indenture may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of debt securities. All payments of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, and all registration, transfer, exchange, authentication and delivery (including authentication and delivery on original issuance of the debt securities) of, the debt securities of a series will be effected by the trustee with respect to that series at an office designated by the trustee.
We may maintain corporate trust relationships in the ordinary course of business with the trustee. The trustee shall have and be subject to all the duties and responsibilities specified with respect to an indenture trustee under the TIA. Subject to the provisions of the TIA, the trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers vested in it by the indenture at the request of any holder of debt securities, unless offered satisfactory indemnity by the holder against the costs, expense and liabilities which might be incurred thereby.
Under the TIA, the indenture is deemed to contain limitations on the right of the trustee, should it become a creditor of our company, to obtain payment of claims in some cases or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The trustee may engage in other transactions with us. If it acquires any conflicting interest under the TIA relating to any of its duties with respect to the debt securities, however, it must eliminate the conflict or resign as trustee.
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The following description summarizes certain terms and conditions of the warrants that we may offer and sell pursuant to this prospectus. When we offer to sell a particular series of warrants, we will describe the specific terms and conditions of the warrants in a prospectus supplement to this prospectus. We will also indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement whether the general terms and conditions described in this prospectus apply to the series of warrants. The terms and conditions of the warrants may be different in one or more respects from the terms and conditions described below. If so, those differences will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants.
We may issue warrants for the purchase of shares of our common stock or preferred stock or of debt securities. We may issue warrants independently or together with other securities, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and the investors or a warrant agent. The terms of any warrants offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.
The particular terms of any issue of warrants will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to the issue. Those terms may include:
| • | the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase such shares and the price at which such number of shares may be purchased upon such exercise; |
| • | the designation, stated value and terms (including, without limitation, liquidation, dividend, conversion, and voting rights) of the series of preferred stock issuable upon exercise of warrants to purchase preferred stock; |
| • | the principal amount of debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of a debt warrant and the exercise price for the warrants, which may be payable in cash, securities or other property; |
| • | the date, if any, on and after which the warrants and the related debt securities, preferred stock or common stock will be separately transferable; |
| • | the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants; |
| • | the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and the date on which the right will expire; |
| • | U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to the warrants; and |
| • | any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange, exercise and settlement of the warrants. |
Each warrant will entitle its holder to purchase the principal amount of debt securities or the number of shares of preferred stock or common stock at the exercise price set forth in, or calculable as set forth 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 specified time on 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.
A holder of warrant certificates may exchange them for new warrant certificates of different denominations, present them for registration of transfer and exercise them at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Until any warrants to purchase debt securities are exercised, the holder of the warrants will not have any rights of holders of the debt securities that can be purchased upon exercise, including any rights to receive payments of principal, premium or interest on the underlying debt securities or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture. Until any warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock are exercised, the holders of the warrants will not have any rights of holders of the underlying common stock or preferred stock, including any rights to receive dividends or payments upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up on the common stock or preferred stock, if any.
This description and the description in the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus of any warrants that we may offer is not and will not necessarily be complete and will be subject, and qualified in its entirety by reference, to the applicable warrant agreements and warrant certificates, which will be filed with the SEC.
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We may issue units consisting of any combination of the other types of securities offered under this prospectus in one or more series. We may evidence each series of units by unit certificates that we will issue under a separate agreement. We may enter into unit agreements with a unit agent. Each unit agent will be a bank or trust company that we select. We will indicate the name and address of any unit agent in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of units.
The following description summarizes certain features of the units that we may offer under this prospectus. When we offer to sell any units, we will describe the specific terms and conditions of the units in a prospectus supplement to this prospectus. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as the complete unit agreements that contain the terms of the units. If we offer any units, certain terms of that series of units will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, including, without limitation, the following, as applicable:
| • | the title of the series of units; |
| • | identification and description of the separate constituent securities comprising the units; |
| • | the price or prices at which the units will be issued; |
| • | the date, if any, on and after which the constituent securities comprising the units will be separately transferable; |
| • | a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the units; and |
| • | any other terms of the units and their constituent securities. |
The description in the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus of any units that we may offer will not necessarily be complete and will be subject, and qualified in its entirety by reference, to the unit agreement and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements relating to such units, which will be filed with the SEC.
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We may sell the offered securities from time to time:
| • | through underwriters or dealers; |
| • | through agents; |
| • | directly to one or more purchasers; or |
| • | through a combination of any of these methods of sale. |
We will identify the specific plan of distribution, including any underwriters, dealers, agents, or direct purchasers and their compensation in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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Certain legal matters relating to the issuance and sale of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by our counsel, Hogan Lovells US LLP, Baltimore, Maryland. Additional legal matters may be passed upon for us or any underwriters, dealers or agents, by counsel that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The financial statements incorporated by reference from the 2019 Annual Report have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
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INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by us in connection with the sale of common stock being registered. All amounts are estimates except for the SEC registration fee and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, filing fee.
| Amount to be Paid | ||||
| SEC registration fee | $ | 19,638 | ||
| FINRA filing fee | $ | (1 | ) | |
| Printing and engraving expenses | $ | (1 | ) | |
| Legal fees and expenses | $ | (1 | ) | |
| Accounting fees and expenses | $ | (1 | ) | |
| Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses | $ | (1 | ) | |
| Miscellaneous expenses | $ | (1 | ) | |
| Total | $ | (1 | ) | |
| (1) | These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time. |
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
We are incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. As permitted by Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, we have adopted provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws that limit or eliminate the personal liability of our directors for a breach of their fiduciary duty of care as a director. The duty of care generally requires that, when acting on behalf of the corporation, directors exercise an informed business judgment based on all material information reasonably available to them. Consequently, our directors will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as directors, except liability for:
| • | any breach of the duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders; |
| • | any act or omission not in good faith that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; |
| • | unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or |
| • | any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. |
These limitations of liability do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission. Our certificate of incorporation also authorizes us to indemnify our officers, directors and other agents to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law.
As permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our bylaws provide that:
| • | we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to limited exceptions; | |
| • | we will advance expenses to our directors in connection with legal proceedings to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to limited exceptions; and | |
| • | the rights provided in our bylaws are not exclusive. |
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Our certificate of incorporation, attached as Exhibit 3.1 hereto, and our bylaws, attached as Exhibit 3.2 hereto, provide for the indemnification provisions described above and elsewhere herein.
We have entered and expect to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify our directors, executive officers and other employees as determined by our board of directors. These indemnification agreements generally require us, among other things, to indemnify our directors, executive officers, and these employees against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers, other than liabilities arising from willful misconduct. These indemnification agreements also generally require us to advance any expenses incurred by the directors, executive officers, and employees as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. We also maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our directors and officers against the cost of defense, settlement, or payment of a judgment in some circumstances.
Any underwriting agreement or distribution agreement that we enter into with any underwriters or agents involved in the offering or sale of any securities registered hereby may require such underwriters or dealers to indemnify the registrant, some or all of its directors and officers and its controlling persons, if any, for specified liabilities, which may include liabilities under the Securities Act.
See the undertakings set forth in response to Item 17 herein.
Item 16. Exhibits
| Exhibit Number | Description | |
| 1.1* | Form of Underwriting Agreement. | |
| 3.1 | Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with Registrant’s Current Report on 8-K filed with the Commission on May 13, 2019 (File No. 001-38905)). | |
| 3.2 | Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 filed with Registrant’s Current Report on 8-K filed with the Commission on May 13, 2019 (File No. 001-38905)). |
| 4.2* | Form of Preferred Stock Certificate and Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock. |
| 4.3*** | Form of Indenture. |
| 4.4* | Form of Debt Security. |
| 4.5* | Form of Warrant. |
| 4.6* | Form of Warrant Agreement. |
| 4.7* | Form of Unit Agreement. |
| 5.1 | Opinion of Hogan Lovells US LLP. |
| 23.1 | Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm. |
| 23.2 | Consent of Hogan Lovells US LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1). |
| 24.1*** | Powers of Attorney (incorporated by reference to the signature page hereto). |
| 25.1** | Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. |
* To be filed by amendment or incorporated by reference in connection with the offering of the securities.
** To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
*** Previously filed.
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Item 17. 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 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 Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and | |
| (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 (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii), and (a)(1)(iii) above 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 Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)) 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.
| (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. | |
| (5) | 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. |
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| (6) | 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. | |
| (b) | 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. | |
| (h) | 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 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 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. | |
| (j) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act. |
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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-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Beltsville, State of Maryland, on the 4th day of March, 2021.
| NEXTCURE, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Michael Richman | |
| Michael Richman | ||
| President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
| Signature | Title | Date | ||
| /s/ Michael Richman | President,
Chief Executive Officer and Director | March 4, 2021 | ||
| Michael Richman | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
| /s/ Steven P. Cobourn | Chief Financial Officer | March 4, 2021 | ||
| Steven P. Cobourn | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |||
| * | ||||
| David Kabakoff, Ph.D. | Chair of the Board | March 4, 2021 | ||
| * | ||||
| John G. Houston, Ph.D. | Director | March 4, 2021 | ||
| * | ||||
| Elaine V. Jones, Ph.D. | Director | March 4, 2021 | ||
| * | ||||
| Chau Q. Khuong | Director | March 4, 2021 | ||
| * | |||||
| Garry A. Nicholson | Director | March 4, 2021 | |||
| * | |||||
| Stephen Webster | Director | March 4, 2021 | |||
| * | |||||
| Stella Xu, Ph.D. | Director | March 4, 2021 | |||
| * By: | /s/ Steven P. Cobourn | ||||
| Steven
P. Cobourn Attorney-in-Fact | |||||
Exhibit 5.1
 |
Hogan Lovells US LLP Harbor East 100 International Drive Suite 2000 Baltimore, MD 21202 T +1 410 659 2700 F +1 410 659 2701 www.hoganlovells.com |
March 4, 2021
Board of Directors
NextCure, Inc.
9000 Virginia Manor Road
Suite 200
Beltsville, Maryland 20705
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are acting as counsel to NextCure, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with its registration statement on Form S-3, as amended (the “Registration Statement”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the proposed public offering by the Company of up to $180,000,000 in aggregate amount of one or more series of the following securities of the Company: (i) unsecured debt securities (the “Debt Securities”); (ii) shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Preferred Shares”); (iii) shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Common Shares”); (iv) warrants to purchase Debt Securities, Preferred Shares, Common Shares, or other securities of the Company (“Warrants”); and (vii) units representing any combination of one or more of the foregoing securities (“Units” and, together with the Debt Securities, Preferred Shares, Common Shares, and Warrants, the “Securities”), all of which may be sold from time to time and on a delayed or continuous basis, as set forth in the prospectus that forms a part of the Registration Statement, and as to be set forth in one or more supplements to the prospectus. This opinion letter is furnished to you at your request to enable you to fulfill the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K, 17 C.F.R. § 229.601(b)(5), in connection with the Registration Statement.
For purposes of this opinion letter, we have examined copies of such agreements, instruments and documents as we have deemed an appropriate basis on which to render the opinions hereinafter expressed. In our examination of the aforesaid documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the accuracy and completeness of all documents submitted to us, the authenticity of all original documents, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies (including pdfs). As to all matters of fact, we have relied on the representations and statements of fact made in the documents so reviewed, and we have not independently established the facts so relied on. This opinion letter is given, and all statements herein are made, in the context of the foregoing.
Hogan Lovells US LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in the District of Columbia. “Hogan Lovells” is an international legal practice that includes Hogan Lovells US LLP and Hogan Lovells International LLP, with offices in: Alicante Amsterdam Baltimore Beijing Birmingham Boston Brussels Colorado Springs Denver Dubai Dusseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hong Kong Houston Johannesburg London Los Angeles Luxembourg Madrid Mexico City Miami Milan Minneapolis Monterrey Moscow Munich New York Northern Virginia Paris Perth Philadelphia Rome San Francisco São Paulo Shanghai Silicon Valley Singapore Sydney Tokyo Warsaw Washington, D.C. Associated Offices: Budapest Jakarta Riyadh Shanghai FTZ Ulaanbaatar Zagreb. Business Service Centers: Johannesburg Louisville. Legal Services Center: Berlin. For more information see www.hoganlovells.com
| NextCure, Inc. | - 2 - | March 4, 2021 |
For purposes of this opinion letter, we have assumed that (i) the issuance, sale, amount and terms of any Securities to be offered from time to time will have been duly authorized and established by proper action of the board of directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee of such board (“Board Action”) consistent with the procedures and terms described in the Registration Statement and in accordance with the Company’s charter and bylaws and applicable Delaware corporate law, in a manner that does not violate any law, government or court-imposed order or restriction or agreement or instrument then binding on the Company or otherwise impair the legal or binding nature of the obligations represented by the applicable Securities; (ii) at the time of offer, issuance and sale of any Securities, the Registration Statement will have been declared effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and no stop order suspending its effectiveness will have been issued and remain in effect; (iii) any Debt Securities will be issued pursuant to an indenture for Debt Securities, substantially in the form of such indenture filed as Exhibit 4.3 to the Registration Statement, with items shown in such exhibits as subject to completion completed in a satisfactory manner; (iv) the indenture under which any Debt Securities are issued will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended; (v) any Warrants will be issued under one or more warrant agreements, each to be between the Company and a financial institution identified therein as a warrant agent; (vi) prior to any issuance of Preferred Shares, appropriate certificates of designation will be accepted for record by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware; (vii) any Units will be issued under one or more unit agreements, each to be between the Company and the financial institution identified therein as a unit agent; (viii) if being sold by the issuer thereof, the Securities will be delivered against payment of valid consideration therefor and in accordance with the terms of the applicable Board Action authorizing such sale and any applicable underwriting agreement or purchase agreement and as contemplated by the Registration Statement and/or the applicable prospectus supplement; and (ix) the Company will remain a Delaware corporation.
To the extent that the obligations of the Company with respect to the Securities may be dependent upon such matters, we assume for purposes of this opinion that the other party under the indenture for any Debt Securities, under the warrant agreement for any Warrants, under any unit agreement for any Units, namely, the trustee, the warrant agent, or the unit agent, respectively, is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; that such other party is duly qualified to engage in the activities contemplated by such indenture, warrant agreement, or unit agreement, as applicable; that such indenture, warrant agreement, or unit agreement, as applicable, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the other party and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the other party enforceable against the other party in accordance with its terms; that such other party is in compliance with respect to performance of its obligations under such indenture, warrant agreement, or unit agreement, as applicable, with all applicable laws, rules and regulations; and that such other party has the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under such indenture, warrant agreement, or unit agreement, as applicable.
This opinion letter is based as to matters of law solely on the applicable provisions of the following, as currently in effect: (i) the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended, and (ii) as to the opinions given in paragraphs (a), (d), and (e), the laws of the State of New York (but not including any laws, statutes, ordinances, administrative decisions, rules or regulations of any political subdivision below the state level). We express no opinion herein as to any other statutes, rules or regulations (and in particular, we express no opinion as to any effect that such other statutes, rules or regulations may have on the opinions expressed herein).
Based upon, subject to and limited by the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
(a) The Debt Securities (including any Debt Securities duly issued upon the exercise of Warrants), upon due execution and delivery of an indenture relating thereto on behalf of the Company and the trustee named therein, and upon authentication by such trustee and due execution and delivery on behalf of the Company in accordance with the indenture and any supplemental indenture relating thereto, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
| NextCure, Inc. | - 3 - | March 4, 2021 |
(b) The Preferred Shares (including any Preferred Shares that are duly issued upon the exercise of Warrants and receipt by the Company of any additional consideration payable upon such exercise), upon due execution and delivery on behalf of the Company of certificates therefor, including global certificates, or the entry of the issuance thereof in the books and records of the Company, as the case may be, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(c) The Common Shares (including any Common Shares duly issued upon the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities or Preferred Shares that are exchangeable for or convertible into Common Shares, upon the exercise of Warrants and receipt by the Company of any additional consideration payable upon such conversion, exchange, or exercise), upon due execution and delivery on behalf of the Company of certificates therefor, including global certificates, or the entry of the issuance thereof in the books and records of the Company, as the case may be, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(d) The Warrants, upon due execution and delivery of a warrant agreement relating thereto on behalf of the Company and the warrant agent named therein and due authentication of the Warrants by such warrant agent, and upon due execution and delivery of the Warrants on behalf of the Company, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
(e) The Units, upon due execution and delivery of a unit agreement relating thereto on behalf of the Company, and upon due execution and delivery of one or more certificates bearing such terms on behalf of the Company, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
The opinions expressed in Paragraphs (a), (d), and (e) above with respect to the valid and binding nature of obligations may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights (including, without limitation, the effect of statutory and other law regarding fraudulent conveyances, fraudulent transfers and preferential transfers) and by the exercise of judicial discretion and the application of principles of equity, good faith, fair dealing, reasonableness, conscionability and materiality (regardless of whether the Securities are considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
This opinion letter has been prepared for use in connection with the Registration Statement. We assume no obligation to advise of any changes in the foregoing subsequent to the effective date of the Registration Statement.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are an “expert” within the meaning of the Act.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Hogan Lovells US LLP
HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in this Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of NextCure, Inc. for the registration of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants and units and to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated March 12, 2020, with respect to the financial statements of NextCure, Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Baltimore, MD
March 4, 2021